it as a comfort in suffering seeing when a man hath suffered death for Christ he is receiued vnder his wing being conformable to him in being sacrificed they rest and are safe with him for euer Some expound the Altar of Christs humanity Bernard serm 4. Omnium sanct which the faithfull are receiued vnto now it being reserued till the last day to giue them the full fruition of his diuinity also Some by the Altar vnderstand the places of the martyrs buriall or sufferings Ribera Viegas because Altars were wont to be built vpon them and the crying of their soules they will haue to be none other but as the crying of Ables bloud where it was spilt and soules are spoken of by a phrase vsuall so many men being called so many soules But this is a meere Iesuiticall imagination seeing Altars vpon martyrs sepulchres were of a later edition and though so many men be often called so many soules yet when the soules of any that are slaine are named it cannot bee so taken Whereas most stand for Christ meant by the Altar I should willingly incline to thinke so to but that Christ yet standeth as a Lambe and therefore I cannot see how he can at the same time bee represented by an Altar also I conclude therefore as I began that by the appearance of an Altar is represented their sacrificing when they suffered the place wherein they now are being heauen the common receptacle of all faithfull soules but said to bee vnder the Altar to denote the manner of their death neither doth Iohn see them with his bodily eyes but being in the spirit And fidy doe the soules of the martyred appeare after such a number slaine by cruell enemies crying for vengeance not vocally for soules doe not vtter voyces but vertually the destroying and murthering of them hauing a loud cry in the eares of God so that a desire of reuenge in them is amisse surmised to bee from hence who being in the flesh had so much loue as that they prayed for their persecutors and were farre from the spirit of reuenge But they are brought in crying aloud for the terrour of persecutors seeing the cryes of such shall without doubt bee regarded though in respect of many more yet in these times of corruption to bee crowned also with martyrdome a delay to bemade Whereupon it is that their answer is also set forth in this manner And thus I haue briefly resolued the rest of the doubts without delaying the reader by the diuersity of expositions Pareus Brightman Chrysost Hom. in Psal 9. August Serm. 30. detemp some interpreting their cry for reuenge to be onely for deliuerance of the Church from persecutors hauing beene already so long oppressed and some for the taking away of this malice out of mens mindes that there may bee no more persecuting by confounding such Kings and Potentates that they may bee brought to turne vnto Christ The white robes giuen vnto them Bullinger Brightman howsoeuer some contend that they were signes of some comfort and breathing time which the Church should haue and had about this time according to their exposition yet both the plaine speech which is vsed in answering them is against it for they are told of their brethren that must be slaine also and white robes are neuer spoken of in this sense Pareus but to set forth heauenly glory which is not to be thought now first to haue been giuen vnto them but immediatly vpon their departure out of this life when their deaths began first to cry though it was not represented in vision till now so that euen when they cry they are in the midst of heauenly ioyes and without all passion of sorrow onely they are not perfectly glorified till the whole company being made vp at the day of iudgement being reunited to their bodies they shall reigne in heauen for euer wherefore they are bidden rest till their fellow seruants were slaine also And well doth this cry come in after the fourth seale representing the corruptions in the Church fighting against the truth because this persecution hath beene longer than any before it and therefore needfull it was to tell of martyrs which had beene already made crying out and of such as should yet bee made when it might seeme to bee full time to put an end to these miseries that expecting so long a continuance wee might arme our selues with patience Quest 3. The sixt seale being opened Vers 12. there was a great earthquake and the Sunne became blacke as haire cloth and the Moone as bloud c. What is meant by these things and whether the day of iudgement or no Answ Most Expositors hold that the day of iudgment is here described Fox Richard de Sancto victore Pannonius Primasius Beda Rupertus Arethas c. when the reuenge before cryed for is taken vpon all sorts of persecutors of the Church and the words here vsed are nothing else but a periphrasis vpon this day for thus the Lord setteth forth the day of iudgement Luk. 21.11 There shall be great earth-quakes in diuers places Vers 25. There shall be fignes in the Sunne Moone and Starres and vpon the earth distresse of nations with perplexity Vers 26. Mens hearts failing them for feare c. and more expresly Mark 13.24 The Sun shall be darkened the Moone shall not giue her light 25. The starres of heauen shall fall and the powers of heauen shall be shaken The Sun shall be darkened because it shall no more giue light to this world the Moone shall be turned into bloud to shew the great destruction that then shall be the stars shall fall there being no further vse of them when men shall cease to bee here euen as the leaues of the figtree fall off when there is no further need of them to couer the figs. The heauens are as a booke folded vp when they lofe all their light being as it were clapt together whereas now it standeth open That which followeth of the mountaines and ilands remouing out of their places is to shew the greatnes of this earth-quake euen to the destroying of the earth Then all wicked men how great soeuer they haue beene in this world shall quake and feare being vnable to beare the wrath to come vpon them set foorth in their calling to the mountaines to fall vpon them c. Blas Viegas Who also saith that many Doctors expound this thus Brightman Grasser Others will haue these things vnderstood allegorically the great earth-quake of the great persecution vnder Dioclesian being in all parts of the earth at once then say they the Sun of righteousnesse Christ was darkened in his members the Moone the Church appeared like bloud being all bloudy with slaughters the starres the ministers of God many of them fell for feare from Christianity to idolatry the heâ—uen the Church was folded vp as a booke hiding it selfe for feare at that time and the inhabitants of
City in this light they walke that enioy it as all the saued of the Gentiles shall doe and by the Kings of the earth they vnderstand all Regents temporall and spirituall politicke and Ecclesiasticke who bring their glory and honour hither when hauing drawne many by their care and industry in their places to piety they present them before the Lord in Heauen For this is immediatly after set forth to bee the glory here spoken of when it is added Vers 26. Vers 26. And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it for the nations and peoples who haue embraced the faith by their meanes are their glory as Saint Paul calleth the Corinthians his glory 2 Cor. 1. 1 Thes 2. Pareus Napier and likewise the Thessalonians Others agreeing in the light here spoken of yet differ a little about the Kings bringing of their glory hither for they say that they bring their glory hither when as they referre their power and authority to the honouring of the Church so comming at the last to enioy this glorious light for thus the Prophet Esay speaking of the same setteth it forth in words a little different from these Esa 60.3 The nations shall walke in thy light and the Kings in the splendour of thy rising It is againe obiected here that it cannot bee meant of the Church triumphant in heauen but of the flourishing Church of the Iewes that shall be vpon earth because the nations are distinguished here-from so as they shall not bee in heauen in the participation of that light for all shall enioy it immediatly not the nations by the meanes of the Iewes as they are set forth here to doe Againe all earthly kingdomes being in the end destroyed what glory shall the kings of the earth haue to bring into heauen They may indeed be rightly said to bring their glory to the Church when as they come in with their subiects to the embracing of the faith of Christ but otherwise there can be no good exposition of this passage I answer that the nations are not spoken of for distinction but for necessary resolution that the faithfull amongst them should enioy this glorious light as well as the faithfull of the Iewish nation who might easily bee vnderstood by the generall type here represented the new Ierusalem now lest any man should doubt whether the faithfull amongst the Gentiles should not partake of this light also he resolueth it by saying And the Gentiles that are saued shall walke in the light of it for as much as they concurre to the making of this holy City Touching the Kings bringing of their glory to it I take it that nothing else is meant but their accession vnto this building so many of them as haue beene wise and haue serued the Lord against the Whore as it was declared that they should Chap. 17.16 though at the first there were not many Noble yet the truth should so preuaile in time as that the Church should not only consist of the vulgar sort but of Kings and Princes also who are the glory and the most magnificent amongst the nations and as they helpe to constitute the spirituall building in this world so shall they be a part of this new Ierusalem in the world to come when all their worldly glory shall seeme nothing to them to the glory which they shall then partake of for which sense that of the Prophet Esay before alleaged maketh notably Esa 60.3 The nations shall walke in thy light and Kings in the splendour of thy rising And so it is no more than as if it had been said As this City shall be infinitely rich for gold and all the costly pretious stones and glorious like vnto the glory of God so they which seeme most glorious in this world the Kings of the earth that be of the faithfull and not the common sort of people shall ioy to bee made partakers of this glory bringing in as it were and laying at the Lords feet all their temporall honour and glory as nought worth in comparison of this as the faithfull in the Primitiue Church brought in their goods and laid them at the Apostles feet willingly depriuing themselues thereof that they might enioy their blessed and heauenly society in comparison of which they counted all this world as nothing All this then serueth onely to expresse yet more fully the glory of the new Ierusalem The gates of it shall not be shut Vers 25. It is the manner of citizens to shut their gates in the night to preuent danger because the world is full of euill disposed persons by reason of whom they may iustly feare to haue them stand open then but this state here described enioyeth perpetuall day here is no night neither is there any feare of enemies for they that are in heauen dwell most securely in this respect and therefore the gates are set forth to be continually open Yet whatsoeuer is vncleane is not permitted to enter for the Angels stand at the gates to keepe it out O thrice and foure times happy are they which shall partake of this estate Dost thou loue to be rich to be glorious to bee safe from danger to bee for euer free from the assaulâ—s of enemies and the vexation of such as be of corrupt and filthy conditions then loue the truth and walke according to it and abandon errour for such onely as cleaue to the truth and are constant against all temptations haue a part in this admirable City CHAP. XXII IN this Chapter it is proceeded in the description of other commodities of this City keeping to the allegory of a City wherein as a riuer of cleare water running thorow the midst of it is very pleasant and comfortable to the inhabitants and trees by the riuers side alwayes greene springing and fructifying doe yet adde vnto the pleasantnesse of the place so the heauenly city is set forth For hee proceedeth saying He shewed me a pure riuer of water of life Vers 1. as cleare as Crystall proceeding out of the Throne of God and of the Lamb. And in the midst of the street Vers 2. and on either side of the riuer was there the tree of life which bare twelue manner of fruits and yeelded fruit euery moneth and the leaues of the tree were for the healing of the nations There is a place not much vnlike to this in Ezechiel where waters were shewed vnto the Prophet Ezec. 47. â— 3.5 increasing to a great riuer that issued out from the Temple Vers 7. many trees growing on the bankes on the one side of the riuer and on the other and it was told him that euery thing Vers 9. where these waters should come should bee healed and liue and that the trees should bee all sorts of trees for meat Vers 12. whose leaues fade not and they should bring forth fruit according to their moneths their fruit being for meat and
sure word of prophesie to which ye doe well that yee take heed as to a light shining in a darke place vntill the day be light and the day-starre arise in your hearts c. He saith Oecumen in 2 Pet. 1. that we haue the word of prophesie the more sure not because there was any prophesie before of this voice that came from heauen but because by that voice comming from the Father we are confirmed touching those things that were prophesied of the Sonne by the Prophets long agoe and doe without question conclude that all their prophesying is most certaine and stable But this prophesying he saith was then a light shining in a darke or nasty place till the Sun-beames came by Christ to inlighten the world and this is the daies growing light through that knowledge which we attaine vnto vnder the Gospell And if any man shall say But why did not the Prophets expound and make more plaine what they prophesied for so a great light might haue beene giuen long before he addeth they prophesied as they were moued by the Spirit of God neither were there prophesies of any priuate interpretation so that howsoeuer they vnderstood what they prophesied yet they were not to explaine their prophesies to others seeing that the Spirit moued them not to this but to leaue them darke for others to study vpon them till the time of light should come There is nothing of difficulty betwixt the former Text and this Mayer for when Peter speaketh of his departure hence and of the Lords forewarning him hereof he meaneth that forewarning Iohn 21.19 and his being present to see Christs glory and to heare the voyce of the Father from Heauen was Matth. 