For they are virgins that is chast worshippers of God which are not polluted with the defilemeÌ„ts of Antichrist These follow the Lamb Christ whersoeuer he goeth They heare his voyce they professe his worship and obey his doctrine they abhorre Antichrist they followe not the beast nor receiue his marke They are bought from men and bought from the earth as it is sayd before that is they are redeemed and bought with a price from the corrupt lumpe of mankind and cursed race of Adam that they might bee the first fruits vnto God and to the Lambe that is wholy consecrated to his worship and to serue him in righteousnesse and true holinesse all the dayes of their life In their mouthes was found no guile That is they doe declare their innocencie and vprightnesse both in their words and works as those which Christ hath chosen out of this world and bought with a price thorough his bloud in whom they are without spot or speck before God vers 6 Then I saw another Angell flie in the middest of heauen hauing an euerlasting Gospell to preach vnto them that dwell on the earth and to euery nation and kinred and tongue and people vers 7 Saying with a loud voice Feare God and giue glorie vnto him for the houre of his iudgement is come and worship him that made heauen and earth and the sea and the fountaines of waters Hitherto the holy Ghost hath taught vs how the Church was preserued vnder the tyrannie of Antichrist and greatest waues of persecutions and that euen then they did purely and faithfully worship the true God Now he proceedeth to foreshew the ruine and downfall of Antichrist and plainely to prophesie the vtter decay of the kingdome of Babell This doctrine therefore we are to hearken vnto with great attention and cheerefulnesse because it doth so much concerne our good the good of the whole church also because we liue in the dayes wherin we see it is in part fulfilled First therefore wee are to vnderstand what is meant by this Angell heere mentioned to wit not anie celestiall Angell or inuisible spirit as it is sundrie times taken before but by this Angell and the two Angels following are meant all the faithfull Ministers of the Gospell which should bee raised vp in these last dayes for the ouerthrow of Rome and the deliuering of the Church from vnder the captiuitie of Antichrist which may plaineâ—y appeare by this that it is said this Angell preacheth the euerlasting Gospell vnto them that dwell on the earth which cannot properly agree to the celestiall spirits Wee haue heard out of the tenth chapter that Iesus Christ did open the little booke which is the Bible and did giue authoritie to his faithfull Ministers to goe preach and publish the doctrine thereof to manie nations countries and kingdomes chapter 10.11 nowe vnto that agreeth this which is heere spoken of and is a further opening and declaring of that which is there set downe For as there Iesus Christ commeth downe from heauen and openeth the little booke which had beene long shut vp vnder the darknesse of Poperie and the smoake which came out of the bottomlesse pit so heere Christ Iesus raiseth vp his faithfull Ministers and preachers to publish and proclaime the doctrine of the Gospell which had long lyen hidde vnder the outragious persecutions of the two monstrous and most hideous beasts chapter 18.1 To this also agreeth that which is written in the eighteenth chapter of this Booke where Saint Iohn seeth an Angell come downe from heauen hauing great power so that the earth was lightened with his glorie By which Angell is meant all the Preachers of this age And the Angell is saide to haue great power For what is more powerfull then the ministerie of the word And moreouer it is sayd that the earth was lightened with his glorie that is with the brightnesse of the preaching of the Gospel whereby the darkenesse of Poperie was dispersed and driuen away and Babylon falleth vpon it as there you may reade and as heere we shall see the like effect by and by Moreouer it is heere sayd that this Angell flieth in the middest of heauen that is verie swiftly carrieth this euerlasting Gospell thorough all the Churches For when Gods appointed time was come wherein he would goe about the ouerthrowe of Poperie he caused his euerlasting Gospell to be set abroach and to spread ouer many kingdoms and nations as wee see this day Now because these kingdoms where God would haue the knowledge of his Gospell diuulged were manie and great therefore heere is expedition required and this Angell doth carie it not standing but flying And all this we see perfectly fulfilled with our eyes when God raised vp Luther Zuinglius Melancthon Peter Viret Caluin Bucer Bullinger Peter Martyr and all their worthy successours vnto this day which haue spred the euerlasting Gospell verie farre and caried it verie swiftly ouer England Scotland Germanie Denmarke Polonia Sweuia Russia and many parts of France and Flaunders Another reason why this Angell is said to flie in the middest of heauen is because no power of man shall euer be able to stay the course of this euerlasting Gospel which this Angel carieth abroad no more then men are able to stoppe the course of the Sunne in the heauens or a cloud in the skie For this Angel flyeth in the midst of heauen far aboue the reach of the beast and al Kinges and Potentates that stand for the kingdom of the beast Therefore let them doe al what they can they shal neuer be able to stop the course of the Gospel For it is called the arme of God his very arme holdeth it forth to the world and who is able to bend it in or to turne it backward There be three reasons why the Gospell is called euerlasting First because it is in his owne nature euerlasting as it is written the worde of the Lord indureth for euer Secondly because it putteth vs in possession of euerlasting things As it is written Thy word O Lord endureth for euer in heauen Thirdly principally because as it was long before Antichrist was hatched so it shal continue when he and his kingdome is dead and rotten Saying with a loud voice Feare God ver 7 and giue glory vnto him c. Here is sette down the doctrine which this Angel preacheth with a loud voice that is with great zeale The summe whereof is this Feare God and giue glory vnto him and worship him that made heauen and earth c. The sense is that the true and euerliuing God should only be feared and worshipped and all glory should be giuen to him alone through Christ and none to Antichrist none to Cardinals and Legats none to Angelles none to Saintes none to images roods crosses and crucifixes Here then is set downe an abridgement of the doctrine of this euerlasting Gospell namely that men should onely feare God and worship him and
whom hee calleth the rest of the dead and hee saith these shall not liue againe meaning the life of God or the life of grace and whereas hee addeth vntill the thousand yeeres be finished he meaneth neuer or not at all for so the word vntill is often taken in the scriptures and it is sure that after the expiration of the thousand yeeres they did not liue the life of God and the life of the spirit For then the diuell was let loose vpon the world to worke his pleasure and to seduce with all efficacie of error and iniquitie Whereas it is said this is the first resurrection he meaneth the rising from sinne to the life of righteousnesse which was in the thousand yeeres of the gospells preaching and therefore hee addeth that he is blessed that hath part in the first resurrection c. and saith that all such shall raigne with Christ a thousand yeers Which is meant of the raigne of the faithfull euen vpon earth for the space of that thousand yeeres in which Sathan was bound but yet excludeth not their eternall glory in the heauens ver 7 And when the thousand yeeres are expired Sathan shall bee loosed out of his prison ver 8 And shall goe out to deceiue the people which are in the foure corners of the earth euen Gog and Magog to gather them together to battaile whose number is as the sand of the sea ver 9 And they went vp vnto the plaine of the earth and they compassed the tents of the Saints about and the beloued cittie But fire came downe from God out of heauen and deuoured them Now S. Iohn telleth vs that after the determination of the thousand yeeres Sathan shall be let loose vpon the world for their vnthankfulnesse and contempt of the Gospell to seduce and deceiue euen as much as euer hee did No maruaile therefore that the two great and monstrous heresies of Popery and Mahometrie did now beginne mightely to grow and increase in the world For what other thing can bee looked for after this letting loose of Sathan But wee are to obserue that as Sathan was bound by degrees through the ministery of Christ and his Apostles and their immediat successors so also he was loosed by degrees by the preuailing of heresies till the great Antichrist was hatched and brought into the possession of his cursed chaire For Sathan was not fully loosed till the yeere of our Lord 998. At what time Siluester the second came to bee Pope who was in league with the Diuell Stories doe report that at his death hee called for the Cardinals and confessed that hee had familiaritie with the Diuell and how hee had giuen himselfe vnto him body and soule so that hee might come to the papall dignitie After him succeeded sundry other Popes which were notorious monsters some of them murderers some poisoners some sorcerers some coniurers By whom the diuell was fully loosed all light of the gospell and true religion being in a manner cleane put out most abhominable Idolatrie all manner of villany spreading ouer the face of the earth therefore S. Iohn saith that Sathan being thus fully loosed hee went forth to deceiue the people which were in the foure corners of the earth euen Gog and Magog c. This seducing by Sathan heere spoken of is the same with that which is spoken Chapter 13. onely this excepted that this of Gog and Magog is more generall Wee reade there how all nations kindreds and tongues were made to worship the image of the beast and to receiue his marke but that is to bee extended no further then to those kingdomes which were subiect to the papacie But heere by these armies of Gog and Magog are vnderstood all the chiefe enemies of the Church in these last daies since the loosing of Sathan both open and secret both Turk and Pope for the Turk is an open enemie the Pope a more close enemie Gog signifieth couered Magog vncouered wherby is noted the Pope the Turk For the Pope coÌ„meth couered vnder the name of Christ and Christs vicar Peters successor c. But the Turk commeth vncouered for hee openly denieth and impugneth Christ Moreouer the names of Gog and Magog are heere set downe to note of what countries these chiefe enemies should spring to wit out of Scithia Siria Arabia Italy and Spaine For Magog was the sonne of Iapheth Gen. 10. ver 2. of whom came the Sythians Gog was the name of a great Captaine in the lesser Asia which built a citie and named it after his owne name Gogkartah that is the citie of Gog. And it is put in the prophesie of Ezechiel for the whole region of the lesser Asia and Siria Whereby the prophet did foretell that the great enemies of the Church should arise out of those coasts As in very truth they did for out of Egipt Scithia Siria and the lesser Asia did spring vp Ptolomeus Silencus Antigonus Cassander and the rest of Alexanders posteritie which vexed and oppressed the Iewes by the space of 294. yeeres euen vntill the comming of the Messias at what time the deuided Greeke empire was ouerthrowen and translated to the Romanes Furthermore it is to bee noted that the prophet Ezechiell saith that Gog is the chiefe prince of Mesech and Tuball By Mesech hee meaneth Arabia and by Tuball Italy and Spaine noting thereby the countries and kingdomes from whence the great persecutors of the Church from the returne out of the captiuitie of Babylon vntill the comming of the Messias should arise For assuredly those enemies were collected of diuers nations but serued chiefely vnder the princes of Asia the lesser of Siria and of Scithia Now then to conclude Gog and Magog in Ezechiell are put for the princes of those couÌ„tries which were the chiefe Captaines in gathering great and mightie armies vnto battaile against the children of Israell after they were come out of the captiuitie of Babylon And the prophet there in one summe vnder the armies of Gog and Magog comprehendeth all the enemies that fought against them from time to time after the captiuitie vnto the comming of Christ And now for the application of this vnto the enemies of the Church vnder the Gospell wee must first note that through this booke the figures and phrases of speech are taken out of the law the prophets Now therefore when the Lord would set foorth in one summe all the enemies of the Church which Sathan mustereth after the time of his loosing out of prison before the comming of Christ to iudgement there is no one place more fit to set foorth all these armies then those armies of Gog and Magog therefore the names euen Gog and Magog are heere brought in to set foorth these huge arâ—ies of the Turk and of the Pope and of all the enemies of the Church in these last daies which should gather theÌ„selues to battaile being in number as the sand of the sea as S. Iohn saith
willingly be barred out of this pallace of infinit pleasure for the short fruition of worldly lucre and trash Let vs therefore in all time to come make more reckoning of heauen and lesse reckoning of the earth Let vs minde heauenly things despise earthly things let vs prease hard vnto the things that are before and forget the things that are behind Let vs striue hard for the price of the high calling of God and contemne euen the glory of this world Chap. 22. IN this Chapter S. Iohn proceedeth yet more largely to describe the blessed estate of all Gods Saints in the kingdome of glory and the principall scope and drift of this Chapter is yet more to enlarge the ioyes of Gods people after this life and to ratifie the authoritie of this prophesie This chapter containeth foure principall parts The first is an amplification of the ioyes of Gods kingdome The second is a confirmation of the authoritie of this booke ver 9.10 11.12 13.14.15 The third is an exhortation both to spread abroad the knowledge of this booke and also for euery man to prepare himselfe for the comming of Christ vnto iudgement ver 17 20. The fourth is the feruent desire of the Church for the second appearing of Christ The text ver 1 AND hee shewed me a pure riuer of the water of life cleare as Christall proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lambe ver 2 In the middest of the streete of it and of either side of the riuer was the tree of life which bare twelue manner of fruits and gaue fruit euery moneth and the leaues of the tree serue to heale the nations with ver 3 And there shall bee no more curse but the throne of God and of the Lambe shall bee in it and his seruants shall serue him ver 4 And they shall see his face and his name shall bee in their foreheads ver 5 And there shall bee no night there and they neede no candle neither light of the Sunne For the Lord God giueth them light and they shall raigne for euermore The Angell doth yet further shew vnto Iohn a pure riuer of the water of life Whereby is signified the ouerflowing aboundance of all good things which the righteous shall enioy in the kingdome of glory This riuer is said to proceede out of the throne of God and of the Lambe because God in Christ is the originall of all this life and happinesse Further it is added that in the midst of the golden street of this new Ierusalem and of both sides the riuer there was a tree of life Which representeth Christ now in this heauenly paradise as in former time it represented Christ in the earthly paradise and also that eternall and blessed life which our first parents should enioy if they did continue in the obedience of God This tree standeth not in an out corner of the citie but in the very middest of the streete and of both sides the riuer that all the Citizens of the new Ierusalem might haue free accesse vnto it and tast of the most daintie fruits thereof in great varietie for it beareth twelue manner of fruits that is in Christ all varietie of pleasure and endlesse delight is to bee found This tree beareth fruit euery moneth as well in winter as in sommer for heere euery moneth is Autumne The sense is that in Christ the new and fresh fruits of immortall ioy without any satiety or loathing are for euer to be found The leaues of this tree are very medicinable and sauatiue For they serue to heale the nations with that is to preserue them from all diseases and griefes which argueth a most blessed life not subiect to sicknesse or any other infirmitie For Christ is our neuer failing phisition which in this life healeth all our spirituall diseases and infirmities And after this life will preserue vs in perpetuall health and happinesse There shall bee no more curse that is in the heauenly paradise we shall no more be subiect to any curse as Adam was in the earthly paradise Which also argueth the perfection of happines after this life yet for further amplification of this most glorious estate it is said that the throne of God of Christ shall be erected in the middest of this golden street and all his chosen people shall there accompany him dwell with him bee alwaies about him yea and serue him without wearines for euer Yea all his faithfull worshippers shall come so neere his throne that they shall see his very face and bee rauished with his glory hauing his image his name his wisdome and mercie imprinted in their foreheads yea his vnconceiuable light and glory shall bee so resplendent that there shall bee neither night nor neede of candle but in his glittering and most glorious chamber of presence shall all his elect raigne and triumph with him for euermore in infinit felicitie and the very fruition of eternall delectation where shall bee mirth without measure and solace without sorrow as the Prophet saith in thy presence is the fulnesse of ioy and at thy right hand there is pleasure for euermore And hee saide vnto mee ver 6 these wordes are faithfull and true and the Lord God of the holy Prophets sent his Angell to shew vnto his seruants the things which must shortly bee fulfilled Beholde I come shortly Blessed is hee that keepeth the words of the prophesie of this booke ver 7 And I am Iohn which saw and heard these things ver 8 and when I had heard and seene I fell downe to worship before the feete of the Angell which shewed me these things But hee said vnto mee see thou doe it not for I am thy fellow seruant and of thy brethren the Prophets ver 9 and of them which keepe the wordes of this booke worship God In these foure verses are foure speciall reasons brought to confirme and ratifie the authoritie of this booke The first of them is the affirmation of the Angell The second the authoritie of the most high God The third the testimonie of Iesus pronouncing them blessed which keepe this prophesie The fourth the testimonie of Iohn who heard and saw these things But beecause in the epistle to the Reader I haue more at large handled this argument and these same verses therefore heere I doe of purpose relinquish them And that also of Iohns adoration and the Angels refusall beeing thinges most manifest and easie to vnderstand ver 10 And hee said vnto mee seale not the words of the prophesie of this booke for the time is at hand ver 11 Hee that is vniust let him bee vniust still and hee which is filthie let him bee filthie still and hee that is righteous let him bee righteous still and hee that is holy let him be holy still ver 12 And behold I come shortly and my reward is with mee to giue euerie man according as his worke shaâ—l bee ver 13 I am
