men and bought from the earth as it is said before that is they are redeemed and bought with a price from the currupt lump of mankind and cursed race of Adam that they might be the first fruits unto God and to the Lamb that is wholly consecrated to his worship and to serve him in righteousnesse and true holinesse all the daies of their life In their mouthes was found no guile that is they do declare their innocency and uprightnesse both in their words and works as those which Christ hath chosen out of this world and bought with a price through his bloud in whom they are without spot or speck before God Verse 6. Then I saw another Angel flye in the middest of heaven having an everlasting Gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth and to every nation and kindred and tongue and people Saying with a loud voyce Fear God Verse 7. and give glory to him for the hour of his judgement is come and worship him that made heaven and earth and the sea and the fountaines of waters Hitherto the holy Ghost hath taught us how the Church was preserved under the tyranny of Antichrist and greatest waves of persecutions and that even then they did purely and faithfully worship the true God Now he proceedeth to foreshew the ruine and downefall of Antichrist and plainly to prophesie the utter decay of the kingdome of Babel This doctrine therefore wee are to hearken unto with great attention and cheerfulnesse because it doth so much concerne our good and the good of the whole Church also because wee live in the dayes wherein we see it is in part fulfilled First therefore wee are to understand what is meant by this Angel here mentioned to wit not any celestiall Angel or invisible spirit as it is sundry times taken before but by this Angel and the two Angels following are meant all the faithfull ministers of the Gospel which should be raised up in these last dayes for the overthrow of Rome and the delivering of the Church from under the captivity of Antichrist which may plainly appeare by this that is said this Angel preacheth the everlasting Gospel unto them that dwell on the earth which cannot properly agree to the celestiall spirits We have heard out of the tenth chapter that Jesus Christ did open the little book which is the Bible and did give authority to his faithfull ministers to goe preach and publish the doctrine thereof to many nations Chap. 10.11 countries and kingdomes now unto that agreeth this which is here spoken of and is a further opening and declaring of that which is there set downe For as there Jesus Christ cometh downe from heaven and openeth the little book which had been long shut up under the darknesse of Popery and the smoak which came out of the bottomlesse pit so here Christ Jesus raised up his faithfull ministers and preachers to publish and proclaime the doctrine of the Gospel which had long lain hidden under outragious persecutions of the two monstrous and most hideous beasts To this also agreeth that which is written in the eighteenth chapter of this book where Saint John seeth an Angel come down from heaven having great power so that the earth was lightened with his glory By which Angel is meant all the preachers of this age And the Angel is said to have great power for what is more powerfull then the ministery of the word And moreover it is said that the earth was lightened with his glory that is with the brightness of the preaching of the Gospel whereby the darknesse of Popery was dispersed and driven away and Babylon falleth upon it as there you may read and as here wee shall see the like effect by and by Moreover it is here said that this Angel flyeth in the middest of heaven that is very swiftly carryeth this everlasting Gospel through all the Church For when Gods appointed time was come wherein hee would goe about the overthrow of Popery hee caused his everlasting Gospel to be set abroach and to spread over many kingdomes and nations as we see this day Now because those kingdoms where God would have the knowledge of his Gospel divulged were many and great therefore here is expedition required and this Angel doth carry it not standing but flying And all this we see perfectly fulfilled with our eys when God raised up Luther Zuinglius Melancthon Peter Viret Calvin Bucer Bullinger Peter Martyr and all their worthy successors unto this day which have spread the everlasting Gospel very far and carried it very swiftly over England Scotland Germany Denmark Polonia Swevia Russia and many parts of France and Flanders Another reason why this Angell is said to flie in the middest of heaven is because no power of man shall ever be able to stay the course of this everlasting Gospel which this Angel carrieth abroad no more then men are able to stop the course of the Sun in the heavens or a cloud in the skie For this Angel flyeth in the midst of heaven far above the reach of the beast and all kings and potentates that stand for the kingdome of the beast Therefore let them doe all what they can they shall never be able to stop the course of the Gospel for it is called the arm of God and his very arm 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 Gospel is called everlasting First because it is in his own nature everlasting as it is written 1 Pet. 1.25 The word of the Lord endureth for ever Secondly because it putteth us in possession of everlasting things as it is written Thy word O Lord Psal 119. endureth for ever in heaven Thirdly and principally because as it was long before Antichrist was hatched so it shall continue when he and his kingdome is dead and rotten Saying with a loud voice Fear God Verse 7. and give glory unto him c. Here is set down the doctrine which this Angel preacheth with a loud voice that is with great zeale The sum whereof is this Fear God and give glory unto him and worship him that made heaven and earth c. The sence is that the true and everliving God should onely be feared and worshipped and all glory should be given unto him alone through Christ and none to Antichrist none to Cardinals and Legats none to Angels none to Saints none to images roodes crosses and crucifixes Here then is set downe an abridgement of the doctrine of this everlasting Gospel namely that men should onely feare God and worship him and give all glory to him alone and not to any creature And the reason is yeelded because the houre of his judgement is come that is the time of the manifestation of the Gospel or lawes of the most high God for so the word Judgement is often taken in the Scriptures Here are wee to
in the earth when they overcome the world by faith and subdue Satan and sin by the power of grace Now where it is said that John saw the soules of them that were beheaded for the witnesse of Jesus c. It is to be understood of those which in the time of the persecuting Empire and growing of the Papacie were slaine for the truth For the second beast which is the dominion of Popes reigned not in those thousand yeers in the which Satan was bound but yet did grow by degrees towards their height and used great tyranny against the servants of God before Satans full loosing The Chiliasts or Millinaries doe fondly gather from this Scripture that after the overthow of Antichrist the Lord Jesus would come and reigne with the faithfull here a thousand yeers upon the earth and that in this time that Christ did so reigne as a great and glorious King upon the earth his subjects should enjoy all maner of earthly pleasures and delights This foolish error is confuted by the words that follow in the text as wee shall see afterwards Whereas hee saith The rest of the dead shall not live again It is to be understood of such as were spiritually dead that is such as despised the Gospel which was preached those thousand yeers and were not thereby revived and quickned unto eternall life but did still remain as men dead in sinnes and trespasses Therefore the meaning of Saint John is that as in the thousand yeers many that heard Christ and his Apostles and their successors were raised up from the death of sin to the life of righteousnesse so many others were not quickened by their doctrine but still dwelt in their sinnes whom hee calleth the rest of the dead and hee saith These shall not live again meaning the life of God or the life of grace And whereas he addeth untill the thousand yeeres be finished hee meaneth never or not at all for so the word untill is often taken in the Scriptures and it is sure that after the expiration of the thousand yeers they did not live the life of God and the life of the Spirit For then the Divell was let loose upon the world to work his pleasure and to seduce with all efficacy of error and iniquity Whereas it is said This is the first resurrection hee meaneth the rising from sin to the life of righteousnesse which was in the thousand yeeres of the Gospels preaching and therefore he addeth that he is blessed that hath part in the first resurrection c. and saith that all such shall reigne with Christ a thousand yeers Which is meant of the reigne of the faithfull even upon earth for the space of the thousand yeers in which Satan was bound but yet excludeth not their eternall glory in the heavens And when the thousand yeers are expired Vers 7.8 Satan shall be loosed out of his prison And shall goe out to deceive the people which are in the foure corners of the earth even Gog and Magog to gather them together to battell whose number is as the sand of the sea Verse 9. And they went up unto the plain of the earth and they compassed the tents of the Saints about and the beloved city But fire came downe from God out of heaven and devoured them Now Saint John telleth us that after the determination of a thousand yeares Satan shall be let loose upon the world for their unthankfullnesse and contempt of the Gospel to seduce and deceive even as much as ever he did No marvaile therefore that the two great and monstrous Heresies of Popery and Mahometry did now begin mightily to grow and increase in the world For what other thing can be looked for after this setting loose of Satan But we are to observe that as Satan was bound by degrees through the Ministry of Christ and his Apostles and in their immediate successors so also he was loosed by degrees by the prevailing of Heresies till the great Antichrist was hatched and brought into the possession of his cursed Chaire For Satan was not fully loosed till the yeare of our Lord 998. At what time Silvester the second came to be Pope who was in league with the Divell Stories doe report that at his death he called for the Cardinals and confessed that hee had familiarity with the Divell and how hee had given himself unto him body and soule so that he might come to the Papall dignity After him succeeded sundry other Popes which were notorious monsters some of them murtherers some poysoners some sorcerers some conjurers by whom the Divell was fully loosed all light of the Gospel and â—rue religion being in a manner cleane put out and most abominable idolatry and all manner of villany spreading over the face of the earth and hereof Saint John saith that Satan being fully loosed hee went forth to deceive the people which were in the foure corners of the â—arth even Gog and Magog c. This seducing by Satan here spoken of is the same with â—hat which is spoken chap. 13. onely this exâ—epted that this of Gog and Magog is more generall Wee read there how all nations â—indreds and tongues were made to worship â—he image of the beast and to receive his mark but that is to be extended no further â—hen to those kingdoms which were subject â—o the Papacy But here by these armies of Gog and Maâ—og are understood all the chiefe enemies â—f the Church in these last dayes since the loosing of Satan both open and secret both Turk and Pope for the Turk is an open enemy the Pope a more close enemy Gog signifieth covered Magog uncovered whereby is noted the Turk For the Pope cometh covered under the name of Christ and Christs Vicar Peters successor c. But the Turk cometh uncovered for hee openly denyeth and impugneth Christ Moreover the names of Gog and Magog are here set downe to note of what countries these chiefe enemies should spring to wit out of Scythia Syria Arabia Italy and Spaine for Magog was the son of Japheth Gen. 10. ver 2. of whom came the Scythians Gog was the name of a great Captaine in the lesser Asia which built a city and named it after his own name Gogkartah that is the city of Gog and it is put in the Prophecie of Ezekiel for the whole region of the lesser Asia and Syria whereby the Prophet did fore-tell that the great enemies of the Church should arise out of those coasts And in very truth they did for out of Egypt Scythia Syria and the lesser Asia did spring up Ptolomeus Seleucus Antigonus Cassander and the rest of Alexanders successors which vexed and oppressed the Jewes by the space of 294. yeers even untill the coming of the Messias at what time the divided Greek Empire was overthrown and translated to the Romans Furthermore it is to be noted that the Prophet Ezekiel saith That Gog is the chiefe Prince of Mesech and Tubal By
and habitation of the just for evermore He needs must be a very block that is not moved with the consideration of this endlesse felicity For this city is described unto us in so glorious and admirable a manner to bring us into love with it and to work in us an unquenchable thirst and desire after it Oh therefore let us spend many thoughts upon it let us enter into deep meditations of the inestimable glory of it let us long till we come to the fingring and possession of it even as the heire longeth till hee come to the possession of his lands let us think every day ten and every yeere twenty till we be in possession let us with the Apostle 2 Cor. 5.2 sigh and groane desiring to bee clothed with our house which is from heaven Let us in the meane time cast away all things that may hinder us in our Christian course let us shake off every burden and runne with patience the race that is set before us let us as they which prove masteries abstaine from all lets and hinderances and sith we strive so exceedingly for a corruptible crowne how much more ought wee for an uncorruptible For what pains what cost what labour can be enough for a kingdome Let us therefore strive and straine to get into this golden city where streets walls and gates and all is gold all is pearle yea where pearl is but as mire and dirt and nothing worth Oh what fooles are they which deprive themselves willingly of this endlesse glory for a few stinking lusts Oh what mad men are they which bereave themselves of a roome in this citie of pearle for a few carnall pleasures and delights Oh what bedlams and straught beasts are they which shut themselves out of these everlasting habitations for a little transitory pelse Oh what intolerable sots and sops are all such as will willingly be barred out of this palace of infinite pleasure for the short fruition of worldly lucre and trash Let us therefore in all time to come make more reckoning of heaven and lesse reckoning of the earth let us mind heavenly things and despise earthly things let us presse hard unto the things that are before and forget the things that are behind let us strive hard for the price of the high calling of God and contemn even the glory of this world CHAP. XXII IN this chapter Saint John proceedeth yet more largely to describe the blessed estate of all Gods Saints in the kingdom of glory and the principall scope and drift of this chapter is yet more to enlarge the joyes of Gods people after this life and to ratifie the authority of this prophecie This chapter containeth foure principall parts Ve. 1 2 3 4 5. The first is an amplification of the joyes of Gods kingdome Vers 6 7 8 9. 16 19. The second is a confirmation of the authority of this book Ve. 9 10 c. The third is an exhortation both to spread abroad the knowledge of this book and also for every man to prepare himselfe for the coming of Christ unto judgment The fourth is a fervent desire of the Church for the second appearing of Christ The TEXT Verse 1. ANd he shewed me a pure river of the water of life cleer as Crystall proceeding out of the Throne of God and of the Lamb. In the middest of the street of it Verse 2. and of either side of the river was the tree of life which bare twelve manner of fruits and gave fruit every moneth and the leaves of the tree serve to heal the nations with And there shall be no more curse Verse 3. but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it and his servants shall serve him And they shall see his face Verse 4. and his name shall be in their foreheads And there shall be no night there Verse 5. and they need no candle neither light of the Sun for the Lord God giveth them light and they shall reign for evermore The Angel doth yet further shew unto John a pure river of the water of life Whereby is signified the overflowing abundance of good things which the righteous shall enjoy in the kingdome of glory This river is said to proceede out of the throne of God and of the Lamb 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 Jerusalem and of both sides the river there was the tree of life Which representeth Christ now in his heavenly Paradise as in former time was represented Christ in the earthly Paradise and also that eternall and blessed life which our first parents should enjoy if they did continue in the obedience of God This tree standeth not in an out-corner of the city but in the very middest of the street and of both sides of the river that all the citizens of the new Jerusalem might have free accesse unto it and taste of the most dainty fruits thereof in great variety for it beareth twelve manner of fruits that is in Christ all variety of pleasure and endlesse light is to be found This tree beareth fruit every moneth as well in winter as in summer for here every moneth is autumne The sense is that in Christ the new and fresh fruits of immortal joy without any satiety or loathing are for ever to be found The leaves of this tree are very medicinable and sanative for they serve to heale the nations with that is to preserve them from all diseases and griefes which argueth a most blessed life not subject to sicknesse or any other infirmity For Christ is our never failing Physitian which in this life healeth all our spirituall diseases and infirmities and after this life will preserve us in perpetuall health and happinesse There shall be no more curse that is in the heavenly Paradise we shall no more be subject to any curse as Adam was in the earthly Paradise which also argueth the perfection of happinesse after this life and yet for further amplification of this most glorious estate it is said that the throne of God and of Christ shall be erected in the middest of this golden street and all his chosen people shall there accompany him dwel with him be alwayes about him yea and serve him without wearinesse for ever yea all his faithfull worshippers shall come so neer his throne that they shall see his very face and be ravished with his glory having his Image his Name his Wisdome and Mercy imprinted in their foreheads yea his unconceiveable light and glory shall be so resplendent that there shall be neither night nor need of candle but in his glittering and most glorious chamber of presence shall all his elect reigne and triumph with him for evermore in infinite felicity and the very fruition of eternall delectation where shall be mirth without measure and solace without sorrow as the