17. Touching the present Text Luther Luther saith that the prophesie is called firmer because we haue no such Prophets now as were then Faber Stapul Faber by firmer vnderstandeth most firme and taketh it not as spoken comparatiuely preferring old prophesies for certainty before the present preaching of the Apostles than which nothing can be more certaine Or else he calleth it firmer in respect of the knowledge what was meant thereby by the illumination of the holy Ghost the Apostles had not a coniecturall prophesie as others that conceiued erroneously thereof but more firme because they were sure that thus vnderstood it was true The. Aquinas and Gorran say Tho. Aquin Gorran that the prophesie touching Christ of old by Dauid Psal 2. Thou art my Sonne this day haue I begotten thee is said to be more firme in respect of the Iewes who beleeued the Prophets rather than the Apostles Beza also consenteth with this Beza but rather would haue the comparatiue here vsed taken for the superlatiue most firme So likewise Beda and Gagneus and Lyra and Augustine also The authority of the old Prophets was such Aug. serm 27. de verb. apost ca. 4. Quis nostrum non miretur certiorem Propheticum sermonem dici quà m vox de Coelo Certiorem dixit non meliorem non veriorem Quid est ergo certiorem in quo magis confirmetur auditor Quare hoc Quoniam sunt homines infideles qui sic detrahunt Christo vt dicant eum magicis artibus fecisse quae fecit Possent ergo infideles etiam istam vocem delatam de Coelo per coniecturas humanas illicitas curiositates ad magicam artem referre Sed Prophetae ante fuere Si ergo magicis artibus fecit vt coleretur nunquid magus erat antequam natus as that it had beene a long time receiued for certaine and great reuerence was giuen thereunto both by Iewes and Gentiles euer since the translation of the old Testament by the 72 at the appointment of Ptolomee Philadelphus King of Aegypt And to this exposition as the most genuine doe I subscribe For if Peter had meant a most firme prophesie hee would haue spoken in the superlatiue not in the comparatiue degree and to say that there are no such Prophets vnder the new Testament as were vnder the old is without all ground seeing they had the same spirit Lastly this is not spoken against those that erroneously interpreted the Prophets but for further confirmation of those that would not so readily receiue any thing lately done or said because they suspected fraud whom he therefore referreth to the Prophets not only in this particular vttered by the voyce from Heauen but in all other things concerning the Messiah Touching the words following the words translated in a darke place are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a squalide filthy place such as this world is by reason of the great corruption in it Oecumen Oecumenius seemeth to vnderstand it as spoken with reference to former times And it is one exposition brought by Faber Faber Stapul that the old Law is a shadow and figure darkly setting forth the mysteries of Christ vntill the day of the new Law by the comming of Christ waxeth light and the day-starre of the Sunne of righteousnesse that is the Gospell arise in their hearts they being conuerted vnto it and thus Luther Beza Piscator c. vnderstand it also Faber hath also another exposition whereby the day of iudgement or the great light after that time to those that are glorified is vnderstood by the day waxing light and the day-starre arising for then we shall know as we are knowne and all the light of Prophets and Apostles here is but like a Candle in a darke place in comparison of that most glorious light Thus S. * August serm 237. de temp In die ambulamus comparat infidelium comparat verò illius diei in qua resurgent mortui adhuc nox sumus Augustine vnderstandeth it as it seemeth by these words of his We walke in the day in respect of Infidels but in respect of that day when the dead shall rise we are yet night and so he reconcileth Paul and Peter whereas Rom. 13.12 he saith The night is past and the day is come But Peter here speaketh of the day as to come And in another place he saith further * Aug. Tract 35. in Iohan. Tunc praesenti tali die lucernae non erunt necessariae non legetur nobis Propheta non aperietur codex Apostoli non requiretur testimonium Iohannis non ipso indigebimus Euangelio Omnes Scripturae tollentur de medio quae nobis in huins saeculi nocte tanquam lucernae accendebantur Tho. Aquin. in speaking of the discouering of all things at the day of iudgemēt when that day commeth light shall not be needfull the Prophets shall not be read nor the booke of the Apostles opened the testimony of Iohn shall not be required we shall not need the Gospell all Scriptures shall be taken away which as lights haue beene set vp in the night of this world To this exposition subscribeth Prosper and Tho. Aquinas Gorran and Gagneus and many more Yet Tho. Aquinas distinguisheth betwixt the
one that hath originally erred for such are not lightly brought home by repentance and they are commonly most infest enemies to the truth and therefore as a relapse into a great sicknesse so their case is most dangerous CHAP. III. 2 PETER Chapter 3. Verse 5. They are willingly ignorant of this that the Heauens were of old and the earth set out of the water and by the water by the Word of God Vers 6. Whereby the world that then was being ouerwhelmed with water was destroyed Vers 7. But the heauens and the earth that now are are by the same word treasured vp being kept for the fire to the Day of Iudgement IN the History of the Creation it appeareth Oecumen in 2 Pet. 3. how the Heauens and the Earth were set out of the waters for God commanded that a Firmament should be in the midst of the waters that is a more firme existence of waters and this he called Heauen and when as the earth was ouerwhelmed with waters he likewise commanded the waters to gather together that it might appeare and thus the earth was set out of the waters the materiall cause being hereby designed and by the waters noting out the finall and as the earth came out of the waters at Gods command so likewise the Heauens For both are made out of the waters the aire called Heauen out of their exhalation and the earth out of their concretion The earth therefore is out of the water because made out of it and by the water because hereby as by a kinde of glue is as it were cemented and made to hang together which otherwise would dissolue and vanish into dust and aire And as the Heauens and Earth had their beginning at the first from waters so the force whereby vnder God commanding groweth the concretion of the one and the exhalation of the other is fire Wherefore as from these two all things had their beginning so for sinne they haue beene destroyed by water and shall againe be destroyed by fire as not only Christians teach but also Hyraclitus Ephesius and Empedocles Etneus The Heauens and the Earth c. that is such things as are vsefull for the sustentation of mans life as Corne Grasse Trees and Beasts c. and not the substance of the Heauens and Earth For man hauing grieuously sinned the world is said to haue beene destroyed therefore by water yet it was not consumed so hauing beene replenished againe and both by Law and Gospell men being dealt withall to walke in obedience to God but yet few profiting hereby it is kept to be destroyed by fire yet that as when a man purgeth things in the fire to fine them or buildeth his house anew by vsing still the former materials so when the Lord saith that he will make a new Heauen and a new Earth and that this world shall be burnt vp with fire it is meant only that the vtensils hereof which serue for a corporall life shall be consumed by fire of which there shall be no further vse seeing we shall all then be spirituall and thus a new face of all things shall appeare in which regard it is called a new Heauen and a new Earth because those growing things which would then be superfluous being taken away whatsoeuer auaileth to the adorning and beautifying of this world and is needfull to the incorruptible life to come shall be added That these outward things are corruptible and subiect to destruction appeareth by their daily increasing and dying againe The reason why the world made in an excellent manner at the first hath beene and shall bee againe destroyed is the sinne of man whereby the creatures become subiect vnto vanity Whereby the world that then was being ouerwhelmed with water perished 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is by which Heauen and Earth for the windowes of Heauen were opened and the fountaines of the deepe were broken vp and so the world was drowned Th. Aquinas in 2 Peter 3. By the Heauens here is to be vnderstood the aire for thus the Fowles are called the Fowles of Heauen they are said to haue beene of old because they were amongst the first of the creatures and in another manner then now that is calme and free from cold winds and tempests and so was the earth more plaine and fertill consisting out of the water that is by being discouered when at the Word of God the waters were gathered together and by the water that is as Beda hath it Beda because by the diuine disposition it is all full of veines of water euen as a mans body is full of bloud otherwise it could not stand but would be reduced into dust according to Philosophy in regard of the great drinesse thereof Or else the earth is said to be out of the waters as the matter thereof and by the waters because without water it could not be fruitfull By which that is in which parts of aire and earth the world that then was perished that is in respect of the inhabitants and the outward forme of the aire which by reason of the waters long occupying the place thereof was made grosser and the earth more muddy and the water thicker by reason of the long commixion of the earth and water together But the heauens and earth that now are that is not differing in substance from that those were before but in quality are reserued that is restored to their proper place and condition for the vse of the creatures And the aire is here still called the Heauens in the plurall number in respect of the diuers Regions and Hemispheres thereof These are to be purged by fire This they are willingly ignorant of that is Luther in 2 Pet. 3. though they cannot but know it yet they wilfully shut their eyes against it for hereby they could not but learne the power of God supporting the world which would otherwise bee ouerwhelmed with waters and the iustice of God against sinne destroying by water plainly intimating another most fearefull destruction to come at the last day seeing it is so plainly threatned as that was The Heauen and Earth that then were stood out of the water and by the water that is the Heauen out of the water because it was made of water and the earth by the water because it standeth in the waters by the Word and command of God or else it could not so doe but haue long agoe beene drowned yet neuerthelesse the world that then was perished Vers 6. and so vpon the sudden all things in Heauen and Earth shall perish by fire all being turned into a fiery flame and burnt to ashes as then all things were changed by the waters The exposition of this place is easie enough in all other things but onely for these words the Heauens were of old Mayer and the Earth set out of the waters and by the waters by the Word of God August de Ciuit Dei l. 20. c. 18.
Polon in Chron. Martinus Polonus saith that the teaching of this burning of the world by fire was the cause that Nero so hotly persecuted the Christians commanding them to bee burnt in the fire and Paul the teacher of this as guilty of treason by the Roman Lawes Minutius in Octauio to be beheaded Minutius saith that this was commonly obiected by the Gentiles against the Christians that they threatned burning and destruction to the whole world Aug. de Ciuit. Lact. l. 7. c. 18. And yet many of themselues haue written of this burning as Augustine and Lactantius shew Note Note that the destroying of the world by fire is no such strange thing but that they that doe not willingly winke with their eyes may see that as strange an act hath beene already done in drowning the world yea in the very Creation Gods power did appeare to be so great as that there is nothing but by his word shall be brought to passe And therefore let not vs doubt but assuredly expect that horrible destruction threatned in his word by fire against all vngodly persons Note againe that it is a signe of a wicked man Note that is almost come to the state of a scorner that he careth not for knowing that which maketh against him that hee may be reformed herein CHAP. 3. VER 8. But I would not haue this one thing hidden from you that one day is with the Lord as 1000. yeares and 1000. yeares as one day Vers 9. not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance c. Here are sundry doubts Mayer but yet Expositors are very briefe vpon all this passage vnto verse 14. First in what sense one day is said to be with the Lord as 1000. yeares and so on the contrary side Secondly how he is said not to be willing that any should perish when as he destroyeth most men in hell fire and of old did passe them by to this end for the glory of his iustice Thirdly what heauens shall passe away and how at the last day and whether the earth shall be consumed Fourthly what new heauens and earth shall be and for what vse because he saith We expect a new heauen and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousnesse To the first I finde that most of the Fathers anciently held that one day is said to be as 1000. yeares and reciprocally 1000. yeares as one day because as in six dayes the world was in making so it shall stand 6000. yeares Ierom saith that both in the Psal 90.2 from whence this is taken and in this of Peter Hieron Epist 139. ad Cyprian Ego arbitror ex that therfore 1000. yeares are said to be as one day because the world shall endure so many thousand yeares as it was dayes in making hoc Psal ex Epist quae nomine Petri inscribitur 1000. annos pro vna de solites appellari vtse quia mundus in 6. diebus fabricatus 6000. tantuÌ„ annorum â—redatur subsistere postea venire septenarium numerum octonarium in quo verus exercetur Sabbatismus circumcisionis puritas redditur and afterwards commeth the number of seauen and eight wherein the true Sabbath is exercised and the purity of circumcision restored Iustin Martyr lib. qu. ad gentes qu. 17. Ex plerisque Scripturae verbis intelligere licet verum pronunciare eos qui 6000. annorum esse tempus nunc ab orbe condito tradunt Iustin Martyr saith we may by many places of Scripture gather that they say truly who deliuer that the time from the beginning of the world is 6000. yeares Jren. lib. 5. aduers haeres cap. vlt. Lact. lib. 7. institut cap 7. Ireneus also saith the same and Lactantius writing to the Philosopher speaketh largely of it and Hilary Can. 17. in Matth. and Germanus Episcopus Constantinopolitanus de Theoria ecclesiast rerum And as Christian Fathers so Heathen Writers haue deliuered the same as Lactantius sheweth both Hydaspes Mercurius Tresmegistus and the Sybills And amongst the Hebrewes there is a most antient tradition of Elias the Prophet Talmud ordine 4. Tract 4. cui titulus est sanedrin which is in their Talmud in these words The world shall be 6000. yeares and then it shall be destroyed 2000. of inanity 2000. of the Law and 2000. of the Messiah But Ambrose oppugneth this opinion because euen in his time he saith that 6000. yeares were expired but he was deceiued in the account by following the Greekes Ambros lib. 7. in Lâ—c. as almost all Ecclesiasticall Writers then did and yet he did not follow the Septuagints exactly for by their account Christ was borne anno Mundi 5099. so that in his time liuing anno Domini 400. there remained yet 500. yeares to come according to the former reckoning Lactantius also who was for the 6000. yeares before spoken of was plainly hereby deceiued for hee held that there were not aboue 200. yeares from his time to the end of the world For according to the Hebrew account which is the truest Christ was borne anno Mundi 3962. so that if the world shall be determined at the end of 6000. yeares 382. yeares are yet to come But I finde that most Expositors now a daies both Protestant and Popish doe censure that opinion of 6000. yeares Aug. de Ciuit. lib. 20. cap. 7. and Augustine also though sometime he seemeth to speake for it as where about the 1000. yeares of Satans being bound he saith Mille anni duobus modis intelligi possunt aut qua in vltimis annis 1000. ista res agitur i. sexto annorum trillenario tanquam sexta die secutoro dein Sabbato quod non habet vesperam aut 1000. annos pro omnibus huins saeculi annis pusuit August in Psal 90. Nec attenderunt quod dictum est tanquam dies vnus qui praeterijt non enim quando hoc dictum est soli 1000. anni praeterieraut quod eos debuit maximè admonere illud est aut vigilia in nocte neque enim fient de 6. diebus aliquid veri simile videntur opinari propter 6. dies primos quibus Deus perfecit opera sua sic etiam 6. vigilias i. horas 18. possuntilli opinationi coaptare this 1000. seemeth to me to be the last of the 6000. answering to the 6. dayes after which a Sabbath shall follow that shall neuer haue end Yet vpon Psal 90. where hee speaketh of it purposely hee saith Some men presuming vpon the knowledge of times haue defined that this world shall haue an end in 6000. yeares as it was made in 6. dayes when as Christ said to his Disciples it is not for you to know the times and seasons There is no ground here for this opinion for the comparison is not betwixt 6. dayes and 6000. yeares but between a day that is past and 1000. yeares yea betweene a watch in the night
