the rest of this Chapter it hath no great difficulty in it if by the innumerable multitude in white robes and palmes in their hands wee vnderstand the Saints already glorified who though compared with the rest of the world they be but a little flocke yet simply considered they are a great multitude they haue palmes in their hands in token of victory And whereas in speaking of the wicked Chap. 6 hee concludeth with their misery in respect of the wrath of the Lambe here answerably it is concluded with the felicity of the godly washed in the bloud of the Lambe and euerlastingly comforted by him the phrases of leading forth to waters and wiping away all teares being adaptated to set forth the same CHAP. VIII THE whole compasse of time from the beginning of the Gospell to the last end of the world hauing beene set forth with the most remarkable accidents in one kinde of vision Chap. 6 7. here followeth another vpon the opening of the seuenth seale which yet remained in this eighth and the ninth tenth and eleuenth Chapters Wherein after preparation to attention and a preludium of Gods gracious acceptance of the prayers of the Saints and of his terriblenesse to the wicked seuen Angels sound their trumpets to call on the hosts of Gods iudgements to waste both land and sea to infect their waters whereof they dranke and the aire wherein they breathed his hosts of hurtfull beasts comming out of the bottomlesse pit and of men brought from afarre vpon horses for their destruction the last of the seuen summoning all to iudgement and making the very dead to come forth for then the trumpet shall blow 1 Cor. 15. and the dead shall rise In the particular opening of the seuerall passages there is very great difficulty Quest 1. And when he had opened the seuenth seale Vers 1. there was silence in heauen as it were halfe an houre What is meant by this silence Answ Some that will haue these visions to set forth things done successiuely Brightman assigne the opening of this seale to Constantines time when the Church had peace and quietnesse for a short time being broken off againe by the Arrians Some referre it to the time after Antichrists destruction when they say the Church shall bee quiet fiue and forty dayes before the dry of iudgement Rupertus Beda Anfelm Richard de Sancto Victore Pannonius c. grounding vpon that of Daniel 12.11 where 1290. dayes hauing beene spoken of for the censing of the daily sacrifice hee is pronounced blessed that attaineth to 1335. Some referre it to the time of Iulians persecution which was not by fire and sword but by other subtill meanes Blas Viegas nameth thiâ— exposition yet they were debarred from all publike seruice of God and so there was silence in the Church but it was a very short time he reignâ—ng but two yeeres Others vnderstand this silence of attention Bullinger Pareus Forbs Viegas Fâ—x c. or a kinde of stupour making all silent for a time at the appearing of the seuen Angels with their trumpets the iudgements to come when they should blow being so great and strange as that the beholders were in some sort a stonied hereby and interrupted in their heauenly harmony as it is wont to be with vs when any strange thing happeneth and as it was with Iobs friends comming to visit him they sate downe in silence by him seuen dayes Lastly one addeth further Fox that the generall peace when Christ is borne is hereby signified To this of admiration and attention do I subscribe but I doe not thinke any other signification to bee in this silence The peace of the Chureh cannot be hereby meant for a time because the future troubles are not of the Church but of the wicked as is plainly expressed vnder the fift trumpet the Locusts hurt onely such as had not the marke of God in their forehead much lesse can it bee vnderstood of the quiet after Antichrist destroyed for then the day of iudgement should immediatly haue succeeded as it doth not but six trumpets first As for Iulians time it were too great a leape to come to that at the first of this vision all the time preceding being omitted Augustine Primasius Marlorat and whereas some expound it of the rest to come that being euerlasting it cannot be so taken Note that the iudgements against wicked persecutors of the Church and people of God are so stupendious that the very Saints and Angels in heauen stand amazed at them being but in figures represented vnto them Quest 2. And I saw the seuen Angels which stand before God Vers 2. Who are these Angels Answ There may seeme to be such an analogy betwixt this and that Chap. 1.4 Seuen spirits before the throne that these Angels and those spirits may seeme to be all one and that in the apocryphall book of Tobit soundeth likewise Tobit 12.15 I am Raphael one of the seuen Angels which present the prayers of the Saints c. But as I shewed there those seuen spirits are not Angels but them anifold gifts of the spirit and here by the seuen Angels wee are not to vnderstand such a number onely standing before God for thousand thousands stand before him and minister vnto him but seuen of them appointed now to this ministery and therefore they haue trumpets giuen vnto them It is contrary to plaine Scripture and derogatory from the Lord Iesus to hold that there are some Angels which haue an office as it were to receiue and present our prayers before God for Christ onely is our intercessour in heauen if the Angels and Saints doe any thing for vs it is out of their generall loue and affection to the Church a solliciting of the Lord for the good of vs all in common that aduersaries may be confounded the Gospell may enioy a free passage and the chosen of God may be gathered together till their number be made vp Quest 3. And another Angell came and stood by the Altar Vers 3. hauing a golden censer c. What Angell is this who is said so particularly to offer odours with the prayers of the Saints and what is meant by the thunders lightnings and voices following vpon his casting of fire vpon the earth from off the same Altar Answ Most Expositours agree that Christ is figured out by this Angell for he is called the Angell of the Testament Malac. 3. neither can it agree to any Angell as an high Priest thus alone to goe to the Altar and offer there for all the Saints the Altar some will haue also to be Christ as Bullinger and Pareus and Forbs Bullingers Pareus Forbs Beda Primasius Haimo some the Church of God well called an Altar because a spirituall sacrifice is herein daily offered to God as Beda Primasius Haimo c. The golden Censer some will haue to bee his humane nature wherein he offereth as both the same
persons not walking by charity sinneth against this Law and in a point of charity to sinne against the Law is to be a transgressour of the Law because all the Lawstandeth in this one thing viz. loue and so he is iudged as doing nothing according to the Law that wanteth loue thus also Beda and Augustine Touching the royall Law here spoken of Beda August it is clearely the Decalogue giuen Exod. 20. thus abbreuiated Deut. 6.5 for proceeding to speake further hereof he instanceth the command against murther and adultery it is royall because from the King of Kings Touching the coherence that of Pareus is not amisse that hee doth meet with them in a confidence which they might haply haue yet that notwithstanding their respecting of persons they kept the Law For this is against the Law of loue Leu. 19.15 if a man loueth his neighbour as himselfe he putteth not any such difference but in his inward esteeme euery one is vnto him as himselfe in whom there is no difference And as for the aggrauating of this sinne as a transgression of the whole Law I assent vnto Austin and Beda As they which shall bee iudged by the Law of liberty Vers 12. Some vnderstand the same Law of the Decalogue holding that it is called a Law of liberty Pareu Faber because it hath liberty ouer all to condemne them but this is forced Most therefore vnderstand better the Law of faith because when we come to beleeue we are set free from the censure of the Law Ioh. 8.32 Rom. 8.1 and so the meaning is say and doe so in your carriage towards other as they that when the time of iudgement commeth shall be dealt withall in loue and mercy going therefore according to the rule of mercy in your dealing with the poore Christian not despising him but rather comforting and releeuing him which indeed is the chiefe thing aimed at in all this Discourse that about preferring rich men being brought in but by the way doe aggrauate the sinne of neglecting the poore the more Here followeth the reason of all Verse 13. There shall be iudgement without mercy to him that sheweth not mercy and mercy reioyceth against iudgement The first part of the sentence is plaine touching the second Mercy reioyceth against iudgement that is the mercifull man shall securely and with ioy appeare before the Lord at the Day of Iudgement for so much as when the vnmercifull shall be adiudged to hell fire he shall be receiued into the Kingdome of Heauen Mat. 25. Note that Faith only and not outward things Note maketh men excellent and therefore the poorest man that hath grace is more to be esteemed than the greatest being void of grace because the poore man thus qualified not the other is the heire of the Kingdome of Heauen Note againe that to liue in any one sinne Note doth frustrate all that is done well for he that faileth in one point is guilty of transgressing the Law Note thirdly that loue is so necessary Note as that nothing done without it is acceptable and therefore those sinnes which are contrary to the loue of our neighbour are chiefly to bee auoided Lastly note Note in what a secure and comfortable estate the faithfull mercifull man is he shall bee without terrour when the most terrible time of the last iudgement commeth neither can any thinke of that time but with horrour and feare except he be mercifull to the poore and needy CHAP. 2. VERS 14. What profiteth is my brethren if one saith that he hath faith but hath not workes can that faith saue him c. From hence to the end of the Chapter Mayer there is onely one point handled against those that bearing themselues vpon their faith neglected the workes of mercy to perswade vnto which Saint Iames hath here vndertaken The maine question here is what he meaneth when he denyeth that a man is iustified by faith only and affirmeth iustification by workes Because Saint Paul speaking of iustification saith That it is by faith without the works of the Law Rom. 3.28 Oecumenius considering these propositions of these two Apostles seeming to bee so contrary Oecumen in Iac. 2. and yet that Abraham is brought for example by them both saith the word Faith is taken two wayes first for a simple consent vnto the thing preached that it is true Secondly for a consent ioyned with the assecution thereof out of an affection and with obedience of the first of these Iames affirmeth that a man is not iustified hereby But Paul speaking of the other ascribeth iustification vnto it The word Workes is also to be vnderstood two waies for there are works before Baptisme and workes after he that dieth immediatly after Baptisme dieth iustified by his Faith without workes because he had no time to doe any but he that liueth and hath time to doe is not iustified without good workes which is to be vnderstood not as though good workes had a part in the act of our iustification but because they cannot but necessarily follow as fruits and effects in whomsoeuer there is a sauing and iustifying Faith Touching Abraham whom Paul saith was iustified by Faith but Iames by workes both are truly said of him and doe indeed agree in one He beleeued that he should be the Father of many Nations hee beleeued Gods promise touching his seed and this was counted vnto him for righteousnesse and when he came to the worke here spoken of viz. the offering of his sonne hee did not fall from this Faith for he beleeued that God was able to raise him from the dead againe All the Ancients generally as Oecumenius intimateth speake to the same effect about iustification by Faith without workes viz. when there is no time after a mans conuersion to the Faith to doe workes he being preuented by death as I haue also partly shewed in speaking vpon Rom. 3.28 How Popish Writers vnderstand it I haue also there declared In short therefore to resolue this place Oecumenius hath rightly shewed that one Faith is spoken of here and another there and that indeed the worke of Abraham in offering his sonne wherein it is instanced here is the same with his Faith spoken of there his worke is his working Faith or Faith made euident by his worke by a Synecdoche or a Metonymy of the effect as Pareus resolueth it Pareus in Iac. That by worke a working Faith is vnderstood is plaine from the words following Vers 21. Thou seest that faith wrought together c. Vers 22. The Scripture saith That Abraham beleeued God this beleeuing being attributed to his worke of offering vp his sonne v. 24. after Abrahams beleeuing mentioned before he concludeth ye see then that a man is iustified by Workes making Faith and Worke all one And this is in a manner all one with the common solution Faith without Workes truly iustifieth before God that is maketh a sinner iust by
Christ because they suffer not with him Note againe that such as are conformable to Christ by being dead vnto sinne shall haue enemies euen for this Note and shall be railed vpon by those that still remaine in the flesh but such enemies of theirs and railers need none other signe of reprobation as shall appeare when the Day of iudgement commeth Note lastly Note that the onely meanes to escape iudgement at the last day is by the preaching of the Gospell to be brought to that that we are iudged according to the flesh and quickened according to the Spirit that is truly conuerted and brought to liue an holy and righteous life others in whom there is no such effect can looke for nothing but a most terrible sentence to be denounced against them when Christ shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead CHAP. 4. VER 12. My brethren estrange not your selues from the fiery triall which is amongst you to proue you as if some strange thing had happened vnto you The vulgar Latine readeth it Nolite peregrinari in feruore Doe not play the strangers by reason of the feruent heat Our English translation Thinke not strange of the fiery triall in Greeke it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is little difficulty in any thing Mayer Vers 7. before wee come at these words vers 7. The end of all is at hand is commonly expounded of the end of this world from whence it is vsuall with the holy Apostles to raise a motiue to watchfulnesse Only Oecumenius expoundeth it of Christ The end of all is come Oecumen that is Christ the end of all the Prophets therefore after his example we ought to aspire after perfection But the first is most genuine Vers 8. Vers 8. Loue couereth a multitude of sinnes this he also expoundeth of the sinnes of him that loueth God being made hereby propitious and mercifull to him so that none of his sinnes are laid to his charge and herein he is followed by Gorran and other popish Writers that would haue loue the cause of our iustification But it is plaine from the place from whence these words are taken that it is meant of his sinnes 〈◊〉 10.12 to whom loue is shewed Hatred stirreth vp strife but loue couereth all sinnes Chrys Hom. 4. All. apâ—st and therefore Chrysostome expoundeth it thus as hatred will finde matter against a man when there is none so loue passeth ouer and winketh at and will not see many faults in whom they are though against our selues and excuseth Hern. Epist 7 â—â—â—emieâ—tiae auâ—â—â— â—a quae non 〈◊〉 sâ—â—â—cantar as much as may be the sinnes of others So also Bernard Loue couereth many sinnes but enmity suspecteth euen those that are not Touching the present vers 12. all Expositors generally agree that the fire here spoken of setteth forth aduersity and trouble in this world which commeth vpon the Christian for his professions sake And the Syriacke Interpreter doth not mention any fire at all but thinke not strange of the tentatiers that are amongst you And it is no new phrase to expresse afflictions by fire Esa 48. Psal 16. Psal 65. 1 Pet. 1. Esay speaketh of the furnace of pouerty Dauid saith That the Lord tried him with fire and we haue passed thorow fire and water and Peter speaketh to the same effect before that your faith might be found more precious than gold which is tried in the fire But for the reading of the words there is some difference Tertulan Scorp c. 12. No expaueseata vsitonem Fulg. ad Frasim c. 30. Cypri Epist 56. whereof somewhat hath beene said already Tertullian readeth it Be not afraid of the burning And Fulgentius not much differing Nolite expauescere in feruorem Cyprian readeth it Do not wonder at the burning which happeneth vnto you and Ierom not much differing Wonder not in the burning Hieren in cap. 4. Amos And as there be diuersities of readings so there is in rendring the sense But the most generally receiued is Wonder not or thinke not strange of the fire of tribulation as though it were a thing not compatible with the state of a Christian for it is rather a strange thing that a Christian should be without tribulation argueth a bastard Lyto Hugo Heb. 12.9 Some expound it of estranging themselues from the faith and loue of Christ for the fire of tribulation Turrian One expoundeth it of the fire of lust wherewith if a Christian be burned he ought not to thinke strange of it It seemeth to me that estranging of a mans selfe from persecution for the Christian profession is meant being taken with so much feare thereof as that he will rather forsake Christ than endure it And aptly fire is named because so many of Gods seruants haue beene committed to the fire and burnt for Religion Touching the residue of the Chapter there is some difficulty in vers 14. Verse 14. Because the Spirit of glory and of God resteth vpon you word for word as Beza readeth it That of glory and that Spirit of God resteth vpon you Quod sâ—â—â—norit gloria virtutis Der qui est câ—us 〈◊〉 super 〈◊〉 reâ—â—â—â—scit Cyprian Epist 5â— The Latine translation hath it That which is of glory and honour and vertue of God and which is his Spirit resteth vpon you Some againe reade it The glory and Spirit of God Cyprian hath another reading The name of the Maiesty and vertue of the Lord resteth vpon you The Syriacke The glorious Spirit of God resteth vpon you Of all these that doubtlesse is to bee preferred which is first as being most agreeable to the Greeke The meaning is that if any man suffereth for Christ not being terrified or shrinking through feare it is by Gods Spirit in him that he is made thus couragious and confident which is the Spirit of glory so called in respect of the glory that is in thus suffering as it is a base and ignoble thing to be timorous and daunted at sufferings for the Lord and the end shall be glory in Heauen to those that suffer againe it is called the Spirit of God that is of the loue of God there being no such great loue to be shewed vnto the Lord as by suffering for him There be not two spirits then here spoken of but one and the same diuersly called to set forth the excellency thereof the more In setting downe in what case there is no comfort in suffering he nameth Vers 1â— as a busie body in other mens matters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an ouerseer of other mens matters so as to be ready rigidly to censure and reproue them hauing no calling so to doe for hereby ofttimes convention ariseth and he that is thus ouer-busie and medling smarteth for his labour Because the time is that iudgement should begin at Gods house Vers 1â— Here may seeme to be some difficulty what is meant