Church should be full of eies to looke out for the good of his Church and to giue light to all others for hee is the life and light of the world And he came and tooke the booke out of the right hand of him that sate vpon the throne vers 7 Here Iesus Christ taketh the booke out of his Fathers hand purposing both to open it and expound it For he is the onely expounder of the law and the best interpreter of his Fathers will vers 8 Herevpon it is said that the foure beastes and 24. Elders fell downe before the Lambe to testifie their thankfulnesse and inward ioy and reioycing that the Son of God would take vpō him this office which none other would or could performe Moreouer by their falling downe and worshipping him they doo plainely testifie that hee is God ouer all to be blessed for euer For otherwise the Angels of heauen both Cherubins and Seraphins would not thus fall downe and worshippe him ascribing vnto him both deitie and diuine honour Consider then how great hee is of whom it is said Let all the Angels of God worship him Moreouer these Angels and Saints are said to haue euery one harpes and golden viols full of odours which are the praiers of the Saints vers 8 These harpes doo signifie the sweete concent and harmony both of men and Angels in sounding forth the praises of the Lambe For herein the whole Church both militant and triumphant doo accord and tune together as many harpers harping with their harpes as it is written also in an other place Hereby also they do plainely testifie that inward peace and spirituall ioy which all the faithfull haue through Christe which is more sweete and delightsome to the soule then any musicke is vnto the eares The viols full of odours are expounded to bee the praiers of the Saints which are therefore compared to odours because they smell sweete in the nosthrils of God and are more fragrant then any nosegay or perfume whatsoeuer for hee taketh great pleasure in the praiers of his people especially when they come out of golden viols that is sanctified hearts and consciences for euerie sanctified heart is a golden heart in the sight of God and euerie regenerate conscience is a iewell of price guilt with golde and enameled with pearle For this cause the holy man Dauid wisheth earnestly that his heart might bee so renewed and cleansed inwardely that his prayer might bee directed as incense in Gods sight and the listing vp of his handes as a sweete smelling sacrifice Furthermore vers 9 these Saints and Angels doo sing a new song That is they do sing to the praises of the Lambe with renued affections vnwearied desires Their inward ioy continueth alwaies fresh and greene as the Bay-tree They neuer wither or waxe wearie of the seruice of God Their song is euermore new and therefore euermore delightsome For the more new any thing is the more pleasant and delectable for men are not affected with olde but altogether with new things Now then Iesus Christ hauing taken this booke into his hande to open and expounde is applauded vnto by the general consent and voices of the whole church For say they Thou art worthy to take the booke vers 9 and to open the seales thereof Wherein they doo all with cōmon consent giue their voices vnto Christ acknowledging him to be the only fit persō in heauē or earth to take vpō him this functiō of opening a booke so closed so clasped so shut so sealed and they do yeeld a reason of their proceedings because say they thou wast killed and hast redeemed vs vnto God by thy blood out of euery kindred and tongue and people and nation Meaning hereby that he was put to death to pay the price of our redemptiō in whom all the beleeuers both of the Iewes and Gentiles are saued Their reason then is this he that hath died and risen againe and is now exalted farre aboue all principalities and powers c. is the most fit Instrument to open and interpret this booke But thou ô Christ the Lambe of God art such a one therefore thou of all others art most meete to take this matter vpon thee and to enter into this businesse Further they amplifie their reason thus that hee hath made vs of slaues and seruants vers 10 Kings and of prophane persons Priests vnto the most high God And last of all that we shall raigne vpon the earth Not meaning heereby that we shall raigne as earthly kings or only enioy an earthly kingdome For out of all doubt the Saints shall raigne with Christ in the heauens for euermore But heere is mention made of raigning in the earth because after this life Gods children shall haue the fruition and inheritance both of heauen and earth that is to say that new heauen and new earth wherein dwelleth righteousnesse for the heauens and the earth being redintegrated and purged from corruption shall be the portion of the Saintes and the habitation of the elect for euermore After all this vers 11 Iohn heareth the voice of innumerable Angels beside the foure beastes That is the Cherubins and Seraphins or chief Angels that is Angels deputed to chiefe offices round about the throne which all with a loud voice do acknowledge the Lambe which was killed to be worthy of all honor glory praise c. vers 12 And not onely these innumerable Angels being twentie thousād times ten thousand but also all other creatures both in heauē and earth as the Sun Moone Starres the fishes in the Sea and the beastes in the earth do all in their kinde sing the same song vers 13 acknowledging all honour and glory praise and power to belong vnto him that sitteth vpon the throne and vnto the Lambe for euermore For although the creature is as yet subiect to the bondage of corruption and therefore groneth and trauelleth in paine waiting when the sonnes of God shal be reuealed yet it stādeth in assured expectation of restitution to libertie incorruption and therefore here all the creatures do praise the Lambe for that restauration which they doo so longly and wishly looke for And the foure beasts said Amen That is they do subscribe to those praises which the creature yeeldeth to their Creator And not onely the Angels do subscribe and consent vnto it but the 24. Elders also who fall downe worship him that liueth for euermore So that the Lambe is praised and worshipped of all hands both of men and Angels and all other creatures as God euerlasting and blessed for euermore CHAP. VI. IN the fourth chapter we haue heard the description of God the Father which holdeth the sealed booke in his right hand In the fift chapter wee haue had the description of Iesus Christ the opener and interpreter of this seuen sealed booke Now in this sixt chapter wee are to vnderstande of the matter and contentes of this booke
Which question is asked of the Elder not as being ignorant thereof but to stirre vp Iohn being ignorant to enquire of the matter that he might instruct him therein And therfore when Iohn confessed his ignorance desiring to be instructed therein the Elder telleth him the whole matter namely vers 14 that they were such as were come out of great tribulation For none can enter into life but through many afflictions as the Apostle saith After this againe the militant and visible church is described and set forth not according to their present state but according to that which is to come vers 16 vers 15 for they are here spoken of as if they were alreadie in the possession of heauen and that for infallible certaintie and assurance thereof Therfore the Apostle saith that euen already they do sit together in heauenly places And here they are said to be in the presence of the throne of God vers 16 c. to hunger and thirst no more c. to haue all teares wiped from their eyes vers 17 and to be ledde by the Lambe vnto the fountaines of liuing waters All which dooth very plainely and plentifully expresse that infinite glory and endlesse felicitie which is prepared for all the true and faithfull worshippers of God Many good lessons and obseruations might be gathered out of all this But I do of purpose omit them because in this worke I do chiefly and almost altogether aime at interpretation therein also studying breuitie soundnesse and plainenesse CHAP. VIII WE haue heard out of the seuenth Chapter how the diuels and their instruments the Romaine Emperors did stop the course of the Gospel Now in this chapter we are to heare the woeful effects of the stopping thereof which was the springing vp preuailing of manifolde errors heresies in the worlde So that the principall scope and drift of this chapter is to shewe that God for the contempt of his Gospel and great indignities offered to the true professors thereof did giue vp the worlde to blindnesse to errour to superstition and heresie and as the Apostle saith Because they receiued not the loue of the truth therefore God sent them strong delusions that they should beleeue lies For as before we haue heard how the worlde was most fearefully punished with externall plagues and iudgements So here we are to vnderstand how the same was punished with iudgements spirituall and internall as formerly hath bene said vpon the stopping of the foure windes For although that spirituall plague was very great yet these spirituall plagues which follow vpon the opening of the seuenth seale are farre greater For now we are to heare and vnderstand not onely of the errours and heresies whereby a way and passage was made by degrees as it were by certaine staires for Antichrist to climbe vp into his cursed chaire and to take possession thereof but also wee are to vnderstand of his very tyrannie and kingdome it selfe and also of the kingdome of the Turke and the last iudgement For the things contained vnder the opening of the seuenth seale do reach vnto the ende of the worlde For the booke sealed with seuen seales containeth all the whole matters which were to bee reuealed This chapter containeth foure principall things as it were the foure parts thereof First the reuerent attention and silence vers 1 with admiration which was in the Church at and vpon the comming forth of this most horrible vengeance Secondly before the execution of these most execrable plagues vers 2.3.4.5 the Church is remembred and set in safetie with all her children by her great mediator Christ Iesus Thirdly the execution of this vengeance vers 6 which commeth forth at the blowing of the seuen trumpets by seuen Angels Fourthly the vengeance it selfe contained in the preuailing of errour and heresie vers 7.8.9.10.11.12.13 the falling away of the Pastors of the Church and the vniuersall darkenesse that followed therevpon And when hee had opened the 7. seale there was silence in heauen about halfe an houre By heauen in this place he meaneth not the kingdome of glory after this life but by heauen is meant the Church here vpon earth as it is so taken chap. 12. verse 1. and chap. 14. verse 2. There may bee three reasons yeelded why the church is called heauen First because the birth thereof is from heauen for it is borne of God Secondly because the inheritance therof is from heauen and therefore is called the inheritance of the Saints Thirdly because the conuersation therof is in heauen as the Apostle saith To this may be added that our Lorde Iesus in his Gospell dooth so often call his visible Church the Kingdome of heauen by a trope because Christ beginneth his raigne in the faithfull therein whom afterward he translateth actually into the very kingdome of glory By silence here is meant the great attention of the church because great things were now in hand For now vpon the opening of the 7. seale farre greater matters are threatned then any before and therfore the Church doth listen vnto them in deepe silence as it were in horror and trembling through admiration for now there appeare such dreadfull iudgements of God to be executed vpon the earth that all the heauenly company are astonished and amazed to behold it and do as it were quake and tremble to thinke vpon it For as when heauie newes commeth downe from the Prince to bee proclaimed in open markets all good subiects doe listen and giue eare with silence and trembling so it fareth in this case By halfe an houre hee meaneth that short time wherein the minds of the godly were prepared fitted and disposed wisely to consider of these matters and to make good vse of them I know right well that this Verse is farre otherwise interpreted of some but I take this to bee most sound and simple and best agreeing to all that followeth for the next Verse is ioyned vnto this by a coniunction copulatiue to note a coherence of the matter and to draw the sense together for he saith And I saw 7. vers 2 Angels which stood before God and to them were giuen seuen Trumpets These seuen Trumpets signifie that God would proceede against the worlde in fearefull hostilitie and come against it as an open enemie vnto battell proclaiming open warre against it as it were with sound of Trumpet and Dromme setting vp the flag of defiance against it And hereupon groweth this silence and trembling in the Church which onely is mooued with the signes of Gods wrath when as all others sit still in securitie as the Prophet Zachary saith in a like case To stand in this place signifieth to administer as it is said of the Priests Leuites that they stand before God and before the Aultar that is Minister So here the Angels doo stand before God as readie to administer and execute these iudgements For they are ministring spirits and here
vnto the world for Turcisme because thereby thousands should bee murdered in their bodies by the Turkish armies Woe vnto the world because of the last iudgement for thereby all worldlings shall bee plagued both in body and soule in hell fire for euermore Sith then these three last plagues which were to come vpon the worlde are more fearefull and terrible then any of the other foure no maruell though here is sent of purpose a speciall messenger to giue intelligence thereof that euery man might looke to himselfe seeing such great dangers were at hand And for this cause also it is saide before that there was silence in the Church for the space of halfe an houre CHAP. IX THe principall scope and drift of this Chapter is to paint out both the Pope and his Cleargy and also the kingdome of the Turke and his cruell armies For hauing alreadie set downe how a way and passage was made for the Pope to climbe vp into his cursed chaire by the preuailing of heresies the falling away of the Pastors of the Church and the great ouerspreading of darknesse ignorance now hee commeth to describe the Pope in his full height and greatest exaltation being now vniuersall Bishop and in full possession of his seate and sea of Rome which was about some sixe hundred yeares after Christ as formerly hath bene shewed At what time Pope Boniface obtained of the Emperour Phocas that murther which slew his maister Mauritius the Emperour that the Bishop of Rome should be called the vniuersall Bishop and the church of Rome the head of all churches This ninth Chapter may very fitly be diuided into two partes The first is a liuely description of the Pope himselfe his kingdome and his cleargie The second is a description of the kingdome of the Turke and his most sauage armies so that this chapter is a full opening of the first two great woes mentioned before concerning the Papacie and Turcisme And the fift Angell blew the trumpet vers 1 and I sawe a starre which fell from heauen and to him was giuen the key of the bottomelesse pit Warning was giuen before that when this 5. Angell should blowe the trumpet a most fearefull woe should come vpō the world surpassing all that went before which is the setting vp of Antichrist in his pride that man of sinne that sonne of perdition The Pope is here compared to a starre as well as other godly Ministers in this booke because the Bishops of Rome at the first were godly and excellent men for amōgst the first thirtie of them there were some Martyrs But it is here said that now this starre was fallen from heauen vnto the earth that is the Bishops of Rome were greatly degenerated fallen cleane away from heauenly things to earthly for they declined from time to time grew worse and worse so farre as to become the great Antichrist But some man may say why may not this starre falling frō heauen vnto the earth be vnderstood of other Pastors falling from the truth as well as the Pope as it is taken in the former chapter in the 12. chapter verse 4. I answere that the circumstances will not here beare it Therefore to perswade euery honest mans conscience that this must needs be vnderstood of the Pope in his pride let vs giue eare to those three reasons following First wee are to consider that the maine drift of the holy Ghost in the opening of the seuen seales and blowing of the seuen trumpets is to lay out the state of the church in all ages till the comming of Christ Further wee are diligently to obserue that the things contained vnder the opening of the seuenth seale wherof the blowing of the seuen trumpets are as it were parts and do all belong vnto it do stretch euen vnto the ende of the worlde so as there is no straunge accident or any wofull condition of the Church in any age but it is set forth vnder the opening of these seales and blowing of these trumpets But the Papacie was a state of the Church and that most wofull and lamentable therefore it is described vnder the opening of these seales and blowing of these trumpets But it is not described vnder the opening of any other seale or blowing of any other trumpet therefore of necessitie it must be referred to this seuenth seale and fift trumpet And this is my first reason If any man obiect that the Pope and his kingdome are most liuely described in the chapters from the 12. to the last I answere that all those chapters belong to a new vision wherin some things propounded vnder the opening of the seuen seales are more fully opened expounded But this I say that in this 2. vision the whole estate of the Church in euery age is laid opē euen vntil the last iudgemēt and therfore when the 7. Angel here doth blow the 7. trumpet immediatly followeth the last iudgemēt as appeareth cap. 10. ver 6.7 cap. 11. ver 15.16 My second reason is drawne from the course and consideration of times for the great preuailing of errors and heresies mentioned before which made way for Antichrist was from the first 300. yeares vntill the 600. yeare and so forwarde But now immediately vpon this great encrease of error darkness commeth the description of a speciall starre fallen from heauen at this time which was about 600. yeares after Christ and therfore it must needs be vnderstood of the Pope And this is my second reason My third and last reason is drawne from the description of the Pope and his Cleargie in the first eleuen verses of this chapter For he is so liuely described painted out in particulars that all men that know him or euer heard of him must needes say it is he For this description here set downe by the holy Ghost can fitly agree to none other The Papists themselues do cōfesse that this starre here mentioned must needs be vnderstood of some Arch-hereticke And full wisely forsoothe they apply it to Luther and Caluin But wee affirme that it is to be vnderstood of the Pope For was there euer any such Arch-hereticke as he which opposeth and exalteth himselfe against all that is called God and against all imperiall powers as the Apostle saith But now let vs proceed to the description of him First he is said to haue the keie of the bottomelesse pitte which agreeth well to the Pope for hee hath power giuen him to open hell gates to let in thousands thither but no power to open heauen gates to let in any thither for he furthereth many to hell none to heauen Hee doth indeed falsely challenge vnto himselfe the keies of the kingdome of heauen to let in and shut out at his pleasure But here wee see the holy Ghost doth attribute no such power vnto him but onely telleth vs that his power and iurisdiction is in hell and ouer hell as for heauen he hath nothing