that the vertues of this Lambe should be thankfully commemorated It is called a new song in respect of that in the former Chapter there are the praises of the creation which was of old here the praises of the redemption which was new Quest 3. Vers 9. And wee shall reigne on the earth How shall the Saints reigne vpon earth or how is it that being Kings in Heauen they ioy in thinking vpon a future reigning here Answ Forbs Brightman Some vnderstanding all of the Church militant say That reigning vpon earth is nothing else but being in the Kingdom of grace whilst we liue here Others vnderstanding it of the Saints in Heauen Bullinger Pareus say That the reigning vpon earth shal be when at the last day the Iudge descending they shall come together with him in great glory and shall appeare to be the Kings and Priests of God with Christ iudging this wicked world Arethas Mat. 5. Others againe vnderstand by earth that new earth which is promised to the meeke when it is said Blessed are the meeke for they shall inherit the earth And vnto this as the most probable doe I subscribe for there shall be a new Heauen and a new earth Chap. 21.1 and here shall the godly reigne in glory not as the Chiliasts and Turkes hold liuing in earthly pleasures for that is grosse neither is it to be thought that such pleasure is affected by such as are heauenly and spirituall but after the consummation of all at the Day of Iudgement the Saints shall reigne in another world which in allusion to this consisting of Heauen and Earth is called a new Heauen and a new Earth Or else consider whether it may not be vnderstood of the vpper hand which the Christian Religion should get of all false religions when Emperours and Kings should become Christian for being all of one mysticall body when the Christian Church getteth the principality the Saints in Heauen may reioyce to foresee it and say We shall reigne vpon earth that is our company which belong vnto the Lambe and admire and praise him as we doe And it was no small comfort to know this then when as all Empire and dominion was in the hands of heathen men and persecutors it must needs cheare vp the heart greatly to vnderstand what power Religion should haue ouer the Thrones and Scepters of this world and the ancient seruants of God may well be said to reigne vpon earth also because their dictates and instructions are generally receiued and obeyed vpon earth Quest 4. Vers 13. And I heard euery creature in Heauen and in earth vnder the earth and in the sea and all in them saying blessing and honour c. What are the creatures vnder the earth and how doth euery thing speake the praises of God when as all cannot speake Answ Ribera The Papists will haue the soules in purgatory meant by those vnder the earth some the Deuills who are compelled to giue glory to Christ But the best exposition is of the creatures which dwell in subterranean places for both they that are without and within the holes of the earth are called vpon to praise God Psal 148. and doe praise him and the Lord Iesus Christ in their kinde by whom a restauration of the world is attained when the faithfull shall be glorified as is declared Rom. 8.21 and for this cause they serue his prouidence which is their praising of him It is generally signified hereby what a consent there is amongst all things which are in expectation of benefit from Christ in celebrating his praises that we may doe likewise CHAP. VI. HEre is shewed how the Lambe beginneth to open the Seales in order and what followeth vpon the opening of each of them by such things as appeared future euents concerning the Church of God being emblematically set forth as the opening of euery Seale succeedeth one another and after the Seales follow the Trumpets Eullinger Forbs Brightman Lyâ—a Antonin Ambros lib. adulterinus Fox and after the Trumpets the Vials so some will haue the euents hereby set forth to succeed one another in order in diuers ages to the end of the world And some begin the computation from the beginning of the world by the seuen Seales vnderstanding the seuen ages Some from the foure Monarchies of the Assyrians Medes and Persians Grecians and Romans which they will haue set forth by these foure horses which beginnings cannot stand because Iohn is not taken vp to see things past but to come by which reason also that opinion reckoned vp by Andreas is confuted expounding the first Seale of Christs Birth Andreas ex Methodio the second of his Baptisme the third of his Miracles the fourth of his Arraignment the fift of his Buriall the sixt of his Descent c. The rest which speake more probably beginne the time at the Apostles going out to preach the Gospell in all nations and so apply euery thing to some notable accident as one happened after another from age to age Yet because at the opening of the sixt Seale mention is so plainly made of the last day of Iudgement as that it is but a wresting of the words to expound it any other way and againe at the sounding of the seuenth Trumpet it is so confidently affirmed that time was no more chap. 11. and the time is said to be come of iudging the dead vers 18. which cannot be meant but of the day of Iudgement and againe Chap. 14. the Vintage is cut downe and the Wine-presse trodden and againe Chap. 20. the dead arise and come to iudgement I cannot see how that computing of all things in order to the end can stand because the day of Iudgement which is last of all commeth so often in the way There are therefore that beginning the time at the propagation of the Gospell abroad in the world make diuers periods in these visions holding that within euery period most notable things which should happen to the end of the world are set forth Parcus in the first more obscurely and in euery following period more plainly and yet not alwaies the same but if any thing of note hath beene omitted in the former it is supplied in the periods following neither is euery one so vniuersall as another for some set forth the estate of the Church persecuted by Tyrants flourishing vnder Christian Emperours persecuted by Antichrist shaking off his yoke as the vision of the seuen Seales of the seuen Trumpets of the woman with childe cloathed with the Sunne and of the Angell binding the Dragon being afterwards loosened againe but some set forth that part of the estate of the Church only which was in Antichrists reigne and ouerthrow as the seuen Vials and the vision of the great whore and her destruction And vnto this as being most without exception doe I subscribe the rather because S. Augustine long agoe gaue some light to this method saying
that is he stirreth vp the Pope a secret enemy in the West and the Turke an open enemy in the East by fire and sword to destroy the company of those that stand for the truth which howsoeuer it hath beene in a great part fulfilled already yet the most remarkable time is to come wherein being gathered together in greatest multitudes they shall be by the immediate hand of God destroyed as with fire from Heauen so that they shall neuer be able to make head againe as was before set forth vnder the sixt Viall Chap. 16.16 by the place called Harmageddon into which they should bee gathered Which time the Deuill being concluded in hell should not in such manner seduce any more till the comming of the Lord to iudgement which is next set forth And I hold with those that say the phrase here is borrowed from Ezâ—echiel because of the similitude of that which was then done and now Then the people of God being returned from the captiuity were assaulted by Seleucus and Nicanor and Antiochus c. out of Asia Minor and Syria but were mightily deliuered by Iudas Machabeus and his brethren being extraordinarily stirred vp and assisted from Heauen Ezech. 38.22 Ezech. 29.6 and therefore their ouerthrow that came against them is set forth by fire and brimstone and againe by a fire which the Lord threatneth to send vpon Magog For in like manner the people of God in these latter daies being come out of the captiuity of Popery are assaulted with innumerable enemies but the Lord doth mightily preserue them and disappoint their enemies of their purpose and will we doubt not when greatest need shall be at the last yet more miraculously saue his by destroying their enemies both Turkes and Papists when they shall be in an highest attempt against them That the Scythians came of Magog who are the present Tukes and Tartars is agreed by all Writers and that Meshech and Tubal ouer which Gog is said to be the chiefe Prince are Iberia that is Spaine and Cappadocia Ieron de inter Heb. nom Ierome sheweth De interpr nominum Hebr. Touching other exposiâ—ions and first for that of enemies in generall it is too large and taketh away from the light giuen here to see more particularly into this matter for that which restreineth it to the Turkes onely seeing two names are here vsed I see no reason why both should be referred to one sort of enemies especially there being two that continually infest the Church of God so aptly figured out by them Touching the fire and the casting of the Deuill into the lake of fire and brimstone I cannot thinke it is to bee meant of the last iudgement and of the fire of that great day of the Lord because when that day shall come there shall be a generall security eating and drinking marrying and giuing in marriage and not warring and sighting for if an end of these warres should be made by the Lords comming to iudgement how should the faithfull haue time here to reioyce and to giue thankes vnto to God for their greatest enemies ouerthrowne It is true there may be some relikes of the Antichristian Sect after this 2 Thess 2.8 in regard of which it is said that Antichrist shall bee abolished by the brightnesse of the Lords comming but that hee shall stand to be able to make so great a power as is here described is most improbable The Turkes haue had hitherto great successe in their warres against Christians but they whom they haue fought against haue beene as bad as themselues or worse and therefore they haue beene armed to become a scourge vnto them as was shewed chap. 9. But when they shall come in their greatest power against the true Christians of the Reformed Religion though the Papists shall ioyne with them to make their Armies innumerable God will from Heauen fight against them and confound them In confidence whereof let vs be resolute and comfort our selues if we should see greater preparations of warre made by all our enemies for we shall vndoubtedly triumph ouer them all at the last Quest Vers 11. 4. What is meant by the appearance of a great white Throne and the comming together of all before him that sate vpon it and the fleeting away of Heauen and Earth from before him what are the Bookes and the other booke called The Booke of life according to the contents whereof all were iudged and according to their workes and how are death and hell cast into the lake of fire Answ Brightman There is no great difference amongst Expositors here onely some turne all that is said into an allegory of the conuersion of the Iewes holding that by the dead here set forth to rise together they are meant who haue beene all this time dead as it were in infidelity But the place is so plainly of the generall resurrection at the last day and the arguments so sleighty to cause vs to vary from the common receiued exposition which is of the generall resurrection and the exposition which applyeth it to the Iewes in the particular passages here is so wrested and forced Pareus as one a learned Writer hath well noted as that this may by no meanes be admitted The chiefe reason of this interpretation is drawne from that which followeth Chap. 21.22 because the Authour of it conceiueth that the description of the new Ierusalem with the circumstances cannot agree to the state of the Church triumphant in heauen and therefore a famous Church to come vpon earth must needs be pointed at there but how these may be applied to the state of the Church triumphant in heauen shall appeare in their proper place In the meane season I follow the common exposition of all Writers holding that the generall resurrection and proceedings which shall bee at the last day are here set forth for euery place of Scripture is properly to be vnderstood vnlesse there be a necessity of admitting a figure because otherwise either some absurdity will follow or it will not agree with the analogy of faith neither of which can be iustly said here He that sitteth vpon a great white Throne is the Lord Iesus who appeareth thus to shew his glory for white is a signe of glory Mat. 17.1 the heauen and earth are said to fly away from before him to declare the fiercenesse and intolerablenesse of his anger at that day which is such that neither earth nor heauen are able to beare it a circumstance very vnfit to bee applied to that most notable worke of grace in bringing the Iewes home to the faith They shall fly away in regard of their externall forme and figure for they shall be changed as a vesture the heauens melting with heat and the earth flaming with fire but their substance shall still remaine after this called a new heauen and a new earth as most hold The dead that stand before the Iudge are both great and small
to shew both the vniuersality of the iudgement that shall be Note and the terriblenesse of the Iudge to the wicked so that nothing shall be able to abide his presence and the iust proceedings according to which all shall bee sentenced because they shall be by bookes and according to mens workes and lastly the wofull estate of all that haue done euill after this time they shall be cast into the lake of fire and the ioyfull estate of those that haue done well death and hell is abolished vnto them so that they shall stand in feare of these enemies no more What is written in the booke of life is kept so secret that wee cannot know it but they whose workes are euill may be sure that they are not therein written the booke of life and the register of mens workes doe parallel one another Wouldest thou then see into this great secret goe to thy workes and consider them if they be good thou art assuredly written in the booke of life otherwise thou mayst bee sure that thou art not and then the lake of fire gapeth for thee Psal 34.12 Be not deceiued therefore by thy faith but wouldest thou liue long and see good dayes refraine thy tongue from euill and thy lips that they speake no guile cease to doe euill seeke peace and ensue it Attend to that direction of our blessed Sauiour giuen to him that asked what he should doe to be saued 1 Tim. 6.7 keepe the Commandemâ—nts and if thou be rich forget not to distribute of thy goods to the poore and so lay vp to thy selfe a good foundation CHAP. XXI IN this and the Chapter following vnder the figure of the new Ierusalem the state of the Church triumphant in heauen is set forth as it shall be after the day of iudgement according to the opinion of all Expositors Brightman Forbs except two of ours who vnderstand it of a flourishing Church vpon earth after the Pope and Turke destroyed and the Iewes conuerted and some Popish Writers who expound it of the Church of Rome whom Alcasar a Iesuite mentioneth and confuteth But that it cannot possibly bee vnderstood of the Church vpon earth in any time or age is most plaine first because this vision followeth after the vision of the last great day of iudgement and therefore in order should represent somewhat after that 2. Because the condition of the Church is such here as that it can neuer be free from suffering and sorrow All that will liue godly must suffer persecution Rom 8.17 wee shall bee glorified with Christ if we suffer with him Ioh. 16. 1 Pet 5.8 and In the world ye shall haue trouble and if at any time there bee outward peace yet the Deuill like a roaring Lion goeth about continually seeking whom he may deuoure and there are bodily pangs and sicknesses and other occurrences that doe afflict whilest this life lâ—steth Heb. 12.10 for if wee should bee without chastisement wee should be bastards and no sonnes And lastly there is sinne euer here in the best which maketh them to sorrow Matth. 