blessed for ever For otherwise the Angels of Heaven both Cherubins and Seraphins would not thus fall down and worship him ascribing unto him both deity and divine honour Consider then how great he is of whom it is said Let all the Angels of God worship him Psal 97.7 Moreover these Angels and Saints are sayd to have every one Harpes and golden Vials Verse 8. full of Odours which are the prayers of the Saints These Harpes doe signifie the sweet consent and harmony both of men and Angels in sounding forth the praises of the Lambe for herein the whole Church both militant and triumphant do accord and tune together as many harpers harping upon their harpes Apo. 14.2 as is written also in another place Hereby also they do plainly testifie that inward peace and spirituall joy which all the faithfull have through Christ which is more sweet and delightsome to the soule then any musick is unto the eares The Vialls full of Odours are expounded to be the prayers of the Saints which are therefore compared to odours because they smell sweet in the nostrils of God and are more fragrant then any nosegay or perfume whatsoever for he taketh great pleasure in the prayers of his people especially when they came out of golden vials that is sanctified hearts and consciences for every sanctified heart is a golden heart in the sight of God and every regenerate conscience is a Jewell of price guilt with gold and enameled with pearle For this cause the holy man David wisheth earnestly that his heart might be so renewed and cleansed inwardly that his prayer might be directed as incense in Gods sight Psal 14.1 and the lifting up of his hands as a sweet smelling sacrifice Furthermore these Saints and Angels do sing a new song That is they do sing to the prayses of the Lambe with renued affections and unwearied desires Their inward joy continueth alwaies fresh and greene as the Bay-tree They never wither or waxe weary of the service of God Their song is evermore new and therefore evermore delightsome For the more new any thing is the more pleasant and delactable for men are not affected with old but altogether with new things Now then Jesus Christ having taken this booke into his hand to open and expound is applauded unto by the generall consent and voyces of the whole Church for say they Thou art worthy to take the booke and to open the seales thereof Wherein they do all with common consent give their voyces unto Christ acknowledging him to be the onely fit person in Heaven or earth to take upon him the function 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 us unto God by thy blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation Meaning hereby that he was put to death to pay the price of our redemption in whom all beleevers both Jewes and Gentiles are saved Their reason then is this he that hath died and risen againe and is now exalted farre above all principalities and powers c. is the most fit instrument to open and interpret this booke but thou O Christ the Lambe of God art such an one therefore thou of all others art most meete to take the matter upon thee and to enter into this businesse Further they amplifie their reason thus Verse 10. that he hath made us of slaves and servants Kings and of prophane persons Priests unto the most high God And last of all that we shall raigne upon the earth Not meaning hereby that we shall raigne as earthly Kings or onely enjoy an earthly Kingdome For out of all doubt the Saints shall raigne with Christ in the Heavens for evermore But heere is mention made of raigning in the earth because after this life Gods Children shall have the fruition and inheritance both of Heaven and earth that is to say that new Heaven and new Earth 2 Pet. 3.12 wherein dwelleth righteousnesse for the Heavens and the earth being redintegrated and purged from corruption shall be the portion of the Saints and the habitation of the Elect for evermore After all this Ver. 11. John heareth the voice of innumerable Angels besides the foure Beasts That is the Cherubines and Seraphins or chiefe Angels that is Angels deputed to chiefe offices round about the throne which all with a loud voice doe acknowledge the Lambe which was killed Ver. 12. to bee worthy of all honour glory and praise c. And not only these innumerable Angels being 20. thousand times ten thousand but also all other creatures both in Heaven and Earth As the Sun Moone and Starres the fishes in the Sea and the beasts in the earth do all in their kinde sing the same song acknowledging all honour and glory praise and power to belong unto him that sitteth upon the throne Ver. 13. and unto the Lambe for evermore For although the creature is as yet subject to the bondage of corruption and therefore groneth and travelleth in paine waiting when the Sonnes of God shall be revealed yet it standeth in assured expectation of restitution to liberty and incorruption and therefore here all the creatures do praise the Lambe for that restauration which they had so lovingly and wishly looked for And the foure beasts said Amen That is they do subscribe to those prayses which the creature yeeldeth to their Creator And not onely the Angels do subscribe and consent unto it but the foure and twenty Elders also that fall downe and worshp him that liveth for evermore So that the Lambe is praysed and worshipped of all hands both of men and Angels and all other creatures as God everlasting and blessed for evermore CHAP. VI. IN the fourth Chapter wee have heard the description of God the Father which holdeth the sealed booke in his right hand In the fift Chapter we have also had the description of Jesus Christ the opener and interpreter of this seven sealed Book Now in this sixth Chapter wee are to understand of the mattter and contents of this Booke and of the strange accidents and events which followed upon the opening of every severall Scale For in this Chapter sixe of the Seals are opened by the Sonne of God and the Mysteries thereof disclosed unto John that he might declare them to the Church for the comfort and instruction thereof This Chapter containeth sixe principall things arising from the severall opening of the sixe seales and they are these The spreading of the Gospell Great persecutions following therupon Famine Pestilence Complaints of the Martyrs Ver. 1.2.3.4 c. Fearefull revenge upon the world for shedding the blood of Gods Saints After Verse 1. I beheld when the Lambe had opened one of the seales and I heard one of the foure beasts say as it were the noise of thunder Come and see Now after all these former
presence of the Throne of God c. to hunger and thirst no more c. to have all teares wiped from their eyes and to bee led by the Lambe unto the Fountaines of living waters All which doth very plainely and plentifully expresse that infinite glory and endlesse felicity which is prepared for all the true and faithfull worshippers of God Many good lessons and observations might be gathered out of all this But I do of purpose omit them because in this work I do chiefly and almost altogether aime at interpretation therein also studying brevity soundnesse and plainenesse CHAP. VIII VVE have heard out of the seventh Chapter how the divels and their instruments the Romane Emperours did stoppe the course of the Gospell Now in this Chapter we are to heare the wofull effects of the stopping thereof which was the springing up and prevailing of manifold errours and heresies in the World So that the principall scope and drift of this Chapter is to shew that God for the contempt of his Gospell and great indignities offered to the true professors thereof did give up the World to blindnesse to errour to superstition and heresie and as the Apostle sayth Because they received not the love of the truth 2. Thes 2. therefore God sent them strong delusions that they should beleeve in lies For as before we have heard how the world was most fearfully punished with externall plagues and judgements So heere we are to understand how the same was punished with judgements spirituall and internall as formerly hath beene sayd upon the stopping of the foure winds For although that spirituall plague was very great yet these spirituall plagues which follow upon the opening of the seventh seale are far greater For now we are to heare and understand 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 up into his cursed chaire and to take possession thereof but also we are to understand of his very tyranny and Kingdome it selfe and also of the Kingdome of the Turke and the last judgement For the things contained under the opening of the seventh Seale do reach unto the end of the world For the booke sealed with seven seales containeth all the whole matters which were to be revealed This Chapter containeth foure principall things as it were the foure parts thereof ver 1.2.3.4.5 6 c. First the reverent attention and silence with admiration which was in the Church at and upon the comming forth of this most horrible vengeance Secondly before the execution of these most execrable plagues the Church is remembred and set in safety with all her Children by her great Mediator Christ Jesus Thirdly the execution of this vengeance which commeth forth at the blowing of the seven trumpets by seven Angels Fourthly the vengeance it self contained in the prevailing of errour and heresie the falling away of the Pastors of the Church and the universall darkenesse that followed thereupon And when hee had opened the seventh Seale there was silence in Heaven above halfe an houre By Heaven in this place he meaneth not the Kingdome of glory after this life but by Heaven is meant the Church heere upon earth as it is so taken Chap. 12. Verse 1. and Chap. 14. Verse 2. There may be three reasons yeelded why the Church is called Heaven First 1. Joh. 5.1 because the birth thereof is from Heaven for it is borne of God Secondly because the inheritance thereof is from Heaven and therefore is called Col. 1.12 Phil. 3.20 The inheritance of the Saints Thirdly because the conversation thereof is in Heaven as the Apostle sayth To this may be added that our Lord Jesus in his Gospell doth so often call his visible Church the Kingdome of Heaven by a Trope Mat. 13. 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 at hand For now upon the opening of the seventh Seale far greater matters are threatned then any before and therefore the Church doth listen unto them in deepe silence and as it were in horror and trembling through admiration for now there appeare such dreadfull judgements of God to be executed upon the earth that all the heavenly company are astonished and amazed to behold it and do as it were quake and tremble to thinke upon it For as when heavy newes commeth down from the Prince to be proclaimed in open markets all good subjects do listen and give eare with silence and trembling so it fareth in this case By halfe an houre he meaneth that short time wherin the minds of the godly were prepared fitted and disposed wisely to consider of these matters and to make good use of them I know right well that this Verse is far otherwise interpreted of some but I take this to be most sound and simple and best agreeing to all that followeth for the next Verse is joyned unto this by a conjunction copulative to note a coherence of the matter and to draw the sence together for he sayth And I saw seven Angels which stood before God verse 2. and to them were given seven Trumpets These seven Trumpets signifie that God would proceed against the World in fearefull hostility and come against it as an open enemy unto battell proclaiming open warre against it as it were with sound of Trumpet and Drumme setting up the flag of defiance against it And hereupon groweth this silence and trembling in the Church which only mooved with the signes of Gods wrath when as all others sit still in security as the Prophet Zachary saith in a like case To stand in this place signifieth to administer as it is said of the Priests and Levites that they stand before God and before the Altar that is minister So heere the Angels doe stand before God as ready to administer and execute these Judgements For they are ministring spirits and heere they do sound the alarum at the commandement of God These Angels are popounded as seven in number because it pleased God at once to powre down his wrath upon the rebellious World but at divers times and by piece-meale Whether these were good or bad Angels it is not materiall to dispute seeing God executeth his judgements both by the one and the other 2 Sa. 24.16 Moreover it is specially to be observed that the blowing of these seven Trumpets do all belong to the opening of the seventh seale are as it were the seven parts thereof for the things which fall out upon the blowing of these seven Trumpets do reach even unto the last Judgement as the Angell sweareth Chap. 10.6.7 Then another Angell came and stood before the Altar ver 3. having a golden Censor and much odours was given unto him that he should offer with the prayers of
how a way and passage was made for the Pope to climbe up into his cursed Chaire by the prevailing of heresies the falling away of the Pastors of the Church and the great over-spreading of darknesse and ignorance now he commeth to describe the Pope in his full heighth and greatest exaltation being now universall Bishop and in full possession of his Seat and Sea of Rome which was about some six hundred yeeres after CHRIST as formerly hath been shewed At wat time Pope Boniface obtained of the Emperour Phocas that murderer which slew his Master Mauritius the Emperour that the Bishop of Rome should be called the Universall bishop and the Church of Rome the Head of all Churches This ninth Chapter may very fitly be divided into two parts In the first 12. verses The first is a lively description of the Pope himselfe his Kingdome and his Clergy The second is a description of the Kingdome of the Turke and his most savage Armies so that this Chapter is a full opening of the first two great woes mentioned before concerning the Papacy and Turcisme And the fifth Angell blew the Trumpet and I saw a Star which fell from Heaven verse 2. and to him was given the key of the bottomlesse pit Warning was given before that when this fifth Angell should blow the Trumpet a most fearefull woe should come upon the World surpassing all that went before which is the setting up 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 amongst the first thirty of them there were some Martyrs But it is heere sayd that now this Starre was fallen from Heaven unto the Earth that is the Bishops of Rome were greatly degenerated and fallen cleane away from heavenly things to earthly for they declined from time to time and grew worse and worse so farre as to become the great Antichrist But some man may say Why may not this Starre falling from Heaven upon the earth be understood of other Pastors falling from the truth as well as the Pope as it is taken in the former Chapter and in the twelfth Chapter and the fourth verse I answer that the circumstances will not heere beare it Therefore to perswade every honest mans conscience that this must needs be understood of the Pope in his pride let us give eare to these three reasons following First we are to consider that the maine drift of the holy Ghost in the opening of the seven Seales and blowing of the seven Trumpets is to lay out the state of the Church in all ages till the comming of Christ Further we are diligently to observe that the things contained under the opening of the seventh Seale whereof the blowing of the seven Trumpets are as it were parts and do all belong unto it do stretch even to the end of the world so as there is no strange accident or any wofull condition of the Church in any age but it is set forth under the opening of these Scales and blowing of these Trumpets But the Papacy was a state of the Church and that most woefull and lamentable therefore it is described under the opening of the Seales and blowing of these Trumpets But it is not described under the opening of any other Seale or blowing of any other Trumpet Therefore of necessity it must be referred to this seventh Seale and the fifth Trumpet And this is my first reason If any man object that the Pope and his Kingdome are most lively described in the Chapters from the twelfth to the last I answer that all those Chapters belong to a new vision wherein some things propounded under the opening of the seven Seales are more fully opened and expounded But this I say that in the second vision the whole estate of the Church in every age is layd open even untill the last judgemet and therefore when the seventh Angell here doth blow the seventh Trumpet immediately followeth the last Judgement as appeareth chap. 10. vers 6. and chap. 11. vers 15.16 My second reason is drawne from the course and consideration of times for the great prevailing of errours and heresies mentioned before which made way for Anti-christ was from the first 300. yeeres untill the 600. yeere and so forward But now immediately upon this great increase of errour and darknesse commeth the description of a speciall Star fallen from Heaven at this time which was about 600. yeeres after Christ and therefore it must needs be understood of the Pope And this is my second reason My third and last reason is drawne from the description of the Pope and his Clergy in the firste leven verses of this Chapter For he is so lively described and painted out in particulars that all men that know him or ever heard of him must needs say it is he For this description heere set downe by the holy Ghost can fitly agree to none other The Papists themselves do confesse that this Starre here mentioned must needs be understood of some Arch-heretike and full wisely forsooth they apply it to Luther and Calvin But we affirme that it is to be understood of the Pope For was there ever any such Arch-heretike 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 us proceed to the description of him First he is sayd to have the key of the bottomlesse pit which agreeth well to the Pope for he hath power given him to open hell gates to let in thousands thither but no power to open Heaven gates to let in any thither for he furthereth many to hell none to Heaven He doth indeed falsely challenge to himselfe the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven to let in and shut out at his pleasure But here we see the holy Ghost doth attribute no such power unto him but only telleth us that his power and jurisdiction is in hell and over hell and as for Heaven he hath nothing to doe with it It were needlesse to shew how this Metaphor of keyes is taken for power and jurisdiction in the Scriptures as hath been proved before Chap. 1. vers 18. and as needlesse to prove that by the bottomlesse pit is here meant hell as appeareth Chap. 11. vers 7. Chap 20. vers 1. And he opened the bottomlesse pit and there arose the smoke of the pit as the smoke of a great furnace and the Sun and the Aire were darkned by the smoke of the pit Here we see how the Pope openeth hell gates with his Key and a most horrible grosse and stinking smoke ascendeth up into the ayre presently upon it insomuch that both the Sunne and the Ayre were darkened with it Which all is to be understood of that spirituall darknesse ignorance superstition and Idolatry wherewith the whole Church
these things fulfilled For when the Pope and his Clergie had murthered Gerbardus Dulcimus Navarrensis Waldus Nicholaus Orem John Picus John Zisca Visilus Groningensis Armerias Wickliffe Husse Jerome of Prague and many Preachers in Suevia and one hundred holy Christians in the Country of Alsatia and many other Countries and of all conditions of men yet for all that spight of their hearts God raised up others in their stead as Luther Calvin Zuinglius Peter Martyr Peter Viret Melancthon Bucer Bullinger and their successors yea the thousands of excellent Ministers and Preachers which are dispersed over all Europe at this day in whom all the former witnesses doe revive and as it were stand upon their feet againe And now a great feare is come upon the Pope and his Clergie and all his favourites for they did never so much as dreame of such an alteration but this is the Lords doing and it is marvellous in our eyes And they shall heare a great voyce from him saying unto them vers 12. Come up hither and they shall ascend up to Heaven in a Cloud and their enemies shall see them Here the Lords witnesses whom Antichrist had murdered and called and taken up into heaven that they may be crowned with glory and immortality having in the earth fought so excellent a fight of faith as they had for even as Christ their head was taken up in a cloud to the Heavens even so his faithfull members are here taken up in a cloud to raigne with him for ever Moreover it is here said that their enemies shall see them ascending up they shall as it were ascend up in their fight for from the fire and faggot swords and speares of their enemies they went directly unto God and the very consciences of their persecutors did witnesse so much nay some of them being in horrible convulsions of conscience did not stick to utter it avouching the innocency of Gods Martyrs as sometimes Pilate and the Centurion did of Christ But though they had not beene justified by their enemies yet are here justified by a great testimony for the voyce from Heaven the voyce of God doth justifie them and cleare them accounting them worthy to bee called up from the Earth to Heaven and received to eternall glory For howsoever the Pope and his Clergie condemned them for Heretickes and Schismatickes yet here they are justified and cleared by a voyce from Heaven which is more than the voyces suffrages and approbations of all men in the World And the same houre there shall bee a great earth-quake and the tenth part of the City shall fall and in the earth-quake shall be slaine in number seven thousand and the remnant were sore feared and gave glory to the God of Heaven As he hath shewed before that the world was very joyfull and jocond when they had made dispatch of Gods witnesses but afterward full of feare and terrour when they saw what followed So here in this Verse is shewed that at the same houre that is about the same time when they have persecuted the Saints see thousands of others raised up in their stead and as it were out of their bloud that there should immediately follow a great earth-quake that is horrible commotions seditions tumults and open warres among the Kingdomes and Nations of the world and amongst all people which should live after the breaking forth of the light of the Gospell as this day we see with our eyes For who now in these dayes doth not see and feele this Earthquake Who knoweth not what stirres there have beene and are every where about Religion Who is ignorant that all the warres seditions treacheries treasons rebellions that are this day in Europe betwixt one Kingdome another are especially concerning the matter of Religion But mark what followeth Behold the effect of this Earth-quake It is said that the tenth part of the Citty shall fall By the City here hee meaneth the great City of Rome mentioned before vers 8. which is therefore called the great City because it was the chief city of the Roman Empire and the very seat of Antichrist Now then the sense and meaning of the holy Ghost is that when there once beginneth to be an earth-quake that is broyles contentions alterations questions and disputations about religion and that the Popish doctrine which had so long prevailed in the world should be called in question yea openly preached against convicted and condemned that then Rome shall begin to fall and Romish religion to suffer a great eclipse yea the tenth part that is some part of the city of Rome I mean the doctrine and authority of Rome shall bee overthrown Now this falling of the tenth part of Rome was fulfilled within some few yeers after the broaching of the Gospel by Luther and his immediate successors but since it is gone back many degrees and hereafter it shall still ebb and consume away by degrees even till it come to nothing as God willing shall be plainly proved hereafter Moreover here is set downe another effect of this earth-quake which is that thereby shall bee slaine in number seven thousand that is many thousands for the number of seven is a perfect and universall number as formerly hath been declared But the sense of this clause is that all such as will not yeeld to the Gospel after matters once come in question and the light thereof breaketh forth but continue still in their blindnesse and hardnesse standing out sturdily against the truth shall feel the heavie judgement of God upon them and come to miserable and wretched ends as did here in England Stephen Gardiner bloudy Bonner and many other such open persecuters in other nations and countries as the book of Martyrs doth plentifully witnesse Last of all it is said that the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven that is the elect of God seeing these horrible judgments upon the persecuters of the Gospel and having their eyes opened through these contentions and broyles about religion should repent of their former idolatries blindnesse and ignorance should yeeld to the truth and give glory to the God of heaven Chap. 9. as at this day we see thousands doe God be thanked Wee heard before in the time of the Turks murthering army when the third part of men were slain that the rest repented not of their idolatry But now God be praised for it many doe repent every day and turne from dumb idols to serve the living God And therefore although the times wherein we live be sinfull and troublesome yet are they golden times and dayes in comparison of former ages wherein Antichrist did reign and rule over all Moreover from this place may plainly and strongly be concluded that the Gospel shall prevail more and more in all the kingdomes of Europe even untill the end of the world For here wee see it fore-told and prophesied that in the very last age of the world and even
