write vpon it It is plaine here that the Saints in heauen offer vp the prayers of faithfull and holy persons on earth and that they haue knowledge of our affaires and desires But this Text offereth not any such thing as we shall shew at length These Saints represent the whole Church Militant and Triumphant euery one of them is said to haue their own Viall and no word here of any prayers made by any of them for others beside that the knowledge of our desires appertaineth to none but the Lord who searcheth the reines and the heart This doubt cannot be loosed by saying that the Saints departed offer vp thanksgiuing for the word vsed here is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some make this answere but indeed it taketh not away the doubt for vnderstanding therefore of this place we must know that there are foure sorts of prayer reckoned here by the Apostle the first is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a prayer for auerting of euill the second is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a prayer for some good that is lacking the third is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a prayer whereby one of vs prayes for another and the fourth is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a prayer whereby we giue thanks to God All these foure sorts are vsed by Saints militant two of them onely are ascribed to Saints triumphant namely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thanksgiuing and supplication for the good which they want Where if it be asked What good want they who are in heauen for which they haue need to pray The answer is They want a two-fold good which God hath promised and they long to enioy First they want their bodies without which the soules in heauen cannot haue full ioy for by their first creation they were ioyned together as inseparable companions not to be diuided if they had not fallen in the transgression therefore it is that the one cannot be fully contented wanting the other for which to fulfill their ioy they pray for restitution of their bodies Secondly they want their brethren the remanent mēbers of Christ his mysticall body requisite necessarily to their perfection for God hath so prouided that they vvithout vs should not be perfected Abraham Isaac Iacob haue great ioy in heauen but not full ioy because they will not be perfected without their brethren That therefore the mystical body of Christ may be cōplete and so their ioy fulfilled they pray for Christ his second comming which cannot be till the last and youngest of the sonnes of God be borne and brought to the fellowship of Iesus Christ. And this is made cleare heereafter when the soules vnder the Altar are brought in crying How long O Lord how long c For this is the voice of them who want something they would faine haue and yet are sure to enioy it Thus we see then that the prayers of Saints triumphant are generall they pray for their bodies and brethren but to gather of this that they know our necessitios our particular tentations farre lesse our secret desires is but a doting dreame and if we shall a little insist in this same metaplior of Odour or Incense it shall discouer their error more clearely For first Incense offred to God might not be made but in such a manner and with such ingredients as God himselfe commanded teaching vs that prayer vnto God should be made not as we fansie to our selues but as hee hath commaunded vs. Now if wee shall looke to this cōmandement it directs vs to pray vnto God and to none other there is the voice of God the Father Call vpon me in the day of thy trouble I will deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me There againe is the instruction of God the Sonne When yee pray pray in this manner Our Father which art in heauen and there is the direction of God the holy Ghost hee teacheth vs in our prayer to cry Abba Father No word heere of any prayer to Abraham Moses or Esay to Cherubim or Seraphim to Angels or Saints departed Secondly Incense might not be burnt but vpon the golden Altar onely whereof there was but one figuring the Lord Iesus teaching vs that our prayers may not be offered to God in the name of any other but Iesus Christ onely For there is not any other name vnder Heauen by which wee may be saued and In him onely is the Father well pleased Thirdly it was not lawfull for any man to make an odour for his owne pleasure or priuate vse of those gummes whereof the Lord commanded his Incense to be made and that vnder a most strait penaltie for so stands the Law Yee shall not make vnto you any composition like to this Perfume it shall be holy for the Lord whosoeuer shall make like vnto that to smell thereof euen hee shall be cut off from his people And this doth plainely teach vs that no creature should smell the sauour of our Prayer it is the Incense holy to the Lord and appertaines to our God onely Thus we see how Papists when they seeke patrocinie for their errors from holy Scripture doe it with no better successe then Ioab did when hee made his refuge to the hornes of the Altar hee fled vnto it to seeke the safety of his life but hee was pulled from it and executed to the death so they when they bring in Scripture to defend their errors doe in effect bring it to destory themselues But to leaue them let vs consider for our comfort how our prayer is compared to a perfume All the spices of Myrrhe Cynamon and what is most excellent on earth cannot make such a perfume from heauen it commeth and vnto heauen it returneth O what a great mercy is this wee are not yet able to ascend our selues and yet haue we this liberty and priuiledge as to send our Embassadors in our name before vs which are so welcome to the diuine Maiestie that hee accounts of them as of sweet odour and perfume sent vp vnto him Let vs marke this for many times the weake Christian faints and becomes remisse in prayer because he disesteemes of his own prayer This is a policie and tentation of the old Serpent to make thee neglect that which hee knowes to be most hurtfull to himselfe most helpfull to thee most acceptable to thy God but doe it not Noli vilipendere or ationem tuam quoniam ille ad quem or as non vilipendit Doe not vilipend thine own prayer for he to whom thou prayest vilipends it not it is a sweet odour vnto the Lord. VERSE 9. And they sung a new Song saying Thou art woorthy to take the Booke and to open the scales thereof because thou wast killed and hast redeemed vs to GOD by thy bloud out of euery kindred and tongue
towre whose top may reach into heauen But their assumption of means to make good their Proposition is but weake they haue but bricke and clay to mount vp their Fort against heauen They are flesh not spirit dust before the wind stubble before the fire Thus of a proud proposition and weake assumption nothing followes in all their intentions but a fals fectlesse conclusion God disappoints their thoughts and turnes all their deeds to the fulfilling of his owne will This Vision in the iudgement of Hugo Lyra whom some of the recents follow is expounded to be a representation of God his constant gracious administration of the Church militant these wil haue the Heauen here to signifie the church the Throne to be true Religion the glassie sea to be Baptisme or as others thinks Doctrine the four liuing creatures full of eyes to be Pastors vvhich hereafter God willing in the particular explanation shall be declared to be farre otherwise This will not bee found the right accommodation of this type we rest in that we haue spoken as being the very truth of this type For the further clearing whereof looke backe and call to minde that which hath been said on the first verse A doore opened in heauen We are not yet come to the Prophecie wherein the state of the Church both militant and triumphant is set downâ—… wee are but in the entry of the prophecie wherein the author of the prophecie God the Father and reuealâ—…r of it God the Sonne are in most glorious manner represented so farre forth as may prepare the Church to receiue and belieue this prophecie considering from whom it comes So that heauen in this place is neither the Church militant nor the Church triumphant nor yet the place thereof but it is that representatiue heauen made to Saint Iohn in his extasie wherein a glorious adumbration of the diuine Maiestie ruling all is made vnto him and from whom hee receiues reuelation in types of such truthes as hereafter were to be performed concerning the Church both militant and triumphant It is needfull for the Reader attentiuely to consider this that hee may vnderstand that which perhaps I haue not sufficiently explaned and yet is most needfull to be knowne Here there is no Vision of Prediction but of Preparation And one sate one the Throne He saies simply he saw one sitting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he tells not who he giues him no name God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without name at least his name is Maruelous no name can tell what he is He cannot said Arethas be defined as hee that is inuisible vnmeasurable and he sees him sitting as a Iudge of a quiet vnperturbed mind not mooued with affections as men are or passions that preiudge equitie These are far from the Lord he sitteth hearing all causes discerning decreeing and working all after his owne most holy will VERSE 3. And he that sate was to looke vpon like a Iasper and a Sardine stone and there was a rainebow round about the Throne in sight like vnto an Emerald VVE haue here first a description of the glorious Maiestie of GOD sitting on his Throne and ruling the world Next of the honorable court that attends him and compasseth his Throne Saint Iohn hath said before that one sate vpon the Throne this doubtlesse is the Lord of whom neither Saint Iohn nor any other creature Man nor Angel can speake as he is but is forced to shadow him vnto vs according to that representation wherby it pleases the Lord to shew himselfe Apparet Deus quibus vult et sicuti vult sed non sicuti est God appeares to whom hee will and as he will not as he is For if hee appeared as he is then should he appeare in one manner for GOD is one but we know that many manner of waies hath he beene represented Concerning the Iasper and the Sardine diuerse things are alleaged by the Interpreters Iaspidis color est aquae Sardii ignis the colour of the Iasper is the colour of water the colour of the Sardine is the colour of fire figuring two great iudgements of God quorum vnum in cataclysmo aliud consummabitur per ignem vvhereof the one vvas made by water in the Deluge the other shall be made by fire Others by these two stones vnderstand the two natures of Christ. Iaspis viridem habet colorem quae supra omnes colores sensus maxime comfortat diuinitatem notat the Iasper hath a greene colour which aboue all colours doth most comfort the senses and it signifies the diuinitie of Christ. Sardius rubrum habet colorem quia humanitas rubricata fuit sanguine passionis the Sardine hath a red colour figuring the humane nature of Christ which was made red and bloudy by the Passion Hitherto agrees that of Epiphanius that Sardius qui Babylonius etiam dicitur rusus lapis est qui sanguinis propemoduÌ„ colorem referat pellucidus est et tumoribus et vulneribus ferro inslictis medetur the Sardine which is also called the Babylonian is a red stone shewing the colour of bloud it is bright and helps tumors in wounds inflicted with vveapons of yron This might properly agree to Christ but he is not here described Yet there are some who will haue the whole three persons of the blessed Trinity shadowed here By the Iasper quae gemmarum est mater which is the mother of precious stones they will haue the Father represented by the Sardine quae carneo colore rubet carneolus dicitur which hath a red fleshie hiew the Sonne is represented and by the Emerald the holy Ghost All these are according to the analogie of faith and not against the truth of this Text. Vnto them we adde with other Diuines this also The Iasper beeing a precious stone of greene colour figureth his eternitie He is euer liuely and flourishing without fading or decaying he changes not yea no shadow of change is in him The heauens wax old as a garment but thou art the same And this liuing and refreshing vortue he communicates to his Saints Hee keepes their soules in life They who are planted in the courts of the Lords house flourish in their old dayes He renewes them then euen when they are decaying they cannot be vndone by death who by grace are in followshippe with him who liueth for euer The Sardine againe is a precious stone of a red colour representing another propertie of the Diuine nature which is his iustice in regard whereof he is vnto the wicked A consuming fire Yet the Naturalist hath obserued Sardium oleo hebetari sic iustitia Dei per misericordiaeoleum mitigatur that the Sardine is blunted by oyle it makes it relent of the rednes and so is the iustice of GOD mitigated with the oyle of his mercie for mercy reioyceth against iudgement therefore