5.5 according to that Blessed are they which mourne for they shall be comforted But the new Ierusalem here described is without all sorrow and paine vers 4.3 Because the Church here described hath the glory of God which is all one with being glorified in heauen so as cannot said of any vpon earth vers 11.4 Because this Church is without a Temple needeth no light of the Sunne c. vers 22 23. whereas the Church vpon earth must alwayes haue a place to resort vnto and must be enlightened and vpheld in grace by meanes and shall euer need the light of the Sun and Moone 5. Because no vncleane thing is in this Church vers 27. whereas in this world the kingdome of heauen is euer like a corne field with tares in it like vnto ground with thornes and briars and stones in it and such as that it may be said alwaies Many are called but few are chosen Lastly to put vs out of doubt that no state of the Church here is meant but in heauen he saith that they shall see his face Chap. 22.4 for this shall neuer be till we come in heauen 1 Cor. 13. then shall we see as we are seene and herein standeth the perfection of blessednesse 1 Ioh. 3.3 for now we are the sonnes of God but it doth not yet appeare what we shall be for we shall see him as he is To say nothing of the new heauens and the new earth 2 Pet. 3.13 which Saint Peter speaketh of when he hath shewed how the world shall bee destroyed by fire but wee saith he looke for a new heauen and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousnesse These reasons I thinke may satisfie any reasonable man against the probabilities that are that it should not be meant of the Church triumphant in heauen except the phantasticall Chiliast who may thinke to reconcile all these to his imagined ioyfull time of a thousand yeeres vpon earth after the first resurrection of the Martyrs onely for they apply all this to that imaginary condition But that hath beene sufficiently confuted already and whereas any thing may seeme to make against the common tenent of the glorified estate of the Church here set forth it shall be answered in the proper place And so I hasten to the exposition of the difficulties here as they offer themselues in order And I saw a new heauen and a new earth Vers 1. for the first were passed away neither was there any more sea By the new heauen and earth here most Expositors vnderstand not any new creation but so great an alteration in the heauens and the earth as if they were made new For these heauens and earth say they shall not cease to bee in regard of their substance but become more glorious as is taught Rom. 8.19 being no more subiect to corruption Neither shall they be renewed that we might again haue a dwelling here for we shall ascend 1 Thess 4. and euer remaine with the Lord aboue but to intimate the new glorified estate of the faithful if the creatures which were made to serue them shall come now to a new glorious condition then much more they for whose seruice they were made as Bullinger speaketh Bullinger But I haue already deliuered my coniecture vpon 2 Pet. 3.8 for the first heauen and earth were passed away This was shewed before Chap. 20.11 and because no mention was there made of the sea here it is added the sea was no more that we might not conceiue but that all the parts of the world fled from the Lords angry presence Bullinger Some thinke that nothing else is meant but that the sea was altered to a more glorious estate euen as the heauen and the earth but it is to be noted that he speaketh onely negatiuely of the sea but both affirmatiuely and negatiuely of the
persons not walking by charity sinneth against this Law and in a point of charity to sinne against the Law is to be a transgressour of the Law because all the Lawstandeth in this one thing viz. loue and so he is iudged as doing nothing according to the Law that wanteth loue thus also Beda and Augustine Touching the royall Law here spoken of Beda August it is clearely the Decalogue giuen Exod. 20. thus abbreuiated Deut. 6.5 for proceeding to speake further hereof he instanceth the command against murther and adultery it is royall because from the King of Kings Touching the coherence that of Pareus is not amisse that hee doth meet with them in a confidence which they might haply haue yet that notwithstanding their respecting of persons they kept the Law For this is against the Law of loue Leu. 19.15 if a man loueth his neighbour as himselfe he putteth not any such difference but in his inward esteeme euery one is vnto him as himselfe in whom there is no difference And as for the aggrauating of this sinne as a transgression of the whole Law I assent vnto Austin and Beda As they which shall bee iudged by the Law of liberty Vers 12. Some vnderstand the same Law of the Decalogue holding that it is called a Law of liberty Pareu Faber because it hath liberty ouer all to condemne them but this is forced Most therefore vnderstand better the Law of faith because when we come to beleeue we are set free from the censure of the Law Ioh. 8.32 Rom. 8.1 and so the meaning is say and doe so in your carriage towards other as they that when the time of iudgement commeth shall be dealt withall in loue and mercy going therefore according to the rule of mercy in your dealing with the poore Christian not despising him but rather comforting and releeuing him which indeed is the chiefe thing aimed at in all this Discourse that about preferring rich men being brought in but by the way doe aggrauate the sinne of neglecting the poore the more Here followeth the reason of all Verse 13. There shall be iudgement without mercy to him that sheweth not mercy and mercy reioyceth against iudgement The first part of the sentence is plaine touching the second Mercy reioyceth against iudgement that is the mercifull man shall securely and with ioy appeare before the Lord at the Day of Iudgement for so much as when the vnmercifull shall be adiudged to hell fire he shall be receiued into the Kingdome of Heauen Mat. 25. Note that Faith only and not outward things Note maketh men excellent and therefore the poorest man that hath grace is more to be esteemed than the greatest being void of grace because the poore man thus qualified not the other is the heire of the Kingdome of Heauen Note againe that to liue in any one sinne Note doth frustrate all that is done well for he that faileth in one point is guilty of transgressing the Law Note thirdly that loue is so necessary Note as that nothing done without it is acceptable and therefore those sinnes which are contrary to the loue of our neighbour are chiefly to bee auoided Lastly note Note in what a secure and comfortable estate the faithfull mercifull man is he shall bee without terrour when the most terrible time of the last iudgement commeth neither can any thinke of that time but with horrour and feare except he be mercifull to the poore and needy CHAP. 2. VERS 14. What profiteth is my brethren if one saith that he hath faith but hath not workes can that faith saue him c. From hence to the end of the Chapter Mayer there is onely one point handled against those that bearing themselues vpon their faith neglected the workes of mercy to perswade vnto which Saint Iames hath here vndertaken The maine question here is what he meaneth when he denyeth that a man is iustified by faith only and affirmeth iustification by workes Because Saint Paul speaking of iustification saith That it is by faith without the works of the Law Rom. 3.28 Oecumenius considering these propositions of these two Apostles seeming to bee so contrary Oecumen in Iac. 2. and yet that Abraham is brought for example by them both saith the word Faith is taken two wayes first for a simple consent vnto the thing preached that it is true Secondly for a consent ioyned with the assecution thereof out of an affection and with obedience of the first of these Iames affirmeth that a man is not iustified hereby But Paul speaking of the other ascribeth iustification vnto it The word Workes is also to be vnderstood two waies for there are works before Baptisme and workes after he that dieth immediatly after Baptisme dieth iustified by his Faith without workes because he had no time to doe any but he that liueth and hath time to doe is not iustified without good workes which is to be vnderstood not as though good workes had a part in the act of our iustification but because they cannot but necessarily follow as fruits and effects in whomsoeuer there is a sauing and iustifying Faith Touching Abraham whom Paul saith was iustified by Faith but Iames by workes both are truly said of him and doe indeed agree in one He beleeued that he should be the Father of many Nations hee beleeued Gods promise touching his seed and this was counted vnto him for righteousnesse and when he came to the worke here spoken of viz. the offering of his sonne hee did not fall from this Faith for he beleeued that God was able to raise him from the dead againe All the Ancients generally as Oecumenius intimateth speake to the same effect about iustification by Faith without workes viz. when there is no time after a mans conuersion to the Faith to doe workes he being preuented by death as I haue also partly shewed in speaking vpon Rom. 3.28 How Popish Writers vnderstand it I haue also there declared In short therefore to resolue this place Oecumenius hath rightly shewed that one Faith is spoken of here and another there and that indeed the worke of Abraham in offering his sonne wherein it is instanced here is the same with his Faith spoken of there his worke is his working Faith or Faith made euident by his worke by a Synecdoche or a Metonymy of the effect as Pareus resolueth it Pareus in Iac. That by worke a working Faith is vnderstood is plaine from the words following Vers 21. Thou seest that faith wrought together c. Vers 22. The Scripture saith That Abraham beleeued God this beleeuing being attributed to his worke of offering vp his sonne v. 24. after Abrahams beleeuing mentioned before he concludeth ye see then that a man is iustified by Workes making Faith and Worke all one And this is in a manner all one with the common solution Faith without Workes truly iustifieth before God that is maketh a sinner iust by
and fung at their accomplishment Glory to God on high c. The doubts of this place are first Mayer Whether the Prophets attained to the foreknowledge of things to come by searching or studying because he saith they searched into these things and so prophesied of them Answ It was by inspiration doubtlesse Answ that they prophesied which was the immediate illumination of the Spirit but they first prayed and desired to be herein inlightened as wee reade that Daniel did Dan. 10.11 and Esdras and the faithfull assembled Acts 1. There is also a search by comparing Scriptures together and by arguing Note Dan. 9. This commendeth studying and praying to be inlightened in the mysteries of saluation to those that desire to know them Chrysostome affirmeth that where diligence is wanting in man Chrys Hom. 31. in Gen. God will not from aboue inlighten the minde in the knowledge of his truth Secondly What is meant by the grace reuealed vnto them of which they prophesied Ans It was the grace of the redemption of man by Christ Answ his Incarnation Death Resurrection and Glory that followed as is partly more expressed vers 11. Thirdly What is meant by the spirit speaking in the Prophets of Christs Passions and following glory and where these things are spoken of and whether after that they were inspired to speake of these things they were still to seeke touching the time and what is meant by what and what manner of time Ans Some say Answ Glos Ord. That by the Spirit of Christ the Angels that came and declared things to the Prophets are set forth Some either the Angels or the holy Ghost Beda Hugo But the truest and most generally receiued is that the holy Ghost is here meant who is peculiarly called the Spirit of Christ Oecumen Tho. Aquin. c. because he dwelt in him as hee was Man and proceeded from him as God Oecumenius sheweth the Trinity here the Spirit of Christ here Christ is set forth to be God and the third person of the Trinity the Spirit is mentioned and vers 12. where hee is said to be sent from Heauen the Father is set forth Touching the places where Christs Passions are spoken of looke backe to Occumenius and there are many more which are easie to be found out For both Christ vrged the Iewes to reade Moses Ioh. 5.39 Luk. 24.25 speaking of him and instructed the two Disciples going to Emmaus out of Moses and the Prophets see 1 Cor. 15.4 Act. 3.24 Act. 10.43 Rom. 1.1 Touching the time when Christ should come all the Prophets that prophesied of Christ vnderstood it not either when it should bee or in what manner of state the common wealth of the Iewes should then be whether in peace or warre in liberty or captiuity some knew it as it seemeth Dan. 9.24 Iaacob Gen. 49.10 Esa 2.4 Mic. 4.1 and others by searching and disceptation might attaine to the knowledge of it also Lib. 3. Generat Adae c 8. Gen. 3. Arias Montanus saith that the first occasion of this search was the Promise that the feed of the woman should breake the Serpents head Therefore Eue called her first sonnes name Cain Possession supposing that he was the seed which should bring this benefit into the possession of posterity but the next Abel Vanity as vnfit for such a worke and thus Seth was named and Noe and Abram and Shem c. all hauing names that imply an expectation of some notable thing expected by them Note The. Aquinas prolog in Psal Note that it is to be reiected as an herefie that of Theodorus Mapsuestiensis condemned in the Constantinopolitan Councell that nothing is expresly spoken of Christ in the old Testament for there are all things long agoe set forth and nothing more is in the new Testament but what is grounded vpon the old Fourthly what is meant was reuealed vnto them when he saith vers 12. Vers 12. To whom it was reuealed that they ministered those things not vnto themselues c. The Syriacke Interpreter readeth it thus And was reuealed vnto theÌ„ euery thing that they searched Didym de Spi. Sanct. And Didymus readeth it Wherein it was reuealed But the right reading followed by all others is this And that they vnderstood that the Prophesies which they set forth touching Christ should not take effect in their daies but long after is plaine Hab. 2.3 Esay 2.4 Ezech. 12.22 27. Esay 28.10 13. Mich. 4.1 c. Touching the holy Ghost said to be sent from Heauen this was certainly done at the Feast of Pentecost and doth notably serue to expresse the vnity of the Spirit by which the Prophets anciently and the Apostles more lately spake Lastly how the Angels are said to desire to looke into these things The Latine translation is in quem into whom as if it were meant that the Angels desired to looke into the Holy Ghost mentioned before But all Greeke Expositors reade it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into which things so also the Syriacke and Cyril Alexand and Ephrem Didymus and Ireneus The things that they desire to looke into then are the mysteries of our saluation to behold which they stoope downe as it were for the same word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is vsed that Ioh. 20.5 of the Disciple Iam. 1.25 that came and stooped to looke into that part of the Sepulchre where Iesus was laid Cyril Alexand. serm de eo quòd verbum caro fit These Mysteries the very Angels are said to desire to looke into partly for the delight that they take herein according to Cyril Alexan. and partly because when the Incarnation Death Resurrection and Ascension of Christ were acted such things touching our saluation were made manifest vnto them as they did not so fully vnderstand before Eph. 3.10 1 Tim. 3.16 and herewith they desired to bee acquainted that they might declare them vnto men Beza annot the phrase vsed to expresse their intent looking into these things being an allusion to the Cherubins placed in the Arke so as that they did alwaies looke towards the mercy seat Exod. 25.20 Origen Hom. â—1 in Num. Origen saith That they desired to looke into these things and to set them forth for our saluation lest they should come short of men which might turne to their iudgement Some thinke that by the Angels are meant the euill angels as Didymus sheweth and Clemens Alexan. but they reiect it Some say That the Angels desire to see Christ in their nature Philip. Solitarius as he hath taken vpon him the nature of man that their nature might be adored by vs in him as ours is now by them not that they can hope that euer it shall be thus but to expresse the great benefit redounding to man by Christs Incarnation I subscribe to that which expoundeth these words of the Angels delighting to looke into these mysteries euen as a man loueth to looke vpon that againe