by Gods house and by the iudgement spoken of and in that it is further added Oecumen Basil mag if the righteous scarely be saued c. But Oecumenius alone may resolue these things for all By Gods house are meant the faithfull who are the familiars as it were of God by iudgement is not to be vnderstood condemnation but an examining and trying by troubles in this world Now it is vsuall amongst men to bee most offended with a mans neerest and dearest friend when he sinneth against him and so God beginneth first to shew his anger against the faithfull during this life which is the season for it as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth In many places it is spoken almost to the same effect as Amos 3.2 Esay 29.1 Ezech. 9.6 Ierem. 25.29 Pro. 11.31 and there be many examples of those that being neere vnto the Lord haue had iudgement vnto the death and that for none of the greatest offences as Vzzah Iosiah the Prophet that came to Ieroboam and the men of Bethshemesh and the subiects of Dauid and some amongst the Corinthians who are said for their disorderly comming to the Communion to haue fallen asleepe 1 Cor. 11. But that they were not destroyed in soule also appeareth because he addeth ye are iudged here that ye may not perish with the world If God be so seuere against his owne offending much more will he be terrible to the wicked his enemies Hieron contr Pelag. Iusius est quis meo quod sloâ— et multis virtutibus vix saluatur in 〈◊〉 quod in quibusdam Dei misericordia indiget saluaretur axtem facile si â—â—hil in se haberet maculae Touching the righteous being scarcely saued Ierome saith well That none is perfectly righteous but the faithfull that are so called are scarcely saued because there be some faults in them still they are said to be righteous because they flourish with many vertues but shall scarcely be saued because in many things they need Gods mercy And Oecumenius saith that the righteous are saued with much difficulty in regard of the violence wherewith the Kingdome of Heauen must be taken and the sufferings to which they are exposed for Religions sake which are sufficient if God did not strengthen them greatly with his grace to beat them from their Christian profession to their euerlasting destruction In a word the meaning is if the most holy and best must passe thorow such sharpe temporall iudgements before that they can be deliuered from eternall destruction the wicked and negligent doubtlesse shall rue it when the great Day of reckoning commeth Note Note that it ought to bee our daily meditation that this world and this life is fraile and transitory that we may intend vertue the more earnestly that will auaile vs when this life shall be ended Note againe Note that we ought to haue a care of preseruing one another from sinne which is by a louing and milde carriage of our selues towards others for thus many offences are preuented in our brethren and so couered and therefore wee must not see all that we see in others but in loue winke at many things so farre forth as not to be prouoked hereby not to forbeare to reproue them for this is alwaies necessary Leu. 19.17 Note moreouer Note that there is a fire thorow which the faithfull must goe but it is in this world by persecution and aduersities not in purgatory which is imagined to be afterwards And seeing the fire of afflictions is no strange matter but ordinary to the godly we ought not to be affected with feare and terrour as at some strange and vnwonted accident but rather with ioy which argueth an excellent Spirit euen that of God to be in vs. Lastly note Note that the punishments which haue beene and are inflicted vpon the faithfull doe certainly argue the generall iudgement and condemnation of the wicked at the last Day for it agreeth not with reason that holy men should be so seuerely dealt withall for sinning once and that in lesser matters and that vngodly prophane wretches who make a trade of sinne should passe on for euer without iudgement There shall be a iudgement therefore doubtlesse when all euill doers shall be paid home to the full for all their wickednesses Neither is it so easie to be saued from condemnation then that all may hope well for euen the best are in much hazzard and doe with great difficulty and striuing obtaine euerlasting life in the end Let all wicked and carelesse persons thinke vpon this and tremble CHAP. V. THe Apostle hauing finished his discourse about afflictions now commeth to exhort both the elders and younger to the most necessary duties of their seuerall conditions The elders he exhorteth to feed Christs Flocke vers 1. the younger to be obedient vnto them vers 5. and all of them to be humble and to flie pride vers 6 c. and then concludeth the Epistle with praising of God and salutations There is nothing in this Chapter almost that requireth exposition but it hath beene already set forth Touching Elders see Text 11. Iam. 5. and whereas Peter calleth himselfe an Elder together with them note that he was not their Prince and Lord ouer them as the Pope of Rome pretending to be his successor taketh vpon him to be and therefore this Bishop anciently was stiled by Ireneus but Presbyter an Elder Touching the lording it ouer Gods heritage vers 3. I haue also declared what kinde of dominion is to be auoided by all Gods people that be in authority Text 106. in Mat. 20. the word translated heritage is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from whence commeth the word Clergy appropriated by a long custome of speech to ecclesiast call persons only but the Lords Lot all the faithfull are indeed meant hereby amongst whom because Ecclesiasticall persons are the principall this name hath beene chiefly giuen to them and the name of Laity to others for distinctions sake Touching the submitting one to another see chap. 2.13 17. where a like speech is vsed It is meant here by humility and lowlinesse of minde wherein euery one is to be subiect to another by thinking meanly of himselfe as the word humility immediatly following doth declare And the rest of v. 5. and v. 6 7 8 9. is almost the same word for word with Iam. 4.6 7. Only whereas he biddeth the younger to be subiect to the elders Vers 5. vers 5. there is some question whether by the younger inferiour persons are to bee vnderstood or the younger in yeeres Beda Hugo Carthus some seeme to hold that inferiour persons are meant as Beda Hugo Carthusianus and Titlemannuâ— and Caietan plainly affirmeth it Others by younger vnderstand the younger in yeeres as Luther and Beza Luther Beza I preferre the first because the word Elders to which the younger are here opposed setteth forth such as are superiour in order and therefore
sure word of prophesie to which ye doe well that yee take heed as to a light shining in a darke place vntill the day be light and the day-starre arise in your hearts c. He saith Oecumen in 2 Pet. 1. that we haue the word of prophesie the more sure not because there was any prophesie before of this voice that came from heauen but because by that voice comming from the Father we are confirmed touching those things that were prophesied of the Sonne by the Prophets long agoe and doe without question conclude that all their prophesying is most certaine and stable But this prophesying he saith was then a light shining in a darke or nasty place till the Sun-beames came by Christ to inlighten the world and this is the daies growing light through that knowledge which we attaine vnto vnder the Gospell And if any man shall say But why did not the Prophets expound and make more plaine what they prophesied for so a great light might haue beene giuen long before he addeth they prophesied as they were moued by the Spirit of God neither were there prophesies of any priuate interpretation so that howsoeuer they vnderstood what they prophesied yet they were not to explaine their prophesies to others seeing that the Spirit moued them not to this but to leaue them darke for others to study vpon them till the time of light should come There is nothing of difficulty betwixt the former Text and this Mayer for when Peter speaketh of his departure hence and of the Lords forewarning him hereof he meaneth that forewarning Iohn 21.19 and his being present to see Christs glory and to heare the voyce of the Father from Heauen was Matth. 17. Touching the present Text Luther Luther saith that the prophesie is called firmer because we haue no such Prophets now as were then Faber Stapul Faber by firmer vnderstandeth most firme and taketh it not as spoken comparatiuely preferring old prophesies for certainty before the present preaching of the Apostles than which nothing can be more certaine Or else he calleth it firmer in respect of the knowledge what was meant thereby by the illumination of the holy Ghost the Apostles had not a coniecturall prophesie as others that conceiued erroneously thereof but more firme because they were sure that thus vnderstood it was true The. Aquinas and Gorran say Tho. Aquin Gorran that the prophesie touching Christ of old by Dauid Psal 2. Thou art my Sonne this day haue I begotten thee is said to be more firme in respect of the Iewes who beleeued the Prophets rather than the Apostles Beza also consenteth with this Beza but rather would haue the comparatiue here vsed taken for the superlatiue most firme So likewise Beda and Gagneus and Lyra and Augustine also The authority of the old Prophets was such Aug. serm 27. de verb. apost ca. 4. Quis nostrum non miretur certiorem Propheticum sermonem dici quà m vox de Coelo Certiorem dixit non meliorem non veriorem Quid est ergo certiorem in quo magis confirmetur auditor Quare hoc Quoniam sunt homines infideles qui sic detrahunt Christo vt dicant eum magicis artibus fecisse quae fecit Possent ergo infideles etiam istam vocem delatam de Coelo per coniecturas humanas illicitas curiositates ad magicam artem referre Sed Prophetae ante fuere Si ergo magicis artibus fecit vt coleretur nunquid magus erat antequam natus as that it had beene a long time receiued for certaine and great reuerence was giuen thereunto both by Iewes and Gentiles euer since the translation of the old Testament by the 72 at the appointment of Ptolomee Philadelphus King of Aegypt And to this exposition as the most genuine doe I subscribe For if Peter had meant a most firme prophesie hee would haue spoken in the superlatiue not in the comparatiue degree and to say that there are no such Prophets vnder the new Testament as were vnder the old is without all ground seeing they had the same spirit Lastly this is not spoken against those that erroneously interpreted the Prophets but for further confirmation of those that would not so readily receiue any thing lately done or said because they suspected fraud whom he therefore referreth to the Prophets not only in this particular vttered by the voyce from Heauen but in all other things concerning the Messiah Touching the words following the words translated in a darke place are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a squalide filthy place such as this world is by reason of the great corruption in it Oecumen Oecumenius seemeth to vnderstand it as spoken with reference to former times And it is one exposition brought by Faber Faber Stapul that the old Law is a shadow and figure darkly setting forth the mysteries of Christ vntill the day of the new Law by the comming of Christ waxeth light and the day-starre of the Sunne of righteousnesse that is the Gospell arise in their hearts they being conuerted vnto it and thus Luther Beza Piscator c. vnderstand it also Faber hath also another exposition whereby the day of iudgement or the great light after that time to those that are glorified is vnderstood by the day waxing light and the day-starre arising for then we shall know as we are knowne and all the light of Prophets and Apostles here is but like a Candle in a darke place in comparison of that most glorious light Thus S. * August serm 237. de temp In die ambulamus comparat infidelium comparat verò illius diei in qua resurgent mortui adhuc nox sumus Augustine vnderstandeth it as it seemeth by these words of his We walke in the day in respect of Infidels but in respect of that day when the dead shall rise we are yet night and so he reconcileth Paul and Peter whereas Rom. 13.12 he saith The night is past and the day is come But Peter here speaketh of the day as to come And in another place he saith further * Aug. Tract 35. in Iohan. Tunc praesenti tali die lucernae non erunt necessariae non legetur nobis Propheta non aperietur codex Apostoli non requiretur testimonium Iohannis non ipso indigebimus Euangelio Omnes Scripturae tollentur de medio quae nobis in huins saeculi nocte tanquam lucernae accendebantur Tho. Aquin. in speaking of the discouering of all things at the day of iudgemēt when that day commeth light shall not be needfull the Prophets shall not be read nor the booke of the Apostles opened the testimony of Iohn shall not be required we shall not need the Gospell all Scriptures shall be taken away which as lights haue beene set vp in the night of this world To this exposition subscribeth Prosper and Tho. Aquinas Gorran and Gagneus and many more Yet Tho. Aquinas distinguisheth betwixt the
day waxing light and the day-starre arising vnderstanding by the one the open knowledge of Christs diuinity by the other the open knowledge of his humanity or by the one the knowledge which the Saints haue before the iudgement be past by the other that is the day waxing light their knowledge afterwards This howsoeuer it hath great and learned Authors yet seeing this speech is directed to them that did not yet so esteeme of the Apostles and rest in their testimony touching Christ doth not agree so well because they should grow to be more fully informed by the light of the Gospell in time and therefore I preferre rather the former exposition For so much as they did not yet giue such certaine credit to the Apostles the Gospell hauing not yet so fully inlightened them he saith that they did well to attend to the Prophets till the day of Euangelicall knowledge should come and the day-starre Christ should arise in their hearts by his holy spirit inlightning them so as that they should perfectly know these things Touching the next words Knowing this first Vers 20. that no prophesie of Scripture is of any priuate interpretation c. The meaning is now that ye haue the Prophets and attend vnto them before yee receiue any interpretation that shall by false Prophets be offered vnto you as their priuate phantasies leade them ye must know that no such prophesie is to be receiued with such interpretation but as it hath pleased Gods spirit from whom prophesies come to explaine and make manifest the obscurities thereof because as the prophesie is not of man but of the spirit of God so that is not to be receiued as the meaning thereof which man deuiseth but which the same spirit mouing the Apostles and apostolicall men to expound it declareth to be the meaning The true interpretation Luther as Luther hath it is that which is approued by other places of holy Scripture and that which cannot hence be proued is a priuate interpretation how ancient how great a name soeuer he hath that is the author of it The Papists oppose a priuate interpretation to the common exposition giuen by the Church wherein the Pope is the chiefe and so would haue none exposition receiued but what the Church of Rome swayed by the Pope is pleased to giue But in contending thus for a publike exposition they make way for the priuate phantasies of ignorant and sensuall beasts such as many Popes haue beene A priuate exposition is opposed to that of men holy and learned in the Scriptures and so able to make good thereby the exposition brought by them If any wicked or prophane man shall bring an interpretation or though he be well affected if he be ignorant and wanteth iudgement it is to be reiected as a priuate interpretation that which is brought by the godly and learned who are called to the expounding of the Scriptures being made euident by other places of Scripture is to be receiued If it be obiected thus there can be no certainty seeing one bringeth one exposition and another another I answer that in fundamentall points the godly and learned that proue their expositions by the Scriptures cannot differ and if they should a Councell met together to reconcile the difference chusing one for president by a ioynt consent the assistance of the spirit being first