enemies should still increase and that to such degree of crueltie as in God his iustice required their speedy and finall destruction which neuerthelesse should bee delayed for a time but so as the rage of persecution being mitigated the Church should become of great account euen before men Therefore in this fifth Seale is put the cry of Soules against cruelty not that here it beganne but for the hight whereto the enemies were come now therein as also a reason of God his patience in such measure of wrong was needfull And further hearts are hereby wakened to see the equity of the great plague in the sixt Seale when God in a great degree performeth the promised vengeance albeit then fully it shall bee executed when vpon powring out of the seuenth Viall they shall bee absolutely destroyed who destroyed the earth and the kingdomes of the world shall become our Lords the rest of Saints being slaine by the beast euen the rest of the womans seed Chap. 12. 17. and 13. 7. and 14. 12. 9 The sixth type vpon opening of the sixt Seale 〈◊〉 a great Earthquake the darkning of the sunne and moon the fall of starres the departing of heauen and remouing of mountaines and Ilands from their places the speech opening the signification is the Kings of the earth great men rich men chiefe Captaines mighty men bond-men and free-men should haue such commotion and alteration of state carrying such imprinted sense and cleare sight of Christ his wrath and vengeance as they should bee filled with desperate terrour so sore a iudgement comming on them as in a sort the state of the world should bee ouerturned these who were as the Sunne Moone and Stars for glistering shew in their Kingdomes wealthes honours commandements and great roomes being darkened and falling from their places all their glory and honour compared to Heauen euanishing as a scrole rolled vp such as seemed most closely hedged about as Ilands being driuen from their places and who appeared to bee setled as mountaines yet remouing Which plague should bee so much the more grieuous as no condition of men bond or free should escape it all feeling such desperate terror and sorrow as felt these Isai 2. as had the Israelites at the destruction of Samaria Ose 10. and as Christ foretold should betake the Iewes at the destruction of Ierusalem Luke 21. Neither is this type to be drawne to any other or extended to any further sense To take it of the last consummation is ridiculous ignorance the seuenth Seale as yet not opened and yeelding more then foure times as much story both for time and euents in time as all these six preceeding and to extend it to the decay of the visible Church is impertinent as which matter is handled properly in the seuenth seale and six trumpets thereof For albeit that in this Prophesie both before and hereafter starres be put for Pastors of Churches and the eclipsing of Sunne and starres for darkening of spirituall light and fall of starres for falling of Pastors from the truth yet here where that matter is not handled and where the holy Ghost so plainely ioyneth the interpretation wee ought not iumble so distinct matters and the frequent vse of these same Allegories in the Prophets for euents of this same kind might haue taught so much Isai 13. verse 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. and 14. 12. and 24. 19. 20. 21. 23. and 34. 40. Ezechiel 32. 7. 8. Ioel 2. 30. 31. 10 Now for right accommodation of Story to these Seales wee must flie two extremities wherein many Interpreters falling breed to themselues great difficulties and darken cleare matter The first is of these who tying themselues to more strait rules of interpretation theÌ„ the holy Spirite hath laid to them will needes haue these seuen Seales as also the Trumpets and Vials to bee so many knots or periods of time exactlie cutted within which the accommodation of each is to bee sought whereas they are no knots of time but types of distinct matters and the whole matter comprehended in seuen Seales whereof the seuenth affording the trumpets vials hath the matter of foure times alse much time as all the former sixe sheweth the weakenesse of this coniecture yea the effects of them are seene clearely to bee often of one time the former holding out long after the beginning of the next The other extremity is of these who well perceiuing the absurdity of the first neglect in the accommodation all consideration of distinct time so iumbling Seales Trumpets and Vials to the confusion of all order and light of Story which in this Prophesie is most orderly set downe with special relation to distinct euents Then let vs hold this rule that these sixe Seales haue the story of the first sorrowes as Christ calleth them Mathew 24. 8. as the seuenth Seale hath both the second sorrowes in the sixe Trumpets and the last wrath in the seuenth by seuen Vials Thus farre then wee haue to respect time in accommodation of these Seales that albeit they shew such ordinary iudgements whereby God at all time hath punished and will punish the contempt of his grace yet here they haue a speciall relation to the first time from the writing of this Prophesie to the ouerturning of the state of the Roman Empire so far forth as might make way to the succeeding more dangerous euill in the seuenth Seale and sixe Trumpets thereof Now as these beginnings of Sorrowes so called and of Christ himselfe recorded in the same order which here is set down fell out in diuers places Mathew 24. 7. 8. So also in diuers times of that first time now and then here there yet alwayes in this order that first the white horse goeth out after the Sword Famine Pestilence and noisome beasts God his foure great plagues Ezech. 14. 21 sometimes seuerally sometimes ioyntly as God saw it expedient fitting his iudgements to the growth of induration against that persecuting estate till at length all the glory and face almost of that wicked Empire was ouerturned And these are the proper euils of that first time for that albeit in succeding ages God hath inflicted them on the world yet neither in such degree as then neither for any degree thereof vpon the world thereafter come they in account in respect of heauier woes theÌ„ they 11 How the preaching of the Gospell went forth conquering to ouercome maugre all opponents besides the successe preceding this Reuelation it had after Domitian who now letted it with all his might a great propagation as in story is cleare and whensoeuer by persecutors it was crossed immediately the red horse and his great sword in God his iustice commeth forth in bloudy warres partly with forrainers but most tragically of the Caesars amongst themselues whereof the Stories are knowne and too long here to bee repeated 12 Now famine ordinarily euer accompanieth or ensueth hard vpon Warres but these times had as strange bloudshed so vncouâ—h examples
any bloud in the third part of the sea would haue liued become dead in hereticall prauity The verity and accommodation hereof is more then cleare as principally in Arrius so in all the other Arch-heretikes of that time men more learned then holy and more quicke then modest like blazing Comets corrupting the truth of doctrine in a great part And therefore for the full perfection of euill in this kind when not onely the third part but wholy al both earth Sea fountaines shal be burnt turned into bloud and made bitter and al light eclipsed the like type is vsed in the fift Trumpet but with this notable difference that that starre falleth to the earth and so breedeth the mischiefe 9 The fourth Trumpet bringeth a darkenesse in part vpon Sunne Moone Starres day and night A kindlie degree of euill to follow on the former and there withal noting yet a higher degree of Apostasie and aduancement of the mystery of iniquitie as the heauenly lightes are aboue fountaines and riuers This is the type of darke ignorance comming on the world first in a great part The former euils arose more vpon contention pride and bitter despite then vpon ignorance while men either not aduerting or maliciouslie miscarried they tooke place but now together with these commeth also grosse ignorance in a great part darkening all true knowledge Christ is our sunne whom wee behold in the true light of his Gospell whereof when the third part is darkened so farre is our sunne darkened to vs. The Moone and starres are they in whose hearts God so shineth as they are able to make the light of the knowledge of God to shine in the hearts of others in the face of Iesus The day is that light thus ministred from our sunne by these starres wherein we walke who are children of the day and not of the night For starres here must bee considered more as receiuing light from the sunne they dispense it to vs then for that they shine in the night And here the night signifieth that light which naturall men who are not children of the day but of the night yet haue in humane sciences liberall arts in comparison to the light of the Gospell but a night of darkenesse whereof now by this Trumpet came a great decay as in story is more then manifest Now as these euils are said to worke but on the thirde part in each kind to shew that the first degrees came on but in part so as first the loue and life of God abode in the most part of the Church as in the second degree yet the most part worshipped purely and in the third held still the Orthodox faith like as now in the fourth yet continued great measure of learning both in diuine and humane sciences Whereas in the next Trumpet al falleth to the height of euill and a totall and common Apostasie is set downe And therefore for preparation to it a heauie warning is giuen of a triple woe But this warning is by an Angell flying through the middest of heauen and so farre remoued from the perception of earthly men it being so farre and obscurely deliuered as few were capable thereof or aduerted it see Chapter 14. and 18. 1. Diuers learned and godly men of whome this Angell is the type saw the mischiefe comming on through these euils more and more preuailing and gaue warning of it euen Gregory Bishop of Rome saw so much and made him say Rex superbia prope est quod dicinefas est Sacerdotum est paratus exercitus and vbi est ille Antichristus qui appellationem vindicabit vniuersalis Episcopi cui Sacerdotum exercitus paratus est ad assectandum cum prope est in foribus Hee did hit very right for within little more then three yeeres after him his owne successor Boniface the third tooke to himselfe the title of Vniuersalis Episcopus which all the succeeding Bishops retaine and so by sufftage of a most famous Bishop of Rome they are that Antichrist CHAP. IX FOllow the heauier woes denounced in the fourth Trumpet to fall on the earthly sort on whome are all these iudgements from which the sealed ones are exempted Of these three the first is in this fift Trumpet euen that huge mischiefe of Antichrist to which height of iniquity the former euils were al 's many steppes The other two woes following in the 6. and 7. Trumpets are the consequences in God his iust indignation of this great woe the one for punishment to prouoke repentance in the 6. Trumpet which being ineffectuall to conuersion vpon obstinate impenitency verse 20. 21. the seuenth Trumpet bringeth the third great woe and last wrath to Antichrists vtter destruction 2 In this euill are the origine whence it ariseth and the euill it selfe the origine is first and secundarie arising of the first The first is the fall of a great star from heauen to the earth the type of Pastors of great marke falling from being heauenly to becom earthly from the true state of Saints to the state of the world and to the loue thereof from light to darkenesse from the keyes of the kingdome of heauen to the keyes of the bottomlesse pit Now as this fall was not in one instant or point of time nemo repente fit turpissimus but by degrees so is it not to be taken of one man personally but is the generall type of that euill wherein Pastors falling they became ignorant and ministers of darke ignorance out of which arose the mischiefe of Antichrist and his poysonable Armie the euill is the loue of the earth where through cometh this change of Keyes by an Apostasie and falling away of these who had beene starres of heauen and ministers of light as hauing the keyes of the kingdome of heauen to bee the ministers of other Keyes euen these of Gehenna This is that succession and these are the Keyes the Church of Rome and Bishoppes thereof so much bragge of as this whole prophesie euinceth clearely The secundary origine of the euill is darkenesse arising through this fall and change of Keyes and that in a strange degree for this darkenes is not in part as that of the fourth trumpet but it eclipseth all light actiue and passiue sunne and aire Christ is our sunne whose beames lighten our spirituall aire whereby wee both walke in light and draw in a pure breath for intertainement of our spirituall life This by this darkenesse of the bottomlesse pitte which arose through that pastors falling to the loue of earthly things lost the key of knowledge and became Ministers of darkenesse is wholy eclipsed so as all the face of the visible Church is darkened and common life in it corrupted The euill of the third Trumpet was by fall of a great starre but that fell in the fountaines and riuers so making them in a part bitter but here the desire of riches and loue of the earth maketh all erre from the faith 3
were happy but vpon defect hereof they are taxed that hauing a name that they liue they are dead that their works are not perfect in Christ his sight Howsoeuer among them God hath his number whose hearts and liues are answerable to their profession To whom is promised that they shall walke with Christ in white And the rest are warned to repent and watch least he come vpon them in an howre that they know not 10 Philadelphia hath an open dore set before her into which to enter for any humane aide shee is of little strength but what Christ openeth none shal be able to shut and what he shutteth none shall be able to open so that at the feet of this Church notwithstanding her little strength yet the enemies are faine to bow and giue their names And hereupon shee hath the promise to be established as a pillar not to goe out any more and that on her Christ will write his name c. So as to haue this honour permanent to bee Christ his true Church that new Ierusalem from heauen which shall neuer be moued 11 In Laodicea they thinke themselues so setled gifted and strengthned as they become secure and vainely presumptuous This bringeth in a cold indifferency in matters of God his worship men becoÌ„ming Luke warme and neither cold nor hot the very next sexe to plaine Atheisme Christ for soueraigne medicine against this euill calleth vp to his true riches wisdome banquet and hope of his throne whereto we attaine by fighting and ouercomming as did our Head CHAP. IIII. THe second part of this propheticall narration is henceforth to the 6. of the last Chapter of things to fall out after the time wherein Iohn had this reuelation and concerning first and properly the whole militant Church 2 In this is first the preparation of the Apostle to the perception of these mysteries and then the things reuealed The preparation is in the first and beginning of the 2. vers of this Chap. and is by sight by inuiting voice and the euent of both in Iohn 3 In the first besides the thing which he seeth are two circumstances of time and the seer his disposition The time is after the perception of the former things wherein no intermission is to be imagined but onely the order of manifestation noted all being but one continuall trance vpon one and the same Lord his day The seer his disposition is that he yet looked shewing a holy desire and earnestnesse not resting in things already seene but intending still his eies to see more Which disposition beeing in sobriety and sincere affection is neuer fruitlesse in any That which for preparation Iohn seeth is an open doore in heauen a signe of an entrie opened vnto him to the sight of heauenly things which neither are earthly nor of earthly mindes comprehended Thus Iohn Baptist saw the heauens opened so did Stephen the first Martyr Iacob vpon such a sight called Lâ—z Bethel the house of God and gate of heauen and the Lord most plainely shewing what by this frame of speech is meant when hee would tell of a more plentifull dispensation and sight of heauenly things hereafter saith he yee shall see the heauens open 4 In the inuiting voice are two what the voice was euen one and the same of a trumpet which first spake to him Chap. 1. And next what the voice vttered wherein is the commandement and end thereof The commandement is Come vp hither whereby is required in Iohn and all hearers and readers hereof a rising aboue themselues from the earth and all earthly affections to enter at the doore opened by God to see his secrets For as God his true Church consisteth of such as are not of the world so neither is God his dispensation towards them neither their gracefull state thereby to naturall and worldly men perceptible And heereof it is that throughout this Prophesie heauen in opposition to the earth is taken for the state of the true Church as the earth is for the worldly sort The end of the commandement is that he might shew him things which must bee done heereafter which sort of things are most difficile to know and yet we must desire to vnderstand But the Lord doth nothing but that he reuealeth to his seruants the Prophets 5 The euent in Iohn cleereth the end of the commandement This euent is he is rauished in spirit not as if this were an other trance the former being past but to shew a further intending of spirit and degree of rauishment now requisite for perception of more hidde and retired matters then were the former which were first properly of things then in earth existeÌ„t concerned particular and visible Churches whereas the things following are not only future but concern first and properly the whole militant which with the eies of faith we must behold as also her condition And this is to all flesh impossible to whom God openeth not heauen yea and whom he bringeth not vp and to whom he sheweth not the same when they are come thither For in these matters before we enter in the Lord his Sanctuary wee are but beasts Psalm 73. 17. 22. 6 This is the preparation The things offered to Iohn his perception follow thorow the rest of the booke and haue two parts For as the whole concerneth chiefly the state of God his Church and God his administration in grace towards her and wrath against her troublers so before the story of speciall euents is put in this and the next Chapter a goodly vision of the generall condition of God his Church and his administration for and towards her As we see in the beginning of the prophesie of Ezechiel the like vision of God his generall administration in the world and as before the first part of this propheticall narration a vision was put to shew the operation of Christ in his Church The first part then of the two is in this and the next Chapter and may well be called a generall introduction to the speciall story The other part hath the story of speciall euents to the 6. of the last Chapter 7 In the introduction are first a goodly type of the Church militant as in and against all troubles it hath and euer shall stand stable through God her King in the midst of her resident and his generall dispensation towards her gratious and for her terrible in this Chapter And next his particular dispensation of this present reuelation and things therein for her instruction and comfort the excellent dignity of which particular benefit is by many arguments shewed in the 5. Chap. And both these are here for great vse The first for stablishing the heart of Iohn and all Christians against the manifold dangers wrestlings decaies and apparent eclipses of the Church in the course of the subsequent story by setting downe in type such a state thereof as whereto alwaies at least with the eie of faith wee
turned to mee how soone would I haue humbled their enemies His second action is a signe giuen to his trumpeters who stand attending it from him to set too to particular execution The signe is Hee filleth the Censer with fire c. In token of burning wrath and with fire of the Altar For as the acceptation and sanctification of all the Samts and their offerings is of him who is the true golden Altar so all his wrath on the world is from him in whom all men in God his predestination are ordered to their diuers ends according as they are either giuen to him and builded on him or passed by and stumble at him This fire is also from the Altar for the spiritual iudgements that it worketh For the fire of this Altar hath double effects It is gracious nourishing purging renuing and strengthning to the elect Isai 6. And it is a fire deuouring the aduersaries burning vp the world as stubble for our God euen a consuming fire Christ comming into the world brought both the one and the other though the one improperly Thus from one and the same Censer and one and the same Altar one and the same fire both sendeth vp a sweete perfume and downe a consuming wrath As the praier of Elias brought both fruitfull raine and deuouring fire and as the two witnesses Chapter 11. are to the godly candlestickes and refreshing oliues but with fire out of their mouthes slay their aduersaries If I bee the man of God saith Eliah let fire come downe from heauen c. Vpon this fire cast on the earth follow Lightnings Thundrings Voices and Earthquakes euident types of horrible iudgements and commotions Chapter 4. And so heereby the attending Trumpeters get signe to blow the alarum and denounce particularly the iudgements whereby God was now to plague the blind and obstinate world And vpon the signe thus giuen them they set too in order to blow See Ezech. 10 for this casting of fire in signe of wrath and God his departing from his sanctuarie 5 Thus farre is the generall preparation The particular execution hath in each the denunciation by the trumpet and the effect insuing And are diuided in lighter or lesse woes and heauier and greater The first soure in degree of comparison are lighter and are in this Chapter The three other are heauie whereof two are thorowout the 9 10. and a good part of the 11. Chapt. The last holdeth to the end of the whole narration The first foure are al 's many degrees of the mystery of iniquity working on to that fearefull height which is in the fifth trumpet accompanied with a no lesse deadly euill for iust punishment thereof in the sixt trumpet which being ineffectuall to worke repentance commeth on the last wrath in the seuenth trumpet 6 Vpon the first sound are seene haile and fire mingled with blood which cast on the earth that is in the visible Church Chap. 7 Section 2. Produce then a terrible effect That all greene grasse c. The iudgements of God in Scripture are ordinarily expressed by haile fire and stormy tempest God borrowing speeches from naturall things to set foorth his terror But this speech heere hath a speciall allusion to that plague on Egypt Exod. 9. and Psal 105. Now then to finde the analogy as heere the burning vp of grasse and trees is to expresse the decay of spirituall life and moisture in all true Christianity and that not onely in weake ones as grasse but in the strong as trees so heere we are to search agreeably to this effect what is answerable to haile and fire It is the fire of God his spirit begetting in vs faith and loue which maketh vs Christians weaker or stronger according to the measure of grace giuen vs and our grouth therein and that by the watering moistening of sweet showers of grace as dew vpon the mowne grasse or raine on the thirsty ground For of heate and moisture commeth all flourishing greennesse Hereof it is that so often in Scripture we are exhorted to edifie on another in loue This burning heat did eat vp our Lord and in it the Apostle burnt this fire of loue is the band of perfection whereby we grow vp as one man in Christ And hereupon are in Scripture so many attestations to be like minded and detestations of debate and diuision Now when this fire of loue is turned into the fire of contention then they from whose mouthes should droppe wisdome and refreshing showers send out the could haile of their owne affections and frosty showers of selfe-loue which in place of comforting and nourishing the hearbes and trees by wholesome word and sound example of life in contrary burne them quite vp as doth haile and fire This was the first euill which entred into the Church for the first degree whereof the Church of Ephesus was taxed Which degree betime growing not only to coldnesse in loue but also to fiery contention and mixed with frosty haile wrought this fearefull effect and first step to antichristianisme euen want of true religion and of the life of God in a great part This fire and haile is said to haue beene mixed with blood for that not onely this euill of firie debate beganne euen while as yet hot persecutioÌ„ lasted against the Church by heathen Emperours but also for that it entred in the Church in such degree as proceeded to cruelty and bloodshed This euill Satan laboured to bring in from the first times of the Gospell but that the fire of loue sweet showers held things greene The first that greatly kindled this flame was Victor Bishop of Rome whose fiâ—ie headines in a friuolous matter had it not beene repressed by the graue rebukes of Irenaeus Bishoppe of Lions and Policrates of Ephesus had made a great burning Eusebius recordeth Lib. 8. of the persecution by Dioclesian that it was a necessary correction of the Church which had fallen to ouer great a custome of sin see how greennesse was burnt vp whose pastors were begun to sauor of pride and tyranny see the step to the next euill Thus wee see how the fire was euen mixed with bloud but soone after how farre this fire brake out vpon the first relaxation vnder Constantine it is wonderfull so as if the prudent care of that Prince had not bene the greater that first and famous Councell of Nice had beene a miserable proofe of this fire which beeing but restrained there for the time how vehemently to the disgrace of christianity and burning vp of all true religion in the hearts of men it brake out thereafter is manifest in the story So as Constantine in his Epistle to the Synod of Tyrus exprobrateth to them that he saw nothing in Bishops dealings but an ouerthrow of all religion This made Nazianzen to vtter that hard speech That hee neuer did see a good effect of any Synod because in steade of the fire of loue mixed with the