mountainous places and Ilands were sought out to be destroyed which is expressed in saying the mountaines and Ilands were remoued out of their place then all professours of the Christian religion sought to hide themselues from the anger of him that sitteth vpon the throne thinking God and the Lambe to bee angry with them set forth in the last words Bullinger Pareus Others will haue the corruption in the time of Antichrist meant which time say they began when Constantine aduanced Syluester the Bishop of Rome and his successours and continueth in the Papacy to this day then began a great earthquake by the change of the state of the Church into Pontificall then the Sunne the doctrine touching Christ was darkened through the interposition of traditions the Moone the Church was turned into bloud either by murthers committed by Antichrist or by the corrupt worshipping of God the starres the ministers of God fell from heauen by apostatising from the truth the heauen the Church was folded together as a booke when it appeared not any where or the holy Scriptures were shut vp from the people the mountaines Emperours and Kings were remoued by Popes the Ilands the people were remoued out of their place by being made beleeue vpon paine of damnation that the Pope is the head of the Church And being brought to this estate of corruption as there can be no sound peace but terrors of conscience out of the truth so all estates are set forth as terrified by a conscience of Gods iudgement and some indeed fulfilled this according to the letter going into wildernesses and Monasteries seeking by applying themselues to perpetuall deuotion to quiet their consciences accusing them for former offences but could not effect it But herein Pareus differeth from Bullinger for hee applieth this of the generall feare of all estates and degrees to the last day of iudgement which shall follow after that the world hath beene so corrupted in the time of Antichrists reigne Lastly some vnderstand by this earth-quake Forbs c. the great alteration that came vpon the Romane Empire by meanes of the Gothes and other barbarous nations which was so great as that the whole world seemed to be changed But I subscribe to the first exposition because most agreeable to the letter and where the literall sense may stand there is no vse of allegories And indeed without straining no time but the day of iudgement can be rightly called the great day of Gods wrath wherein all the wicked of all estates and degrees are filled with terrour at Gods presence If it bee taken as an allegory there are so great differences that there will bee no certainty of truth Besides that it doth no way answer the precedent cry for vengeance so fitly as being literally vnderstood of the last day for whatsoeuer commotions there be in states and kingdomes yet euery one is not at such times so seuerely animaduerted against but many escape whereas here euery one is said to tremble and feare Whereas Pareus includeth both the persecution vnder Antichrist and the day of iudgement also I cannot see how that can stand for the fleeing away of all estates and degrees for feare is an effect of those stupendious accidents in heauen and in earth as in reason it is likely when such things shall come to passe no lesse can be expected but horrible feare Let vs then study to pacifie Gods anger before this day commeth by true repentance and humiliation that wee may not finde it a day of wrath but of euerlasting mercy to vs. CHAP. VII THE dreadfull manner of Gods comming to iudge and to take reuenge vpon the enemies and corrupters of his truth hauing beene set forth in the sixt Chapter lest there should arise anxiety in the minds of the faithfull about the Lords care touching them in the midst of all the miseries before described for that it hath not yet appeared how they are prouided for when all things shall be so full of dread feare he doth apart here set forth Gods care ouer them during all those troubles and affrighting apparitions they were marked in the forehead that no hurt might hereby seize vpon them but these tribulations might be to them a way to future glory and the inuestment with white robes washed in the Bloud of the Lambe at what time all teares shall be wiped from their eyes for euer For the meaning of the particular passages here Quest 1. Vers 1. After this I saw foure Angels standing vpon the foure corners of the earth holding the foure winds that they might not blow vpon the earth c. What is meant by these things Rupertus Caelius Pannon Answ Most Expositors vnderstand by these winds the Spirit of God in the Preachers of his Word diffusing it selfe in all parts of the world but the euill angels the Deuils which rule in the Antichristian Sect seeke to hinder these winds by suppressing the pure preaching of Gods holy Word in all places Dionys Bullinger Pareus Brightman to the corrupting and decay of all true Religion They keepe the winds from blowing vpon the earth that is the vulgar sort the sea that is Doctrine the trees that is men of more eminency or by the earth they vnderstand men dwelling in any part of the earth by the sea the inhabitants of Ilands by trees such as lurked in woods or they take the earth for earthly ones the sea for the worship of God and trees for people good and bad which professe to worship God Againe there is difference also about these foure Angels for some vnderstand the foure Monarchies Primas Haimo Ambrose Amsbert Lyra. in the time whereof the truth was hindred Some foure persecuting Emperours who after that Dioclesian and Maximianus had forsaken the Empire did together persecute the Christian Religion in the foure parts of the world viz. Maximianus in the East Seuerus in Italy the west Licinius in Alexandria in Egypt the South Maxentius at Rome and whereas all others vnderstand Christ by the Angell with the seale he vnderstandeth Constantine the great who suppressed these tyrants And some againe by the Angell in the East vnderstand the Mahumetans in the West the Pope in the North the Germane Empire in the south Spaine For mine owne part when I consider the premises of great and horrible miseries to come vpon the world I cannot but thinke as I intimated before in generall that comfort against these euils is here intended to the godly and therefore I subscribe rather to those that vnderstand these things literally of foure Angels appointed by God as his Ministers herein for it is said To them it is giuen to hurt c. to destroy all things Arethas Ribera Fox and this is fitly set forth by holding the foure winds because in wind and breath consisteth the life of euery thing in this world things of the earth as men and beasts of the sea as fishes and fowles and the trees
ancients before named and Origen Hom. 6. in Numeros and August Serm. 98. de tem others vnderstand his precious passions as Bullinger c. The odours which were giuen vnto him they expound of the sights and groanes of Gods seruants or of his graciousnesse which is as sweet odours added to our prayers to make them the more acceptable One hath a strange conceit Brightman that Constantine is meant by this Angell who was the Author of gathering together that famous Councell of Nice wherein that confession of saith so acceptable to God was concluded vpon but it became an occasion of much contention by reason of Arrius and his sect Lyra. Another more strangely vnderstandeth Pope Damasus ann 384. who instituted Psalmodies and glory to the Father c. which were added to the common prayers Rupertus Ribera Some vnderstand it properly of an Angell such as he that was present to Iaacob in his iournying or Gabriel that appeared to Mary For mine owne part I see so much against the most common vnderstanding of this of Christ as that I cannot thinke him to bee meant here For first he appeareth still as a Lambe secondly this is said to be but another Angell thirdly Odours are giuen vnto him as Trumpets to the rest intimating an equality betwixt them fourthly that the Priest the Altar and the Censer should be all one it seemeth very improbable fiftly the prayers of the Saints are spoken of by the same phrase that Chap. 5. where the foure and twenty Elders are said to haue golaon Vials full of Odours which are the prayers of the Saints Where by the prayers of the Saints their praising of God in Heauen and praying for our good in generall being vnderstood and not the prayers of the godly vpon earth why should it not be vnderstood here likewise I thinke then that nothing else is here meant but as before any vision of future things a preparation was made thereunto by a representation of Gods Maiesty and of the Lambe delighted in the deuotions of his seruants as in a sweet persume but terrible to the wicked and therefore issued thunders lightnings and voices from before him so now the second particular vision being prepared vnto it is set forth in the figure of this Angell standing at the Altar and offering Odours with the prayers of the Saints which come vp before God how acceptable the seruice is which by the godly is done vnto God and in the fire taken and cast vpon the earth producing voices thunders c. how terrible he will be to the wicked of this world For the Altar and Censer it is beyond the intent of this place particularly to descant vpon them the seruice which is done vnto God being doubtlesse thus set forth in allusion to the old manner of worshipping In the former representation Prayers are called Odours here Odours are added vnto them Odours to Odours to shew yet further their extraordinary sweetnesse their voices and thunders c. issue forth here is shewed by what meanes viz. coales taken from the Altar signifying that howsoeuer the holy fire with sweet Odours maketh a pleasant smell yet without Odours it yeeldeth a thundring and terrifying noise the wicked that pray not can expect nothing but terrour and affrighting from the Lord who is most comfortable to the godly frequenting him with their prayers As for that exposition of some Beda Haimo Bullinger Pareus c. vnderstanding the sending downe of the holy Ghost in the likenesse of fiery tongues whereupon some were terrified as by thundring some instructed as by voices some conuerted as the earth is moued in an earthquake I cannot see how it agreeth to the terrible things following Fox some way whereunto is made in this passage I assent therefore to those rather who expound it of terrour as I haue already said neither is it strange that the prayers of the Saints comming vp before God the fire of his anger should be stirred vp against the wicked world occasioning so many sighs and grones to come from them Quest 3. And the first Angell sounded Vers 7 c. and there was haile and fire mingle with bloud c. Because there is a noted distance betwixt the foure first Trumpets and the other three and these foure doe immediatly follow one after another it will be fittest to handle these together What therefore is figured out by the things appearing at the sounding of these foure Answ Some will haue these seuen Angels to represent the Ministers of the Gospell at seuerall times and ages of the world for as they sounded forth the Word of truth aduersaries soone sprung vp who sought by their fierce oppositions to suppresse it Haime Caelius Pannonius Richard de Sancto Victore Zeger c. The first were the Apostles at whose preaching there was great tumult in the world to the shedding of the bloud of many set forth by haile and fire and bloud mingled with them the trees grasse burnt vp were such as for feare fell frō the Religion which they had imbraced or else by the haile c. they vnderstand a mixed company of good and bad Christians gathered together from the rest of the world of which the bad which are the third part are burnt vp that is perish by Gods iust iudgement and are called trees because of their instabilitie in times of winds and grasse for their frailtie The second ranke of Preachers set forth by the second Angell where the successours of the Apostles in the next age against whom the Deuill as a great burning mountaine falleth and the third part of the sea is turned into bloud by the destruction of the faithfull the fishes die by the reuolting of the wauering and many teachers who as ships had carried on others through the greatnesse of the persecution fall away The third ranke set forth by the third Angell are the Preachers of the next age to trouble whom Heretikes rise vp these are the Star falling from Heauen giuing light in times past but now making bitter by their hereticall doctrine the fountaines of holy Scriptures and the riuers of the Fathers by corrupting them to maintaine their heresies thereby The fourth ranke set forth by the fourth Angell are the Preachers of these last times who are troubled by Hypocrites and false Prophets that vnder a pretext of holinesse broach new opinions whereby it commeth to passe that a good part of the true knowledge of Christ is obscured which is the darkning of the Sunne to the third part and the true Church which is the Moone much distminished and the Doctors which are the Starres giue not so cleare light through this meanes as before Lyra. Bullinger Aretius Some vnderstand Heretikes and heresies of seuerall ages to encounter with whom the faithfull are stirred vp by these Trumpets sounded For first Arrius infected the third part of the world with his heresie Secondly Macedonius infected the Sea with
aduersity for the Lords sake nothing doubting but as the holding forth of this open booke hath beene already accomplished and the preaching againe after so long a time of silence so whatsoeuer is here further auerred by the same Angell of the consummation of this world shall also vndoubtedly follow and yet a little while he that shall come will come and will not tarry CHAP. XI AND there was giuen me a reed like a rod and the Angell stood and said Vers 1. Arise and measure the Temple of God the Altar and those that worship in it And the outer Court of the Temple cast out c. What is figured out by this measuring Quest 1 the leauing out of the outer Court to be troden vnder foot by the Gentiles 42. months Who are the 2. witnesses that prophesie in sackcloth what time is designed by their 1260. dayes What are the miracles done by them and the beast that killeth them What time is meant by three dayes and a halfe wherein their dead bodies should lie vnburied And what is their rising againe and being called vp into heauen And lastly what is the great earthquake shaking the great city so that the tenth part falleth and seuen thousand men are slaine and what city is this called Spiritually Sodome and Aegypt where the Lord was slaine Answ These things are very obscure and therefore Interpreters are much diuided about them Lyra. Lyra is the most absurd referring this to the feast of the dedication of the Temple ordained by Pope Felix about ann 525. as if he had beene figured out Here Pareus telleth of some that vnderstand this literally of Ierusalem and the Temple there the reedifying of which is here figured out but this cannot stand because not onely the Court but Temple and Altar and all are troden vnder foot of the Gentiles neither shall this Temple or Altar euer be reedified againe The Papists generally grounding vpon the opinion of the ancients referre all to Antichrists time Irenaeus Iustin Martyr Cyprian Ierom. Basil Chrsost c. who they thinke is yet to come and shall reigne three yeeres and an halfe but Enoch Elias shall resist him doing many miracles c. The consent of antiquity I confesse may much moue and is indeed to be regarded in matter of faith when with one consent they giue the sense of any place of Scripture which requireth not experience for the better vnderstanding therof But the things here set forth being of that nature that they cannot be so well vnderstood till that in processe of time the euent giueth some light to the prophesie it is no derogation from the ancients herein to goe from them especially when by euident reason it appeareth that they haue erred in their iudgement And Bellarmine himselfe consenteth Lib. 3. de P. R. cap. 5. that the Fathers haue erred much about the Antichrist because they saw not the histories of future times Ieronym in Malac ad Minerium Alexandrum cap. 4. Neither yet are the ancient Fathers for the comming of Enoch and Elias in person for Ierome calleth them Iudaizers who thinke that Enoch and Elias shall come againe in person for he saith The Iewes and Iudaizing heretikes thinke that Elias shall come againe and restore all things but to this Christ answereth when being demanded about the comming of Elias he saith Elias indeed shall come and if ye beleeue it he is already come by Elias meaning Iohn Baptist Moreouer that this is an errour is plaine 1. Because it is impossible Reas 1 that any man should effect so many things in so short a time The Antichrist expected by the Papists confuted as they say Antichrist shall doe that is bee receiued of all the Iewes for the Messiah build the Temple in three dayes ouerthrow the Turke the Persian the grand Cham and Prester Iohn kill the three kings of Aegypt Libia and Aethiopia build vp Rome burnt with fire and sit there as a Monarch persecuting the Christian religion in all parts of the world 2. Because at the end of this time they say Antichrist shall bee destroyed Reas 2 and from his death to the end of the world shall bee but fiue and forty dayes and so the very day of iudgement shall bee knowne contrary to the consent of all Scripture 3. Because the things in this booke set forth are said to bee such Reas 3 as must shortly be done now for so much as a great part of the booke is spent against Antichrist it cannot be that his time should be put off so long or be so short when it commeth seeing it occupieth the greatest part of this prophesie comprehending the whole time of the Gospell Yea the Apostle Paul saith plainly 2 Thess 2.7 that the mysterie of iniquity did then worke Lastly Antichristianisme is a mysterie that is so couertly carried that Antichrist can hardly be discerned when hee is come Bullinger Fox Pareus Brightman c. so that many shall be deceiued which were not so if he were a professed enemy and had Enoch and Elias to fight against him Our Diuines generally hold that there is set forth a reedifying of the spirituall Temple of God being ruined and almost râ—zed to the ground by the fury and malice of the enemies thereof as in the like figure Ezech. 