others endued with the same spirite which should mightily defend both the doctrine cause and quarrell which their predecessors had maintained and sealed with their blood in whom they should after a sort reuiue liue againe euen as Elias did reuiue and as it were liue againe in Iohn Baptist who is saide to be endued with the power and spirit of Elias as it was foretold by the Prophet and as our Sauior himselfe doth auouch Now blessed be God that we liue in these daies wherein we see with our eyes all these things fulfilled For when the Pope his Cleargy had murthered Gerhardus Dulcimus Nauarensis Waldus Nicolaus Orem Iohn Picus Iohn Zisca Visilus Groningensis Armerius Wickliffe Husse Ierome of Prage and many Preachers in Sueuia and one hundred holy Christians in the countrey of Alsatia and many others in all countries and of all conditions of men yet for all that spight of their hearts God raised vp others in their stead as Luther Caluin Zuinglius Peter Martir Peter Viret Melancton Bucer Bullinger and their successors yea the thousands of excellent Ministers and Preachers which are dispersed ouer all Europe at this day In whom all the former witnesses do reuiue and as it were stand vppon their feete againe And now a great feare is come vpon the Pope and his Cleargy and all his fauorites for they did neuer so much as dreame of such an alteration but this is the Lordes doing and it is maruellous in our eyes vers 12 And they shall heare a great voice from heauen saying vnto them come vp hither and they shall ascend vp to heauen in a cloude and their enemies shall see them Here the Lordes witnesses whom Antichrist had murdered are called and taken vp into heauen that they may be crowned with glory and immortalitie hauing in the earth fought so excellēt a fight of faith as they had for euen as Christ their head was taken vp in a cloud into the heauens Euen so his faithfull members are here taken vp in a cloud to raigne with him for euer Moreouer it is here said that their enemies shall see them ascending vp they shall as it were ascend vp in their sight for from the fire and faggot swords and speares of their enemies they went directly vnto God and the very consciences of their persecutors did witnesse so much nay some of them being in horrible convulsions of cōscience did not sticke to vtter it auouching the innocency of Gods Martirs as sometimes Pilat and the Centurion did of Christ But though they had not bene iustified by their enemies yet are they here iustified by a greater testimony for the voice from heauen the voice of God doth iustifie them cleare them accounting them worthy to be called vp from the earth to heauen and receiued to eternall glory For howsoeuer the Pope his Cleargy condemned them for heretikes and scismatikes yet here they are iustified and cleared by a voice from heauen which is more then the voices suffrages and approbations of all men in the world And the same houre there shal be a great earthquake and the tenth part of the citie shall fall and in the earthquake shal be slaine in number seuen thousand and the remnant were sore feared and gaue glory to the God of heauen As hee hath shewed before that the world was very ioyful iocond when they had made dispatch of Gods witnesses but afterward full of feare terror when they sawe what followed So here in this verse is shewed that at the same houre that is about the same time whē they haue persecuted the Saints and see thousands of others raised vp in their stead and as it were out of their ashes or rather out of their blood that there should immediately follow a great earthquake that is horrible commotions seditions tumults and open warres among the kingdomes and nations of the worlde and amongst all people which should liue after the breaking forth of the light of the Gospell as this day we see with our eyes For who now in these dayes dooth not see and feele this Earthquake who knoweth not what stirres there haue bene and are euery where about Religion Who is ignorant that all the warres seditions treacheries treasons and rebellions that are this day in Europe betwixt one kingdome and an other are specially concerning the matter of religigion But marke what followeth Beholde the effect of this Earthquake It is saide that the tenth part of the citie shall fall By the citie here he meaneth the great citie Rome mentioned before vers 8. which is therefore called the great citie because it was the chiefe citie of the Romane Empire and the verie seate of Antichrist Now then the sense and meaning of the holy Ghost is that when there once beginneth to be an earthquake that is broiles contentions alterations questions disputations about religion and that the popish doctrine which had so long preuailed in the world should be called in question yea openly preached against conuicted and cōdemned that then Rome should begin to fall and Romish religion to suffer a great eclipse yea the tenth part that is some part of the citie of Rome I meane the doctrine and authoritie of Rome should be ouerthrowne Now this falling of the tenth part of Rome was fulfilled within some fewe yeares after the broaching of the Gospell by Luther and his immediate successors but since it is gone backe many degrees and hereafter it shall still ebbe consume away by degrees euen till it come to nothing as God willing shal be plainly proued hereafter Moreouer here is set downe another effect of this earthquake which is that thereby shall be slaine in number seuen thousand that is many thousands for the number of seuen is a perfect and vniuersall number as formerly hath bene declared But the sense of this clause is that all such as wil not yeeld to the Gospell after matters once come in question and the light therof breaketh forth but continue still in their blindnesse and hardnesse standing out sturdily against the truth shall feele the heauie iudgements of God vpon them and come to miserable and wretched endes as did here in England Stephen Gardiner bloudie Bonner and many other such open persecutors in other nations and countries as the booke of Martyrs doth plentifully witnesse Last of all it is said that the rest were terrified gaue glorie to the God of heauen that is the elect of God seeing these horrible iudgements vpon the persecutors of the Gospel and hauing their eies opened through these contentions and broiles about religion should repent of their former Idolatries blindnesse and ignorance should yeeld to the truth and giue glorie to the God of heauen as at this day we see thousands doo God be thanked chapter 9 Wee heard before in the time of the Turkes murthering army when the third part of men were slain that the rest repented not of their Idolatrie But
Gidnon which signifieth the subtiltie of destruction because the blinde kings and Nobles of the earth shall by the subtiltie and craftie perswasions of the Iesuits and Seminarie Priests be entised to fight against the Protestants in a place where they shall haue a famous foile Some deriue Armageddon of Har which in Hebrue signifieth a mountaine and Megiddo which is the place where the godly king Iosias was slaine and so this place should be called Armageddon the mountaine of Megiddo for the slaughter of kings that shall be there To the which the Prophet Zacharie alludeth saying In that day there shall be a great mourning in Ierusalem as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddo Well we doe see that all these significations and deriuations of Armageddon come to one thing in effect which is that the great armies which assemble themselues in battaile against the Lord shall bee destroyed and therefore it is not much materiall to dispute which is the more likely signification of the Word But this let vs obserue for our comfort that whensoeuer wee shal see the kings Captaines Nobles and Potentates of the earth being solicited by the Iesuites priests and the false Prophet to leuy great armies and make great powers to fight against the Gospell and the true professours thereof for the maintenance of great Babylon they shall not preuaile but bee vtterly ouerthrowne and destroyed As in part wee see fulfilled in the yeare of our Lorde 1588. when the great and inuincible Armado of the Spaniards as they thought which was long in preparing against vs and at last by the instigation of the Iesuites brought vpon vs came to Armageddon as we know God be praised And in all time to come in the like case let them look for the like successe Well now to grow to some conclusion of this point wee doe plainely see that Rome falleth their kingdome waxeth darke their Euphrates drieth vp they espie it The Dragon the beast the false Prophet send out their frogs into all countries and kingdomes hoping to preuent it by the help of the kings of the earth and especially the king of Spaine but alas all in vaine for they must come to Armageddon when they haue done all that they can For God fighteth from heauē against them God bringeth them downe and no power of man is able to vphold them But now let vs proceede to prooue the third maine point which is that Rome shall fall finally and come to vtter desolation For all sound Diuines are perswaded of the fall of Babylon and doe graunt that it falleth and is in falling but all are not so thoroughly perswaded of the finall fall thereof in this life Therefore now I wil proue by manifest Scripture that Rome shall fall for a doo First if the things be deeply considered and narrowly looked into which Saint Iohn saith shall fall out vpon the pouring forth of the seuenth vial of Gods wrath by the seuenth Angel they doe fully portend a deadly downfall and vtter ouerthrowe of Rome For the seuenth vial is not poured vpon the earth or sea or fountaines of waters or on the Sunne as the first foure vials were which signified some particular iudgements but it was poured forth into the verie aire chapter 16.17 which signifieth the vniuersalitie of it and containeth the most general and most grieuous iudgment and vengeance of Almightie God vpon the whole bodie of the kingdome of Antichrist a little before the last day The text saith that vpon the pouring forth of this viall there was a loud voice heard out of the temple of heauen from the throne that is vers 17 from the verie presence of God saying It is done It is dispatched The vtter ouerthrowe of Rome is fully concluded of and all things finished which belong to the pouring forth of the seuen vials which containe the seuen last plagues wherein the whole wrath of God is fulfilled as appeareth chap. 15. as before it is said Babylon is fallen chapter 15.1 because it should certainly fal So heere God himselfe saith It is done because it shal certainly be done For whatsoeuer God hath determined to be done is as it were alreadie done because it shall most certainlie be effected Sith then the Lord hath pronounced this of Rome there remaineth nothing but a dayly accomplishment of it and let all the papists know for a certaintie that they must go to their geare they must come to their paiment there is no way of euasion For hath the Lord spoken it and shall it not come to passe Now vpon this that God saith It is done followeth presentlie that there vvere voices and thunderings and lightenings chapter 16.18 and there vvas a great earthquake such as was not since men were vpon the earth euen so mightie an earthquake What is meant by thundrings lightenings and earthquakes in this Booke I haue before shewed to wit chapter 6.12 commotions seditions tumults vprores and alterations of states kingdomes and common-wealths and then the meaning of this place is that there shall be horrible shakings cōcussions tumults great alteration of states in al y e kingdoms which are subiect to Antichrist none of them shall escape For this seuenth viall of Gods wrath vpon the kingdome of the beast is compared to a most horrible and blustering tempest raised vp in the whole aire that is in all places of Antichrists dominions And it is specially to be noted as a thing of great moment that the holy Ghost saith There was neuer such an earthquake as this since the world beganne and since men were vpon the earth For assuredly so soone as the seuenth Angell poureth forth his viall the kingdome of Poperie shall go downe a maine which shall not belong before the end of the world as all circumstances heere doe shew After all this Saint Iohn telleth vs the effect of this thundering lightning and extraordinarie earthquake which is chapter 16.19 that the great citie was diuided into three parts that is there shall bee a most horrible rent and diuision in the citie of Rome and throughout all the Popes dominions What this rent and diuision is and how it shall bee I cannot determine being a thing to come as all the rest comprehended vnder the pouring forth of the seuenth viall But this I am sure of that Rome shall go downe and there shall be such tumults vprores rents diuisions dissipations and concussions in Rome and throughout all the Romish iurisdiction as neuer was heard of nor read of since the world began For Saint Iohn addeth that Babylon came in remembrance before God vers 19 to giue vnto her the cup of the wine of the fiercenesse of his wrath That is God doth now at length call to mind all the wrongs done to his people all the righteous bloud shed for the space of seuen or eight hundred yeers by the whoore of Babylon that he may be fully reuenged and execute the
we are therefore it was needfull for the better strengthning of their hope cōfort in afflictiōs that they should know the very time determined but because the Church of the christians liueth vnder most cleere comfortable promises of deliuerance therfore God according to his deepe wisedome would haue our faith exercised in an assured expectation of the accōplishment therof though the precise time be concealed An other reason may bee this the vtter ouerthrow of Rome falleth out to bee but a little before the comming of Christ to iudgement as appereth in this prophesie Now then if wee knew the day or yeere certainely when Rome should fall finally it would giue vs too much light vnto the knowledge of the last day which God in great wisedome hath of purpose hid from the knowledge of all men yea and of Angels I know right well that a certaine learned writer doth precisely determine the vtter destruction of Rome to fall out in the yeere of our Lord 1639. But by the fauour of so excellent a man bee it spoken I see no sufficient ground thereof But touching this matter of the time of Romes finall fall I will deliuer mine opinion and my reasons submitting my selfe to the iudgement of the learned for I would bee loth in this or any other thing to goe beyond my compasse or to passe the bounds of modestie and humilitie and therefore doe refer all to bee tryed by the sicle of the sanctuary I doe therefore thus iudge that the vtter ouerthrow of Rome shall bee in this age I meane within the age of a man my reason is this We of this age liue vnder the opening of the seauenth seale the blowing of the sixt trumpet and the powring foorth of the sixt vial For the first it is manifest because the opening of the seauenth seale containeth all things that shall fall out to the end of the world as hath beene shewed and proued before For the blowing of the sixt trumpet that also is plaine because vnder the blowing thereof the little booke was opened and the gospell preached as wee see in this age For the powring downe of the sixt viall of Gods wrath that also is most cleere because thereupon the great riuer Euphrates drieth vp and the Iesuits are sent out to sollicit the kings of the earth to battaile against the Church as wee see fulfilled in these our daies Then I reason thus Rome must fall downe finally in that age wherein the little booke is opened and the euerlasting gospell preached but in this age the little booke is opened and the euerlasting gospell preached therfore in this age Rome must fall downe finally And againe I reason thus Rome must fall downe finally in that age wherein the riuer Euphrates that is the fortification of Rome drieth vp and the Iesuits are sent forth to stop the leake thereof but all this falleth out in this age as wee see with our eies Therefore in this age Rome shall fall downe finally The reason of the proposition is because in this age the popish armies shall come to Armageddon Moreouer this I say and not I but the Lord when the seauenth Angell bloweth the seauenth trumpet then commeth the end of the world But the sixt Angell hath sounded the sixt trumpet long agoe as appeereth by the effects Therefore it cannot be long ere the seauenth Angell blow But Rome must fall downe finally before the seauenth Angell blow as hath beene shewed before Therefore the vtter fall of Rome cannot bee long deferred I doe not determine either of day month or yeere because it is not reuealed But I guesse at an age because the holy ghost pointeth vs vnto an agent But all these things I set downe for the comfort of Gods Church not desiring to vnderstand aboue that vvhich is meet to vnderstand but to vnderstand according to sobrietie Now it resteth to speake of the last maine point vvhich is the causes of Romes vtter ruine and ouerthrow chapter 14 8. Chap. 18.3 Chap. 19.3 Chap. 17 2. vvhich first of all are set downe foure seuerall times for falling to be because she made all nations drunke with the wine of the wrath of her fornication They which outwardly make others drunke or commit fornication vvith others are vvorthie to be seuerely punished How much sorer punishment are they vvorthie of vvhich doe the same spiritually and therfore vvoe be to Rome An other cause of the destruction of Rome is for that she hath shed the bloud of all the Prophets Martyrs chapter 16.6 Chap. 18.24 and Saints as it is vvritten In thee was found the bloud of the Prophets and of the Saints and of all that were slaine vpon the earth What is he vvorthie to haue that is a most cruell bloudsucker nay vvhat is he vvorthie to haue that shal murther a kings children yea that shall murther his eldest sonne and heire apparant to the crowne But Rome hath murthered thousands of the king of Heauens children Yea Rome hath murthered the great heire of Heauen and earth I meane the very sonne of God For Christ vvas put to death by the Romane power and authoritie and by a Romane Iudge chapter 11.8 as before hath bene shewed Therefore let all men iudge vvhat Rome is vvorthie to haue Moreouer S. Iohn telleth vs that Rome with her enchantments hath deceiued all-nations chapter 18.23 Then let the matter be referred to the iudgement of any indifferent man to determine and set downe vvhat punishment sorcerers and enchanters are vvorthie of especially spirituall sorcerers and enchanters Besides all this the holy ghost saith chapter 18.2 that Rome is the habitation of diuels and the hold of all foule spirits and a cage of euery vncleane hatefull bird What think you is like to come of an habitation of diuels What trow yee vvil be the end of a shoule of foule feends a company of most vgly mōstrous helcats What is like to become of a cage of Howles Rauens and Vultures Yea a nest of Vipers Toades Snakes Adders Cocatrices all the most stinging serpents and venemous vermin in the world What wil be the end of pild Priests filthie Friers maungy Monks roguing Iesuits Are not these a cage of vncleane birds What doe they studie what doe they plot what doe they practise euery daye but seditions periuries murthers cōspiracies treacheries treasons all maner of villanies If I had no other reason to persuad me that Rome shal fal come to a miserable end yet this onely would make me so to think that these villanous Iesuits do teach conclud in their cursed conuēticles y t it is not onely lawful but also meritorious to murther any christiā prince y t is not of their catholike religiō oh mōstrous villains ô most hideous helhoūds haue not these monsters suborned diuers desperate caitiffes to embrue their hands in the bloud of christian princes How many haue beene their plots now desperate