fore-heads and for confirmation thereof they cite Augustine What vse the signe of the Crosse had among the Ancients wee are not now to dispute but to say that the signe of the Crosse is this Seale of the liuing God is a childish and ridiculous folly for the Seale of God here spoken of is proper to Gods Elect and so cannot be the signe of the Crosse wherewith many Reprobates may be marked Qui malè operatur si se emendare noluerit quando se signat peccatum illius non minuitur sed augetur He who liueth euill and amendeth not when he signeth himselfe his sinne is not diminished but augmented And againe Nesciunt miseri quod dum se signant de malo opere se non reuocant includunt in se daemones magis quà m excludunt Those miserable men who will not recall themselues from doing of euill and yet will signe themselues with the signe of the Crosse they know not that by so doing they rather include Deuils within them then exclude them So that the signe of the Crosse cannot bee this Seale of God wherewith none but the seruants of GOD are marked Now that we may know what it is let vs consider that a Seale is a note of appropriation whereby a man marketh that which is his own with his owne marke that it may bee discerned from that which is not his Thus Marchants put their marke on their owne Wares in a Ship and Sheepe-heards likewise put their marke on their owne sheepe to distinguish them from others of the Flock which are not theirs It imports also a conforming of the thing sealed vnto the scale wherewith it is sealed as we shall heare Hitherto tends that of Saint Augustine Signare quid est nisi proprium aliquid ponere Ideo rei ponis signum ne res cum aliis confusa à te non possit agnosci What is it to seale a thing but to put something or some note of thine owne vpon it whereby it may be discerned from others The Father is said to haue sealed the Sonne the Sonne againe is said to seale his Saints and Seruants by the holy Spirit The first is cleere for him hath the Father sealed that is Proprium quiddam dedit ne caeteris comparetur hominibus Hee gaue him something of his owne to distinguish him from other men It is true the Lord Iesus is a Man indeed yet such as hath an incomparable note of super-excellence aboue other men For this Seale of the liuing God Christ hath it first Essentially then Ministerially Essentially hee hath it for hee is the Image of the inuisible God and ingrauen character of his Person Hee hath life in himselfe as the Father hath life in himselfe Hee hath it also as Mediator ministerially to communicate it vnto others not in that degree whereby hee possesseth it himselfe that is impossible but in a certaine similitude for hee giueth life to whom hee will as the Father quickneth whom hee will And thus hee sealeth his owne by imprinting in them his owne similitude and image by the holy Spirit What then is the Seale of the liuing God but the Image of the liuing God which the Lord Iesus by his holy Spirit stampes and engraues in the soules of his Saints This the Apostle tels vs plainely It is God who stablisheth vs with you in Christ and hath anointed vs and hath sealed vs and hath giuen the earnest of his Spirit in our hearts And againe After that yee beleeued ye were sealed with the holy spirit of promise And yet againe Grieue not the holy Spirit of God by whom yee are sealed vnto the day of Redemption Of all these it is cleere that as I haue said The Seale of God is the Image of God stamped in the soules of his children by the holy Spirit This was our first glorie that we were created to the Image of our God Satan and our selues did miserably deface it but now by the grace of Iesus in our Redemption it is againe graciously restored They who want this Seale the Lord will not acknowledge them to be his Away from mee yee workers of iniquitie I know you not And if wee our selues would know whether this Seale hath stamped vs or not let vs looke to our owne disposition for euery seale leaues such an imprinted forme in that which it sealeth as it hath in itselfe The Lord is holy hee is light hee is iust mercifull meeke long-suffering if hee hath communicated his Image to vs then will hee make vs some way to resemble our Father we shall become holy light in the Lord righteous toward all men mercifull meeke long-suffering and readie to forgiue for what else is Christianisinus but imitatio diuinae naturae Christianity but an imitation of the Diuine Nature In a word looke the fruits of the Spirit and of the flesh as they are reckoned out and opposed to other by the Apostle If the Lord haue sealed vs with his Seale then shall the fruits of the Spirit be manifest in vs if otherwise the fruits of the flesh be predominant sure it is thou are not sealed by the holy Spirit for such as are sealed by him hee maketh them like vnto himselfe Now this Seale they are said to haue it in their fore-heads because it emboldeneth them to stand to the publike confession of Christ First as I haue shewed hee sealeth them in their hearts and next in their fore-heads No terrour no intreatment can moue them to deny the Lord Iesus Hee that denyes me before men I shall deny him before my Father in heauen I am not ashamed of the Gospell of Iesus said S. Paul Innumerable proofes hereof we haue in Confessors and Martyrs of all times There is a notable example giuen hereof by Sanctus the Martyr in the persecution vnder Commodus when it was demanded of him what his name was Hee answered Christianus sum and to all questions demanded of him of his Countrey and Parents he gaue onely this answer Christianus sum Let vs try our selues whether we haue this seale or not where wee find a beginning thereof let vs carefully conserue it that the lineaments of that image be not defaced by the deepnesse of Satan and deceit of our owne sinfull corruption for the want of this seale will make the Lord deny his owne creature in that Day Depart from me ye workers of iniquity I know you not The siluer which is not strucken with the Kings stampe is counted adulterous and not receiued in his treasure Sic anima que imaginem Christi non habet in coelestes thesauros non ingredietur so the soule which hath not the image of Christ shall not be layd vp in the heauenly treasures And he cryed By his crying with a loud voice nothing else is noted
but the earnestnesse and great care which the Lord Iesus hath to conserue his Saints He is the watchman of Israel who neither slambers nor sleepes He cryes for vs when wee cannot cry for our selues And againe his absolute authoritie ouer the creature is heereby declared vnto vs he commandeth and forbiddeth as hee pleaseth what he will is done This is it which the faith of that Centurion so highly commended by Iesus acknowledged in our Lord Speake the word onely and my seruant shall be healed for I haue also souldiers vnder me and I say to one Goe and hee goeth and to another Come and he commeth and to my seruant Doe this and he doth it VERSE 3. Saying Hurt ye not the Earth nor the Sea nor the Trees till we haue sealed the seruants of our God in their foreheads NOw followes the Cōmandement it selfe the tenor of it is Let the creatures still continue in their naturall course change them not dissolue not the World for the inferior part of the Vniuerse is here put for the whole and how long hee will haue the world to continue is declared Till we haue sealed the seruants of our God How Saints are the pillars of the Earth that vphold it so long as they are in it we haue shewed in the fist seale If for the Saints sake he wil not let the earth to bee hurt farre lesse will hee suffer themselues to be hurt Now comfortable is it that the Lord speaking to Angels and speaking of Saints speakes in this manner The seruants of our God Inuoluing his holy Angels and his redeemed Saints all in one fellowship and society with himselfe according to that I goe to my God and your God my Father and your Father VVee are made fellowes in a most high and honourable incorporation with Christ and his Angels The Lord giue vs grace to walke woorthy of our calling VERSE 4. And I heard the number of them which were sealed an hundred and foure and forty thousand of all the Tribes of the children of Israel VVHat the Lord propoundeth he disposeth also and what he promiseth that he performeth Now for the further comfort of the Church the Lord Iesus is brought in taking a view of his people and sealing such as are his own as he promised he would doe For the seale thus onely we haue to say more He sealeth his Saints in three places in their heart 2. Cor. 1. 