40. c. is set forth the reedifying of the materiall Temple being destroyed by the Babylonians after their returne from captiuity Euen as when one is set to measure ground for any building to bee set vpon it it doth argue an intention to build there Now as the Temple of old did consist of an house called the Temple and an Altar and such as came to worship there so the spirituall Temple is described by way of allusion to it by these parts 2. But touching the outercourt there is difference in the reading Pareus following Luther and the copies of Robert Stephanus readeth it the inner Court but Arethas the outer and so Arrias Montanus Oecumen August Beda Tho. Aquin. Abbas Ioachim Rupertus Haimo Beza c. But the difference in the sense is nothing the Court whether inner or outer is left vnmeasured to figure out the power which the Gentiles should haue there euen in the time of the repairing of the decayes of Gods Church by oppugning errour and teaching the truth But what is meant by the Court is hard to determine Some vnderstand the Popish Clergy Pareus Bullinger which together with the Pope haue apostatized from the truth these are not to be measured but left out as aliens from the grace of God and fitly are they set forth by the inne Court which was the Court of the Priests Some vnderstand all the Papists Brightman Forbs Grasserus which by this figure are set forth to be more than the professours of the truth as the Court was greater than the Temple and the city yet farre greater than it so the Lord would
to be in heauen also And how is this childe taken vp to God and to his throne from out of his danger Answ Some Popish Expositors by this woman vnderstand the Virgin Mary Ribera Viegas Methodius Primasius Bullinger Fox Pareus c. Hos 1.2.3 but the learned of their owne side Ribera and Viegas and others reiect this as not agreeing if the following circumstances of being pained and hauing other seed which is afterwards persecuted be considered The common streame of Interpreters is for the Church of God which is the spouse of God whom he is said to haue married vnto himselfe And thus without all doubt wee are to conceiue of this woman Quest But how is she said to be in heauen Answ Pannonius To this Pannonius answereth well that howsoeuer the Church hath her being in this world yet she is but a stranger here heauen is her countrey to which she aspireth and from whence commeth her election and being Tertui apolo c. 1. Scitgens Christiana se peregrinā in terris agere inter extraneos facile inimicos inuenire Caelerū genus spem sedem gratiam dignitatem in coelis habere as Tertullian doth excellently declare saying The Christian nation knoweth that she is a stranger vpon earth and doth easily finde enemies amongst strangers but shee hath her stocke seat grace hope and dignity in heauen Touching her apparell here set forth The Sunne is most bright and shining of all the lights in heauen to shew therefore the exceeding great glory of the Church shee is said to bee cloathed with the Sunne A speech much like to this is that of our Sauiour Christ The iust shall shine as the Sunne But this is for her future condition Matth. 13.43 Pannonius Bullinger Parcus Forbs c. for the present Christ the Sun of righteousnesse is her glory for so he is called Mal. 4. hee by faith is put on as a garment couering her round about and beautifying her so all Expositors generally agree except Fox and Brightman who stand and specially Fox for a most illustrious glory hereby generally set forth but hold that it is not intended that this figure should be strained any further by applying all the particulars And indeed for so much as the child in her wombe is Christ as by and by shall be declared I cannot see how it can so well agree in the same figure to hold that hee is both set forth as the cloathing of the Church and the fruit in her body at the same time though in diuers respects he is euer hath been so I hold therfore rather that her glorious estate before God only in generall is here set forth And therefore as worldly glory consisteth in glorious apparell and a crowne of gold beset with pretious stones and an high elated throne that place where all inferiour persons stand being vnder the seet so the Church is said to be cloathed with the Sun to weare a crowne with twelue starres and to haue the Moone which is aboue all this world vnder her sect so high is shee mounted But why twelue starres in her crowne neither more nor lesse Herein I take it it is alluded to the twelue pretious stones in the brest-plate of the high Priest according to the number of the twelue tribes which made this number of twelue familiar in this Prophecie as appeareth by the twice twelue thrones round about the throne Chap. 4. the twelue thousand sealed of the twelue Tribes Chap. 7. the twelue pretious stones in the wals of the new Ierusalem and the twelue gates Chap. 21. Many will haue these twelue starres to set forth the twelue Apostles and the Moone vnder her seet the mutablethings of this world but if that which hath beene already said bee considered I thinke the Reader will not bee of that minde Touching that which shee trauaileth withall there is great difference some vnderstand it of the godly in all ages Andreas Viegas Ribera Parent Forbs with whom the Church trauaileth and is euer at the point of bringing forth but when any are brought forth the enemy is ready to deuoure them in spight of whom they are finally glorified in heauen which is set forth by this phrase hee shall rule all nations with a rod of iron according to that promise Chap. 2.27 And they say that the off-spring of the Church is called a childe in the singular number because though they bee many yet they are but one mysticall body and a male childe as being the more perfect and the heire and of more courage and constancy And of this exposition applied specially to the last times doe the Papals most greedily lay hold as making for them in their doctrine about their supposed Antichrist For the Churches being pained and crying out setteth forth the straits wherein she should be at that time And thus they seeke to draw the Reader from looking at any time past or that now is and to hold him in expectation of the time of Antichrist yet for to come But against this exposition maketh both the distinction afterwards following in the end of this Chapter where it is spoken of the rest of her seed and the description of this childe He shall rule ouer all nations with arod of iron For if all the faithfull bee the seed of the woman here set forth they being taken vp to heauen how can she yet haue a seed remaining vpon earth to be persecuted still And touching this large reigning howsoeuer the faithfull are promised in the place before alleaged that they shall rule ouer the nations yet it is not said as here ouer all nations nor is it spoken of as a dignity to which they were borne but as conferred vpon such as ouercome whereas here the man-childe mentioned is so spoken of as comming to it by right and inheritance The male childe therefore here must be one singular person most remarkable as the first-borne for this his extraordinary power and authority ouer all to which hee is borne Most therefore seeing that there is none other such to bee found in all the world Bullinger Fox Gorian and Pareus deliuereth this first applying it anagogically to the faithfull resolue vpon the Lord Iesus Christ for the history of his birth and ascension doth so answer this description in euery particular as that all things doe most excellently agree if it be vnderstood of him And so the prophecie Psal 2.7 agreeth also I will giue thee the nations for thine inberitance and the vttermost parts of the earth for thy possession thou shalt rule them with a rod of iron c. Thus also there will be a good construction of the rest of her seed after mentioned seeing hee is said to bee the first-borne amongst many brethren Whereas it may seeme absurd that the Church is said to haue Christ in her wombe and to bring him forth when as he is her husband and she hath rather her originall from him for
time a phrasevsed to shew that the time is certaine with the Lord but concealed from vs. Somereferre it to the dayes of Constantine Pareus Bibliander Brightman when the Church through wealth and liberty began to grow corrupt by pride contentions and errours holding that the Church in the wildernesse is opposed to the Church in heauen before described with her heauenly glory which she had all the time of persecution but now being in peace corruption and superstition commeth on making her like a woman in the wildernesse yet the time which shee is said to bee in the wildernesse they distinguish from the time of her flight holding that shee began to take her flight in the dayes of Constantine and was flying three hundred yeeres euen vntill Phocas who established the Bishop of Rome for vniuersall ann 606. from that time forward she was in the wildernesse a time and times and halfe a time before described by one thousand two hundred and threescore dayes being either so many yeeres or a long time vnknowne to vs and therefore thus set forth that wee might not be troubled though we see this persecution continued still for it is not onely for a time but times after that and then halfe a time more And to make the time of this flight to bee three hundred yeeres the more probably they obserue that not a Doues but Eagles wings are giuen vnto her arguing a flight strong and of long continuance Forbs Some referring it also to Constantines time will haue him to bee the great Eagle giuing wings to the woman to flie into the wildernesse by enduing the Church with so much worldly wealth whereupon much corruption soone crept in and she became like a woman in the wildernesse but extend the time here set forth no further but till the rising of the beasts in the next Chapter vnto which a way is hereby made Some referring this time to the Apostles dayes Fox hold two times of persecution the one of the Primitiue Church set forth ver 6. the other of the Church vnder Antichrist towards the end of the world set forth here Either time is the same one thousand two hundred and threescore dayes that which time and times and halfe a time is and the same with the two and forty moneths before described Chap. 11. which if they bee reckoned as Daniels weekes seuen yeeres to a moneth they make two hundred ninety and foure yeeres And such a time was the Church vnder persecution vntill Constantine from whence one thousand yeeres being counted of Satans binding mentioned Chap. 20. together they amount to one thousand three hundred yeeres at what time this persecution by Papists and Turkes began the vttermost end thereof being 1594. But experience hath already confuted this it being now 1625. and yet these persecutions holding out There are other computations made here by others also as of three yeeres and a halfe which hath beene sufficiently refuted already Grasserus and of so much time as maketh this to fall vpon the beginning of the sixteenth century when Popery began to decline But I will not trouble the Reader with more varieties If I may put in my coniecture amongst others I take it this time is not to begin in the Apostles dayes because it is the same with the 42. moneths of Ierusalems being trodden vnderfoot Chap. 11. and the one thousand two hundred and sixty dayes of the two witnesses prophecying in sackcloth which beginneth not till the sixt trumpet as hath beene already shewed and it seemeth to be too general by a time thus many wayes so often described to vnderstand onely a time without any certaine determination seeing experience of former Prophecies teacheth that when time is thus set forth by a certaine number of daies or weeks or months a certaine proportion of time to be hereby counted is meant Neither would I begin it in the dayes of Constantine the great because the Church was not then persecuted but maintained though there were some stirres by meanes of Arrius whereas a persecution here is intimated putting the Church so hard to it as that she is faine to flie into the Wildernesse for safety And it is strange that if this time were meant and thence forward till Phocas which was 300. yeeres wherein they say she was fleeing that any mention should be made of wings to flie with which in cōmon reason argue swiftnesse I thinke therefore that this time is to be referred to the yeeres following the destruction made by the Goths Vandals when they were expelled out of Italy which was betweene the yeere 500. and 600. for not long after this the Popes of Rome in the West hauing climbed vp into the chaire of supremacy great troubles beganne about images by their meanes they being bitter against those that would haue no Images in diuine worship daring to anathematize euen Emperours that withstood them and Mahomet in the East persecuted all that would not receiue his damnable Alcoran as hath beene already shewed to haue beene done about ann 606. Here was now a new kind of persecution begun not by Heathen Idolaters to bring in the worship of Deuils againe but of such as were Christians in shew but indeed pleading for Baal vnder a new name and of such as reuiued Iudaisme againe in part in somewhat a different manner vnder pretence of another Moses or Prophet of God Mahomet Then the Church hath two wings of an Eagle giuen her to flie into the Wildernesse as sometime the people of Israel are said to haue beene brought out of Aegypt vpon Eagles wings Exod. 19.4 and they are two because by faith patience they are borne out of this danger as is said in the Chapter following Chap. 13.10 By this flying into the wildernesse then is meant that after such time as the Pope and Turke thus inuaded the Church of God she held no visible state any more by ruling in all Countries and Nations by possessing Cities and Townes but as the people of Israel being carried out of Aegypt into the Wildernesse wandred a long time vp and downe in vnknowne places being fed with Manna from Heauen and so preserued yet from perishing so the Church of God all this time lieth hid such as hold the truth still being of ignoble condition in worldly respects and so not taken such notice of in the most and greatest Kingdomes of the world but yet she is prouided of such spirituall food though in secret places as that she is miraculously preserued from perishing And the time of this her solitarinesse is before said to be 1260. daies as in chap. 11. here time and times and halfe a time time being put for a mysticall yeere times for two yeeres halfe a time for halfe a yeere which together are three yeeres and an halfe wherein are 1260. daies which set forth here so many yeeres as was proued chap. 11. If it be demanded why this variety is vsed in