craued could not differ and in the meane season what exposition we are by the spirit directed vnto hauing by prayer recommended our selues vnto God is to be embraced so that we haue euidence of Scripture therefore In points of lesse moment the differences shall not need to trouble vs wee may follow that which is most probable to vs seeing as Augustine speaketh herein Quisque suo sensu abundat Note Note what a time of light we liue in now vnder the Gospel so many as haue heartily embraced it Before there was no more but as it were the light of a Candle in a darke place a small light was giuen in the mysteries of saluation by the Law and the Prophets able to inlighten but one Nation as Theodoret speaketh But now it is the cleare day-light extending into all parts And therefore it behoueth vs to walke in the light lest it turne to our greater condemnation Iohn 3.19 Note againe Note that whatsoeuer any man bringeth out of the Scriptures is not truth and to be embraced but what is to be approued by the Scriptures and therefore the new Creed and all the superstitious and idolatrous worship of the Church of Rome is vtterly to be reiected as comming from false Prophets and not from any moued by the spirit of God seeing it is altogether without ground in the holy Scriptures especially the chiefe point of the Popes head-ship and infallibility whereupon all the rest hangeth CHAP. II. HAuing in the end of the former Chapter giuen them a caueat against the priuate interpretations of prophesies he doth here prosecute that argument foretelling how they should be assaulted with false Teachers who would obtrude vnto them their owne phantasies in stead of Gods truth In speaking of whom hee sometimes sheweth their qualities and conditions and sometime their most fearefull and horrible destruction Their first propertie is to denie the Lord and to blaspheme the truth verse 1 2. The second couetousnesse verse 3. The third and fourth fleshlinesse and contempt of gouernment with those effects which it produceth verse 10. which vices hee repeateth againe verse 14. hauing first aggrauated that of the contempt of gouernment and euill speaking from the contrary example of Angels verse 11. And then setting them forth by diuers comparisons taken from Balaam and from wells and clouds without water hee sheweth how vaine they are in their owne hopes and promises vnto others vers 15 16 c. Their destruction is set forth to be such as shall come suddenly vpon them verse 1 3. which is illustrated by examples of the Angels that fell the old world Sodom vers 4 5 6. secondly in regard of their like deceiuing condition by the example of Balaam vers 15. and then particularly shewing by what iudgement they shall perish vers 17. namely in vtter darknesse for euer vers 17. he aggrauateth their iudgement the more in regard of their apostasie from the similitude of a dog or swine vers 20 21 22. 2 PETER Chapter 2. Verse 1. Which shall bring in heresies that destroy denying the Lord that bought them c. THese words were easie enough to be vnderstood Mayer but that the word heresies needeth some explication and how false Teachers who hee saith shall be damned are called such as the Lord hath bought And lastly Vers 4. that passage of the Angels that sinned being kept in chaines of darknesse vnto iudgement Touching Heresies it is a word comming of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying to choose and hath beene commonly taken for any sect of Philosophers which followed that kinde of discipline which
testified from Heauen Mat. 3. saying This is my beloued Sonne but to confesse the Sonne is to confesse the Father also and the way to be accepted for his in the world to come Mat. 10. For hee that confesseth mee saith Christ before men him will I confesse before my Father which is in Heauen From this 23. verse to the end of this Chapter there is nothing difficult more That which they heard from the beginning is that which our Sauiour Christ taught that who so would attaine to life should beleeue in him Ioh. 17.3 and that it is life eternall to know God and whom he hath sent Iesus Christ vers 24 25. Now these things he saith that he wrote vnto them because of seducers not that they needed any instruction herein for so much as they had the Spirit of God to teach them Note that such as erre in the doctrine of faith are very Antichrists Note and accordingly to be had in abomination and to be auoided Heresie is in effect to deny God the Sonne and so to deny the Father and to ouerthrow all religion and piety that they which are tainted herewith shall haue no more benefit of the Christian religion than Pagans and Infidels And therefore let vs hate Popery as being most notorious heresie not being deceiued because in word they professe Christ as wee doe Note againe Note that there are some in the Church which are not of the Church and this is manifested by their apostasie and falling from the truth to errour So that if any depart from the reformed Religion to Popery wee ought not to be troubled at it for they were neuer sound at the heart otherwise they could not haue departed Note also Note that the truly faithfull are instructed by the Spirit of God which as a sweet oyntment doth so sweeten their mindes with the truth as that they can neuer be corrupted and come to an ill sauour through errour and wickednesse Sinne they may but be destitute of grace sufficient for their saluation they can neuer be CHAP. III. HAuing made some way in the last verse of the former Chapter as I haue already shewed to returne to the commendation of a righteous and holy course of life he doth more at large prosecure that argument here ioyning vnto it a commendation of brotherly loue Touching righteousnesse and holinesse he stirreth vp vnto it first from the consideration of our estate we are the children of God and yet haue greater hopes and therefore cannot but be pure as he is pure Vers 1 2 3. Secondly from the consideration of that reference which we haue vnto Christ we are in him but he hath no sinne nay his comming into the world was to take away sinne and therefore who so is in him sinneth not Vers 4 5 6. Thirdly from the consideration of the state of wicked and sinfull men they know not Christ they are of the deuill Vers 6 7 8. Fourthly from the consideration of our new birth by the seed of God which being in vs keepeth vs from sinne Vers 9 10. Touching brotherly loue coupling the want of this with a sinfull life he first sheweth Vers 10. Vers 11. Vers 12 13. Vers 14 15. that such as haue no loue are not of God and then setting downe the command which wee haue to loue hee dehorteth from enmity and hatred instancing in Cains hatred against Abel and the worlds hatred and shewing the euent both of loue and of hatred Then hee exhorteth to loue vrging to loue in deed after the example of Christ Vers 16 17 18. condemning other loue which extendeth not to the releeuing of the miserable to be no loue And that this exhortation to loue indeed Vers 19 20 21 22. might take the more effect he sheweth what confidence towards God such a man may haue to obtaine whatsoeuer he desireth as doing his will herein and that which is pleasing vnto him Now that he doth his will and commandement he proueth because his command is that we beleeue in Christ Vers 23. and loue one another which last is a plaine euidence of the first he therefore that beleeueth and loueth keepeth his commandements and so abideth in him and how this may be knowne he immediatly sheweth euen by the Spirit which he hath giuen vs Vers 24. and thus againe he maketh way to speake of diuers spirits in the Chapter following 1 IOHN Chapter 3. Verse 1. For this the world knoweth vs not because it knoweth not him Beloued now we are the sonnes of God but yet it is not made manifest what we shall be c. BEcause we are the Sonnes of God the world knoweth vs not Th. Aquinas in 1 Iohn 3. that is by the knowledge of approbation or as the Glosse hath it they know not our dignity to loue and respect vs but doe esteeme basely of vs and afflict vs Because it knoweth not him that is beleeueth not in him It doth not appeare c. that is the great glory wherewith we shall be glorified appeareth not it is as a light hidden in a Pitcher till it be broken or as a light within a mans hands appearing onely through his fingers We know that when he shall appeare that is by the certainty of faith for faith doth assure vs of things inuisible now we know our selues to be Gods children by the vertues and miracles which by his spirit we are inabled to doe When he shall appeare that is at the day of iudgement Wee shall be like vnto him that is in the conformity of nature of grace and of glory We shall see him as he is that is in the very substance of his Deity which is not granted to any man liuing here The doubts of this place are first Mayer what is meant by the worlds not knowing of vs and to what these words For this haue reference I answer that the world of wicked men and vnbeleeuers are said not to know vs that are accepted to be the children of God because they doe not see into the excellency of this estate to prize and to esteeme of it And for this they know vs not because they know not Christ it was hidden from them of what excellency hee was which was the cause that they vsed him as base and contemptible For had they knowne him they could not but haue knowne his so much resembling him as they that haue knowne the father if his sonne commeth in presence which is very like him they know him to be his sonne and as he that hath well knowne a man if hee seeth his picture he knoweth whose picture it is And this is spoken to make vs vndismaid at the contempt and ignominy that shall be offered to vs in the world as a Prince laugheth at the railings and ill vsage of him by his owne seruants whilst they know him not Chrys Hom. 78. in Iohan. They know not saith Chrysostome what
the meaning is I would put you in minde of the great deliuerance that was once wrought by the Lord for his people which yee know So that knowing this once is as much as knowing this to haue beene once done But the second time he destroyed those that beleeued not that is as all agree afterwards he destroyed euen those for whom he had done such wonderfull things partly by serpents partly by plagues and partly by the sword and the earths opening of the mouth Touching the Angels sinning Vers 6. and being punished therefore see 2 Pet. 2.4 only I will adde thus much more in way of expounding these words The Angels that kept not their beginning this in the vulgar Latine is their principalitie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word vsed signifieth both Graec. Scholia Oecumen c. the Greeke Scholia fauoureth that of principalitie saying that they kept not the dignitie of their nature Others that after their beginning Erasmus Bezs they continued not such as they were created for they were good but became euill the Reader may follow either of these readings for their beginning was both holy and full of power and glorie This they kept not when they sinned but left their habitation Faber Stapi◠Some expound this of the punishment of their sinne when they were cast out of Heauen downe to Hell But seeing the punishment followeth in the next words and hereby their sinne is set forth I rather subscribe to those that expound it of the holy and heauenly course of life in which they were set by their creation which was as it were Oecumen a proper dwelling for them or according to the sound of the words that in ambition they went out of the places assigned vnto them aspiring to the Throne of the most High Th. Aquinas and so this passage is an allusion to that of the Prophet Esay 14.13 For the chaines of darknesse in which they are said to be kept enough hath beene spoken already in the place before referred vnto 2 Pet. 2.4 Note that heretickes are vnder a spirituall iudgement Note which is a certaine fore-runner of the Eternall at the last day they please themselues indeed in their damnable errours and sensuall liuing but blinde soules they see not how little cause there is of taking pleasure yea what great cause of horrour and feare vnto them as being now in the verie suburbs of hell Note againe that it is not without a secret prouidence Note that heretikes and sensuall liuers spring vp in Christian Congregations to the great scandall of the Church for such as haue beene guided by the Spirit of God haue written long agoe of them Though some fall thus fouly yet the estate of all is not fickle and vncertaine for these haue beene long agoe appointed vnto this it is not the case of any of the elect true-hearted Christians to fall thus Note lastly Note that there is one externall blacke brand of Arch-heretickes seruing to discouer them to such as are not able to iudge otherwise of them by their doctrine and that is vnder a pretence of religion and zeale to bee wanton and filthie in their liues And such are most of the holy Orders in the Church of Rome and Popes themselues as their Histories doe abundantly declare Haply some of the common sort may be stricter in their liues but their Ring-leaders are notoriously licentious VER 8. Likewise also these dreamers doe defile the flesh they set light by authoritie and blaspheme glories Vers 9. Yet Michael the Arch-Angell when striuing with the Deuill he disputed about the bodie of Moses durst not bring the iudgement of blasphemie c. In calling them Dreamers Oecumen in Iud. hee doth wonderfully hide the obscoenitie of the thing by the honestie of the speech their filthinesse was so great as that it was too much for any waking to doe so The filthinesse of the Barborites so called from their sordid basenesse is laid open by Epiphanius in his booke written purposely thereof called Pannarium Neither did they onely such filthy things according to the flesh but waxed mad moreouer against the Diuine Nature abrogating the Domination and vniuersall Empire thereof as Ireneus writeth Or else by the Domination or authoritie which they are said to set light by or to vilifie the ceremonies of Christs mysterie are meant in the roome of which they brought in their owne villanies The glories which they are said to blaspheme are the old and new Testaments for vnto them both Paul attributeth glorie 2 Cor. 3. 2 Col. 3. 3 Ioh. Or else Ecclesiasticall Dignities against which they inueighed as Saint Iohn saith of Diotrephes that he vsed railing speeches against them The Arch-Angell Michael conflict with the Deuill about the bodie of Moses was this The sepulture of the bodie of Moses is said to haue beene committed to Michael herein the Deuill hindred him alleaging that Moses was guiltie of murther for that he killed an Aegyptian and therefore ought not to haue any such honourable buriall but his bodie belonged vnto him Vpon this his striuing with him the Arch-Angell refrained himselfe from opprobrious speeches and so from the greater being in contention with the Deuil he argueth to the greater conuiction of them in their railing Moreouer there is another end also in alleaging this example that hereby wee might gather how the Deuill lieth vpon the catch after our departure out of this life to hinder vs from Heauen if hee can obiect any wickednesse against vs and how the good Angels of God stand to defend vs if wee bee guiltlesse Vers 10. Such things as they know not they raile against c. that is the mysticall points of religion but in those things wherein they haue knowledge that is in vile lusts they doe like bruit beasts defile themselues Then hee compareth them to Cain Vers 11. because by their errours they killed mens soules and by eating the seed of generation they destroyed bodies that might haue beene And to Balaam because they did these things for gaine And lastly to Core because though vnworthy they did with him arrogate to themselues the authoritie of teaching They set light by authoritie that is Tho. Aquin. either of Princes or Prelates whom they commonly disobey through a desire to aduance themselues And they blaspheme the Maiestie of God yet the Glosse by glories vnderstandeth either God or the Angels or Saints who are blasphemed by erroneous doctrine Out of what Scriptures the storie of Michael is taken it is vncertaine yet it is credible when God by the ministerie of his Angell hid the bodie of Moses Deut. 34.6 lest the people of Israel finding it should abuse it to idolatrie the Deuill stroue with him to bring it to light In other passages here Thomas Aquinas differeth not from Oecumenius Mayer neither is there much difference more amongst other Expositors Briefly therefore these expositions