22. in their head or forehead as here and in their arme Set me as a seale on thine heart and as a signet on thy arme I knovv some Diuines take this to bee the voice of the Church to Christ it may as well be the voice of Christ to the Church For vvhat in loue he promiseth to his Spouse in loue also hee requires of her Christus est signaculum in corde in fronte in brachio Christ to his Saints is a seale in their heart in their forehead and in their arme In corde vt semper diligamus in fronte vt semper confiteamur in brachio vt semper operemur in our heart hee seales vs and causeth vs t◅ loue him in our forehead he sealeth vs and causeth vs to confesse him in our arme he sealeth vs and causeth vs to worke in our calling and bring out the fruits of righteousnes for the glory of his Name But alas few are they whose hearts doe loue him few who in time of trouble would confesse him because few in time of peace haue an arme to do any good for his glory The mouthes of most Professors are open to confesse him their hands are closed impotent like him in the Gospel who had the withered hand they can doe no good for him An argument that they are not yet rightly sealed That Saint Iohn saith hee heard the number of them who were sealed is greatly for our comfort The Lord hath the definite number of his Saints He knoweth who are his we may be sure as our Prouerbe is None of them shal be lost in the telling It is written of Cyrus that he knew the names of all them who were in his Armie much more doth the Lord knowe his All the haires of your head are numbred saith our Sauiour Sith he hath numbred our haires and by his prouidence keepes vs that one of them fall not to the ground much more may we thinke that he will keepe our selues for he hath vs in his Register and engrauen on the palmes of his hands so that he cannot forget vs. The persons numbred are distinguished into two ranks Iewes and Gentiles for vnder these two all mankind redeemed are comprehended The Gospel is the power of God to saluation to euerie one that belieueth to the Iewe first and also to the Graecian The Iewes are put first because they are our elder brethren and were first in the couenant before vs. Sixteene hundred yeares dwelt the Lord in the tents of Sem and was first styled The God of Sem now they lie out for a time or to speake with the Apostle Obstinacie in a part is come vnto Israel vntill the fulnesse of the Gentiles be come in And now other sixteene hundred yeares hath the Lord bin the God of Iapheth hath perswaded Iapheth to dwell in the Tents of Sem according as Noah prophesieth And heere the Apostle about the end of the seales brings in their Conuersion and Calling againe which seemeth more fully to bee handled by the Apostle in that eleuenth to the Romanes This remaines yet to be done before the second comming of Christ let vs loue them pity them and pray for them that the veile may bee taken from their mind and they may come to the knowledge of the Truth Their number is first generally set downe of all the Tribes were sealed an hundred forty foure thousand and then particularly of euery Tribe were sealed twelue thousand which makes vp the generall number aforesaid of an hundred forty foure thousand not that we are to thinke there is no mo nor fewer of euery Tribe but a definite number is put for an indefinite We see then that of all ranks and states of men God hath his owne suppose vnknown vnto men Eliiah was a great Prophet yet was hee deceiued in this that he thought there was no worshipper of God in his daies but himselfe the Lord told him he had seuen thousand in Israel that is many thousands who had not bowed their knee to Baal And yet howsoeuer there be a great number of Gods Elect yet are they few in comparison of the Reprobate and this is to be collected out of this definite number for what is an hundred forty and foure thousand in respect of all the thousands of Israel In the dayes of Moses there were sixe hundred thousand fighting men who came out of Egypt In the dayes of Dauid they were increased to
in deedes secrecie in thoughts beseeming a Secretary fidelity in seruice of your Soueraigne surety in friendship modesty in all your behauiour If education of your children in true Religion If good example in the obseruance of God his publike worship euery Sabboth If indefatigable paines in your Calling for the good of the publique State wherein nothing can bee seene all the dayes of the weeke but Catenati labores mutandi semper grauioribus so that iustly it may bee admired how in so weake a body such restlesse labor of mind may be sustained If all these I say may commend any man then hath your Lordshippe witnesses enow to speake for you and needes not the testimony of others Loe now what a heape of good things hath the Lord multiplied vpon you what remaines but that you consider with Dauid What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefites towards mee Hee himselfe will giue you the answere My well-doing extends not to the Lord but to the Saints that are in the earth and to the Excellent all my delight is in them Great cause had Dauid to loue Ionathan hee could not get himselfe to requite his kindnesse but hee enquired if any man were left of the house of Saul that hee might shew him mercy for Ionathans sake and when hee vnderstood that hee had a weake sonne Mephibosheth lame of both his feete he despised him not for his inability but aduanced him for Ionathans sake to eat at his owne table as one of the Kings sonnes My Lord our Ionathan is the Lord Iesus wee haue not himselfe but for his sake wee are bound to shew mercy to his Mephibosheths these are the Leuites the Widdow the Fatherlesse the Poore the Stranger and the Oppressed Let not the Leuite want the comfort of the Law in his righteous cause Look with a tender eye to the vpright action of weake and impotent men God is a righteous Iudge to all men but he hath taken these aboue others vnder his singular protection Thinke it your honour and happinesse also to be a Protector of them So shall your Lordship prosper still and God shall stablish blessings vpon you and your posterity I will pray to God for it and so rest Your Lordships to be commanded William B. of Galloway Of my Lord of Galloway his learned Commentary on the Reuelation TO this admir'd Discouerer giue place Yee who first tam'd the Sea the Windes outranne And match'd the Dayes bright Coach-man in your race Americus Columbus Magellan It is most true that your ingenious care And well-spent paines another world brought forth For Beasts Birds Trees for Gemmes and Metals rare Yet all being earth was but of earthly worth Hee a more precious World to vs descryes Rich in more Treasure then both Indes containe Faire in more beauty then mans witte can faine VVhose Sunne not sets whose people neuer dies Earth shuld your Brows deck with stil-verdant Bayes But Heauens crowne his with Stars immortall rayes Master William Drumond of Sawthorn-denne Another REapers not few did labour in this field And it to them great store of fruit did yeeld But heere comes one apace behinde them all To gather vp what by their hand did fall Peruse his stuffe and thou shalt for thy gaining Find more then others Harust to be his gleaning I. A. PATHMOS A COMMENTARY VPON THE FIRST Prophecie of the Reuelation of S. Iohn conteined in the fourth fift sixt and seuenth Chapters Mine Helpe is in the Name of the LORD THE whole bookes of holy Scripture are of three rankes Historicall Doctrinall Propheticall they being so denominate from the principall matter in them contained Of all these coniunctly arises vnto vs a three-fold fruite the first of Conuersion the second of Consolation the third of Confirmation The first once for all is touched by the Psalmist The Law of the Lord is perfect conuerting the soule The second by the Apostle Whatsoeuer things are written are written for our learning that wee through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might haue hope It is true indeed Many are the troubles of the righteous yet against euery crosse the Lord hath giuen vs in his Word sufficient consolation The third is set downe by our Sauiour These things haue I said vnto you that yee should not bee offended that when the houre shall come yee might remember that I told you of them And this fruite of confirmation wee haue especially by bookes Propheticall Of this nature is this booke as is cleere by the titles giuen vnto it for in the first verse of the first Chapter it is called an Apocalypse or Reuelation that is an opening or vncouering of things which were hid and secret before and in the fourth verse it is called A Prophecie Thus haue we it not onely a Prophecie or prediction of things to come but a prophecie reuealed and expounded partly by Christ and partly by the Angell And this is to be noted that where other books of holy Scripture are written to instruct vs in the faith and to teach vs what wee must doe if wee would be saued this booke is written not so much to instruct vs in the faith though in part it doe that also as to confirme vs in it that for no violent persecution following it for no fraudulent heresie by deceit impugning it for no externall change befalling the Church for no prosperous preuailing of the enemies thereof as for a time will appeare to the world we should forsake that faith which the Lord Iesus and his Apostles haue taught vs in the Gospell The Author of it is God the Father from him it commeth by this order the Father giues it to the Sonne the Sonne to an Angell the Angell giueth it to S. Iohn and S. Iohn sends it to the Church The matter whereof it entreates is comprised in this short summe In it God sheweth to his seruants things which must shortly be done namely concerning the Church her persecutions by enemies the changes and mutations of the visible state thereof defections of Apostates illusions of Heretikes fearefull eclypses of the light of the Gospell All these were to fall out in that houre of tentation to come vpon all the world for tryall of them that dwell vpon the earth And in this Prophecie are distinctly fore-told by the Lord that his Saints and seruants in all ages might be confirmed against them when they should see them come to passe knowing that they fall not out by accident nor by the will or power of man but according to the determinate counsell of God who hath also letten his Church see before-hand a comfortable out-gate and end of them all And as both for the Matter and Authour this booke should bee welcome to vs so the circumstance of the time doth greatly commend it It was sent vnto vs after the Ascension of our Lord and is
may be armed to resist them In the Vials againe the Lord commeth forth in araied battell against the enemies of his Church rendring plagues proportionall to these sins by which they impugned and corrupted true doctrine This not being considered hath moued many iudicious men to thinke that for time and matter the Trumpets and Vials are both one but in truth they are not For cleering this matter once for all let vs remember how in the most obscure Prophecies of this Booke the Lord hath secretly laid downe a key which if men can finde they shall bee the more able by it to open the Prophecie Reade the fifth and sixt verses of the sixteenth chapter Lord thou art iust because thou hast iudged these things for they shed the bloud of the Saints and Prophets and therefore hast thou giuen them bloud to drinke In the Trumpets the wicked giue battell to the Lord In the Vials the Lord iudges and repaies them with plagues proportionall and correspondent to their sinnes It shall bee made plaine to him that reades without preiudice compare euery Trumpet with the correspondent Viall and yee shall see in the one men impugning the Truth of God and in the other God plaguing them correspondently In the Trumpets Antichrist riseth by degrees till he come to his height in the Vials God casts him downe by degrees To leaue the rest and compare but one In the fifth Trumpet Antichrist following his fore-runners commeth forth like a fallen Starre openeth the bottomlesse pit and bringeth out a smoake which darkeneth both the Sunne and the Aire that is both the light of the Gospell and glory of the Church for which the righteous Iudge in the fifth Viall powreth out wrath on the Kingdome of the Beast and darkneth his Throne the like throughout all the attentiue Reader may obserue comparing euery Trumpet with the correspondent Viall Thus in the Trumpets and Vials haue we seuerall Prophecies of seuerall times and