flye a very high pitch we are giuen to vnderstand that the heauenly spirits are much in celestiall contemplation and do receiue the knowledge of hid secrets and counsels for they are much aloft about the throne of God and many high and deepe secrets are opened vnto them And the foure beasts had each of them sixe winges about him and they were full of eyes within c. vers 8 This maketh it very plaine that by these beasts are vnderstood the sixe Angels because he ascribeth vnto euery one of them sixe wings a piece For the Angels are described with winges both in the first and tenth of Ezechiel before mentioned and also in the sixt Chapter of the prophesie of Isaias where the Seraphins are saide to haue sixe wings a piece two to couer their faces two to couer their feete and two to flie withall because they haue two wings to couer their faces withall because they are not able to endure the vnconceiuable brightnesse and glory of God for he dwelleth in vnapproachable light They haue two wings to couer their feete withall because mortall men are not able to looke vpō the brightnes that is in them For we read that many haue bin astonished dazeled with the glory brightnes of Angels so glorious creatures are they They haue two wings to flie withall to note the prompt obedience and readinesse to execute the commandements of God as formerly was shewed Moreouer the angels are saide to haue winges and to flie swiftly because God by them doth speedily dispatch many purposes actions seruices here below and for this cause the scripture affirmeth that he rideth vpon the Cherubins that he dwelleth betweene the Cherubins and that he maketh the cloudes his chariots and walketh vpon the winges of the winde For as earthly Kings are in their progresses carried in their most sumptuous coaches drawne by the most excellent coach-horses to dispatch great businesses and many waightie affaires within their dominions so the visions in Ezechiel doo shewe that the immortall king is carried most swiftly in his chariot of triumph drawne by the Cherubins as it were by beasts to direct and ouerrule all actions vnder the Sunne Moreouer these Angels are said to be full of eies within vers 8 to note not only their fulnesse of knowledge but also their inward sight into all heauenly things yea euen such as are most secret and hid for they are of all other creatures most inward with God None of his children know so much of his counsell as they Furthermore the Angels are here said to praise God vncessantly vers 8 day and night saying holy holy holy Lord God almightie which was which is and which is to come Where wee may clearely see that the Angels praise and worship God in a burning zeale without wearinesse For they are not as men which through their great corruption are full of dulnesse and wearines in Gods worship but they do alwaies serue him with infatigable desires and therefore are called Seraphins because they burne in the zeale of God and Cherubins because their delight is to approach neer vnto him and to be alwaies about his throne yea euen in his chamber of presence They do double and treble this word holy and warble much vpon it because they know full well that hee is righteous in all his waies and holy in al his workes and that all his proceedings iudgemēts are euen then waighed in the ballance of iustice and equitie when to mans sence the iudgement of reason they seeme nothing lesse For his Iudgements are as a great depth which mans reason cannot found Further wee see that when these beastes that is vers 9 the Angels gaue glory and honour and thankes to God c. vers 10 the 24. Elders also fell downe before him and worshipped him that liueth for euermore Where we may plainely see that both Saints and Angels doo iointly praise and magnifie God and him alone Euen that God that liueth for euermore euen that God which was which is and which is to come that is the eternall and euerlasting God For the scripture saith Praise him ô yee Saints and praise him ô yee Angels that excell in strength And the 24. Elders cast their crownes before the throne saying Thou art worthy ô Lord to receiue glory and honour c. Wherein wee see that all the elect doo emptie themselues of all worthinesse to haue any glorie acknowledging that their crownes of glorie are Gods free gift that the praise therof belōgeth onely to him and nothing to themselues And this in very deede is the right manner of worshipping God frankely to ascribe all glorie to him and all shame to our selues to giue all to him to whome all is due and nothing to our selues which haue nothing for nothing can bee giuen or taken out of nothing Now then to conclude and winde vp this fourth chapter wee doo clearely see the summe and drift of all is that heauen doore was opened vnto Iohn and that hee was let in and called vp into the Chamber of presence by a very loude voice there to take notice of the future estate of the church and that the person which thus called him vp was the very immortall God himselfe who is so gloriously described of his throne his troupes and traines of Saints Angels as we haue heard And all this is to commend set forth the authoritie of this booke whose Author is so excellent yea superexcellent CHAP. V. AFter this Vision containing the glory of the diuine maiestie was shewed vnto Iohn that hee might knowe from what fountaine this Prophesie was deriued now in this fift chapter is taught and shewed by what meanes and by whose mediation the knowledge of such hidden mysteries were reuealed vnto the church namely by the meanes and mediation of Iesus Christ in whom only the counsels and secrets of God the Father are opened and made knowne vnto men For hee is the great Prophet Doctor of the church which is come downe from the bosome of his Father and hath made knowne vnto vs whatsoeuer he hath receiued of his Father as hee himselfe testifieth And the church is commaunded by a voice from heauen to heare him and him alone ver 1.2.3.4 This fift Chapter containeth three things generally First a description of the booke which was in the right hand of God ver 5.6.7 Secondly a description of Iesus Christ which receiueth it at the hande of his Father and openeth it Thirdly a description of those most glorious praises which are giuen to Christ by the Angels vers 8.9.10.11.12.13.14 Saints and all the creatures in heauen and earth I sawe in the right hand of him that sate vpon the throne vers 1 a booke written within and on the backe side sealed with seuen seales By this booke here mentioned is meant this present booke of the Apocalyps or Reuelatiō as it shall plainely appeare in the
next chapter when wee come to the opening of the seuen seales thereof For the things which fall out vpon the opening of the seuerall seales do plainely declare that all is meant of the particular matters contained in this present booke This booke is said to be in the right hand of him that sitteth vpon the throne because all the secrets reuealed in it come from the counsell and decree of the most high God and are ordered by his meere direction and prouidence It is called a written booke to shewe that the things contained in it are so firmely decreed in the counsell of God that none of them shall faile but come to passe and bee fulfilled in their season They are such as wee may write of as wee vse to say and therefore for the certaintie of them they are here said to be written in a booke This booke is said to bee written within and without for the multitude and varietie of matters contained in it For there were both many and great things which should fall out in the world from the time that Iohn receiued this Prophesie vnto the end of the world This booke is sealed with seuen seales that is to say perfectly sealed because the things contained herein are counsels and secrets onely knowne to God til it pleased him to reueale them to his church by his sonne The elect Angels knew nothing of the things written in this booke before the seales were opened vers 2 And I sawe a strong Angell which proclaimed with a loude voice Who is worthy to open the booke and to loose the seales thereof Here is proclamation made to all creatures that if there were any manner of persons in heauen or earth among men or Angels that would take vpon them to open and expound this booke that they should come forth and shewe themselues and bee very willingly and gladly heard But alas the next verse doth shewe vers 3 that none in heauen or earth was able to open the booke and expound it wherevpon Iohn wept very much vers 4 because no man was found worthy to open and interpret this booke The cause of Iohns weeping and lamenting was for feare the Church should bee depriued of such profitable and excellent things as hee knew were contained in this booke Such was his loue to the Church such was his zeale and care for the people of God An example worthy of all imitation to mourne and weepe for the concealing of the booke of God and to reioyce in the opening of it But Papists and Atheists are of a contrary minde for they reioyce in the concealing and keeping close of the scriptures and are much grieued with the opening and reuealing thereof because thereby their hypocrisie and villany is detected and discarded Vpon this one of the Elders said vnto Iohn Weepe not vers 5 Beholde the Lion which is of the Tribe of Iudah the roote of Dauid hath obtained to open the booke and to lose the seales thereof Here we see how Iohn is comforted and cheared vp by one of the Elders being now very pensiue and sad and is willed to plucke vp a good heart and to bee of good cheare for hee could tell him good newes to wit of one that could open and expound this booke and all the secrets in it and that is Iesus Christ the great reuealer of secrets and onely expounder of all riddles and hidden mysteries as before hath bene spoken Iesus Christ is here said to be of the Tribe of Iudah because he is lineally discended of that Tribe according to the flesh and his humane nature He is compared to a Lyon by allusion vnto Iacobs words in his last will and testament concerning Iudah namely that hee should couch as a Lyon and as a Lionesse none should stirre him He is fitly compared to a lion for his great admitable power strēgth for he raigneth and must raigne ouer al his enemies and in the middest of all his enemies yea till he hath troade all his enemies vnder his feete He is called the roote of Dauid both here and also in the 22. chapter of this booke verse 16. because he sprung out of Dauid the sonne of Ishai as a braunch out of his roote as the Prophet did foretell that A rod should come forth of the stocke of Ishai and a graft should growe out of his rootes And the Apostle saith that Christ was made of the seede of Dauid according to the flesh vers 6 Then saith Iohn I beheld and loe in the middest of the throne and of the foure beastes and of the Elders stood a Lambe as though he had bene killed which had seuen hornes and seuen eies which are the seuen spirits of God sent into all the world Here Iohn taketh a view and sight of Iesus Christ from the verie middest of the throne of the foure beastes and the Elders Christ doth not appeare about the throne as do the Saints and Angels which are but ministers and ministring spirits but in the verie middest of the throne and the foure beastes c. because hee is God euerlasting coequall and coeternall with the Father in whom as the Apostle saith dwelleth all the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily or essentially And here afterward the same worship and honour is ascribed vnto him both by the Saints and Angels which before is ascribed vnto God the Father Christ is here compared to a Lambe for his innocencie for the scripture saith He was as a sheepe dumbe before his shearer Hee is the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world He is the Lambe slain from the beginning of the world Hee is compared to a Lyon for his great incomparable strength in cōquering hell death and damnation and all infernall power And to a lambe because he hath dispatched all this vpon the Crosse by the sacrifice of himselfe once offered for hee neuer did more liuely shewe forth his Lyon-like power then when hee was as a lambe slaine and sacrificed vpon the Crosse This Lambe Christ is here said to haue seuen hornes which signifie his manifolde power or fulnesse of power or perfect power according as this metaphor or borrowed speech of horne is vsually so taken in all the scriptures This Lambe also is said to haue seuen eies which are interpreted to be the seuen spirits of God that is the manifolde graces and gifts of the Spirit which hee giueth vnto his Church Now then to conclude this point for as much as the number of seuen in this booke is a number of perfection and alwaies noteth perfection therefore by Christs seuen hornes and seuen eies wee may and that soundly vnderstand his perfect power and his perfect sight and knowledge in all things For his seuen eies are so taken in the third chapter of the Prophesie of Zacharie where it is said Vpon one stone shall be seuen eies Meaning that Iesus Christ the corner stone of the
iustly cause the worlde to smart for it and make them with sorrowe inough to feele the punishment of the Gospell reiected And whē he had opened the fourth seale vers 7 I heard the voice of the fourth beast say Come and see And I looked and beholde a pale horse vers 8 and his name that sate on him was Death and hell followed after him c. This pale horse signifieth the pestilence and other contagious diseases which God most iustly brought vpon the world for the contempt of the Gospel and the murthering of Christe and his Apostles and as I noted before out of the scriptures that when God commeth either in mercy or iudgement he is said to come on horsebacke to note his expedition and swiftnesse both in the one and the other so as before Christ is vppon the white horse the diuell vpon the red horse famine vpon the black horse so here death and hell are said to be vpon the pale horse for pestilence and death maketh men looke pale but being dead hee saith hell followed For assuredly hell doth alwaies followe the death of the bodie excepting those onely whom Christ hath deliuered from hell and damnation by the power of his death Thus then it is the redde horse with blood the blacke horse with famine the pale horse with pestilence haue power giuen them ouer the fourth part of men to murther kill and slea as all stories doe shewe that for the reiecting of Christ and his Gospell these plagues were carried as it were on horsebacke ouer a great part of the worlde Now as touching this famine and pestilence which fell out vpon the opening of the third and fourth seales they are to bee referred vnto those times especially wherein the Hunnes Gothes and Vandales and other barbarous nations which were the wasters of the world did waste decaie the Romane Empire both farre and neare Wherevppon grew this famine scarsitie and pestilence and straunge diseases heere spoken of about some 300. yeares after Christ and somewhat more And when hee had opened the fift seale I sawe vnder the Aultar the soules of them that were killed for the word of God and for the testimonie which they maintained c. Heere is discouered the state of the Martyrs after this life and the condition of the spirits of all iust and perfect men For whereas it might bee demaunded what became of all those heapes and multitudes of men which were slaine for the testimonie of Iesus in the tenne great persecutions it is here answered that they were vnder the Aultar Iohn in a Vision seeth them vnder the Aultar That is vnder the mercifull protection of Christ in heauen who for them and for vs all was made both Aultar Priest and Sacrifice This Aultar Christ is afterward called the golden Aultar which is before the throne of God chapter 8.3 So then it is cleare that the soules of the Martyrs were with Christ in glory For hee saith to his disciples Where I am there shall you be also And in an other place he saith If I were lift vp from the earth I will drawe all men vnto me that is all beleeuers Then it followeth that the soules of these iust and righteous men were in Paradise and in Abrahams bosome which is the very port and hauen of saluation For although the persecuting Emperours and other tyrants of the earth had power to kill theyr bodies yet had they no power ouer theyr soules as our Lorde Iesus affirmeth vers 10 And they cryed with a loude voice saying How long Lord holy and true doest thou not iudge and auenge our bloud on them that dwell vpon the earth Here wee see plainely that the soules of the Martyrs doo very vehemently crye for vengeance vpon these cruell tyrants which shead their bloud Moreouer they crie for it speedily and seeme to be impatient of delay But it is to be obserued that they doo not this in any hatred or priuate desire of reuenge in respect of any wrong or crueltie shewed to them but in a very loue and burning zeale of the Kingdome and glory of Christ and whatsoeuer desire they haue it is wholy to that ende Wherefore they are here vnder a figure brought in crying for vengeance rather to expresse what iudgement of God tarrieth for the cruell persecutors then to shewe what minde they beare towards them For it is indeede their cause that cryeth for vengeance And as Abels bloud so theyr bloud cryeth aloude in the eares of the Lorde of Hoastes for reuenge Moreouer wee may not imagine or gather out of this loude crying of the Martyrs in heauen that they haue any disturbance impatience disquietnesse or any discontentment there But this they do in a feruent desire of that fulnesse of glorie which they assuredly hope for and looke for in the consummation of all things when both their soules and bodies shall be ioyned together And long white robes were giuen vnto euery one vers 11 and it was said vnto them that they should rest for a little season vntil their fellow seruants their brethren which should be killed euen as they were were fulfilled These white robes do signifie that honour glory and dignitie wherevnto not onely the Martyrs but also all other faithfull beleeuers are aduanced in the chambers of peace for so white robes are to bee vnderstood in sundrie other places of this booke And this doth plainely proue that the Martyrs were now in glory with Christ Now as concerning the answere to their complaint and crie it was this that they should be content and haue patience for a little season for the time remaining to the ende of the worlde was but as a day with God and as a moment in comparison of eternitie and the reason of the delay is yeelded which is this that there were numbers of others their bretheren in the worlde which should bee martyred and slaine for the truth as well as they vnder the great Antichrist of Rome and the bloudie Turke at and vpon the opening of the sixt and seuenth seale And therefore in consideration that the most wise God had decreed and fore-determined with himselfe in his most secret and hid counsell to bring multitudes of others to glory by the same way and meanes that they themselues were brought that therefore in the meane time beeing so short a time they should rest satisfied and contented And hereby the way we see what staieth the comming of Christ vnto iudgement namely this that the number of his Martyrs and Saints and all such as he hath chosen vnto life are not yet accomplished vers 12 And I behelde when hee opened the sixt seale and loe there was a great earthquake and the Sun was as black as sackcloath of haire and the Moone was like bloud vers 13 And the starres of heauen fell vnto the earth as a figge-tree casteth her green figges when it is shaken of a mightie winde vers 14 And heauen departed