mountainous places and Ilands were sought out to be destroyed which is expressed in saying the mountaines and Ilands were remoued out of their place then all professours of the Christian religion sought to hide themselues from the anger of him that sitteth vpon the throne thinking God and the Lambe to bee angry with them set forth in the last words Bullinger Pareus Others will haue the corruption in the time of Antichrist meant which time say they began when Constantine aduanced Syluester the Bishop of Rome and his successours and continueth in the Papacy to this day then began a great earthquake by the change of the state of the Church into Pontificall then the Sunne the doctrine touching Christ was darkened through the interposition of traditions the Moone the Church was turned into bloud either by murthers committed by Antichrist or by the corrupt worshipping of God the starres the ministers of God fell from heauen by apostatising from the truth the heauen the Church was folded together as a booke when it appeared not any where or the holy Scriptures were shut vp from the people the mountaines Emperours and Kings were remoued by Popes the Ilands the people were remoued out of their place by being made beleeue vpon paine of damnation that the Pope is the head of the Church And being brought to this estate of corruption as there can be no sound peace but terrors of conscience out of the truth so all estates are set forth as terrified by a conscience of Gods iudgement and some indeed fulfilled this according to the letter going into wildernesses and Monasteries seeking by applying themselues to perpetuall deuotion to quiet their consciences accusing them for former offences but could not effect it But herein Pareus differeth from Bullinger for hee applieth this of the generall feare of all estates and degrees to the last day of iudgement which shall follow after that the world hath beene so corrupted in the time of Antichrists reigne Lastly some vnderstand by this earth-quake Forbs c. the great alteration that came vpon the Romane Empire by meanes of the Gothes and other barbarous nations which was so great as that the whole world seemed to be changed But I subscribe to the first exposition because most agreeable to the letter and where the literall sense may stand there is no vse of allegories And indeed without straining no time but the day of iudgement can be rightly called the great day of Gods wrath wherein all the wicked of all estates and degrees are filled with terrour at Gods presence If it bee taken as an allegory there are so great differences that there will bee no certainty of truth Besides that it doth no way answer the precedent cry for vengeance so fitly as being literally vnderstood of the last day for whatsoeuer commotions there be in states and kingdomes yet euery one is not at such times so seuerely animaduerted against but many escape whereas here euery one is said to tremble and feare Whereas Pareus includeth both the persecution vnder Antichrist and the day of iudgement also I cannot see how that can stand for the fleeing away of all estates and degrees for feare is an effect of those stupendious accidents in heauen and in earth as in reason it is likely when such things shall come to passe no lesse can be expected but horrible feare Let vs then study to pacifie Gods anger before this day commeth by true repentance and humiliation that wee may not finde it a day of wrath but of euerlasting mercy to vs. CHAP. VII THE dreadfull manner of Gods comming to iudge and to take reuenge vpon the enemies and corrupters of his truth hauing beene set forth in the sixt Chapter lest there should arise anxiety in the minds of the faithfull about the Lords care touching them in the midst of all the miseries before described for that it hath not yet appeared how they are prouided for when all things shall be so full of dread feare he doth apart here set forth Gods care ouer them during all those troubles and affrighting apparitions they were marked in the forehead that no hurt might hereby seize vpon them but these tribulations might be to them a way to future glory and the inuestment with white robes washed in the Bloud of the Lambe at what time all teares shall be wiped from their eyes for euer For the meaning of the particular passages here Quest 1. Vers 1. After this I saw foure Angels standing vpon the foure corners of the earth holding the foure winds that they might not blow vpon the earth c. What is meant by these things Rupertus Caelius Pannon Answ Most Expositors vnderstand by these winds the Spirit of God in the Preachers of his Word diffusing it selfe in all parts of the world but the euill angels the Deuils which rule in the Antichristian Sect seeke to hinder these winds by suppressing the pure preaching of Gods holy Word in all places Dionys Bullinger Pareus Brightman to the corrupting and decay of all true Religion They keepe the winds from blowing vpon the earth that is the vulgar sort the sea that is Doctrine the trees that is men of more eminency or by the earth they vnderstand men dwelling in any part of the earth by the sea the inhabitants of Ilands by trees such as lurked in woods or they take the earth for earthly ones the sea for the worship of God and trees for people good and bad which professe to worship God Againe there is difference also about these foure Angels for some vnderstand the foure Monarchies Primas Haimo Ambrose Amsbert Lyra. in the time whereof the truth was hindred Some foure persecuting Emperours who after that Dioclesian and Maximianus had forsaken the Empire did together persecute the Christian Religion in the foure parts of the world viz. Maximianus in the East Seuerus in Italy the west Licinius in Alexandria in Egypt the South Maxentius at Rome and whereas all others vnderstand Christ by the Angell with the seale he vnderstandeth Constantine the great who suppressed these tyrants And some againe by the Angell in the East vnderstand the Mahumetans in the West the Pope in the North the Germane Empire in the south Spaine For mine owne part when I consider the premises of great and horrible miseries to come vpon the world I cannot but thinke as I intimated before in generall that comfort against these euils is here intended to the godly and therefore I subscribe rather to those that vnderstand these things literally of foure Angels appointed by God as his Ministers herein for it is said To them it is giuen to hurt c. to destroy all things Arethas Ribera Fox and this is fitly set forth by holding the foure winds because in wind and breath consisteth the life of euery thing in this world things of the earth as men and beasts of the sea as fishes and fowles and the trees
apparitions agree to these iudgements being almost euery one alike the Sword Famine and Pestilence where as in the figures first there is haile and fire and bloud vpon earth then a burning mountaine in the sea c. euery one differing greatly from another I answer that the Lord did not respect so much the diuersity of euils to come as the number of them and the greatnesse able to make all men to turne their eyes to behold and bee amazed at them And more particularly these are made choise of to set them forth after the manner of the Prophets who are wont to allude vnto some remarkable History of things past in foretelling of things to come though they be not of the very same kinde for vpon the Egyptians these things were done almost according to the letter there was haile and fire mingled together their Riuers were so smitten as that they could not drinke of them without dying there was darknesse of three dayes and three nights and finally the red Sea like bloud falling vpon them as a huge mountaine became their destruction being like fishes tumbled vp and downe in the deepe To shew then that these professed enemies and persecutors of Christianity should be destroyed by Gods Iudgements as Pharaoh and the Egyptians were these figures are taken vp and because they had many waies to torment Christians the Lord sheweth that they also should be plagued many waies and be destroyed with strange iudgements before vnheard of For it is Gods manner to punish sinners in their kinde the Sodomites who burnt with strange lusts with a burning fire from Heauen the builders of Babel who sought them a name with confusion and the enemies of the Christian Religion who sought out strange tortures with a burning mountaine and worme-wooddy Starre c. iudgements strange and terble And the third part of the Sea and the third part of trees c. are said to bee affected with these iudgements as I thinke because it was but a third part of the whole world where these tragedies were acted if the parts vnknowne till of late and yet vnknowne be considered Quest 4. And I saw and heard an Angell flying thorow the midst of Heauen saying with a loud voice Woe Vers 13. c. What Angell was this and why is this cry interposed here Answ The vulgar Latine and Arias Montanus for Angell reade Eagle I saw an Eagle flying but in all other Copies it is an Angell Lyra. Petr. Damas Viegas Ribera Hereupon some stand to finde out why an Eagle should be vsed to cry thus and resolue that it was one of the foure animals like an Eagle and some Iohn himselfe who was hereby figured out and some the Preachers of the last times or some singular Preacher who should foretell the iudgements of those daies Beda Arethas and Ticonius follow the vulgar but there is the like passage againe afterwards Reuel 14.6 where it is spoken of an Angell putting it out of doubt that it is an Angell here also Forbs Brightman Pareus Some will haue this Angell to be Gregory the great who gaue warning of the Antâ—christ not aboue three yeeres before lib. 4. Epist 34. The king of pride is at hand and which is horrible to speake an army of Priests is prepared Epist 38. He iterateth the same and addeth He is Antichrist that shall challenge to himselfe to be vniuersall Bishop Not much aboue three yeeres after Boniface the third tooke vpon him this title and his successors likewise to this day plainly declaring the Pope to be Antichrist euen by their owne rule which is That the Pope cannot erre And therefore Pope Gregory erred not in thus saying but it was truth which he so seriously and often affirmed Hee that will be vniuersall Bishop is Antichrist This howsoeuer it be true yet it hath no place here for the woes proclaimed are not against the Church but the inhabitants of the earth by which name wicked shedders of the innocent bloud of Christians are complained against vnder the fift Seale It is more genuine therefore by this Angell to vnderstand an Angell properly as in speaking of other Angels who flyeth thorow the midst of the Heauen that the sound of his denunciation might bee heard euery where hee giueth warning of greater plagues yet to come Hitherto terrible iudgements against professed enemies of Christianity riding vpon the red horse had beene represented now the case of heretikes and of corrupters of Religion in the Papacy commeth to bee described in the fift and sixt Trumpets and the finall destruction of all the wicked in the seuenth and because these indgements should yet be more grieuous than the former it is cried Woe woe woe as there were three times of execution yet to come that if it were possible mens hard hearts might be pierced and many being brought to repentance might escape these euills For it is Gods vsuall manner to giue warning before hee striketh which if it be not taken the heauier will the iudgements bee when they come CHAP. IX ANd the fift Angell blew his Trumpet Quest 1 and I saw a Starre fallen from Heauen to the earth and to him was giuen the key of the bottomlesse pit c. What is meant by this Starre and by the Locusts comming out of hell together with the circumstances of their description in their forme time manner of tormenting and King which is set ouer them Many Writers by this Starre vnderstand the Bishops of Rome in their succession Answ when they fell from being heauenly and seeking after the saluation of mens soules to be earthly and to seeke more after honours and riches here for then they had keyes indeed but of the bottomlesse pit Brightman And some more particularly referre this Trumpet to Boniface the third who obtained of the Emperour Phocas to bee vniuersall Bishop for then the fall appeared being indeed before as is intimated in the word fallen not falling but now the fall was made more sensible Darknesse arose when ignorance preuailed and in these times of ignorance an innumerable company of religious persons of diuers orders who like Locusts eat vp the fat and best things euery where They sting like Scorpions when they seeme least to intend any hurt but only such as are not marked for God hath his Church in the midst of Popery others which are misled by them are not proceeded against as by persecutors before described but vnwittingly receiue such Doctrine from them as turneth to a sting of conscience more grieuous than the bodily death viz. the doctrine of Purgatory and of vncertainty of saluation and of the merit of workes and of superstitious orders and tedious pilgrimages and bloudy whippings more grieuous than present death The time of fiue moneths limited vnto them some vnderstand indefinitely Bibâ—â—an â—â—r Arto â—â—us Rullinger Chytraeus this being the whole time of the Locusts which lay their egges in Autumne and being kept all winter in a
aduersity for the Lords sake nothing doubting but as the holding forth of this open booke hath beene already accomplished and the preaching againe after so long a time of silence so whatsoeuer is here further auerred by the same Angell of the consummation of this world shall also vndoubtedly follow and yet a little while he that shall come will come and will not tarry CHAP. XI AND there was giuen me a reed like a rod and the Angell stood and said Vers 1. Arise and measure the Temple of God the Altar and those that worship in it And the outer Court of the Temple cast out c. What is figured out by this measuring Quest 1 the leauing out of the outer Court to be troden vnder foot by the Gentiles 42. months Who are the 2. witnesses that prophesie in sackcloth what time is designed by their 1260. dayes What are the miracles done by them and the beast that killeth them What time is meant by three dayes and a halfe wherein their dead bodies should lie vnburied And what is their rising againe and being called vp into heauen And lastly what is the great earthquake shaking the great city so that the tenth part falleth and seuen thousand men are slaine and what city is this called Spiritually Sodome and Aegypt where the Lord was slaine Answ These things are very obscure and therefore Interpreters are much diuided about them Lyra. Lyra is the most absurd referring this to the feast of the dedication of the Temple ordained by Pope Felix about ann 525. as if he had beene figured out Here Pareus telleth of some that vnderstand this literally of Ierusalem and the Temple there the reedifying of which is here figured out but this cannot stand because not onely the Court but Temple and Altar and all are troden vnder foot of the Gentiles neither shall this Temple or Altar euer be reedified againe The Papists generally grounding vpon the opinion of the ancients referre all to Antichrists time Irenaeus Iustin Martyr Cyprian Ierom. Basil Chrsost c. who they thinke is yet to come and shall reigne three yeeres and an halfe but Enoch Elias shall resist him doing many miracles c. The consent of antiquity I confesse may much moue and is indeed to be regarded in matter of faith when with one consent they giue the sense of any place of Scripture which requireth not experience for the better vnderstanding therof But the things here set forth being of that nature that they cannot be so well vnderstood till that in processe of time the euent giueth some light to the prophesie it is no derogation from the ancients herein to goe from them especially when by euident reason it appeareth that they haue erred in their iudgement And Bellarmine himselfe consenteth Lib. 3. de P. R. cap. 5. that the Fathers haue erred much about the Antichrist because they saw not the histories of future times Ieronym in Malac ad Minerium Alexandrum cap. 4. Neither yet are the ancient Fathers for the comming of Enoch and Elias in person for Ierome calleth them Iudaizers who thinke that Enoch and Elias shall come againe in person for he saith The Iewes and Iudaizing heretikes thinke that Elias shall come againe and restore all things but to this Christ answereth when being demanded about the comming of Elias he saith Elias indeed shall come and if ye beleeue it he is already come by Elias meaning Iohn Baptist Moreouer that this is an errour is plaine 1. Because it is impossible Reas 1 that any man should effect so many things in so short a time The Antichrist expected by the Papists confuted as they say Antichrist shall doe that is bee receiued of all the Iewes for the Messiah build the Temple in three dayes ouerthrow the Turke the Persian the grand Cham and Prester Iohn kill the three kings of Aegypt Libia and Aethiopia build vp Rome burnt with fire and sit there as a Monarch persecuting the Christian religion in all parts of the world 2. Because at the end of this time they say Antichrist shall bee destroyed Reas 2 and from his death to the end of the world shall bee but fiue and forty dayes and so the very day of iudgement shall bee knowne contrary to the consent of all Scripture 3. Because the things in this booke set forth are said to bee such Reas 3 as must shortly be done now for so much as a great part of the booke is spent against Antichrist it cannot be that his time should be put off so long or be so short when it commeth seeing it occupieth the greatest part of this prophesie comprehending the whole time of the Gospell Yea the Apostle Paul saith plainly 2 Thess 2.7 that the mysterie of iniquity did then worke Lastly Antichristianisme is a mysterie that is so couertly carried that Antichrist can hardly be discerned when hee is come Bullinger Fox Pareus Brightman c. so that many shall be deceiued which were not so if he were a professed enemy and had Enoch and Elias to fight against him Our Diuines generally hold that there is set forth a reedifying of the spirituall Temple of God being ruined and almost râ—zed to the ground by the fury and malice of the enemies thereof as in the like figure Ezech. 40. c. is set forth the reedifying of the materiall Temple being destroyed by the Babylonians after their returne from captiuity Euen as when one is set to measure ground for any building to bee set vpon it it doth argue an intention to build there Now as the Temple of old did consist of an house called the Temple and an Altar and such as came to worship there so the spirituall Temple is described by way of allusion to it by these parts 2. But touching the outercourt there is difference in the reading Pareus following Luther and the copies of Robert Stephanus readeth it the inner Court but Arethas the outer and so Arrias Montanus Oecumen August Beda Tho. Aquin. Abbas Ioachim Rupertus Haimo Beza c. But the difference in the sense is nothing the Court whether inner or outer is left vnmeasured to figure out the power which the Gentiles should haue there euen in the time of the repairing of the decayes of Gods Church by oppugning errour and teaching the truth But what is meant by the Court is hard to determine Some vnderstand the Popish Clergy Pareus Bullinger which together with the Pope haue apostatized from the truth these are not to be measured but left out as aliens from the grace of God and fitly are they set forth by the inne Court which was the Court of the Priests Some vnderstand all the Papists Brightman Forbs Grasserus which by this figure are set forth to be more than the professours of the truth as the Court was greater than the Temple and the city yet farre greater than it so the Lord would