matters yet standing in a relation the one to the other the practices of the enemy against the Church being pointed out in the Trumpets their punishments proportionall comming from God expounded in the Vials I haue the oftner and more plainely repeated this because I know how difficill a thing it is to draw men from their fore-stalled and preconceiued opinions Now the parts of this Prophecie are two first we haue a Preface in the first fiue Verses of the eighth next we haue the Prophecie it selfe continuing to the end of the eleuenth The Prophecie hath two parts first a prediction of the darkning of the light of the Gospell and obscuring of the face of the Church visible by heresies this we haue in the eighth and ninth chapters Next a prediction of the restitution of the Gospell againe and of the Church to her former avowed liberty so I meane for it was neuer nor cannot vtterly be abolished This is comfortably represented by the commandement giuen to S. Iohn to eate the little booke and to go and prophecie againe as also by the measuring of the Temple figuring the building and restitution of the Church defaced before by Antichrist bereft and spoiled of holy Scripture contained in the little Booke and of these spirituall Ornaments which made her glorious in the eyes of God and comfortable to the hearts of men This restitution of the light and reformation of the Church after the horrible darkenesse wherein our Fathers before vs were plunged is a working in our daies praised bee God for it And this second part is contained in the tenth and eleuenth chapters in the end whereof this second Prophecie is concluded with a Propheticall Prefiguration of the day of Iudgement The third Prophâ—…ie which is Particular THE third Prophecie of this Booke beginneth at the twelfth chapter and continueth to the end of the twentieth It is more Particular then any of the former for in it the Spirit of God passing by all other enemies or then in it touching them very lightly insists at more length then hee hath done in any of the two preceding Prophecies to fore-warne his Church of the troubles she was to suffer vnder Antichrist And this the Aduersaries themselues are forced to confesse that this Prophecie from the twelfth chapter forward is a prophecie of Antichrist so Viega and Ribera doe affirme before their Commentarie on the twelfth and it is necessarily to bee obserued for that which God willing after we shall heare The order obserued in this Prophecie is this shortly first the Capitall and Arch-enemie of the Church to wit Satan the Serpent that old Dragon is at length described in the twelfth chapter His restlesse fighting against the Church figured there by a Woman without intermission or yeelding euen when he is ouercome is plainely set downe in fiue seuerall Battels Here let mee remember the Christian Reader for commendation and confirmation of our Methode that those Interpreters who follow on this Prophecie by one continuall course of time when they come to the twelfth chapter are forced to go back againe to the daies of Christ the Booke maketh so plaine and easie methode for it selfe that men cannot winne by it Next in the thirteenth chapter wee haue described Satan his two principall Instruments by whom he fighteth against the Church these are figured by two Beasts the one Beast hauing seuen Heads and ten Hornes described from the first verse to the eleuenth This Beast signifies the Whole State of Rome opposite vnto Christ vnder whatsoeuer Title Head or Name and this manner of way that whole State opposite to Christ being considered in one Incorporation as making vp one Beast the Apostate Pope is described in the first Beast and maketh vp the seuenth and the last Head thereof But here two things are to be considered that albeit the troubles of the Christian Church proceed from the two last heads of the first Beast to wit from persecuting Emperours and persecuting Popes for in the daies of S. Iohn the first fiue Heads of the Beast were gone and away as he witnesseth chapter 17. verse 10. Yet that the Beast might be the better knowne he is described with all his Heads whereof persecuting Emperours gouerning the State Romane opposite to Christ was the sixt Head and persecuting Popes comming in the Emperours place when he was turned away made vp the seuenth Head The other thing to be marked here is that albeit the Pope be described in the first Beast with seuen Heads and ten Hornes as being the seuenth Head of the Beast yea and the Mouth thereof yet because the Lord Iesus fore saw that the Papall Power was to be the last the longest the greatest most dangerous enemy of the Church vnder the shadow of a Christian profession it pleaseth the Lord for the greater comfort and confirmation of his Church to figure that Kingdome of Popes in a Vision by it selfe and that
this I saw seuen golden Candlestickes and in the middest of the seuen golden Candlestickes one like the Sonne of man c. This serued to prepare both S. Iohn and the Church to receiue this Reuelation reuerently and certainely to beleeue it considering that hee receiued this Vision not from one who knew not the state of the Church for hee who giues the warning walkes in the middest of the seuen Candlestickes and hath eyes like vnto flames of fire which by no couering can bee holden out from looking and piercing into the heart of euery man And no lesse conuenient is this Preparatory Vision premitted before the second Prophecie if we consider both the parts thereof For in the fourth chapter there is a Vision of the Maiestie of God the Creator who as he made the world so is he heere described sitting vpon his Throne and the glassie Sea figuring the world before him which hee rules and gouerneth at his good pleasure directing all the changes and troubles thereof to his owne determinate end for which the whole Church giues vnto him the praise of a powerfull faithfull and prouident Creator and Conseruer Angels go before and Saints redeemed follow after Thou aâ—… worthy O Lord to receiue glory and honour and power for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are aâ—…d were created Againe in the fifth chapter there is a Vision of the Maiesty of Christ the Redeemer exercising his Propheticall Office to the comfort of the Church for hee takes the sealed Booke out of the hand of him who sits on the Throne hee opens it and reueales to his Church such things as in the wise counsell and prouidence of God were concluded to be done concerning her for which the whole Church both of Angels and Men renders vnto him the praise of a glorious Redeemer Thou art worthy to take the Booke and open the Seales thereof for thou wast slaine and hast redeemed vs to God by thy Bloud In the first Song which is sung to the praise of God the Creator Angels begin and Saints redeemed follow In the second which is sung to the praise of God the Redeemer Saints redeemed go before and their Song is seconded by Angels and all creatures Now these two being ioyned together it shall appeare easily how this preparatorie Vision prepares a way to the Prophecie and renders a complete comfort to the Church He is to speake in the Prophecie following of fearefull troubles tentations and battels by violent Persecutors and fraudulent Heretiques but that the Church should not be discouraged therewith this Vision is permitted wherein first is declared that howsoeuer the world be a turbulent Sea yet all the waltrings and mutations thereof are gouerned by him that sits vpon the Throne Nothing fals out by accident or by the will of man and all these as they are ruled by the Father so are they reuealed to the Church by the Sonne and we are told of them before-hand that when they come to passe wee should not be offended The iudicious and indifferent Reader may cleerely perceiue this to bee the very naturall order and method of these two chapters they containe an Introduction to the Prophecie but they are farre mistaken who seeke a propheticall prediction in them VERSE 1. After this I looked and behold a dore was opened in heauen and the first Voice which I heard was as it were of a Trumpet talking with me which said Come vp hither and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter AFTER this This is to be referred to the order of the Visions not to the interuall or long distance of time for all these Visions S. Iohn saw them in one day I was in the Spirit on the Lords Day and I heard behind me a great Voice and yet Quaelibet visio suam habuit morulam euery Vision had the owne space of time by order one after another are they reuealed vnto him yet so that vpon one day and in one trance he saw all and this hee signifies in the entry As to the manner of his sight what way S. Iohn saw these Visions because frequent mention is made of it in this Prophecie it is expedient that once for all we speake of it There is a three-fold sight 1. Naturall 2. Propheticall 3. Spirituall The Naturall sight is common both to good and euill this is that sight we haue by the eye of God seene in his workes For the inuisible things of God that is his eternall Power and God-head are seene and vnderstood by the things he hath made The second sight is Propheticall yet common also both to good and euill I meane not to all but some of euery one of them for Balaam had it this is a sight of things to come made by Reuelation Representation or both A sight of things to come by Representation was offered to Pharaoh and to Nabuchadnezzar but they wanted the reuelation of it they could tell what they saw but could not tell what it signified till it was declared to the one by Ioseph to the other by Daniel Sometime againe there is a sight of things to come shewed to the seruants of God by Reuelation without Representation such a sight many of the Prophets had But here to Saint Iohn things to come are shewed both the waies first by Representation next by Reuelation In the manner of his Vision three things must be obserued that it was Interna Imaginaria Intellectualis It was first Internall by the minde for his bodily senses were now asleepe his spirit for a time hauing after a sort derelinquished his body Next it was Imaginary for by types similitudes resemblances and figures of corporall and materiall things formed in his minde were they represented to him Thirdly it was Intellectuall for by heauenly illumination S. Iohn was taught and informed to vnderstand truely what these Types Similitudes and Figures did represent and signifie otherwise hee had not beene a Prophet nor able to shew to the Church that which hee vnderstood not himselfe I marke this to stop the blasphemous mouthes of some Atheists who in disgrace of this Prophecie haue beene bold to say that S. Iohn vnderstood not what he wrote to the Churches The third sight is Spirituall and singular pertaining to Saints onely called and chosen This is a sight of Gods fatherly and mercifull Face shining vpon vs in Christ bringing with it to our foules ioy vnspeakeable and glorious And this sight we haue in this life but in the least degree for now wee see that glory of God but in a mirrour through a vaile darkely so that in comparison of that sight which we shall haue hereafter the Spirit of God accounts this sight to be no sight We walke not by sight but by faith And S. Peter affirmes Wee haue not yet seene him but S. Iohn