degrees as haue beene shewed as in like manner in the sixth seale was giuen a view of the mischiefe of the Trumpets to learne vs that euen then before the ouerthrow and shaking of the Empire the mystery of iniquity was working And in all God sheweth his power and prouidence that euen with the sinne and wickednesse of men hath his iudgements preparing long before for their due punishment in time Now maruaile not that here that which is to the Saints chiefe ioy is a woe to the World for our victory is the worldes ruine 5 Vpon the blowing of the seuenth Trumpet the effect thereof is in the rest of this Chapter summarily denounced by a gratulatory song of praise of the Church to God for the ioyfull effect to them though wofull to the world which now they preconceiue is to ensue And this effect summarily here denounced is through the rest of all the Propheticall narration exponed at large The summe and matter of their fong which stirreth them to thanksgiuing is in this that God now raigneth And this raigne is cleared by two great effects the one is the destruction of all enemies the other is a sequell hereof the good estate of God his children the time of whose reward now is come The Iustice of God in the destruction is shewed in that these enemies were angrie and had in their fury destroyed the earth and murthered the Saints so as now God had iust reason to be angry in his course and to iudge and reuenge his dead fully on the world by prosecuting still his now begunne wrath and iudgements against the aduersaries till they be closed vp in euerlasting torment and redressing the estate of his Church in continuall deliuerance and encrease of grace till as a Bride fully prepared shee be receiued to glorie all being here performed now in the dayes of this Trumpet whatsoeuer by the Prophets was foretold either of the Church her perfection in grace and peaceable state or of the enemies destruction And this is that finishing of the mysterie sworne Chapter 10. this is that vengeance promised to the slaine soules in the 5. Seale but which they were to attend till the rest of Saints were slaine and this the Gentiles in their anger hauing performed hauing trod downe the holy City euen that beast that worketh forty two monethes making warre with the Saints and ouercomming them Chapter 13. Now the Lord commeth in great indignation to repay the world their cruelty This double euent thus denounced is by figne also forshewed to signifie the rising of the Church in great light and deepe sight of the most hid mysteries the Tabernacle is open in heauen and the Arke which stood in the most holy place is openly seene Here is a great degree of knowledge In the end of the sixt Trumpet was a great measure euen that first visible separatiō from Babel and her earthly ones when to the witnesses it was said Come vp hither but her clearenesse of light is aduanced greatly and the truth hereof is euident All praise to him who hath taken his Kingdome for since the seuenth Trumpet began to blow the Antichristian kingdome thinketh light of the sixt Trumpet and now this is their heauiest woe as wil appeare in the effects of the Vials but it is our song The signe of the other effect in the destruction of the enemies and God his horrible iudgements to that end are thunderings lightnings voices earthquake and much haile See vpon Chapter 4. Sect. 10. thus Babel whereof but the tenth part fell at the first essayes in the time of the sixth Trumpet now at the sound of the seuenth taketh a totall ruine as did Ierico at the seuenth Trumpet for to that is the allusion CHAP. XII THe seuenth Trumpet sounding the effect thereof was summarily foreshewed in a congratulatorie song signes expressing the maine points of the euent to ensue in the end of the last Chapter Now hence through this Booke to the generall conclusion of al that is largely and particularly exponed in the story of two great wonders or signes in Heauen The first in the 12. 13. and 14. Chapters the other thence to the end The first signe or wonder hath the story of the enemies and condition of God his Church oppressed by them in some degrees comming out vnder that bondage The second hath the story of full victory in the perfect ouerthrow of the aduersaries and the Church her goodly and gracefull state thereupon The first in the 12. 13 and 14. Chapters is of one time with that story which in the fixe seales and sixe trumpets of the seuenth hath beene shewed but yet is not the same And where it would appeare to haue but one and the same matter yet the purpose and respect of handling is much different wherof see more vpon Chapter 14. Sect. 10. And here this Narration commeth exceeding fitly both for time and matter For time because albeit it be of things fallen out before the seuenth Trumpet yet so cleare a sight of them was not got till vpon the blast of it the Tabernacle of testimony opened in heauen afforded to God his children a more plaine sight of the enemies their course successe of working For matter because that vpon the souuding of the seuenth Trumpet so great a ioy of the Church vttered in such a song vpon preception of so great a deliuerance to her selfe and destruction of her enemies requireth for cleare vnderstanding thereof and how great the worke is that these enemies be knowne and their dealings and to endeare the more to the Church her owne deliuerance that her troubles and wrestlings with these enemies bee also seene that so both the equity of the former iudgements and specially of this last and finall wrath to come on them may bee cleare Till now the Story hath beene of wrath vpon the world from which the sealed ones were free the Church her sufferings nothing or but sparingly touched the Story of the Witnesses Chapter 11. being deliuered but as they were a Woe vpon the world but now in these three subsequent Chapters the Story of the Church her sufferings and of the parties by whom vpon whome and for which came all the former woes and now finall wrath is denounced is most pertinently both for time and matter inserted The not aduerting of this purpose of the holy Ghost hath bredde to many in reading this Booke great obscurity while they tooke not vppe the sweet and plaine way thereof so ledde as falling in againe in the end of the soureteenth Chapter to the point where it left in the end of the eleuenth for inserting of this necessary Story the summary execution is their preponed of that which in the end of the eleuenth Chapter was summarily denounced And so in the second great Wonder or Signe seene in Heauen throughout the fifteene sixeteene seuenteene eighteene nineteene and twenty Chapters this effect of the seuenth Trumpet as touching the
frō the Prophets with whō it is ordinarily in this sense 7 Now against this woman according to the old warre proclaimed in Paradise is set in apparance a very vnequall match but that Michael fighteth the battell This aduersary is Satan for so the spirit interpreteth verse 9. Hee is a great Dragon for great malice force and subtilty He is red for his cruell and bloudy disposition as who was a murtherer from the beginning Hee hath seuen heades and tenne hornes the armes of Rome because of this the Diuell his fury against the Primitiue Church the Emperours of Rome were the instruments and executors And therefore to shew Rome in that state of persecuting Emperours the heades are crowned for an euident distinction of Rome then from Rome thereafter in the beast The heads and hornes are put in both that we may know what state the spirit designeth but by the different note of these heades and hornes To take vp the different time and condition in time Against the Primitiue Church the Diuell albeit working by Rome is made the direct enemie because then Christianity was directly oppugned and open rage practised against the name of Christ Heathenisme and worship of Diuels plainely maintained From which open dealing and licentious murthering Satan being tyed vp afterwards by power of the Gospell hee dealt more couertly by the beast of his authority vnder name and profession of Christianity and pretence of Christ his power deceiuing men of the world till after a thousand yeeres the reuiued light of the Gospell breaking out a fresh and discouering the deceit of the beast hee is so chafed as hee falleth to murthering of Saints In which respect the Dragon is said to be loosed the second time Chap 20. and thereby the beast falling to open murther becommeth of his colour Chapter 17. Of these heades and hornes see vpon the 13. and 17. Chapters 8 This Dragon then imployeth head and taile that is cruelty and lies for hee was a lier and murtherer from the beginning By his taile that is by his alluring deceit whether effectuall error or deceitfulnesse of honours riches and worldly lusts hee insinuateth himselfe amongst these who seeme shining starres of heauen and draweth them to fall from light and grace and to become earthly such as goe out of the Church that is heauen but were not of it Marke alwaies that Satan his first attempt against the Church is with his taile amongst the starres Thus he stirreth his taile With his heads that is his power and force hee setteth himselfe first against the childe to deuoure him in the bearing Whereby the fury and rage of Satan by the Romane Emperours to keepe the Church of Christ from rising is signified notwithstanding whose malice and cruelty the childe and a man childe alluding to the story of Aegypt and also for that as Christ was in person and as the paschall Lambe and other expiatory sacrifices of the flocke so all Christians in Christ Iesus are consecrated as males for perfection of strength and spirituall vigor is borne that is the Church is brought foorth to the partaking of the honour first proper to Christ and in him to all his members To rule all Nations with a rod of iron Chapt. 2. 27. And not onely thus brought foorth but in euident presence and power of God ruling in and amongst them established here in earth against all Satan his fury and visibly separated to God from the rest of the world becomming Kings and Priests to God in Christ so as according to Christ his owne prediction the sonne of man was seene come in his Kingdome with power by his Church raised in the world The throne as the iron rod is first and properly Christ his right but it is also the honour of the Saints in him to whom hee giueth a Kingdome as he hath receiued one of the father and to whom he giueth to sit in his throne as he ouercame and sitteth in his fathers throne For euen here we sit with him in the highest places So the taking vp of the childe is the erection of the Church amongst men visibly in that same sense that the two Witnesses were bid come vp hither Chap. 11. And the casting of the Dragon from heauen is all one thing with this For the exalting of the childe is the deiecting of the Dragon from heauen and the deiection of the Dragon is the vptaking of the child Satan is said to be in heauen when so by lies and error he hath preuailed in the visible Church as no apparant or very small face thereof is seene Like as the Church is in the earth euen where Satan his throne is when it is so compassed with error and ignorance as it appeareth not till it be said come vp hither that is till God by purity of worship and open profession thereof make his true Church visibly separated from the contagion of the worldy sort And euen in this case Satan is deiected from heauen and sent amongst his owne earthly ones He is said to fight in heauen when by slight and might he laboreth to keepe downe so the true Church as it can not bee discerned from his company and is deiected thence when truth openly in the Church is maintained so as he can haue no place for dominion but amongst the children of disobedience For beeing cast out of men hee goeth madlings in the swine of the world and shut out of God his house he furiously mistrāmeth his owne putting forth his rage where hee may seeing hee cannot where hee would Woe to the Inhabitants of the earth This is it which maketh that where euer the Gospell is purely preached there immediately by Sathan are raised stirres and tempests For while hee brooketh all peaceably hee is at ease but when that stronger commeth who spoileth his house then hee chafeth and becommeth mad in his Instruments This euent Christ in these same words foretelleth so as we need not doubt of the right sense Now is the iudgement of this world now shall the Prince of this world bee cast out And in another place speaking of the effect of the Gospell truely preached I saw Sathan fall from the heauen like lightning 9 This victory is by Michael and his Angels fighting in heauen that is by Christ who is Michael our Prince and the Angels of the Churches Apostles and faithfull Pastors fighting by the powerfull preaching of the Gospell against Sathan his Ministers of darkenes heathen Philosophers heretikes and all such for Christianity is a warfare against Principalities and powers against beasts wherin we must all fight the good fight of faith and striue for that victory which standeth in saluation of the elect from God in Christ and in the foile of Sathan and that by the bloud of the Lambe apprehended by true faith in the word of Iesus his Testimony with perseuerance and a ready offering of liues for his
and the sight whereof men most abhorre The speech is from common sense whereby wee esteeme these desolate and foreleited places to be full of foule spirits which resort most in filthy roomes as the damoniake of alegion abode amongst the graues Whether their delight bee in such places or if God in his iustice so confine them or if in such places they appeare most to mooue the more terrour 4 The equity of this great fall is for bringing all the earth into the sin of spirituall fornication so making it guilty of wrath and that so farre as the greatest Kings were besotted with her While shee by couetousnesse and deceitfull efficacy of errour so maketh merchandize of all men as the ministers of her abominations waxed Kings fellowes swimming in all aboundance of wealth and carnall pleasure And therefore it is a iust thing with God that shee who with false semblance drew all the earth after her should bee now no lesse abhorred then is hell the dwelling of Diuels that she who was the darling of Kings committing filthinesse with them should now bee a receptacle of foule and filthie spirits and shee who for frequent resort and multitude of trade was not only her selfe the Lady of Kingdomes but also made all her merchants rich through her superfluous luxury should nowe become so desolate and forsaken as to bee the nesting place of all vncleane and hatefull birds 5 The second voice from heauen amplifieth and cleareth these same points of certaine and instant performance equity and greatnesse of her iudgement that so in the mouthes of two or three witnesses and from heauen the matter may be stable And this is by a threefold exhortation to the Saints 1. To forsake and come out of her proper to such as at this time shall yet be within her So little reason hath she at any time to glory in the number of the Beast his name 2. To repay her with iust recompence And. To reioice of her fall The first are stirred first to come out of her by argument of a manifest perill to the remainers of being infected with the contagion of her sinne and consequently inuolued with her in the same iudgement For society in sinne bringeth fellowship in wrath Secondly they are stirred to do it with diligence both for the greatnesse of the iudgement and present effusion of wrath which can haue no delay in respect her sinne is come to the height shee hauing so still heaped sinne on sinne that her iniquity hath mounted to the heauens so as God who for his patience and long-suffering appeareth often to forget the waies of men is now to poure out on her such a full cup of wrath as shall well witnesse him to remember her sinnes and to bee a iust repayer of iniquitie Thus as the exhortation to come out by a voice from heauen sheweth the certainty of a present fall like that of Sodom when Lot was bid of the Angels to come out of her and that of Babel properly when by the Prophets the people of Israel were exhorted to come out of her and bee as the hee-goats of the flocke so is both the greatnesse of her destruction heerein implyed like that of Sodom where was no remnant and the equity of it is cleare in the degree of her sinne The Angel whose voice Chapt. 14. succeeded the denouncer there of Babels fall gaue sharpe warning not to worshippe the Beast or receiue his character But now absolute deserting of Babel is needfull and euen the name and number are now dangerous Wherefore come out of her and remember Lot his wife 6 The second point whereto the second heauenly voice exhorteth the faithfull specially the ministers of Babels fall is to doe the worke of the Lord diligently for negligence therein is accursed in all which the equity greatnesse and certainety of her fall is shewed For what is more equall then retribution and that euery one receiue according to their worke then as they haue measured that so it bee measured to them againe what more iust then who exalteth her selfe that she bee brought low and that shee who hath wallowed in pleasures and carnall delights receiue torment and sorrow what more equall then who presumptuously glorying in her greatnesse and strength securely promised to her selfe perpetuall stability she finde againe vnexpected destruction Now how great againe shall the fall of Babel be if shee receiue double for her waies and that so much the more as by the hands of these whome shee hath highly wronged therupon stirred in iust disdaine against her if shee be al 's farre pressed downe as shee hath exalted her selfe whose fall shall be like her fall if she receiue torment and sorrow according to her pleasures what torment and griefe shall bee comparable to hers That this her iudgement is ineuitable al 's wel as iust and great is cleare in this that it is God euen that great Lord of heauen and earth that condemneth her and who then shall absolue her wherein as the ineuitable certainety of her iudgement is euident so is implyed the equity For shall the Iudge of the world iudge vnrighteously the greatnesse also for it is a hard thing to fall into the hands of the Lord before whom all Nations are but as the droppe of a Bucket or as the dust of a Trebuschet 7 For more clearing of her presumption and confident glorifying her selfe it is expressed in her owne speeches and her iudgement accordingly set downe I sit being a Queene and am no widdow neither shall I see mourning The word Sit is Emphatike Steuchus against Valla pleading the priuiledge of the Romane seate affirmeth stoutly that all Kings haue by her left vnto them but the vse and administration of their Kingdomes and that the right in property belongeth to her and shee will be holden domina regina Thus while they know not what they speake the tongues and pennes of these Parasites are led to verifie against themselues the truth of this prophesie 8 Her iudgements here specified are such as befall the most distressed in strightest sieges of Townes when mortalitie doole and famine all iointly consume as it may perhaps fall that thus shee bee sacked And these iudgements are amplified as by the measure so also by their manner of comming on as which come inexpected in one day Not that in one instant shee shall fall which were a great relaxation to her griefe but to shew two things One that her fall shall haue no turning but from the time it beginne shee shall fall still till vtter ruine The other is that euen her last and ful destruction shall come farre against her expectation in a day whereof shee shall not know the morning For albeit shee feele already her iudgement begunne and in good degrees aduanced so as they are gnawing their tongues for sorrow yet she is still as Iezabel who vpon the very point of her last fall
what kind of Merchants are here meaned the holy Ghost in a diuine Artifice closeth all with the Soules of men And that none thinke according to the frame of Hebrew speech the like words put in the cited place of Ezechiel that hereby bondslaues should bee meaned wee haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 put before to expresse that and then the construction is altered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so giuing cleare note that such Merchants are here to bee vnderstoode as Peter speaketh of 2. Epist 2. and Panl 2. Cor. 2. 17. Successors of Simon Magus 12 The Seamen mourne for that by her fall their trade and life also faileth And first their astonishment with the reason thereof and next their desperate sorrow are distinctly set downe When Merchants haue no sale or change then of necessity shippes lie at a full sea for none fraught them more the life of Mariners dependeth on the trade of Merchants By these then are meaned the rablement of inferior orders of the Clergy which albeit not in a like degree with the Merchants yet liued all on this trade were nourished with the magnificence of the Whore And the holy Ghost to shew their swarming multitudes as Locusts of diuers kindes putteth a heape of words in a heauenly wisdome Ship-masters Occupiers in Shippes Mariners all Seamen This Allegorie cleareth what Chapter 8. is meaned by the sea things liuing therein and shippes They had indeed a large Sea and haue occupied both busily and with great gaine in it but now all must fall In all this this is seene how miserable and vnhappy is the condition of such as build their maintenance and moyen of life on such trade or course of liuing as agreeth not with godlinesse For there particular either pleasure or commodity maketh them enemies to God and their owne saluation Kings seeke to her for their pleasures Prelates for that by her they are rich honourable and made great in the earth Inferiour orders for that in her standing and magnificence is their life Thus the loue of the wages of vnrighteousnesse blindeth men in God his iustice to preferre lies to truth and to remain indured enemies against God and their owne saluation The Iewes crucified the Lord of glory for feare lest all belieuing in him the Romans should come and take their place Demetrius the Siluer-Smith for his particular gaine by vngodly Trade resisted the Gospell and put all Ephesus on an vproare Blessed is the man which liueth on godly meanes and loueth not the wages of iniquity 13 The third point whereto the second heauenly voice exhorteth the Saints is to reioyce for her fall specially Pastors and Teachers who as they felt most of her malice so God giueth them the greater measure of consolation This is the time denounced Chapter 11. When the Lord rewardeth his Seruants the Prophets c. Now they are destroyed who destroyed the earth Now the Dead are iudged and the bloud of Saints shedde first and last Chapter 6. 11. 16. is auenged on them that dwell on the earth by finall and full vengeance all being now perfected who should bee killed for Christ And by this reason they are stirred to ioy as accordingly in their song Chapter 19. they acknowledge Not that God pousseth his Children to any corrupt affection but with pure hearts to reioice for their owne deliuerance and God his honour in the ouerthrow of his and their foes as Dauid The righteous shall reioyce when hee seeth the vengeance he shall wash his feet in the bloud of the wicked and men shall say verily there is fruit for the righteous doubtles there is a God that raigneth in the earth Thus the mourning of Saints is turned into ioy which neuer shall bee taken from them and the reioysing of the wicked porisheth and they mourne for euer 14 The last heauenly voyce for clearing and confirmation of an irreparable destruction hath a signe conioyned from the 5. of Ieremy whence and from his 50. much of all this speech is brought The signe is a great Milstone cast in the Sea the meaning wherof is shewed first in generall termes that so Babell shall be throwne away and neuer be found any more Next more at large in singular pointes declared concluding lastly in the reason and so the equity of her so great and irreparable ruine In the Signe almost each word hath a gradation in that an Angell a strong Angell taketh a stone and a great stone euen a Milstone which hee letteth not bairely fall but casteth and with impetuous force thrusteth in the bottome of the Sea whence nothing ordinarily is recouered much lesse a Milstone thrust from such a hand and with such force So the Lord casteth the sinnes of his Children in the bottome of the sea to bee buried for euer with Babel Thus is shewed the irreparable ruine of Rome And the same is amplified by pleasant speeches from Ieremie 25. to shew an eternall desolation as of her in whom neuer againe shall bee any thing for stirring vppe pleasure or shewing triumph no not any thing seruing for commodity of life as craftsmen no not for necessity of life as prouiding of necessary sustenance Nothing but desolate darkenesse with perpetuall and fearefull silence for as light is sowne to the righteous in darkenesse so the Candle of the wicked shall bee put out Finally no meane of propagation without which no state can endure 15 The reason of all is her bewitching of the whole earth with idolatrie for her owne pride and luxurie wherin she exalted her selfe and made all her Marchants rich and herewithall horrible cruelty being not only a Whore but a bloudy Whore as not onely the murtherer of Saints but the occasioner of all bloudshed in the earth So not onely in her selfe extreamely sinfull but as Ieroboam made Israel to sinne bringing sin on the world and making it sinnefull The bloud of Saints is euidently found in her and this if no more maketh her guilty of all the bloud in the earth in that almost all God his wrath is for the Sanctuary But besides this what bloudy warre hath been since the Beast his stealing vp out of the Earth whereof shee hath not beene the vpstirrer or which her sinne hath not brought vpon the world whose bewitching vanity and poisonable sting tormenting superstitious mindes for neere the space of two hundreth yeeres made the force and floure of the world to fall by Millions in the foolish Conquest of Ierusalem whose sinne loosed these foure Angels from Euphrates after they had beene a space in God his patience bound vppe at length by Turkish fury and poisonable Mahometane errour to make vtterly desolate the third part of the VVorld VVhat warre hath been in Europe which she hath not either raised or fostered and whose emissaries as Frogges by seditious and treasonable practises and suggestions presently disturbe the peace of the Earth therefore iust and righteous are thy iudgements O
King of Saints CHAP. XIX THus hath beene the description of the Whore and her iudgement Followeth now thereupon the ioy of Saints and that it may bee full the finall ouerthrow of the other enemies Of the Beast in this Chapt. and Dragon in the next for an absolute victory 2 This Chapter hath first the ioy of Saints in their song of praise and next the foile of the Beast The song for the forme matter and euent is admirable In the forme are the singers the strange manner of singing and the course or order of their song The singers according to the course and degrees of the song are three First a great multitude in heauen Secondly the 24. Elders and 4. Beasts Thirdly the voice of a great multitude as the voice of many waters c. Stirred thereto by a voice from the throne 3 By the first a multitude in heauen by all the frame of speech thorow this Prophesie are signified the Saints in common In whom all and generally the destruction of the Whore worketh this ioy which breaketh foorth in thanks-giuing Their manner of singing is with a loude voice both for their force of affection in them selues and for the aduowed open proclaiming thereof before the world and that first in a generall and vncouth word they praise God and stirre all others thereto and next they vtter speciall points of praise with the reasons wherein is the matter of the song 4 The generall word is Haleluiah two well known Ebrew words and of frequent vse in the Psalmes but neuer till now in all the new Testament recorded And heere are put soure times not for any speciall holinesse or mysterie that in the frame sillables or letters thereof is contained and for which it must be religiously kept vntranslated as the Romans after a foolish and cabbalisticke forme esteeme and vse it and others but yet it is not without great purpose and high mystery that tâ—e faithfull now not onely first beginne their song but also therein so often in course vse this word and in Ebrew Which purpose and mysterie to take vp clearely the occasion of this song and course thereof as orderly it goeth on beeing compared with what at length wee spake vpon the sixth Viall Chapt. 16. will euidently lead vs. For by the iudgement of the Whore the way is prepared for these of the East who vpon the victory here ensuing ouer the Beast shall celebrate the same by calling the place in Ebrew Armageddon and mourning the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Mageddon And shall bee brought with vs Gentiles to sing Halleluiah As the course and matter of this song shew euidently But wee must not esteeme that this first Halleluiah is sung by the Ebrews albeit it bee in Ebrew to waken vs to aduert the mystery For this first Halleluiah the Christians of the Geutiles doe sing onely to shew the way now prepared by the iudgement of the Whore for them to come in and concelebrate the victorie Neither thus so much for any such intention of the singers toward that end as that heereby the spirit will shew that the fall of the Whore and loud praise of God by Christians for it shall in a degree waken vp the East and Ebrews principally and shal serue for a great step for them to come in to the Church And yet an other greater step is laide for them and they more stirred vpon the higher intending of this song by a second Halleluiah for the euerlastingnesse of her ruine And yet more by a Halleluiah of the Elders and Beasts falling downe and worshipping him that sitteth on the throne Wherein wee must take heede that wee esteeme not the multitude in heauen and the Elders and Beasts to be otherwaies diuers then in distinct consideration for the more cleare explication of the degrees whereby God wrought on this great effect Which as it shall be in a good degree promooued by that common ioy and praise of Christians such as confusedly and suddenly at the first ioyfull euent is raised in all hearts so a greater and more effectuall degree thereof shall follow when the praise hereupon shall be solemne in the Church assemblies and publike actions thereof which is meaned by the song of the Elders and Beasts who are the type of the Church as for solemne and lawfull worship it is ordered in the Beasts going before and elders following them hauing God his presence in his gtacious dispensation of the spirit word and faithfull ministery thereof such as albeit it hath not alwaies appeared to the eies of men of the earth yet God had at all times as by conference of the 4. and 11. and 14. Chapters herewith is manifest When this Church thus for a lawfull ministery seruing God in the communion of Saints is hid from the world then none heare or learne their song but the sealed Virgins But at this time their Halleluiah and publike solemne praise shall be seene and heard widely euen to the wakening of the East thereby For it is now a long time since it was said to the reuiued witnesses Come vp hither The 144000. sealed ones are saide Chapt. 14. to sing a new song before the throne Elders and Beasts not that the 144000. are one thing and the Elders and Beasts another But as the 144000. are put to expresse the state and condition of the true Church in Antichrist his vsurpation so they are said to sing before the Throne Beasts and Elders To shew that albeit the world perceiued it not euen then God had still a Church in the midst whereof he dwelt and had in it a ministery and was worshipped lawfully in the assembly and communion of Saints For this it is that thorow this whole Prophesie howsoeuer to expresse the diuers conditions of the Church sundry and diuers types are vsed yet this of Throne Beasts and Elders euer holdeth in all Thus then the first common and confused ioy and praise thereupon is a double degree according as it riseth vpon the Whores eternall fall and effectuall to waken But when euen these same in solemne assembly professedly praise God it both inhanceth the seruice done as done in the Sanctuary and sheweth a deeper sense and regard of the benefit moouing that duty in the hearts of the praisers as also the publike well ordered and holy excercise in the Congregation stirreth more them who are without to reuerence and conuersion then common and priuate cariage Psalm 5. 7. and 1. Cor. 14. 24. 25. These same two degrees are Chap. 11. Where vpon the signe giuen by the Trumpet and preconceiued ioy of these same euents to ensue this same praise is summarily sung Now then this third Halleluiah of the Elders and Beasts falling and worshipping him that sitteth on the Throne is a neerer degree of vp-stirring and step of in-comming of Ebrewes and Orient to sing Halleluiah with vs. But lastly the voice from the Throne euen God his owne powerfull voice shall