Brunswicensis c. by the first Angell comming out of the Temple Iustus Ionas Melancthon Ambrosius c. who were a meanes to stirre vp those Princes to abolish the Masse and to restore the truth vnto the yeere 1530. By the other Angell with a sickle the Lord Cromwell here in England in the time of King Henry the eight who did much against Popery and by the Angell comming out from the Altar Thomas Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury in those daies who is said to haue power ouer the fire because hee triumphed in his suffering in the fiery flames for the truth and hee stirred vp the Lord Cromwell out of his great zeale to put downe superstition And the distance of the place where the bloud out of the Wine-presse ouer flowed being 1600. furlongs doth notably agree for in our English miles this is two hundred for although the length of England be three hundred miles yet one hundred in respect of the coldnesse and barrennesse may well be cut off as where there was no such great Vintage of religious persons who still gathered to the fattest places of the land I cannot approue of any of these expositions because not particular iudgements but the generall iudgement which at last shall be executed vpon Babylon is here figured out vnto which also all the circumstances may be very well fitted as by and by shall bee shewed And where any thing in words agreeing with the generall current of the holy Scriptures may well beare a sutable interpretation it is but curiosity to inuent singular interpretations Brightman hath beene much taxed for his making one like the Sonne of man comming vpon a cloud to be an earthly Prince neither doth that of his touching Cranmer agree ouer whom the fire did rather preuaile than he ouer the fire in that for feare he recanted for a time though afterwards hee constantly suffered martyrdome to say nothing of the hundred miles more in England than the space here set forth which in vaine he seeketh to reconcile Others that are for the last iudgement of Babylon when Christ shall come at the end of the world expound these things diuers waies Some will haue Christ represented here twice first like the Sonne of man secondly by the name of an Angell with a sickle because he is the Author of the destruction of the wicked and this vindicatiue power is originâ—lly and vertually in him but instrumentally in the Angels which are implored therein The Angell comming out of the Temple calling to him to put in his sickle into the haruest they expound of some prime Angell who entreateth him thus to doe and so likewise the Angell comming out from the Altar who hath power ouer the fire that is to execute Gods vengeance by fire as it shall be at the last day This is mentioned by Fox in part who also addeth that they hold that two similitudes are here vsed to set forth one and the same thing that of the haruest to signifie the gathering together of the Elect this of the Vintage to signifie the gathering together of the reprobate Pareus And part of it is Pareus his who will haue a prime Angell meant euery time that an Angell is mentioned here also he doth iustifie that exposiâ—ion of the Angell with a sharpe sickle of Christ before considered in himselfe here in the Ministers of his iudgement as Ioh. 4. Christ is said to baptize more Disciples than Iohn though he baptized not but his Disciples Fox Fox holdeth that two sickles are mentioned though thence be but one and the same sickle of Christ in allusion to that in Ioel 3.13 where sicklâ—s are spoken of and whereas an Angell speaketh vnto Christ to put in his sickle hee holdeth that nothing else is hereby signified but that Christ commeth to iudgement at the last day by the counsell and appointment of the Father of whom hee said that of the day and houre knoweth no man but the Father And that two similitudes are vsed the more amply to set forth the proceedings which shall be at this great day of iudgement I will not weary the Reader by producing more expositions but rather come directly to shew what I conceiue by comparing all their expositions together to bee the true meaning of this apparition I thinke it to be without doubt that Christs comming to iudgement is meant by one vpon a white Cloud like the Sonne of man and specially against Babylon whose case more particularly is acted here for Fox affirmeth that this was constantly held by all without contradiction till his time Act. 1. Mark 13.26 It was said that he should come so as he went vp into Heauen that is in a Cloud and that he should come in the Clouds and his golden Crowne is a plaine demonstration that hee is the King of Heauen In that an Angell comming out of the Temple biddeth him put his sickle into the haruest for the time is come Bullinger seemeth to me most rightly to resolue it that this is spoken parabollically Bullinger wherein all things are not to bee streined but only the scope to be respected and so an Angell is brought in telling him that the haruest is ripe as if a mans seruant comming out of the Corne field should tell him it is time to set on workemen to cut downe his Corne for it is ripe and beginneth to shed in the field and if any man will needs goe further in expounding all particulars here Fox that of Fox is the most probable that hereby is set forth that the particular appointing of this time is at the will of the father who because when hee declareth himselfe hee is wont to doe it by sending an Angell is said to send out from his presence an Angell here for he commeth out of the Temple a fit type of Gods presence Touching the other Angel comming out of the Temple also with a sharp sickle Vers 17. I assent vnto them that hold the same thing to be the second time hereby represented for the more ample declaration of the proceedings which shall be at the day of iudgement a thing not vnusual in the holy scriptures particularly in Ioel 3.13 whereto it is alluded here It is intimated therfore by this double description that as men doe in the time of haruest and in the Vintage time they cut down their Corne they cut their Grapes so all the people of the earth shal be cut down at the last day Now whereas amongst them some are good some bad it is left to be sought out elsewhere what shall become of the good and according to the scope of this place which is to terrifie the wicked adherers to the Whoore of Babylon the proceedings against them only are described they shall be cut downe as the Corne in the time of haruest and as the Grapes in the Vintage time that is they shall be destroyed from out of this world neither shall that be all but
here mentioned as the boundary of this time as it was of the former Moreouer here were a strange gap opened into an expectation of this world to last yet seuen hundred yeeres which is against all probability That exposition which referreth the thrones to the Pope cannot stand in reason for Satan being bound it is not to bee thought that his Lieutenants the Popes aduancement should be shewed but rather the aduancement of such as withstood him Neither can I subscribe to that of the glorified estate of the Saints departed vnto whom the rest of the dead are opposed who liued not againe till the thousand yeeres expired because some visible alteration is here doubtlesse set forth at the binding of the Deuill seeing otherwise the accomplishment of this Prophecy could not haue beene conceiued of by the faithfull vpon earth for their comfort when as it was without doubt set forth for this end and purpose And as for that exposition whereby these things are applied vnto the Prelates and Rulers of the Church the description of being set vpon thrones and hauing power of iudgement is too glorious to agree vnto them Wherefore I preferre that of the sensible most happy alteration in the state of the world in the dayes of Constantine the Great for then thrones were set for Christians and they had the power of iudging who before were iudged and in this time the soules of the faithfull who had beene put to death for the Christian religion in the time of persecution might well bee said to liue and reigne with Christ because they had beene set forth as lying vnder the Altar and crying for reuenge vpon those that shed their bloud Chap. 6. vers 9. all the time that the Heathen reigned And whosoeuer worshipped not the beast as they departed out of this life they had communion with them in this their erection all these thousand yeres that is the body of the Saints being considered as one but not euery particular member For they all and euery of them liued and reigned in this time of a thousand yeeres though some a longer some a shorter part of it Their liuing and reigning then here spoken of must needs haue reference to their lying and crying before mentioned and therefore as that was spoken of to set forth times of persecution without any appearance of a deliuerer that might reuenge that innocent bloud so here is nothing else set forth but a deliuerance of the Church and a putting of power into the hands of the faithfull to reuenge themselues vpon the heathen as was sometime giuen to the Iewes by thē meanes of Hester Ester 8. and Mordecai For although the soules of the faithfull did liue and reigne with Christ before mmediatly after their separation from the body yet because vnto perfect dominion it is not onely requisite to be in glory and ioy with the Lord but to haue our enemies beaten downe and destroyed they are not said to liue and reigne with the Lord till this accomplished Touching the rest of the dead who are said not to rise againe till these thousand yeeres ended I cannot thinke that it is meant of the dead in sinne and superstition who rise not till then that is neuer because they which were before spoken of are corporally dead for they were slaine and these are plainly a part of them for hee saith the rest of the dead and therefore corporally dead also I suppose then that by the rest of the dead the innumerable company of them that haue died since the beginning of the world are meant the time of whose resurrection is not to bee expected till after these thousand yeeres lest when we heare of some liuing and reigning with Christ and of thrones set and the iudgement giuen we should imagine the generall resurrection and Christs comming to iudgement to be here meant This is the first resurrection Vers 5. Vers 6. Blessed and holy is hee that hath part in the first resurrection c. This may seeme to bee plaine for a bodily resurrection maintained from this place by the Chiliasts because the liuing of the soules before spoken of being here reiterated is called a resurrection which cannot bee taken but for the rising againe of the body seeing the soule falleth not at all But it is to bee vnderstood that these words are metaphoricall and not proper the rising of the Church from vnder persecution to such an estate as wherein the truth is propagated with authority is as it were a resurrection from the dead and therefore is so called and because of the life that vniuersally came then into the world by meanes of the Gospell thus propagated it is called the first resurrection as the conuersion of the Iewes which shall be is called by the Apostle Rom. 11.15 Life vnto the world from the dead which is all one as if he had said with our Prophet here a resurrection They are said to be blessed and holy that haue part in this resurrection that is the faithfull of these times are aboue others blessed in this that they rule and reigne the world being now Christian and are not vnder the dominion of their enemies neither shall the second death seize vpon them as vpon none else that are in the like condition that is by the power of the Gospell and spirit raised vp from the death of sinne to the life of righteousnesse For of a bodily resurrection it cannot possibly be vnderstood as I haue already proued but being thus vnderstood all things will most excellently agree I saw thrones set and them that sate vpon them c. that is it was represented vnto me how in the time of Constantine the Great the faithfull should begin to rule and reigne in this world And I saw the soules c. that is and at that time it was shewed me by the altered condition of such as had giuen their liues for the truth who before were set forth as crying but now as ruling and reigning in token of an end put to those calamities and a beginning made of prosperity that the case of the Church was altered and this lasted a thousand yeeres This is the first resurrection c. that is this the faithfuls being aduanced to rule and reigne here being a meanes to conuert so many millions in all parts to the truth is as it were a generall resurrection going before that at the last day against which they are well prepared that haue their part in this by being quickened in grace for the second death shall neuer seize vpon such but they shall reigne with Christ a thousand yeeres by the prosperous and flourishing estate which the Church enioyeth here and afterwards for euer by being actually possessed of the kingdome of heauen in body and soule for euermore Note Note that the onely way to be safe from euerlasting destruction in hell is by making a resurrection before the last resurrection that is a resurrection vnto grace
that is he stirreth vp the Pope a secret enemy in the West and the Turke an open enemy in the East by fire and sword to destroy the company of those that stand for the truth which howsoeuer it hath beene in a great part fulfilled already yet the most remarkable time is to come wherein being gathered together in greatest multitudes they shall be by the immediate hand of God destroyed as with fire from Heauen so that they shall neuer be able to make head againe as was before set forth vnder the sixt Viall Chap. 16.16 by the place called Harmageddon into which they should bee gathered Which time the Deuill being concluded in hell should not in such manner seduce any more till the comming of the Lord to iudgement which is next set forth And I hold with those that say the phrase here is borrowed from Ezâ—echiel because of the similitude of that which was then done and now Then the people of God being returned from the captiuity were assaulted by Seleucus and Nicanor and Antiochus c. out of Asia Minor and Syria but were mightily deliuered by Iudas Machabeus and his brethren being extraordinarily stirred vp and assisted from Heauen Ezech. 38.22 Ezech. 29.6 and therefore their ouerthrow that came against them is set forth by fire and brimstone and againe by a fire which the Lord threatneth to send vpon Magog For in like manner the people of God in these latter daies being come out of the captiuity of Popery are assaulted with innumerable enemies but the Lord doth mightily preserue them and disappoint their enemies of their purpose and will we doubt not when greatest need shall be at the last yet more miraculously saue his by destroying their enemies both Turkes and Papists when they shall be in an highest attempt against them That the Scythians came of Magog who are the present Tukes and Tartars is agreed by all Writers and that Meshech and Tubal ouer which Gog is said to be the chiefe Prince are Iberia that is Spaine and Cappadocia Ieron de inter Heb. nom Ierome sheweth De interpr nominum Hebr. Touching other exposiâ—ions and first for that of enemies in generall it is too large and taketh away from the light giuen here to see more particularly into this matter for that which restreineth it to the Turkes onely seeing two names are here vsed I see no reason why both should be referred to one sort of enemies especially there being two that continually infest the Church of God so aptly figured out by them Touching the fire and the casting of the Deuill into the lake of fire and brimstone I cannot thinke it is to bee meant of the last iudgement and of the fire of that great day of the Lord because when that day shall come there shall be a generall security eating and drinking marrying and giuing in marriage and not warring and sighting for if an end of these warres should be made by the Lords comming to iudgement how should the faithfull haue time here to reioyce and to giue thankes vnto to God for their greatest enemies ouerthrowne It is true there may be some relikes of the Antichristian Sect after this 2 Thess 2.8 in regard of which it is said that Antichrist shall bee abolished by the brightnesse of the Lords comming but that hee shall stand to be able to make so great a power as is here described is most improbable The Turkes haue had hitherto great successe in their warres against Christians but they whom they haue fought against haue beene as bad as themselues or worse and therefore they haue beene armed to become a scourge vnto them as was shewed chap. 9. But when they shall come in their greatest power against the true Christians of the Reformed Religion though the Papists shall ioyne with them to make their Armies innumerable God will from Heauen fight against them and confound them In confidence whereof let vs be resolute and comfort our selues if we should see greater preparations of warre made by all our enemies for we shall vndoubtedly triumph ouer them all at the last Quest Vers 11. 4. What is meant by the appearance of a great white Throne and the comming together of all before him that sate vpon it and the fleeting away of Heauen and Earth from before him what are the Bookes and the other booke called The Booke of life according to the contents whereof all were iudged and according to their workes and how are death and hell cast into the lake of fire Answ Brightman There is no great difference amongst Expositors here onely some turne all that is said into an allegory of the conuersion of the Iewes holding that by the dead here set forth to rise together they are meant who haue beene all this time dead as it were in infidelity But the place is so plainly of the generall resurrection at the last day and the arguments so sleighty to cause vs to vary from the common receiued exposition which is of the generall resurrection and the exposition which applyeth it to the Iewes in the particular passages here is so wrested and forced Pareus as one a learned Writer hath well noted as that this may by no meanes be admitted The chiefe reason of this interpretation is drawne from that which followeth Chap. 21.22 because the Authour of it conceiueth that the description of the new Ierusalem with the circumstances cannot agree to the state of the Church triumphant in heauen and therefore a famous Church to come vpon earth must needs be pointed at there but how these may be applied to the state of the Church triumphant in heauen shall appeare in their proper place In the meane season I follow the common exposition of all Writers holding that the generall resurrection and proceedings which shall bee at the last day are here set forth for euery place of Scripture is properly to be vnderstood vnlesse there be a necessity of admitting a figure because otherwise either some absurdity will follow or it will not agree with the analogy of faith neither of which can be iustly said here He that sitteth vpon a great white Throne is the Lord Iesus who appeareth thus to shew his glory for white is a signe of glory Mat. 17.1 the heauen and earth are said to fly away from before him to declare the fiercenesse and intolerablenesse of his anger at that day which is such that neither earth nor heauen are able to beare it a circumstance very vnfit to bee applied to that most notable worke of grace in bringing the Iewes home to the faith They shall fly away in regard of their externall forme and figure for they shall be changed as a vesture the heauens melting with heat and the earth flaming with fire but their substance shall still remaine after this called a new heauen and a new earth as most hold The dead that stand before the Iudge are both great and small