the Lord replenish them with his new consolations They went weeping and carried precious seed but they shall returne with ioy end bring their sheaues The matter of his comfort is taken from Christ so long as he looked to the creatures he found nothing but matter of mourning so shall it be with all them who seeke comfort in the creature as it was with that woman diseased of the bloudy yssue she spent all that she had on the Physicians but in vaine she was neuer healed of her disease till she came to Christ. And here we haue Christ two waies described first as Saint Iohn heares of him secondly as hee sees him The Elder who describes him speaketh of Christ out of Moses and the Prophets so do all they who speake by the Spirit of God Nec ipsi quidem Apostoli de suo arbitrio quicquam quod inducerent eligerunt Yea the Apostles themselues tooke not this liberty to bring into the Church anything of their owne but as they receiued from Christ so they deliuered to vs. Hic primum per Prophetas deinde per sâ—…ipsum postea per Apostolos quantum satis esse iâ—…dicauit loquutus est And Christ Iesus first by his Prophets next by himselfe last by his Apostles hath spoken as much as he thought to be sufficient so that now Non relictus est hominum eloquiis de Dei rebus alius praeterquaÌ„ Dei sermo There is no other speech of diuine things left vnto man but the Word of God Let no man be wise aboue that which is written That he calls our Lord The Lyon which is of the Tribe of Iuda hee takes it from Moses and againe that he calls him The roote of Dauid he takes it from Esay He is called a Lyon to the terror of his enemies and comfort of his owne Satan is called also by Saint Peter A deuouring Lyon but like the Lyon which Samson slew and that other which Dauid slew and pulled his sheep out of his mouth These were sigures of our Lord who hath ouercome the Deuill and trampleth Satan vnder the feet of his Saints It was a fearefull sight at the first which Ioshua saw at Iericho a man standing before him with a sword in his hand but when Ioshua demanded Art thou on our side or against vs and receiued this answere As a Captaine of the Lords host I am now come out of all doubt it did greatly confirme him And heere at the first it may seeme fearefull that Christ is called a Lyon but marke that in the next verse he is called a Lambe A Lyon hee is in respect of his enemies to vanquish them teare them in pieces A Lambe hee is in respect of his meâ—…knesse patience and willingnesse to suffer for his owne And therefore he is not simply called a Lyon but A Lyon of the Tribe of Iuda Naturallists haue obserued that Lyons are not cruell against their owne kind yea they spare beasts of another kind that subiect themselues vnto them If we be the true Israelites of God and submit our selues vnto him the Lyon of Iuda his Tribe shall not be terrible vnto vs the greater his power is the greater shall be our comfort The other stile giuen vnto him is The roote of Dauid where it comes to be considered how Christ is called the Roote of Dauid sith by the Prophet Esay hee is called a graffe or branch springing out of the root of Iesse Yea there in one chapter the Messia is called the roote of Iesse and Iesse againe the roote of the Messia but this is in different respects He is a branch springing out of the stocke of Iesse for from him hee tooke his humane nature and he is also a stock into the which Iesse and all his fathers according to the flesh had their being As man he tooke his flesh from them as God he gaue them their beeing This is the question which our Sauior demanded of the Pharises and they could not answer How the Messia could be Dauid his sonne and also Dauid his Lord The Lord said to my Lord Sit at my right hand vntill I make thy enemies thy foot stoole For as Man hee is the sonne of Dauid and so is the branch but as God he is Dauid his Lord and so is the root And that our Lord was made man of the seede of Dauid is most comfortable for vs hee might haue created a new nature which had neuer sinned but now he hath assumed the nature that was once sinful and hath fully separated it from sinne to ioyne it in a personall and eternall vnion with his owne diuine nature for the holy Ghost who ouershadowed the Virgine could very well discerne between the seed of Dauid in the Virgins wombe and the sinfull corruption of that seed He tooke the seed without the sinne and of it formed the body of Iesus and therefore Theodâ—…ret bringing in Flaâ—…anus expounding the Angels words to Mary speakes in this manner Non cogites corporalem contactum nec consuetudinem coniâ—…galem expecta nam tuus Fabricator templum suum corporeum quod ex te nascetur fabricabit thinke not of any corporall touching looke not for any carnall coniunction He that made thee wil make to himselfe a bodily temple which shall be borne of thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And this should serue to assure vs that he who hath assumed our nature and sanctified it fully from all sin that it might be vnited to himselfe shall in his own good time free our nature from all corruption of sin and present vs without spot or blame to his Father that wee may liue a happy life in holy fellowship and communion for euer with him The Papists not vnderstanding this doctrine spoyle vs of this comfort in affirming that the virgin Mary of whom our Lord tooke our nature was without sinne A false doctrine vnknowne to antiquitie It began in the dayes of Bernard hee cryes out against it in his Epistle to the Chanons of Lyons as against a noueltie a temeritie and a superstition Lubenter gloriosa Virgo talâ—… carebit honore the blessed and glorious Virgin willingly will want such an honour as this Solus enim Dominus Iesus de Spiritu sancto conceptus est qui et solus antâ—…conceptum sanctus quo excepto de câ—…tero vniuersos respicit ex Adam natos quod vnus humiliter de seipso vâ—…raciter consitetur In miquitatibus inquiens conceptus sum in peccatis concepit me mater mea For onely the Lord Iesus was conceiued of the holie Ghost and hee also onely before conception was holie hee beeing excepted that pertaines to all who are borne of Adam which one of them humbly and truly confesseth of himselfe saying I was borne in iniquity and in sinne my Mother hath conceiued mee Solus Christus dicere potuit Ecce Princeps
into swine till the Lord giue him licence he is reserued in chaines which hinders and restraines his malice There are two chaines vpon him which bind him and other two which torment him but of these we haue spoken Rom. 8. To take peace from the earth I maruell vvhat moued Brightman to say that in the second seale Non agitur de persecutione Ecclesiae sed de tempestate bellorum qua orbis terrarum concutietur There is no mention of the persecution of the Church but of troublesome warres wherewith the world shall be shaken His reason is from this word The Rider on the red horse hath power to take peace from the earth that is frō the men of the world figured by the earth not from the Church which is figured by heauen as if commotions of Kingdomes imported not a disturbance of the peace of the Church yet in few lines after hee cleane forgets himselfe for thus he writes Marcus Aurelius Antoninus grauem in Christianos persecutionem mouit quam vt compesceret secundum Animal Iustinus scilicet vocem suam edidit that Marcus Aurelius Antoninus mooued a heauy persecution against the Christians to pacifie and stay it Iustine Martyr vttered his voice but it was the bullocks voice it preuailed not as did the first Voice to wit of the Lyon It is a pittie to see learned men miscarried with such idle speculations and Commentaries which neither agree with the Text nor with their owne words but leauing him This peace which the first executor of Gods wrath takes from the earth is peace externall and the Spirit of God purposely so speakes that most cruell persecutors can do no more but take peace from the earth that is peace externall for as for that inward peace of God worldly men neuer had it and so it cannot be taken from them Our Lord hath left it in Legacie to his Church My peace I leaue you and that with assurance that none can take it from them Yet the breaking of peace externall brings in with it persecution of the externall estate of Christians so our Sauiour witnesseth himselfe I came not to bring peace but the sword What shall ensue hereof See of that which he subioynes Brother shall betray the brother to the death and the father the son and children shall rise against their parents and cause them to die Of this it is cleere how the disturbance of externall peace by the sword imports a persecution of the Church As true Religion binds vs to God so it diuorces vs from them were they neuer so neerly bound to vs in respect of nature who are enemies to the Truth of God therefore is Leui praised that in the cause of God he said to his father and mother I know you not And of this it is euident that to procure externall peace in a Kingdome by granting as they call it liberty of conscience is an vnwise policie the Arke of God and Dagon will not both stand in one Temple Iacob and Esau will not agree in one wombe Diuersitie of Religion puts Fathers Brethren and Children by the eares euery one of them against others How then can it make peace And that they should kill one another Persecuters are profitable to them whom they persecute but indeed pernicious to themselues They are as the coales which melteth and sineth the gold but consume themselues they are compared by the Psalmist to a Rasor Nouacula quae non admittitur nisi ad supers◅ua nostra which onely cuts away our superfluities but euen in so doing they are hurtfull and pernicious to themselues which our Sauiour properly expressed when hee said to S. Paul a Persecutor It is hard for thee to kick against the prick Durum calcitranti non stimulo by persecuting my Saints thou procurest hurt to thy selfe Stories of all ages proue this that the wicked drawing their sword against Saints haue turned it in the end either on themselues for the cruelty of the wicked shall fall vpon his owne pate or else one of them against another So Eusebius witnesseth of Pilate Factus est suiipsius iudex vindex he was made both his owne Iudge and his owne Burrio Nero after he had persecuted many Christians to the death is pursued by Galba and sticketh himselfe Galba is slaine by Otho and shortly after Otho is slaine by Vitellius Domitian who banished S. Iohn and employed his seruants and subiects to persecute Christians was murthered by two of his owne Domesticks not without the counsell of his wife Maximinus and his sonne rent asunder by his owne suddarts they all crying with one voice Ex pess◅mo genere ne catu◅um quidem esse seruandum Looke to Valerian and Dioclesian and all the rest of that sort and yee shall see the sword of persecuters in Gods righteous iudgements turned vpon themselues VERSE 5. And when he had opened the third Seale I heard the third liuing creature say Come and see Then I beheld and loe a Black Horse and he that sate on him had Ballances in his hand IN the opening of the third Seale we haue first the Preparation the same which was premitted before the opening of the former two then wee haue the Vision it selfe wherein the Lord threatneth the world with the plague of famine for contempt of the Gospel This plague is first propounded in a type ver 5. next expounded in a plaine speech ver 6. In the Type there is a black Horse and the Rider thereupon hauing Ballances in his hand This is a Vision farre different from the first the white Horse commeth into the world and a crowned Conquerour riding vpon him hee is not receiued but on the contrary persecuted to punish their sinne now comes in the black Horse for sure it is black and dolefull tydings are abiding them who will not receiue the ioyfull tydings of the Gospell This plague of famine is figured by a blacke Horse from the effect thereof for it blackneth the most beautifull countenances of men The Nazarites of Ierusalem which were purer then the snow whiter then the milke their visage is blacker then the coales If the Lord with-draw from man the comfort of his creatures his courage strength countenance and all failes him Alas that foolish man cannot consider this Sith he cannot endure to want the comfort of the least of God creatures how is he able to endure the want of God his own fauourable face If the Sunne refuse to shine vnto thee if the Aire deny thee respiration or breathing if the Earth deny thee her fruits doth not vaine man turne into nothing How then can he be but vtterly confounded if the Lord shall cast downe his countenance vpon him according to that of the Psalmist When thou with rebukes dost chastise man for iniquitie thou as a moth makest his beauty to consume Yea the comfort of all creatures