so stirred others vp to establish a new Empire by appointing seuen Electours to chuse one at euery time of vacancy which yet was but an image in comparison of the old Roman Empire so far did it come short of it in glory and power And he had power to giue life vnto the image of the beast Vers 15. c. that is to this reerected Empire for all the life of it is from the Pope and whatsoeuer it speaketh or decreeth is by his direction And caused that they which would not worship the image of the beast should be killed that is which would not receiue the ordinances and Lawes of this Empire touching the Roman Catholike religion for by embracing that religion the image is worshipped all then that refuse to be Papists they take order to put to death And he caused all Vers 16. both great and small free and bond c. to receiue a marke in their right hand or in their forehead This is added the better to know this beast his marke or character must needs be receiued that is a publike and open profession must be made that a man is a Roman Catholike and beleeueth all their new Articles touching the Supremacy Transubstantiation Purgatory c. for to beleeue in Christ and to hold all Articles of the Apostles Creed and to receiue the word and Sacraments are nothing worth without this Summa angel in titulo confirmat neither is Baptisme of any force without the Character of Chrysme in confirmation giuen by the Bishop Such may neither buy nor sell that is as excommunicate persons others may not haue communion with them for neither Turkes nor Iewes are dealt so hainously withall as poore Protestants no place is allowed vnto them nor any being in the world The marke the name and the number of the beasts name is all one hee that hath the marke hath them all Hitherto out of Bullinger Others not differing much here-from Fox expound the Popes exercising of all the power of the first beast of his cruelty against the faithfull as great as euer that of the heathen Emperours was his miracles in general only of sundry strange miracles related to haue been done for the establishing of Popery his causing men to worship the image of the first beast of his compelling all to the obedience of the Roman Sea otherwise they shall beare none office nor bee suffered to haue communion with men c. as hath beene already said They that by these two beasts vnderstand one Antichrist Pareus Napier which is the succession of Popes in the Sea of Rome expound the power of the first beast exercised by this in the sight of the first of his blaspheming warring against the Saints and reigning ouer euery tribe and nation which the Pope doth by his Legats and subordinate officers and so it is said to be done in the sight of the first beast because his agents doe it at his becke and they doe many great wonders to draw the world to the veneration of the Pope Hee maketh fire to come downe from heauen that is as was before expounded by giuing the holy Ghost and by his excommunications and this kinde of miracle is the rather singled out as answerable to a speech in vse amongst the Iewes euen till this day If any man shall make fire to come downe from heauen and deny the Law of Moses let him be accursed The image to the first beast is the image of Christ the Virgin Mary and the holy Apostles at the Popes command made set vp and adored by earthly people these are enliued by the imposture of Priests and Fryers and made to speake laugh frowne and sweat The marke in Greeke is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 setting forth more at large any note or marke Heb. 1. whereas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the image or resemblance of a thing so Christ is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is not any externall visible marke vpon the forehead or right hand indeed but the profession of being a Roman Catholike and a readinesse with all the might to defend that Religion D. Abbot This Character is double as there are two sorts of men of that Religion first of the common people the Chrysme Holy water Agnus Dei Crucifixes c. secondly of the Religious their vow to propagate and maintaine it to the vttermost and therefore by a wonderfull prouidence it is come to passe that such professe an indelible Character to be imprinted vpon them in their ordination Others expound his causing men to worship the image of the first beast Brightman of the Popes seeking honour to himselfe vnder the colour of antiquity his miracles of making fire to come downe from Heauen of the Popes smiting men with his Excommunications as if it were with fire from Heauen Hildebrand a Pope in his Epistle to the Germans said that Henry the fourth being smitten with his Excommunication was blasted with lightning A certaine Bishop reprouing him for his heart-burning against Henry Cent. 11. Auent annal l. 5. perished by lightning and giuing vp the ghost cryed out Oh wretch that I am alas I am carried bound with a fiery chaine to hell c. The Image which he would haue men to make vnto the first beast is the acknowledgement of the same power and authority in him that was in the Bishops of Rome of old before the deadly wound giuen In other things there is no difference Others that expect Antichrist yet to come Bellarmin Viegas Ribera who they thinke shall be but one particular man reckon vp three notes whereby he may be certainly knowne first his reuiuing againe after death as Christ did secondly his causing of fire to come downe from Heauen as Christ sent the holy Ghost in the likenesse of fiery tongues thirdly his giuing life to an image which hee should cause to bee made as Christ gaue life to dead bodies by his diuine power which because they cannot rightly bee applied vnto the Popes of Rome they maintaine that they cannot be Antichrist but some other yet to bee expected But the expositions of ours already set downe make it plaine that these things doe most fitly agree vnto the Popes wherein though there be a little difference yet it is agreed amongst vs all in the maine that the Antichrist of Rome is here painted out in his liuely colours And it is indeed absurd to imagine the fulfilling of these things according to the letter for so Antichristianisme should be no mystery neither should there need such wisdome by the number of his name to finde out Antichrist That the Pope is this Antichrist it is no new coniecture of ours out of malice but a very ancient opinion maintained by sundry learned and godly men in diuers ages of the world that no time since his springing vp might want a testimony hereof Gregory the first called the great
preuaile as it is said of a threefold cord that it is not easily broken These preuaile so as that the Potentates of the earth stand to the Pope and fight for him and his religion euen vntill the great day of the Lords battell when all shall bee cut off that is at the day of iudgement which is described vnder the next viall by the commotions in the aire by thunderings and lightenings c. Others by the first plague vnderstand the Hierarchicall kingdome set vp in the dayes of Gregory the seuenth Grasser when the Roman Clergy began to be exempt from the secular iurisdiction becomming thus the more licentious in their filthinesse seeing none but the Pope and his instruments now had power to iudge them So that they make these seuen vials none other but types of corruption by degrees inuading the Church of Rome first in their manners they becomming most filthy and vile 2. In their doctrine set forth vnder the second viall by the sea turned into bloud 3. In their bloud-shed by being an occasion of many ciuill warres and dissentions 4. In their tyranny scorching like the heat of the Sunne in the Canicular dayes beginning in the dayes of Gregory the eighth 5. After all this the throne of the beast was darkened in the Councell of Constance by meanes of Iohn Husse and Ierom of Prague boldly laying open the wickednesse of the Papacy which made them euen to gnaw their tongues for sorrow 6. The sixt viall tooke effect in the sixteenth age of Christs incarnation when the Lusitanians passing beyond the promontory of the cape of good hope came into the Persian gulfe whereinto the riuer of Euphrates falleth and subiected the East parts thereof and going further tooke Calecut and Molucco and Iapania which are the vttermost bounds of the world and of the East in respect of vs founding there many Bishoptickes and seminaries of Iesuites whereas this way was neuer opened before neither had they any knowledge of the Romish religion And that this Prophecy might be fulfilled according to the letter by the comming of the Kings of the East from those parts so farre remote the Iesuites brought ouer the Embassadours of the three Kings of Iaponia ann 1584. thorow the most famous parts of Spaine and Italy to Rome where in the name of their kings they did obedience to Gregorie the thirteenth then Pope Genebrard in Psal 68 v 34. and this Genebrard himselfe a Papist acknowledgeth to bee the fulfilling of this prophecie holding that they came ouer to succour the Church now languishing through the great opposition that it findeth in these parts And in this time the Popes Legats and the Iesuites like frogs leaping about bestirre themselues to make ciuill commotions in all parts of Christendome for the rooting out of heretikes as they call them but the armies are gathered together into Harmageddon signifying a cursed army and so they make a way hereby to their owne vtter destruction figured out vnder the seuenth viall This exposition is prosecuted very largely by the Author Others vnderstanding by the earth whereupon these Angels are bidden to powre out their vials Forbs the earthly kingdome of Antichrist distinguish them according to the relation betwixt the earth sea riuers and aire which at the first are altogether vnderstood by the earth which is below being opposed to heauen aboue And thus the first viall is the first and lightest degree of euill that befell this kingdome when by the light of the Gospell their auarice filthinesse pride and hypocrisie as noisome boiles were detected â—ew yet daring to challenge their doctrine which is impugned vnder the next viall when this Sea appeared filthy like bloud the very worship processions and pilgrimages amongst them being exclaimed vpon as superstitious Vnder the third the corruption of their chiefe Doctours who as riuers seeke by their eloquence and learning to sweeten this Sea is set forth and withall the execution done vpon them for their conspiracies and treacheries against states and kingdomes Vnder the fourth viall they are inraged against the truth being exceedingly heat and vexed by the light and Sun-shine thereof growing clearer and of more force euery day for in stead of repenting they are more obdurated hereby Vnder the fift viall is shewed how the glory of Antichrists kingdome is darkened the Pope and Papistry becomming now vile and odious to many whereupon like men distracted they gnaw their tongues for sorrow Vnder the sixt viall is shewed how the riches glory and dominion of this kingdome being decayed set forth by the riuer Euphrates dried vp wherein it is alluded to Ier. 51. an open way shall be made for the Iewes and Mahumetans in the East to come in and receiue the Gospell that as their defection in the Easterne parts to Mahumetisme was occasioned by the rise of the Pope so their comming againe to embrace the truth may follow vpon the fall of the Pope But the Popes emissaries compared to vncleane spirits and frogs shall still seeke to hinder it by exciting the Potentates of the earth to wars in fauour of the Pope which when they shall be about with an high enterprise set forth by the word Harmageddon that is the mountaine of Megiddo which place is twice mentioned 1. Iudg. 5. when Iabin and Sisera are said to fall at the waters of Megiddo 2. when Iosiah was slaine by Pharaoh Necho in the valley of Megiddo 2 King 23. but here neither waters nor valley but mountaine of Megiddo is named to shew that when they should be at the highest pitch of their designe they should be defeated as God is said to foile Gog vpon the mountaines of Israel and hence a two-fold sorrow shall ensue one worldly of those that are ouerthrowne as the Midianites sorrowed when Iabin and Sisera were discomfited the other godly of those that hereby take occasion to see and acknowledge him whom they haue pierced as Zach. 12. and as they mourned for Iosiah when he was slaine by Pharaoh Necho Vnder the seuenth viall the great alteration that after these things shall be in the world is set forth all the enemies of the truth being destroyed the Church shall come to a flourishing state hauing nothing to expect more but the comming of the Bridegroome Christ Iesus Some more particularly holding that by these Angels certaine eminent persons are set forth Brightman who were stirred vp against the Papacy will haue the first to bee Queene ELIZABETH of blessed memory about ann 1560. and the byle to be her fauouring of the reformed religion turning out of their Bishoprickes and liuings Popish Bishops and Parsons The second Chemnitius in his writing of that booke called Examen Concilij Tridentini wherein the Sea of the Councell of Trent is set forth in the colours all bloudy and corrupt The third the Parlament here in England ann 1581. decreeing that they should be proceeded against as traitours who should at any time after goe about
heauen and the earth as doth also Saint Peter 2 Pet. 3.13 and therefore I doe not thinke that any sea shall haue a being any more but the glassie sea before the throne Chap. 4. the sea that now is being consumed with the heat of that fire as the Schoole-man speaketh And indeed the sea is such an huge depth and so hideous to behold when it worketh and the waues thereof are tossed to and fro that there is in it some representation of hell that bottomlesse pit boiling with fire and brimstone and therefore for comfort it is added that there was no sea Chap. 9. The Locusts before were noted to come out of the bottomlesse pit and the beast as terrible as they out of the sea Chap. 13. the sea therefore is as another bottomlesse pit against which there is need we should be comforted There shall bee no more sea then for any such beasts to arise out of againe for the terrour of the faithfull and this I take to be the very meaning without any further curious enquiring with the Schoole-men what shall become of the sea then and determining that it shall be changed into an heauenly spheare Saint Augustine by the sea here vnderstandeth the troubles of the world Aug. lib. 20. de Ciu. Dei cap. 17 the aduersities persecutions and great mutations of states which are alwayes here but then shall be no more And I saw the new Ierusalem comming downe from heauen Vers 2. c. This new Ierusalem is the Church glorified and so adorned like a Bride in all her best array Whereas it is obiected that the Church glorified is in heauen and therefore cannot be said to come down from heauen Pareus I answer with Pareus that she is said to come downe from heauen not in respect of locall motion but of her originall which is from God and from heauen for the Saints are begotten of God Iam. 1.18 and therefore may well be said to descend from him yea the Church of God being spoken of elsewhere by this name of Ierusalem is said to be from aboue in this sense Gal 4.26 Ierusalem which is from aboue is the mother of vs all Whereas it is further obiected that shee is spoken of as a Bride prepared for her husband which is by the ornaments of grace in this world I answer it is true the Church indeed is in preparing for Christ in this life but shee is not fully prepared till the accession of glory that shall bee at the last day which is the day of her marriage and therefore to intimate this time the Lord is spoken of not by the name of a Bridegroome but of an husband for it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We may gather then from hence that the glorified estate of the Church must needs be meant here because till that time she is not fully adorned and prepared for the marriage as she is set forth here to bee for shee is not without some imperfections vntill this time but here she is described as most compleat and perfect in euery respect The Tabernacle of God is with men Vers 3. c. that is with the faithfull he will hence-forth make his abode being vnder the same roofe as it were perpetually as the Bridgegroome liueth with his Bride after the marriage consummated and then it is shewed how happy this estate shall bee by the freedome from all misery and the fruition of all good things which happy condition of the faithfull that it might be made yet more illustrious the contrary estate of the wicked is described The fearefull and vnbeleeuing Vers 8. c. shall haue their part in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone By the fearefull vnderstand such as in the time of persecution are faint hearted so as that rather than they will come into any bodily danger they will fall from their profession of the truth They and all other wicked persons whether they be such as are here particularly reckoned vp or in any other kinde which is set forth by vnbeleeuers and abominable shall burne for euer in hell where they shall weepe and waile and gnash their teeth when as all sorrow and crying shall be done away to the godly Let the wicked therefore tremble at these things and turne and so many as feare God comfort themselues in the assured hope and expectation to be comforted farre beyond all the sorrowes that they doe or can endure in this world From hence-forward the Church reigning in heauen is described vnder the name of the new Ierusalem Hauing the glory of God Vers 11. and her light was like vnto a stone most precious euen like a Iasper stone cleare as crystall c. The Church doth communicate now with God in the brightnesse of his glory which before was represented by a Iasper stone Chap. 4.3 which is of incomparable brightnesse and so is the Crystall From hence it is proceeded to the wall great and high Vers 12. and the twelue gates The wall of a city serueth for defence that the inhabitants may be safe from the incursions of enemies and therefore the new Ierusalem is said to haue a great high wall to set forth the safety thereof Touching the gates whereof three are towards the East Vers 13. c. this is plainly borrowed from Ezech. 