riches and therefore the poore here is one poore and brought lowe in the world This would be noted Note that we may not be carried on according to the manner of the world to be ouerwhelmed with sorrow in time of aduersity and neuer to be so merry as when worldly wealth floweth in as though happinesse consisted in these things For this is a meere delusion The onely true and solid ioy is in the future exaltation in heauen the way vnto which is by poeurty and crosses in this world and in an humble minde here in the middest of worldly wealth CHAP. I. VERS 13.14 Let no man being tempted say I am tempted of God for God cannot be tempted of euill he tempteth no man 14 But euery one is tempted being drawne away by his owne concupiscence and inticed 15. Then lust hauing conceiued bringeth forth sinne but sinne perfected breedeth death Tho. Aqui. in Iacob Gorran Hauing spoken hitherto of externall temptations now hee speaketh of internall that is euill cogitations suggested to the minde whereby a man is enticed and drawne to euill these come not from God but from our spirituall enemies God indeed is said to tempt Abraham Genes 22. Deut. 12. and likewise to tempt the people of Israel but it is to be vnderstood that there is a twofold temptation the one of triall the other of deceit by the first God tempteth that men may be more purified as the gold being tried in the fire but not by the other The Deuill tempteth thus that he may deceiue vs the flesh that it may allure vs and the world that it may draw vs away Concupiscence within a man as originall tinder Rom. 7. Gal. 5. otherwise called the law of the members and the flesh lusting against the spirit that tempteth by drawing away from good and enticing to euill for by these two words are set forth the two termes the terme from which and the terme vnto which the right way from which and the wrong way vnto which Aug. Peccatum est spreto incommutabili bono commutabili bono adhaerere or the immutable good from which and the mutable good vnto which Ob. The deuill tempteth sometimes and therefore not concupiscence onely Sol. Although the deuill tempteth yet he can doe nothing if concupiscence were not euen as wood is not kindled by blowing vnlesse there be fire Concupiscence when it hath conceiued bringeth forth sinne c. The degrees of temptation are here noted out first there is delight alluring secondly consent conceiuing thirdly worke performing fourthly custome perfecting Lust conceiueth by the deuill who is as it were the father and lust the mother this conception is by the consent of the will or by delight Bringeth forth sinne that is into act Psal 7. It is perfected by custome and then death commeth that is it becommeth guilty of eternall damnation Rom. 6. for the wages of sin is death But why is death assigned only to custome doth not sinne delighted in or consented vnto and acted bring forth death also Answ Yes doubtlesse but it is most properly said thus of custome in sin because in such there appeare no signes of life there is little hope of his returne but in such as sometime fall into sin there are signes of life though more in the consenter vers 17. fewer in the acter of sinne Euery best guift and euery perfect guift This is added further to proue that no euill temptation is from God because good onely commeth from him which hee sheweth first from the copiousnesse of his guifts secondly from his immutable goodnesse thirdly from his liberality towards vs in begetting vs fourthly from their own iudgement Touching the degrees here set forth the good are temporall guifts the better naturall the best gracious The best guift of grace and the perfect guift of glory The first is called a thing giuen because it is in the way the other a guift without end in our Countrey The father of lights that is the author of all graces which are the lights of the soules Occum in Iac. By temptation here vnderstand that which ariseth from a mans owne sinnes and intemperance whereby trouble is brought vpon him and fluctuation of the minde now when trouble is brought thus vpon a man it is not a temptation from God but from his owne concupiscence Mayer August de verbis Domini Est temptatio inducens peccatum qua Deus nominem tentat est tentatio probans fidem qua tentare Deus hominem dignatur Pareus Faber Piscator Gagneus and all others that I haue seene follow Tho. Aquinas vnderstanding here that inward temptation that is to euill of which it seemed good to the Apostle to speake because he had commended temptations before For of outward temptations of trouble comming vpon a man by his own default it cannot be meant as Oecum would haue it because it is temptation to euill of which it is spoken here as is expressed when it is added God is not tempted of euill and the sequell of this temptation is plainly said to be sin not outward trouble in the world If it be demanded in what sense God is said to be vntemptible of euill Pareus the Latins reade it intentator malorum Pareus some others take it both actiuely and passiuely but because the actiue immediatly followeth He tempteth no man I thinke that it is to be vnderstood passiuely only The meaning is that our malice caÌ„not stir vp euil in him neither doth he tempt any man to euill as Occum hath noted was the saying of an Heathen Numen Deâ—s neque ipsâ— molestias habet neque alijs exhibel 2 Sam. 24. God the diuine Maiesty neither is himselfe troubled nor bringeth troubles vpon others Ob. He hardened Pharaohs heart whoÌ„ he will hee hardeneth and hee moued Dauid to number the people Sol. With Pareus I say that God doth not by tempting make any man euill but vpon such as are already euill he sendeth the iudgement of being hardened to the doing of more euill that hee may in the end receiue the greater damnation Reade more touching this point vpon Rom. 9. and August de bone perseuerantiae Epist 146. ad Consentium 2 If it be demanded what concupiscence is and whether it be not a sinne because hee seemeth here to make it but the cause of sinne and how temptation is ascribed onely to concupiscence when as the deuill also tempteth and so doth the world too I answer to the first that concupiscence is generally agreed vpon to be that originall inclination vnto euill which we draw from the loines of our first Parents To the second that S. Paul himselfe being the teacher it is sinne Rom. 7. and such a sinne as is condemned in the tenth Commandement though Popish Writers mince it and say that it is not truely and properly sinne but the cause of sinne and by the Apostle Paul
be against a multiplicity of Doctors which is rather commended Numb 11.29 Mat. 9.38 is answered already that hee impugneth not a multiplicity of able Teachers but of intruders into this Office without sufficiency That indeed which some Sophisters turne it to that there ought not to be many censurers in Ecclesiasticall matters but one viz. the Pope of Rome is absurd It may agree well vnto Teachers both by the method here vsed this being one of the greatest abuses of the tongue to vsurpe a teaching Office to the reprehending whereof hee returneth now againe and in regard of other places from which we may gather that this vsurpation was then vsuall and taxed likewise by other instruments of God as Act. 15.1 1 Tim. 1.7 But if it should be taken for iudging as Luk. 6.37 the name of Masters would not so well agree and it should rather haue beene said Be none of you Masters it being a thing vtterly vnlawfull in this sense Note Note that it is a most dangerous thing to aspire to the Office of a Teacher when a man is not sufficiently grounded in knowledge and learning Rom. 10.15 For this is not the office of euery one but of such as are called and singularly inabled vnto it If any rashly intrude themselues their condemnation shall bee the greater because hereby ambition is added to their other sinnes as in Saul and Vzziah sacrificing being thus puft vp 1 Tim. 3.6 they fall into the condemnation of the Deuill Note againe Note that if God should marke straightly the doings of the best all must needs be found sinners and that in many things and so liable to his iudgements wherefore wee had need to be circumspect and wary against sinne being assured that when we haue done the best that we can we shall still haue sinnes enow to answer for and therefore in our greatest circumspection and best doing we ought to acknowledge our imperfections and because sinnes haue beene in the very best it will not be safe for vs shrouding our selues vnder any example to aduenture vpon any sinne CHAP. 3. VER 2. If any offendeth not in word the same is a perfect man able to bridle also the whole body c. This is not spoken to teach Pareus that any are so perfect that they are without out sinne but rather on the contrary side to conuince all of sinne for hauing affirmed immediatly before that all of vs sinne in many things what better proofe can there be hereof than to instance in the sinfulnesse of the tongue so little a member for if a man hauing a whole body to gouerne well cannot so much as gouerne this little member but that hereby he sinneth so much how can he be counted perfect and without all sinne He is farre also from instifying hereby such as steale murther or commit adultery if they can well gouerne their tongues for his onely drift is to shew by the sinnes of the tongue that all sinne in many things If any sinne not in word he is a perfect man is no more therefore but as if hee should haue said hereby it appeareth that none are so perfect but that they sinne in many things because if but this one way of sinning viz. in speech be considered there is not one but is guilty for to proue a generall vnrulinesse of the tongue tendeth his whole discourse here So the tongue is a little member and boasteth great things Verse 5. As the bridle in the horses mouth and a little rudder in the hand of the gouernour of a ship so the tongue but little in comparison of the body boasteth great things in the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth magnifically lift vp it selfe saith Beza is a word that is no where else vsed in the holy Scriptures and it may haue reference both to good and euill according to the examples of good going before and of euill following after these words The tongue is a world of wickednesse that is Verse 6. because it hath in it all manner of vices as the world hath all kinds of things Setteth on fire the whole course of nature that is the whole course of this life that is infected with it and is set on fire of hell that is of the deuill who as he is a lyer and slanderer so he corrupteth the tongues of men vnto the like The whole nature of beasts and birds c. that is Verse 7. some of euery kinde are tamed by man yea Lions and Beares and Panthers Non vniuersaliter de singulis generum sed restrictè de generibus singulorum intelligendum c. haue beene brought to dance to follow men vpon a line and to make letters as Pliny writeth Fishes are brought to take meat at their Masters hands and Serpents haue beene tamed so that their keepers could handle them make them without hurt to twine themselues about their neckes That he might deterre them from the desire of prelation to teach in the Church of God Th. Aquinas Gorran he sheweth the incuitable offences of speaking so that hee is a rare man that offendeth not Eccl. 19. There is no man that offendeth not with his tongue of such offending at large it is not spokē here but of offending in teaching of which a man may beware or of offending in a more hainous manner by lying railing and slandering according to the glosse Now that there are some perfect-men though but few that offend not thus he sheweth by two similitudes of a bridle guiding an horse and of a rudder guiding a ship His reason is this he that can turne about and guide his whole body to a good worke is perfect but he that can gouerne his tongue well can doe thus Ergo the minor is proued because he can put a bridle vpon it The tongue being little Verse 5. exalteth great things that is either the soules of men to great rewards or to great punishments Behold how much wood a little fire kindleth Hauing hitherto spoken of the vertues of the tongue now he speaketh of the vices It is called a fire because it enflameth others a world of wickednesse because hereby we sinne against God blaspheming against our Neighbour by railing c. and against our selues by vaine boasting All are said to be tamed by man Vers 7. Pliny Marcellinus because some of all kindes Pliny telleth of an huge Aspe in India that came daily out of his hole to receiue meat at a mans table Marcellinus telleth of a Tygre that was made tame and sent from India to Anastasius Or according to the Glosse this may be vnderstood metaphorically by beasts men that are theeues and murtherers by Birds instable persons and by Serpents such as are cunning to hurt for these may be conuerted sooner than the tongue tamed Hauing shewed that he which is able to order his tongue aright Faber Stapul in teaching nothing but the truth is a perfect
it agreeth best to vnderstand it of those that be of an inferiour ranke amongst whom all younger persons are included as Saint Paul sheweth Gal. 4.1 and so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is vsed Luk. 22.26 1 PETER Chapter 5. Verse 13. The Church that is at Babylon saluteth you Vers 14. Greet yee one another with a kisse of charity BY Babylon here all the Ancients generally Mayer Luther Faber and Luther and Faber vnderstand Rome so called because of the idolatrous confusion that was then there and cruelty that was vsed against the faithfull in that City and this allegoricall Exposition follow all popish Writers of whom Lorinus hath made a Catalogue to the number of 26. But Beza and Piscator Beza Piscator and other newer Writers vnderstand Babylon in Chaldea where Peter was when he wrote this Epistle holding that it cannot be proued that he was euer at Rome and if he had meant the Church at Rome he had no reason to conceale the name and Luther saith that he knoweth not whether by Babylon here Rome be meant or no. It seemeth the more probable that Rome is not meant but Babylon properly vnderstood because Peter was the Apostle of the circumcision and therefore according to his Office might well be in those parts where many Iewes were But because it hath beene the common receiued opinion of the Church thorow so many ages I subscribe rather to the allegoricall exposition that Rome is meant here For Peter was sent to preach vnto the Gentiles also Act. 10. and so might well be at Rome though there bee no certaine proofe hereof in sacred Story but rather a probability that hee was not there What if the Lord would guide this blessed Apostle who was the first and chiefe in setting forth diuine Mysteries to name Rome Babylon to giue the more light to that which should afterwards be prophesied of Rome vnder this name in the Reuelation The Roman Catholikes contend the rather for this exposition of the name that it may appeare that Peter was at Rome But be it so yet by their owne choice Rome is called Babylon in the phrase of Gods Spirit and then Babylon is Rome which is so infamous in the Reuelation and that not heathen Rome as they pretend thinking thus to salue all againe but popish Rome as I haue shewed more at large there His sonne Marcus who is said to haue saluted them was Marke the Euangelist called his sonne because he begat him by the Gospell as Paul calleth Timotheus his sonne Piscator speaketh of him as his naturall sonne but Oecumenius confuteth that opinion as hauing too weake a ground viz. Act. 12. where it is said that Peter came to the house of Mary the mother of Iohn whose surname was Marke that is say some to his owne house where his wife and children were But if this had beene meant there could haue beene no reason to speake by a periphrasis but directly and plainly Touching the saluting of one another with a kisse of charity enough hath beene spoken 1 Cor. 16.20 Touching the Messenger that carried this Epistle Siluanus it is thought by many that he was the same who is called Silas Act. 15.22 and whose name is prefixed with the name of Timotheus before some of