the earth But in so doing they are like Samson who pulled downe the house of Dagon vpon himselfe to his destruction by taking away the pillars that vpheld it For as Sodome was spared no longer but till Lot was out of it so if the Lots or Elect ones of the Lord were once fulfilled and gathered out of the world certainely it should continue and endure no longer Two stiles are giuen by this heauenly Oracle to Saints Militant here on earth both very comfortable We are called Brethren and fellow-seruants with them who are in heauen There is one Father of whom is named the whole Family both in heauen and earth All the seruants of that Family are the sonnes of God and all brethren among themselues and their Brother-hood is most excellent for first they are all quickened by one Spirit which cannot be said of any other brethren Among naturall brethren euery one hath his owne spirit but for Spirituall or Christian Brethren they are all quickned with one Spirit Secondly all Christians haue one Father and one Mother Ierusalem which is aboue And thirdly they haue all one inheritance naturall brethren cannot all be the heires of their father but Christians as they are all the sonnes of God so are they all the heires of God neither is the inheritance diminished by communication thereof vnto so many The other is that we are called their fellow-seruants so also doe they acknowledge themselues to be our fellow-seruants Conseruus tuus sum I am thy fellow seruant said the Angel to Saint Iohn Angels then and Saints glorified are not our Patroni sed Conserui they are not our Patrons that by our prayers to them wee should seek protection from them but they are our fellow-seruants and this should stirre vs vp in all carefulnesse to be answerable to our name that wee may serue and praise the Lord our God and euery way doe his holy will in earth as it is done by them in Heauen Againe it is here euident that the number of Saints elected and to be glorified is known vnto God as will appeare more plainely in the subsequent Chapter he hath them all in a roll and it is true of them all which our Sauiour said of his elect Disciples I haue lost none of those whō thou hast giuen me They are not known vnto vs onely the Lord knoweth who are his yet is euery particular Christian bound to make sure to himselfe that he is of that number Proue your selues whether ye are in the faith know yee not your owne selues how that Iesus Christ is in you except yee be reprobates The foundation and ground of our saluation is in God his vnchangeable loue and that remaines sure but the tokens of saluation are in vs this is the seale of his foundation Let euery one that calleth on the Name of the Lord depart from iniquitie And by these tokens are wee to examine our selues whether we be of that number or no According to that of Saint Peter Make sure your calling and election by wel-dooing VERSE 12. And I beheld when he had opened the sixt Seale and loc there was a great Earth-quake and the Sun was as blacke as sack-cloth and the Moone like bloud IN the first foure seales wee haue the generall course of things as they are to continue to the end foreshewed vnto vs. In the last two the generall end of all mankind and that two-fold according to their two ranks and estates the happy end of the godly discouered in the fist seale and at greater length explained in the seuenth Chapter the tragicall and dolefull end of the vvicked foreshewed in this sixt seale And this followes the former very properly In the fist seale the soules of Saints cry to God that he would auenge their bloud there the Lord promised to do it and now the number of Saints being fulfilled and sealed the Lord comes forth in terrible manner to performe it by executing his last full and finall wrath vpon the wicked which iudiciously hath beene obserued by his Maiestie The sixt seale is an accomplishment of that dissolution craued and promised in the fist seale The order lets vs see how the Lord is much mooued vvith the cry of his Saints If that vnrighteous Iudge who neither feared God nor man answered the widow because shee cryed instantly vpon him how much more will the Iudge of all the world who cannot doe vnrighteously heare his Saints who cry vnto him night and day Certainly he will be auenged of their enemies Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints This Vision by some Interpreters is expounded allegorically as if it foreshewed defections Apostasies darkning of the light of the Gospel and obscuring of the face of the Church visible this I confesse is analogall to faith but not to this Prophecie for two causes first because the darkning of the Gospel figured by the darkning of the Sun and the Apostasies of Preachers and Professors figured by the falling of starres is particularly foreshewed in the vision of the trūpets which contain the second Prophecie The other reason is more pungent for it is said here plainly that at the darkning of the Sunne and Moone at the departure of heauen falling of starres Kings Great men and Captaines were terribly afraid and therefore cannot it be vnderstood of Apostasie and defection whereof they themselues were both authors and actors Was it the obscuring of the light of the Gospel that made them to cry out Rocks and Mountaines fall vpon vs and couer vs It can stand with no sense for so farre were they from all feare for that matter that by the contrary they reioyced in it and did what they could to extinguish the Gospel and erect heresies to force Preachers and Professors vnto defection and in so doing they thought they did good seruice vnto God Others againe take it for a denuntiation of some externall and temporall iudgement such as vvas executed on Persecutors and specially vpon Dioclesian It is true that in the holy Scripture many of the phrases vsed here are vsed also to expresse fearefull temporall iudgements threatned against particular states and persons of wicked men Looke the denuntiation of iudgement against Babel and Egypt to expresse the horror of their plagues mention is made of the darkning of the Sunne and Moone c. And in the Prophecie of the destruction of Samaria idolatrous Apostates are brought in crying Hills and Mountains fall vpon vs and couer vs. The same phrases are also vsed to expresse the terror of the destruction of Ierusalem but these make nothing against our exposition for temporall iudgements beeing types and figures of the great and generall Iudgement properly doth the Spirit of GOD borrow the phrases of holy Scripture vsed in denuntiation of
for the saluation of the Elect. This agrees to the Analogie of faith but comes not in pertinently here for these spirituall plagues are seuerally and distinctly fore-told by themselues in the second Prophecy beginning at the eighth chapter whereas this first generall Prophecie denounceth plagues corporall or externall sword famine pestilence beasts whereby the Lord punishes the contempt of his Gospell Preached to the world by him who rideth vpon the White Horse We still keep our former ground that by the holding of the winds that they blow not a dissolution of the world and destruction of all creatures therein is here declared for if we shall compare the foure Elements among themselues albeit at all we can want none of them yet the most necessarie at least which wee may want shortest space is the Aire for it is by respiration that euery thing liueth which is endued with sense take breath away from man and beast they perish incontinent and such as haue the vegetatiue life as trees or plants without motion of the Aire they wither and decay yea without it the fire burneth not the Sea moues not but putrifies and stinkes and the creatures which are therein die So much worth to man and the creature is this one among the smallest of Gods benefites euen the benefite of the Aire which Pisida properly called a gift that could not be gotten for siluer But man not considering what he hath cannot bee thankefull Alway this with-holding of the winds that they blow not which the Angels are ready to doe if they were not stayed by a superiour power imports as we haue said the destruction of the world and all creatures therein contained which shall stand no longer then the Saints of God be once accomplished VERSE 2. And I saw another Angell come vp from the East which had the Seale of the liuing God and hee cryed with a lowd voyce to the foure Angels to whom power was giuen to hurt the earth THE Angels being thus in readinesse to fold vp the world like an old Garment as S. Dauid cals it and it being as easie to them to do it as it is for foure men hauing the foure ends of a sheete to fold it together are now discharged by a commandement from Iesus Christ till the seruants of God be sealed in their fore-heads In it we haue first a description of him who sorues the inhibition and next the inhibition it selfe Concerning him three things are noted vnto vs first that hee is an Angell next that hee commeth from the East thirdly that hee hath the Seale of the liuing God By this Angell we vnderstand the Lord Iesus Christ called by the Prophet Malachie The Angell of the Couenant It is a ridiculous thing to expound it of Constantine the Great He was a Monarch great indeed but this greatnesse is more then can be competent to a creature And this stilo is giuen to Christ not to expresse his Nature for hee assumed not the Nature of Angels but to expresse his Office for hee is that Wonderfull Counsellour The Prince of Peace the great Embassador come from the bosome of the Father to declare vnto vs the whole counsell of God concerning our saluation O how should we loue him who hath so deerely loued vs how should we honour him who hath so highly honored vs when he made vs he beautified vs with his owne Image when he redeemed vs hee assumed man his Nature not Angels Nature neither did he refuse to come downe to vs with the ambassage of mercy grace and peace from the Father The condemnation of the Iewes was great enough because