marriage c. Which vndoubtedlie will be when vpon destruction of all troublers the Church enioying quiet state shall fall in the sleepe of security For if the last iudgement and comming of Christ to it had so notable markes as the foile of Antichrist taking of the Dragon and so great tumults warres and commotions with the hauocke of so huge Armies besiedging the Church how could either that day comes as a thiese on a peaceable world or the Church in such cruell inuasion be at ease and sleeping This errour hath made the subsequent matter to be of most part mistaken as if therein the state of the triumphant Church in heuens were set foorth as it shall be after the last day 23 A learned man lately commenting and with high and iust commendation vpon this booke perceiuing well that the subsequent condition of the Church must be vnderstood of her state heere in grace and so being not seeing how this place could bee taken of the last iudgement turneth it to an allegory of the conuersion of the Iewes by allusion to the last iudgement their conuersion to the faith in respect of their present and long beegunne desperate estate both temporall and spirituall being as it were a rising from the dead According as by the Prophets in regard of the full point thereof it is called and by the Apostle a life from death But besides that where a plaine sense in proprietie is conuenient farre sought allegories are not meete albeit for the wonderfulnesse and inexpected falling out thereof the Iewes restitution be of the Prophets called a rising from their graues yet that thus the whole description so cleerely in all the circumstances of the last iudgement can be drawne thereto I see no reason specially where agreeably to the manner of the holy Ghost the descripton of the generall iudgement may bee taken properly and conueniently for the purpose in hand and no necessity for this to interpret the subsequent Chapters of any state of the Church in time thereafter Which doubt will nothing trouble the iudicious Reader considering the manner of the Propheticall descriptions much different from common historicall narrations in that they by Hypotyposeis represent to the view as present those things they prophesie Further to say in a resurrection whereby men rise from ignorance and in duration to the knowledge of God and imbracing of the faith that they rise to eternall destruction it is vtterly absurd And heere we see that all the execution is of enemies in torment and euerlasting fire The spirit euen heereby as it were pointing to vs his purpose of this narration in this place And this argument â—uinceth that place Daniel 〈◊〉 to bee of the last resurrection For none rise the first resurrection to euerlasting shame but all are blessed As for the word there put of Many as if therein an argument were implied of some other resurrection then the generall wherein All rise it helpeth nothing that opinion as being put but in common and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 repeated according to the subsequent partiâ—ition of Many to glorie Many to shame And if thereon ought might be builded with al 's good reason heere the generall iudgement must bee vnderstood where All the dead small and great doe rise c. That the many and goodly Prophesies of the restoring of Israel haue not as yet their full accomplishment till by faith they be grafted in againe whence they were cut out through vnbeliefe it were either great ignorance or perhaps blasphemy to denie seeing the Apostle to that purpose citeth Prophesies which therfore but in that case cannot be fulfilled Againe that it seemeth necessarie so great a point not to bee ommitted in this Reuelation I hartilie yeeld but that therefore this place should from a proper and well consisting sense be drawne thereto I see no necessitie For that matter was not obscurely in the sixth Viall signified and more plainlie in the Church her song Chapter 19. and if more be requisite who may not be satisfied as such mysteries are heere deliuered with that which in the next Chapter is said of the new Ierusalem hauing vpon this full ouerthrow of her focs her ports cast open towards all the quarters of the earth and on them written the names of the twelue Tribes of Israel to whom then they are made patent that all Israel may bee saued 24 A Throne Daniel 7. is erected and one sitteth for iudging and destroying the Beasts there mentioned enemies and troublers of the Church then And Daniel 12. the faithfull for conception of a perfect deliuerance and full ouerthrow of their aduersaries are called to the meditation of the last and full degree thereof in the generall resurrection To that heere is the allusion euen as in the description of the enemies heere the allusion was to these To shew not onely the like and full ouerthrow of the troubles now of the Christian Church holding on to finall accomplishment in Christ his last comming as the other were abolished at his first but also that the first euen in the promise of God his dispensation were types of the latter The not aduerting whereof hath made many to misconceiue the minde of the holy Ghost in the Prophets While some in accommodation of the promises and denunciations so rest in the first state and time as they looke not how therein God looked further and others so interpret them of the last state and time as against the minde of the spirit they apply them not first and properly to the state then Whereof first and for speciall consolation against the euils then they are meaned albeit they had also typically a further signification as the wise and frequent allusion in this Prophesie prooueth and accommodation through all the new Testament no lesse clearely 25 This great white throne shadowed by that of Solomon albeit then in full and finall degree it shall be erected when our Lord returneth in the cloudes of heauen yet in some degree it is erected here in the cleare and euident preuailing light and power of the Gospell So as euen heere after a sort heauen and earth depart that is the whole state of the world is changed as vpon pouring out of the seuenth Viall was denounced and as for the like euent though not in so full measure was spoken of at the opening of the sixth scale For euen heere we shall haue new heauens and a new earth that is a new state of things by the enemies vtter fall and goodly gracefull and peaceable estate of the Church thereupon when there shall be no more Sea as by Isay is Prophesied often and magnifikly in the subsequent Chapters is declared Thus the state vnder the Gospell in collation to the former is called of the Apostle a new worlde and so the condition of the Christian Church vpon destruction of Whore Beast and Dragon and strange alteration of all the states in the earth enioying peace shal bee yet
in respect of her state before a new world The full and perfect degree whereof shall then bee when vpon the Lord his last comming the heauen shall depart with a noise and the elements shal melt with heat what time wee shall get new heauens and a new earth wherin righteousnesse no more soiourneth as in Tents but stably dwelleth for euer as in a mountaine 26 So farre then is this discription of the last iudgement to bee properly vnderstood as yet wee must not imagine it to bee here set downe either for the point of time when it shall fall out for that it shall haue this coincident case of the ouerthrow of Gog and Magog but onely for the cause aboue explaned Neither is there in all this Prophesie or as I thinke any where in scripture any ground whereon to gather determinately the yeere or age of that day whereof to inquire after the Lord his own answere it is in my iudgement excuselesse temerity and to determine ought is high presumption That some otherwaies godly and learned men excuse their scanning hereat by that Christ foreclosing al Creatures from the knowledge of the day and houre leaueth so place to search the yeere or age besides that in such cleare euidence of the ordinary frame of Scripture speech this shift is both childish and ridiculous in my opinion it is also too bold and grosse dallying with the Lord his words 27 Now yet for bringing minds to acquiesce in this our interpretation the Nations seduced their notes iudgement and names are more to be cleared The allusion is partly to Sodome wherein all young and old from al quarters compassed Lot his house And Sodome was a City of the plaine and they were deuoured by fire from heauen It is also to the 7. of Iudges where the Midianites like Grashoppers in multitude and whose Camels were as the sand of the sea in number pitched against Israel in the plaine and were destroyed by three hundreth but holding forth burning Lampes and blowing Trumpets for the yoake of their burthen and the staffe of their shoulder and the rod of their oppressor are now to be broken as in the day of Midian an exceeding fitte type of this foile which must be by fire from heauen but such as then shineth when wee learne to breake the earthy piâ—cher that hideth it and to blow the Trumpet of God his word loudlie This fire came out of the mouthes of the two witnesses This is the breath of the Lord his mouth The word of God in the mouthes of his seruants is fire and the wicked are stubble before it But the allusion here chiefly both in the names and manner of iudgement is to Ezechiel 38. and 39. where diuers learned men thinke one and the same matter to be handled accommodating both that and this place to the Turkes as whose destruction both there and here in their iudgement is meaned and accordingly with Abenezra interprete the little horne Dan. 11. mistaking as I thinke these places and here yet going further aside in thinking there and here one and the same matter properly to bee deliuered Whereto the names of Gog and Magog giue no more reason of proper interpretation then could before the name of Babylon and the whole frame and leading of this Prophesie by continuall allusion to the old Testament might haue taught another sense to be sought for and that here Gog and Magog are to be taken Spiritually as before Sodome and Egypt 28 By Gog and Magog in Ezeehiel the Kings of Syria cruell oppressors of the Church of Israel are meaned as by the little horne in Daniel Antiochus Epiphanes the worst of all Wherof see Tremellius and Iunius vpon these places Iunius vpon this and the learned Commentarie of Hugh Broughton vpon Daniel That the attempt of Gog and Magog and their iudgement thereupon is said to be in the latter yeeres it will not trouble the resolution of any who seeth the rage of the Goates foure hornes of the Prophet plainely interpreted and of all men confessed to be that of Alexander his successors namely of the succressing little horn Antiochus Epiphanes called the last wrath Both Ezechiel and Daniel so speaking not absolutely but respectiue of the last cruell troublers of the Church of Israel before the first comming of Messias and accordingly of their destruction Wherein if much more appeare to bee spoken then in the measure of God his iudgement against them can bee seen fulfilled we haue to consider not only the Hyperbolike stile of the Prophets in such cases but as I haue already touched that these Prophesies besides the first proper accommodation had a further but a typicall relation And truly it were strange to imagine how the Turke his Kingdome standing the Israelites shall so recouer their owne land as they dwelling therein securely and without feare hee should plot to inuade them That here the names of Gog and Magog should bee meaned or at least restrained to the Turkes is very improbable seeing the two witnesses slaine at this lousing of the dragon lie dead in the street of the great City and all Nations reioyce ouâ—r them seeing the Whore is drunke with the bloud of Saints and in her is found all the bloud shed on the earth seeing it is the Beast that maketh warre with the Saintes and ouercommeth them and therupon whereas he was first like a Pard in course of time when the dragon is loosed becommeth of his colour Seeing also that out of the mouth of the dragon Beast and false Prophet came these frogs instruments of this seduction and seeing they are described to be false Prophets working miracles and authorised thereto by the Beast and false Prophet thus euidently designed to bee the Popish Clergy and by experience chiefly the Iesuites Lastly seeing here by Gog and Magog clearely are designed all the instruments of the dragon his last fury from the foure quarters of the earth the Turkes particularly cannot bee meaned Like as herein is an euident Argument why here Gog and Magog are not properly to bee vnderstood as in Ezechiel who bringeth them specially from the North. It is true that at this point of time when the dragon is loused the Turke his greatnesse beganne without resistance to vndoe all God his iustice in them lousing the foure Angels from Euphrates But these Angels so loused for punishment of false Christians their idolatry witchcraft murther c. more then direct enemies of the true Church are not to bee esteemed one with the dragon here loused Who as at his first misgiuing against the woman and her first seed hee stirred vp the Beast of his authority to deceiue first like Balaam and a fraudulent Pard so here againe being loused for maintaining the credite of his Vicar whom the semblance of the Lambe his hornes false miracles occupying of the holy City Court of the Temple and his fitting as God in the
The shifts of the Papists for exempting the Pontificality from this blot 183 Whence he arriseth 175 His fall irrecouerable 78. 89. 165. 177 His presumption obstinacie and vnexpected foile 218 Aplaine crossing of all Popery 54 An incouragement to Praier 60 The false Prophet all one with the Beast and for what cause they be distinguished 121. 177. 178 The Lord God of the holy Prophets 254. 265 R RAine twofold 62 The Rainebowe about Christ his head 86 All Religion 19 The first Resurrection 224 Who they are that are said Chap. nineteenth to rise the first Resurrection 224. 225 The Reuelation worthy of our study 11. 265 The dignity thereof shewed in two great points 21 The course thereof 32 Riches and authority without wisdome are but the weapons of a foole 30 The Riches of Christ 30 Riders on Horses 33 Christ his Riding on a white horse 212 White Robes in Scripture haue a triple signification 38 Rome her presumption 192. 218 The Renting of her in three 171 By whom shall her fall bee 152. 163. 182 The first and second degrees of her fall 157 The third degree of her fall 158 The fourth 160 The fifth 161 The sixth 163 What her fall shall be 181 It is irrecouerable 165. 177 And vnexpected 192 The certainety and greatnesse thereof 188. 191. 198 The equity thereof 189. 198. 205 Yet in considering the equity a diffeerence is to bee put betwene the state euery particular mēber of that state 193 S TO the Saints is giuen a kingdome euen heere 107 Satan his twofold dealing against the Church 105. 106 What is his first attempt alwaies 106 How he is said to be in heauen to fight there to bee cast downe out of heauen into the earth 107 The Scripture is onely to bee heard and no voice else in the Church of God 25 In what respect it is a little Booke 86 It is kept secure by the Pope Ibid. It must be eaten 91 In the Scripture all is reuealed requisite for light or manners 266. 267. 268 To couplerightly the parts thereof 268 The glassie Sea a type of the Word 15. 149 The Sea for the common worship 49. 64 For that which is below 120 The Red Sea and pillar of fire types of the Word and Spirit 150 For what reason the Sea is said Chap. 15 to be mingled with fire 150 There was no more Sea 120. 250 Seamen 196 The Seale of God 51 Seducing of two sorts 228. 233 The twofold Seed of the Church 130 Seuen Lamps 15 Seuen hornes and seuen eies of the Lambe 26 Seuen points of his praise 30 Seuen heads 118. 175 Seuen Seales Seuen Trumpets Seuen Vials 153 Seuen diuers times recorded in all this booke and concerning this number Seuen 232 The Shining of the Bride her attire 208 Showers twofold 62 Two great Signes in heauen 100 The Signe of the Dragon 102. 147 The Signe of the Sonne of Man 147. 212 To Sit. 191 The Slaughter of the Lambe the reason of his worthinesse and in what sense must thinke so 24 Sobriety 88. 211 Example of Sobriety in the Author 12. 232. 258 Solitary places 188 The Holy Spirit his procession and name of Comforter signified by the Rainebow diffunded about the Throne 12 In a diuers consideration he both sitteth in the throne and also is before the throne set foorth in Seuen burning Lamps 13 Starres for great men of the earth 40. For Pastors 67 And in that case how they are to be considered 68 To stand in the Sunne 216 T The Tents of Saints 233 Theodoricus the Ostrogoth the seuenth head of the Beast 122 Thrones 161 Thrones Beasts and Elders 202 Thrones set for saints 228 Christ his white Throne 235. 240 Seuen Thunders 87 Why their speeches were vttered and yet not written 88 The Times recorded in the Reuelation 73 A refutation of Propheticall yeeres as they call them 74. 96 How to vnderstand the Times of the Reuelation 76 The Time of tenne daies 76 The Time of fiue monthes 77 How the Trumpets beginne and ende in respect of time 80. 89. 90. The Time of fourty two monthes and of 1260 daies and of Time Times and halfe a Time 96. 231 The Time of three daies and a halfe 97 Which also is the space that the Dragon is let goe loose after his first binding 222 The effects of that his loosing 203 The Time of a thousand yeeres 226 It is the onely Time in all this prophesie to be taken definitly 230. The Thighi to put the hand vnder the thigh Christ his name written on his thigh 216 Tragicall times of some Emperours 43 Treasons of Papists by whom they are atchiued how good and worthy works they doe esteeme them 72 And what setteth them so madlings a worke 165 The Tribes of Israel 53 Why they are recorded but to be twelue seeing they were thirteene 127 Trumpets 58 Twelue 120. 128 Turkes their heades terrible Army the great desolation they make V GOlden Vials types of faithfull and pure hearts 27 Golden Vials cups of wrath 153 The reason why they come in place after the trumpets 154 On whom they are powred out 156 Vintage 146 Of the Visibility of the Church 138. 139 The Vnity of the Church of Rome 180 The Voice of Christ is bold as a Lion and powerful as thunder How to know if the Ministers speake his voice Pope Vrbane the second and his successors kindlers of the holy warre for recouery of Ierusalem 229 W LOue of the Wages ofvnrighteousnes 196 The Warre proclaimed in Paradise 102. 105 Christianity is a Warfare against whom it is and how to fight it out 108 And ouercome 180 Counsel and strength are for the Warre 213 The holy Warre 229 Waters of two sorts 67 Many Waters 162 The drying vp of many Waters 162. 173 White colour White horses 33. 145. 212 White robes 38 White linen apparell 153 A White throne 240 Windes for influence of spirituall graces 49 Deepe Wisdome 204 The Whoore described 174 Who shee is 182 How the restoring of Prophesie and dispelling of darkenes is a Woe 98. 160 Two great Wonders in Heauen 100 Wondring of two sorts 174 The Word compared to water figured by the Lauer in the Tabernacle and by the brasen Sea Temple and in this booke Chap. 4. set foorth vnder the type of a glassie Sea before the throne 15. 16 The Word contemned of a blessing becommeth the first of plagues 34 The Word is the weapon of Christ his victorie 86. 88. 215 Three degrees of operation which the Word of God hath in the hearts of his owne 132 Our Worship to God must proceed of knowledge 20 The Wound of the Beast in his sixth head 117 How Works doe follow the dead 142 FINIS Faults escaped Page 8 Line 1 Fault Affliction that Correction Affliction them that Page 8 Line 29 Fault sex Correction step Page 27 Line 12 Fault three Harps Correction their Harps Page 31 Fault last Correction of ingratitude Correction of our ingratitude Page
lector arenam Liba neu â—icco rade profunda pede Hic sulcanda via est huic te duce numine oportet Etpoteris placiâ—ae credere tutus aquae The Summe of the Booke THis Booke is that written record of the things in Vision heard and seene by Iohn in Patmos which according to the commandement giuen him hee sent to the seuen Churches of Asia Whereof it is that besides the inscription in the first three verses the whole is an Epistle hauing a salutation to the ninth of the first Chapter a valediction in the last verse of all and the body of the matter in the rest This body hath for the most part a propheticall narration to the sixt of the last Chapter and thence the generall conclusion The narration hath two parts the first is of things which partly then were and partly were also to bee done thereafter And this part hath first a goodly vision of Christs presence operation and dispensation in and towards these seuen Churches and which in common concerneth them all And secondly a particular accommodation thereof to each one according to their proper condition good or euill or mixed at that time In which respect this part is said to be of things which were then existent as it is also of things to be done thereafter because of the future good or euill promised or threatned The second part of the narration is of things which were to be done thereafter concerning first and properly the whole militant Church Like as the whole euents thereof were to fall out after the time of this trance how soeuer for cleering the working on of these euents some circumstances and beginnings are in one or two places deduced higher And this second part hath a generall introduction to the speciall Storie Chap. 4. and 5. and the story of speciall euents thenceforth The introduction hath two parts first a goodly type of the true Church militant according to that constant and inuariable condition shee euer holdeth in all her changes wrestlings sufferings victories kythings and eclipses For expressing accordingly of all which as diuers and conuenient types thorow this Prophecie are taken so alwaies in all cases this of the Throne Beasts and Elders euer holdeth thorow all This constant condition hath God his constant presence as King and Lord fixing his habitation and ruling in the midst of his Church her gracefull state herethrough as which is a royall priesthood to him his generall and constant dispensation to this end terrible for her and gracious towards her and her dutifull worship of him againe Chap. 4. In the second part of the Introduction is shewed by whom and in whom it is that shee hath all this presence protection and graces and specially thus artificially to bring on the story of speciall euents by whom it is that she hath this singular benefit of this reuelation The dignitie whereof is shewed first in the retired eminencie of the matter and secondly in the worthinesse of the Person reuealer Chap. 5. The speciall storie is thence of which the abstruse secrecie locked vp in God his counsell as by a sealed Booke in God his right hand it was figured so the manifestation thereof to vs is typically expressed by opening of the seales in which the whole Story being comprehended six of them opened yeeld also many types of these first sorrows wherewith God plagued the world for reiecting the Gospel I hâ— seuenth yeeldeth 7. Trumpets whereof the first six haue the second euils and the seuenth vpon induration against all former punishment affordeth seuen vials of the last wrath for full and recurelesse destruction of the enemies and the Church her constant gracefull and quiet state thereupon The beginnings of sorrowes are first the powerful preaching of the Gospell in it selfe properly the first blessing yet to the world â—adly impugning that which must Conquer and Ouercome becomming the sauor of death is the first and mother plague begetting bloudy warres strange famines greeuous pestilences and not some beasts God his foure great plagues seuerally and iointly Against all which notwithstanding the rage and induration of enemies still groweth and that to so huge and cruel effusion of the bloud of Saints as in God his iustice cried for no lesse then the full and finall destruction of that afflicting state Which neuerthelesse in God his wise dispensation is reiourned till the accomplishment of the rest of Martyrs in that honour of suffering And that the Church might attend this the more patiently she getteth in the time relaxation from open persecution and the sufferings of Martyrs become honourable Thereafter that bloudy state through inuasion of barbarous and vncoâ—th nations suffereth such strange alteration as the whole face thereof is turned and it receaueth a deadly wound so farre as might make way for the succeeding huge mischiefe in the seuenth Scale Chap. 6. Before the opening whereof to a particular manifestation of the euils therein for more cleering of the matter and in a diuine artifice to imply that this second mischiefe was hatching euen in time of the first sorrowes a summary view of the whole sequell thereof is giuen in a deadlie euill to ouergoe all the face of the visible Church worship and professors therein Against which the care of Christ for preseruing his true Church is shewed and her double condition first vnder and in time of the mischiefe by a mystical number of sealed ones and of whome and how that number is made vp to the ninth verse and secondly her condition victorius ouer the euill as the same condition is offered to Iohn his perception first by seeing and hearing and secondly by information to the end of the seuenth Chapter For particular explication of that which in the seuenth Chapter was summarily portended the seuenth Seale is opened and yeeldeth seuen Trumpets as also many signes giuen of diuers degrees of iudgements whereby God was as it were to charge vpon the World these in coÌ„parison are lighter or heauier The first foure are lighter first through cold showers of selfeloue and fierie contention mixed with crueltie in the visible Church followeth a destruction in part of true spirituall life and religion both in weake and in such as appeared strong Christians Secondly through the fire of ambition amongst Church-men a corruption in part of the common worship and a death in superstition Thirdly through hereticall prauity arising vpon despitefull pride bitternesse and presumption of great knowledge the very grounds and chiefe Doctours are poisonablie infected to the death of many therein Fourthly darke ignorance and a decay in part of true light and learning both in diuine and humane sciences Chapter 8. Now these foure lighter euils were but alse many steppes to the fift and first of three great woes in the fift Trumpet When not in part onely but through the fall of great Pastours from Heauen to the loue of the Earth and thus losing the Key of knowledge and of the Kingdome of Heauen