of Genermah Gidnon which signifieth the subtilty of destruction because the blind Kings and Nobles of the earth shall by the subtilty and crafty perswasions of the Jesuits and seminary priests be intised to fight against the Protestants in a place where they shall have a famous foyl Some derive Armageddon of Har which in Hebrew signifieth a Mountain and Megiddo which is the place where the godly king Josias was slaine and so this place should be called Armageddon the Mountain of Megiddo for the slaughter of kings that shall be there To the which the Prophet Zecharie alludeth Zech. 12.11 saying In that day there shall be a great mourning in Jerusalem as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddo Well we do see that all these significations and derivations of Armageddon come to one thing in effect which is that the great armies which assemble themselves in battell against the Lord shall be destroyed and therefore it is not much materiall to dispute which is the more likely signification of the word But this let us observe for our comfort that whensoever wee shall see the Kings and Captains Nobles and Potentates of the earth being solicited by the Jesuites Priests and the false Prophet to levie great armies and make great powers to fight against the Gospel and the true professors therof for the maintenance of great Babylon they shall not prevaile but be utterly overthrowne and destroyed as in part wee see fulfilled in the yeer of our Lord 1588 when the great and invincible Armado of the Spaniards as they thought which was long in preparing against us and at last by the instigation of the Jesuites brought upon us 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 conclusions of this point we do plainly see that Rome falleth their kingdome waxeth dark their Euphrates dryeth up and they espy it The Dragon the Beast and the false Prophet send out their frogs into all countries and kingdomes hoping to prevent it by the help of the kings of the earth and especially the king of Spaine but alas all in vain for they must come to Armageddon when they have done all that they can For God fighteth from heaven against them God bringeth them down and no power of man is able to uphold them But now let us proceed to prove the third maine point which is that Rome shall fall finally and come to utter desolation For all sound Divines are perswaded of the fall of Babylon and doe grant that it falleth and is in falling but all are not so throughly perswaded of the finall fall thereof in this life Therefore now I will prove by manifest Scripture that Rome shall fall finally Rome shall fall finally First if the things be deeply considered and narrowly looked into which S. John saith shall fall out upon the powring forth of the seventh viall of Gods wrath by the seventh Angel they do fully portend a deadly downfall and utter overthrow of Rome For the seventh viall is not powred upon the earth or sea or fountains of waters or on the Sun Chap. 16.17 as the first foure vials were which signified some particular judgment but it was powred forth into the very air which signifieth the universality of it and containeth the most generall and most grievous judgment and vengeance of Almighty God upon the whole body of the kingdome of Antichrist a little before the last day The text saith that upon the powring forth of this viall Verse 17. there was a loud voyce heard out of the Temple of heaven from the throne that is from the very presence of God saying It is done it is dispatched the utter overthrow of Rome is fully concluded of and all things finished which belong to the powring forth of the seven vials which containe the seven last plagues wherein the whole wrath of God is fulfilled as appeareth chap. 15. As before it is said Babylon is fallen Chap. 15.1 because it should certainly fall so here God himselfe saith It is done because it shall certainly be done For whatsoever God hath determined to be done is as it were already done because it shall most certainly be effected Sith then the Lord hath pronounced this of Rome there remaineth nothing but a daily accomplishment of it and let all the Papists know for a certainty that they must goe to their geere they must come to their payment there is no way of evasion For hath the Lord spoken it and shall it not come to passe Now upon this that God saith It is done followeth presently that there were voyces and thundrings Chap. 15.18 and lightnings and there was a great earth-quake such as was not since men were upon the earth even so mighty an earth-quake Chap. 6.12 What is meant by thundrings lightnings and earth-quakes in this book I have before shewed to wit commotions seditions tumults uprores and alterations of states kingdomes and common-wealths and then the meaning of this place is that there shall be horrible shakings concussions tumults and great alteration of state in all the kingdomes which are subject to Antichrist none of them shall escape For this seventh viall of Gods wrath upon the kingdom of the beast is compared to a most horrible and blustring tempest raised up 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 never such an earth-quake as this since the world began and since men were upon the earth For assuredly so soon as the seventh Angel powreth forth his viall the kingdom of Popery shall goe down amaine which shall not be long before the end of the world as all circumstances here doe shew After all this Saint John telleth us the effect of this thundring lightning and extraordinary earth-quake which is Chapt. 16.19 that the great city was divided into three parts that is there shall be a most horrible rent and division in the city of Rome and throughout all the Popes dominions What this rent and division is and how it shall be I cannot determine being a thing to come as all the rest comprehended under the powring forth of the seventh viall But this I am sure of that Rome shall goe down and there shall be such tumults uprores rents divisions disputations and concussions in Rome and throughout all the Romish jurisdiction as never were heard of nor read of since the world began For Saint John addeth Verse 59. that Babylon came in remembrance before God to give unto 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 and all the righteous bloud shed for the space of seven or eight hundred yeers by the whore of
Acts 1.7 It is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the Father hath put into his owne power Yet even in this point I will by Gods assistance set downe so much as is revealed and so much as God hath given me to see First I doe confesse that God in his word hath set downe a just period and precise determination of all the greatest afflictions and persecutions that ever came to his Church before the coming of his Sonne in the flesh for the comfort thereof as that of Egypt after the expiration of four hundred and thirty yeers that of Babylon after the date of seventy yeers Dan. 8. that of the Medes and Persians after the determination of an hundred and thirty yeers that of Alexanders state Dan. 11. after six yeers that of Magog and Egypt after 249 yeers So likewise that of Christs death and resurrection after seventy sevens or seventy weekes which make 490. yeers Dan. 9.42 as the Angel Gabriel foretold unto the Prophet Daniel But concerning the just period and precise determinations of the persecutions of the Church since Christ by the Roman Empire and the Papacy we find not the like set down and hereof there may be two reasons yeelded First because the Church of the Jewes was not under so cleer and precious promises as wee are therefore it was needfull for the better strengthening of their hope and comfort in afflictions that they should know the very time determined but because the Church of the Christians liveth under most cleer and comfortable promises of deliverance therefore God according to his deep wisdome would have our faith exercised in an assured expectation of the accomplishment thereof though the precise time be concealed Another reason may be this the utter overthrow of Rome falleth out to be but a little before the coming of Christ to judgement as appeareth in this Prophecie Now then if we knew the day or yeer certainly when Rome should fall finally it would give us too much light unto the knowledge of the last day which God in great wisdome hath of purpose hid from the knowledge of all men yea and of Angels I know right well that a certain learned Writer doth precisely determine the utter destruction of Rome to fall out in the yeer of our Lord 1639. Napier in Apoc. 14. pag. 183. But by the favour of so excellent a man be it spoken I see no sufficient ground thereof But touching this matter of the time of Romes finall fall I will deliver mine opinion and my reasons submitting my selfe to the judgement of the learned for I would be loth in this or any other thing to goe beyond my compasse or passe the bounds of modesty and humility and therefore do refer all to be tried by the shekel of the sanctuary I doe therefore thus judge that the utter overthrow of Rome shall be in this age I mean within the age of man my reason is this Wee in this age live under the opening of the seventh seale the blowing of the sixth trumpet and the powring forth of the sixth viall For the first it is manifest because the opening of the seventh seale containeth all things that shall fall out to the end of the world as hath been proved and shewed before For the blowing of the sixth trumpet that is also plaine because under the blowing thereof the little Book was opened Chap. â—â— and the Gospel preached as wee see in this age Chap. 10.2 10 11. For the powring downe of the sixth viall of Gods wrath that also is most cleer because thereupon the great river Euphrates dryeth up and the Jesuites are sent out to solicite the kings of the earth to battell against the Church as wee see fulfilled in these our dayes Then I reason thus Chap. 14 6 8. Rome must fall downe finally in that age wherein the little Book is opened and the everlasting Gospel preached But in this age the little Book is opened and the everlasting Gospel preached Therefore in this age Rome must fall downe finally And again I reason thus Chap. 16.16 Rome must fall down finally in that age wherein the river Euphrates that is the fortification of Rome dryeth up and the Jesuites are sent forth to stop the leak thereof But all this falleth our in this age as wee see with our eyes Therefore in this age Rome shall fall downe finally It is very probable that Rome shall fall finally in this age The reason of the proposition is for in this age the Popish armies shall come to Armageddon Moreover this I say and not I but the Lord when the seventh Angel bloweth the seventh trumpet then cometh the end of the world But the sixth Angel hath sounded the sixth trumpet long agoe as appeareth by the effects Therefore it cannot be long ere the seventh Angel blow But Rome must fall downe finally before the seventh Angel blow as hath been shewed before Therefore the utter fall of Rome cannot be long deferred I do not determine either of day moneth or yeer because it is not revealed But I ghess at an age because the holy Ghost pointeth us unto an agent If any man see further I will easily yeeld unto him thank God for light But all these things I set downe for the comfort of Gods Church not desiring to understand above that which is meet to understand but to understand according to sobriety Now it resteth to speake of the last main point which is the causes of Romes utter ruine and overthrow which first of all are set down foure severall times for failing Chap. 14.8 Chap. 18.3 Chap. 19.3 Chap. 17.2 to be because she made all nations drunk with the wine of the wrath of her fornication They which outwardly make others drunk or commit fornication with others are worthy to be severely punished How much sorer punishment are they worthy of which doe the same spiritually and therefore wo be to Rome Another cause of the destruction of Rome Chap. 16.6 Chap. 18.24 The causes of Romes utter downfall is for that she hath shed the bloud of all the Prophets Martyrs and Saints as it is written In thee was found the bloud of the Prophets and of the Saints and of all that were slaine upon the earth What is hee worthy to have that is a most cruel bloud-sucker nay what is hee worthy to have that shall murther a kings children yea that shall murther his eldest son and heir apparant to the crown But Rome hath murthered thousands of the King of heavens children yea Rome hath murthered the great heire of heaven and earth I meane the very Son of God Chap. 11.8 for Christ was put to death by the Roman power and authority and by a Roman Judge as before hath been shewed Therfore let all men judge what Rome is worthy to have Moreover Saint John telleth us Chap. 18.23 that Rome with her inchantments
to cover their faces two to cover their feete and two to flye withall And they have two wings to cover their faces withall because they are not able to endure the unconceiveable brightnesse and glory of God for he dwelleth in unapproachable light They have two wings to cover their feete withall because mortall then are not able to looke upon the brightnesse that is in Heaven For we reade that many have beene astonished and dazled with the glory and brightnesse of Angels so glorious creatures are they They have two wings to flie withall to note their prompt obedience and readinesse to execute the commandements of God as formerly was shewed Moreover the Angels are said to have wings and to flye swiftly because God by them doth speedily dispatch many purposes actions and services here below and for this cause the Scripture affirmeth that he rideth upon the Cherubins that hee dwelleth betweene the Cherubins and that hee maketh the Clouds his Chariots and walketh upon the wings 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 weighty affaires within their dominions so the Visions in Ezechiel do shew 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 over-rule all actions under the Sun Moreover these Angels are said to be full of eyes within Verse 8. to note not onely their fulnesse of knowledge but also their inward sight into all heavenly things yea even 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 heere said to prayse God uncessantly Verse 8. day and night saying Holy holy holy Lord God Almighty which was which is and which is to come where we may cleerely see that the Angels prayse 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 wearinesse in Gods worship but they do alwaies serve him with infatigable desires and therfore are called Seraphins because they burne in the zeale of God and Cherubins because their delight is to approach neare unto him and to be alwaies about his Throne yea even in his chamber of presence They doe double and treble this word holy and warble much upon it because they know full well that he is righteous in all his waies and holy in all his works and that all his proceedings and judgements are even then weighed in the ballance of Justice and equity when to mans sense and the judgement of reason they seeme nothing lesse For his judgements are as a great depth which mans reason cannot sound Further wee see that when these beasts that is the Angels gave glory and honour and thanks to God c. the 24. Elders also fell downe before him and worshipped him that liveth for evermore Where we may see that both Saints and Angels doe joyntly prayse and magnifie God and him alone Even that GOD that liveth for evermore even that GOD which was which is and which is to come that is the eternall and everlasting God For the Scripture sayth Praise him O yee Saints and praise him O yee Angels that excell in strength And the 24. Elders cast their Crownes before the Throne saying Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and honour c. Wherein we see that all the Elect do empty themselves of all worthinesse to have any glory acknowledging that their Crownes of glory are Gods free gift and that the praise thereof belongeth only to him and nothing to themselves And this in very deed is the right manner of worshipping God frankly to ascribe all glory to him and all shame to our selves to give all to him to whom all is due and nothing to our selves which have nothing for nothing can be given or taken out of nothing Now then to conclude and winde up this 4. Chapter we do clearely see the summe and drift of all is that Heaven doore was opened unto John and that he was let in and called up into the Chamber of presence by a very loud voice there to take notice of the future estate of the Church and that the person which thus called him up was the very immortall God himselfe who is so gloriously described of his Throne his troopes and traines of Saints and Angels as we have heard And all this is to commend and set forth the authority of this booke whose Authour is so excellent yea super-excellent CHAP. V. AFter this Vision containing the glory of the divine Majesty was shewed unto John that he might know from what fountaine this Prophesie was derived now in this fift Chapter is taught and shewed by what meanes and by whose mediation the knowledge of such hidden mysteries were revealed unto the Church namely by the meanes and mediation of Jesus Christ in whom onely the counsels and secrets of God the Father are opened and made knowne unto men For he is the great Prophet and Doctor of the Church which is come down from the bosome of his Father and hath made knowne unto us whatsoever he hath received of his Father as he himselfe testifieth And the Church is commanded by a voice from Heaven to heare him and him alone This fifth Chapter containeth three things generally Ver. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. First a description of the booke which was in the right hand of God Secondly a description of Jesus Christ which receiveth it at the hand of his Father and openeth it Thirdly a description of those most glorious praises which are given to Christ by the Angels Saints and all the creatures in Heauen and earth I saw in the right hand of him that sate upon the throne a book written within Verse 1. and on the backe side sealed with seaven seales By this booke here mentioned is meant this present booke of the Apocalyps or Revelation as it shall plainely appeare in the next chapter when we come to the opening of the seaven seales thereof For the things which fall out upon the opening of the severall seales do plainely declare that all is meant of the particular matters contained in this present booke This book is said to be in the right hand of him that sitteth upon the throne because all the secrets revealed in it come from the counsell and decree of the most high God and are ordered by his meere direction providence It is called a written booke to shew 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 be fulfilled â—n their season They are such as we may write of as we use to say and therefore for the cerâ—ainty of them they are here said to