away as a scrole when it is rolled and euery mountaine and I le were moued out of their place Vpon the opening of this sixt seale very dolefull and fearefull things which doo followe As earthquakes the darkening of the Sunne the obscuritie of the Moone the falling of the Starres the rolling together of the heauens the remouing of mountaines Iles out of their places the howlings and horrors of kings and captaines other great potentates of the earth which all are things very terrible and fearefull to beholde and all these do represent and figure out vnto vs the most fearefull tokens of Gods high displeasure and most heauie indignation against the wicked world Very grieuous things fell out vpō the opening of the 2.3 4. seales but they are farre more grieuous which followe vpon the opening of this sixt seale for this sixt seale containeth an aggrauation and encrease of all the former iudgements For now after the crie of the Martyrs for vengeance GOD the auenger of the bloude of the righteous doeth shewe himself from heauen and declare his wrath in more fearefull manner then before euen to the great astonishment of all the creatures in heauen and earth So horrible a thing is the sheading of the bloud of the Christians For now we see plainely that God heareth the cries of his Martyrs and commeth as a Giant or as an armed man to take vengeance of all their enemies For Pretious in the sight of the Lorde is the death of his Saints and hee is much mooued with the crie of their bloud as here wee see And therefore now threatneth to holde a generall Assises wherein hee will make inquisition after bloud and arraigne and condemne all such as are founde guiltie thereof according as the persecuting Emperours and many others did finde and feele by wofull experience For if God be angry but a little who may endure it Now although the Stories do report that in those dayes which was aboue 300. yeares after Christ there were many great and fearefull Earthquakes in diuers nations and cities of the world yet it is apparant that the Earth-quake here spoken of cannot bee taken literally nor any of the rest here mentioned For there was neuer any time neither is it mentioned in any Chronicle that euer the Sunne was as blacke as sacke-cloth of haire or the Moone turned into bloud or the Starres fell from heauen or the Heauens rolled together like a scrole or that Mountaines and Ilandes were mooued out of their places Therefore of necessitie all this must bee vnderstood metaphorically that is that God did in so straunge and fearefull a manner manifest his wrath from heauen by tumults commotions seditions alteratiōs of kingdomes as if these things of the Sun Moone and Starres had bene visibly represented to the eye An earth-quake in this booke and other bookes also of the scriptures doth by a borrowed speech signifie commotions of common-wealth troubles tumults vprores and great alterations of states kingdoms The darkning of the Sun Moone and Starres rolling together of the Heauens do by a metaphor in the scriptures signifie the fearefull wrath and angrie face of God which they being not able to endure are said here to blush at to couer themselues to hide themselues to be ashamed of thēselues to remoue out of their places no more to do their offices c. For as birds doo hide themselues and thrust their heads into bushes when the Eagle commeth abroade And as all the beastes of the forrest doo tremble and couch in their dennes when the Lyon roareth And as that subiect doth hide himselfe and dare not shewe his head with whom the King is displeased So here it is saide that the whole earth doth tremble and all the celestiall creatures are amazed and confounded with beholding the angry face of God against the worlde in so much that they do as it were drawe a canopie ouer them hide themselues vnder a cloude and surcease to do their offices The darkning of the Sunne and Moone is taken in this sense in the second of Ioel and also in the second chapter of the Acts of the Apostles For there God promising and foretelling that in the last dayes he would abundantly powre forth of his spirit vpon all flesh which is to be vnderstood of the plentifull preaching of the Gospell in the Apostles time and the aboundance of grace that was giuen with the same addeth that for the contempt of so great grace and mercie he would shewe wonders in heauen aboue and tokens in the earth beneath Bloud and fire and the vapour of smoake the Sunne shall bee turned into darkenesse and the Moone into bloud before that great and notable day of the Lord come The meaning of the Prophet is as Peter also dooth expound it that God from heauen will shewe such apparant signes of his wrath against the worlde that men should bee no lesse amazed then if the whole order of nature were inuerted And this was performed when as the Iewes for the contempt of Christe and his Gospell were most miserably destroied by the Romanes Euen so here vnder the opening of the sixt seale God dooth threaten that for the murdering of his sonne Christ and his Apostles and innumerable Christians hee would bring straunge iudgements and extraordinarie calamities vpon the worlde according as all stories do shewe that those times were full of bloud-sheads commotions famines pestilence and miseries of all sortes I am not ignorant that the darkening of the Sunne and Moone and the falling of the Starres from heauen are sometimes in this booke put for the obscuritie and corruption of pure doctrine and the falling away of the Pastors of the Church from their sinceritie and zeale But in this place the circumstances will not beare that sense First because heere the darkening of the Sunne and Moone c. is ioyned with an Earth-quake the rolling together of the Heauens and the mouing of Mountaines and Ilands out of their places which argueth a most horrible confusion and concussion of all things Secondly because afterward in the eight chapter hee doth of purpose speake of the corrupting of pure doctrine the falling away of the Ministers referring it to that chapter as his proper place Thirdly because the kings and captaines of the earth here immediatly mentioned would neuer haue bene cast into any such perplexities and horrours vpon any corruption of doctrine and the ministrie as here we reade of For commōly men are not any whit touched or moued with that or such like things Last of all because the scope and drift of the holy Ghost vnder the opening of this sixt seale is to describe corporall not spirituall visible not inuisible iudgements For he doth orderly and of purpose handle them in the next chapter Now whereas it is said in the last three verses that the Kings of the earth and the great men and the rich men vers 15 and the chiefe Captaines and
the mightiemen and euery bond-man and euery free-man hidde themselues in dennes vers 16 and amongst the rockes of the mountaines and said to the rockes and mountaines vers 17 fall on vs c. the sense and meaning of all is this that these visible iudgements should bee so horrible and extraordinarie that all sorts of men then liuing vpon the face of the earth should euen wish themselues buried quicke or that they might runne into a mouse-hole or awger-hole to hide themselues from the wrath of the Lambe For being both outwardly terrified with these sensible iudgements and inwardly griped and tormented with the furie of their owne consciences they were at no hande able to endure it CHAP. VII THis chapter dooth wholy appertaine vnto the opening of the sixt seale It sheweth generally how God in the middest of all the broiles which happened vnder the opening of the sixt seale yet did preserue his church and mercifully prouide for his owne people This seuenth chapter may very fitly bee deuided into three parts First it sheweth that as God did most fearefully punish the world with visible sensible iudgemēts as we haue heard before so now he would set vpon them with inuisible and spirituall plagues which are of all other most grieuous and intollerable vers 1 Secondly it sheweth the state and condition of the Church militant here in earth as before was shewed vnder the opening of the fift seale the state of the Church triumphant in the heauens vers 2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9 namely that it is sealed and set in safetie from all daungers Thirdly it sheweth the blessed and happie estate of all Gods elect vers 10.11.12.13.14.15.16.17 and their feruent praises and zealous worship of God who thus mercifully did prouide for their securitie in the middest of greatest perils and extremities vers 1 And after that I saw foure Angels stand on the foure corners of the earth holding the foure winds of the earth that the windes should not blowe on the earth neither on the sea neither on any greene tree These foure angels are angels of darknesse or foure diuels which is proued by this reason that they holde the foure windes from blowing on the earth that is stop the course of the Gospell which is a spirituall plague They are said to stand vpon the foure corners of the earth because power was giuen them to plague not some one or two countries but the vniuersall world both East West North and South The blowing of the windes doth very fitly represent the preaching of the Gospell and that heauenly inspiration and breathing of the holy Ghost which goeth with it Winde is so taken Ioh. 3. where our Lord Iesus saith The wind bloweth where it listeth c So is euery man that is borne of the spirit And again in the 4. of the Cantic in these words Arise ô North and come ô South and blowe on my garden that the spices thereof may flowe out Where it plainly appeareth that the Church craueth the inspiration of the spirit that her fruites may abound For what can be meant by these windes which she wisheth to blow vppon her garden but the heauenly breathings of Gods holy spirit and word It followeth then that if the blowing of the windes in the scriptures doo signifie the breathing of Gods grace and holy spirite that the stopping of the windes by a reason of the contraries doth here signifie the stopping of the same and the depriuation of all heauenly blessings So that it is cleare that a spirituall plague is heere represented which also is the more apparant because here is such speciall prouiso and care had for the churches safetie that it might not be infected with this spirituall contagiō Now all this doth plainly fore-prophesie not only the stopping of the course of the Gospell but euen the vtter taking of it away from the world for their great contempt thereof and the horrible murthering massacring of all the true professors of it according as it came to passe afterward in the preuailing first of heresies and afterward of the Popish and Mahometish religion as in the two next Chapters following shall plainly appeare And I sawe another Angell come vp from the East vers 2 which had the seale of the liuing God and he cried with a loud voice to the foure angels to whome power was giuen to hurt the earth and the sea saying Hurt yee not the earth neither the sea vers 3 neither the trees till wee haue sealed the seruants of our God in their foreheads This Angell is Iesus Christ who by the Prophet is called the Angell of the couenant That Angels do represent sustaine the person of Christ their head is so common vsuall a thing in the scriptures that I shall not neede to staie in it That this Angell is Christ it doth plainly appeare by the things heere attributed vnto him which can agree to none other First in that he hath the seale of the liuing God which is the spirit of adoption to set vpon all the elect for hee is the onely keeper of this great seale and this priuie seale Hee onely hath authoritie to set it vpon whom he will Secondly because hee is saide to come vp from the East that is hee is the onely sonne of righteousnes which ariseth vpon his Church euery morning and with his bright beames expelleth all darknesse from it According to that of Zacharias in his propheticall song Through the tender mercy of our God the day spring from an highe hath visited vs. Thirdly because he holdeth a soueraigntie and commaund ouer the diuels for he chargeth them here to staie their hands from doing any hurt till he had prouided for his elect vers 2 Whereas it is saide that power was giuen to these diuels to hurt the earth the sea and the trees that is the number of reprobates we may note that the diuels haue no absolute power but only by permission as appeareth in this that they could neither touch Iob nor enter into the heard of swine without leaue and licence vers 3 Whereas it is said Till we haue sealed the seruants of our God in their foreheads it doth plainely shewe that the punishments of the wicked are deferred till prouision be made for the elect The floud came not vppon the olde worlde till Noah and his family were receiued into the Arke The Angels destroyed not Sodome till Lot was set in safetie The plaguing Angell spared the first borne of Egipt till the postes of the Israelites houses were sprinkeled with the blood of the paschall Lambe The sixe Angels sent to destroy Ierusalem are charged to staie the execution till the seruaunts of God were marked in their fore-heads All these examples do manifestly declare what tender care the Lorde in all ages hath had of his owne people that they might be deliuered and set in safetie in the midst of all extremities Euen so heere we see that God
the Church which Christ hath thundred out with terrour against them And when the time determined is come they shall be seene and vnderstood but in the meane time they bee sealed vp and kept close according to that of Iob Why should not the times bee hid of the Almightie so as they which know him should not perceiue the times appointed of him and that of Daniel These things are sealed vp vntill the time determined vers 5 And the Angell which I sawe stand vpon the sea and vpon the earth lift vp his hand to heauen vers 6 And sware by him that liueth for euermore which created heauen and the things that therein are and the earth and the things that therin are the sea the things that therein are that time should be no more vers 7 But in the daies of the voice of the seuenth Angel when he shall begin to blowe the trumpet euen the ministrie of God shall be finished as he hath declared to his seruants the Prophets The summe of these three verses is that Christ giueth warning of the last iudgement that men might awake and looke out in time And because men for the most part are carelesse and secure putting the euill day farre from them as the Prophet speaketh Therefore here Christ bindeth it with a solemne oath and solemne gestures therevnto annexed as was the lifting vp of the hand in auncient time Gen. 14.22 The thing that our Lord Iesus deposeth is that Time shall be no more that is Time as it is now or the state of things as they be now but he telleth vs flatly that as sixe Angels haue alreadie blowne their trumpets so when the 7. Angell should blowe the mysterie of God shall be finished that is the time of punishing the wicked and rewarding the godly should come which is therefore called a Mysterie because the world vnderstandeth it not They thinke there is no such matter They imagine there is no reward for the iust or punishment for the wicked as the Prophet saith But the holy Ghost saith Verily there is a reward for the righteous Doubtlesse there is a God which iudgeth the earth And here it is said that God hath declared it to his seruants the Prophets And the voice which I heard from heauen vers 8 spake vnto mee againe and said Goe and take the little booke which is open in the hand of the Angel which standeth vpon the sea and vpon the earth vers 9 So I went vnto the Angell and said vnto him giue me the little booke· And he said vnto me take it and eate it vp and it shall make thy belly bitter but it shall bee in thy mouth as sweete as honey vers 10 Then I tooke the little booke out of the Angels hand and ate it vp and it was in my mouth as sweete as honey but when I had eaten it my belly was bitter vers 11 And hee saide vnto mee Thou must prophesie againe among the people and nations and tongues and to many kings The briefe sense of these foure verses is that the Preachers of the Gospell being called allowed and authorised by Christ vnto their ministry should study the scriptures with great diligence eueÌ„ vntil they had eaten vp the booke of God then they should preach publish vnto all nations kingdomes that truth of God doctrine of the Gospell which now a long time had lien hid in the raigne of Antichrist It is to be obserued that Iohn in this place representeth the person of all the ministers of the Gospell which should be raised vp in these last dayes for the ouerthrowe of Antichrist and the restauration of true religion for Iohn himselfe did not liue to these times Further it is to be noted that all godly Students and zealous Ministers do eate vp the booke of God by reading study praier meditation they finde it sweete in their mouth that is they finde and feele great ioy and comfort in the studie and meditation thereof especially wheÌ„ God reuealeth therby great and hid secrets vnto them giueth them to vnderstand the mysteries of the Gospell counsels of his will which are locked vp from the wise and prudent of this world This I say is sweeter vnto their mouth then hony and the hony combe Concerning this phrase of eating vp the booke looke Ezech. 2.9 for here the holy Ghost alludeth therevnto This booke being so sweete in the mouth yet being eaten and digested is bitter in the belly There may bee three reasons yeelded of this bitternesse First because it being once taken downe into our soule by godly meditatioÌ„ doth mortifie our corrupt nature bring vnder our lusts therefore seemeth bitter to flesh and bloud Secondly because afflictions trials do alwaies necessarily followe the sounde digestion of the Gospell Thirdly because the doctrine of the Gospel being swallowed by the Ministers therof must not be kept to themselues as it were closed vp in their stomacks but they must out with it againe as if it were some loathsome bitter thing which must needes be cast vp again And for this cause it is said in the last verse that they must prophesie againe among the people and nations and tongues and many kings Now blessed be the name of the Lorde our God who hath giuen vs to liue in this age wherein we do with our eies behold and see the fulfilling of all these things let vs therefore praise God for this great worke which wee see wrought in our daies and let vs still more and more magnifie this lâ—ttle booke which will vtterly destroy Popery and bring downe the proude Antichrist do all that fight for him what they can CHAP. XI WE haue heard that the little Booke should be opened and the Gospell preached and published to many nations and kingdomes after the great darkenesse of Popery and that this was done by Luther Melancton Caluin Peter Viret Peter Martir Bullinger Bucer and all their faithfull successors vnto this day Now in this Chapter we are to vnderstand of the effect good successe of their preaching and publishing the Gospell which was that the Church should be restored reformed and built vp thereby which a long time had bene wasted and oppressed by the tyrannie of Antichrist and that many should imbrace the Gospell forsake their Idolatries and turne to God with all their hearts yea whole nations and kingdomes in Europe should be conuerted to the faith as we see this day God be praised So then the principall drift of this Chapter is to shewe those thinges which yet remaine to be fulfilled vnder the blowing of the sixt trumpet which is the preaching and preuailing of the Gospell euen vnto the worldes ende and also the thinges which follow vppon the blowing of the seuenth trumpet which is the resurrection last iudgement This Chapter containeth sixe principall things as it were the sixe parts thereof First ver 1.2 it
the sense that is and not the sense which is not as hath beene said before But I will giue power vnto my 2. witnesses vers 3 and they shall prophesie 1260. dayes cloathed in sackcloth Hauing set down how Antichrist his company being those Gentiles which possesse y e outward court should tread downe the holy citie that is the true churh of God for a short time now he commeth to shew that euen in the height and pride of the Popes power and gouernment yet the Church was not vtterly extinct God did neuer vtterly forsake it but in all ages and at all times God did raise vp one or other to withstand all Popish proceedings which is here meant by the two witnesses For assuredly these two witnesses do not signifie Enoch and Elias as the Papists and some others do dreame but they signifie all the faithfull Preachers and professors of the truth which in all ages both former and later haue opposed themselues against the Pope his Cleargie his doctrine his religion and all his abhominable proceedings They are called Witnesses because they should beare witnesse vnto the truth They are said to be two in number for three reasons First because they were very fewe in those dayes when Popery did so generally preuaile for two is the smallest number Secondly because the law of God doth admit of no lesse number in witnesse-bearing as it is written In the mouth of two or three witnesses shal euery word stād Thirdly it is an allusion to Zorobabel and Iehoshua which were the two restorers and builders of the temple after the captiuitie Christ saith here that hee will giue power to his two witnesses for no man hath any power in heauenly things except it be giuē him from aboue and especially to stand fast to the truth in the heate of persecutions and troubles It is said that these two witnesses shall Prophesie that is Preach declare and speake For so Prophesie is taken in the former Chapter and last verse so also in other places of the scripture The time of their prophesieng being 1260. daies hath bene expounded before These two witnesses are cloathed in sackcloth which signifieth that they should lead a sorrowfull life here in this world For in old time when men did fast and mourne they did vse to put on sackcloth It followeth then that these faithfull Preachers and witnesses of the truth did not spend their daies in mirth iolitie and worldly pompe and brauery as did the Popes Cleargie and pompous prelates of Antichrist Now if any man wil demaund how this may appeare that there haue beene alwaies some raised vp of God to write preach declare and speake against the whoore of Babylon euen then when she was aloft and raigned as the Queene and Lady of the world I answere that Histories are verie plentifull in this point which at large do shewe that in all countries and kingdomes of Europe there were euer some stirred vp to impugne and resist the whoore of Babylon As In England Robert Grosted Bishop of Lincolne Anno. dom 1293. Iohn Wickliffe supported by Edward 3. and diuers of the Nobilitie in England An. 1400. In Germany Taulerus a Preacher An. 1354. Franciscus Petrarcha 1356. Iohannes de rupe scissa 1357. Conradus Hager 1359. Cerhardus Rhidor 1359. Petrus de Corbona 1360. Iohannes de Poliaco Iohn Zisca 1420. In Bohemia Iohn Husse An. dom 1414. Ierome of Prage 1416. Mathias Parisiensis 1370. In Spaine Arnoldus de noua villa An. 1250. In Italy Ierome Sauonarola a Monke An. 1500. Siluester a Friar In France Waldus of whome came the Waldenses or poore men of Lions in France An. 1160. Guilienus de sancto amore An. 1252. Robertus Gallus An. 1292. Laurentius An. 1290. In Ireland Armachanus an Archbishop An. 1362. In Sueuia Many Preachers at once An. 1240. In Grecia All the Churches of Grecia renounced the Church of Rome for their abhominable Idolatry An. 1230. It were too tedious to recite all which the stories do report to haue withstood both Pope Popery euen when it did most of all beare the sway these may suffice for the vnderstanding of the Text. As for those which haue bene raised vp since the decay and fall of Popery I meane since Luthers time they are so many and so well knowne that I need say nothing These are two Oliue trees vers 4 and two candlestickes standing before the God of the earth Here the two witnesses are compared to two Oliue trees because that as the Oliue tree doth drop down his Oile and fatnesse so the faithfull Ministers doe drop downe vpon the Church the sweet oile of the spirit which is all heauenly and spirituall graces as the Metaphor of Oile is often so taken in the scriptures They are also compared to two candlestickes because that as the candlesticke beareth vp the candle set vpon it so the Ministers of the Gospell beare vp and hold forth the light of Gods word euen in the greatest darknesse These candlestickes are said to stand before the God of the earth because God beareth rule not onely in heauen but in earth also euen then when all things in the earth seem to be most troubled the church militant vnder greatest persecutions as now it was vers 5 And if any will hurt them fire proceedeth out of their mouthes and shall deuoure their enemies for if any will hurt them so must he be killed vers 6 These haue power to shut heauen that it raine not in the daies of their prophesying and haue power ouer waters to turne them into blood and to smite the earth with all maner of plagues as oft as they will Here is shewed that if any despise the simplicitie of these two witnesses and offer them wrong because of their basenesse and contempt in the world that there is a fire cōmeth out of their mouth that is the firy mighty power of the word of God vttred out of their mouthes which ouerthroweth ouerturneth their enimies nay as fire it consumeth them to ashes for the Ministers of the Gospell are armed with ready vengeance against all disobedience Therfore they be starke madde and know not what they do which oppose themselues against the true Ministers of Christ For the sword which they fight with slaieth the reprobates in their soules though not in their bodies for the ministery of the word is the sauour of death to all vnbeleeuers That which is here spoken of shutting the heauens that it raine not and turning the waters into blood is an allusion to Elias and Moses Whereof the one by his praier shut the heauens the other by his rodde turned the waters into blood Now the faithfull Ministers of the Gospell are compared to these two not because they should worke such outward miracles as they did but because they should be furnished with spirituall power which is farre greater For most sure it is that the inuisible spirituall power