and becomming Ministers of the Keyes of darkenesse and of Gehenna so great a smoake ouergoeth the whole face of the visible Church as all light therein is eclipsed And out of this darkenesse ariseth that huge mischief of Antichrist in the abominable army hellish head thereof for punishment whereof if so be they could haue beene cured the Mahometan armies are loosed from the East after they had beene a space in God his patience tied vp from their first ranging now againe with Turkish furie to make desolate both by sword and poysonable doctrine the third part of the Earth This sixth euill and second great woe working no repentance but rather further induration in Antichristian workes Chap. 9. A preparation is for Antichrist his full recurelesse certaine and neere approaching ouerthrow Christ in a sort returning with the weapon of his warfare the little booke now open and the bold and powerfull preaching thereof setting thereto fit instruments who by diligent study of scriptures are inablâ—d to preach the Gospell widelie Chap. 10. And being instructed with faculty thereto by assistance of Christ they apply the right rule of examination and thereby find that Antichrist hath long obteined the place and title of the visible Church The true Church all the while larking within the compasse thereof and being secretly intertained with a hid but powerfull dispensation of grace by few vnknowne and albeit afflicted Ministers yet preaching long without great bloodshed till at â—ength Antichrist perceiuing them to apply the rule they are for a space cruelly murthered and barbarously intreated euen with applause thorowout all Antichrist his domination but God stirring vp others in the same spirit who vigorously oppose themselues a visible separation by diuine warrant is made from Antichrist his fellowship and contagion feare taketh him and his followers great commotions ensue thereupon and his Kingdome is in a part weakened This farre preparation and beginnings of his fall hauing wrought on euen in the height of the sixth euill and second great woe vpon men of the Earth then the seuenth Trumpet soundeth to his vtter fall by seuen Vials which it yeeldeth of the last Wrath. The summary effect whereof in a preconceiued ioy vpon the signe giuen is in a gratulatory song of the Church denounced in the end of the 11. Chapter Before the particular explication whereof for more cleering the reason of so huge a ioy of the Church and the equitie of so determinate a iudgement against the enemies according to that cleere sight which the Tabernacle of Testimony now opened in Heauen yeeldeth to God his seruants of the enemies and their dealings a large narration thereof is incerted and thereafter their great and iust destruction summarily aboue denounced is exponed at length Both which parts of story the holy Ghost setteth forth vnder the names of two great signes seene in Heauen The first in the 12. 13. and 14. Chapters the other to the end of the narration The first signe is double in the party assailed and the assailer the assailed party is the Church in her first seed and in her seed of succeeding times The assailing enemy against boâ—h is the Diuell that old Serpent but in different manner Against the Primitiue Church or first seed directly in open rage by his instruments thereof the Roman Emperors first labouring to keepe downe the Church from rising next cruelly persecuting her being raised thirdâ— being restrained from open persecution through that protection the Church got by Constantine the Great Whereby as by wings she was freed from his open rage labouring to drowne her by that inundation of barbarous Nations which neuerthelesse in God his wise disposing prouidence turned to the defacing of that persecuting Empire Yet so as in the time the true Church by degrees passed to the Wildernesse whereto the wings gaue occasion and lurking there was fed as was Israel and Elias no more any true visible face thereof appearing then those three yeeres and an halfe of famin in the daies of Elias or the same space when Antiochus Epiphanes abolished the daily sacrifice and set vp the abomination of desolatioÌ„ in place therof Ch. 12. Satan highly incensed for his misgiuing endeuors against the first seed tak th occasion of this flight of the Church to the Wildernes to bring in roome the Beast of his working and authority by him to make warre against the Church in her seed of succeeding times This Beast is the same kingdom of Rome but vnder the pontificality by lying signes wonders and false pretence of Christ his power so bewitching the world as through voluntary submission of the â—en of the earth thus deceiued the kingdome of Rome vnder it recouereth that ancient glory lustre estimation subiection of Prouinces which it had lost in the deadly wound it got in the fall of Caesars all the earth wondering and following the Beast Chap. 13. All the time of this preuailing euill euen in the greatest height thereof Christ had still his true Church first lurking and albeit not perceptible to the world yet inioying the presence of her head hauing powerfull and plentifull dispensation of grace from him and worshipping him heartily and truly Secondly by degrees breaking out and contesting with Antichrist in great suffering and much bloodshed to the 14. verse of the 14. Chapter Where the Story falling in againe to the same point of time and matter whereat for incerting this interiected narration at blowing of the seuenth Trumpet Chap. 11. it had left off what there in a gratulatory song was summarily denounced the summary execution thereof is here propounded so to bring in the large narration of the effect of the seuenth Trumpet in the seuen Vials thereof to the end of the 14 Chapter This summary proposition is at length handled in the 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. and 20. Chapters and thereupon the gracefull estate of the Church shewed Chap. 21. and 22. And this whole matter is that other great signe seene in heauen hauing the greatnesse of the errand and the disposing of the instruments for execution thereof Chap. 15. The execution in seuen degrees first by discouerie of the filthinesse and hypocrisie of the Beast his characterized followers their persons are despised Secondly their common worship becommeth ahominable Thirdly euen their grounds and chiefe Doctors are seen corrupted deadly and therewith in God his iustice because they had been bloudy murtherers of the Saints they in their course get bloud to drinke Fourthly the still waxing light of the Gospell as the Sunne discouering their darke works burneth them vp with indignation and despite 5. Thus Antichrist his kingdome becommeth contemptible losing much of the wonted lustre and magnificence to the great torment of their minds they euen gnawing their tongues for sorrow Sixthly Peoples tongues and Nations falling from the obedience thereof it is left naked and weake whereby a way is prepared for the Esterne kingdomes and most specially the Iewes sparsed amongst them
to come into the obedience of faith In which perilous case of their kingdome the Dragon Beast and false Prophet bestirre themselues and iointly bend their whole malice power and deceit by their emissarie false Teachers to seduce the Kings of the earth in their quarrell against the true Church But for such a mighty foile to both the seducers and the seduced as shall make at length the long blinded Iewes turning to the faith to concelebrate the victory 7. This miserable euent in the enemies prognosticated against all their busie indeauors in the sixt Viall is now in the seuenth fully executed with so strange a commotion alteration and ouerturning of the state of the earth by so vncouth plagues as was not since the beginning of the world At all which notwithstanding that Antichristian body deuoted to destruction still obstinately blasphemeth Chap. 16. This so huge a destruction so summarily in the seuenth Viall deliuered is henceforth more largely and cleerely exponed according to that grouth of light which that time shall bring with it laying open to the view of the Earth the parties destroied and the manner measure and euents of their ouerthrow These are the Whoore Chap. 17. and 18. The Beast and false Prophet Chap. 19 and the Dragon for an absolute victorie Chapter 20. Of the Whoore is shewed who shee is and by whom shee shall be destroied The Whore is the City of Rome borne vp to be a Lady of Kingdomes and a mother harlot corrupting the Earth with spirituall fornication by the pontificality the eight and last sort of soueraigne heads ouer-ruling that state and with whom it shall fall for euer Her destruction shall bee by these selfe same Kingdomes and States who before deceaued with her had beene speciall props of Antichrist his power but at last espying the abhominations thereof fall from him and become instruments of God his iust indignation against the Whore Chap. 17. The greatnes certainly instant performance equitie of her irreparable ruin is Rhetorically amplified Chapter 18. Whereupon and the conioined fall of Antichrist her aduancer by the sword of his mouth who iudgeth and fighteth righteously whose name is that word of God is ministred to the Church such matter of ioyfull praise as stirreth also at length God powerfully turning their hearts the Iewes to ioine in the concelebration of the same victory Chap. 19. The Dragon Satan who by Constantine his conuersion and Christianity by lawes established had beene bound vp from open rage a thousand yeeres all which time howsoeuer the most part of the World through Antichrist his preuailing deceit were dead in superstition and blindnes yet the true Church who receiued not his character liued the life of God being partakers of the first resurrection and Christian religion was in account is therefore againe let loose to practice open cruelty and thereto stirreth all his forces from all quarters But yet by the power of the Gospell preuailing maugre all his endeauours the rest of men who haue long laien dead in blindnes and error rise also the first resurrection there is a new face of a world all enemies being so ouerthrowen as the Church hath a most gracefull and quiet state for that Satan is now taken againe this second time and so as hee neuer getteth any liberty hereafter either by errour to deceiue or persecution to disturbe the Church her quiet hee being now not onely bound vp for a thousand yeeres as that first but so as his destruction now begunne holdeth on till that full point it shall haue in the last iudgement and the Church her raigne hereupon shall accordingly not be for a thousand yeeres onely as at the first but for euermore hauing now performed in her and to her whatsoeuer rested foretold by the Prophets vnaccomplished for her gracefull and quiet state and her enemies full destruction here and in that the mystery of God is fulfilled shee hauing no more to expect but the comming of her Lord for translating her to glory From the sixth verse of the 22. Chap. is the conclusion of the Booke wherein for procuring to this prophecie due regard and carefull obseruation it is commended from the truth and fidelity of the matter which is from God by a glorious dispensation and ministry deseruing credit from the neere approaching performance of things prophecied and from the perfection thereof in this that it closeth vp the Canon so as no more is to be expected either for light or manners but hearts to be erected in earnest wish and attentiue expectation of our Lord his comming Euen so come Lord Iesus DIuinus quidquid vates contexerat altis Sphingibus hic dextré Forbesius referat Sic sibi promeruit nomen per saecula foelix Qui simili expendit pauca talenta modo Andreas Aidius Scoto-Britannus Ad patrem suum colendissimum Patricium Forbesium à Cothari de pererudito eius in Apocalypsin Commentario Iohannes Forbesius filius VAtibus haec olim sanctis imperuia Ioua Innuit Isacidis quisque Propheta suis Post vatum Deus haec etiam tunc aspera nato Fulminis ostendit caetibus ille Asiae Presbyteri Deus haec patefecit peruia tandem Patricio varijs gentibus indepatent Peruia nulla via est talis sine Flamine Sancto Quo duce teste libro hoc inuia nulla via est Ingentem veteres amplam Zebedeia proles Obtinet hinc laudem Forbesiusque suam Pectus ob haec tacitae pertentauere Sionis Gaudia quae prae se vate canente tulit Hinc etiam Ionias Hilarauit Apostolus vrbes Oblectauit enim littera missa viros At duce Patricio lector pius intime noscens Gestit exultat laetitiaque fremit Propter aquas vitreas ignitas mosis Agni Turbae tenens palmas nobile cantat epos Diuinum a quo lux numen super ardua tollens Forbesij per quem nomen in alta ferens Hinc tua progenies noua pectore gaudia voluit Dum te chare pater Nestora quisque cupit Nestor eris nec Nestor eris sed corpore quanto Mens prestat tanto Nestore maior eris Victa cadunt ictu annorum collapsa putrescunt Corpora at ingenijs stat sine morte decus Esto quidem arctatam vinclis suspirantem Admeliora animam liberet inde Deus Quantaque terricolis tua per spicientia praebet Gaudia caelicolis mens tua tanta ferat Te tamen haud triplicis venturi terminus aeui Finiet aut lucem nox ruitura tuam Daedala sed magni dum stabit machina mundi Ingenij viues per monumenta tui Te monstrante micat primoque oriente relicto Ardua caelorum Phosphorus vsque petit Donec protulerit vultus splendore decori Aeternum aeternus Phaebus ab axe diem Tum clarus multis in milibus aera carpens Te sistes album Principis ante thronum Indeque cum Christo clamore per astra secundo Coelica tendentem turma sequetur ouans Ad Papam
sure esperance but already great proofe Now this diuersity of gifts God giueth as hee findeth expedient and as they may best serue for his honour and good of his Church hee requireth the vse sometime courage sometime patient suffering sometime prudency in both sometime a deepe search of Scriptures and of the dealing of God as according hereto we see these foure to vtter themselues at the opening of the Seales Chapter 6. Consider alwayes how conueniently these eyed and winged wights are ioyned to the glassie Sea as the sea in Solomon his Temple was set on twelue buls and on the borders of the bases for the Caldrons were Lions Bulles and Cherubins the Cherubins for their face flight answering to both the man and flying Eagle in this place So sweet is the consent of Scripture Thus are their properties common and singular Their function is first described in generall and next from the speciall end thereof The generall is God his worship wherein are two things First their continuall diligence night and day in season and out of season waiting on nothing else for who is sufficient for these things see Paul his example Act. 20. Secondly is the function or worship it selfe wherin they kith such diligence which is they are publike Heralds of God his praise euen thereby teaching others to doe the same according to the speciall end we see hereafter whereto the forme is substantially framed For they ascribe to God all holinesse euen triple holinesse to that triple one Now if our God bee holy who sanctifieth vs that as he is holy wee may bee holy also this teacheth vs to study to our sanctification for holinesse becommeth his house Hee is onely Lord therefore to bee serued hee is God therefore to bee feared and as hee is not holy without authority but is Lord and God so hath hee not authority without power for hee is almighty so that we may and ought to put our whole trust in him alone and as hee hath all power so is hee constant and true as hee who is eternall and without shadow of changing who yesterday and to day and the same for euer is was and to come his holines is the more admirable as ioyned with absolute power and such a power as is not alterable his truth giueth assurance of his promises to repose thereon here is all Religion Thus is their function in generall The speciall end is to bee leaders of the Elders that is the Church in this same duty of publike worshippe and thanksgiuing by going therein before them This end is clearely shewed in that when the foure beasts gaue praise the twenty foure Elders fell downe following their very words as it were saying Amen to them and this is that fourth point which wee noted to bee in this Chapter the worshippe returned to God by his Church 15 Their worshippe is by outward gesture and by speech The gesture is threefold prostrating adoration and casting their Crownes all down to him that sitteth on the Throne and to none else in casting their Crownes confessing their vnworthinesse in themselues of that high honour whereto they are called Their speech hath the honour giuen to God and the reason thereof for God will haue all our worshippe and reasonable seruice to proceed of knowledge not as the Samaritanes who worshipped they knew not what The honour giuen to God is all whereof by signe they confessed themselues vnworthy The reason is for that hee created all things and that for himselfe as whereto no forraine cause but his owne will stirred him aboue which to search any cause is not onely grosse ignorance but presumptuous impietie And this reason concludeth strongly for hee of whom are all things for whom are all things ought onely of all things to receiue all honour 16 Thus haue we the type of the true militant church of Christ vpon earth but heauenly such as alwayes by powerfull protection and gracious dispensation of his Spirit Word and Ministery thereof hee hath preserued in the greatest power of darkenes which though the World cannot see nor learne their song yet the lightned by faith will perceiue and reioyce This sight made Moses to despise the pleasures of Egypt and chuse to be afflicted This made Dauid to make so great account of the Courts of the Lord as to make it the head of all his desire to dwell in his Tabernacle to behold his beauty Ierusalem is faire in situation the glory of the whole earth and City of the great King Glorious things are spoken of thee O City of our God Euen here wee are quickned together with Christ and raised together with him sit with him in the heauenly places This is the Church builded on a rocke against which the gates of hell preuaile not which though men haue often afflicted from her youth yet haue they not preuailed against her For the Lord her God is with her and the ioyfull shout of a King is in the middest of her Herefore it is that through all this Booke howsoeuer to expresse the diuers conditions of the Church in her speciall wrestlings sufferings eclipses victories diuers types are brought yet this of the throne elders and beasts in all her alterations still holdeth through all CHAP. V. THe first part of the introduction to the Story was in the fourth Chapter in a goodly type of the militant â—hurch and God his generall dispensation in her The second part is in this Chapter wherein is shewed in whom for whom and by whom it is that the Church hath all this presence protection and graces and in speciall for bringing on the second part in the story of speciall euents by whom and for whom shee hath this particular benefite of this Reuelation the great dignitie whereof albeit it appeareth sufficiently by that which in the former Chapter was seene it being from such a King as God to his owne Church yet here it is more plainely shewed in two great points The one is the retired highnesse of the matter surpassing the reach of all Creatures the second is the singular worth and prerogatiue of that personage by whome it is reuealed 2 The retired height of the matter is declared first by the naturall condition of it in it selfe and next by the imbecility of all Creatures in attaining thereto The condition of the matter is according to the manner of men set forth in foure circumstances 1. That it is in the hand of him that sitteth on the throne 2. It is a book 3. Copiously written 4. It is most surely sealed That it is in the hand of God not onely is shewed the eminency thereof but also that the whole case of his church and wrath on the world for her hard entertainement are directed by him as the worke of his owne right hand as also his carefull memory of it keeping the record therof in his right hand as men doe of these things they hold
most deare It is a booke for the certainety of things registred in God his booke Psal 139. according to the manner of men who carefully put in Register that whereof they would haue the record abide sure For properly God hath no booke but is his owne booke It is copiously written in that the inside of the roll for bookes must bee vnderstood according to the manner of that time not suffising to containe the whole it is written also on the backe and this sheweth besides the certainety of the matter so carefully and amply recorded the speciall prouidence of God in al the particular cases of his Saints as whose wandrings are counted teares are registred and haires are numbred It is sealed with seuen seales to shew the abstruse secresie as perfectly closed vp which the number of seuen implyeth 3 Now besides this condition of the matter in it selfe the retired eminency thereof is declared also by the imbecility of all creatures to attaine thereto proued by a most sure argument euen experience which is heere set out after the manner of men in that all beeing by publike edict prouoked to the opening of the booke all come short of it Which first euent of imbecility of all Creatures is more cleared by a second euent in the Apostle who thereupon mourneth a sore mourning Here then are to bee obserued the Herauld the tenor of the Proclamation and the double euent aforesaid The Herauld is a strong Angell hauing a strong voice such as becommeth the Herauld of a great King for making all Creatures heare him And euen herein is implyed an amplification of the imbecility of creatures as which all are prouoked and haue lawfull warning The tenor of the Proclamation is Who is worthy to open the booke loose the seuen Seales thereof shewing as a free essay offered to all yet that to atchieue it was required great worthinesse The first euent is the insufficiencie of all creatures whereof according to the ordinary maner of Scripture is put a perfit enumeration of those in heauen in earth and vnder the earth neither Saint nor Angel being found worthy of this work And their weaknes is amplified in that al were so far from the worthines of taking and opening the booke as none were able to looke vpon it The iudgements of God are so great a depth Vpon this first euent followeth a second in Iohn who hauing beene called vp to heauen to see such things as afterwards were to be fall the Church hee is at the first brought almost to despaire of seeing ought whereupon in a holy albeit infirme affection hauing forgot on whose breast hee had leaned as zealous of the Church her good and hartely sorry she should remaine depriued of so great benefit hee mourneth and mourneth much an affection now rarely found in any And certainely so long as for obtaining ought out of God his hand for our comfort wee looke to any creature wee shall reape but mourning till wee see him who onely is worthy to bring vs grace from the father 4 The second great argument of the dignity of this reuelation is the worthy personage by whom it is reuealed to whom God gaue it Chap. 1. And of him are to bee obserued two things First his performing of that wherein all creatures had succumbed and secondly the euent and effect following thereupon In the performer are first Iohn his knowledge of him and next the fact performed Iohn his knowledge is first by information and secondly by sight In the information are the occasion the informer and what he informeth The occasion is Iohn his mourning whereof the informer would comfort him For it is most true that as holding our eies on creatures we can reape but sorrow so till in conscience of our owne wants and felt experience of the vanity of all refuge to any creature wee learne to mourne and mourne much we finde no solid ioy either for peace of conscience or light of reuelation Our diuels are not cast out but by praier and fasting Daniel had then greatest reuelation when he had bene in heauinesse three weekes of daies The informer is one of the elders Now wee must consider whereof these twenty foure elders are the type and what personage Iohn heere beareth which duly weighed wee shall not maruell how this sonne of thunder is informed of one of the elders Iohn heere is the type of one entring in heauen to know God his secrets Now heauen and the twenty foure elders are the type of God his true Church as hath beene cleared As then the true Church is the pillar and stable seat of truth so without it is neither saluation nor any true knowledge for God is knowne in Iuda Hereby then is signified that all true knowledge of Christ is in his Church The information hath first a dehortation from mourning secondly a designation of the singular personage and thirdly his prerogatiue to performe the dehortation as it is grounded on the comfort hee was to shew him so hath it this vse that true light bringeth euer true ioy The designation of the person performer is by two titles 1 That Lion of the Tribe of Iuda 2 That root or syour of Dauid In these are to be obserued first the titles and next whence they are brought He is a Lion but with this note that he is of Iuda Satan is a Lion and a roaring Lion that Lion whom Sampson rent out of whose mouth Dauid pulling his sheepe killed him but this Lion of Iuda taketh the prey and none is able to rescue it whom when he lyeth downe who dare stirre him vp Hee is the root or syour of Dauid by Iuda and Dauid to shew the true Messias promised of their seed These titles are brought the one from Genes 49. the other from the 11. of Isaiah the one from Moses the other from the Prophets They haue Moses and the Prophets saith Abraham in Parable thither Christ sendeth the Iewes for true knowledge of himselfe So then the elders informe but out of Moses and the Prophets to shew that as onely in the Church true knowledge is to bee had so no voice should there be heard but of the Scriptures Search the Scriptures for they beare witnesse of mee The third point whereof the elder informeth Iohn is the prerogatiue of this great personage to performe And it is set downe in this one word hee hath obtained to open the booke c. of which more heereafter in the song This farre knowledge Iohn getteth by information the other degree of knowledge is by sight wherein the ordinary degrees of true illumination for stablishing of a soule in certainty of truth heere in great wisdome set downe are carefully to be marked The first is the information of the Church and authority thereof as Augustine calleth it Opportunum inquirendi exordium In which respect hee saith in another place and in the person of one ignorant
of Scripture Ego Scriptur is non crederem nisi me ecclesiae commoâ—eret authoritas Yet in this degree albeit of great moment the soule resteth not but hath next to aduert not onely what but also whence the Church speaketh neither in this yet canst thou acquiesce till besides both these degrees God by his spirit open thine eies to see and behold so as now thou beleeuest not onely for that the Church so saith but because by her testimony out of the word God hath lightned thy minde to see and know Non iam hominibus sed ipso Deo iâ—trinsecus mentem nostram firmante atque illuminante as saith the same Augustine In the sight then of this person priuiledged aboue all creatures as Iohn seeth him are first his place and gesture in it and next his description The place is betwixt the throne and the foure beasts and twenty foure elders his gesture is that hee stood In both which is expressed his administration betwixt God and his Church towards both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His description is that he is a lambe but of strange note Hee is the lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world and our true passeouer His notes are first that he stood as though he were killed not that so it was in apparance and not in truth but this form of speech is put to shew the continuall recent vertue of his death eternally effectuall before God as whereby once for all hee hath purchased eternall redemption His second note are his seuen eyes and seuen hornes the seuen spirits of Iehouah euen that full perfection of wisdome and power wherewith hee is annointed aboue his fellowes hauing receiued the spirit without measure to rule all things according to the high authority giuen him of the Father of whom hee hath receiued all power in heauen and earth abâ—â—dantly so instructed with all that serueth for perfect execution of his royall priestly and Propheticall offices Thus is the knowledge which Iohn had of this personage followeth his fact which is that hee went and tooke the booke out of the hand of him who sate vpon the throne c. for as by him onely wee haue all blessing from the Father whom none knoweth but the Sonne so particularly this diuine reuelation 5 Thus is his fact and performance of that which no Creature was able to looke vpon Followeth the euent ensuing hereon in all which the dignity of this Reuelation appeareth clearely And this euent is much different from that which despaire of getting the book opened wrought in Iohn For now vpon cleare sight and assurance of one taking the booke and worthy to open the same is raised an excellent ioyfull song of praise wherein fall to bee marked first the occasion 2. The Singers 3. The quality and tenor of the song And 4. the order of singing That they see the Lambe take the Booke it occasioneth the song The Singers are the 4. Beasts the twenty foure Elders the Angels And lastly all Creatures Of these the foure beasts and with and following them the twenty foure Elders raise the song the Angels in course succeed and sing their part then all Creatures Lastly these who raised the song sing the last passage and so close it The quality and tenor will appeare through all in the parts thereof In the foure Beasts and twenty foure Elders who are Precantors are noted first their disposing of themselues to sing 2 the quality of their song and 3. the tenor or substance of it They dispose themselues by conuenient gesture by fitte instruments of praise Their gesture is falling downe and that before the Lambe as before they did before the throne for hee is to bee honoured as the Father and such is the Father his will that who honoreth the Father they honour the Sonne also Their Instruments of praise are thâ—â—â— Harpes golden Vialls full of odours and voice ioyned therewith Harps are known Instruments of praise through all the Psalmes The Odours are interpreted praiers of Saints powred out of golden Vials that is faithfull and pure hearts the speech is from the Leuiticall Ministery wherein Incense was offered on the golden Altar and had a typicall relation to our Christian sacrifices of prayer and thanks giuing which Dauid sought that they might bee directed before God as incense the golden Vials of the Legall worship being types of faithfull and cleane hearts for faith is more precious then gold and our prayers are odors and smell sweetely through Christ the golden Altar Now with both these the voice is ioyned to shew all earnest endeuour to magnifie the gift of God in this benefite euen with instrument heart and voice as Dauid in the Psalmes often For God will haue all outward and inward Here is no ground for praier to Saints departed an Idolatrous errour fondly builded here on Scripture mistaken and yet euen in their sense giuing thereto no warrant for giue that here the Saints departed were said to offer vp praises to God as no doubt they doe alwaies what reason is that for vs to pray to them but as I haue shewed all this is of the Church Militant here spoken Thus they dispose themselues to sing The quality of their song is that it is a new song which sort ordinarily is of most account the destruction of Sathan his workes â—estitution of all things redemption of man is a new worke Behold I make all things new In Christ Iesus wee must all become new Creatures for old things are past away These same Chapter 4. did sing a song to him that sate on the throne but it was the old song for the old worke of Creation here is a new song so much the more magnifically set forth and sung as the worke of Redemption that is the new work in all degree of comparison passeth the old 6 The tenor or substance of their song hath first the praise of the Lambe his worthâ—nesse to take and open the booke and next the reason thereof The praise for the forme whereby in â—maebâ—an manner they answere to the Proclamation of the strong Angell is exceeding delightfull shewing now al 's triumphing ioy as before the sight of impotency in all creatures bred to â—ohn a dumpish sorrow For where the Angell proclamed Who is worthy to take the booke and loose the seuen Seales thereof These now in exulting ioy answer Thou art worthy to take the Booke and loose the seuen seales thereof The reason of this the Lambe his worthinesse and merite is his slaughter and the great effect fruit thereof Where take heed wee esteeme not this to bee the reason of his worthinesse absolutely but in relation onely to this fact and all grace procured to his Church For that we haue any accesse to God or that any blessing is obtained to vs from God it is through the slaughter of the Lambe and merite thereof