be writâ—en in a booke This booke is sayd to be written within and without for the multitude and variety of matters contained in it For there were both many and great things which should fall out in the World from the time that John received the Prophesie unto the end of the World This booke is sealed with seven seales that is to say perfectly sealed because the things contained herein are counsels and secrets only known to God till it pleased hiâ— to reveale them to his Church by his Son The elect Angels knew nothing of the things written in this booke before the seales were opened Verse 2. And I saw a strong Angell which proclaimed with a loud voice Who is worthy to open the booke and to loose the seales thereof Heere is Proclamation made to all creatures that if there were any manner of persons in Heaven or earth among men or Angels that would take upon them to open and expound this booke that they should comâ— forth and shew themselves and be very willingly and gladly heard Verse 3. But alas the next verse doth shew that none in heaven oâ— earth was able to open the booke and expounâ— it whereupon John wept very much becausâ— no man was found worthy to open and interpret this booke The cause of Johns weeping and lamenting was for feare the Church should be deprived of such profitable and excellent things as he knew were contayned in this booke Such was his love 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 concâ—â—ling of the book of God and to rejoyce in the opening of it But Papists and Atheists are of a contrary minde for they rejoyce in the concealing and keeping close of the Scriptures and are much grieved with the opening and revealing thereof because thereby their hypocrisie and villany is detected and discarded Vpon this one of the Elders sayd unto John Verse 5. Weepe not Behold the Lion which is of the Tribe of Judah the roote of David hath obtained to open the book and to loose the seals thereof Heere we see how Iohn is comforted and cheered up by one of the Elders being now very pensive and sad and is willed to plucke up a good heart and to be of good cheere for he 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 Jesus Christ the great revealer of secrets and onely expounder of all riddles and hidden mysteries as before hath been spoken Jesus Christ is here said to be of the Tribe of Judah because he is lineally descended of that Tribe according to the flesh and his humane nature He is compared unto a Lyon by allusion unto Jacobs words in his last will and testament concerning Judah namely that he should couch as a Lyon and as a Lyonesse and none should stirre him He is fitly compared to a Lyon for his great and admirable power and strength for he raigneth and must raigne over all his enemies and in the middest of all his enemies till he hath troade all his enemies under his feete He is called the roote of David both here and also in the 22. Chapter of this Booke verse 16. because he sprung out of David the Sonne of Ishai as a branch out of his roote as the Prophet did fore-tell that A rod should come forth of the stock of Ishai and a graft should grow out of his rootes And the Apostle sayth that Christ was made of the seede of David according to the flesh Then sayth John I beheld and loe Verse 6. in the middest of the throne and of the foure beasts and of the Elders stood a Lambe as though he had beene killed which had seven hornes and seven eies which are the seven Spirits of God sent into all the world Here John taketh a view and sight of Jesus Christ from the very middest of the throne and of the foure beasts 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 very middest of the Throne and the foure beasts c. because he is God everlasting coequall and coeternall with the Father in whom as the Apostle saith dwelleth all the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily or essentially And here afterwards the same worship and honour is ascribed unto him both by the Saints and Angels which before is ascribed unto God the Father Christ is heere compared to a Lambe for his innocency for the Scripture sayth He was a sheepe dumbe before his shearer Hee is the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world Hee is the Lambe slaine from the beginning of the world He is compared to a Lyon for his great and incomparable strength in conquering Hell Death and damnation and all infernall power And to a Lambe because he hath dispatched all this upon the Crosse by the sacrifice of himselfe once offered for he did never more lively shew forth his Lyon-like power then when he was as a Lambe slaine and sacrificed upon the Crosse This Lambe Christ is here sayd to have seven hornes which signifie his manifold power or fulnes of power or perfect power according as this metaphor or borrowed speech of horne is usually so taken in all the Scriptures This Lambe also is sayd to have seven eies which are interpreted to be the seven spirits of God that is the manifold graces and gifts of the Spirit which he giveth unto his Church Now then to conclude this point for asmuch as the number of seven in this booke is a number of perfection and alwaies noteth perfection therefore by Christs seven hornes and seven eyes we may and that soundly understand his perfect power and his perfect sight and knowledge in all things For his seven eyes are so taken in the third Chapter of the Prophesie of Zachary where it is said a Vpon one stone shall be seven eyes Meaning that Jesus Christ the corner stone of the Church should be full of eyes to looke out for the good of his Church and to give light to all others for he is the life and light of the World And he came and tooke the booke out of the right hand of him that sate upon the throne Ver. 7. Here Jesus Christ takes the booke out of his Fathers hand purposing both to open it and expound it For he is the only expounder of the law and the best interpreter of his Fathers will Hereupon it is sayd that the foure beasts Verse 8. and 24. Elders fell downe before the Lambe to testifie their thankefulnesse and inward joy and rejoycing that the Sonne of God would take upon him this office which none other would or could performe Moreover by their falling downe and worshiping him they doe plainely testifie that he is God over all to be
upon the blacke Horse so here death and hel are said to be upon the pale Horse for pestilence and death maketh men look pale but being dead he saith Hell followed For assuredly Hell doth alwayes follow the death of the body excepting those onely whom Christ hath delivered from hell and damnation by the power of his death Thus then it is the red Horse with bloud the black Horse with famine the pale Horse with pestilence have power given over the fourth part of men to murther kill and slay as all Stories doe shew that for the rejecting of Christ and his Church and his Gospell these plagues were carried as it were on horse-back over a great part of the world Now as touching this famine and pestilence which fell out upon the opening of the third and fourth seales they are to be referred unto those times especially wherein the Hunnes Goths and Vandals and other barbarous Nations which were the wasters of the world did waste and decay the Romane Empire both farre and neere Whereupon grew this famine scarsitie and pestilence and strange diseases heere spoken of about some 300. yeares after Christ and somewhat more And when he had opened the fift Seale I saw under the Altar the soules of them that were killed for the word of God and for the testimony which they maintained c. Here is discovered the state of the Martyrs after this life and the condition of the spirits of all just and perfect men For whereas it might be demanded what became of all those heapes and multitudes of men which were slaine for the testimony of Jesus in the ten persecutions it is here answered That they were under the Altar John in a vision seeth them under the Altar That is under the mercifull protection of Christ in Heaven who for them and for us all was made both Altar Priest and Sacrifice This Altar Christ is afterwards called the golden Altar which is before the Throne of God Chap. 8.3 So then it is cleare that the soules of the Martyrs were with Christ in glory For he saith to his disciples Where I am there shall you be also Joh. 14.3 And in another place he sayth John 12.32 If I were lift up from the earth I should draw all men unto me that is all beleevers Then it followeth that the soules of these just and righteous men were in Paradise and in Abrahams bosome which is the very Port and Haven of salvation For although the persecuting Emperours and other tyrants of the earth had power to kill their bodies yet had they no power over their soules as our Lord Jesus affirmeth And they cryed with a loud voice saying How long Lord holy and true verse 10. doest not thou judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell upon the earth Heere we see plainely that the soules of the Martyrs doe very vehemently cry for vengeance upon these cruell Tyrants which shed their blood Moreover they cry for it speedily and seeme to be impatient of delay But it is to be observed that they do not this in any hatred or private desire of revenge in respect of any wrong or cruelty shewed to them but in a very love and burning zeale of the Kingdome and glory of Christ and whatsoever desire they have it is wholly to that end Wherefore they are here under a figure brought in crying for vengeance rather to expresse what judgement of God tarrieth for the cruell persecuters then to shew what minde they beare towards them For it is indeed their cause that cryeth for vengeance And as Abels bloud so their bloud cryeth aloud in the eares of the Lord of Hoasts for revenge Moreover we may not imagine or gather out of this loud crying of the Martyrs in Heaven that they have any disturbance impatience disquietnesse or any discontentment there But this they doe in a fervent desire of that fulnesse of glory which they assuredly hope for and looke for in consummation of all things when both their souls and bodies shall be joyned together Ver. 11. And long white robes were given unto every one and it was said unto them That they should rest for a little season untill their fellow servants and their brethren which should be killed even as they were were fulfilled These white robes doe signifie that honour glory and dignity whereunto not only the Martyrs but also all other faithfull beleevers are advanced in the chambers of peace for so white Robes are to be understood in sundry other places of this booke And this doth plainly prove that the martyrs were now in glory with Christ Now as concerning the answer to their complaint and cry it was this That they should be content and have patience for a little season for the time remaining to the end of the World was but as a day with God and as a moment in comparison of eternity and the reason of the delay is yeelded which is this that there were numbers of others their brethren in the World which should bee martyred and slaine for the truth as well as they under the great Antichrist of Rome and the bloudy Turke at and upon the opening of the seventh seal And therefore in consideration that the most wise God had decreed and fore-determined with himself in most secret and hid counsell to bring multitudes of others to glory by the same way and meanes that themselves were brought that therefore in the meane time being so short a time they should rest satisfied and contented And here by the way we see what stayeth the comming of Christ unto judgement namely this that the number of the Martyrs and Saints and al such as he hath chosen unto life are not yet accomplished And behold when he opened the sixt Seale and loe there was a great Earth-quake ver 2.13.14 and the Sunne was as blacke as sacke-cloth of haire and the Moone was like blood And the starres of Heaven fell unto the earth as a fig-tree casteth her greene figges when it is shaken of a mighty winde And Heaven departed away as a scrole when it is rolled and every Mountaine and I le were moved out of their place Upon the opening of the sixt Seale very dolefull and fearefull things doe follow As earth-quakes the darkning of the Sun the obscurity of the Moone the falling of the Starres the rolling together of the Heavens the remooving of mountaines and Iles out of their places the howlings and horrors of Kings Captaines and other Potentates of the earth which are all things very terrible and fearefull to behold and all these doe represent and figure out unto us the most fearefull tokens of Gods high displeasure and most heavy indignation against the wicked World Very grievous things fell out upon the opening of the second third and fourth seales but they are farre more grievous which follow upon the opening of this sixt seale for this sixt Seale contayneth an aggravation and increase of
all the former judgements For now after the cry of the Martyrs for vengeance God the avenger of the bloud of the Righteous doth shew himselfe from Heaven and declare his wrath in more fearefull manner then before even to the great astonishment of all the creatures in Heaven and Earth So horrible a thing is the shedding of the blood of the Christians For now we see plainely that God heareth the cryes of his Martyrs and commeth as a Gyant or an armed man to take vengeance of all their enemies For Psal 116.15 Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints and he is much mooved with the cry of their blood as here we see And therefore now threatneth to hold a generall Assize wherein he will make inquisition after blood and arraigne and condemne all such as are found guilty 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 above 300. yeares after Christ there were many great and fearfull Earth-quakes in divers nations and Cities of the World yet it is apparant that the Earth-quake here spoken of cannot bee taken litterally nor any of the rest here mentioned For there was never any time neither is it mentioned in any Chronicle that ever the Sunne was as blacke as sack cloth of haire or the Moone turned into bloud or the Starres fell from Heaven or the Heavens rolled together like a scrole or that Mountaines and Ilands were moved out of their places Therefore of necessity all this must be understood metaphorically that is that God did in so strange and fearfull a manner manifest his wrath from Heaven by tumults commotions seditions and alterations of Kingdomes as if these things of the Sunne Moone and Starres had been 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-wealths troubles tumults uprores and great alterations of States and Kingdomes The darkning of the Sunne Moone and Starres and rolling together of the Heavens do by a metaphor in the Scripture signifie the wrath of God which they being not able to endure are said here to blush at to cover themselves to hide themselves to be ashamed of themselves to remove out of their places no more to do their office c. For as birds do hide themselves and thrust their heads into bushes when the Eagle commeth abroade And as all Beasts of the Forrest doe tremble and couch in their dennes when the Lyon roareth And as the subject doth hide himselfe and dare not shew his head with whom the King is displeased So here it is said that the whole earth doth tremble and all the celestiall creatures are amazed and confounded with beholding the angry face of God against the world in so much that they do as it were draw a canopy over them hide themselves under a cloud and surcease to do their offices The darkning of the Sunne and Moone is taken in this sense in the second or Joel 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 upon all flesh which is to be understood of the plentifull preaching of the Gospell in the Apostles time and the abundance of grace that was given with the same addeth that for the contempt of so great grace and mercy he would shew wonders in Heaven above and tokens in the earth beneath Blood and fire and the vapour of smoke the Sunne shall be turned into darknesse and the Moone into blood before that great and notable day of the Lord come The meaning of the Prophet is as Peter also doth expound it Acts 2. that God from Heaven will shew such apparant signes of his wrath against the World that men should be no lesse amazed then if the whole order of nature were inverted And this was performed when as the Jewes for the contempt of Christ and his Gospell were most miserably destroyed by the Romanes Even so here under the opening of the sixt seale God doth threaten That for the murdering of his Sonne Christ and his Apostles and innumerable Christians he would bring strange judgements and extraordinary calamities upon the world according as all stories do shew that those times were full of bloodsheds commotions famine pestilence and miseries of all sorts I am not ignorant that the darkning of the Sunne and Moone and the falling of the Stars from Heaven are sometimes in this booke put for the obscurity and corruption of pure doctrine and the falling away of the Pastors of the Church from their sincerity and zeale But in this place the circumstances will not beare that sense First because here the darkning of the Sun and Moone c. is joyned with an Earth-quake the rolling together of the Heavens and the moving of Mountaines and Islands out of their places which argueth a most horrible confusion of all things Secondly because afterward in the eight chap. he doth of purpose speake of the corrupting of pure doctrine and 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 immediately mentioned would never have been cast into any such perplexities and horrors upon any corruption of doctrine and the ministery as here we reade of For commonly men are not any whit touched or moved with that or such like things Last of all because the scope and drift of the holy Ghost under the opening of this sixt Seale is to describe corporall not spirituall visible not invisible judgements For he doth orderly and of purpose handle them in the next Chapter Now whereas it is sayd in the last three verses that the Kings of the earth and the chiefe Captaines Ver. 15.16.17 and the mighty men and every bond-man and every free-man hid themselves in dennes and amongst the rockes of the mountaines and said to the rockes and mountaines Fall on us c. the sense and meaning of all is this that these visible judgements should be so horrible and extraordinary that all sorts of men then living upon the face of the earth should even wish themselves buried quicke or that they might run into a mouse-hole or awger hole to hide themselves from the wrath of the Lambe For being both outwardly terrified with the sensible judgements and inwardly griped and tormented with the fury of their owne consciences they are at no hand able to endure it CHAP. VII THis Chapter doth wholly appertaine unto the opening of the sixt Seale It sheweth generally how God in the middest of all the broyles which hapned under the opening of the sixt seale yet did preserve his owne Church and mercifully provide for his owne people This