they beat and stoned and killed such Messengers as God sent vnto them but much greater because they also killed his Son Hath the Lord any greater to send vs Or may we look for any other message then this Take heed we despise him not Secondly hee is said to come from the East Alluding to that which Malachie speaks of our Lord Vnto you that feare my Name shall arise the Sunne of righteousnesse and as Zacharie the father of Iohn the Baptist cals him he is that Anatole Orient or Day-spring which hath visited vs from on high Our Lord is indeed that bright shining Sunne euer rising neuer going downe whose light-some countenance euer lookes on his Church to conserue beautifie and illuminate her If the Lord should stay the light of this naturall Sunne with our Antipodes and not suffer it euery morning to arise to vs from the East as it doth how comfortlesse were our estate Palpable and heauie darkenesse should still couer the face of our earth But much more miserable had our condition beene if this Sunne of Righteousnesse had not shined vpon vs but now praised be the Lord The people which sate in darkenesse sees great light and to them who sate in the region and shadow of death light is risen vp Many famous Countries lying East are vnder horrible darkenesse but to vs now from the East light is come vnto the West long may it continue with vs. It is reported of them who dwell neere vnder the North-pole that they haue darkenesse halfe a yeere together when the Sun returneth to them they run to toppes of Mountaines where they may get the first sight thereof and welcome it with great ioy How then should we welcome this Angell comming from the East to illuminate our soules with his heauenly light which makes vs a ioyfull day which shall neuer any more be interchanged with a night Oh that we could as we should reioyce in this light Oh that we would walke in it and cast away the works of darkenesse for now the night is past and our day is begunne But alas we know not the day of our visitation this is the condemnation of many in this age That the light is come but they loue darknesse better then light Thirdly hee is said to haue the Seale of the liuing God The allusion is made here to Kings of the earth who haue their owne Secretaries and Keepers of their Seale Our Lord Iesus is priuy to all the secret counsell of his Father and hee is the keeper of the priuy Seale of the great King and with it hee stampeth none but such as are in the Booke of Life which is the Roll of Gods Elect. He hath also externall Seales such as are Baptisme and the Sacrament of the Supper with these hee marketh all that are in the Church visible The Ministerie of the externall Seales hee concredits to his seruants but the inward and priuie Seale hee reserueth to himselfe Paul may plant Apollo may water but God giueth the increase Iohn may Baptize with water but Christ is hee who baptizeth with the Holy Ghost The Iesuites of Rhemes will haue this Seale an allusion to the signe of the Crosse which the faithfull beâ—…re in their
Song they are euerie one of them as I said by themselues beautifull and glorious but so much the more beautifull as they are many and diuers agreeing all in one vnitie As in a Musicall Instrument the sound is sweeter if the strings be many yet concordant Nam sâ—…nus sâ—…auissimus â—…it ex diuersis non aduersis sonis ita sancti habebunt tune differentias suas consonantes non dissonantes So is it with Saints howsoeuer different in regard of many sorts of people whereof they consist yet agree they all in one sweete consonance and harmonie among themselues Saluation In this one word of saluation they comprise the whole benefits of our Redemption the greatnesse of this saluation will best be knowne by looking to that three-fold condemnation from which God hath deliuered vs and whereof wee haue spoken Rom. 8. ver 1. All the glory of our saluation they ascribe to the Lord and to none other they look neither to Angell nor man but giue the glorie of saluation to the mercies of God and merites of the Lamb. The discordance of Popish Hymnes from this Song of Saints shewes them to be Antichristian for in all their songs prayers there soundeth an vncouth voice of the merits of men yea in their Masse-booke they are not ashamed to pray that they may come to heauen by another bloud then the bloud of the Lambe Their distinction of principally and secondarily will not free them of blasphemy Our saluation say they principally is from God and the Lambe but secondarily it must be helped by our owne merites and the merites of others No such word haue we in this heauenly Song If they would sing this Song with vs and say Amen to it as Angels do in the next verse Controuersies betweene Christian Catholiques and them that will be called Catholiques Romane were the more easily ended But heresies must be that such as are approued may be tryed VERSE 11. And all the Angels stood round about the Throne and about the Elders and the foure liuing creatures and they fell before the Throne on their faces and worshipped God THE former thankes-giuing of Saints is here seconded by Angels not onely saying Amen and so approuing that which redeemed Saints haue said before but also v. 12. subioyne to this same purpose a new Thankes-giuing of their own where first we haue to obserue the order of the heauenly Court first we haue the Throne vpon which sitteth the blessed Trinitie the Father the Sonne and the seuen-fold Spirit proceeding from both O what a coÌ„fort is it in the sight of Angels and Saints redeemed the Man Iesus Redeemer of Saints sitteth on the Throne with the Father next to the Throne are the soure liuing creatures representing the chiefe and principall order of Angels as we haue shewed chap. 4. Then about them stand the foure and twenty Elders representing the whole Church of Saints redeemed and then in a circle about them stands the whole companie of other Angels What great comfort wee haue of this hath beene declared in the 4. chapter Stood round about the Throne In the ninth verse it hath beene said that redeemed Saints stood before the Throne now Angels are also said to stand about the Throne They stand neuer fell grace preserued them wee fell and were in the transgression but grace raised vs vp againe and makes vs now to stand before the Throne O what a mercy hath the Lord shewed vpon vs If wee would know it let vs looke to the Reprobate Angels Of them so saith S. Iude The Angels who kept not their first estate but left their owne habitation hee hath reserued in euerlasting chaines vnder darkenesse vnto the iudgement of the great Day To this same purpose also saith Saint Peter God spared not the Angels that had sinned but cast them downe into hell and deliuered them into chaines of darkenesse to be keps vnto damnation yet man that sinned the Lord hath spared hee fell from his first estate as the Angels did yet did not the Lord cast him downe to hell nor deliuer him to Chaines of darkenesse as hee did them but mercifully hath raised him vp againe and made him to sit in the heauenly places in Christ Iesus And now hee stands before the Throne in the company of these blessed and elect Angels that stand and neuerfell Let vs meditate vpon this mercy which our narrow hearts can neuer sufficiently vnderstand Oh that we were as we should thankefull for it And they fell on their faces Before the Angels were said to couer their faces with wings now againe they fall on their faces noting no other thing then their humble reuerence in praysing God and recommending the reuerence of bodily humiliation to vs in the worshipping of God It is written of S. Iames the Apostle that his knees with frequent kneeling and his fore-head with often bowing it to the ground in the time of prayer obduruisse callo were become so hard vt nihil ferè à Cameli pedibus si duritiem spectes discreparent that they differed not in hardnesse from the knees or feete of a Camel But now men are become so delicate that they thinke it reuerence enough to discouer the head to fall on their face they will not yea scarse bow the knee to the ground to honour the Lord. Now when they fall on their face it is said They worshipped God In all this Court of heauen there is no worshipping of Angels Patriarches or Apostles all the sound of their voices is for to giue the Lord the glory of saluation and all the gesture they vse is to giue worship to the Lord onely and none other VERSE 12. Saying Amen Praise and glorie and wisedome and thankes and honour and power and might be to our God for euermore Amen THE former Song of Saints is now approued by Angels and they say Amen vnto it they will giue no part of the glorie of saluation to any man they will take none of it to themselues The consent of the Catholike Church consisting of Men and Angels we haue in the preceding confession Papists glory in their multitude and call this confession Hereticall which reserues the glory of saluation to God onely but there are more with vs then with them all the Angels of heauen say Amen vnto it Let vs keep the tenor of the heauenly Song choosing rather to be falsly named Heretiques with Saints and Angels then falsly named Catholiques with Papists who can neuer praise the Lord freely and fully but reserue a part of his glory to the creature Concerning the vse of the particle Amen we haue spoken before Praise and glory It contents them not by saying Amen to approue the Song of Saints but they will also praise God by theÌ„selues A warning to many of our cold Professors who will sit in the Church to heare God praised but not
vertue may be learned froÌ„ the Paschal Lambe which was a type of Christ Iesus When God slew all the first-borne in euery house of Egypt by his destroying Angell such houses as had the posts of their doores sprinkled with bloud were spared The Lord Iesus shal be a couering to his Saints to saue them from that wrath wherein the wicked shall perish His pacifying vertue is touched by the Apostle Being iustified by faith wee haue peace with God And againe The bloud of Christ cryeth for better things then the bloud of Abel But let vs take heed vnto our selues vnlesse we feele his purging vertue who naturally are vnclean the comfort of his protecting and pacifying vertue cannot be ours VERSE 15. Therfore are they in the presence of the Throne of God and serue him day and night in his Temple and he that sits on the Throne will dwell among them THe Sâ—…ignior hauing declared to Saint Iohn what these were whom he saw clothed in white garments with palmes in their hands to wit redeemed Saints not militant but hauing ended their warrefare and gotten the victory not vnder tribulation but come out of tribulation Hee now proceedeth and shortly describes their felicitic and happy estate wherein now they are and that in two points First in the affluence aboundance which they haue of al good next in their freedom and exemption from all euill In this verse three things are set downe concerning them First where are they In the presence of the Throne of God Next what doe they there they serue him day and night Thirdly what get they for that He that sitteth on the Throne will dwell among them By this phrase the vnspeakeable ioy communicated to them by the Lord is figured This can not be vnderstood of any estate of the Church militant here on earth neither of Iewes conuerted nor other Christians deliuered