now God be praised for it many doo repent euery day and turne from dumbe Idols to serue the liuing God And therefore although the times wherein we liue bee sinfull and troublesome yet are they golden times and daies in comparison of former ages wherein Antichrist did raigne and rule ouer all Moreouer from this place may plainly and strongly be concluded that the Gospel shal preuaile more and more in all the kingdomes of Europe euen vntill the ende of the world For here we see it foretolde and prophesied that in this very last age of the world euen as it were a litle before the blowing of the seuenth trumpet which presently herevpon is sounded as in the next verses appeareth many should repent and giue glory to God vers 14 The second woe is past behold the third woe wil come anon vers 15 And the seuenth Angell blew the trumpet and there were great voices in heauen saying The kingdomes of this world are our Lords and his Christs and he shall raigne for euermore Now commeth the third the last and the greatest woe which is the woe of eternall death vpon all the vngodly both in their soules and bodies for euer in the last iudgement The first woe was the Papacie The second woe was Turcisme And this third woe is the last iudgement For it now followeth that the seuenth Angell bloweth the last trumpet as our Lord Iesus sware before that when the seuenth Angell should blowe the trumpet chapter 10.6 there should bee no more time Therefore when we see all things fulfilled which do belong vnto the sixt trumpet it remaineth that wee should euery houre expect and looke for the blowing of the seuenth trumpet and the end of the world For the holy Ghost telleth vs that whē the kingdome of the Pope and the Turke shall fall and the Gospell bee preached in many nations and kingdomes that then the third woe will come anon that is the last iudgement followeth presently vpon it Now at the blowing of this seuenth trumpet there were great voices in heauen saying the kingdomes of this world are our Lords and his Christs and he shall raigne for euermore These voices in heauen are the triumphing voices of Gods elect who do exceedingly reioyce and triumph that the kingdome of Sathan and Antchrist is ouerthrowne and that the kingdome of God and of Christ is set vp and shall stand for euermore For now all aduersary power being ouerthrowne Christ doth deliuer vp a peaceable kingdome to his father as it is writtē Then shal be the ende when he hath deliuered vp his peaceable kingdome to God the Father For he must raigne ouer the Church militant till hee haue troade downe all his enemies vnder his feete and when the Sonne of God hath subdued all things to himselfe then shall he be subiect to his Father as he is the mediator of the Church and yet raigne with his Church triumphant for euermore Then the 24. vers 16 Elders which satte before God on their seates fell vppon their faces and worshipped God Saying Wee giue thee thankes ô Lorde God almightie vers 17 which art which wast and which art to come for thou hast receiued thy great might and hast obtained thy kingdome These 24. Elders doo signifie all the elect chapter 4 both of Iewes and Gentiles as we haue heard before which all in most suppliant manner doo worshippe the onely euerlasting God euen in the Church triumphant and do greatly reioyce and giue all praise and glorie vnto him because now he had receiued the kingdome the power and the glory both Pope and Turke and Emperor and all his enemies being subdued vnder his feete ver 18 And the Gentiles were angry and thy wrath is come and the time of the dead that they should be iudged and that thou shouldest giue reward vnto thy seruants the Prophets and to the Saints to them that feare thy name and to small and great and shouldest destroy thē which destroy the earth Now he mentioneth the wrath and vengeance which is to bee powred forth vpon all the wicked at the last day and also the reward of the godly For whereas he saith The Gentiles were angry thy wrath is come and the time of the dead that they should be iudged the sense and meaning is that all the prophane enemies of the Church which haue had their time in which they were angrie with Gods people and in their wrath did afflict and vexe them very sore should now bee iudged and condemned in Gods wrath for now the day of his wrath and vengeance is come wherein he wil destroy them that destroied the earth and seemed to carrie all before them and where also hee will giue a full recompence of rewarde to all his faithfull worshippers both small and great both Preachers and professors of his Gospell Then the temple of God was opened in heauen there was seene in the Temple the arke of his couenant and there were lightnings and voices and thundrings ver 19 and earthquakes and much haile This is a further amplification of that which is set downe in the former verse For now he saith that the temple of God should be opened in heauen That is an opē doore and passage should be made through Christ for al the elect to enter into Gods euerlasting kingdome and raigne with him and his Angels for euermore By the arke of the couenant is meant Christ who is saide heere to be seene in the Temple or kingdome of glory because through his mediation only in whom the couenant of peace is established with his church the 24 Elders are made partakers of their Crownes and enter in with him and his Angels into the euerlasting Temple made without handes and eternall in the heauens But on the contrary heere is said that there were lightnings thundrings c. That is most horrible vegeance and wrath poured downe vpon al reprobates in hel-fire for euermore For when it shal be said to al the faithful Come ye blessed c. then also shal it be said to al vnbeleeuers Goe ye cursed into hell fire c. Now for warrant of this expositiō of the last verse that the Temple in heauen is to be vnderstood of the kingdome of glory looke Chap. 15. ver 5.6.8 Chap. 16. ver 1. The reason hereof is that as the doores of the Temple of Ierusalem being set open Gods people entred in and worshipped so the euerlasting gates of the new Ierusalem and celestial Temple being set open by Christ al the elect do enter in and worship God without wearinesse euen as the Angels for euermore That the arke of the couenant is taken for Christ see 2. Sam. 6.2 Psal 78. ver 61.62 This arke of the couenant that is Christ is here seene in the Temple because Christ hath already taken possession of heauē as mediator and head of the Church and now doth set open the kingdome of heauen to al beleeuers
that through him they may haue free accesse thereunto as it is written that thorough him only we haue an entrance vnto the Father That by thundrings lightnings earthquake haile is ment that horrible vengeance and wrath which is powred forth vpon al the vngodly see Psal 11. verse 6. Let this briefely suffice to satisfie the conscience of the reader And thus much concerning the second vision contained in these eight chapters going before wherein we haue heard al things expounded that doe belong vnto the opening of the seuen seales and the blowing of the seauen trumpets that is al notable things which were to fal out frō the Apostles times vnto the end of the world CHAP. XII NOw hauing finished the second vision we are come vnto the third contained in al the chapters following euen vnto the end of this book Wherin diuers things which were obscurely and darkely set downe in the former vision are more plainly and fully opened and expounded So that this third vision is as it were a commentary or more cleare exposition of sundry things contained in the second vision chapter 6 But especially of the persecuting Roman Empire mentioned in the opening of the second seale and also of the papacy mentioned at the blowing of the fift trumpet But the general summe of this third vision chapter 9 is a liuely painting out of the malignant Church and the great vpholders thereof the diuel the Romane Emperour and the Pope It sheweth also the rising and falling of the Romane Empire and the rising and falling of the papacy It sheweth also the vtter ouerthrow of both together with the eternal condemnation of the diuel which set them al a worke to fight against the Church Last of al it sheweth the eternall felicity of the Church and the vnconceiueable happines of al Gods chosen in the heauens for euermore The principal drift of this 12 Chapter is to set forth the nature of the true visible and militant Church here in earth whose head is Christ Iesus And also the false malignant church whose head is the diuel together with the continual enmitie and war which is alwaies betwixt them This Chapter may very fitly be diuided into fiue parts The first is a description of the true Church vers 1.2 The second is a description of the diuel the Churches enemie ver 3.4.5 The third containeth the Churches battaile with the diuel and her victorie ver 7.8.9 The fourth sheweth the ioy and triumphes of the godly in the churches victory ouer Sathan ver 10.11.12 The fift and last sheweth the fury ver 13.14.15 16.17 and malice of Sathan who although he was foiled in battell by the Church yet would not giue ouer but continued persecuting the church in her members and making war against the remnant of her seede Text. ver 1 And there appeared a great wonder in heauē A woman clothed with the sunne and the moone was vnder her feete and vpon her head a crowne of 12 starres First the Holy-ghost calleth the matters of this chapter a great wonder to stir vs vp to attention For men are much mooued with wonders and a wonder indeede it is in the literall sense to see a woman clothed with the sunne c. but a farre greater wonder in the spiritual sense as we shal heare and the greatest wonder of al that a poore weake woman should encounter with a great red dragon and ouercome him It is said to be a wonder in heauen because the church here in vision appeareth not vpon the earth but in heauen in asmuch as her birth is from heauen her inheritance in heauen and her conuersation in heauen The Church is here compared to a woman as in the 45 Psalme and the whole booke of the Canticles and that for three reasons First as a woman is weake and feeble and in lawe can do nothing of herself without her husband so we of our selues are weake and feeble and in matters of Gods lawe and worship can doe nothing without our husband Christ as he saith without me ye can do nothing Secondly as a woman thorough the company of her husband is fruitful and bringeth forth children so the Church by her coniunction with Christ and his word doth bring forth many children vnto God Thirdly as the loue and affection of a woman is to her husband as Gen. 2.16 so the loue and affection of the Church is altogether to Christ and Christ to her This woman is clothed with the Sunne that is the Church is clothed with Christ the Sunne of righteousnes as the Prophet speaketh The Moone was vnder her feete Whereby is meant that the church treadeth vnder her feete al worldly things which are compared to the moone for their often changes waxings wanings increasings decresings and continual mutations and vncertainties The church treadeth al transitory things vnder her feet that is she maketh light account of them she regardeth them not in comparison of heauenly things For he that is clothed with the sunne careth little for the light of the moone She hath vpon her head a crowne of 12 starres which signifieth that the church is adorned and beautified with the doctrine of the twelue Apostles that is the doctrine of the Gospel as it were with a crowne of gold of pearle and pretious stones For the doctrine of the Gospel is the crowne of the church And she was with child and cried trauailing in birth ver 2 and was pained readie to be deliuered The church is said to be with child after she hath conceiued the immortal seede of the word by the ministery of the Gospel as the Apostle saith In Christ Iesus I haue begotten you through the Gospell And to the Galatians O ye little children of whom I trauaile in birth againe till Christ bee formed in you It is not onely said that this woman was with child but also that she was very neere her time ready to bring forth and to be deliuered and that she crieth in trauaile Now the child which she bringeth forth is Christ Iesus as appeareth verse 5. for there it is said of him that he should rule all nations with a rodde of iron Now although Christ was borne but of one member of the church which is the Virgin Marie yet may it be said that the whole church which was before his cōming did euen trauaile with paine to bring him forth because they had through faith in the promises a longing feruent desire expectatiō of his comming For from the first promise made to Adam and afterward renewed to Abraham and his posterity the church stood in a continual expectation of the promised Messias looking wishely euery day when he should be actually exhibited to the world For which cause here she is said to cry trauailing in birth And not vnsauerly also may y e church be said to cry trauailing in birth when through many persecutions afflictions she bringeth forth children vnto God by the
signifieth Christ as Dan. 10.13 Iude v. 9. This name is giuen to Christ in Daniel because he is the first of the chiefe Princes that is he is the head of the Angels who are chiefe Princes as the Apostle affirmeth That Christ hath his Angels ioyned with him is not to note any weakenesse or want of strength in Christ alone to ouercome his enemies but to shew that as Christ doth effect great wonders in the world so for the most part hee doth it by instruments and meanes as sometimes Angels sometimes men But here he specially meaneth the Apostles and their successours yea and at this day all christian kings princes and potentates of the earth and all others which take part with Christ against the diuel his instruments Well here wee see that these two Generals and grand captaines Michael and the Dragon do muster both their armies ioyne battel and fight a pitched field the euent and successe whereof is this that the Dragon and his Angels goe downe Oh blessed successe may we say For if the diuel had preuailed it had beene woe to vs sith this battel was about and concerning the verie saluation of mankind by christs death and resurrection We know how the diuel set vpon Christ alone to tempt him vnto sinne that so he might ouerthrowe the worke of our redemption supposing in this combate or Monomachie to haue got the day but he preuailed not Afterward how strongly did he oppugne him by his Angels I meane the Scribes and Phariseâ—â— the high Priests and Elders of the people yea all the diuels in hel and his whole infernal armie not onely in murthering and crucifying his natural bodie but also in vsing all forcible and cunning meanes to keepe him downe that he might neuer rise vp againe as the great stone vpon his tombe the sealing of it the watch set to keepe it for the diuel knew right wel that if Christ rose again hee should lose the field For the resurrection of Christ is our actuall iustification And Christ was mightily declared to be the Sonne of God by his resurrection from the dead Wel do the dragon and his Angels what they can yet Christ is risen againe and hath spoiled principalities and powers yea al the infernall armie and hath made a shew of them openly and hath led them all in triumph vpon his crosse So that we see in this first and greatest battell the diuell hath the foile And it is further said that the diuell and all his Angels were cast out of heauen and their place was no more found which is not to be vnderstood of their first casting out of heauen immediately after their creatioÌ„ For at that time they were no diuels nor enemies to the church but Angels of light but nowe since their fall and since they were diuels they are said to be cast out of heauen not because they euer came in heauen since they were diuels but because they can no longer impeach the church touching her blessed estate in heauen They are without all hope to dispossesse her of her inheritance for that is ratified and made sure vnto her in the death and resurrection of Christ And for this cause it is said that the diuell hath no more to do in heauen that is he cannot for his heart ouerthrow the saluation of Gods children For who can lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen It is God that iustifieth who shall condemne It is Christ which is dead yea or rather which is risen againe c. True it is indeed that this battell is said to be in heauen that is about heauenly things yea about the highest points of heauen which is saluation or damnation for the diuel vpon this very point these very termes hath froÌ„ the beginning mightily wrestled and strugled with y e church doth euen vntil this day but blessed be God that he cannot nor shall not preuaile against any one of gods elect For our lord Iesus saith I giue vnto theÌ„ eternal life they shal neuer perish neither shal any take them out of my hand my father which gaue theÌ„ me is greater then all Neither shal any pluck theÌ„ out of my hand And againe All that the Father giueth me shal come vnto me And this is the fathers will which hath sent me that of all which he hath giuen me I should lose nothing but should raise it vp againe at the last day Now further we are to obserue that as Christ in his owne person hath once preuailed in the maine battell against the diuell so his church militant shal likewise alwayes preuaile through him For it is written The gates of hell shall not preuaile against it And the great Dragon that old serpent called the diuel and Satan was cast out which deceiueth al the world vers 9 He was euen cast into the earth his Angels were cast out with him Now because the diuel cannot ouerthrow the saluation of Gods elect hee is said to be cast out of heauen into the earth that is amongst earthlie and carnall men that he may exercise his tyranny and wrecke his malice vpon them For he hath power giuen him to tyrannise ouer them at his pleasure and the Apostle saith he worketh in the children of disobedience and taketh them captiue to do his will Then I heard a loud voice in heauen saying vers 10 now is saluation strength and the kingdom of our God the power of his Christ for the accuser of our brethren is cast downe which accused them before God day and night Here is the triumphant song of victorie which al the Saints Angels do sing vnto God praysing and magnifying his power and the power of his Sonne Christ for ouercomming the dragon and giuing the victory to the church through Christ For now with great ioy and loude voices they sing and say that the churches saluation is sealed and made sure vnto her for euer It can neuer be shaken The diuel is foiled and cast down into the earth These songs of ioie after great victories are of great antiquity in the church as we read of the children of Israel after the ouerthrow of Pharaoh and his army in the red sea of Deborah after the great victory ouer Sisara of the women that sung after the victory of Goliah by Dauid The deuil is called the accuser of the brethren for two causes First because he accuseth Gods elect of much sinne and calleth for iustice against them day and night at Gods hands that they might be condemned vpon such articles as he is able to proue against them for he knowing right well that the iudge of al the world is a iust God and must needs deale vprightly doth daily vrge him to doe iustice vnto sinners being willingly ignorant that al Gods People though sinners are cleared and discharged in Christ Another reason is because of the calumniations reproches and slaunders which in