seventh Chapter may very fitly be divided into three parts First it sheweth that as God did most fearefully punish the World with visible and sensible Judgements as we have heard before So now he would set upon them with invisible and spirituall plagues which are of all other most grievous and intolerable Secondly it sheweth the state and condition of the Church militant here in earth as before was shewed under the opening of the fift Seale Verse 2 3 4 c. the state of the Church triumphant in the Heavens namely that it is sealed and set in safety from all dangers Thirdly it sheweth the blessed and happie estate of all Gods elect and their fervent prayses and zealous worship of God who thus mercifully did provide for their security in the middest of greatest perils and extremities Ver. 10 11 c. And after that I saw foure Angels stand on the foure corners of the earth Verse 1. holding the foure windes of the earth that the windes should not blow on the earth neither on the sea neither on any greene tree These foure Angels are Angels of darknes or foure divels which is proved by this reason that they hold the 4. winds from blowing on the Earth that is stoppe the course of the Gospell which is a spirituall plague They are sayd to stand upon the foure corners of the Earth because power was given them to plague not some one or two Countries but the Universall World both East West North and South The blowing of the winds doth very fitly represent the preaching of the Gospell and that heavenly inspiration and breathing of the Holy Ghost which goeth with it Wind is so taken Joh. 3. where our Lord Jesus sayth The wind bloweth where it listeth c. So is every man that is borne of the Spirit And againe in the fourth of the Cantic in these words Arise O North and come O South and blow on my garden that the spices thereof may flow out Where it plainely appeareth that the Church craveth the inspiration of the Spirit that her fruits may abound For what can be meant by these winds which she wisheth to blow upon her garden but the breathings of Gods Spirit and Word It followeth then that if the blowing of the winds in the Scriptures do signifie the breathing of Gods grace and holy Spirit that the stopping of the winds by a reason of the contraries doth here signifie the stopping of the same and the deprivation of all heavenly blessings So that it is cleare that a spirituall plague is heere represented which also is the more apparant because heer is such a speciall proviso and care had for the Churches safety that it might not be infected with this spirituall contagion Now all this doth plainely fore-prophesie not only the stopping of the course of the Gospell but even the utter taking of it away from the World for their great contempt thereof and the horrible murthering and massacring of all the true professors of it according as it came to passe afterward in the prevailing first of Heresies and afterward of the Popish and Mahometish Religion as in the two next Chapters following shall plainely appeare And I saw another Angell come up from the East Ver. 2.3 which had the Seale of the living God and he cried with a loud voyce to the foure Angels to whom power was given to hurt the earth and sea saying Hurt ye not the earth neither the sea neither the trees till we have sealed the servants of God in their foreheads This Angell is Jesus Christ who by the Prophet is called the Angell of the covenant That Angels do represent and sustaine â—he person of Christ their head is so common and usuall a thing in the Scriptures that I sâ—â—ll not need to stay in it That this Angell is Christ it doth â—â—â—nely appeare by the things heere â—â—â—ibuted unto him which can agree to â—o â—â—her First in that he hath the Seale of â—â—e living God which is the Spirit of adoption to set upon all the elect for he is thâ—â—â—ely keeper of this great Seale and â—â—is privy Seale He onely hath authority to set it upon whom he will Secondly because he is said to come up from the East that he is the only Sun of righteousnesse which ariseth upon his Church every 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 Luke 1.70 the day spring from on high hath visited us Thirdly because he holdeth a soveraignty and command over the Divâ—ls for he chargeth them heere to stay their hands from doing any hurt till he had provided for his elect Whereas it is said verse 2. that power was given to these Divels to hurt the earth the Sea and trees that is the number of Reprobates we may note that the divels have no absolute Power but only by permission as appeareth in this that they could neither â—ouch Job nor enter into the heard of Swine without licence Job 1. Whereas it is said Verse 3. â—ill we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads it doth plainely shew that the punishment of the wicked are deferred till provision be made for the Elect. The floud came not upon the old World till Noah and his family were received into the Arke The Angels destroyed not Sodom till Lot was set in safety The plaguing Angell spared the first borne of Egypt till the posts of the Israelites houses were sprinkled with the blood of the Paschall Lambe Ezec. 9. The sixe Angels sent to destroy Jerusalem are charged to stay the execution till the servants of God were marked in their foreheads All these examples do manifestly declare what tender care the Lord in all ages hath had of his owne people that they might be delivered and set in safety in the midst of all extremities Even so heere we see that God is very carefull that his owne children might not be infected with those damnable heresies which now already upon the stopping of the course of the Gospell began to be hatched and afterwards did spring and grow up in the Church both thicke and three-fold Verse 4. And I heard the number of them that were sealed and there were sealed an hundred forty and foure thousand of all the Tribes of the children of Israel Of the Tribe of Judah were sealed twelve thousand c. Now John heareth the number of them that were sealed and he reckoneth up the whole Church militant consisting both of the Jewes and Gentiles He saith that of the Church of the Jewes there were sealed 144000. Wherein he putteth a certaine number for an uncertaine and a definite number therewithall also for an indefinite for his meaning is not that there were just so many and neither moe nor lesse sealed but this number doth arise of 12. times 12. in that he saith of every
might is Christ as appeareth by the description of him and by all the consequents following Mat. 24. for he is said to be cloathed with a Cloud which signifieth his great glory and Majesty For he shall come in the clouds of heaven to judge the world that is with great pomp and glory The Raine-bow was upon his head which signifieth the covenant of peace with his Church as before Chap. 4. verse 3. His face was as the Sunne which signifieth comfort and deliverance to his Church and the dispelling of all the smoake of the bottomlesse Pit as the Sunne Scattereth and driveth away the thick mists His feete are pillers of brasse which signifieth that he should tread downe all his enemies under his feet 1 Cor. 19. both Pope and Turke For he must raigne till he have destroyed them all The Pope along time kept all the Kings of Europe in awe The Locusts were of great power The Turkes prevailed exceedingly But what are they all to this mightie and glorious Angell Christ What is their power to withstand him What can Abaddon the King of the Locusts do against this mighty King of Sion What can the Turkes most terrible Horses and Horse-men doe against this Angell which sitteth upon the white Horse Alas alas they are able to do nothing They must all be trodden down under his feet of brasse ver 2. And he had in his hand a little book open and He put his right foot upon the Sea and his left upon the earth This little Booke signifieth the Bible It is called little in respect of the great and huge volumes of Popish bookes though in it selfe it be large It is sayd to be open that all men might looke into it because it had been shut a long time before even during all the time of the darkning of the Sunne and Aire by the smoke which came out of the bottomlesse pit But although it was long shut up in the time of Popery and lay buried in a strange tongue yet now it is opened and publikely preached unto all the servants of God And all this no doubt is to be understood of Luthers time and all the times ever since the Gospell was spread abroad after the great darkenesse For some hundred yeares agoe it was hard to finde an English Bible but now God be thanked there are thousands to be found in the hands of Gods people And therefore the things here Prophesied of are fulfilled in our daies for we live under the opening of the seaventh Seale and the blowing of the sixth Trumpet and the powring foorth of the sixth Viall as here doth partly appeare and shall God willing bee made more manifest when we come to the sixteenth Chapter Now we are diligently to obserue that as the opening of this Booke and the preaching of the Gospell by Luther and his successors hath dispersed the former darknesse and beaten down Popery so also hath it driven backe the Turke and taken from us all feare of him which in former ages was the terrour of the World for since men have looked into this book repented of their Idolatry and turned unto God with all their hearts the Turke and his power hath not been feared especially in these parts where the Gospell is preached For God in his mercifull providence towards his Church hath diverted his power another way and set him a worke else where So that if men cannot be brought to beleeve that God raised him up as a scourge for Idolaters and a plague for Idolatrie and other soule sinnes according to the words in the former Chap. where it is said They repented not of the workes of their hands c. yet when they see that at the opening of the Booke of God and forsaking Idolatry the feare of him is removed let them beleeve it What can be more plaine than that this open Booke in the hand of the Angell hath delivered us from the Pope and from the Turke A most happy opening of this blessed booke More it is said that he put his right foot upon the Sea and his left on the Earth The setting of Christs right foot upon the Sea signifieth that he is ruler of the Sea and standeth as firmely upon the Sea as upon the Land The setting of his left foot upon the Earth doth signifie that he is Lord of the Earth and true heire to all things in it And cryed with a loud voice verse 3. as when a Lion roareth and when he had cryed seven thunders utterd their voyces This crying with a loud voice like the roaring of a Lion doth signifie the manifestation of the wrath of Christ against all his enemies for now he beginneth to roare against them as a Lion when he is hungry roareth for his prey Therefore now both the Scorpion Locusts and the fierce Horses and horsmen are like to goe to the pot By the seven thunders which uttered their voyces is meant those perfect and exquisite judgements which now were to be inflicted both upon the Kingdome of the Pope and the Turke We have heard before that seven is a perfect number in this book and that thunder is put for the thundring of Gods wrath and all such broiles and plagues as follow thereupon and this is the reason of this interpretation verse 4. And when the seven thunders had uttered their voyces I was about to write but I heard a voice from Heaven saying unto me Seale up these things which the seven thunders have spoken and write them not It should seeme these seven thunders did so speake as they might be understood for John was about to write the things which they spake thinking that they were uttered for that end and purpose that he should deliver them in writing to the Churches But he receiveth a commandement to the contrary for he is willed not to write them but to conceale them untill the appointed time But some man may say Why were they uttered seeing they must be concealed and kepâ— close I answer it was not in vaine for first though the particulars be not expressed what the thunders speake yet here we are taught that there remaine most fearfull Judgements against all the oppressors of the Church which Christ hath thundred out with terrour against them And when the time determined is come they shall be seene and understood but in the meane time they be sealed up and kept close according to that of Job Why should not the times be hid of the Almighty so as they which know him should not perceive the times appointed of him and that of Daniel These things are Sealed up untill the time determined And the Angell which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven verse 5. And sware by him that liveth for evermore ver 6. which created heaven and the things that therein are and the earth and the things that therein are and the sea and the things that
therein are that time should be no more But in the daies of the voice of the seventh Angell ver 7. when he shall begin to blow the trumpet even the ministery of God shall be finished as he hath declared unto his servants the Prophets The summe of these three verses is that Christ giveth warning of the last judgement that men might awake and looke out in time Amo. 6 1. And because men for the most part are carelesse and secure putting the evill day far from them as the Prophet speaketh therefore here Christ bindeth it with a solemne oath and solemne gestures thereunto annexed as was the lifting up of the hand in antient time Genesis 14.22 The thing that our Lord Jesus disposeth 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 us flatly that as six Angels have already blowne their Trumpets so when the seventh Angell should blow the Mystery of God shall be finished that is the time of punishing the wicked and rewarding the godly should come which is therefore called a Mystery because the world understandeth it not They thinke there is no such matter Mal. 3.14 They imagine there is no reward for the just or punishment for the wicked as the Prophet saith But the holy Ghost saith Verily there is a reward for the righteous Psa 58.18 doubtlesse there is a God which judgeth the Earth And here it is said that God hath declared it to his servants the Prophets And the voice which I heard from Heaven spake unto me agine verse 8. and said goe and take the little booke which is open in the hand of the Angell which standeth upon the Sea and upon the Earth So I went unto the Angell and said unto him give me the little booke vâ—rse 9. And he said unto me take it and eat it up and it shall make thy belly bitter but it shall be in thy mouth as sweet as hony Then I tooke the little booke out of the Angels hand and eat it up ver 10. and it was in my mouth as sweet as hony but when I had eaten it my belly was bitter And he said unto me verse 11. Thou must prophesie againe among the people and nations and tongues and to many Kings The briefe sence of these foure verses is that the Preachers of the Gospell being called allowed and authorized by Christ unto their ministery should study the Scriptures with great diligence even untill they had eaten up the booke of God and they should preach and publish unto all nations and Kingdomes that truth of God and doctrine of the Gospell which now a long time had lien hid in the raigne of Antichrist It is to be observed that John in this place representeth the person of all the ministers of the Gospell which should be raised up in these last daies for the overthrow of Antichrist and the restauration of true Religion for John himselfe did not live to these times Further it is to be noted that all godly Students and zealous Ministers do eate up the booke of God by reading study prayer and meditation and they find it sweet in their mouth that is they find and feele great joy and comfort in the study and meditation thereof especially when God revealeth therby great and hid secrets unto them and giveth them to understand the mysteries of the Gospell and counsels of his will which are locked up from the wise and prudent of this world This I say is sweeter unto their mouth than hony and the hony combe Concerning their phrase of eating up the Booke looke Ezek. 2.9 for here the holy Ghost alludeth thereunto This booke being so sweet in the mouth yet being eaten and digested is better in the belly There may be three reasons yeelded of this bitternesse First because it being once taken downe into our soule by godly meditation doth mortifie our corrupt nature and bring under our lust and therefore seemeth bitter to flesh and blood Secondly because afflictions and trialls do alwaies necessarily follow the sound digestion of the Gospell Thirdly because the doctrine of the Gospel being swallowed by the ministers therof must not be kept to themselves as it were closed up in their stomacks but they must out with it againe as if it were some loathsome and bitter thing which must needs be cast up againe And for this cause it is sayd 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 Lord our God who hath given us to live in this age wherein we do with our eies behold and see the fulfilling of all these things let us therefore praise God for this great worke which we see wrought in our daies and let us still more and more magnifie this little Booke which will utterly destroy Popery and bring downe the proud Antichrist do all that fight for him what they can CHAP. XI VVE have heard that the little Booke should be opened and the Gospel preached and published to many nations and Kingdomes after the great darknesse of Popery and that this was done by Luther Melancthon Calvin Peter Virit Peter Martyr Bullinger Bucer and all their faithfull successors unto this day Now in this Chapter we are to understand the effect and good successe of their preaching and publishing the Gospell which was that the Church should be restored reformed and built up thereby which a long time had been wasted and oppressed by the tyranny of Antichrist and that many should embrace this Gospell forsake their Idolatries and turne unto God with all their hearts yea whole Nations and Kingdomes in Europe should be converted to the faith as we see this day God be praised So then the principall drift of this Chapter is to shew those things which yet remaine to be fulfilled under the blowing of the sixth Trumpet which is the preaching and prevailing of the Gospel even unto the worlds end and also the things which follow upon the blowing of the seventh trumpet which is the resurrection and last judgement This Chapter containeth six principall things as it were six parts thereof First it sheweth how the true Church should be gathered together ver 1.2 and built up by the preaching of the Gospell and all the wicked refused and cast out ver 3.4.5.6 Secondly it describeth the builders that is all the faithfull Ministers which had and should resist Antichrist Thirdly ver 7.8 it sheweth how Antichrist should persecute the Preachers and Professors of the Gospell unto death and murther them by heapes Fourthly it sheweth that Papists Atheists and wicked worldlings ver 9.10 should rejoyce in the death of Gods people and not vouchsafe them so much as the honour of buriall but sends gifts one to another for joy that they were rid out of the Earth Fifthly it sheweth that
all Popish proceedings which is here meant by the two witnesses For assuredly these two witnesses doe not signifie Enoch and Elias as the Papists and some others doe dreame but they signifie all the faithfull Preachers and Professors of the truth which in all ages both former and later have opposed themselves against the Pope his Clergy his doctrine his religion and all his abhominable proceedings They are called witnesses because they should beare witnesse unto the truth They are said two in number for three reasons First because they were very few in those dayes when Poperie did so generally prevail 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 shall every word stand Thirdly it is an allusion to Zorobabel and Jehoshua which were the two restorers and builders of the Temple after the captivitie Hag. 2.5 Christ saith here that he will give power to his two witnesses for no man hath any power in heavenly things except it be given him from above and especially to stand fast to the truth in the heat 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 prophesying being 1260 dayes hath been expounded before These two witnesses are cloathed in sackcloath 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 use to put on sackloath It followeth then that these faithfull Preachers and witnesses of the truth did not spend their dayes in mirth jollity and worldly pompe and bravery as did the Popes Clergie and pompous Prelates of Antichrist Now if any man will demand how this may appeare that there have been alwaies some raised up of God to write preach declare and speake against the whore of Babylon even then when shee was aloft and raigned as the Queene and Lady of the world I answer that Histories are very plentifull in this point which at large doe shew that in all countries and kingdomes of Europe there were ever some stirred up to impugne and resist the whore of Babylon As In England Robert Grosted Bishop of Lincolne An. dom 1293. An. 1400. John Wickliffe supported by Edw. the 3. and divers of the Nobility in England In Germany Taulerus a Preacher An. 1354 1356. 1357. 1359. 1359. 1360. Franciscus Petrarcha Johannes de rupe scissa Conradus Hager Gerhardus Rhidor Petrus de Corbona Johannes de Poliaco 1420. John Zisca In Bohemia John Husse An. dom 1414. 1416. 1370. Jerome of Prague Mathias Parisiensis In Spaine An. 1250. Arnoldus de nova villa In Italy An. 1500. Jerome Savanarola a Monke Silvester a Frier In France An. 1160. An. 1252. An. 1290. An. 1290. Waldas of whom came the Waldenses or poore men of Lyons in France Guilielmus de sancto amore Robertus Gallus Laurentius In Ireland An. 1362. Armachanus an Archbishop In Suevia An. 1240. Many Preachers at once In Grecia An. 1230. All the Churches of Grecia renounced the Church of Rome for their abominable Idolatry It were too tedious to recite all which the Stories doe report to have withstood both Pope and Popery even when it did most of all beare the sway these may suffice for the understanding of the Text. As for those which have been raised up 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 Olive trees and two Candlesticks standing before the God of the earth vers 4. Here the two witnesses are compared to two Olive trees because that as the Olive tree doth drop downe his oyle and fatnesse so the faithfull Ministers doe droppe downe upon the Church the sweet oyle of the Spirit which is all heavenly and spirituall graces as the Metaphor of oyle is often so taken in the Scriptures They are also compared to two Candlesticks because that as the candlestick beareth up the candle set upon it so the Ministers of the Gospell beare up and hold forth the light of Gods word even in the greatest darknesse These candlesticks are said to stand before the God of the Earth because God beareth rule not only in heaven but in earth also even then when all things in the earth seeme to be most troubled and the Church militant â—nder greatest persecutions as now it was And if any will hurt them ver 3. fire proceedeth out of their mouthes and shall devoure their enemies for if any will hurt them so must he be killed vers 6. These have power to shut heaven that it raine not in the dayes of their prophesying and have power over waters to turne them into bloud and to smite the Earth with all manner of plagues as oft as they will Here is shewed that if any despise the simplicity of these two winesses and offer them wrong because of their basenesse and contempt in the world that there is a fire commeth out of their mouth that is the fiery and mighty power of the word of God uttered out of their mouthes which overthroweth and overturneth their enemies nay as fire it consumeth them to ashes for the Ministers of the Gospell are armed with ready vengeance against all disobedience 1 Cor. 10. Therefore they be starke mad and know not what they doe which oppose themselves 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 ministry of the word is the savour of death to all unbeleevers That which is here spoken of shutting the heavens that it raine not and turning the waters into bloud 1 King 17. is an allusion to Elias and Moses whereof the one by his prayer shut the Heavens the other by his rod 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 invisible and spirituall power where with the Ministers of the Gospell are armed is very great and glorious though the world see it not nor know it not For the Apostle saith The weapons of our warfare are not carnall but spirituall 2 Cor. 10.6 mighty through God to cast downe holds casting downe the imaginations and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God c. And when they have finished their testimony ver 7. the beast that commeth out of the bottomlesse pit shall make warre against them and kill them Here is set downe the greater cruelty