from the tyrannic of Antichrist as some Interpreters will haue it These words are not competent to Saints militant they hunger no more they thirst no more God shall wipe away allteares from their eyes In this valley of teares when shall we when shuld we be without teares Blessed are they who hunger thirst now for righteousnesse they shall be satisfied Now we hunger are blessed there they hunger no more but are fully satisfied The Millenaries of old had an opinion somewhat like this that Saints after Christ his comming for a thousand yeeres should possesse the earth by themselues without all tribulation but neither before his comming nor after is any such quiet estate of the Church here vpon earth warranted by the holy Scripture Therefore This is relatiue to the words immediatly preceding They haue made their robes white in the bloud of the Lambe therefore are they in the presence of God There is no fellowship vvith God but by the Lord Iesus Euery man in this presumptuous age saith that he hath Iesus but Iesus is a Physician of great value If thou haue him he will cleanse thee from the filthy leprosie of thy sinnes Art thou not cleansed then hast thou not Iesus and without him thou canst not be admitted into the comfortable presence of God The last Chapter was concluded with the tragicall and fearfull end of the wicked The day of the Lords wrath is come who can stand said they The wicked shall not stand in iudgement but shall bee banished from the presence of his glory But here wee see how the godlystand before the Throne are in the presence of God As their courses in their life are coÌ„trary to other so shal their ends be God giue vs grace to make choice of the best For we see before vs the way wherein they walked and the order which they obserued who now are in the kingdome of heauen first they are washed in the blood of Christ and then they are in the presence of God if we would come where they are let vs keepe the course wherein they walked Before Ioseph was presented vnto Pharao his head was shauen his nailes were pared his garments changed and must not wee cut away from vs our superfluities before wee be admitted into the presence of God Esther was six moneths purified with oile of myrrhe and other six moneths with sweet odors before she was married with Ahasuerus And shall wee thinke to be where the Lord is without a similitude with him Or what similitude can wee haue with that holy One except that first we be washed and cleansed from our naturall vncleanenes In the presence of God There is a threefold presence of God First a presence of his goodnesse next a presence of his grace and thirdly a presence of his glory whereof here is spoken The presence of his goodnesse he grants vnto all men in the vtter Court of his Palace for he maketh the Sunne to shine and the raine to fall vpon the iust and the vniust Who may not see the goodnesse of the Lord in the manifold good creatures which hee hath created The earth is full of his goodnesse yea the inuisible things of God that is his eternall power and godhead are seene in the creation of the world The light of this presence hath learned natural men many things concerning God by it the Platonies saw Deum omnia ista fecisse à nullâ—… fieri potuisse that God had made all these things and could not be made of any other himselfe yea they ascended farre higher to vnderstand much more coÌ„cerning the nature of God as more at large is set down in that same place by Saint Augustine And yet all this knowledge gotten in the court or schoole of the creature did but make them to be without excuse because that when they knew God they glorified him not as God The presence of his grace hee giueth to his Saints specially in their holy assemblies there by the preaching of his Word and operation of his holy Spirit hee sheweth himselfe a gracious mercifull and reconciled God to them in Christ they seeke him and worship him in Spirit and truth and he speakes peace vnto them and secretly by his holy Spirit witnesses vnto their hearts that hee is their Father that is his little Sanctuarie I meane his Church narrower by much then the vtter great court as I haue called it in that wherein all men see his goodnesse in this hee is familiar with his Saints and they onely see and feele his grace Of this presence speaketh Dauid for in his banishment hee longed for it My soule thirsteth for GOD euen for the liuing God when shall I come and appeare before the presence of God and what presence he meanes of he expounds himselfe That he might goe with the multitude and lead them into the house of God with the voyce of singing and praise for God in a speciall manner appeares in
the seuenth head of the first beast and yet the second beast also 51. His opposite is Christ. ibid. Q QVestion for Papists 168. R RAinebow 86 Redemption is maruellous and what benefits wee haue by it 170. 171. It 〈◊〉 vâ—… debtors to Christ in more then wee are worth 169. It is not vniuersall 171. wonderfull many waies 321 Religion bastard is alway cruell 204. wants not its owne Martyrs 241 Recusants rebuked 292 Righteousnesse imputed and inherent 319. 320 Romane Doctors cannot vnderstand the Reuelation and why 80. How they are to be handled in handling this booke 11. They are rauening Wolues 214 Roman state opposite to Christ vnder Emperours is the first beast vnder Popes the second 50. 51 S SAluation the glory thereof is the Lords 300 Sanctus the Martyr 280 Saints sealed in their harts and foreheads 280. 283. Particularly they are known to God 284. their stability in glory fauor with God 299. Felicity of Saints glorified 224. 328 329. They need no creature 339. Saints are both seruants and sonnes to God 333. How they shall know others in heauen 237. 238. Saints some neerer the Throne then others 93. Militant Saints how they are said to haue crowns 93. 94 Saints triumphant not yet perfected 161. 162. How they pray 158. How said to reigne vpon earth 177. 178. Al Saints are fellow-seruants 249. Their number ibid. Sanctification 326 Sacrifices of a Christian are three 175 Sardine stone 83 Satan a restlesse enemy 50. His predictions 72. None should consult with him ibid. Hee is a sore enemy to our Peace 213. He is a Lyon but chayned 216 Satan thirsts for bloud and bloud is his destruction 214 215 Seale what it is in generall 274. Seale of God what it is ibid. How Christ is sealed of the Father 278. He hath the seale of God two wayes ibid. How wee may know if God hath sealed vs. 279. 280. Such as want his Seale are not his 281. Seale internall Christ keepes it his seruants haue the externall 276 Seales seuen contain a generall prognostication of things to come 39. The first seale too narrowly limited by some 29. 31. It continues to the worlds end 30. None of al the seales but the sixt is bound to a particular time 40. Sixt seale how to be accoÌ„modated 40. 41. 251. 252. Summe of the seales 190. Fist sixt seales explaned in the seuenth chapter 43. Seales limited to seuen yeares 221 Seuenth chapter a pendicle of the sixt 43. 268 Seruice of God commended 329. 330 Seruants of Satan and sin how 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The profit of all seruice we doe to God redounds to our seluâ—… 335. Not to God ibid. Yet hee craues it that he may doe vs good for it 336 Scripture hath three sorts of bookes 1. Obscurity thereof 128. Why Papists call it obscure 129. Perfection of it 132 Sight three-fold 161. Naturall sight is no comfort without the spirituall 63. Sight which S. Iohn saw was internall imaginary and intellectuall 61. Sight of God what it doth 79. Who shall get it 178. Sight that Saints haue â—…ur of the body 237 â—…igne of the Crosse. 277 Similitudes of holy Scripture are from most excellent things in Nature 300 â—…inne an vncleanenesse 317 Song of Saints why called a new Song 165 Soules immortality 238 Spirit how S. Iohn was in the Spirit 75 Spanish Army handled not vnlike the Syrians of old 213 Starres falling like figges what they signifie 258 Sunne darkened 249. The heat thereof hurtfull to mâ—…ny 340 T THankesgiuing 160. 310 Throne of God 77. Court about it and before it 78 Threatnings most generall admit exceptions 292 Three things men would haue from God and hee will not giue them 235. Because men will not receiue one thing which God offereth to men Ibid. Tribulation in this life 315. It is Nebuchadnezzars fire Gods Flayle and Wine-presse 314. As it hath an in-gate so an out-gate 305. It is measured by God 307 Trinity in the God-head 84. 113 Types should be rightly accommodated 77. 78 V VAriety with vnity makes the sweeter Harmony 305 Victory cannot be without fighting 302. Figured by the Palme-tree 294 Victory is sure to Saints yer euer they fight 209. 210 Vision preparatory in the fourth and fifth chapter 57. Properly preparing for the Visions of Prediction 59. 79 Voice of God calleth men vpward Satans on the contrary 70. Voice of Gods mercy sounded to apostate man neuer to apostate Angell 71 Now it is a Trumpet and a Thunder 194. 68. The Voice which S. Iohn heard how it was vttored 67. Loud and liâ—…ely 69. Miserable are they who heare it not 67 Vials and Trumpets how they differ 46. 47 W WAlking here is by faith not by sight 1â—…4 Washing three-fold whereof we stand in need 317. How is it that Saints need washing sith Christ is their garment 319. And how Saints are said to wash themselues 318 White Rayment 95. 247. 299. 300 Wicked men why some of them are plagued now and some spared 233. They want the Creator now and shortly shall also want the creature 256. 257. In their trouble they runne to the creature 256 Words last of our Lord should be best remembred 4 Worke with God should we in the worke of our saluation 319 World figured by a glassic Sea and the Moone 98. 99. Best pleasures thereof like waters of the salt Sea 101. It shal fall yer it be ripâ—… â—…58 How all creatures in it shall bee changed in the lost Day 259 Worldlings called Inhabitants of the earth and why â—…46 Worship due to God onely 308 Wrath of God is a fire 227 FINIS 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebr. 1. 3. Luk. 1. 78. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ioseph Antiquit lib. 3. c. 12. Sigon de repub Heb. lib. 5. Psalm 127. 3. Psalm 116. 12. Psalm 16. 2. Sam. 9. 1. 2. Vers. 11. 13. The bookes of holy Scripture are of three rankes rendring a threefold fruit 1 Of Conuersion Psal. 19. 7. Rom. 15. 4. 2 Of Consolation Psal. 34. 19. 3 Of Confirmation Ioh. 16. 4. This booke of the Reuelation is Prophetical And it serues especially to confirme vs in the faith This book the Father giues to the Son the Son to an Angel and the Angel to Saint Iohn that hee might giue it to the Church Reuel 1. 1. The generall matter of this Prophecie Reu. 3. 10. The time wheÌ„ this book was written commends it greatly to vs. The last words of our Lord should be best remembred Luke 16. 31. An answer to Atheists who will haue one from the dead to teach them About threescore yeeres after his ascension our Lord sent this Reuelation Ephe. 4. 8. 〈◊〉 lib. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bucholâ—…er chronol To keepe his Church from fainting vnder trouble till he come himself By two scandals would satan scarre vs froÌ„ this book 1 By denying authority of it Reu. 1. 3. Iustin. Marâ—…n Dialog 〈◊〉 tryph cont Iudcos Iren. lib. 5. cont Valen. Ambros. lib. 3. de S. Sancto cap. 21. Aug. de