al ages at al times and in al places and countries hee hath alwaies vniustly raised vp against the true worshippers of God ver 11 But they ouer came him by the bloud of the Lamb and by the worde of their testimony and they loued not their liues vnto the death Heere is shewed that the churches victory ouer Sathan and hel is not thorough any power or might of her own but by the bloud of the Lamb and the word of their testimony that is the worde of God which they witnesse professe loue stick vnto euen vnto death Therfore reioice ye heauens and ye that dwel in them ver 12 Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea for the diuel is come downe vnto you which hath great wrath knowing that he hath but a short time Here againe the saints and Angels and al the blessed company of heauē are called vpon exhorted to reioice because the diuel and his Angels are cast out and the elect haue the victory ouer him thorough the bloud of the Lamb and because the saluation of the church is sealed vp and God onely reigneth through Christ Which al are matters of so great momēt that not onely the church militant is stirred vp to reioice herein but euen the church triumphant also that is the spirits of iust and perfect men But on the contrary here is feareful woe denounced against the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea that is all Papists Atheists worldlings and reprobates For sith he cannot haue his wil of the church yet hee wil haue his will and wite his malice vpon them by hardening their hearts and blinding their eyes making them his slaues and vassals to fight for his kingdom against Christ against his church against all goodnesse and all good men The reason is added why the diuel is in such a rage with the world and commeth vpon them in so great wrath and furie to wit because hee hath but a short time that is because his kingdome draweth toward an end therefore he dooth so bestir him ver 13 And when the Dragon saw that he was cast vnto the earth he persecuted the woman which had brought forth the man child Now the diuel seeing himselfe cast out of heauen so as he cannot impeach the saluation of the church he raiseth vp horrible persecutions against her by his instruments here in y e earth labouring to root her out if it were possible for being ouercome of the head he doth now with might and maine set vppon the body and what horrible stormes and tempests he hath in al ages speciallie in these last daies raised vp and daily doth raise vp against the church both the scriptures and al church stories do abundantly declare ver 14 But to the woman were giuen two wings of a great eagle that she might fly into the wildernesse into her place where she is nourished for a time and times and halfe a time from the presence of the serpent These two wings do signifie al the waies meanes of euasion which God gaue vnto his church when he deliuered her from the hands of her pursuers and persecutors and also her swift flight from them and al their malicious practises For although the church cānot absolutelie fly from the presence of the diuel with her Eagles wings being so vnspeakably swift as he is yet after a sort shee is said to fly from him and his presence when the power of the tyrants and persecutors which he raiseth vp cannot ouertake her to murder and kil her But as touching her flight into the wildernesse and her lodging and nourishment there by Gods prouidence in the middest of al penury and extremity wee haue sufficiently heard before ver 6. and therefore here I surcease to speake any further of it As concerning the space and continuance of her nourishment in the wildernesse which is heere set downe to bee a time and times and halfe a time it is the same that the thousand two hundred and threescore daies mentioned in the sixt verse and the 42 monethes mentioned Chap. 11. verse 2. and the three daies and a halfe mentioned Chap. 11. ver 9. as before hath bin shewed And the serpent cast out of his mouth water after the woman like a floud vers 15 that he might cause her to be caried away of the floud Now the church being secretly hid and nourished by Gods prouidence in the wildernesse so as the diuel and his instruments cannot find her out nor come at her he taketh another course and casteth about another way to annoy her that is by casting a floud of water after her to drowne her withal Whereby is meant the innumerable lies reproches slaunders which he raised vp by sundry hereticks against her in al ages as the Arrians Donatists Papists and such like and al to bring her into the hatred of Princes Potentates and al that were in loue with her that sith otherwise he could not preuaile against her yet at least he might vtterly sinke her in this gulfe of reproches But the earth holpe the woman ver 16 and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed vp the floud which the Dragon had cast out of his mouth The same God which first deliuered the church from the violence and fury of Sathan and afterward cast him out of heauen and gaue her the victory ouer him after that againe miraculously hid hir preserued her in the wildernesse doth not now at a dead lift forsake her nor suffer her to be drowned in this floud of reproches vniust calumniations which the dragon cast vp after her But causeth the earth to help her to swallow vp the floud That is he vseth al creatures in the earth to helpe his church and not onely so but also he stirreth vp many earthly and carnal men to befrend the church and to take part with her against her enemies As sometimes he did Cyrus Ebedmelech Nebuzaradan Gamaliel and sundry others whose power and policy he vsed for the good of his church and for the drying vp of that flood of reproches which Sathan hath in al ages cast vp against her And God be thanked we see at this day that this floud of slaunders and calumnies which papists atheists cast out against the church and her particular members do dry vp dayly and shal dry vp more and more being drunk in by the earth And the church doth stil stand vnmooueable and shal stand and continue euen vnto the end of the world ver 17 Then the dragon was wroth with the woman and went made war with the remnant of her seede which keep the commandements of God and haue the testimony of Iesus Christ Here we see there is no end of the diuels malice He is infatigable in mischief though he haue neuer so many foiles yet he wil not giue ouer but begin againe For wheras he could not preuaile against the woman to cast her out
sword Here is the patience and the faith of the Saints Here is shewed that the things spoken of this great beast are very secret and mystical and can be vnderstood of none but those onely whose eares and eies God openeth to heare see and vnderstand that is the very elect of God as for al papists and worldlings their eares eies are sealed and shut vp they cannot vnderstand them but doe stil worship the beast ascribing vnto him diuine power and honor In the 10. verse the iudgement and vengeance of God is denounced against the Romane monarchie both former and latter which as it hath long oppressed the church with cruel bondage and drawne thousands into perpetual captiuity so it selfe also should be cast downe with al the adherents thereof both in this life and that which is to come For as the Romane Empire did tyrannise ouer the world and led millions into spirituall captiuity and bondage so here it is auouched that according to the iust lawe of quittance it selfe should be brought to the same lore And as this beast had murdered many by the sword so he him selfe must be murdered by the sword also As the Apostle saith God is iust and therefore will recompense tribulation to them that trouble his Church Now al this seemeth vnto me to be a cleere prophecy of the fal and final destruction of the Romane Empire which indeede considering the pitch that it was at may seeme a thing strange and incredible and therefore the Holy-ghost stirreth vs vp to attention in the ninth verse as to a thing of great woonderment and admiration for if the Romane monarchie fall the Papacy must of necessity fal with it For the Romane Empire is that beast chapter 17. verse 3. which beareth vp the whoore of Babylon as appeareth in the 17. Chapter of this prophecy where we shal God willing plainely and at large heare of the ioint destruction of them both together It is added Heere is the patience and faith of the Saints That is here is required great patience of al Gods children to waite and carry til the performance and accomplishment of those things and also faith and ful assurance to beleeue that they shal in Gods appointed time come to passe For few doo beleeue these things and therfore wait not with patience for the accomplishment thereof And I beheld another beast comming out of the earth ver 11 which had two hornes like the Lamb but he spake like the dragon Hauing described the first beast which is the Roman Empire now the Holy-ghost commeth to describe the second beast which is the Papacy or the kingdome of the great Antichrist for although hee bee described before in regard of his monarchy that is the ciuill iurisdiction which hee exercised as he was the seuenth head of the beast and head of the Empire yet here he is described after another sort that is according to his ecclesiastical authority and therfore he is called another beast or a beast differing from the former in that he exerciseth an other power besides the power of the heathen Emperours of Rome which is his spirituall iurisdiction in which respect he is called the false prophet This second beast riseth out of the earth as the former rose out of the sea then it appeareth that Antichrist is by his breed a sonne of the earth obscurely borne by little and little creeping vp out of his abiect estate as did the Turke It is here most truly said that the kingdome of Antichrist ariseth out of the earth is the very breed of the earth for assuredly it neuer came from heauen It was first hatched out of couetuousnesse ambition pride murders treasons poisonings sorceries enchantments and such like For al stories do shew that from these roots the Papacy grew to his exceeding height and altitude This second beast hath two hornes like the Lambe Whereby is meant his ciuil and ecclesiastical power or his kingdome and Priesthood which he falsly pretendeth to come from the Lamb and therefore he giueth in his armes two keies and hath two swords carried before him So Boniface the eight shewed himselfe one day in apparrel as a Pope and the next day in armour as the Emperour and the two hornes in the Popes miter are signes hereof But the Holy-ghost here telleth vs that these two hornes are not the hornes of the Lambe but only like the hornes of the Lamb for he receiued not his power from the Lamb Christ but from the diuel that is the dragon with ten hornes Then thus it is the Papacy is the seauenth head of the first beast that is the Empire yet a beast by it selfe with two hornes like the Lamb in respect of his ioint power and authority both ecclesiastical and ciuil in which respect he is called euen the eight and one of the seuen Chap. 17. ver 11. Although this second beast haue two hornes like the Lamb yet he spake like the dragon that is al his words and workes practises and proceedings lawes and decrees are for the dragon of whom he hath his power and throne and great authority So that whatsoeuer he pretendeth in religion and matters of Gods worship as though he would be like the Lamb yet assuredly hee is altogether for the dragon and the diuel he is assured vnto them as al experience doth manifestly witnesse And he did all that the first beast could doe before him he caused the earth them that dwel therin vers 12 to worship the first beast whose deadly wound was healed Here is shewed that this second beast was as mighty and stronge as the first beast and could doo as much as he euen in his presence Whereby is noted the great power and authority of the Papacy in performing as much in the seruice of the dragon against God and his church as euer the Empire of the heathen and those wicked Emperours could doo yea he did much more against Christ and his religion then euer the persecuting Emperours could do euen then when they were at their highest pitch And al this he did in his presence that is in the sight and open view of the whole Empire or whole world And he caused the earth and them that dwell therin that is al Papists and worldlings to worship the first beast that is to receiue the worship and religion of the old Roman tyranny which set vp and maintained Idolatry So then although the power in the Papacy came vnder the name of Christ yet in truth it was the same that the power of the persecuting Empire for the heathen emperours condemned the true worship of God and set vp false worship euen the worship of diuels which is Idolatry and so do the Popes also So then we see that this second beast is al for the first beast that is he leuieth al his power and authority to set vp the worship and religion of the old Romane tyrants and to force al men
all the cursed helhounds that barke and bite and take their part shall euer bee able to stand in his hands For rage they neuer so much hee will hamper them all well enough For though he haue giuen them the reine a long time and let them alone and suffred them to play the tyrants with the woman his spouse yet now he will no longer put it vp at their hands but will vp and maintaine the womans cause and beare her out against them all nay hee will make readie his bow that he may shoote off and make his arrowes drunke in the bloud of her and his enemies and will whette his glittering sword that hee may sheath it in the heart of Antichrist and all his adherents Therefore now let both the great beasts and their Sire looke to themselues for heere comes in one that will knocke them all downe and lay them in the dust that they shall neuer rise vp againe For this cause now at length Saint Iohn in a vision seeth a Lambe stand vpon mount Sion that is Christ present with his Church For mount Sion was an ancient figure of the Church as it is written Mount Sion lying Northward is faire in situation it is the ioy of the whole earth and the citie of the great king And againe The law shall goe forth of Sion and the word of the Lord from Ierusalem Moreouer Saint Iohn seeth heere with the Lambe an hundred fortie and foure thousand that is the particular members of the Church putting a certaine number for an vncertaine and specially alluding to the sealing of the twelue tribes of Israel as before hath beene shewed For it might bee demaunded where the Church was chapter 7.4 when all the world wondred and followed the first Beast and also when all both small and great rich and poore receiued the marke of the second Beast Saint Iohn answereth that euen then in the middest of the heate of persecutions God had his hid inuisible church whom Iesus Christ did protect and preserue euen in the verie flames of persecutions being alwayes present with them and amongst them as he said to his Disciples a little before his bodily departure from them Lo I am with you euen vnto the end of the world And heere hee is said to stand vpon mount Sion with his hundred fortie and foure thousand And it is added that this number of Gods faithfull elect children had the Fathers name written in their foreheads That is they did professe and practise the doctrine and religion of God their Father onely vtterly renouncing and abhorring the worship and religion of the Beast For the Fathers name in this place is set opposite to the marke of the Beast to signifie that as the worshippers of Antichrist receiued his marke so the true worshippers of God receiued his brand which is his Spirit and the fruits therof whereby they were perfectly discerned from those which had the beasts marke So then it cleerely appeareth from this place that God preserued many thousands of his true worshippers euen in the daies of the great Antichrist when there seemed to bee verie fewe or none remaining vppon the earth as it was in the dayes of Elias In vaine therefore doe the Papists aske vs where our Church was before Luthers time sith the holy Apostle heere stoppeth their mouth and telleth vs plainely that Christ had his little flocke in the wildernesse euen then when it was in greatest streightes and as wee say driuen to the wals And therfore visibilitie is no sound note of the Church as the Papists doe most ignorantly dispute For it is a fond and absurd kind of reasoning to say there is no Church at all because it doth not visibly appeare as if a man should reason that there is no Moone in the heauens because sometimes there is none seene as in the change And I heard a voice from heauen vers 2 as the sound of manie waters and as the sound of a great thunder and I heard the voyce of Harpers harping with their harpes Heere is set forth how this companie of true worshippers doe magnifie and praise God for his great mercies towards them First Iohn heareth a voyce from heauen that is an heauenly voice or the voice of the Church praising and glorifying God For wee haue heard before chapter 8.1 that heauen in this Booke is sometimes put for the Church vppon the earth and the reasons thereof Whersoeuer therfore the Church is assembled to heare the word and to pray and giue thanks there is a voice from heauen or an heauenly voice Now this voice is compared to three things first to the sound of manie waters Secondly to the sound of a great thunder Thirdly to y e voice of harpers harping with their harps It is likened to manie waters because it proceedeth from sundrie sorts of people of sundrie nations countries and kingdomes as the word Waters is taken afterwards in this Prophesie It is compared to Thunder because the prayers and inuocations of the true Church are as loud in the eares of God as any thundercracke It is compared to Harpers harping with their harpes both because their spirituall worship and seruice is as sweete vnto God as any musicke vnto men as also because all Gods faithfull people doe tune together among themselues and in their worship as the strings of a well tuned instrument of musicke or as manie musitians playing together which make a sweete harmonie and most melodious dittie vers 3 And they sung as it were a newe song before the throne and before the foure beasts and the Elders and no man could learne that song but the hundred fourtie and foure thousand which were bought from the earth Now is shewed how this holy societie of the faithful do continue their praising and glorifying of God They are not weary of well doing but hold on constantly in the course of Gods worship hauing new songs of thanksgiuing in their mouthes and seruing God dayly with renewed affections as men inflamed with the zeale of Gods glory and all this they doe performe before the throne before the foure beasts and the Elders that is in the presence of God and his Angels and his holy congregation And no man could learne that song but the hundred fortie and foure thousand that is none of the reprobates and vngodly worldlings could inwardly feele and vnderstand this spirituall worship but onely the elect to whom it is giuen to vnderstand the secrets of God and the mysteries of his sonnes kingdome These are they vers 4 which are not defiled with women for they are virgins these follow the Lambe wheresoeuer he goeth these are bought from men being the first fruits vnto God and to the Lambe And in their mouthes was found no guile vers 5 for they are without spot before the throne of God This holy cōpany are not defiled with women that is with grosse diuers sins or rather with idolatrous pollutions