as it were a little before the blowing of the seventh trumpet which presently hereupon is sounded as in the next verses appeareth many should repent and give glory to God The second woe is past behold Vers 14 15. the third woe will come anon And the seventh Angel blew the trumpet and there were great voyces in heaven saying The kingdomes of this world are our Lords and his Christs and he shall reigne for evermore Now cometh the third the last and the greatest woe which is the woe of eternall death upon all the ungodly both in their soules and bodies for ever in the last judgment The second woe was Turcisme and this third wo is the last judgment For it now followeth that the seventh Angel bloweth the last trumpet as our Lord Jesus sware before that when the seventh Angel should blow the trumpet there would be no more time Chap. 10.6 Therefore when we see all things fulfilled which do belong unto the sixth trumpet it remaineth that we should every hour expect and look for the blowing of the seventh trumpet and the end of the world For the holy Ghost telleth us that when the kingdome of the Pope and the Turke shall fall and the Gospel be preached in many nations and kingdomes that then the third woe will come anon that is the last judgment followeth presently upon it Now at the blowing of this seventh trumpet there were great voyces in heaven saying The kingdomes of this world are our Lords and his Christs and hee shall reigne for evermore These voyces in heaven are triumphing voyces of Gods elect who doe exceedingly rejoyce and triumph that the kingdome of Satan and Antichrist is overthrown and that the kingdome of God and of Christ is set up and shall stand for evermore For now all adversary power being overthrown Christ doth deliver up a peaceable kingdom to his Father as it is written Then shall be the end 1 Cor. 1.15 24. when he hath delivered up his peaceable kingdome to God the Father For hee must reigne over the Church militant till he have trod downe all his enemies under his feet and when the Son of God hath subdued all things to himselfe then shall hee be subject to his Father as hee is the Mediator of the Church and yet reign with his Church triumphant for evermore Then the four and twenty elders which sate before God on their seates fell upon their faces Verse 16. and worshipped God Saying Wee give thee thankes Verse 17. O Lord God Almighty which art which wast and which art to come for thou hast received thy great might and hast obtained thy kingdome These four and twenty elders do signifie all the elect both of Jewes and Gentiles Chapt. 4. as wee have heard before which all in most suppliant manner doe worship the onely everlasting God even in the Church triumphant and doe greatly rejoyce and give all praise and glory unto him because now he hath received the kingdome the power and the glory both Pope and Turk and Emperor and all his enemies being subdued under his feet Verse 18. And the Gentiles were angry and thy wrath is come and the time of the dead that they should be judged and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the Prophets and to the saints and to them that fear thy name and to small and great and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth Now he mentioneth the wrath and vengeance which is to be powred forth upon all the wicked at the last day and also the reward of the godly For whereas he saith The Gentiles were angry and thy wrath is come and the time of the dead that they should be judged the sense and meaning is that all the profane enemies of the Church which had their time in which they were angry with Gods people and in their wrath did afflict and vexe them very sore should now be judged and condemned in Gods wrath for now the day of his wrath and vengeance is come wherein hee will destroy them that destroyed the earth and seemed to carry all before them and where also he will give a full recompence of reward to all his faithfull worshippers both small and great both preachers and professors of his Gospel Then the Temple of God was opened in heaven Verse 19. and there was seen in the Temple the ark of his covenant and there were lightnings and voyces and thundrings and earth-quakes and much haile This is a further amplification of that which is set down in this former verse For now hee saith that the Temple of God should be opened in heaven that is an open door and passage should be made through Christ for all the elect to enter into Gods everlasting kingdome and reigne with him and his Angels for evermore By the arke of the Covenant is meant Christ who is said here to be seen in the Temple or kingdome of glory because through his mediation onely in whom the covenant of peace is established with his Church the twenty four elders are made partakers of their crownes and enter in with him and his Angels into the everlasting Temple made without hands and eternall in the heavens But on the contrary here is said that there were lightnings thundrings c. that is most horrible vengeance and wrath powred down upon all reprobates in hell-fire for evermore For when it shall be said to all the faithfull Come yee blessed c. then also shall it be said unto all unbeleevers Goe ye cursed into hell-fire c. Now for warrant of this exposition of the last verse that the Temple in heaven is to be understood of the kingdome of glory look chapter 15. verse 5 6 8. chapt 16. verse 1. The reason hereof is that as the doors of the Temple of Jerusalem being set open Gods people entred in and worshipped so the everlasting gates of the new Jerusalem and celestiall Temple being set open by Christ all the elect do enter in and worship God without wearinesse even as the Angels for evermore That the ark of the covenant is taken for Christ see 2 Sam. 6.2 Psal 78. vers 61 62. This ark of the covenant that is Christ is here seen in the Temple because Christ hath already taken possession of heaven as Mediator and Head of the Church and now doth set open the kingdome of heaven to all beleevers that through him they may have free accesse thereunto as it is written that through him onely we have an entrance unto the Father Eph. 2.28 That by thundrings lightnings earthquakes hail is meant that horrible vengeance and wrath which is powred forth upon all the ungodly see Psal 11. verse 6. Let this briefly suffice to satisfie the conscience of the reader And thus much concerning the second vision contained in these eight chapters going before wherein we have heard all things expounded that doe belong unto the opening of the seven seales and
the blowing of the seven trumpets that is all notable things which were to fall out from the Apostles times unto the end of the whole world CHAP. XII NOw having finished the second vision we are come unto the third contained in all the chapters following even unto the end of this book Wherein divers things which were obscurely and darkly set down 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 Chap. 6. But especially of the persecuting Roman Empire mentioned in the opening of the second seal and also of the Papacy mentioned at the blowing of the first trumpet Chapt. 9. But the generall sum of this third vision is a lively painting out of the malignant Church and the great upholders thereof the Divell the Roman Emperor and the Pope It sheweth also the rising and falling of the Roman Empire and the rising and falling of the Papacy It sheweth also the utter overthrow of both together with the eternall condemnation of the Divell which set them all awork to fight against the Church Last of all it sheweth the eternall felicity of the Church and the unconceivable happinesse of all Gods chosen in the heavens for evermore The principall drift of this twelfth chapter is to set forth the nature of the true visible and militant Church here on earth whose head is Christ Jesus and also the false malignant Church whose head is the Divell together with the continuall enmity and war which is alwayes betwixt them This chapter may very fitly be divided into five parts The first is a description of the Church The second is a description of the Divell the Churches enemy The third containeth the Churches battel with the Divell and her victory The fourth sheweth the joy and triumphs of the godly in the Churches victory over Satan The fifth and last sheweth the fury and malice of Satan who although he was foiled in battel by the Church yet would not give over but continued persecuting the Church in her members and making war against the remnant of her seed And there appeared a great wonder in heaven Verse 1. A woman clothed with the Sun and the Moon was under her feet and upon her head a crown of twelve stars First the holy Ghost calleth the matters of this chapter a great wonder to stir us up to attention for men are much moved with wonders and a wonder indeed it is in the literall sense to see a woman clothed with the Sun c. but a far greater wonder in the spirituall sense as we shall hear and the greatest wonder of all that a poor weak woman should encounter with a great red Dragon and overcome him It is said to be a wonder in heaven because the Church here in vision appeareth not upon the earth but in heaven in as much as her birth is from heaven her inheritance in heaven and her conversation in heaven 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 weak and feeble and in law can doe nothing of her selfe without her husband so wee of our selves are weak and feeble and in matters of Gods law and worship can doe nothing without our husband Christ as hee saith Without me yee can doe nothing Secondly as a woman through the company of her husband is fruitfull and bringeth forth children so the Church by her conjunction with Christ and his word doth bring forth many children unto God Thirdly as the love and affection of a woman is to her husband as Genesis chapter 2. verse 16. so the love 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 righteousnesse Mal. 4.2 as the Prophet speaketh The Moon was under her feet Whereby is meant that the Church treadeth under her feet all worldly things which are compared to the Moon for their often changes waxings wainings and increasings decreasings continuall mutations and uncertainties The Church treadeth all transitory things under her feet that is shee maketh light account of them she regardeth them not in comparison of heavenly things For he that is clothed with the Sun careth little for the light of the Moon Shee hath upon her head a crown of twelve starres which signifieth that the Church is adorned and beautified with the doctrine of the twelve Apostles that is the doctrine of the Gospel as it were with a crown of gold of pearl and precious stones For the doctrine of the Gospel is the crown of the Church And shee was with child Verse 2. and cryed travelling in birth and was pained ready to be delivered The Church is said to be with child after shee hath conceived the immortall seed of the Word by the ministery of the Gospel as the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 4.15 In Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospel And to the Galatians O ye little children of whom I travell in birth againe till Christ be formed in you It is not onely said that this woman waâ— with child but also that she was very neeâ— her time ready to bring forth and to be delivered and that she cryeth in travell Now the child which she bringeth forth is Christ Jesus Gal. 5.19 as appeareth in the fifth verse for there it is said of him that he should rule all nations with a rod of iron Now although Christ was born but of one member of the Church which is the Virgin Mary yet may it be said that the whole Church which was before his coming did even travell with paine to bring him forth because they had through faith in the promises a longing and fervent desire and expectation of his coming For from the first promise made to Adam and afterward renewed to Abraham and his posterity the Church stood in a continuall expectation of the promised Messias looking wishly every day when hee should be actually exhibited to the world For which cause here she is said to cry travelling in birth And not unfitly also may the Church be said to cry travelling in birth when through many persecutions and afflictions shee bringeth forth children unto God by the ministery of the Word For the Church bringeth forth no children at ease but with hard travell and much ado having so few friends to help her and so many enemies against her as anon we shall hear And there appeared another wonder in heaven Verses 3.4 For behold a great red Dragon having seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns upon his head And his taile drew the third part of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth And the Dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered Now
men But here specially it meaneth the Apostles and their successors yea and at this day all Christian kings princes and potentates of the earth and all others which take part with Christ against the Divell and his instruments Well here wee see that these two Generals and grand Captains Michael and the Dragon doe muster both their armies joyn battell and fight a pitched field the event and successe whereof is this that the Dragon and his Angels goe downe O blessed successe may wee say For if the Divell had prevailed it had been woe to us sith this battell was about and concerning the very salvation of mankind by Christs death and resurrection We know how the Divell set upon Christ alone to tempt him unto sinne that so hee might overthrow the worke of our redemption supposing in this combat or monomachie to have got the day but he prevailed not Afterward how strongly did hee oppugne him by his Angels I mean the Scribes and Pharisees the high Priests and Elders of the people yea all the Divels in hell and his whole infernall army not only in murthering and crucifying his naturall body but also in using all forcible and cunning meanes to keepe him downe that hee might never rise up again as the great stone upon his tomb the sealing of it the watch set to keep it For the Divell knew right well that if Christ rose againe he should lose the field For the resurrection of Christ is our actuall justification And Christ was mightily declared to be the Sonne of God by his resurrection from the dead Rom. 4.25 Well doe the Dragon and his angels what they can yet Christ is risen again and hath spoiled principalities and powers yea all the infernall army and hath made a shew of them openly and hath led them all in triumph upon his crosse so that we see in this first and greatest battell the Divell hath the foyle And it is further said that this Divell and all his angels were cast out of heaven and their place was no more found which is not to be understood of their first casting out of heaven immediately after their creation for at that time they were no Divels nor enemies to the Church but Angels of light but now since their fall and since they were Divels they are said to be cast out of heaven not because they ever came in heaven since they were Divels but because they can no longer impeach the Church touching her blessed estate in heaven They are without all hope to dispossesse her of her inheritance for that is ratified made sure unto her in the death and resurrection of Christ And for this cause it is said that the Divell hath no more to doe in heaven that is hee cannot for his heart overthrow the salvation of Gods children Rom. 8.33 For who can lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen It is God that justifieth who shall condemn 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 heaven that is about heavenly things yea about the highest points of heaven which is salvation or damnation for the Divell upon this very point hath from the beginning mightily wrestled and struggled with the Church and doth even untill this day but blessed be God that hee cannot nor shall not prevail against any one of Gods elect For our Lord Jesus saith I give unto them eternall life John 10.28 and they shall never perish neither shall any take them out of my hand my Father which gave them mee is greater then all Neither shall any pluck them out of my hand Againe All that the Father giveth mee shall come unto me And this is the Fathers will which hath sent me that of all which hee hath given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up againe at the last day Now further wee are to observe that as Christ in his own person hath once prevailed in the main battell against the Divell so his Church militant shall likewise alwaies prevail through him For it is written The gates of hell shall not prevail against it Mat. 16. Verse 9. And the great Dragon that old serpent called the Divel and Satan was cast out which deceived all the world He was even cast into the earth and his Angels were cast out with him Now because the divel cannot overthrow the salvation of Gods elect he is said to be cast out of heaven into the earth that is amongst earthly and carnall men that he may exercise his tyranny and wreak his malice upon them For he hath power given him to tyrannize over them at his pleasure and the Apostle saith Ephes 2. he worketh in the children of disobedience and taketh him captive to do his will Then I heard a loud voyce in heaven saying Verse 10. Now is salvation and strength and the kingdome of our God and 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 victory which all the Saints and Angels do sing unto God praising and magnifying his power and the power of his Son Christ for overcoming the Dragon and giving the victory to the Church through Christ For now with great joy and loud voices they sing and say that the Churches salvation is sealed and made sure unto her for ever It can never be shaken The divell is foiled and cast down into the earth These songs of joy after great victories are of great antiquity in the Church as we read of the children of Israel after the overthrow of Pharaoh and his army in the red sea of Deborah after the great victory over Sisera of the women that sung after the victory of Goliah by David The Divell is called the accusey of the brethren for two causes First because hee accuseth Gods elect of much sinne and calleth for justice against them day and night at Gods hands that they might be condemned upon such articles as he is able to prove against them for hee knowing right well that the Judge of all the world is a just God and must needs deale uprightly doth daily urge him to doe justice unto sinners being willingly ignorant that all Gods people though sinners are cleared and discharged in Christ Another reason is because of the calumniations reproaches and slanders which in all ages at all times and in all places and countries he hath alwayes unjustly raised up against the true worshippers of God Verse 11. But they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony and they loved not their lives unto the death Here is shewed that the Churches victory over Satan and hell is not through any power or might of her owne but by the blood of the Lamb and the word of the testimony that is the word of God