this is that prerogatiue which the Lambe hath the third point which I shewed was to bee obserued in the Elder his information in these words Hee hath obtained c. And great reason is there why his slaughter should bee of such merite For the onely begotten sonne of God died and none tooke his life from him but hee willingly gaue it as who had power to lay it downe and take it againe The effect and fruit of his slaughter is our Redemption which is amplified first by that which buying implyeth albeit not put here expresly that is our wretched state from which hee redeemed vs for Redemption of necessity presumeth bondage and miserable was our bondage Secondly to whom wee are redeemed to God Thirdly by what price neither gold nor siluer nor any corruptible thing no bloud of Goates or Bullockes but by his owne that is God his bloud Fourthly is the large extension of his benefit euen to all peoples kindreds tongues and nations not as that of the Paschall Lambe in Egypt to Israel onelie Neither thus for that all of all peoples c find the fruit but the elected of all Therefore it is said thou hast redeemed vs out of all c. The fift and last point amplyfying the effect of the slaughter is to what condition estate wee are redeemed euen to be Kings and Priests to raigne euen here vpon earth where we haue the kingdome of grace vnder hope of that of glory Now by all these consider if his slaughter be not of great worth why hee onely should obtaine to take the booke c. and therefore alone to haue the praise of it In all this song and tenor of it are diuers infallible Arguments that these foure beasts bee no Angels but Saints redeemed as this whole type is euidently of the Church militant and not of any state in heauen 7 Thus was the song of the foure beasts and twenty foure Elders the Angels in course sing the next part in whom are notable three things Their place their number and their song Their place is about the throne beasts and elders for two respects one of protection and defence The Angels of the Lord pitch round about them who feare him as ministring Spirits for the good of the Elect. The other respect is in the Church and by the Church to behold and learne the manifold wisdome of God For they desire to looke in these thinges And this is one maine point of the mysterie of godlines that God in the flesh is seene of Angels To whome the Church for God his wonderfull dispensation in and towards her is the clearest looking glasse of God his infinite wisdome Whereupon that reason is brought by Paul for women their modest carriage in the church For the Angels This should much stirre vs to a carefull beholding of that whereby euen the Angels are made wise and to a deepe consideration of our dignity and care of our wayes whom God hath made looking Glasses to the Angels Their number first is set downe indefinite in the word many Next in a definite but huge number to shew innumerable Angels and God the onely Lord of hostes all set for defence of his Church for both their place and number consider the story of Elisha and his seruant In their Song is shewed their earnest affection to the Lambes praise as which they sing with a loud voice Next is the Lambe his worthinesse to receiue all praise whereof they giue him seuen points as he hath seuen horns and eyes First power or authority for hee hath all in heauen and earth With authority are requisite riches These hee hath as who is abundantly rich towards all that beleeue is the riches of God in vs and onely hath gold tried by fire to enrich the poore Now authority and riches without wisdome are but the weapons of mischiefe in the hands of a foole But hee hath also all wisdome with wisdome strength so as nothing is lacking to him or can let him to performe what him pleaseth therefore of all to bee honoured in all things to haue the glory of all things to report the praise Next to the Angels all Creatures sing their part of whom a perfect enumeration is put as verse 3. and in their song they affirme what the Angels had sung before them This they haue singular that to the Lambe they ioyne him who sitteth on the throne to shew that they are one and their praise one That singing of praise is attributed to vnreasonable and insensible Creatures it is the ordinarie frame of Scripture speech to shew that all things in their owne kind praise God and that not onely for that the glory of God Creator and Administrator of all is in them set forth but also for that after a sort they reioice for the redemption of the sonnes of God hoping therby to bee freede from the vanity whereto they are subiect through the sin of man and vnder which they groan together with vs. The last passage is sung by these who first raised the song wherin as the angels ioined him who sitteth on the throâ—e with the Lambe so these to shew the vnity and that in praising both they praise but that one eternall liuing God they giue all praise to him who liueth for euermore Now in this course and order of singing wee haue to obserue that as the benâ—fite belongeth first and properly to the beasts and elders that is the Church so they beginne the song The Angels who gather matter of praise out of beholding the church succeed in singing Hereupon all Creatures in their kind reioyce for certainely this type hath a true relation the Church lastly closeth the song to shew that as from them it ought to be ginne whereby all the rest may magnifie God so the singing of the rest should serue the Church for a new vpstirring to insist in his praise And truely it is a great shame that all both Angels and other Creatures should ioy at our good and wee remaine senselesse and that the very senslesse creatures should groane vnder the burden of our sinne longing for our full redemption and wee bee nothing moued And a huge sinne is it in place of raising the song of God his praise and stirring all both Angels and other Creatures to the same duty when we marre all that heauenly melody grieue the good spirit of God contrist the Angels who ioy at the conuersion of one sinner and in place of gladnesse make all both senselesse and sâ—ikelesse Creatures to groane for griefe of ingratitude CHAP. VI. THe generall introduction was in the two preceding Chapters hence is the story of speciall euents prophetically foretold and that by proponing the same vnder goodly and conuenient types of all which as they are closed vp from the knowledge of all creatures the sealed book in the right hand of God was the type like as the reuelation
the waters making accordingly the trees which grow thereby good or bad Trees are men of whom such as are planted in the courts of God are alwaies fresh and flourishing like these of paradise Christians good and bad are in Scripture so ordinarily called trees as it were a vaine thing to heape testimonies This euill then was to ouergoe the whole visible Church doctrine worshippe and professours therein 4 Against this danger the care of Christ is shewed ordering the state of his elected ones by imprinting on them such a marke with the seale of God as thereby they should escape the euill Herein come to be obserued the person actor and the number sealed The person is of great note as being an Angel but of singular quality euen the Angel of the couenant This is cleare by his notes and by his action His notes are two His comming vp from the East and hauing the seale of God In the first are notable the quarter whence he commeth the East and that he ascendeth therefrom He commeth from the East not onely as our day starre and Sunne of righteousnesse by frame of speech from naturall lights which all arise from the East and heere conuenientlie sheweth him to bee the light and life of his sealed ones when spirituall darkenesse should possesse all but this hath also a speciall allusion to the last Chapters of Ezechiel wherein the goodly state of the Church vnder the Gospell being described vnder legall types not only is the glory of the God of Israel seene enter into the Temple by way of the East and the forefront of the house noted to be towards the East and the land so diuided amongst the Tribes as one end of each portion should reach to the East but also at the east doore of the inner court of the Temple so situated as to each doore thereof men behooued ascend by degrees as this Angel ascendeth from the East none were permitted to enter or come foorth but the Prince All both Prince and people worshipped before that doore but the Prince onely went in and out thereat Neither might the people come in the Temple at all to worship but when the Prince was in the midst of them they came in together and went out together yet at the East doore none but hee And out of the East doore came the waters which did grow to a Sea All no doubt to shew that no light ought to come in God his house but the Prince his light neither any Doctrine flow from the Temple but his who onely entreth and commeth foorth at the East doore in his light all must walke and worship and therefore no entry but when hee entreth no worship but when hee is present as in whom and for whom onely it is accepted and from whom onely wee are to take the rule thereof His light riseth on all his owne children hauing all their portions reaching to the East That this Angel then commeth from the East it sheweth him to be the Prince that he ascendeth it noteth his cōming to be into his temple to bee life and light to his sealed ones in the midst of this darknesse euen that lambe vpon Mount Sion in the midst of those 144000. Chap. 14. when all the earth followed the beast Chapt. 13. Consider well for this state of Christ his Church and his manner of presence in it the 11. Chapt. His second note is that hee hath the Seale of the liuing God This seale he hath essentially as he is the Image of the inuisible God and ingraued character of the Father his person hauing life in himselfe as the Father hath life in himselfe And he hath this seale to seale others therewith giuing life to whom he will as the Father quickneth whom he will for him hath the Father sealed All faithfull haue this seale that is are sealed therewith But to haue it in this degree as therewith to be the sealer of God his Saints it is aboue the dignity of all creatures Hee onely is the Master of God his great Seale sealing all God his children with the holy Spirit of promise The foundation of God abiaeth sure and hath this seale the Lord knoweth wh are his And this also he sealeth vp in vs by his spirit of sanctification so as who call on the name of the Lord depart from iniquity Hauing this Seale wee need not feare any darkenesse of Antichrist for our annointing teacheth vs all things and the honour of our God so requiring wee haue our Seale in our foreheades ready to giue account of our hope to all that aske vs. 5 Thus are the notes of his person His Action is that he cryeth with a loud voice c. His loude crying sheweth the greatnesse of the mischiefe for preuenting whereof as men in such cases doe he is said to cry with a loud voice so bewraying care The Substance of his cry is in a commandement and the end thereof The commandement is not to hurt c till we haue sealed c. His commandement sheweth authority whereby he ruleth all things in heauen and earth both in mercy and iustice As our brother God is his God I go to your God and my God your father and my father Iohn 20. 17. The end of the commandement is that the seruants of God may bee in suretie through his Seale in their fore-head The speech is from the 9. of Ezechiel where vpon the destruction of Ierusalem Temple and all to ensue by the state of Babell such a type of caution is put for preseruation of such as mourned and sighed for the iniquities committed in that City so here a spirituall desolation and Captiuity being to come on the visible Church by mysticall Babylon the like Caution is prouided for the like sort The marking on the fore-head is put but according to the manner of men who imprint a conspectible mark on what they wold haue easily discerned from common so as the beholders cannot misse to see it Not that this Seale was perceptible to Antichrist or Ministers of his deceit and cruelty For the world saw not these sealed ones neither could learn their Song Chapter 14. 3. but as I haue said by this frame of speech to shew their sure protection by the prouidence of their God 6 In the number sealed consider of whom it is and what it is It is of all the Tribes of Israel that is of all true Israelites the Elect of God and Israelites indeede Gal. 6. 16. For properly it cannot here bee taken but the speech is from the Church of Israel and the ordinary manner of the Propheticall denunciations for as when the Church consisted onely of Israel properly the same was little in comparison to that time when by the Gospell the Gentiles ioyne thereto and as euen of the Church of Israel though their number were as the sea-sand yet but a remnant was saued euen so in time of Antichrist his darkenesse the true
Church of God should bee narrow as Israel yea but a remnant of Israel as the Temple while Court and Citie are giuen to the Heathen Chapter 11. in comparison to the state following in the victorie when as by ioyning of all Nations the Church of Israel was enlarged by the comming of these out of great tribulation who with palms and white robes celebrate the victory and by rising of the rest of the dead after a thousand yeeres an innumerable multitude shall fill the Church The number then is a few secret select ones abiding with the Lambe on Mount Sion while all the earth follow the beast This number is 144000. to shew a competent Company euen then when none appeared to bee left Of the further mystery of this number see Chapter thirteene in the end 7 〈◊〉 the 9. verse is the third type and part of this Chapter of the Church victorious ouer this mischieâ—e set downe two waies First as Iohn had the knowledge thereof by seeing and hearing that company which are the type Secondly as hee is otherwise informed of their case The first to the 13. verse the next to the end That which Iohn did see of them is their number place and habite The number is innumerable and that of all Nations Kindreds and Tongues to shew the largenesse of the Church in this state farre beyond that vnder the euill and here expressed by the names of Nations Kindreds and tongues according to the maner of Propheticall speech as is before touched These haue notes farre differing from the former arguing euidently this type to be of the Church victorious ouer the euill The former were few marked and secret ones closed vppe from a common plague whose song none could learne but themselues here are innumerable with publike Ensignes of victory in high and loud song celebrating the same and praising him by whom These come not in place till the Tabernacle bee opened in heauen and the Vials of the last wrath bee a powring out on the beast Chapter 15. 5. Their place is standing before the throne the place of the true Church Chapter 4. and accordingly interpreted of the elder verse 15. So in this sense it is said Chapter 11. to the two reuiued witnesses Come vp hither Their habite is white garments so interpreted v. 14. with palms in their hands as victors ouer great tribulation out of which they are come verse 14. the Palme with all nations is the signe of victory so iustly in remembrance whence they are come these celebrate now the feast of Tabernacles victorious ouer the beast his character name and number thereof Chap. 15. 1. Thus farre Iohn seeth of them He heareth them cry and with a loud voice Here now these sing and with a loud voice so as all may heare and learne who will not harden their hearts To the former was no song attributed they had one but which none could learne except themselues Here is a Song in the eares of heauen and earth The Song of Moses and of the Lambe Chapter 15. The substance of their Song as it is excellent so it well fitteth their case Saluation is of our God and of the Lambe Antichrist deriued saluation from so many and diuided the praise thereof among so many as little part thereof remained to God and the Lambe These to shew a plaine crossing of all Popery and a triumph ouer it acknowledge all saluation to be of God in Christ and therefore all praise thereof to belong onely to our God and the Lambe This ouerthroweth all wherein the Romans contest with vs wee pleading nothing but that All Saluation is of our God and the Lamb In which song if they would ioyne with vs al debate were ended This Song by times the Iewes no obstinate shall learne and washing their garments in the bloud of the Lambe shall come out of great tribulation being at last fully wakened by a voice from the throne to sing with vs Haleluiah Chapter 19. All Angels affirme this Song of whom their place and song Chapter 5. 8 Thus farre Iohn heard and saw of the case of these Now from the thirteenth verse is what hee learned by information wherein come to bee considered the Informer one of the Elders see Chapter 5. Sect. 4. and what hee informeth Wherein againe is the occasion and the matter whereof vpon that occasion he informeth The occasion is Iohn his ignorance and desire of knowledge to the consideration of the one whereof and so to the desire of the other he is stirted vp by an Interrogation What are these she wing an admiration as of an vncouch and strange thing in the eyes of the world when men in so great numbers shall arise from vnder Antichrists darkenesse to the true light of the Gospell whereof the daily encrease maketh the enemies gnaw their tongues for sorrow and amaseth the world but greater wonder shall yet bee when vpon the beast his fall the Iewes forsaking their own righteousnesse which is by the Law and taking hold of the righteousnesse of God by washing their long white robes in the bloud of the Lambe shall ioyne with vs in this song so as the Church herselfe with ioyfull admiration shall bee moued to say Who hath begotten mee these behold I was barren whence are these For the speeches after following see Isai 25. and 49. and 60. Iohn his answere hath a confession of his ignorance and a modest request of information whereupon the Information followeth first shewing what and whence they are according to the double demand and next shewing their gracefull state vpon this their victory through God his dwelling amongst them and copious dispensation of grace Their coming out of great affliction is the comming from vnder the bondage of Antichrist which how great spirituall affliction it is they know who haue gotten the victory in whose mouth God hath put this song Saluation is of our God and of the Lambe For this tribulation see the fift Trumpet Chapter 9. And when God openeth the eyes of the Iewes to see their common Sauiour then shall they well vnderstand what both spirituall and bodily affliction they now are in which shall endure so much the more their victory Hee sheweth their long white robes to bee their iustification in the bloud of Christ apprehended by true faith expressing the action of faith in these words they haue drpt c. Thus noting a great difference betwixt them now and when their garmentes were dipte in the mire of mens merites in the filthy sincke of Antichrists Indulgences and puddle of Purgatory and in Iewes now a great change no more seeking to establish their owne righteousnesse which is by the law or placing it in diuers washings rites and carnall ceremonies which cannot purge from sinne but dipping their robes also in the bloud of the Lambe So liuely the holy Ghost painteth out these things Thirdly hee sheweth of them that their standing before the throne noteth
Of these beginnings ariseth the mischiefe wherein are two things the abhominable Army of darkenesse poisoning all and the head of so damnable a band the Army is described first summarily by their quality and their annoying power verse 3. Hereafter more at large this their annoying power is exponed and their properties whereby they are inabled to the harmeful execution thereof are declared In all which is a most liuely representation and most conuenient type of the Romane Clergy who are euidently this army of darkenesse whose monstrous swarmes nothing but hellish ignorance brought in the Church as earthlinesse of great Pastours brought the ignorance Their qualitie first is shewed in that they are Locusts both for their swarming multitudes and for their destroying and eating vp al green thing in earth as who not onely deuoure the best of things belonging to this life but also destroy all spirituall life in men For their grouth and successe in both see the Story and be amazed 4 Their annoying power is summarily set foorth in that they sting as Scorpions A venemous and bitter kind of Serpent walking waiwardly and stinging when it would appeare least to doe so This their power in the larger exposition thereof hath this generall note that it is limited and not absolute The first point of their limitation is of such as they are permitted to harme The next is in what degree they might doe it As for the first they are restrained wholly from hurting the sealed ones of whom Chapter 7. Which restraint is heere pertinentlie recorded both to shew that this euill is the height of that mischiefe portended in the 7. Chapter Against which the elect were sealed and also to shew heere the truth of their preseruation and so how it was that Christ in this totall eclipse of light by Antichrist his darkenesse yet preserued a Church Wherein yet be not so grosse as to thinke that one number still of the same persons continued all that time But it is to shew God his continuall course in helping his owne all the time of this mischeife on the world Obserue heere also that by grasse and trees men are meaned as I shewed Chapter 7. And as fitliest thus expressed in the euill of locusts Now of these in the first trumpet onely the third part was burnt heere all feele this plague except the sealed ones The second point in their limitation is the degree of hurting Wherein are two causions First the quality of the harme permitted them to practise and next the time limited to their working The quality of their harme is cleared by a diuers kind from which they are restrained For it is permitted them to torment men but not to slay This their tormenting againe is cleared by a comparison that it is such as ariseth vpon the sting of a Scorpion that is so painefull as death is more tollerable as the effect thereof well sheweth Now consider well that this torment and plague is on the inhabitants of the earth and heere to be taken vp as God his iudgement on the world whereof the true Church is free And so this army hath not power to slay as neither that way plague they the men of the world as doe the ministers of the sixth trumpet who both sting with poisoning tailes and slay with heads as hauing power in both But these haue their power in their tailes onely to torment with poisonable sting and not to murther openly For other waies as they are considered in their dealing against the Saints which is not in this place their blood is found with them yea and all the blood shed on the earth albeit not for direct professed power and practise of the sword but as on the Iewes came all the blood from that of Abel the righteous to the blood of Zachary who yet professed that it was not lawfull for them to put any man to death This is heere put for an euident note of Antichrist his dealing of purpose to discerne this euill from that of the sixth ttumpet and that so eleerely as it is wonder how men of learning and iudgement could confound things so notably distinguished and which can receiue no other accommodation Now that this their tormenting of men is lesse tollerable then death We know that no vexation is comparable to that of a conscience wherein is put the sense of God his terror and eternall wrath if therewith the true remedy be not applied For as Skin for skin and all that a man hath he will giue for his life so life and all a man wil giue for his soule and the peace thereof who once hath felt the terrour For a troubled spirit who can beare and a good conscience is a continuall feast But all the doctrine of the Church of Rome is such as putteth in this sting in the conscience whereby the torment is bred but neuer applieth the true remedy But such bastard cures as augment the anguish Heereof it is that superstition is most busie and restlesse For Hee multiplieth his owne sorrow which offereth to an other God Hence arose painefull pilgrimages deuoting to sacred wartes Kings bequeathing their Crownes husbands their wiues and children wiues their children Hence were so many erections and fond donations for soule Masses if so be after death they might finde that repose and comfort which they neuer felt in their life Heerefore is this vexation fitly compared to the stinging of a Scorpion most painefull of any How many strange policies and treacherous deuises as of walking spirits and forged miracles these Locusts haue practised and still doe to subdue to themselues the consciences of men and hold them in torment is more then manifest And by such as they haue stung deepely it is that ordinarily they acchiue all their desperate Treasons and murthers of Princes Acts forsooth of such merit as will obtaine heauen to a person otherwaies condemned And what is it that vpon this presumption the tormented spirit will not runne to what a strange practise is that amongst many moe of the Iesuits with their nouices in their chamber of meditations 5 Thus is the quality of their harme The time limited to them so to torment the world is Fiue monethes In which for ought I know the mind of the holy Ghost hath beene highly mistaken of all men For cleering then of an obscure matter In this whole booke are but seuen times recorded That of tenne daies Chapter 2. That of halfe an houre Chap. 8. This of fiue moneths heere Thatof a yeere moneth day and houre in the sixth Trumpet That of fourty two moneths Chapt. 11. and 13. with which that of 1260. daies Chapt. 11. and 12. And of a time times and halfe a time Chap. 12. are all one That of three daies and a halfe Chap. 11. 9. And that of a 1000. yeeres Chap. 20. Of these all sound interpreters for how maliciously the Romans to obscure cleere story doe expound
efsectuateth this great point To wit by signes and wonders which were permitted him to doe and thereby to deceiue the earth wherein he seemed to match Moses and Elias in master points That whereto by all this deceite hee induceth the earth and men thereof is to make vp the image of the Beast which had the deadly wound and liued Which he worketh so luckily that hee giueth spirit and speech to the Image and obtaineth thereto worship of Nations vnder paine of death and subiection to receiue the Beast his marke in worke or profession as his proper good and and vnder paine of confiscation of goods and interdiction of all humane commerce that all of all estates rankes and conditions should receiue his marke or beare his name or at least be accounted of his number so making vp the whole body and frame of his Kingdome Which in respect of the number of his name comprehending all the sorts of his followers will appeare to any who is not indued with heauenly wisdome to count it so large so faire so perfectly and proportionably builded and stablished as he will vndoubtedly bee ouercome thereby And yet who is wise to count it will find it to be but a man his number and none of God his building And the number to be counted is 666. 4 That these beasts are the state of Rome all sound Interpreters agree But in what time and of what policy there is great disagreement That which hath bred greatest difficulty in accommodation is because that the two Beasts heere set foorth are taken of all men to bee diuers or at least of diuers time and condition whereas they are both one And are heere distinctly and diuersly set downe by the spirit onely for cleere explication as in the deduction shall be made plaine The common opinion that the first Beast is the heathen state of Rome vnder persecuting Emperours and the second the Popedome cannot consist with the cleare notes of this first Beast proper to Popedome The first note is the attire of his heads and hornes Rome in the persecuting Emperours as they were the ministers of Satan his open wrath is noted by seuen heads and tenne hornes of the Dragon but so as the heads onely are crowned The hornes that is the Prouinciall gouernments vnder them and wherein was their strength hauing no Crownes because the roiall and soueraigne gouernment was then onely in the heads of the state so designing the Emperours of that time But this Beast heere hath his hornes Crowned to shew that the proppes of his power are crowned Kings as Chapter 17. is exponed plainely that they are Kings which had not as then receiued a Kingdome Whereby is manifest that the tenne hornes as they are crowned were not in Iohn his time neither this beast as it hath crowned hornes The beast indeed was before in the fiue heads who were fallen he was not in the state heere described for he was to rise out of the bottomlesse pit and yet euen then he was in the state of the sixth head that is the Caesars by curing of whose deadly wound in the Pontificalitie erected the Popedome afterward became the liuely image that is the state of Rome vnder the Popes a liuely image of the state of Rome before And therefore in distinct consideration The Pontificality is the eight head of the Beast and yet one of the seuen And whereas the former heads were crowned now the heads arise to a higher presumption hauing hornes crowned to attire themselues with the name of blasphemy 2. Thess 2. 5 The next note heere proper to the Popedome is that the Dragon hath giuen him his power throne and authority The Dragon in his openrage vsed Emperours but for the Ministers of his furie but the Popes are the Vicars of his power and therefore are properlie the Sonne of perdition King Apollyon and the Angell of the bottomlesse pit whose comming is in all effectuall working of Satan For albeit the Dragon bequeateth not vtterly his Kingdome yet finding that his open rage had not the desteined successe hee substracteth himselfe in a sort and substituteth this viceroy of his kingdome the most effectuall promoouer of darkenesse that euer was Satan offered to Christ this bargen but was repulsed heere he findeth his Merchant who accepteth of it and both himselfe worshippeth and maketh all the world to worshippe the Dragon That the Popes haue Satan his throne in a peculiar manner is plaine by their practise and by their challenge Their practise for that it is not onely as of all the former heads or other tyrants whatsoeuer instruments of Satan his rage to subdue to themselues bodies goods and states of men to dispose thereof at their pleasure but hee further will impire ouer the conscience and all his administration as the proper angell of the bottomlesse pit is to plunge men in darkenesse Wherein the Dragon as almost in all things is an Ape of God his dealing For as God hath giuen to Christ his throne and authority all power in heauen and earth for conquering a kingdome to him so hath the Dragon giuen all his power to his annointed Antichrist the man of sinne for setting forward his kingdome of darkenesse Their challendge also argueth this For albeit great Monarches for the largenesse of their dominion are said to haue the kingdomes of the earth and the Romans to magnifie their Empire would call it Imperium orbis terrarum yet neuer King or Monarch challenged euer any further right then either by apparent iust title hee might claime or by Armes he had subdued But the Pope challengeth right ouer all as whereof hee may dispose at his pleasure And that yee may cleerely discerne the Dragons mouth he onely of all men since the beginning of the world stoutly affirmeth All the Kingdomes of the world are mine and I giue them to whom I will 6 The third note here put is the time of his working 42. mouethes The very time of Antichrist his obtaining place in the visible Church Chap. 11. of the Temple closed and witnesses preaching in Sackcloath and of the womans abode in the wildernesse Chap. 12. An infallible argument that heere Antichrist is described 7 The fourth note is clearest of all For as the description of the Beast his heades and hornes sheweth him to be the Romane state or Kingdome so heere a speciall note is giuen whereby to discerne of what time policy state and condition of Rome this Beast is to bee taken namely in the state of the wounded head cured againe And because this beingshortly touched might be obscure therefore to make it plaine a speciall vision is giuen of the curer and manner of the cure whereby this Beast in this state is made vp so as if it may not be esteemed absolutely the fame which it was before the deadly stroke yet at least it is a liuely image thereof The Curer is a Beast like the Lambe and simply pretending his power in