Pauls Epistles THE SECOND EPISTLE CATHOLIKE OF THE Apostle PETER TOuching the Author of this Epistle it is not to be doubted but as it beareth the name of Peter the Apostle of Christ so it was written by him to the same persons to whom he wrote the first And to confirme this the more he saith That hee was present with the Lord in the holy Mount when his glory appeared vers 18. for hereby Gregory the great confuteth those that doubted whether it were written by Peter or no. Hierom Eusebius Greg. Hom. 18. in Ezech. Euseb l. 2. c. 40. Hieron de viris illustribus and Nicephorus doe all shew that it hath sometime beene doubted of but indeed there was neuer any reason to doubt of it and therefore it hath beene receiued by all orthodox Writers for canonicall and for Saint Peters vndoubted Epistle no man euer reiecting it though some haue sometime doubted of it It was written according to Baronius as I haue shewed before vpon the first Epistle three and twenty yeeres after the first the same yeere that Peter suffered martyrdom The Argument is a commendation of a godly vertuous life vnto them lest by his former Epistle they should gather that it sufficeth onely to beleeue and an admonition to take heed of false Teachers especially as some thinke being occasioned by the followers of Simon and some by the Gnostickes though that be more improbable seeing Carpocrates the Author of that heresie or Basilides were not in the Apostles daies It seemeth that hee had some reuelation touching his martyrdome shortly to come whereupon he toucheth and therefore he was the more carefull to leaue this Epistle as a further Memento to all the faithfull In his first Epistle hee sought to arme the faithfull with comfort and patience against such as troubled them here he terrifieth the troublers of the Church with threatnings of such iudgements as God of old hath executed against the wicked He beginneth in the first Chapter with salutations commemorating the great grace of God in Iesus Christ towards the faithfull vnto vers 5. to the faith in whom he exhorteth to ioyne all Christian vertues vers 5 6. yeelding some reason how that thus their faith shall appeare to be a true faith indeed and their knowledge of Christ shall not be without benefit in the end whereas otherwise it will proue but vaine and fruitlesse vers 8 9 10 11. And then making some Apology for his remembring them of these things who knew them so well already vers 12 13. he confirmeth both by testimony from Heauen of which he was an eare-witnesse Mat. 17. that saluation is to be lookt for in Christ vers 16 17 18. and by the testimony of the Prophets exhorting them to be conuersant in their writings for their further illumination and confirmation vers 19. Teaching the infallibility of their prophesies vers 20 21. 2 PETER Chapter 1. Verse 4 5 6. Whereby are giuen to vs exceeding great and precious promises that by them ye might be partakers of the diuine nature hauing escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust And besides this giuing all diligence adde to your faith vertue c. WHereby that is by the comming of which Lord Iesus Occuâ—en in 2 Pet. 1. Exceeding great promises are giuen vnto vs that is many excellent gifts of grace whereby we might be made partakers of the diuine nature being lifted vp to life and godlinesse and therefore wee ought so to carry our selues as that wee may ioyne vertue to faith and by vertue goe forward to the increase of piety till we come to the perfect good of all viz. charity We are made
Many vnderstand the participle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 set out as equally belonging to the Heauen and the Earth and so expound out of the waters and by the waters of them both as you may see in the exposition of Oecumenius Erasin Beda and Luther and Erasmus alleageth Beda reading it thus The Heauens were constituted of old out of the water and by the water But Thomas Aquinas referreth these words Out of the water and by the water onely to the earth Beza and Beza making the distinction at these words The Heauens were of old and then adding and the Earth consisting out of the waters c. affirming that in the most ancient Copies consenting in one it is thus and our new Translation That by the Word of God the Heauens-were of old and then after a point of distinction and the Earth standing out of the waters Piscator c. Beza and Piscator for by the waters reade in the waters Gagneus as also 1 Pet. 3.20 Gagneus a iudicious though a Popish writer although he be altogether against that reading of Erasmus as being contrary to all Greeke Copies yet he saith That the Greekes generally vnderstood the matter out of which the Heauens were made to be here intimated and hee saith that he verily thinketh nothing else to be meant heare but that the Heauens and the Earth were made of water for saith he if his drift touching the Heauens should be onely to teach that they were of old Caietan who knoweth not that Caietan saith That the Heauens and the Earth are said to be out of the water because these creatures which are of the aire and they which liue vpon the earth also haue their beginning from water but this is forced I subscribe to Beza for the reading as indeed none can deny it but with Gagneus and the Greeks I hold that as the earth was set out of the waters and consisteth by the waters because at the first no earth appeared but all was couered with water but the waters being commanded to gather together the earth appeared and it is by the waters as it were cemented and conglutinated as Oecumenius speaketh which is in short here expressed so because in the History of Genesis to which this place hath reference the making of the Heauens is so set forth as that we may easily gather how they are out of the water and by the water I cannot hold this to be also intimated here For the Firmament betweene the waters and the waters is called Heauen this was out of the waters because before the diuision betwixt the waters aboue and the waters beneath it appeared not but after it came out betwixt them both it is by the waters because in the midst of them by being as much as in So that when he saith The heauens were of old it is to be vnderstood constituted out of the teaters by or in the waters quod enim subint elligitur non deest Whereas it is obiected by some that though by the Heauen the Aire bee vnderstood yet by Heauens in the plurall number it is neuer so taken I answer that it may well be set forth in the plurall number in respect of the diuers Regions neither is there any word in the Hebrew signifying Heauen but in the plurall number Touching the drift of the Apostle here thus mentioning the first originall of the Heauens and the Earth it is very aptly and pertinently done for as by the power of God and according to his Word the Heauens and the Earth were made at the first and wonderfully separated from the waters being no lesse miraculously preserued in that estate so by waters all things were drowned againe and once more by the same diuine appointment shall all things be destroyed by fire for he that by his Word hath done these things already how shall it be doubted but hauing said it he will burne vp the world with fire also Touching the next words vers 6. whereby Vers 6. Beza readeth it wherefore Luther neuerthelesse Piscator followeth Beza But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth properly signifie whereby or by which things and that exposition pleaseth me best which referreth it to the Heauens and the Earth because from Heauen aboue and from the earth beneath the waters flowed and the world of creatures both terrestriall and aeriall were drowned and perished euen all that were out of the Arke For by the world cannot be meant the substance of the Earth and Aire seeing this remained still and so it shall after the next and last destruction by fire as Oecumenius hath well set it forth but reade more of this Rom. 8.19 For the words vsed are reserued for fire being treasured vp by the same word Vers 7. Tho. Aquin. Thomas Aquinas will haue them meant of the restitution of all things to their forme againe after that drowning by water till that they shall againe be destroyed by fire Th. Aquinas but others vnderstand them as wicked men are said to treasure vp vnto themselues wrath against the day of wrath Rom. 2.4 subiected vnto Gods power vntill this time of burning shall come which is the most probable Touching that fire destroying the wicked mention is made in some other places also as 2 Thes 1.7 8. Psal 50.3 Psal 96.3 but there is a question amongst Expositors whether it shall be at the time of the iudgement before or after If at the iudgement time it should seeme to bee an hinderance to the proceedings if before then the godly shall bee yet mixed together with the wicked and feele the paine of burning which is improbable and after it is not likely because the wicked are immediatly sent into hell fire Yet some of great note hold that it shall be after August Prosper Anselm as August lib. 20. de Ciuit. c. 16. Prosper in dimid temp c. 19 20. and Ansel in elucidat c. but the words imply that it shall be before reserued to the fire vnto the day of iudgement and 1 Cor. 3.11 it is set forth as the case of euery one that hee must passe thorow the fire and 2 Thes 1.7 the Lord is said to come in flaming fire so that the beginning of the iudgement is by fire hereby the wicked shall be first destroyed that is burnt and tormented but he that could cause a flame of fire to bee in the bush without burning it can and will prouide that the godly though in the midst of the fire shall feele no burning for they shall at that instant be changed becomming of naturall spirituall so that a materiall fire shall not affect them at all Then there being in all likelihood some cessation of this burning the iudgement shall succeed after which the wicked shall goe into euerlasting flames and therefore though they be said to be destroyed yet they are not so destroyed but they remaine still to endure further torment Martin
he contradicteth him saying That there are many of them that are predestinated vnto life that goe out of the Church and some that are in the Church and in grace are Reprobates What will not these men dare to say that are of such impudency to disgrace and gaine-say what an Apostle of Christ hath written if it maketh against their conceits But against this slander be it knowne that the going out of those that were not truly faithfull that it might appeare that they were such was mentioned to very good purpose both for the comfort of such as truly beleeue and vpon due consideration embrace the Gospell and for the credit of the truly faithfull For it is a great comfort to the true Christian to be assured that he shall keepe his standing and not be giuen ouer when he hath embraced the truth to such blindnesse as that he should afterwards be led away after error and of a Christian proue Antichristian and it maketh much for the credit of the truly faithfull that no such are thus mutable but only some intruders that lurke amongst them for a time that were neuer indeed of their number therefore might turne to any thing And lastly this may serue to warne euery man to take heed how he embraceth the Christian Religion lest not being an hearty and serious professor of it he be in iudgement giuen ouer to be an Antichrist to his greater condemnation What is meant by the anointing from the holy one and their knowing of all things This anointing is the inward illumination of the holy Ghost Gre. 5. Mor. c. 19. allocutio intimae inspirationis quae humanam mentem contingendo subleuat Iren. l. 4. c. 43. Chrysma doctrinae so Gregory saith saith that it is the allocution of internall inspiration which by touching doth eleuate mans minde Ireneus calleth it the anointing of doctrine Some haue wrested this place to proue the vse of Chrisme in baptisme whereas indeed it is not any external thing which he meaneth here but internall seeing by nothing externall we attaine to the knowledge of diuine mysteries but by an inward illumination Yet it cannot be denied but that the anointing of those that were baptized Cypri Epist 70 72. Tertul. l. de resur carnis is very ancient for Cyprian maketh mention of it ascribing too much vnto it and so doth Tertullian and Cyril Catech. 3. and Basil de sp s cap. 28 c. But Iustin Martyr maketh no mention of it whereby it appeareth that it was not in his time Athan. Orat. 2. contr Arrian And Athanasius saith plainly that Christ was not anointed with oyle and bestowed the spirit without any such Ceremony Euseb lib. 1. Hist cap. 4. Platina de Syluestro Eusebius saith that Christians are no more anointed with types and figures but by the naked vertues themselues And Platina saith that Syluester was the first that instituted this anointing Wherefore S. Iohn doubtlesse doth not insinuate any such Ceremony here but onely the inward anointing to vnderstand Touching the holy one some with Tho. Aquinas hold him to be Christ Beda Oecumen Faber Stapul Piscator as Beda some the holy Ghost as Oecumenius and some both as Carthusianus and Faber Stapulensis I subscribe with Piscator vnto the first for of the fulnesse of Christ we all receiue of the holy Ghost Iohn 1.16 and he often promised to send the holy Ghost Ioh. 14.26 that should instruct his in all things Their knowing of all things was of all fundamentall points of faith wherein these Antichrists did labour to seduce them as all agree and not such a knowledge as vnto which nothing more could be added 2 Pet 3.20 for wee are still to grow in knowledge and grace What is meant by saying that he is a lyar who denieth Iesus to be the Christ nay he saith Who is a lyar but he Vers 12. Is there none other lye but this or can he not truly be said to be Antichrist who doth not plainly deny Iesus to be Christ Beda Faber Sâ—â—â—â— To the first Beda answereth that this lye is so great that others are nothing in comparison of it but Faber better if such an one be not a lyar who is a lyar because to deny Iesus to be Christ is a most notorious lye To the second it is commonly answered that it is chiefly spoken against the Iewes who denied Iesus the sonne of Mary to be Christ and against Simon who said that there was another Iesus who descended from Heauen into Iordan as Oecumenius hath it Oecumen For this was a chiefe reason of S. Iohns writing both of this Epistle and of his Gospell to declare that Iesus is the Christ as he expresly speaketh Iohn 20.31 But it cannot hence be collected that none can be rightly said to be Antichrist but he that directly denieth Iesus to be the Christ and the Sonne of God for there is a denying of him euen by those that in word acknowledge him they confesse Christ Tit. 1.26 but in their deeds they denie him And I haue already shewed that by the consent of all the Fathers any heretike or wicked person is an Antichrist Valentinus is condemned by Oecumenius for a notorious Antichrist because hee said that besides God the Father of Christ there is another Father that cannot be named Cerinthus is held to haue beene Antichrist because he taught that Iesus began to be the Sonne of God in his baptisme not before and that afterwards the Spirit went away from him againe and then he suffered death and they who haue denied Christ to be God are also censured as denying the Son And by the like reason the Pope denying such a Christ as is set forth in the holy Scriptures is Antichrist for he denieth him to be our only Mediator and Aduocate he denieth the merit of his passion to be such as that hereby we are perfectly saued from our sinnes and the punishments thereof seeing he teacheth a necessity of our satisfying for temporall punishments he denieth his ordinance of his blessed Supper in both kindes and he denieth his body to be a true humane body for such a body is in one place at one time onely c. If the Antichrist should directly deny the Father and the Sonne he were easie enough to be knowne neither could he possibly deceiue so many Christian people as it is said that he shall Reu. 13. Hee must therefore be onely couertly denying Christ but openly making a profession of him By what consequence can it be proued that he that denieth the Sonne hath not the Father Verse 2â— and so on the contrary side It is commonly answered that the Father and Son are Relatiues and therefore if the Son be denied the Father is also denied seeing he cannot be a Father vnlesse he hath Iesus to his Sonne because he is the onely begotten Sonne of the Father Againe the Father is denied because hee hath