which they witnesse professe love and stick unto even unto death Verse 12. Therefore rejoyce ye heavens and ye that dwell in them Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea for the Divell is come downe unto you which hath great wrath knowing that he hath but a short time Here againe the Saints and Angels and all the blessed company of heaven are called upon and exhorted to rejoyce because the Divell and his angels are cast out and the elect have the victory over him through the blood of the Lamb and because the salvation of the Church is sealed up and God onely reigneth through Christ Which all are matters of so great moment that not onely the Church militant is stirred up to rejoyce herein but even the Church triumphant also that is the spirits of just and perfect men But on the contrary here is fearfull woe denounced against the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea that is all Papists Atheists worldlings and reprobates For sith hee cannot have his will of the Church yet hee will have his will and wreak his malice upon them by hardning their hearts and blinding their eyes and making them his slaves and vassals to fight for his kingdome against Christ against his Church against all goodnesse and all good men Therefore is added why the Divell is in such a rage with the world and cometh upon them in so great wrath and fury to wit because hee hath but a short time that is because his kingdome draweth to an end therefore he doth so bestir him Verse 13. And when the Dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth he persecuted the woman which had brought forth the man child Now the Divell seeing himselfe cast out of heaven so as he cannot impeach the salvation of the Church he raiseth up horrible persecutions against her by his instruments here in the earth labouring to root her out if it were possible for being overcome of the head he doth now with might and main set upon the body and what horrible storms he hath in all ages specially in these last daies raised up and daily doth raise up against the Church both the Scriptures and all Church-stories do abundantly declare Verse 14. But to the woman were given two wings of a great Eagle that she might flye 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 all the waies and means of evasion which God gave to his Church when he delivered her from the hands of her pursuers and persecuters and also her swift flight from them and all their malicious practises For although the Church cannot absolutely fly from the presence of the Divell with her Eagles wings being so unspeakably 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 persecuters which he raised up cannot overtake her to murder and kill her But as touching her flight to the wildernesse and her lodging and nourishment there by Gods providence in the middest of all penury and extremity wee have sufficiently heard before in the sixth verse and therefore here I surcease to speak any further of it As concerning the space and continuance of her nourishment in the wildrenesse which is here set downe to be a time and times and halfe a time it is the same with the thousand two hundred and threescore dayes mentioned in the sixth verse and the twenty four moneths mentioned chap. 11. verse 2. and the three dayes and an halfe mentioned chap. 11. verse 6. as before hath been shewed And the Serpent cast out of his mouth water after the woman like a floud Verse 15. that he might cause her to be carried away of the floud Now the Church being secretly hid and nourished by Gods providence in the wildernesse so as the Divell and his instruments cannot find her out or come at her hee taketh another course and casteth about another way to annoy her and that is by casting a floud of water after her to drown her withall whereby is meant the innumerable lies reproaches and slanders which hee raised up by sundry hereticks against her in all ages as the Arrians Donatists Papists and such like and all to bring her into the hatred of Princes Potentates and all that were in love with her that sith otherwise he could not prevaile against her yet at least he might utterly sink her in this gulf of reproaches Verse 16. But the earth holp the woman and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed up the floud which the Dragon had cast out of his mouth The same God which first delivered the Church from the violence and fury of Satan and afterwards cast him out of heaven and gave her victory over him and after that again miraculously hid her and preserved her in the wildernesse doth not now at a dead lift forsake her nor suffer her to be drowned in this floud of reproaches and unjust calumniations which the Dragon cast up after her but causeth the earth to help her and to swallow up the floud That is he useth all creatures in the earth to help his Church and not only so but also he stirreth up many earthly and carnall men to defend the Church and to take part with her against her enemies as sometimes hee did Cyrus Ebedmelech Nebuzaradan Gamaliel and sundry others whose power and policie hee used for the good of his Church and for the drying up of that floud of reproaches which Satan hath in all ages cast up against her And God be thanked we see at this day that this floud of slanders and calumnies which Papists and Atheists cast out against the Church and her particular members doe dry up daily and shall dry up more and more being drunk in by the earth And the Church doth stand still unmoveable and shall stand and continue even unto the end of the world Then the Dragon was wroth with the woman Verse 17. and went and made warre with the remnant of her seed which kept the commandements of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ Here we see there is no end of the Divels malice he is infatigable in mischief though he have never so many foiles yet he will never give over but begin again For whereas he could not prevaile against the woman to cast her out of heaven by impeaching her election and salvation in Christ nor yet root her out of the earth by persecutions being hid in the wildernesse and locked up in the privie chamber of Gods providence as sometimes young Joash was locked up in the Priests chamber from the fury of Athalia 2 King 11.2 now hee goeth another way to work and setteth upon her in her seed and posterity which remain in the earth unto this day So that now sith he cannot do what
worldlings their ears and eyes are sealed and shut up they cannot understand them but doe still worship the beast ascribing unto him divine power and honour In the tenth verse the judgment and vengeance of God is denounced against the Roman Monarchy both former and later which as it hath long oppressed the Church with cruell bondage and drawne thousands into perpetuall captivity so it selfe also should be cast down with all the adherents thereof both in this life and that which is to come For as the Roman Empire did tyrannize over the world led millions into spirituall captivity and bondage so here it is avouched that according to the just law of quittance it should be brought to the same lore And as this beast had murdered many by the sword so hee himself must be murdered by the sword also as the Apostle saith 2 Thes 1.6 God is just and therefore will recompence tribulation to them that trouble his Church Now all this seemeth unto mee to be a cleer prophesie of the fall and finall destruction of the Roman Empire which indeed considering the pitch that it was at may seem a thing strange and incredible and therefore the holy Ghost stirreth us up to attention in the 9th verse as to a thing of great wonderment and admiration for if the Roman Monarchy fall the Papacy must of necessity fall with it For the Roman Empire is that beast which beareth up the whore of Babylon as appeareth in the seventeenth chapter of this Prophesie where wee shall God willing plainly and at large hear of the joint destruction of them both together It is added Here is the patience and the faith of the saints That is here is required great patience of all Gods children to wait tarry till the performance and accomplishment of those things and also faith and full assurance to beleeve that they shall in Gods appointed time come to passe For few do beleeve these things therfore wait not with patience for the accomplishment thereof And I beheld another beast coming out of the earth which had two horns like a lamb Verse 11. but he spake like the dragon Having described the first beast which is the Roman Empire now the holy Ghost cometh to describe the second beast which is the Papacy or the kingdome of the great Antichrist for although he be described before in regard of his Monarchy that is the civill jurisdiction which he exercised as he was the seventh head of the beast and head of the Empire yet here he is described after another sort that is according to this ecclesiasticall authority and therefore he is called another beast or a beast differing from the former in that he exerciseth another power beside the power of the heathen Emperors of Rome which is his spirituall jurisdiction in which respect he is called the false prophet The 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 son of the earth obscurely born and by little little creeping up out of his abject estate as did the Turk It is here most truly said that the kingdome of Antichrist ariseth out of the earth and is the very breed of the earth for assuredly it never came from heaven It was first hatched out of covetousnesse ambition pride murders treasons poysoning sorceries enchantments and such like For all stories do shew that from these roots the Papacy grew to his exceeding height and altitude This second beast hath two horns like the Lamb Whereby is meant his Civil and Ecclesiastical power or his Kingdom Priesthood which hee falsly pretended to come from the Lamb and therefore he giveth in his armes two keyes and hath two swords carried before him So Boniface the eighth shewed himself one day in apparel as a Pope and the next day in armour as the Emperor and the two horns in the Popes Mitre are signes hereof But the holy Ghost here telleth us that these two hornes are not the horns of the Lamb but only like the horns of the Lamb for he received not his power from the Lamb Christ but from the Divell that is the Dragon with ten hornes Then thus it is The Papacy is the seventh head of the first beast that is the Empire and yet a beast by it selfe with two horns like the Lamb in respect of his joint power and authority both Ecclesiasticall and Civill in which respect he is called even the Eighth and one of the seven chap. 17.11 Although this second beast have two horns like the Lambe yet he spake like the Dragon that is all his words and works practises and proceedings lawes and decrees are for the Dragon of whom hee hath his power and throne and great authority So that whatsoever he pretendeth in religion and matters of Gods worship as though hee would be like the Lamb yet assuredly hee is altogether for the Dragon and the Divell hee is assured unto them as all experience doth manifestly witnesse Verse 12. And he did all that the first beast could do before him and he caused the earth and them that dwell therein to worship the first beast whose deadly wound was healed Here is shewed that this second beast was as mighty and strong as the first beast and could doe as much as hee even in his presence Whereby is noted the great power and authority of the Papacy in performing as much in the service of the Dragon against God and his Church as ever the Empire of the heathen and those wicked Emperors could doe yea hee did much more against Christ and his religion then ever the persecuting Emperors could doe even then when they were at their highest pitch And all this hee 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 therein that is all Papists and worldlings to worship the first beast that is to receive the worship and religion of the old Roman tyranny which set up and maintained idolatry so then although the power in the Papacy came under the name of Christ yet in truth it was the same with the power of the persecuting Empire for the heathen Emperors condemned the true worship of God and set up false worship even the worship of Divels which is idolatry so do the Popes also So then wee see that this second beast is all for the first beast that is he levyeth all his power and authority to set up the worship and religion of the old Roman tyrants and to force all men by cruell lawes and decrees to receive and embrace the same So this second beast is nothing better then the first nay in truth a great deale worse And he did great wonders Ver. 13 14. so that hee made fire to come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men And deceiveth them that dwell on
it up at their hands but will up and maintain the womans cause and bear her out against them all nay he will make ready his bow that he may shoot off and make his arrows drunk in the bloud of her and his enemies and wil whet his glittering sword that he may sheath it in the heart of Antichrist and all his adherents Therefore now let both the great beasts and their fire look to themselves for here comes in one that will knock them all down and lay them in the dust that they shall never rise up again For this cause now at length S. John in a vision seeth a Lamb stand upon mount Sion that is Christ present with the Church For mount Sion was an antient figure of the Church as it is written Mount Sion lying north-ward is faire in situation Psal 48.2 it is the joy of the whole earth and the city of the great King And again The law shall goe forth of Sion Mich. 5.2 and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem Moreover Saint John seeth here with the Lamb an hundred fourty and foure thousand that is the particular members of the Church putting a certain number for an uncertain and specially alluding to the sealing of the twelve tribes of Israel as before hath been shewed For it might be demanded where the Church was when all the world wondred and followed the first beast And also when all Chap. 7 4. both small and great rich and poor received the mark of the second beast Saint John answereth that even then in the midst of the heat of persecutions God had his hid and invisible Church whom Jesus Christ did protect and preserve even in the very flames of persecutions being alwaies present with them and amongst them as he said to his disciples a little before his bodily departure from them Loe I am with you even unto the end of the world And here he is said to stand upon mount Sion with his hundred fourty and four thousand And it is added that this number of Gods faithfull elect children had his Fathers name written in their foreheads that is they did professe and practise the doctrine and religion of God their Father only utterly renouncing and abhorring the worship religion of the beast For the Fathers name in this place is set opposite to the mark of the beast to signifie that as the worshippers of Antichrist received his mark so the true worshippers of God received his brand which is his Spirit and the fruits therof whereby they were perfectly discerned from those which had the beasts mark So then it cleerly appeareth from this place that God preserved many thousands of his true worshippers even in the daies of the great Antichrist when there seemed to be very few or none remaining upon the earth as it was in the dayes of Elias In vain therefore do the Papists ask us where our Church was before Luthers time sith the holy Apostle here stoppeth their mouth and telleth us plainly that Christ had his little flock in the wildernesse even then when it was in greatest streights and as we say driven to the walls And therefore visibility is no sound note of the Church as the Papists do 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 appear as if a man should reason that there is no moon in the heavens because sometimes there is none seen as in the change And I heard a voice from heaven as the sound of many waters and as the sound of a great thunder Verse 2. and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps Here is set forth how his company of true worshippers doe magnifie and praise God for his great mercies towards them First John heareth a voice from heaven that is an heavenly voyce or the voice of the Church praising and glorifying God For we have heard before Chap. 8.1 that Heaven in this booke is sometimes put for the Church upon the earth and the reasons thereof Wheresoever therefore the Church is assembled to hear the word and to pray and give thanks there is a voice from heaven or an heavenly voice Now this voice is compared to three things first to the sound of many waters Secondly to the sound of a great thunder Thirdly to the voyce of harpers harping with their harps It is likened to many waters because it proceedeth from sundry sorts of people of sundry nations countries and kingdoms as the word waters is taken afterwards in this Prophecie Chap. 17.1 Chap. 17.25 It is compared to thunder because the prayers and invocations of the true Church are as loud in the eares of God as any thunder-crack It is compared to harpers harping with their harpes both because their spirituall worship and service is as sweete unto God as any musick unto men as also because all Gods faithfull people doe tune together among themselves and in their worship as the strings of a wel-tuned instrument of musick or as many musicians playing together which make a sweet harmony and most melodious ditty Verse 3. And they sang as it were a new song before the throne and before the four beasts and the Elders and no man could learn that song but the hundred fourty and foure thousand which were brought from the earth Now it sheweth how this holy society of the faithfull do continue their praying and glorifying of God they are not weary of well doing but hold on constantly in the course of Gods worship having new songs of thanksgiving in their mouthes and serving God daily with renewed affections as men inflamed with the zeale of Gods glory and all this they do 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 learn that song but the hundred fourty and four thousand that is none of the reprobates and ungodly worldlings could inwardly feel and understand this spirituall worship but only the elect to whom it is given to understand the secrets of God and the mysteries of his Sons kingdome These are they which are not defiled with women Verse 4. for they are virgins these follow the Lamb wheresoever hee goeth these are bought from men being the first fruits unto God and to the Lamb. And in their mouthes was found no guil Verse 5. for they are without spot before the throne of God This holy company are not defiled with women that is with grosse and divers sins or rather with idolatrous pollutions For they are virgins that is chast worshippers of God which are not polluted with the defilements of Antichrist These follow the Lamb Christ whithersoever hee goeth They hear his voice they professe his worship and obey his doctrine they abhor Antichrist they follow not the beast nor receive his mark They are bought from
a beast by themselves that is an eighth in respect of their ecclesiasticall power Now the Angel saith flatly they shall both go together into destruction that is both the Empire and the Papacy For as the dominion of the Popes goeth down so also their worship and religion goeth down with it and for this cause it is expressely set down in the nineteenth chapter that the beast and the false Prophet that is Chap. 19 2â— the Roman Empire and the Papacy were both destroyed together Sith then the holy Ghost hath spoken it twice for failing that Rome shall go into perdition and shall go into destruction I take it to be a very sound consequence that Rome shall fall and shal be destroyed But how shall it fall may some man say Or wherein shall it fall I answer that it shall fall in the credit and estimation of her doctrine How Rome shall fall it shall fall in wealth and riches it shall fall in power and authority And in all these it shall fall by degrees as it did rise up by degrees it shall not fall at once as it did not rise up at once Chap. 16.12 This is set down in the sixteenth chapter where the fall of Rome is compared to the drying up of the river Euphrates which was dryed up by degrees Thus it is Euphrates was a great river which did run very neer unto the old Babylon in Chaldea and it was the wall and fortification of the city in so much that Cyrus and Darius the kings of the Medes and Persians laying siege against it could not take it till by policy they digged water trenches and turned the waters another way and so dryed them up that the holy Ghost saith The way was prepared for them to passe over Now as this Euphrates was the strength and fortification of old Babylon so the honour wealth riches power and authority of Rome is the very fortification of it Chap. 16.12 But the punishing Angel is commanded to powre down the vial of wrath upon this Euphrates that is upon all that upholdeth or fortifieth Rome and forthwith it dried up that is all the credit power riches and authority of Rome did diminish daily doth diminish and shall diminish by degrees unto the end of the world For the utter destruction of Rome is not yet come but it is greatly decayed from that it was fourscore yeers ago and if it continue decaying eighteen yeers more as assuredly it shall then will it be brought to a low ebb Since Luthers time we know how the Popes Euphrates hath dryed up but there is yet much water left and it is yet too deep for the kings of the earth to passe over and take it But it shall ebb so low that the kings of Europe shall easily passe over and take it as wee shall heare anon But in the mean time we see that it falleth and that it is in falling and the work of God goeth forward every day For now in this age God be thanked many Kings and Princes with great multitudes of their subjects have their eyes opened to behold that the Romish religion is abominable and that the Papacy is the very kingdom of the great Antichrist And whereas before they worshipped the beast The kings of the earth in this age renounce the Pope now they hold up their hands only to the God of heaven and glorifie him in his Son Jesus Christ Now wee see that many lawes are made in sundry kingdomes and provinces to abolish that usurped power of the Bishop of Rome Many acts edicts and injunctions are set forth in sundry nations and kingdomes of Europe to destroy root out and deface all monuments of idolatry and superstition which Antichrist had erected in all kingdomes Now the Popes which were honoured as gods in the earth are counted and adjudged as the most vile and abominable creatures that live upon the earth Doth not all this experimentally shew that Babylon is fallen and that Babylon doth fall by degrees It is very palpable wee need no further proofe for this second point But here wee are further to observe that the Jesuites perceiving the great decay of Rome and the continuall drying of their Euphrates do bestir them to stop the leake The Jesuites bestir them and why that it might not dry up altogether Even as when men let out the waters of great fish-ponds so as the water waxeth low we see the fishes skip and plunge and take on wonderfully So the Jesuites perceiving the waters of their Romish Euphrates to empaire and dry up daily do mightily take on digging and searching every day to open the springs and to find out some fresh fountains to maintain their great fish-pond and to keep the waters deep enough that there may be no safe passage over for the kings of the earth to come and take their great Babylon All this doth appear out of the 16th chapter of this Prophecie where S. John in a vision seeth three unclean spirits like frogs Chap. 16.13 coming out of the mouth of the Dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false Prophet By which frogs the holy Ghost meaneth the Jesuites and seminary Priests The Jesuites compared to frogs and why which are compared to frogs for three reasons First that as frogs delight in filthy lakes and puddles so the Jesuites delight in the filthy puddles of idolatry and superstition Secondly as frogs make a great croaking in their marish grounds so the Jesuites make a great croaking in kings Courts in Noblemens houses and Gentlemens houses and almost every where where they can get any entertainment croaking and cracking of the Popes supremacy the Popes holinesse the Popes blessing the Popes keyes the Popes power Peters chair Peters successors Christs vicar and many good morrows I know not what Thirdly as frogs are all of one nature and quality delighting in croaking and living in puddles so the Jesuites are all of one mind and disposition in evill croaking every where to maintain their Euphrates and living daily in whoredome Sodomitry and all kind of outragious beastlinesse But that I may more fully perswade the conscience of the reader that by these frogs are meant the Jesuites and seminary Priests let us seriously weigh that which goeth before and that which followeth after in this text and we shall discern it to be very cleer and apparant First it is said Chap. 16.10 verse 10. that when the fifth Angel powred out his viall of Gods wrath upon the throne of the beast by and by his kingdome waxed darke that is the majestie power pomp credit and estimation of Antichrist began to be diminished obscured and to suffer a great eclipse which thing was fulfilled shortly after Luthers preaching And presently it followeth that they gnawed their tongues for sorrow that is they were full of fury and rage barking and grinning like mad dogs or rather like