48.31 The gates towards all parts shew that this Church is gathered out of all parts of the world which is also plainly taught Luk. 13.29 They shall come out of the East West North South Luk 13.29 Andreas Napier sit down in the kingdom of God Neither do I dislike of the mystery of the Trinity hereby intimated according to some for why else should the number of three be set down rather than any other number The names of the twelue tribes of the childreÌ„ of Israel are written vpon these gates to shew that vnto the true Israelites only this city doth appertaine consisteth of such only Twelue Angels stand at the gates to shew how by the conduct and guidance of the Prophets Bullinger Pareus Napiâ—r Apostles and Ministers of God they are brought in according to some but me thinkes that Angels are rather properly to be vnderstood who are placed as a guard vnto the city at each gate Psal 34. for the Angels of God pitch their tents about those that feare God and they conduct the faithfull into heauen for the Angels at the last day are sent out to gather the wheat into Gods barne The Apostles are expresly mentioned in the next place Vers 14. in speaking of the foundations of this city whereupon their names are written And it is set forth to haue foundations because strong buildings haue foundations well laid and the twelue Apostles names are inscribed vpon them according to the place which they had in the Church in this world Yee are built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets
Eph. 2.20 Christ Iesus himselfe being the chiefe corner stone Not that Christ only is not the foundation of the Church but because they are the chiefe next vnto him and by them others are built vpon Christ This is therefore thus set forth for honours sake vnto them being the most eminent in this spirituall building The obiection which is made from hence that the Church triumphant in heauen cannot bee meant here because the faithfull shall not then depend vpon the Apostles as they doe in this life for so much as here they need their writings for instruction and direction this I say is most weake for they are not therefore said to be foundations in heauen because others depend vpon them but for the eminency of their glory which is in the highest degree as they haue beene instruments of greatest glory to God in this world And the city lieth foure-square Vers 16. and the length is as large as the bredth and he measured the city with the reed twelue thousand furlongs the length and the bredth and the height of it are equall This foure-square figure serueth to set forth the firme and vnmoueable standing of the faithfull in that glorious estate Bullinger the number of furlongs here mentioned is thought by some to be the length and bredth and height seuerally each of them being twelue thousand But I assent rather to them that account this to be the whole compasse of the city Pareus comprehending the bredth and length for they are plainly cast vp together so that there being foure sides to measure each is but three thousand furlongs that is three hundred seuenty and fiue of our English miles a city of wonderfull greatnesse farre exceeding old Babylon Herod lib. 1. which is also described by Herodotus to bee foure-square but in compasse onely foure hundred and fourescore furlongs the height was two hundred cubits and the thicknesse of the wall fifty cubits but the compasse of this is twelue thousand furlongs the height equall to the length or bredth that is three thousand furlongs and the thicknesse followeth one hundred forty and foure cubits It is set forth to be thus large because there is roome enough for all the faithfull and of an equall bredth and length and so each side equall to shew that it consisteth alike of people of all parts of the world for as much as the Gospell was sent to all the world It is of this extraordinary height and thicknesse to shew that there is no getting into it but by the gates and it is impregnable for strength That the thicknesse of the wall is meant when it is said Hee measured the wall thereof 144. cubits must needs bee yeelded because the height was described before And it is to be noted how all the numbers here goe vpon twelue according to the number of the twelue Tribes and the twelue Apostles for twelue being multiplied by twelue make one hundred forty and foure to shew that onely true Israelites such as are built vpon the holy Apostles are members and parts of this building The measure whereby the city is measured is said to be of a man which is the measure of the Angell Haime Some vnderstand this of the shape of a man wherein the Angell appeared and so it was the measure of a man that is of the Angell in appearance like vnto a man but this is ouerthrowne by that which went before at the first comming of the Angell to talke with Iohn where it is said one of the seuen Angels came vnto mee not one like vnto a man Some therefore thinke that it is meant Viegaâ— that man is an Angell in the estate here described according to that of our Sauiour Christ They shall be as the Angels for they come into the place of Angels but no such thing as I take it can be meant here because not man but man regenerate and sanctified shall be as an Angell and in this state he is not wont to be spoken of by the name of man but the faithfull or Saints Lastly the most genuine and most receiued exposition is Bullâ—nger Pareus Napier that the measures of furlongs and cubits here measured by are such as bee vsuall amongst men for this kinde of measure was the measure which the Angell vsed and he saith which is of the Angell that is which is the measure vsed by the Angell Whereas this is vsed as an argument to proue that the Church triumphant is not meant here but the Church militant vpon earth because the measure of a man is vsed it is very weake seeing the onely end of this explication of the measure is for our vnderstanding of the iust length breadth height and thicknesse of the wals of the city as this Prophecy is directed to vs and not to shew where this city is Hauing thus described the measures hee proceedeth next to the matter of the building And the building of the wall was of Iasper Vers 18. and the City was pure gold like vnto cleare glasse The Iasper stone is much celebrated in this booke he that sitteth vpon the throne is likened to a Iasper and when the glory of this city was said to be as the glory of God the light of it is immediatly said to be as of a Iasper here the wall is of Iasper and the prime stone of the foundation is Iasper This stone is of a most beautifull greene colour and so may well set forth a state like the Spring alwayes greene neuer withering or decaying by age such as is the glorified estate of the Saints in heauen The cleare crystall 〈◊〉 also spoken of before in describing her light vnto which pure gold is also added here these being things of greatest exâ—â—â—ency and most cleere and pure that hereby we might vnderstand what the excellency of this estate is and more eagerly ensue after it as worldly men doe after gold and pretious stones Vnto the foundations more particularly are ascribed particular pretious stones with which they are said to be garnished for vpon the foundations were inscribed the names of the twelue Apostles as representing them now in their glorified estate who as a foundation in a building are the chiefe parâ— of this â—â—â—â—uall edifice These foundations therefore are set forth thâ—â— garnished to shew that as all this building is glorious so the Apostles who haue beene the chiefest instruments â—â—orifying God vpon earth are most glorious The ornament of the first foundation is a Iasper stone Vers 19. the second a Saphire the third a Calcedony c. Some will haue these stones disposed vnto this order according to the order of the Apostles so that the first in the nature and vertues thereof is fitted vnto the first of the Apostles Peter and the other to the rest applying to each Apostle one Arethas Andreas but here some make Paul the second and some Andrew The Iasper stone they say doth well
agree vnto Peter for his continuall most affectionate loue to his Lord and Master Christ as the Iasper doth represent the greene spring Ioâ—chim Ribera The Saphire they which are for Andrew say agreeth well vnto him because it is skie coloured representing the heauens with some streames of little clouds for he was most heauenly minded but they which are for Paul apply it to his being taken vp into the third heauen They which apply the second vnto Andrew proceed to apply the Calcedony to Iames the elder the Smaragd to Iohn the Sardonix to Philip the Sardis to Bartholomew the Chrysolite to Matthew the Berill to Thomas the Topaz to Iames the lesser the Chrysoprasus to Iudas the brother of Iames the Hiacinth to Simon and the Amethist to Matthias But for so much as the Apostles are not alwayes reckoned vp in the same order but in a diuers Mat. 10. Mark 3.16 Luk. 6.13 Neither can it bee certaine in what order they are to bee placed for that the order of their calling is vncertaine I hold with them that decline this particular applying of each precious stone to each Disciple Bl. Viegas Pareus Bullinger c. as a point of curiosity and thinke rather that onely in generall these twelue stones are said to bee in the foundation inscribed with the names of the twelue Apostles to set forth the excellency of their glory as in the diuers vertues and graces of the holy ghost they haue excelled here to represent which these pretious stones doe fitly serue The Iasper besides the most delectable greene coulour is renowmed for the vertue of chasing away phantasies Francis Rucus Parâ—us Viegas who alleageth Plizy Isâ—â—â—e and Bâ—da for his Authors a fit type of the Apostles freedome from vaine phantasies of this world and of their alwayes virent faith and loue The Saphire say some is like the pure skie with some streams of little clouds transfused and that the vertue of it is to make chaste but some say that it is of a green colour also full of Crystalline and golden points that the vertue of it is medicinall The first is roost certaine for the colour for the Saphire is so described Ex. 24.10 it is said to be as the body of heauen in his clearnesse And this doth well agree to all the Apostles who shone as the cleare heauens by the light of their doctrine and stirred vp many to make themselues chaste for the kingdome of Heauen that is to abstaine from mariage that they might be the fitter to goe about preaching the Gospell or to beare the aduersities of those times Or else by their preaching they wrought so as that men became chaste in respect of spirituall vncleannes in abandoning idolatry sin And if there be a medicinall vertue in it they were all Physicians of the soule The Calcedony is of a purple colour reported to be bred of a diuine showre in Aegypt Pareus in Lotharingia there are of them that be red it is a kinde of Carbuncle the vertue of it is to expell melancholy and fearfulnesse This doth serue fitly to represent the bloudy passions of the Apostles being void of all feare and most couragious in the midst of their sufferings Blas Viegas Others compare it with the flame of the fire which appeareth abroad but not in the house and so it is applied to their light and open setting forth of the Gospell not in corners and secret places The Smaragd is of a most delightfull green colour and groweth in Scythia Pareus they ascribe vnto it vertue against poison and against the falling sicknesse being hanged about the necke or worne in a ring it helpeth chastity recreateth the sight cherisheth the memory and increaseth wealth which last I thinke is to him that hath store of them by their price it is easie to apply this to the manifold good comming to the world by the Apostles Blas Viegas Others say that it is of the vertue to change any thing neere it into its own colour which if it be so it may well be applied to the Apostles who conuerted others to the fame faith to which they had beene conuerted before The Sardonix is like the naile of a mans hand from whence also it hath the name Pareus for Onyx is such a naile It groweth in India and Arabia it is good against disdainfulnesse and all hurtfull affections Blas Viegas To this others adde that it is like the naile of a mans hand with the flesh appearing thorow which is by reason of that red and of it selfe white and so it taketh the name from a Sardis which is red and Onyx the naile of the hand which is white the whitenesse may set forth their purity the rednesse their martyrdome The Sardin stone is red in colour but somewhat darke it expelleth feare ingendreth boldnesse Pareus freeth from witchcrafts stencheth the bloud at the nose quickneth the wit and maketh the minde ioyfull To this some adde Viegas that it striketh feare into wilde beasts so the Apostles did into Deuils The Chrysolite is of a golden and sea-colour together it is good against the difficulty of breathing and driueth away feares by night so the Apostles did helpe the obstructions of men and made them to breath freely by the Holy Ghost which they conferred and expelled the feare of the Deuill The Berill is of a light greene colour and groweth in India it helpeth watering eyes and the euill affects of the Liuer and sighings so the Apostles brought ioy to those that were before in a sad and wofull case The Topaz is of a golden colour being transfused with a kinde of greene or as some say reddish Pareus Andreas sending out a milkie liquor it cureth the eyes it stencheth bloud in a wound and as the vertue is more or lesse according to the increase or decrease of the Moone so it helpeth the lunatike Viegas Some say that it hath a golden and a skie colour and that if it be polished it becommeth the more obscure so the Apostles in their writings if by humane art and eloquence they be set forth their lustre is the lesse they are no way so glorious as being simply and plainly set forth in the euidencâ— of the Spirit The Chrysoprasus is of a golden colour inclining to greene whence it hath the name for Chrysos is gold and Frason a Leeke because the greene is like the greene of a Leeke it strengtheneth the heart and healeth the weaknesse of the eyes so the Apostles comforted the hearts of those that heard them and did helpe the weake sighted The Hyacinth hath the name from the red blue and yellow Lilly like vnto which it is for there bee three sorts of these three colours it causeth sleepe and defendeth from the plague if it be hanged so that it may touch the skin next the heart and some say that it also increaseth riches Some adde that this