for discerning the kingdome fiue hauing ere then fallen and two not as yet risen The second beast is put onely for cleare explication of the condition nature quality and working of this last head considered a part and by it selfe and how this great worke of quickning that mortally wounded kingdome or beast is wrought by it so as vnder it the Beastreuiueth and now howsoeuer for discerning the kingdome all the heads be mentioned commeth only to bee considered in that state and respect in which for great diuersity from the former condition before the wound yea and before the the cure this head is in a sort a different beast as hauing this singular in shape that it is like the Lambe in working that it doth by signes and wonders in condition that the beast vnder it is rather an image of the former then the same and yet a liuely image therefore called the eight head and one of the seuen In which respect but seuen heads are attributed to the beast albeit in number there be eight That the first riseth out of the sea and the second out of the earth it is but to note the different manner of rising of the last head and state vnder it from the rising of the Beast in all his former conditions and heades They both in their distinct manner of rising haue this common that they are from below For albeit the earth and sea in degree of account with other creatures as the fountaines sunne moone starres Chap. 9. and. 16. according to the effects wrought in them and that wherof they in these degrees are the types are to bee taken so as agreeth with the course of the mystery as in these places is declared Yet when Sea and Earth are set in opposition to heauen as heer and Chapter 10. when the Angell descending from heauen for ouerthrow of this beast setteth his feet on the sea and earth whence in distinct consideration the beast ariseth And Chapter 12. reioyce O heauens woe to the Inhabitants of sea and earth then things arising from sea and earth must bee taken as Christ speaketh to the Iewes Yee are from below I am from aboue And euen the foure beasts in Daniel whose whole ferity cruelty fraud and destroying power is in this one whom in the beginning of his seuenth Chapter hee seeth rise out of the sea are said in that same chapter verse 17. to arise out of the earth as all one thing except that as the earth sheweth the origine to be earthly and from below so the sea sheweth their rising to bee of the troubles tossings and alterations of the earth whose commotions are compared to the stormy sea and according to this to shew the peaceable and calme estate of the Church vpon vtter destruction of this Beast it is saide Chapter 21. that there was no more sea Then this second Beast is said to rise out of the earth not onely for that it was from below for so is the whole beast first last throught the star falling from the heauen chap. 9 But because this last head howsoeuer the beast or kingdome of Rome considered absolutely riseth out of the sea in the particular consideration thereof by it selfe and apart arose in a farre different manner from all the former which all arose by great commotions and sensible alterations but this last head arose slily subtlely and almost insensibly by slow degrees as things that grow through the earth and so became head of that Kingdome which vnder it is the beast going to destruction See Steuchus against Valla. Paulatim imperare incipiebat religio habenas imperij caperâ— ius suum acquirere nihil subitum nihil tumultuarium Where the second beast is said to worke before the first beast it is not to bee taken for impudent or violent vsurpation but according to the Phrase of Scripture as Iohn Baptist to goe before Christ And this is onely for clearenesse of explication of him and his manner who maketh the Image as trauelling with all sedulous endeauour by lying signes to conciliate authority honour and submission to that state vnder himselfe as head thereof Neither hereupon must wee thinke the second beast working to bee an other from him before whom hee worketh except so farre as the spirit so will distinguish betwixt the Kingdome wholly and absolutely and this last head peculiarly considered in comparison to the former and as after a deadly wound hee quickneth so that state again as hee procureth to it worship of Nations In one word the first beast is the Kingdom of Rome vnder the Pontificality the second beast is the Pontificality wonderfully quickning the wounded beast to that estate therfore Chapter 17 but one beast euen this first is put and called the eighth head so euidently telling vs that both are one and the same except in consideration as I haue said According to this it is that hereafter the beast is distinguished from the false Prophet not that they are two as many fondly imagine but onely to take vp so the State and Kingdome as the false Prophet is heade therof so the false Prophet as he is head of that state See vpon Chapter 17. Sect. 11. 18. and 19. Sect. 27. These two beasts then are to expresse one and the same state euen Antichrist in his Kingdome and in himselfe head thereof both for condition and time For from the Pope his first degree of rising hee neuer got any such crossing as for which it might bee said of him that hee should abide a short space Chapter 17. For euen in the most miserable times of Rome by the Gothes hee not onely retained his old got account but was still labouring to aduance the credite of his Chaire as his supercilious dealings in these selfe times with forrain Churches sufficiently proueth And whatsoeuer hinderance bee had by Gothik tiranny from rising to the height hee after attained to it is too weake a ground to say of him that hee abode a short space thus to make him both the seuenth and eight head against cleare Text which maketh the seuenth to bee soone gone and if such had beene the meaning of the holy Ghost he might much both clearelier and easier haue called him the eight and seuenth then the eight and one of the seuen thus clearely implying which of the seuen hee meaned to wit that whose deadly wound by his arising hee cuâ—ed and made vppe thus so liuely an Image of the beast as hee may iustly therefore be counted one and the same with it that is with the sixth whome for glory account worship of Nations and Monarchike state hee resembleth liuely and the Kingdome vnder him the Kingdome then The mistaking of the seuenth head maketh all the errour and in such light of Storie agreeing fitly with this Prophesie it is wonder that all should haue erred This is certaine that Caesars are the sixth head that which then was and before which fiue Kings Consuls Dictators Decemuirs
first two For the voice of the Lord is mighty the voice of the Lord is glorious it breaketh the Cedars and maketh the wildernesse to tremble But in his Temple only men speake of his glory Psalm 29. This gracious dispensation incredible and vnseene to the world which could not therefore learne the song of praise thereupon was in the 11. Chap. expressed by two witnesses which for dispensing grace and light were two oliue Trees and two Candlestickes in the Temple while it seemed impossible that any such could bee Antichrist brooking City and Court and for force and power fire went out at their mouths and they did strike the earth with all manner of plagues Now these comparisons of the voice of waters thunder and harping as they expresse fitly what I haue told so in them is implyed a sure prognostick and argument of the next insuing estate in the Angels breaking forth and crying For albeit this sound of water thunder and harping the world in this lurking condition of the Church perceiued not yet they could not still remaine vnheard Who can restraine the breach of great waters what congealed cloude can keepe in thunder and excessiue ioy a heart of any thing can least hold vp Forth therefore this hid Church behoued to come The bellies made bitter with eating the little booke behoued to burst or breake out according as we see in the three Angels following who come forth like the swelling of Iorden like sonnes of thunder according as Christ Chapt. 10. preparing for this outbreake his roaring voice was seconded with seuen thunders and like the bursting out of a blythe heart which cannot hold vp a surfet of ioy 4 This second condition of the Church breaking forth hath the velitation or skirmish and a coincident case with it The velitation I call it so in comparison to the great battell in the seuenth trumpet and seuen vials thereof summarily proponed in the end of this Chap. and exponed largely thenceforth according to the first degrees of the light of the Gospell reuiuing is set downe in three Angels types of these Ministers whom God stirred vp to bee the first open contesters with Antichrist to the 12. verse The coincident case is in the 12. and 13. verses 5 The first ranke of Preachers are expressed by an Angel fleeing thorow the mids of heauen c. for open and swift course which notwithstanding was yet farre remoued aboue the perception of men of the earth whereof few vnderstood or imbraced the first warnings and light arrising it being but yet obscurely preached like as few vnderstood the warning of Antichristian darknesse comming on Chap. 8. and in respect of that Angel there it is that this is called an other Angel as who is the next vsing his forme See a contrarie dispensation to this which cleareth this sense Chap. 18. His doctrine is set downe first in generall and to whom he preached and secondly the speciall points thereof In generall it is an euerlasting Gospell euen that truth which was from the beginning and which when heauen and earth passeth away shall abide for euer the immortall seede and begetting to immortality So it is called against the calumnies of nouelty and in opposition to the doctrine of men Hee preacheth to them who dwell on the earth euen in Antichrist his darkenesse aboue whose reach it is lesse maruell that this first light was yet farre remoued as a fleeing flash thorow the mids of heauen He preacheth to all Nations Kinreds Tongues and Peoples who had worshipped the Beast and of whom by restored light of the Gospell an infinite number was now to be brought out of great tribulation to sing with Palmes in hand and hauing washed their garments in the bloud of the Lambe Saluation is of our God and of the Lambe and to be made partakers of the first resurrection the thousand yeeres being expired Chap. 20. Now the hid ones beginne to breake out and the song vnheard to bee tuned vp loudlie in the eares of all the earth therefore this Angel is said to cry loude In his speciall doctrine is the substance thereof and his manner of teaching The substance is that all feare glory and worship bee giuen to God onely and that both for auoiding his iudgements neere to bee executed and because he is creator of all things A doctrine exceeding fite for that time His manner is to bee marked in that hee vrgeth onely true worshippe not bold yet to challenge directly the Antichrist as the succeeding Angell doth roundly but more the third so wisely and plainely as the Spirit sheweth the course and the accommodation of Story is euident Now as this was the first degree of the conflict with Antichrist so accordingly in the song of victory God is praised for these same points Chapter 15. 3. 6 The second Angell roundly denounceth the fall of Rome that spirituall Babell Sodome and Egypt and that because shee had not onely beene an Idolatresse her selfe but as Ieroboam made Israel to sinne shee is the mother of Whoredomes through the world making men drinke vp superstitious worshippe greedily as wine and so to be besotted therewith To the which God both gaue ouer the world iustly in his wrath that they who would not beleeue the truth should be taken with deceiueable illusions and for which now againe the world iustly feeleth the cuppes of the last wrath As hee gaue to Israel Kings in his wrath and tooke them away in his displeasure 7 The third Angell yet more vehemently toucheth neerer Warning all to leaue the Beast his worshippe and character either in worke or profession vnder paine of eternall damnation Wherein they against whome the iudgement is denounced are exactlie noted and twise set downe in the beginning and in the end of the denunciation for speciall purpose and the quality durance and continuance of their iudgement expressed In the quality of iudgement are two First as they dranke greedily the Whores Wine so get they to drinke the pure vnmixed wine of God his wrath and next they get it in the cup of his wrath God sometimes giueth a bitter cuppe to his owne children but as strong wine for mitigation is tempered with water or sugar so are all God his chasticements to his owne mixed with mercy but to the wicked is powred out mercilesse iudgement Next the Cuppe propined to the Saints is not the Cup of wrath but of loue and medicinall but the wicked drinke out of the cuppe of wrath Lord reproue mee not in thy wrath Psal 6. 8 Now this iudgement is denounced against such as worshippe the Beast and receiue his Character c. And they are twice repeated as I haue said wherein is no Tautologie but diuine wisdome for to make vs take vp a great point In the 13. Chapter all the Beast his followers haue his Character or his name or his number whereof as I shewed there the difference is ill obserued For many haue his
opposed to things aboue earthly or vnstable things to things heauenly and permanent so in this place as also in the first Trumpet it must bee taken as the order of arising degrees in comparison requireth for the first and lightest degree of iudgement as the earth is the lowest and lourdest of elements as the earth is taken in the first verse all the Vials are powred on the earth because all are on the earthly Antichristian Kingdome in this other sense of the earth the first particularly is powred thereon The effect thereof is that the filthinesse loose life hypocrisie auarice pride symony and other vices of the Clergy and Church of Antichrist breake out to the view of the world long blinded as filthy boiles The allusion is to the sixth plague of Egypt where-thorow the Enchanters were no more able to stand before Moses This was the first degree of the fall of Rome when God to make them detestable discouered their sores so as these enchanting bewitchers were confounded and could no longer abide the light The accommodation of Story is most cleare where by numbers their auarice pride and hypocrisie is highly exclamed against Few daring yet challenge their doctrine and worshippe yet their persons thus falling first in contempt it made way to the next Cup. Now as in the first Trumpet contention and selfe loue ioyned with cruelty like fire and haile mixed with bloud cast on the earth made the first great degree to Antichrist his rising by burning vp all true loue life and holy zeale of religion so the first open degree of his fall is by the cup of wrath powred on the earth euen the discouery of their hypocrisie and filthinesse whereby they were seen to bee void of all true Religion 4 The second Viall maketh a higher degree in that not onely the persons who worshipped the Beast and receiued his Gharacter are for their silthinesse odious but now euen their common doctrine and ordinary worshippe becommeth vile and corrupted as bloody worsum deadly to all that drinke thereof and abhorred of men who in the cleare glassie Sea before the throne perceine the stinking rottennesse of this Asphaltites How after the contempt of the persons for their abhominable filthinesse next all their worshippe and doctrine of pardons reliques indulgences holy water crossings soul-Masses pilgrimages processions inuocation of Saintes baptizing of bels magicall coniurations forged miracles foolish Legends of lies and the rest of that sea of rotten bloud beganne to stinke in the noses of men is more then euident their whole worshippe and common schoole Diuinity now standing as the Sea of Sodom Compare this Viall for kind and degree to the second Trumpet 5 By the third Viall their riuers and fountaines of waters are turned into bloud When by Moses the floud and al stanks ponds of Egypt were turned into bloud for thereto in this and the former Viall the spirit alludeth the Egyptians digged to themselues wels to drink of When in the dayes of Ahab through parching drought all other waters failed hee and Obadiah seeke to the riuers and fountaines So the common Sea of Popish worshippe and doctrine becommeth vile the last refuge for preseruing the liues of their Beasts is their riuers and fountaines whereby their Sea is inriched and which by kind should bee more cleare and sweet But these are also made bloud that in two respects Their riuers fountains are their great and learned Doctors and grounds whence these as riuers carry waters as frō springs to sweeten if it were possible that rotten sea But howsoeuer in some outward degree they apeare to haue some more freshnesse yet they are but bloud and to drinke of them it is deadly They labour much to excuse and maske the grosse rottennesse of their sea and to sweeten it with eloquence aide of Arts and Philosophy and yet all is bloud They busie themselues to bring warrands from the Fathers but almost all from that third part of that ancient sea which in the second Trumpet was made bloud and from these fountaines riuers which in the third Trumpet were for the third part made bitter and mortall And what cleare sweet water might both from Scripture Fathers be brought for cure of their Sea they by false glosses wrested interpretations cuttings and caruings turne all into bloud The second respect in which their riuers and fountaines are said to become bloud that wee should not misse to take vp the Angell executer praiseth God his iustice therein and another from the Altar a sure testimonie from Christ himselfe confirmeth his saying And this double testimony both of the executers and ministers of the Altar true Pastors encouraging to execution so warranteth the equity of this point that men need not bee remisse or stayed with any faint doubts from executing this iust worke And certainely the Spirit in this double proclamation of God his iustice herein seemeth in diuine wisdome to haue foreseene and foreshewed the faintnes of men in this so approued an errand The point is because their riuers and fountaines euen their head-Clergie men entertainers nourishers and vpholders of all that stinking sea haue beene bloody murtherers of the Saints and Prophets and occasioners of all bloud-shed in the earth the Whore Chapter 17. being drunke with the bloud of Saints and all the bloud of the earth being found in her Chapter 18. Therefore the Lord in his iustice now giueth them bloud to drinke euen measure for measure And the Cuppe that shee filled to vs shee now tasteth in her course Wherein is performed what for consolation was spoken Chapter 13. If any kill with a sword he must be killedby a sword The performance of this wee haue in some measure seene and dayly see in such Countries wherein the Lord hath raised the light of his Gospell while their continuall conspiracies and tteasons against the states and liues of Princes compell men otherwise but preposterouflie pittifull and for all this double denounced warrant of the equity of the worke but too slow to giue them the due recompence of their bloudy practises But the effect hereof will bee still more and more perceiued For there will be no end of their tragicall attempts till that bloudy state be destroyed for euer These are the Martyrs the Church of Rome can glorie of Here a diuiue artifice of the spirit is not vnworthy the marking that as in expressing the first suffetings of the church by the dragon Chapter 12. who giueth his power throne authority to the Beast allusion was to the condition of the olde Church in Egypt so here in the first degrees of finall wrath allusion is to the plagues there Like as in the Chapter 15. vpon preception of the last degree the song of Moses was sung at the glassie sea 6 The fourth Viall is on the sunne whereby the beast his marked ones are plagued the cleare light of the Gospell shewing Christ the sun of
righteousnesse now so shining as in place of glorifying God by repentance and acknowledging of their errors and workes of darkenesse they as the Children of darkenesse and hating the light whereby their workes are reproued boile in despitefull rage and are burnt vp with enuie and malice as were the Pharisies at Christ his cleare doctrine and euident myracles and that Stephen hauing his face like the Sunne And they blaspheme God in blaspheming his truth and true Church speaking euill of the way of righteousnesse their desperate rage still increasing as the light groweth because induration in impenitency is a common effect of all these plagues In that showsoeuer God hath his owne single ones to pull out of that Kingdom yet the body is not reclamable but must goe to destruction Compare this with the fourth Trumpet The light of the Gospel is a plague and torment to the reprobate world as the two witnesses Chapter 11 were a vexation Here the first effect of this Vial is rage the second blasphemy 7 The first is on the throne of the Beast that is on his Kingdom as the next words interpret and as the whole frame of Scripture speech euinceth The throne of Dauid is for his Kingdome The Throne is established for the Kingdome is established Satan his throne Chap. 2. 13. for his kingdome The first effect heere of is their kingdome loseth the glory lustre pompe and wonted estimation and becommeth contemptible Whereupon the secundarie effect followeth in them of desperate sorrow expressed by a gesture of men extremly grieued Gnawing their tongues and obdnration in impenitency and blasphemy theirâ—ores by the light of the sunne being more and more laid open and thereby their sorrow augmented For their workes see Chapter 9. And withall consider what a wise and iust retribution As by falling from heauen to the earth and from being starres of light to become ministers of darkenesse they opened the bottomlesse pit and let out darkenesse by the smoake thereof eclipsing all true light and so erecting the kingdome of darkenesse So heere by the cleere arising light of the sunne of righteousnesse all the earthly and worldly account of their Kingdome becommeth contemtible and is darkened And as by the doctrine of darkenesse they like Scorpions stinging men tormented their consciences so the light opâ—ned and discouering their treachery tormenteth them with anguish and sorrow This effect both first and secondary we see already in great part but shall yet see more For albeit these plagues heere haue their owne degrees for order of working yet still the former hold on with the subsequent till all together in the ende bring finall destruction 8 The sixth viall is notable in many circumstances It is poured on Euphrates the effect is drying the waters thereof This effect is for a speciall end that the way of the Kings of the East may be prepared Against this effect and apparent sequell thereof a great endeauour is shewed and the euent thereof The endeauour is of the principals Dragon Beast and false Prophet by their instruments a pestilent broode and well resembling their origine foule spirits and spirits of Diuels so is their qualitie Their dealing is to goe to the Kings of the Earth strangers from heauen whom they may perswade importunely cronting like frogges night and day in their eares Their force of perswasion is by working signes thus to shew them to bee fase Prophets seducing The ende of this their endeauour is to gather these earthly Kings together in their purpose to vphold their tottering Kingdome now threatning a fall and to impede the apparant effect to which this Viall maketh preparation but which God shall turne to an other fine then they purpose euen to be glorified in their iust destruction as the euent prooueth Now both in respect of the great danger to be deceiued and misled by these frogs and of the great day of God his wrath to come on them so much the more perrilous as it should come like a thiese in the night warning is giuen to watch and hold the true faith whereby putting on Christ and girding him to vs as with a golden girdle we be not found naked and so ashamed but blessed through our garment The euent of all this their busie trauell is expressed in this that they gathered them to a place called in Hebrue Armageddon 9 Now because for the most part the effect and sequels of this Viall are yet to come in seeking the accommodation we must walke warily as the light of holy writ may leade vs. Euphrates properly is that great Riuer whereon Babylon properly so called did stand and wherto it serued for beauty commodity and fortification It was also the march bordering Dauid his kingdome on the East separating and in a manner debarring the Easterne peoples therefrom To both these considerations in this allusion the spirit hath respect In the 51. of Ieremy prophecying the destruction of Babylon hee threatneth that he will dry vp her waters Thence hither to the destruction of the mysticall Babylon the speech is brought In the next Chapter the whore Babylon is said to sit on many waters Which are interpreted Kings Nations Peoples and Tongues To shew in great dominion and authority great dignity and strength The drying vp then of her waters is the decay of her authority dominion glory and power by the substraction of these from her obeience in whom was her strength and fortification Euen that same which Chapter 17. is expressed by eating her flesh and making her naked Thus fitly for this respect and yet more for the second the drying of Euphrates is heere mentioned in a depth of wisdome to shew how that Riuer bordering the kingdome of Dauid on the East and set betwixt the Easterne Kings and the blessed land being dried vp the Kings of the East should therethrough haue easie accesse thereto the debarring impediment being remoued The sense is As Antichrist his rising was the occasion of darknes and defection from the Gospell to Mahometisme in the East and of the obstinate abiding of Iewes who are most part in the East and whom specially heere the spirit pointeth at as the euent cleareth in their infidelity and as the greatnesse and power of Antichrist still debarreth both from embracing the Gospell as Euphrates flowing ouer all his bankes and so letting all free passage to the Kingdome of Dauid both Iewes and Mahometans through the superstition idolatry and corruption of the Romish Church abhorring Christianity so now her waters being with the heat of the sunne of righteousnesse dried vp an open way shall bee prepared for them to receiue the Gospell I know how some from the story of Cyrus and Darius King of the East diuerting the course of Euphrates and so surprising Babylon thinke this allusion taken to shew how mysticall Babylon shall in like manner be destroied by Easterne Kings But the spirit of God fetcheth nothiug from Xenophon or Herodotus but all his allusions