this chapter is most fully to describe that infinite glory and endlesse felicity to the which all the 144000 that is all the elect of God shall be advanced when both the beast and all that have received his mark shall be cast downe into the infernall lake This chapter may very fitly be divided into four parts The first is Verse 1. a description of the renovation of the world and the restauration of the creature The second is Ver. 2 3 4. a laying forth of the most glorious estate of the Church when it shall be freed from all misery The third is Vers 5 6 7 8. a protestation from God himselfe concerning the renovation of all things the felicitie of the elect and the endlesse paine and torment of all reprobates The fourth is Ver. 9 10.11 12 13 14 c. a lively description of the very kingdom of God and the unspeakable joyes of heaven under the figure of a great city called the holy Jerusalem which citie is here most gloriously described in her walles gates foundations streets height length bredth brightnesse matter forme persons and inhabitants The TEXT Verse 1. AND I saw a new heaven and a new earth for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away and there was no more sea Verse 2. And I John saw the holy city new Jerusalem come downe from God out of heaven prepared as a bride trimmed for her husband Verse 3. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men and hee will dwell with them and they shall be his people and God himselfe shall be their God Verse 4. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes and there shall be no more death neither sorrow neither crying neither shall there be any more paine For the first things are passed By a new heaven and a new earth is meant the renewed estate of heaven and earth after this life in their quality not in their substance For wee do beleeve according to the Scripture that this visible heaven and this visible earth shall continue for ever as touching their matter and substance but shall be greatly altered and changed in condition and quality 1 Pet. 3. For Saint Peter saith Wee look for new heavens and a new earth according to his promise wherein dwelleth righteousnesse that is such heavens and such an earth as is free from all corruption and sin Which thing also the Apostle Saint Paul doth plainly teach saying Rom. 8.19 that the creature doth fervently expect when the sonnes of God shall be revealed that is when Gods children shall be made known to be as they are the very heires of infinite glory which in this life doth not appear And hee yeelded two reasons of this desire of the creature one is because in the meane time it is subject to vanity and corruption the other is that then it shall be free from both And for this cause the Apostle saith that the creature groaneth with us and earnestly desireth and longeth after that day wherein it shall be set free from the bondage of corruption Rom. 8. and redintegrated and restored to that pristine estate wherein it was before the fall But whether this is to be understood of heaven and earth onely or of heaven and earth with their adjuncts and particular creatures I will not here goe about to discusse howbeit I doe greatly incline to their opinion which hold that heaven and earth with all their furniture being redintegrated and restored to their first estate shall remaine for ever to set forth the glory of the Creator and for that use of glorified men which now the Angels have of them Chap. 4.6 Chap. 8.8 Chap. 13.2 Now whereas Saint John added that there shall be no more sea Hee meaneth that there shall be no more any troublesome and confused estate of this world no more broyles waves tempests and storms as it falleth out in this life For the word sea is so taken twice or thrice before By the holy city new Jerusalem hee meaneth the Church triumphant which therefore it is said to come downe from God out of heaven Verse 2. because it hath all his newnesse and holinesse from God and from heaven whereby it is now prepared and made ready to be married unto Christ even as a Bride tricked and trimmed up for her Husband And for this cause Saint John heareth a voice from heaven Verse 3. saying Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men and hee will dwell with them and they shall be his people and hee will be their God Meaning thereby that Jesus Christ will keep house with his glorified Spouse and be at bed and boord with her for ever in the heavens at what time shee shall be freed from all teares Verse 4. woe and misery as the next verse declareth yeelding also a reason hereof which is that the first things are passed that is the state wherein the world is now being subject to many afflictions temptations vanities and corruptions And hee that sate upon the Throne said Verse 5. Behold I make all things new And he said unto mee Write for these words are faithfull and true And hee said unto mee It is done Verse 6. I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end I will give to him that is athirst of the well of the water of life freely Hee that overcometh shall inherit all things Verse 7. and I will be his God and hee shall be my Sonne But the fearfull and unbeleeving Verse 8. and the abominable and murtherers and whoremongers and sorcerers and idolaters and lyers shall have their parts in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death Here the omnipotent God which sitteth upon the most glorious throne doth protest that hee will make all things new that is restore the world to that excellent estate wherein it was before Adams fall and his elect to a state and condition farre more excellent in heaven for the greater certainty and assurance of it willeth and commandeth John to write it Verse 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 councell 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 unchangeable and immutable God Verse 6. And addeth that hee will give freely to every one that is athirst of the well of the water of life that is without all regard of our deserts hee will give to every one that earnestly seeketh after heaven and heavenly things his fill thereof And moreover Verse 7. that whosoever overcometh in the spirituall battell shall have the full fruition of all good things both in this life and the
with him in the eternall triumph which is the sense of these words The Spirit and the Bride say Come And let him that heareth say Come For it is proper and peculiar only to the Bride to hear wait and long for the coming of Christ And let him that is athirst come That is all such as thirst after righteousnesse may truely say Come sweet Jesus For they are allowed freely to drink of the water of life The plain meaning of all this is that the Church being directed by the holy Ghost most vehemently prayeth and longeth for the coming of Christ that shee may have her top-full happinesse and full fruition of all those super-excellent things which are provided and purchased for her through him And therefore to satisfie her desire Jesus Christ the heavenly Bridegroom saith I come shortly To the which the Bride saith Amen Amen Even so be it Come Lord Jesus come quickly and make an end of these sinfull and conflicting daies that all thy daer ones may have and enjoy their long looked for happinesse and felicity in the heavens for ever and ever FINIS An Epitome of Mr. Brightman his Exposition upon the REVELATION Shewing or Prophesying what shall befall Germany Scotland Holland and the Churches adhering to them Likewise what shall befall England and the HIERARCHIE therein LEarned Mr. Brightman in his Booke of the exposition on the Revelations seriously considering and resolving himselfe that the 7 Epistles Saint John wrote to the 7 Churches in Asia were also written and directed to the 7 succeeding Churches among the Gentiles of which those 7 were a type or counterpane omitting for brevity what he saith concerning the other 4 Churches we present you with a briefe of what he more immediately applies to our selves In generall he saith that there was a terrible storme to be expected and it would be such an horrible tempest that it would terribly shake the Christian Churches First for Germany there was the bitterest scourge for it that ever had fallen upon it and that it was to come shortly Germany should be like a house that is robbed by furious mad and cruell spoylers that would have no mercy of neither Sex nor Age and the comming thereof should be suddain and unexpected like a thiefe in the night which we may see he truly fore-told it being fulfilled in our years and the inhabitants thereof have found it by sad experience let England take warning considering what he said was the cause that would bring all this misery because saith he they tooke no care for a full and through Reformation therefore by the just judgement of God they should loose their Citizens and Inhabitants and they with other Churches should come to nothing and shortly it would appeare he calls Germany by the name of Sardis Secondly for Scotland and Holland and the other Churches adhering to them typified by godly Philadelphia he saith thaâ— they shall shut and none shall open and they shall open and none shall shut a Virgin Church chaste not so defiled with Rome superstitions as others and speaks of a Covenant and Society they should be joyned in and bids them not to be perplexed nor discouraged at what the world spitefully prateth of them as if he had heard men in our times call them Traytors Rebells Seditious and bids them not regard the scoffes of the wicked who will despise them because they are godly little lowly and weake in visible power in comparison of their enemies For saith he no enemy shall be able to provaile against them and they shall set up a token of victory shortly and every one shall be compelled to say that they are dearly beloved of God they shall be seen to prosper so exceedingly and so marvelously promoted and advanced beyond all mens expectation and when that storme and horrible tempest shall come upon the Christian Churches these Churches shall stand fast like a pillar and be preserved from wasting when the other Churches which did not take care for a full Reformation as they did shall by the just judgement of God come as it were to nothing there shall be saith he such a miserable hurly burly of all things that there shall scarce be the forme of a Church perceived but only with holy Philadelphia Though their enemies whet their blasphemous tongues against heaven and God himselfe they shall not carry it away scotfree let them clatter as much as they will no endeavours of their adversaries shall be wanting by slandring railing and all despitefull wrongs to bolt up this doore others shall with force and arms strive to stop it up as if they would breake this Church all to peeces but Christ will faithfully performe his word to them if they keep covenant with him and their enemies shall lose all their toil and sweat and get nothing but shame and reproach the praise of this Churches courage shall be so much the greater because being but little and her adversaries so potent she yeelds not nor stoops not for all their proud threats nor forsakes the truth as terrified with the vaine feares of men And their enemies should boast and flourish as if they alone were the people of God creaking and cracking of nothing so much as the good of the Church but they doe but deceive themselves and the world with glozing and goodly words when they reject Christs government and sticke to the abrogated Ceremonies of the Law and of Rome and thrusting a worship on Christ he hath not appointed whereby they make themselves the Synagogue of Satan and not a Congregation of Saints notable and famous at last shall the triumph of the Church be over Papists and Popery hitherto they have fought against them with quils and ink but the time shall come ere long when they shall quite be rooted out with weapons and that with the helpe of this Church and let the experiences of this Church stablish their mindes against all future feares And for her reward she shall remain to see the restoring of the new Church wherein the new Jerusalem shall come downe from heaven and be joyned with it in covenant and society and enjoy the same felicity then men shall acknowledge that her Reformation was right and not a device of mens braines as contentious bablers now affirme when they shall see the same ordinances to flourish in the new Jerusalem then Christ shall arise with triumph and deface his enemies and give triumph to his Spouse Here therefore O holy Philadelphia thou art little and lowly but God shall exalt thee regard not the scoffes of the wicked who shall by this meanes pull wofull plagues upon themselves but they shall bring thee a Crowne of glory and the end of thy welfare is comming shortly 3. For England whose counterpane he takes to be Laodicea tearming it luke-warm vain-glorious Laodicea concerning it he saith he that gathereth the teares of his children into his bottle knoweth right well that I could never with dry eyes
take a survey of this Laodiceas lamentable condition but I powred out teares and sighs from the bottom of my heart when I beheld Christs loathing of us and were it not that out of duty as a watchman I dare not betray the salvation of this Church by not giving warning I would have held my peace but my hope is that those which love the truth will hearken and accept and thinke as the truth is I envy no mans person honour or greatnesse Yet when I perceived that these 7 Churches were propounded for a type of all the Churches among the Gentiles and withall saw the order time and marvellous agreeing of all things together I durst not perfidiously bury the truth in silence In that Christ saith of this Church I know thy workes that thou art neither hot nor cold he observeth that Christ maketh mention of no one good thing that it hath the worst of all the 7 although there were many faithfull in it yet not any so past hope in regard of the outward forme and government which comes to passe not so much through its owne default as by meanes of the faulty government of the Angels who have so ordered and governed it that it was tempered and blended together of strange contraries a Hoch-pot not so cold that wee would be all Romish and cleaving to Idolatry and superstition altogether nor yet so hot that we pursue and admit of a through Refâ—rmation abstaining from grosser sins well given in Religion and will serve God so far as they may keep the estimation of prudent men moderate in Religion just Statists or Protestants of State which are known commonly to be luke-warm professors This mediocrity saith he is worst of all which indeed is honoured of the world because it hath a certaine shew of moderation and peaceablenesse but Christ preferreth a blind Papist or no Religion at all before this hotch-potch lukewarmnesse And also whose outward government and regiment in the Church is for the most part Antichristian and Romish tempering pure doctrine and Romish regiment together broaching again monstrous opinions heretofore hissed out and through this government they have so filled the Church with such a corrupt Clergy like themselves to serve their owne turne ignorant drones profane Priests Sir John Lack-Latines to say prayers being so corrupt in their admissions to Church-livings that any starke foole or arrant knave may fulfill their conditions for admittance whereby they have filled and pestred the Church and Ministery with abundance of this kinde of vermin and vile-varlots And though they love riches and honour so dearly that they content themselves with the losse of a full Reformation yet that they might not seem to prefer any thing before the truth and good of the Church they doe with swelling words blazon the happinesse of this Church thus governed as it is therefore the Holy Ghost brings in this Angell boasting himselfe in vain-glory I am rich c. Pastors of other Churches are poore and of no preferment but our Bishops have lordly titles and revenews the Peers of the Realme equall to the greatest Earles in wealth attendance Pallaces statelinesse and all worldly pompe so also the next rankes Deanes Arch-deacons Prebends c. how mighty massie and pursie are they grown with wealth and boast thereof doth not this amplifie the honour of our Church to have our brave silken Ministers to glister and jet through the streets with troops like Noble-men so by this meanes to drive away contempt from the Ministery no saith he this hath brought it and this miserable lukewarmnesse what do you tell them of the Primitive times as if they were children still in blankets and swadling bands the Church is now growne up to peace and riches then it was poore and in persecution their rules then not fit for us now but he demonstrates that such kinde of dignities beseems not the Ministers of the Gospel Thou art therefore for all this a beggarly wretch O thou English Angel and Christ shall take a great pleasure in casting away and spewing out this Angel and his punishment shall be very dreadfull the land of Canaan once spewed out the inhabitants and they were utterly overthrowne and shall their punishment be lesse or lighter whom Christ shall vomit out Therfore from these words I would thou wert either cold or hot saith he I would thou wert either all Romish or admit of a through Reformation blaming those Angels only and those that cleave to them Priests and Laity who being bewitched with ambition and covetousnesse doe scornfully reject this holy Reformation not enduring the remedy but accounting that worse then the disease this Churches disease therefore is more desperate Therefore he saith in plaine tearmes that the Bishops which he calls no better then Lord-beggars because their riches and honours for the most part they get by fawning flattering bribing being ambitious to get under great men and so creep into the Court for preferment But saith he both they and their whole luke-warme Hierarchie shall quite bee overthrowne and never recover their dignity againe and at their overthrow they shall endanger the people by reason of their consenting to them Yet the people shall escape overthrowing but it is to bee feared the people shall feele some adversity But God will not suffer the Hierarchy to escape for they seeking honours and riches and not those thinges which are Christ's shall have reproachfull judgements few or none shall sigh or sob for them but they and their Priests shall be vile before the people and men shall read the reports concerning them with delight and they shall be cast out and spued up as vomit out of a corrupted stomack that no man will be willing to take up againe from these words Therefore because thou art luke-warme and neither hot nor cold It shall come to passe that I will spew thee out of my mouth For thou saist I am rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing and knowest not how thou art wretched and miserable and poore and blinde and naked Therefore saith he purge out thy Romish leven dote not on thy riches and honours but minde his things and honour who for thy sake became poore and contemptible set up faithfull Ministers in every Congregation repent thee of the injury done to thy faithfull watchmen casting them into prison and out of their livings who have reproved thy superstition and contended for this Reformation We have need of zeale Princes Peeres Angels People earnestly to bend our selves with all our power to turne away this evill that hangeth over our heads by seeking a full Reformation for as yet we hang by Geometry as it were between heaven hell the steam of the Romish foggy lake doth deadly annoy us let us therefore saith he marke what hath been said and not like dogges gnash and gnaw our teeth at the stone that is cast at us but tremble at the dreadfull hand that cast it and hearken