yea did couer the whole face of the earth with their multitudes and compasse the tents of the Saints about and the beloued citie that is did make warre against the Church and people of God which in comparison of them were but as a few tents or some little citie But marke vvhat followeth and consider the issue of the battaile The holy ghost saith expressely that fire came downe from God out of Heauen and deuoured them Which doth plainely shew that the armies of Gog Magog though neuer so huge shal be destroyed by the fire of Gods vvrath Now from this I gather that as the armies of the Pope shall goe downe still more and more as formerly hath bene shewed and as experience in the last yeeres good successe both in Ireland Netherland and against Spaine also hath partly prooued Gods most holy name be praised so also the armies of the Turk shal be ouerthrowen so farre foorth as they fight against the true Church or at least be so kept back that they shall not be able to compasse the tents of the Saints as vve see and feele this day God be thanked ver 10 And the Diuell that deceiued them was cast into a lake of fire and brimstone where that beast and that false prophet are and shal be tormented euen day and night for euermore Heere is set downe the Diuells doome to vvit that he shal be cast downe into the infernall pit as vvell vvorthy both for his seducing all nations and stirring vp the armies of Gog and Magog against the Church euen to roote it vp if it vvere possible Therefore Saint Iohn telleth vs that forasmuch as he is the author of all mischiefe and he that hath set all the rest a vvork therefore both he and his instrumens the beast and the false prophet Gog and Magog shall all drinck of the same cup of Gods eternall vvrath and be all throwne downe together into one close prison vvhich is that gasping gulfe and infernall lake that burneth vvith fire and brimstone for euer Loe then vvhat shal be the end of the diuell the Pope the Turk the Emperour the King of Spaine the Cardinall and all other the diuels instruments vvhich heere in earth haue persecuted the Church and compassed the tents of the Saints and the beloued Cittie Now after all this in the fiue last verses Saint Iohn entreth into a liuely and cleere discription of the last iudgement First noting the terror and maiestie of the Iudge himselfe in this ver 11 that from his face both Heauen and earth fled away that is no creature shal be able to endure his angry countenance in that daye and yet vvithall setting downe the puritie and vprightnesse of his iudgement and iudgement seate calling it a white Throne ver 12 And after this the generall citing and personall appearing of all men before him of vvhat degree estate or condition soeuer For both death and hell sea and graue did deliuer vp their dead And all vvithout exception came to iudgement And the bookes of their consciences vvere opened for euerie mans vvorke is engrauen vpon his cōscience as it vvere in letters of brasse or vvith the point of a Diamond as the Prophet speaketh And they were iudged of those things which were written in the bookes according to their workes and according to the testimonie of their owne consciences And death and hell ver 14 that is all the heires of death and hell euen all the societie of reprobates both papists Atheists and all vnbeleeuers yea whosoeuer were not found written in the booke of life were cast into the lake of fire ver 15 which is the second death Now heere I would haue it dilligently obserued that the holy ghost hath three seuerall times in this booke described the last iudgement to wit in the latter end of the 11. Chapter in the latter end of the 14. Chapter and now in the latter end of this Chapter And moreouer I would haue the order and causes of these descriptions well waighed For in the 11. Chapter hauing before described the kingdome of the Pope and the Turk with their ouerthrow and also the preaching and preuailing of the Gospell in these last daies hee commeth to describe the last iudgement In the 14. Chapter hauing set downe that the euerlasting gospell should be plētifully preached in this last age the ouerthrow of Babylon immediately following forthwith hee proceedeth to the discription of the last day In this Chapter hauing before concluded of the vtter ouerthrow of Rome of the beast and the false prophet of Gog and Magog and all aduersary power at length hee proceedeth to this description of Christs second comming which wee haue heard of And out of all this I do gather that the vtter ouerthrow of the Pope all his adherents shall be in this life a little before the comming of Christ vnto iudgement Chap. 21. AS wee haue heard before of the vtter ouerthrow of the beast and the false prophet and all their adherents and also of the euerlasting condemnation of the dragon that old serpent which set them all a worke So now in this Chapter wee are to heare of that most happy and blessed estate which the faithfull shall dwell in for euermore so that the maine drift of this Chapter is most fully to describe that infinit glory and endlesse felicitie to the which all the 144000 that is all the elect of God shal be aduanced when both the beast and all that haue receiued his marke shall be cast downe into the infernall lake This Chapter may very fitly bee deuided into foure parts The first is a description of the renouation of the world and the restauration of the creature ver 1 The second is ver 2.3.4 a laying foorth of the most glorious estate of the Church when it shall bee freed from all misery The third is a protestation of God himselfe ver 5.6.7.8 concerning the renouation of all things the felicitie of his elect and the endlesse torment of all reprobates The fourth is ver 9.10.11.12.13.14.15.16.17.18.19.20.21.22.23.24.25.26.27 a liuely description of the very kingdome of God and the vnspeakeable ioyes of heauen vnder the figure of a great citie called the holy Ierusalem Which citie is heere most gloriously described of his walles gates foundations streets height length breadth brightnesse matter forme persons and inhabitants The text ver 1 AND I saw a new heauen and a new earth for the first heauen and the first earth were passed away and there was no more sea ver 2 And I Iohn saw the holy city new Ierusalem come downe from God out of heauen prepared as a bride trimmed for hir husband ver 3 And I heard a great voice of heauen saying behold the tabernacle of God is with men and hee will dwell with them and they shall bee his people and God himselfe shall bee their God ver 4 And God shall wipe all teares from their eies and there shall bee no
more death neither sorrow neither crying neither shall there bee any more paine For the first things are passed By a new heauen and a new earth is meant the renued estate of heauen earth after this life in their qualitie not in their substance For wee doe beleeue according to the scripture that this visible heauen and this visible earth shall continue for euer as touching their matter and substance But shall bee greatly altered and changed in condition and qualitie For S. Peter saith wee looke for new heauens and a new earth according to his promise wherein dwelleth righteousnesse that is such heauens and such a earth as is free from all corruption sinne Which thing also the Apostle S. Paul doth plainely teach saying that the creature doth feruently expect when the sonnes of God shall be reuealed that is when Gods children shall be made knowen to be as they are the very heires of infinit glory which in this life doth not appeare And hee yeeldeth two reasons of this desire of the creature one is because in the meane time it is subiect to vanitie and corruption the other is that then it shall bee free from both And for this cause the Apostle saith that the creature groneth with vs and earnestly desireth and longeth after that day wherein it shall bee set free from the bondage of corruption and redintigrated and restored to that pristinate estate wherein it was before the fall But whether this is to be vnderstood of heauen earth onely or of heauen and earth with their adiuncts particular creatures I wil not heere goe about to discusse howbeit I do greatly incline to their opinion which hold that heauen and earth with all their furniture being redintigrated restored to their first estate shall remaine for euer to set foorth the glorie of the creator for that vse of glorified men which now the Angels haue of them Now whereas Saint Iohn addeth that there shall bee no more Sea Hee meaneth that there shall bee no more any troublesome and confused estate of this world no moe broiles waues tempests and stormes as it falleth out in this life For the word Sea is so taken twise or thrise before By the holy citie new Ierusalem hee meaneth the Church triumphant which therefore is said to come downe from God out of heauen because it hath all his newnesse and holinesse from God and from heauen whereby it is now prepared and made ready to bee maried vnto Christ ver 3 euen as a bride tricked and trimmed vp for her husband And for this cause S. Iohn heareth a voice from heauen saying the tabernacle of God is with men and hee will dwell with them and they shall bee his people and hee will bee their God Meaning therby that Iesus Christ will keepe house with his glorified spouse and be at bed and bourd with hir for euer in the heauens at what time shee shall bee freed from all teares woe and miserie ver 4 as the next verse declareth yeelding also a reason heereof which is that the first things are passed that is the state wherein the world is now being subiect to many afflictions temptations vanities and corruptions ver 5 And hee that sat vpon the throne said Behold I make all things new and he said vnto mee Write for these words are faithfull and true ver 6 And hee said vnto mee it is done I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end I will giue to him that is a thirst of the well of the water of life freely ver 7 Hee that ouercommeth shall inherit all things and I will bee his God and hee shall bee my sonne ver 8 But the fearefull and vnbeleeuing and the abhominable and murtherers and whoremongers and sorcerers and Idolaters and all liers shall haue their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death Heere the omnipotent God which sitteth vpon his most glorious throne doth protest that hee will make all things new that is restore the world to that execellent estate wherein it was before Adams fall and his elect to a state and condition farre more excellent in heauen and for the greater certainely and assurance of it willeth and commandeth Iohn to write it ver 5 and record it as a thing most certaine and infallible and to set it downe as a thing already done For things to come which are decreed in the counsell of God are as certaine as if they were past for God cannot erre alter nor change and therefore he saith I am Alpha and Omega the first and the last the vnchangeable and immutable God And addeth ver 6 that hee will giue freely to euery one that is a thirst of the well of the water of life that is without all regard of our desarts hee will giue to euery one that earnestly seeketh after heauen and heauenly things his full fill thereof And moreouer that whosoeuer ouercommeth in the spirituall battaile shall haue the full fruition of all good things both in this life and the life to come as hauing speciall right and interest therein through Christ God being his father and hee his sonne and heire ver 7 But on the contrary hee willeth it to bee written and recorded as a thing most certaine and sure that all reprobates all Atheists worldlings ver 8 and all vnbeleeuers shall haue their part an portion in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone for euer And there came vnto mee one of the seauen Angels ver 9 which had the seauen vials full of the seauen plagues and talked with mee saying I will shew thee the bride the Lambs wife ver 10 And he carried mee away in the spirit to a great and an high mountaine and shewed mee that great Citie that holy Hierusalem discending out of Heauen from God ver 11 Hauing the glory of God and her shining was like vnto a stone most pretious as a Iasper stone clere as Christ all Heere one of the Angels mentioned in the 16. Chapter which had a Viall full of Gods vvrath Talketh vvith Iohn and telleth him that he will shew him the bride the Lambs wife that is the triumphant Church or the Church in her glorified estate beeing vnited and married vnto Christ in the kingdome of glory And therefore Saint Iohn saith that this Angell carried him away in the spirit to a great and high mountaine and shewed him that great Citie holy Ierusalem c. chapter 17.1.2.3 Wee reade in the 17. Chapter that when this Angell shewed Iohn the great whore of Babylon he carried him away into the wildernesse in the spirit because the vvhore of Babylon should make the Church barren and desolate as a vvildernesse But now that he is to shew him the spouse of Christ in her glory and to describe the euerlasting Ierusalem he carrieth him in the spirit vnto a very high mountaine that he might take a sight of it as
of a Chrysoprasus the eleauenth of a Iacinth the twelft of an Ametheist And the twelue gates were twelue pearles ver 21 and euery gate is of one pearle and the street of the citie is pure gold as shining glasse As we haue heard of the forme of this goodly citie so now wee are to heare of the matter of it that is to say of what stuffe it is made First S. Iohn telleth vs that the whole Citie is of most pure and glittering gold like vnto glasse and that the wall was of Iasper most greene and flourishing and also that the very foundation of the wall was beautified and adorned with twelue sundry kindes of pretious stones which hee reckoneth vp We count it a great matter heere below to compasse and close in our houses with a wall of bricke and none can do it but men of place but alas what is that to his wall what is bricke to precious stones pibbles to pearle But S. Iohn addeth that the gates were of pearle and the streete of the citie of pure gold Oh how braue how beautifull how glorious how glittering how gorgeous how admirable a citie is this for if the gates be of pearle the streets of gold then what are the inner roomes what are the dining chambers and what are the lodging roomes But heere we may not grossely imagine that the kingdome of God is of such mettall and matter inded as is heere described But the holy ghost would giue vs some tast of it and after a sort shadow out vnto vs vnder these things vvhich are in most pretious accompt amongst men vvhat the glory and excellencie of the immortall kingdome is For otherwise there is no comparison betwixt gold pearle and pretious stones and those heauenly inuisible immortall things which vve looke for and hope for thorough Christ vvhich in very deed are so great so glorious and so vnconceiuable that gold pearle pretious stones are scant so much as any shew shadow or resemblāce thereof ver 22 And I saw no Temple therein for the Lord God almightie and the Lamb are the Temple of it ver 23 And this Citie hath no need of the Sunne neither of the Moone to shine in it for the glory of God did light it and the Lamb is the light of it ver 24 And the people which are saued shall walke in the light of it and the kings of the earth shall bring their honor glory vnto it ver 25 And the gates of it shall not be shut by day for there shal be no night there ver 26 And the glory and honour of the Gentiles shal be brought vnto it ver 27 And there shall into it no vncleane thing neither whatsoeuer worketh abhomination or lies But they which are written in the Lambs booke of life In this new Ierusalem there is no Temple as was in the olde Ierusalem For there shal be no neede of any no neede of doctrine of Sacraments of prayer as in the olde Temple wherein the law was taught sacraments administred sacrifices offered and many other rites and ceremonies obserued But Saint Iohn saith that now God and Christ shal be all in all They shal be the Temple of this most holy Citie And all they elect shall fully know them and dwell with them for euer And as this Citie hath no neede of any Temple so hath it no neede of any light either of Sunne or Moone For the glory of God and the brightnesse of the Lamb doe light it for euer vvhose incomprehensible brightnesse doth as far excell the brightnesse of the Sunne and Moone as they doe excell a little candle at noone day But it may be demaunded vvho shall dwell in this so glorious a Citie and in this so great a light Saint Iohn answereth that the people that are saued shall walke in it that is all the Israell of God all true beleeuers vvhich are happy that euer they vvere borne that they may come to the possession of such a kingdome as is heere described For Saint Iohn saith that the resplendent brightnesse of this Citie is so great that euen the kings of the earth shall bring their glory and honour vnto it And also that the glory and honour of the Gentiles shal be brought vnto it Oh how vnspeakeable is the glory of this citie that Kings shall throw downe their Crownes and Scepters beefore it counting all theyr pomp and glory but as dust in respect of it And the magnificence and pomp of all the potentates of the earth shall heere bee laide downe And albeit none of the kings and nobles of the gentiles might bee admitted into the old Ierusalem yet all of the gentiles that beleue shall be admitted into this new Ierusalem made free denisons therof for euer And although the gates of this citie alwaies stand open both night and day as not fearing any danger of enemies yet no vncleane thing shall enter into it but onely they which are written in the Lambs booke of life Thus wee see how gloriously the holy ghost hath described vnto vs this citie of the Saints and habitation of the iust for euermore He must needes bee a very blocke that is not moued with the consideration of this endlesse felicitie For this citie is described vnto vs in so glorious admirable a manner to bring vs into loue with it and to worke in vs an vnquencheable thirst desire after it Oh therefore let vs spend many thoughts vpon it let vs enter into deepe meditations of the inestimable glory of it let vs long till wee come to the fingering and possession of it euen as the heire longeth till hee come to the possession of his lands Let vs thinke euery day tenne and euery yeere twenty till wee bee in possession let vs with the Apostle sigh and grone desiring to be clothed with our house which is from heauen let vs in the meane time cast away all things that may hinder vs in our christian course let vs shake off euery burden and run with patience the race that is set before vs let vs as they which prooue masteries abstaine from all lets and hinderances And sith wee striue so exceedingly for a corruptible crowne how much more ought wee for an vncorruptible For what paines what cost what labour can bee inough for a kingdome let vs therefore striue and straine to get into this golden citie where streets walles gates and all is gold all is pearle yea where pearle is but as mire and durt and nothing worth Oh what fooles are they which depriue themselues willingly of this endlesse glory for a few stinking lusts Oh what mad men are they which bereaue themselues of a roome in this citie of pearle for a few carnall pleasures and delights Oh what bedlames and straught beasts are they which shut themselues out of these euerlasting habitations for a little transitorie pelfe Oh what intollerable sots and fops are all such as will