Hadadrimmon in the valley of Mageddon When euery family shall mourne apart and when they shall iudge themselues worthy to haue bene destroied God powring on them to true repentance the spirit of grace and compassion And for this double effect of the Iewes common ioy with the Church and proper mourning the place is called in Hebrew Armageddon To expresse that the Iewes conuerted to the Gospell shall celebrate this victory both with ioy and also with godlie sorrow causing repentance for their by-gonne induration and pearcing of their Sauiour In the first Chapter speaking of that sight of Christ whereby all families should mourne before him euen they who pearced him thorow for this same purpose are put 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Amen for Grecian and Iew who iointly should see him and mourn vpon sight of the signe of the Sonne of man in heauen Mat. 24. The same which heere is shewed in the vials as vpon Chapt. 15. Sect. 1. was declared In like manner Chap. 9. to shew how both Iew and Grecian should at length know and detest Antichrist he is called in Hebrew Abaddon and in Greeke Apollyon But in this place that we may take vp the spiritual drift of the holy Ghost in these who shall come vpon this victory from the East hee telleth vs that the place shall bee called in Hebrew Armageddon Not but it shall bee â—o called also in Greeke that is the Gentils Christians shall also celebrate this victorie but to stirre vs to the vp-taking of a speciall effect heereof in the Iewes of common ioy with vs and proper mourning for their owne induration against the common Sauiour so the place is called in Hebrew The conuersion of the Iewish people by cleare warrant of Scripture wee looke for And that not onely of certaine persons now and then heere and there but assuredly that the body of that people shall solemnedly turne to the great admiration of the world and praise of God his both wisdome and mercy This the Prophets foretell clearely the Apostle Paul most plainely yea the Lord himselfe in the prediction of their ouerthrow Luke 21. limitteth the time of their being trode vnder till the fulnesse of the Gentils bee brought in Which selfe words the Apostle vsing Rom. 11. he exponeth clearely the Lord his meaning It is a wonderfull prouidence that the Iewes fifteene hundreth yeeres not possessing one foot of property in the earth yet are kept a separate people that in his owne time the Lord may be magnified in his mercy and truth towards them to the astonishment of all the world That the great deliuerances promised them in the Prophets haue all their performance in Christ it is certaine but whereof that the full accomplishment commeth not til their solemne conuersion it is euident by the Prophecies cited and applyed by the Apostle to that purpose Now whether they shall be brought to inhabite againe their owne Land albeit I dare not determine because it beeing typicall all promised theranent may be performed in their coniunction to the Church which is the true Ierusalem from heauen yet certainely my heart inclineth to thinke so Because their solemne conuersion must bring with it the remoouing of their reproach and so of necessity a gathering from their dispersion to brooke a state in the eies of the world And the Lord his owne words limitting their beeing trode vnder foote seeme to implie no lesse O the deepenesse of the riches both of the wisdome and knowledge of God! The Iewes misconceiuing the Prophets are strengthened in their error of Messias yet to come because they thinke that before his comming the Roman Empire must be vtterlie destroyed which now standeth onely in the Pontificality Whereby any may well know how great a way his fall and of all that state with him shall open vnto them So much the more as in place of his idolatrous superstition whereat they now stumble done away they shall see the purity of true worship erected 11 The seuenth and last Viall is poured in the Aire The effect whereof is summarilie in one word denounced and then typically declared The denunciation is great first for the authority as beeing not onely from the Temple but also from the throne in it euen God his owne voice And next for the weight of the matter that now all is done Not as if in that instant all things were accomplished but by pouring out of this Viall the signe beeing giuen to shew that in the daies thereof all should be finished according as Chap. 10. was sowrne Neither is this to bee taken for the last consummation as neither is the great day of God almighty in the former Viall for the last day any time of God his great execution beeing in Scripture speech so called ordinarily But heere it is said to be done Because now at last God is by this plague to destroy all enemies of his Church and beautifie her with peace liberty and plenty of grace so as all whatsoeuer by the Prophets hath bene foretold and promised of either shall now haue the full accomplishment The Church beeing freed of all troubles and hauing but to expect her bridegroome for whom now shee shall bee prepared This Christ himselfe foretold When yee therefore see all these things come to passe then lift vp your heads These words then it is done are all one with these now all is come to passe so as yee may lift vp your heads See this same speech in this same sense Chap. 21. They are as I thinke much deceiued who interpret the commotions heere subioyned of the last consummation which shall not come thus but as a theefe in the night vpon a peaceable secure and sleeping world when all these broiles and whole effects of the seuen Vials called of Christ Matth. 24. the signe of the sonne of man shall haue past before 12 This great effect thus summarily in one word denounced is declared by continuall allegorie When the Aire is cleere and quiet all both sea and land riuers fountaines and heauenly lights are calme and shine cleere But the Aire beeing troubled all heere below is troubled and for their vse toward vs the heauenly lights are also darkened and these fearefull effects of thundrings lightnings voices c. ordinarily do follow Hereby the spirit will expresse an vniuersall and horrible commotion and alteration of the state of the earth which in one word hee calleth an earth-quake yea and that so strange and huge as the like was not since men inhabited the same It was a great earth-quake that is alteration and vicissitude of things when vpon opening of the sixth seale the state of the Roman Empire was shaken and in the sixth head receiued a deadly wound But in the ouerthrow of Antichrist the Beast going to destruction when the cured head and Beast quickned therein againe shall be slaine and destroyed there shall be another kind of commotion and alteration of the states of the
image of the Beast 18 The third proper note and token is this Beast goeth to destruction For vnder this last head that state and Kingdome must be vndone for euer and shall not bee as in the fall of the former heads when in the next succeeding it held place but this head shall so fall as with him he shall draw that state to eternall ruine In which respect it is said Chapter 19. that the Beast and false Prophet are both taken and cast into the fire Thus for a most cleare opening of all this Prophesie the Holy Ghost heere in this Chapter hath ioined the Beast Head and Whoore and exponed so euidently in a huge wisdome To make vs see that what Chapter 13. hee spake of two beasts what through the booke hee speaketh distinctly of the Beast and the VVhoore Babylon of the Beast and false Prophet is all but for cleare explication of Antichrist VVhat a King hee is of what Kingdome of what time and manner of working cleering the Kingdome by the head and both Kingdome and head by the head City of their power with euident and infallible notes to take vp the right time and condition of all So as the Romans mocking our incertainety as they thinke whether the Beast the VVhoore or the falfe Prophet bee Antichrist bewray but their owne ignorance or malice or both For the Beast is Antichrist but so and then as and when the head is a false Prophet vnder presence of the Lambe his power making Rome the VVhoore and bewitcher of the world In which respect the false Prophet is the Beast the eight head and one of the seuen And thus the Beast is onelie Antichrist as the Beast is the eight head euen the false Prophet And the false Prophet is Antichrist but as he is the Beast that is head of the kingdome of Rome And Rome is the VVhore but as she is borne vp by this Beast the false Prophet How plainely the holy Ghost telleth this take vp in this argument 19 That soueraigne policy ruling in and ouer the City situated one seuen hils and in Iohn his daies bearing rule ouer Nations which in number and order is the eighth head or soueraigne policie after the fiue fallen before Iohn the sixth then ruling and a seuenth to come but soone to euanish which eight head recouereth to the state hee ruleth the luffâ—e estimation and subiection of Prouinces which by a deadly wound in one of the former heades it had losed thus reerecting if not the same properly yet a liuely image of the decaied state and for this respect as he is the eight in course so is hee in a sort one of the seuen heads and is peculiatlie the Beast and which soueraigne pollicie and eight head peculiarly the Beast worketh all as a Porphet and vnder pretence of Christ his power and thus induceth the Kings of the earth voluntary and with free and vnanime consent to submit their Crownes vnto him so procuring to his seat such account and credit as the whole earth drinketh her superstitious and idolarrous worship wherethrough shee becommeth a great and mother harlot And which eight soueragne policy or head shall bee the last head of that kingdome for that in the fall thereof that state shall be destroied for euer That souerainge policy oâ— head is the Antichrist 20 But the Pontificality is the soueraigne policy or head thus for place order and number in succession manner and effect of working heere peculiarly called the Beast and which as hee is from the bottomlesse pit and angell thereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so he and with him that state goeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ergo c. Wee speeke not of coniecture but as it is written I beleeued and therefore I spake Wee beleeue and therefore speake 2. Cor. 4. 13. CHAP. XVIII THe great Whore was described in the former Chapter Her iudgement followeth in this shewed by three heauenly voices in each whereof the same is magnifickly amplyfied by the certainty the instant performance greatnesse and equity thereof And peculiarlie in the last by that her ruine is irreparable The first voice is to the 4. verse The second to the 21. And the third to the end 2 In the first voice are the person denouncer and the point denounced The denouncer is an Angell remarkeable for gesture and dignity His gesture is that hee commeth downe from heauen His dignity in that hee hath great authority which is cleared by the effect in that all the earth was lightened with his glorie At the second degree of the out-breake of the light of the Gospell from vnder Antichristian darkenesse Chapt. 14. an Angel denounced the same which this doth but that did flee thorow the midst of heauen that is albeit swiftlie and in the publike view of men yet the cleare perception of what he denounced was farre remoued aboue their reach the preaching of the Gospell not hauing then for cleare euidence the authority which since it hath and daily more and more shall obtaine through the Angel no more fleeing farre aboue as these Chap. 14. in the reuerting and that Chapt. 8 in the last degree of decay of light but now in plenty of glorious light as it were comming downe from the heauen and lightning the earth with a neer and euident sight of that which before was reuealed but farre oft This Angel then is the type of the cleare light and powerfull ministery of the Gospell now in a neere degree both shewing clearely and working powerfully Antichrist his fall The ministers of lightâ— are of Christ the true light called the light of the world and their ministerie is glorious euen glorified as concerning the exceeding glory For how beautifull on the Mountaines are the feete of them that preach good tidings c. The description of this denouncing Angel implyeth not only the certainty of what hee proclaimeth as from heauen and with great authority and euidence but also the instant performance thereof in that he commeth downe in such aboundance of glorious light as Babel can stand no longer no more then could Sodome after the Angel his downe-comming to see iâ— For Babel the glory of Kingdomes shall bee as the destruction of God in Sodome and Gomorrha Therefore the point denounced albeit it bee the same in substance which Chap 14. was threatned yet here it commeth in another degree of cleare manifestation certaine performance in the perswasion of hearers and neere approaching execution God now beeing to passe by her no more for shee is come in remambrance before him 3 Of this denounced point is shewed also the greatnesse and equity The greatnesse in these words and she is become c. So to shew a horrible desolation such as should not onely make her waste and solitarie but also detestable and abominable as are ghostly and Elphrish places full of Panike terror and the ordinarie retrait of all these things which both flee humane society
painted her face and looked as a Queene and like Baltazar and Babel properly who although they were straitely besieged yet imagined nothing lesse then the surprise of their City in so farre as that same night of their finall ouerthrow they had giuen themselues to all manner of prophane ryot So Rome amidst her plague growing on yet dreameth to her selfe a perpâ—uity But when shee sayeth Peace Peace then shall come vpon her sodaine destruction 9 That God stirreth his children to recompence her according to her worke and to render her double Wee must not imagine that either God louseth the raines to carnall appetite of reuenge or yet is vniust in his iudgements For first wee must consider that their doing is warranted by commandement of God in execution whereof as hee will haue no man remisse so will he that we haue him and his honor single before our eyes which euen in our persons as his seruants may be interressed in that respect should moue vs with such motions as in Moses Dauid Elias Elisha and other Saints wee see are approued In which as all carnall and priuate respects are damnable so is negligence in God his worke accursed Saul his pitty of Agag was not onely preposterous but prophane and brought the declaration of his reprobation Ahab his foolish pitty of Benhadad bred him heauinesse Next euery man his calling must bee eyed to the rule whereof God restraineth all our actions for extraordinary deedes warranted by extraordinary motions are not ordinary or to be drawn into example the Magistrate hath another part then a priuate man Therefore euery man ought to keepe his Station and all concurre so to the downe-bringing of Babell as Israel had commandement to inuade Iericho who were not onely to attend the Trumpet and Shoute but to go vp also each straight before him from his own station no where diuerting Moreouer there is a diuers consideration of that state ordained for destruction and of euery particular member in it of whom particularly wee know not the counsell of God In the donble acquitall is no iniustice for the double measure is in relation to the wrong done to the Saints and not to the merite of their sinne against God which is infinite and the honour of God and due consolation of God his Saints require that shee bee recompensed to the full for assurance whereof wee must not looke to the apparant possibility or impossibility of meanes but to God the righteous Iudge who is a strong Lord. 10 This great iudgement of the Whore is yet amplified by a liuely representation of the mourning of her adherents vpon the sight of her fall As by the contrary thereupon the godly are stirred to ioy The lamenters are of three rankes Kings Marchants and Seamen who all haue these things common Astonishment Feare and Sorrow so much the greater for the sodaine and vnexpected fal of the Whore whose greatnesse might riches and magnificence were so conioyned with the pleasure and delight of Kings gaine of Merchants trade and vphold of Sea-men as the world standing who euer could haue imagined the fall thereof and in one howre Thus the sodain and strange case breedeth astonishment The smoake of her burning and terrour of her torment bringeth feare so as how grieued soeuer with her fall yet they stand backe not daring to helpe her Their sorrow ariseth to each order vpon the speciall consideration of their seuerall interests Kings sorrow for losse of their darling and their pleasures For these commonly delight in an easie worshippe of mans inuention and of any can least submit their neckes to the yoake of Christ which might restraine licentiousnesse Ahab had hundrethes of Prophets but he could not abide Micheas and held Elias for his enemy and troubler of Israel The two witnesses Chapter 11. vexed the earth Princes most part are much giuen also to fleshly liberty whereof vnder the Popedome they had no restraint so being otherwaies they shewed themselues fauourers of that state Merchants sorrow for that through her fall none buy their wares any more and they waxed rich onely by the abundance of her pleasures To amplifie this occasion of their griefe the sorts of wares are recounted thereby shewing the wonderfull greatnes of her trade by which her Merchants behoued to bee enriched as hauing the trade of all nations and of all manner goods from all parts All that serueth for glorious and princely attire as gold siluer pretious stones pearles fine linnen silke purple scarlet or for delightfull and sumptuous plenishing and fabricke as Thymwood vessels of Iuorie all vessels of most precious wood brasse yron and marble or for pampering the person and dainty faire as Cinamon odours ointments incense wine oyle floure wheat Cattell sheepe or for royall and princely Port as horses chariots seruants The decay of all which from her and so the matter of her Merchants sorrow is closed vp with a generall of all that her soule lusted after all fat and all pleasant thing vttered in a sarcastik apostrophe to her selfe for amplifying her fall and argument of their sorrow so much the greater as shee should neuer recouer her losses 11 Now albeit it bee true that Rome through her greatnesse and luxurie maketh great change to all Merchants of these same wares properly taken and that her fall shall endammage many who now liue by ministring to her delights yet this is not here chiefly meaned For neither are the great men of the earth properly Merchants of these things neither can her fall stay the sale of such wares in the rest of the world But all this Allegory is by allusion to the prophesie of Ezechiel against Tyrus VVhereto as to the most noble Merchant City in wares corporall Rome is compared for spiritual marchandize wherein as a glorious deceiuing Whore she tradeth with such gaine amongst all Nations that her Merchants haue gotten the riches of the world by selling of Pardons Indulgences Reliques Soule-Masses Buls Remissions Dispensations Confirmations and infinite other trash wherewith they haue now long time so bewitched the foolish world as in each Country they had and somewhere yet haue the halfe of the Kingdom For their Locusts stinging like Scorpions with a paine lesse tollerable then death made mad men search with losse of all things to redeeme that peace which they neuer shewed them The recent story of the state of Venice forced to contest with these Merchantes before they should deuoure all giueth hereto a cleare Testimony What the Pope gained by Episcopall Palles annates and extraordinary imposts is well knowne Besides the dayly great Market of al which things at Rome and thousands liuing thereby for their greater commodity Iubilies are to the contumely of Christ instituted but that all their Market is much fallen through the drying vp of her waters already in such measure as they are gnawing their tongues for sorrow And that wee may take vp what sort of wares and
was the riches of the Gentiles so their receiuing may bee much more the life of the world from death by so strange and wonderfull a change as shall make in a manner a new heauen and a new earth in which they shall haue greatly to reioice and bee glad When both sisters aswell the little sister which had no breasts as the other are spoken for and receiued That the Shepheard may be one and the sheepfold one When in that day there shall bee one Lord ouer all the earth and his name one This is that number innumerable Ch. 7. of al Tongs Nations Languages with Palmes in their hands clothed in longwhite roabes c. This is that Ierusalem from heauen wherin the heathen nor any vncleane thing shall enter no more which now shall bee perfectly adorned with such fulnesse of gracefull quiet state al being performed whatsoeuer the Lord by his seruants the Prophets had promised that shee hath as a Bride perfectly busked but to attend the last and full act of the marriage to enter into the marriage chamber and eternally inioy her spouse This goodlie state in grace vpon full ouerthrow of all troubles described most goodly Chap. 21. and 22 is the finishing of the mystery of God Chap. 10. When a Bride is perfectly â—usked and trimmed wanting none of her ornaments then nothing remaineth but the solemne acts of the mariage to enioy her Lord. So the reason of the speech is plaine from common vse 9 This her preparation that we may vnderstand it not to be of herselfe for the Lord will answer her before shee aske is shewed to bee in her attire Whereof is noted whence she hath it and what it is Shee hath it by free gift of the Bridegrome For what a Bride we are by nature see Ezechiel 16. and not onely is the garment giuen her but which is to be marked the putting on thereof is giuen her also as which shee can no more put on by her selfe then shee can purchase it What this garment is in shewed first figuratiuely and then in proper termes Figuratiuely it is fine linen pure and shining This linen hath two properties It is pure because Iesus Christ giuen vs of the father to iustification whom by the gift of faith we put on is pure spotlesse and vndefiled and maketh vs pure before God This is iustification of faith properly The second property is Shining for as it is spotlesse and pure so hath it a glorious lustre to shew that Christ is not onely put on to iustification but also to glorie and that in two respects One in that hee sanctifying vs wee shine here as lights in the middest of a froward generation shewing forth the vertues of him that hath called vs so glorifying God witnessing to the world our iustification and euen strengthning our own soules in the certainety of our election while wee declare our faith perfect by our workes euen as our works thereupon shine and are approued because faith worketh together with the worke For whatsoeuer is without faith is sinne and this is that iustification whereof Iames Chapter 2. to expresse both the word is plurall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The other respect of shining is in that as we put on Christ to iustification and sanctification so also to full glory at length with himselfe our corruptible bodies being made conforme to his glorious body The Iewes first seeking to establish their owne righteousnes which is by the Law so like Adam and Eua making garments to themselues fell from the righteousnesse of God but now God turneth their hearts to prepare and trim themselues with the Bridegroome his gifts as was Rebeccha with the ornaments brought from her husband both giuen her and put on her counting all things losse to bee found in Christ that is not hauing their owne righteousnesse which is by the law but the righteousnesse of God which is by faith in Iesus which and application thereof are both the fâ—ee gift of God And the holy Ghost so coucheth the words as no place is left to cauillation For he sayeth not our Iustifications are the fine linnen but the fine linnen giuen vs is our iustifications 10 Thus was the song maruellous for strange forme and matter Now followeth the strange euent in the Apostle wherein come to be obserued the occasion and euent it selfe Albeit the whole matter and manner of the song occasioneth this euent yet most speciallie it followeth through the Angels singular care and manner of confirming Iohn in the greatnesse and truth of these matters euen therein implying that they are so wonderfull as men would hardely belieue that such things could come to passe Hee confirmeth Iohn by commandement and by affirmation The quality of the commandement giueth of it selfe to presume assuredly both some great and also a certainely determined case as which hee commandeth him to write both for regard of the matter as also for sure preseruation and lasting record therof as which most assuredly should fall out He commandeth to write one speciall point which yet implyeth all that they are blessed who are called to the Supper of the Lambes marriage VVhich blessednes as it must bee restrained to the effectuall calling many being called who are not chosen so here the Angell will stirre Iohn and all Christians in Iohn his person to the consideration of a singular blessednesse of this time through the great efficacy of the voyce from the Throne and obedience wrought thereby in them who first refused and no doubt of the Orient by and with them A blessednesse was commanded to be written Chapter 14. but that was of suffering wherein they were euen blessed Here the case varieth For now all shall suffer who come not to the Lambe his Supper and shall bee made a Supper to the foules of Heauen verse 17 Now the teares shall bee wiped from the eies of Mourners and the destroyers of the earth shall bee destroyed The Heathen were angry now the Lord is angry in his course which if it kindle Blessed are all that come to him Now they who did slay with the sword are slain by the sword and the Captiuers are captiued For now God taketh his kingdome by the euident ouerthrow of his enemies and exaltation of his Church hauing his name written euen on his garment and thigh So blessed in effect are they who come to the supper of the Lambe his marriage The Angell next confirmeth Iohn by affirmation that these words of God are true Thus wakening vp Iohn to consider rare matter whereof hee so earnestly affirmeth that the words are true and for assurance of their truth that they are of God or God his words 11 Now besides the song in it selfe wonderfull this care of the Angell to confirme Iohn and waken vp his spirits by so singular a commandement and so peremptory an asseueration so rauisheth the heart of the Apostle
his restraint albeit of that time as by substituting the Beast of his authority by deceitfull hypocrisie and efficacie of error to worke that from performing whereof in open rage hee was then bound vp might well bee presumed yet hath beene reserued to this place to giue vs in one view his whole story Which consisteth in that rage Chap. 12. From which beeing heere in some consideration bound vp for a time he is againe let loose and his endeauours thereupon are here declared so farre from his intended successe as he is taken the second time and destroied for euer 2 In his first restraint come to bee considered the surenesse end and degree thereof The surenesse is cleered in the person apprehender and manner of fermance The apprehender is God â—â—s minister an Angell instructed with authority as comming from heauen with power to execute as hauing the key of the bottomlesse pit and a great chaine All spoken after the manner of men This Angell falleth not from heauen to earth as that great starre Chapter 9. but commeth downe as he Chapters 10. and 18. And accordingly hath the key of the bottomlesse pit for a farre different end from that this comming to inclose the Prince of darkenesse being himselfe the minister of light whereas that great starre falling from the ministrie of light to become the minister of darknesse he openeth the botomlesse pit to let out darkenesse The Dragon is heere described by these same names and property of seducing Nations which are giuen him in the 12. Chapter in the first degree of this his first foile towards this first captiuity when by Michael his valour hee was cast from heauen Which the holy Ghost doth of purpose to leade vs know that this first binding is from that rage So wisely and plainely the spirit teacheth vs to couple together the parts of this prophesie Now Christ is hee properly who treadeth downe the head of that serpent who onely is that stronger then the strong one comming in binding him and spoiling his house as who onely hath come to lose the workes of Satan and onely hath the keies of hell and death But according as he giueth gifts to men and worketh by his ministers of whatsoeuer calling who in his light and strength aduance the Kingdome of light and bring downe that of darkenesse his ministers thus instructed by him and to this ende are also binders of the Dragon Of whom this Angell is the generall type 3 The manner of fermance to shew the surenes thereof is after the manner of men set forth in inclosing shutting and sealing as was the caues mouth on Daniel and the Sepulchre of Christ 4 The end of his restraint is That he seduce not the Nations c Which ende how it is and how farre to be vnderstood the degree of his restraint now and his endeauour vpon his next loosing will make cleare 5 Thus we haue the surenesse and end of the Dragons restraint Now followeth the degree thereof cleering the end as I haue said The degree is that this his captiuity is not absolute but in a speciall consideration This is shewed by the time thereof state of men in that time and what this state is The time is not for euer as in his next taking but for a thousand yeeres which being expired he was to bee losed againe The denunciation of which sad euent is mitigated with a consolation that it should be but for a short space euen that three daies and a halfe wherein the witnesses were killed and lay vnburied Chapter 11. For thencefoorth by degrees the Dragon is againe comprehended till he be made fully fast in eternall chaines 6 The state of men during this first restraint sheweth it also not to be absolute in so farre as hee shall bee bound but to a few being still loose towards the most part This is cleered by declaration of the seuerall condition of both and first of these to whom hee is bound Wherein are two their condition in this his restraint and who they are that haue this condition Their condion is expressed first in figuratiue speech of Thrones and Sitters hauing iudgement accordingly giuen them and next in proper termes that they liued and raigned with Christ these thousand yeeres Who they are that are in this estate and condition is shewed in two sorts First The soules of them who were beheaded for the word of God c. Secondly They who worshipped not the Beast c. The state and condition of the contrarie sort is that during these thousand yeeres they lay dead and liued not Now how great this number is and how small in comparison thereto is the former is cleere by the 13 Chapter where all the earth follow the Beast and receiue his Character name or number except these 144000. sealed ones Chap. 7. in mount Sion with the Lambe Chap. 14. And consequently in what respect and to whom the Dragon is said during this space to bee bound 7 The third point shewing yet further the strict consideration of Satan his restraint is the explication of this state and condition of both sorts of men what this life and raigne of the one is and what is the death of the other To wit that this life and raigne are not to bee taken for this naturall life or any wordly dominion neither yet for that euerlasting and glorious state which the Saints in Soule and body after the last indgement inioy in heauen this being their state during the thonsand yeeres and called the first resurrection As neither is the death of the other to be vnderstood of the naturall death of the body by seperation of the soule therefrom or of the eternall death of both in Gehenna as wherein the world lying dead a thousand yeeres thereafter riseth from it to haue part in the first resurrection and consequently of blessednesse But this life and raigne in respect of the soules beheaded is their honourable commemoration and rising from vnder these horrible slanders calumnies whereby the honour of their sufferings was maliciously by Satan eclipsed euen that same thing which by long white robes was signified Chapter 6. In respect of these who Worshipped not the Beast c. This life and raigne is the first resurrection whereby men here by the word and spirit are begotten to the life of God in Christ and freed from the bondage and death of Satan and sinne being vindicare in the liberty of the sonnes of God and so made Kings and Priests to God in Christ Iesus And the death of the rest who rise not this first resurrection is that death in sinne ignorance idolatrie and induration wherein all men lye naturally depriued of the life of God like those widowes who being aliue yet were dead and like Ephraim who was dead in Baal From which death who so riseth not to be pertaker of the first resurrection shall be accursed foreuer and subiect to the power of the
Christ began this second time sitting on a white cloude Chap. 14. 14. to make his iudgements manifest Cha. 15. 4. And from the time he began to erect this his great white Throne by the reuiued light of the Gospell when the time of the dead commeth to bee iudged Chap 11. The seuenth Trumpet sounding to the finishing of the mystery of God in full accomplishment of all which the Prophets foretold for deliuerance of the Church and her goodly state in grace So as the signe of the sonne of man shall bee seene in heauen the victory ouer her enemies shall still hold on and the enemies still fall as did Haman before Mordecay till by all the degrees of destruction they at last in the generall iudgement receiue finall sentence when death and the Diuell who hath dominion thereof shall be abolished And for this purpose onely it is that heere so liuely an hypotyposis of the last iudgement is set downe In the person of the iudge the maner and order of iudging and the execution so farre foorth as for the present purpose was needfull The person of the Iudge is described in his office administration thereof and his dreadfull maiesty and power In office hee is a Iudge a royall and a great Iudge as hauing a Throne and a great Throne He is also faithfull true vpright and glorious and whose iudgements are cleare and manifest by his white Throne As he rode before Chap. 19. on a white horse and did sit Chapt. 14. on a white cloude His administration is in that hee sitteth His dreadfull maiesty and power is expressed in a wonderfull forme of ishing before his presence Heauen and Earth depart and so as their place is not found To shew a perfit departing as that which in Scripture is saide of the wicked that he perisheth so as his place is not knowen 21 The order of iudgement is in the persons iudged and manner of processe The persons are all the deade great and small cleared by enumeration of these who are dead in the Sea who by any other kind of mortality or who were in their graues And herein clearely is implyed the power of the Iudge For no question can bee of the liuing when all the dead are forced to giue presence The manner of processe is set downe after the forme of well ordered humane iudicatories In that bookes were opened euen the records of mens actions and another booke the booke of life The iudgement of earth is of these things which were in the bookes according to their workes The forme of speech is to be noted in that it saith not of things written in the bookes and according to their workes To shew that heere are not two rules of iudging But that so men are iudged according to their works as yet the iudgement is led and ordered by the bookes For the ground and cause of the iudgement is the booke of life according as in it mens names are written or are passed by beeing either giuen to Christ of the Father or left Now whom the Father giueth him none is able to take out of his hand but he raiseth them vp at the last day And whom he electeth them hee predestinateth to bee made conformable to the image of his sonne whom he predestinateth he calleth effectually whom he calleth he iustifieth and sanctifieth heere by his spirit to bring foorth fruits of righteousnesse and so at length glorifieth These fruits of faith confirme vs in the assurance of our election and that wee are in Christ Iesus that which further strengthneth our peace as writing it in our owne consciences which are the one sort of bookes and whose testimonie must accord with the other booke of life Now then in the iudgement so are workes lookt on as collation alwaies must be of the bookes to see if our names be written in the booke of life as assurance of life and ioyfull peace are written in our consciences Otherwaies in it selfe all our righteousnesse is but as a menstruous clout But yet what Israel will not obtaine seeking to establish their owne righteousnesse which is by the Law the election will obtaine 22 Such are the person of the Iudge and the order and manner of processe Now the execution followeth Which agreeably to the purpose of the holy Ghost for which onely mention of the last iudgement is heere made is all in wrath against death hell and such as are not written in the booke of life who are adiudged to euerlasting fire which is the second death And this is to shew as I touched before that this last victory ouer the Dragon and his instruments shall bee full and perfect holding course from the first degree of their foile therein till death and the graue which are the last enemies be subdued And this execution of enemies was sufficient to record in this place where this matter is not handled as though now at this point of time and incident case the last iudgement were to fall out As many heereupon haue imagined that the ouerthrow of Antichrist and these huge Armies of opponents should bee conioined with Christ his last comming But the spirit hath no such meaning But handling the victory of the Church ouer her enemies to shew that it should bee perfect he letteth vs see that it shall hold on till all enemies being subdued to Christ his feet at last death be swallowed vp of victorie and that the Dragons foile should not bee now as at the first binding from which after a space hee got loose againe But it should bee to finall destruction And in this sense the Apostle in the second to the Thess 2. telleth that Antichrist shall bee abolished with the brightnesse of the Lord his comming Not as though he shall raigne till then but that he shall be so consumed heere with the power of the word of truth as without recouering strength he shall be destroied for euer the full and perfect point whereof is in the Lord his last comming and finall sentence against him Therefore Cha. 17 the Beast is said to goe to destruction In the vsuall manner of Scripture when God will confirme his Saints against dangers and in hope of deliuerance for their full setling he leadeth them to the consideration of that finall deliuerance whereto euer our hearts should bend themselues and in like manner in denouncing destruction to the enemies in the measure whereof as it falleth out here we neuer are satisfied he leadeth vs to their last and finall sentence Thus the Lord calleth the Prophet and other faithfull in that promised deliuerance from the tyranny of Antiochus Epiphanes to the consolation of the resurrection So Christ in his sermons often Paul for all Christianity pleadeth the resurrection The Martyres suffered constantly vnder the Lawe looking for a better resurrection The Scripture teacheth vs that that day shall come as a thiefe vpon a peaceable and secure world marrying and taking in
not designing any one particular person as the head of impiety a perfect and vnrecouerable destruction of them both both in God his iustice and for the Churches full security was requisite To the Reader HEere should haue followed the like Commentary vpon the two last Chapters 〈◊〉 vpon the former but for some speciall reasons they are omitted Vse that which heere thou hast with an vpright heart and giue glory to God A TABLE CONTAIning the most notable things in this booke A Rule for right Accommodation of Story to the seuen seales of this booke 41 The wrong ground whereby men marre the Accommodation 46 How farre time must bee lookt to in the Accommodation 89 The Aire 170 Our Altar Christ 37. 60. 81 The Ambition of the Romane Bishops 65 Angels are about the Church for two respects to protect her and to learne wisdome by her 29. 30 Angels are not to be worshipped 210. Angels put for the name of office not of nature 59. The Angel of the couenant 50 59 Antichrist his beginning 70 Whence and in what manner hee arriseth 118 119. 120 175. The mischiefe comming by him compared with the floud of Noah 77. His name 79. The number of his name 124. What sort of enemie he is 137 140. That he is the Pope 113 183 185. Acommon deceiuer of alboth Iewes and Gentiles 80. How he hath not power to slaie men and yet with him is found all the blood shed on the earth 72. 84. How farre he did preuaile 139. How to iudge of his followers 136 137 141. The first and second degrees of his fall 157. The third degree of his fall 158. The fourth 160 The fift wherein is a wise and iust retribution 161. The sixth 163. His destruction irrecouerable and vtter ruine 78 89 165 177 218. His vnexpected foile 218. His irrecouerable fall compared with the fals of the Beasts in Daniel 219. Armageddon 165 Christ his Arrowes kill all but differently 34 A diuine Artifice of the spirit 160 The Attire of the Bride 208 B BArbarous nations ouerturners of the Romane Empire although Satan his intention in spewing them out of his mouth was farre other 110 A great Battell in heauen 103 108 Why men are named Beasts 123 That the first Beast is the state of Rome not vnder the persecuting Emperours as the common opinion is but of the same time and condition with the second Beast that is vnder the Popedome it is prooued by foure cleere notes of the first Beast proper to the Popedome The first note 113. The second the third and the fourth note cleerest of all 114. How the same Antichrist to wit the Popedome is set fourth in both the Beasts 118. 121. What reason the Beast and false Prophet be distinguished seeing they are but one 121. 177. 178 â—18 What the wound in the sixth head of the Beast was and the curing of it 116. 117. In what respect but seuen heads are attibuted to the Beast albeit in number they bee eight 118. 176. Who is the seuenth head of the Beast 122. 177. The Beast is the eight head and one of the seuen to wit the sixt 116. 122. 176. Who the Beast is 123. 178. His seuen heads 175. How he had beene and then in Iohn his daies was and how hee was to come and what bee the Kings called his Heads 176. The hornes of the Beast 179. Why to this Beast is attributed not only hornes as to that in Daniel 7. but further also heads 179 The Beast in comparison set against Christ 217 Beasts throne and elders 20. 202 Christ his garment dipt in Blood 214 Pope Boniface the eight 231 The Bookes opened in the last iudgement 235. 236 The Bride her preparation 206. Her attire 207. 208 C THe degrees of a true inward Calling to the ministry 91 The length of the Land of Canaan 144 The Captaine of the Lord his Host 214 His power to doe all things 213 The Character of the Beast 124. 136. 219 Christ in diuers respects is both God sitting on the throne and also the Lamb standing betweene the throne and the Beast and Elders 13. He is dispenser of all both mercy and wrath 60. His comming downe from heauen 85 He is Lord of Sea and Land 87. Hee commeth in his Kingdome with power 107. 110. His garments dipt in blood 214. He is our Garment 162 The Church her constant gracefull state in the presence of God in her 12. In her goodly state heerethrough 13. In God his dispensation terrible for her 14. And gracious towards her in three graces 15. Her happinesse by this state 20 Without the true Church is neither saluation nor any true knowledge 24 The true Church preserued euen vnder Antichrist 53. 71 Her case vnder him 93. 137. And it is shewed in three distinct speeches 138 The Church her enemies and sufferings after what manner they be described in this Prophecie 104 The primitiue Church her habit and her trauelling in birth 105. Her flight to the wildernesse 190. Why she is called a mountaine 166 The Church her estate in the last daies 261 That the last two Chapters of the Reuelation must bee vnderstood of the Church militant 264 The Roman Clergy 70. 196 Their properties 78 A Cloud a note of diuine maiesty 86 A delightful CoÌ„gruity in the order of God his working 164 Conscience the twofold state thereof the intollerable torment thereof comming by Popish Doctrine 72. 73 Constantine the great 44. 109 Contention set foorth by fire the effects thereof 62 How it was among the Churchmen 63 The Course of the Reuelation 32. 101. 142. 153. 232 And of the Trumpets 61 The Artifice thereof noted 84. 90. 100. 101 The Cry of soules of Martyrs 37 The Dragon his Crownes are vpon his heads but the Beast his vpon his hornes 113 Christ hath many Crownes 213 The Cup. 135. 136 D THe Day of Iudgement shall come on a secure world 169 Death of two kinds 64 Of a third kiâ—de 67 Death first and second 223 224 To Dye in the Lord. 142 Desire of further kâ—owledge 49 The threefold Dignity of God his Saints 14 Dioclesianus a cruel persecuter 43 What Disposition is requisite for the perception of Diuine Mysteries 173 A Doore open in heauen 9. How wee must enter thereat and the necessity and fruit of entring 10 Our Doore to God is Iesus Christ 259 The Dragon who and of what time he is 105 His binding and to whom he is bound 222. 228 E THat great Eagle 109 The Earth in opposion to heauen for the earthly sort 10 For the place of the visible Church 49 The Earth in an other third sense 156 The loue of the Earth the effect thereof 70 A great and strange Earthquake 170 The East a pleasant discourse vpon the comming of the Angel from the East 50 The occasion of the falling away of the East from the truth and their conâ—ersion againe 163 To Eate the word of God 91 To Eate the flesh of the
Whoore. 181 The Eâ—â—s of Christ as a flame of fire 212 Elders Throne and Beasts 202 Romane Emperors bloody persecuters and how some were forced to honour the Saints 48 The Germaine Emperors 175. 179 The Graecian Emperors 178 The Enemies of the Church in the old and new Testament 104. 145 Example 193 F HOw to iudge of our Fathers in time of Antichrist 136 141 Fire from the Altar of a double effect 60 Fire of Gods spirit of loue and the fire of contention the different companions and effects of the two fires 62 The Fire of Ambition 63 Fire Brimstone and Iacinthe 83 The Fire of Christs feet 86 To haue power ouer Fire 146 How the Fire is mingled with the Sea 150 Christ his eies a flame of Fire 212 The Flood cast out of the Dragon his mouth 109 Flying through the middest of heauen 68. 134. 187 Frogges comming out of the mouthes of the Dragon Beast and false Prophet 161. 162 Their properties 164 Who they are 165 Fulminatrix legio 43 G CHrist his Garment dipt in Blood 214 His neme written on his Garment 216 Our Gate and onely doore to God is lesus Christ 259 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 254 God his seate in his Church his nature and Trinity of that one shadowed by three Iewels 12 His patience 82 Gog and Magog 233 That they are not particularly the Turkes who they are 242. 243. 244. 245 Golden Vials 27. 153 The three Graces of God towards his Church 15 Pope Gregory the seuenth 229 H THe mourning of Hadadrimon 167 Haile for cold preaching 62 For iudgement 99 Heretikes their disposition 66 Haleluiah 200 Harpes 27. 148 Haruest 145 Heauen in opposition to earth throughout this Prophecie is taken for the true Church in opposition to the worldly sort 10 Heauen put for the glory and honour of the great men of the earth 40 Amultitude in Heauen 200 The Heauens cast wide open 211 Hornes 26 Why the Beast is said to haue two hornes like the Lambs seeing to the Lambe are attributed seuen 115 Tenne hornes of the Dragon and of the Beast 123. 179 The difference betweene the tenne hornes Daniel 7. and the tenne hornes Reuel 13. and 17. 179 Why the hornes of the Beast haue crownes and not the hornes of the Dragon 113 Horses 33 The Host of heauen 215 I ALlusion to the fall of Iericho to the fal of Babel 100 Iesuits the origine their busie endeauours their date they are the last puffe of Satan his mouth and of the Vicar of his throne 165 The conuersion of the Iewes 80. 164. 167 But most euidently 168 139 Whether they shall inhabit their owne Landagaine 168 How great a way the Popes fall shall make to their conuersion 169 Their conuersion and ioy vpon his fall 201. 206 Iohn disposed the Canon before his death 269 The Impenitency and Induration of Papists 160. 161 The ordinary degrees of true Illumination 25 How we should looke on the condition of the Church of Israel in the old Testament 245 What is requisite to Iudge righteously 212 A description of the last Iudgement 234. 235 The manner of processe in the last Iudgement how it shall be ledde by that which is written in the bookes and yet according to our workes set foorth not for it selfe or time thereof but to shew the continuall recurelesse and finall destruction of the enemies and goodly state of the Church thereupon holding still one to the last Iudgement and so eternall 236. 237 The yeere or age of that day cannot determinatly bee gathered vpon any ground in Scripture 241 Iulian. 229 K KIngs 194 King of Kings and Lord of Lords 215 The Keies which the Popes haue to wit of the bottomlesse pit 70 Christ and his Ministers haue these same Keies in a farre different sense 221 L THe Lambe of God 27 In what respect the Lambe his slaughter is the reason of his worthinesse 28 The Lambe his mariage 206 Seuen burning Lamps 15 Legio fulminatrix 43 Lightnings thundrings and voices 14 True Light bringeth euer true ioy 24 White Linen apparel 153 Where our Church was before Luther 140 Lions Buls and Cherubins in Salomon his Temple types of the Ministers of the word 18 Two Lions of diuers qualities 24 M MAgeddon or Megiddon 165. 166 Mahomet his time of rising by what meanes he spred his doctrine the swift course of the victories of his successors 82 A Man 42 The face of a Man 17. 78 A Man-childe 106 The number of a Man 126 The measure of a Man 257 Of an Angel 258 The Marriage of the Lambe 206 The soules of the Martyrs cry 77 The Merchants and Merchandize of Rome 195 God euen in wrath remembreth Mercy 60 Ministers of God his word are necessary for begetting in vs the life of God 16 The properties requisite in them 17 The light and feeling that ought to be in them 88 They are the light of the world 188 The degrees of a true inward calling of a Minister 91 The type of the Ministers who were first open contesters with Antichrist in three rankes 133. 134. 135 How they were persecuted 141 True Ministers haue power ouer fire 146 Myracles 151 Christ is our Morning starre 267 Why the Church is called a Mountaine 166 Mourning must goe before ioy 23 The Mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Mageddon 167 The Mystery of God the finishing thereof 88 89 99. 155 What is requisite for the perception of Mysteries 173 A Mystery where of the Author in sobernesse confesses bee dare not determine 12. Another 232. Another 258. N ANtichrist his Name 79 Christ hath a Name which none knoweth but himselfe 213 His Name King of Kings 215 His Name the Word of God 214 To haue the Name written on the garment and one the thigh 216 A New World 241 How Christ reneweth the world 252 The Night for humane sciences 68 Noah his flood semblable to the euil of Antichrist 77 Number of the Elders twenty foure the reason thereof 13 The Number of foure 17. 49 In an other respect 81 The Number of twelue 120. 128 The Number of the name of the Beast 124 The Number of the name of God 125 O VVHat makes the Obduration of Papists 173 Odoacer King of the Heruls 17 Our praiers are Odours 27 How and in whom they are Odours 59 The Order of the Reuelation 32. 142. 153. 232 The great artifice thereof 48. 90. 94. 98. 100. 101 P HOw to iudge of Papists 136. 137. 141 The cause why Papists be so obdured 147 Their vnity 180 Papisticall seducers may be iustly punished by death yea and should be 159 Their impenitency 160. 161 Their desperate sorrow because of the light of the Gospel 161 Christ his feete are Pillars 86 Pharao a type of the Dragon 104 That the Pope is Vicar of Satan his throne 112 That he is the Beast that Antichrist 113 It is also proued by three infallible tokens 183 And by a plaine and forcible argument euinced 185
whereof sixe bringing the second euils and these working but further induration Chapter 9. The seuenth Trumpet sounding yeeldeth these seuen Angels with seuen Cuppes of the last wrath Whose storie by the narration wisely and exceeding purposely in the 12. 13. and 14. Chapters interiected was till now delayed 6 The disposition of these Angels is shewed in their apparrell which is linnen and that both pure and bright and girded to theÌ„ with a golden girdle about the breast White linnen apparrell is the garment of all Saints who in Christ are made Priests to God by putting on and girding to or applying Iesus Christ to their hearts by the girdle of faith more pretious then gold to righteousnesse and holinesse But here in these Angels this common garment hath a speciall relation to their speciall calling To shew that this execution should bee iust vpright not only in respect of God the iust Iudge whose wayes are iust and true but euen in respect of the Ministers also who in the light and assurance of faith should in the zeale of God and of his worship bring downe Antichrist For blessed shall hee be called that rewardeth her as she hath serued vs. 7 They are instructed hereto with golden Vials or Cuppes full of wrath euen the wrath of God that liueth for euer Golden cuppes were also holy vessels of the Sanctuary to shew hereby likewayes this to bee a pure worke like gold and holy and acceptable And the wrath powred out is euerlasting as hee whose wrath it is for according to his name so is his feare and as is the man so is his strength Hereto also serueth the kind of Instrument At the iudgements by the sixe Seales some cry was alwaies ioined to waken if it had beene possible men to learne The Trumpets sounded loud in sixe of them God giuing Iezabel time to repent Chapter 3. and 9. Hereupon obstinate impenitency out of golden bowles wrath without noise is tumbled The seueral degrees whereof in God his patience Chap. 16. yet more argueth and aggrauateth the obstinacy of the enemies stil more and more endured to endlesse wrath 8 These cuppes are giuen to the Angels by one of the foure Beasts that is by the true Pastors of the church Chapter 4. to shew that through the cleare light of the Gospell preached Antichrist being laide open the hearts of God his faithfull seruants shall bee filled with holy indignation and zeale to imploy their power to God his honour in his ouerthrow stirred there to by the preachers of the truth Reward her as shee hath rewarded you c. according to the Cup shee filled to you fill her the double This was summarily touched in the end of the 14. Chapter when the Angell from the Altar hauing power ouer fire stirred the other to cut downe the grapes of the earth the which same thing is here more largely explaned That this is said to bee done by one of the foure Beasts as it sheweth them to be the stirrers to worke so according as their diuers faces expressed diuersity of gifts as for diuers times and cases is requisite to signifie the imployment at this time of such as were fittest whether for wisdome as Men to spie out the Beast or rather that being already done for leonine courage roaring and thundering Chapter 10. to encourage and terrifie How it be what of one of them is done is done of all 9 The power whereby this great execution is borne out that it cannot bee stayed is God his glorious and powerfull presence in his owne true Church opened and made visible before fuming in wrath against Antichrist so as neither dare these Ministers but execute their charge The feare and loue of God and knowledge of his terrour stirring them neither any enemy impede the course of God his iudgements till they bee finished For the Beast must goe to destruction and the Whores louers shall stand a backe afraid at her burning Chapter 18. And what is it else that miraculously hath and yet doth beare out against Antichrist his power and malice Who if the Lord were not on our side would haue eaten vs vp and as mighty flouds haue ouerwhelmed vs in the depth but the Lord is our helper Peoples heare it and are afraid Sorrow commeth on the Iuhabitants of Palestina Now this type is not so put as if the Saints this time should be debarred from the presence of God in his Church But by allusion to the 40. of Exodus 1. Kings 8. Isai 6 to shew a great and powerfull presence of God in his Church newly reerected from vnder Antichrist his tyranny where through the execution shal haue no let It is true that the resort albeit very frequent and dayly encreasing shall not bee such during the plagues and smoking wrath of God as when Euphrates is dried vp the high places taken away and Baal destroyed When the twelue Ports of the new Ierusalem shall be cast open continually to receiue from all quarters both Iewes wakened by a voyce from the Throne and the Kings of the East with them comming to worshippe Iehouah the Lord of hostes who then shal be the onely one Lord in the earth and his name one To which the sixt Cup shall in the owne time prepare the way and which in the seuenth shall bee fulfilled and so the mystery finished in the accomplishment of all foreâ—old by the Prophets Chapter 10. CHAP. XVI IN the 15. Chapter was the preparation for the last wrath Here is the particular execution in seuen degrees according to the number of the Ministers thereof which degrees in order and manner haue a great resemblance and relation to the degrees of Antichrist his rising in the Trumpets to shew the wisdome and iustice of God in rendring measure for measure and bringing him downe as hee arose The resemblance hath made many to thinke both to bee of one matter and time But these Vials are all powred on the Beast and his marked ones whose height in working began but in the fifth trumpet 2 This execution is commanded verse first from the Temple as a holy and iust worke with aloud voice as a matter important and to bee performed with care to the Ministers who being prepared attend the signe The execution is vpon the earth that is the earthly sort of men thorow all the plagues euidently designed to be Antichrist and his adherents It is executed by seuen degrees to shew God his patience in his greatest wrath in each degree is the common signe of powring out the Viall and the ensuing effect first or secundary 3 The first Viall is powred on the earth Where the earth must bee vnderstood according to the relation it hath in collation to the subsequent things and degree which in that respect it holdeth to the sea riuers sun throne Euphrates the aire For as when the earth or the earth and Sea opposed to heauen then things below are