Brightman It is spoken according to the metaphor of a whore here taken vp Pareus whom loathsome diseases doe oftentimes seize vpon and make her more miserable than if she were presently slaine Those that commit adultery with her are the chiefe vpholders of that Heresie consenting together with her in subtill inuentions to the same purpose Her children were the seduced by them thus labouring together to propagate their filthy heresie though some vnderstand rather children properly so called Pareus but the adulterers being expounded so as they are I see no reason for this It is not therefore a lesse punishment which is threatned to Iezabel and her louers than to her children but rather a greater because they should haue a longer lingring and so a more miserable death The seduced shall all perish but seducers shall be more punished for example that all may behold it and feare Quest 4. How is it said that hereby all the Churches shall know that I am the searcher of the hearts and reines Vers 23. Answ The reason of this is plaine because Iezabel is said to be masked vnder the Visour of a Prophetesse so that men could not discouer her but when the Lord should thus make her a spectacle of his iudgements it should appeare that all her faire pretext was but dissimulation and that shee had a vile heart coloured ouer with sanctity They then which are the Church of God ought to make this vse of Gods iudgements vpon the aduersaries of the truth to take notice and to be confirmed hereby that God abhorres the wickednesse lying hid in their hearts with how good words soeuer they colour ouer their heresie whatsoeuer extraordinary thing they doe for confirmation thereof And generally when any are thus discouered we are to take notice of Gods omniscience from which no wickednesse though most secretly acted can bee hidden no nor the inwardest euill thoughts of the heart Quest 5. Why is it promised to this Church peculiarly to reigne ouer nations and to haue the morning starre Vers 26. and what is meant by these things Answ For the distinct title of the reward here set forth different from those to other Churches I finde nothing amongst Expositors but it is plainly according to the argument of the Epistle wherein mention is made of Iezabel who was sometime a Queene and reigned ouer the people of God exercising much tyranny against them Wherefore as it was needfull they are comforted with a promise of reigning and subduing all their enemies at the last when for a time they had held out in their encounters with them without shrinking away from the truth for feare Againe for the morning starre it fitly answereth to their not knowing of the depth of Satan as they call it for which it is likely they were counted shallow and weake of vnderstanding in that they could not see into such a profound point of the liberty of Idolathites c. For though they were in this regard for a time contemned as void of that light which was in others of Iezabels Sect yet they should haue a farre brighter light bestowed vpon them namely the morning Starre as a token of the true light wherein they then were when as the other indeed had no more light than could come from Satans darke dungeon So that if there be any thing to discourage those that bee in the right either of violence or derision the comfort to come will hearten and encourage against them all because if they be reigned ouer now by persecutors they shall reigne then ouer them if they be insulted ouer and disparaged they shall be honoured by being declared of a farre more excellent condition than their aduersaries For the meaning of these things it is not vnusuall to set forth our reigning in Heauen by saying They shall sit vpon twelue Thrones and iudge the twelue Tribes of Israel and the Saints shall iudge the world from which here is no great variation shall haue power ouer nations which is further amplified by saying and shall rule them with a rod of iron and breake them in peeces like a Potters vessell a speech taken out of the second Psalme to shew that they shall partake of the same honour of reigning with Christ whose reigne is there described according to Bullenger and Pareus c. So that the word nations setteth forth wicked enemies of the truth as of old the Gentiles or Nations alwaies were But euen as Christ ouercame ruleth ouer all so shall the faithfull reigne with Christ and as a Potters vessell is not able to stand against a bar of iron no more shall they be able euer againe to stand against Gods people but shall irreparably be crusht in pieces through the weight of Christs anger as an earthen vessell being broken can neuer be made whole againe all which is a great glory vnto Christ and because the godly shall coumunicate with him in all his glory all this is ascribed vnto them also Thus Ierome and Gregory vnderstand this passage Psal 2. But others of the conuersion of the Gentiles as Chrysostome Augustine Theodoretus Beda Euthym. and so they expound the rod of iron to be a Scepter of equity but this can by no meanes stand Some also vnderstand this place of rule and dominion here ouer enemies of the truth as Beda and Primasius but seeing the victory is not till the end and this reward is not giuen till the victory bee obtained it is plaine that the reward to come in Heauen must needs be meant Touching the morning Starre Primasius some vnderstand hereby the resurrection of the body because the night of this world shall then haue an end and the Day of glory shall beginne to appeare Richard de Sancto victore Some the glorification of the soule because as the morning Starre goeth before the Sunne so the soule shall be glorified before the whole man Some the light of vnderstanding in spirituall things Ioachim which is thus set forth Bullinger 2 Pet. 1.19 and should more and more increase in their hearts Bullinger Some the glory of the world to come which is compared to the glory of a Starre Beda Rupertus Dan. 12.1 And lastly some vnderstand Christ so stiled cap. 22.16 I am the root and the stooke of Dauid the bright morning Starre hee doth therefore promise to giue them himselfe either as a foreteller of the resurrection and life to come which is done in his resurrection for as much as it doth fore-demonstrate our resurrection Greg. Moral lib. 19. cap. 30. euen as the morning Starre the rising of the Sunne as Gregory speaketh or else he will giue himselfe by communicating his glory to them Of all these I preferre that which is for light of vnderstanding Pareus as I haue partly touched already it agreeing most fitly with the precedents for so much as they had not knowne the depth of Satan and
all earnestnesse in that hee is said first to haue ouercome which argueth thus much CHAP. IIII. IN this and the fifth Chapter the Lord being about to reueale things to come vnto Iohn to the end of the world taketh him vp into Heauen in the Spirit because from hence only can the knowledge of these things bee attained vpon earth it is knowne what is past and present but not what is to come no not by Astrologians or Sooth sayers or idols wherein Deuils spake For let them tell what shall come and say they are gods as speaketh the Prophet Esay Here is first declared in what great state and maiesty the God of heauen reigneth and the Lambe of God the Lord Iesus Christ Quest 1. Who was it that sate vpon the throne Vers 3. and why is he like vnto a Iasper and Sardin stone and what meaneth the rainebow about the throne like to an Emrald Answ It is agreed by all that hee which sate vpon the throne was God the King of all but for the likenesse here mentioned there is great difference Some considering the colour of the Iasper to be greene of the Sardin to be red Ioachim Forbs Brightman and of the Emrald to be a pleasant bright green will haue the holy Trinity here set forth the Father in whom all haue their being and growth by the Iasper the Sonne who was all red by that bloudy death which he suffered for our sinnes by the Sardin the Spirit who is the comforter by the Emrald This doth not so well agree because so the Spirit should not be one with the Father and the Sonne as the rainebow round about the throne and he that sitteth in the throne are notall one Others will haue the two natures of Christ set forth here the diuine by the Iasper and the humane by the Sardin Ambros Amâ—ber Pareus and the grace and mercy of God towards man in him by the rainebow which was first appointed for a signe hereof but against this maketh that which followeth of the Lambe Cha. 5. for if he were in the same vision sitting vpon a throne in this similitude he could not bee at the same time in the similitude of a Lambe also Others will haue the Father and Sonne set forth by these two precious stones Bullinger and the holy Ghost by the thunder and lightnings proceeding out of the throne but for so much as these are things of terrour and the Spirit the comforter wee cannot vnderstand it thus Others will haue the deluge of water set forth by the Iasper and the fire of the last iudgement by the Sardin Tyconius Beda Primasius Rupertus and the interim of peace and grace between these times by the Rainebow but how the greene Iasper should set forth water I cannot see nor why the Lord should carry a similitude whereby these things may be expressed seeing in heauen he appeareth as he is in himselfe most and not so much as he is in his works and iudgements Lastly not to reckon vp all the expositions but these which may seeme most probable Pareus followeth this though he defendeth that of the Son of God also some vnderstand by these precious stones the excellency of God both in respect of his glory and that singular vertue that is in him which nothing can more fitly expresse than precious stones for colour and appearance admirable no lesse admirable in vertue and operation Viegas And more particularly they may well set forth his mercy by which all things liue and are in their vigour greene and flourishing and his iustice through which hee becommeth fiery red in his anger against sinne Confer Ezech. 1.27.28 The life of all vegetable things is declared by greene and life of sensitiue things by red arising froÌ„ bloud it may be that God is here shewed to be the Author of all life Vers 4. Tyconius Beda Primasius Bullinger The rainebow like an Emrald is the reflexion of these colours further declaring the brightnesse of his glory and is a setled signe of peace to all the inhabitants of heauen who shall neuer bee cast out any more as the ambitious Angels sometime were so that it is good being there and great reason there is why our hearts should bee alwayes thitherward that we might behold this glory and be out of that mutable condition wherein we now stand Quest 2. And round about the throne there were foure twenty thrones and foure and twenty Elders c. Who were these Elders sitting vpon thrones round about Answ Some vnderstand the twelue Patriarkes and Apostles as Fox and Pareus relate some the whole Church represented by them seeing the Church vnder the old Testament sprang from the Patriarkes and the Church vnder the new from the Apostles and the Church now is twice as great as of old when it was in twelue Tribes and therefore this number is well doubled Fox some vnderstand nothing but a shew of the dependancy and subiection of all principalities vpon and vnto God because they cast downe their crownes which they haue of gold some the foure twenty books of canonicall Scriptures in the old Testament Grasserus Lastly some vnderstand the most excellent of those which haue beene set vp in the Church of God Richard de Sancto Victore Rupertus Pannonins Ioacbimus both vnder the old and new Testament who sit now as Senatours about the great Emperour in heauen not that there are no more but iust thus many but because a counsell amongst the Iewes did anciently consist of foure and twenty this certaine number is put for an vncertain as the Priests appointed also to serue in the Temple by course in the dayes of Dauid were foure and twenty And this is most probable because to the twelue Apostles are promised twelue thrones and so likewise without doubt all Apostolicall persons shall be likewise most highly aduanced in the kingdome of glory being placed as Counsellers of State neerest about the King As for the other Expositions first it were a great wrong to others more worthy than many of them to hold that they are not as neere vnto God as the twelue Patriarks Secondly it were improper here to vnderstand the whole company of the Church triumphant who are spoken of more particularly Chap. 5. v. 13. Thirdly it doth not agree by Senatours appearing in heauen to set forth all Princes whereof many shall neuer come there And for that of the foure and twenty bookes I cannot conceiue any ground for it at all Quest 3. And out of the throne went thunders Vers 5. and lightnings and voices And seuen lamps of fire burning c. What is meant by these lightnings thunders and voices and what are these lampes Answ I haue already shewed that though these proceeded out of the throne yet the holy Ghost cannot be meant hereby Some obseruing three and three things mentioned here together Forbs Brightman lightnings
Aug. lib. 20. de Ciuit. Dei c. 17. that here the same things are many waies repeated that diuers things may seeme to be spoken when as it may be found out that the same things are spoken diuers waies Wherefore with these my Authors I distinguish this Booke from hence-forward to the end into six visions First of the seales c. to the end of the seuenth Chapter Secondly of the Trumpets to the end of the eleuenth Thirdly of the woman in child-bed c. to the end of the fourteenth Chapter Fourthly of the seuen Vials to the end of the sixteenth Chapter Fiftly of the whore of Babylon to the end of the nineteenth Chapter Sixtly of the Angell binding Satan c. to the end of the Booke To beginne with the vision of these two Chapters Quest 1. Behold a white horse Vers 2. and he that sate on him had a bow c. What is meant by this white horse and by the red and blacke and pale horse and why doth the first beast prepare to the beholding of this the second to the second c. and why in speaking of the third is there a voice out of the Throne heard Vers 5. A measure of wheat for a penny and three measures of barly for a penny c. Petrus Aureolus Cardinalis Blas Viegas Ans There is great difference amongst Expositors here Some will haue the Roman Emperours vnderstood at foure times First vnder Caius Caligula in whose time the enemies of Christianity the Iewes were destroied and Caius though not purposely was made the instrument Secondly vnder Nero Domitian who first put out publike edicts for the persecuting of Christians Thirdly vnder Titus whose Empire was a blacke time to the Iewes suffering besides many other things much famine Fourthly vnder Domitianus who moued the second persecution and put Iohn into boiling lead But all these things being past and this vision tending to set forth things to come this exposition cannot stand Primasius Augustine Haimo Beda Arethas Others vnderstand by the first the going forth of the Gospell vnder Christs conduct who with his spirituall arrowes pierceth mens hearts and hath a Crowne to reward the faithfull withall by the second oppositions of the truth stirred vp by the Deuill as the rider of the red horse by the third false Christians and hypocriticall hauing a ballance onely for a colour whom the Deuill also rideth by the fourth persecutions to the death by the sword and wilde beasts c. But neither doth this agree because killing one another vnder the second horse is expresly mentioned and not opposing onely and the exposition of the third is too generall concerning all times whereas doubtlesse the intent here is to set downe the diuers condition of the Church in seuerall ages Bullenger Forbs Brightman Aretius Others vnderstand by the second horse wars wherewith the world was punished for not receiuing the Gospell when the Romans were so full of trouble by the third famins wherewith they were afterwards punished as in the dayes of Seuerus witnesse Tertull. in Apologet. who maketh mention both of a most grieuous famine and of a strange ecclipse of the Sunne in Conuentu Vitcensi By the fourth horse plague and pestilence wherewith they were further punished If by these three last horses iudgements were set forth vpon persecutors how is it that the soules vnder the Altar complaine for want of reuenge this happened in the dayes of Gallus and Volusianus for then a plague beginning at Aethiopia ouerspread almost all the East and West enduring fifteene yeeres as Zonaras writeth and Dionys Alexandrinus in Epist ad Fratres But partly because according to this exposition either the words following of the day of iudgement must bee forced or the greatest space of time betwixt that pestilence and the end of the world will bee left vntouched and partly because these punishments tooke not vp all but some of those persecuting times whereas if it may bee such an exposition is requisite as may agree to the whole tract of time from this Reuelation made vnto the end therefore I cannot see how this may be receiued Richard de Sancto victore Ioâ—chim D. Chytreus Aretius Fulco Franc. Lamb. Pareus Collado The most common receiued exposition is that by the second horse is set forth the bloudy persecution ensuing the preaching of the Gospell which went out conquering vpon the first horse which persecution continued till Constantine By the third horse which is blacke is set forth the trouble which the Church suffered by Heretikes such as Arrius Macedonius Nestorius c. with which trouble the Church was conflicting aboue two hundred yeres And by the fourth horse which is pale is set forth the trouble of the Church by corruption in religion in the Papacy and Mahumetisme destroying a world of people after all which hell the reward of these disturbers of the peace of the Church followeth for almost to this effect many Writers speake And herein as in the most sound exposition of these horses doe I rest for the horse being for warre is fit to set forth either how religion hath preuailed or how it hath beene in countered and hindered I doe not so approue that Christ should bee the rider of the white horse for hee standeth at this time as a Lambe opening the seales but the Christian religion is the rider and hath a crowne in token of victory vpon the red horse rideth persecution red with bloud-shed and in that a sword is spoken of it agreeth excellently to the prediction of our Sauiour Christ I came not to send peace but a sword Vpon the blacke horse rideth Heresie which though it were red through bloud-shed also yet because the most dangerous thing herein was the obscuring of the truth by subtilty of argument it is said to bee blacke Vpon the pale horse rideth corruption in religion said to bee pale like death because that insensibly hereby is brought a deadnesse all ouer the world all pure bloud of religion which maketh fresh and ruddy being wrought out by degrees and when any begin to reuiue as of late yeres thanks be to God there haue beene many they haue beene presently destroyed in innumerable multitudes so that it may well bee said that the third part is thus consumed Touching the beasts in order stirring vp to attention Brightman I doe not thinke with some that either the Apostles in the first age are set forth or Iustin Martyr in the next or Tertullian in the third or Cyprian in the fourth but because a crowne suteth well with a Lion a sword or knife with a calfe a paire of scales with a man and a multitude of dead carkasses with an eagle to which it vsually resorteth I thinke that it is said the first beast like a Lion calleth to the first sight and so the rest vnto the other or perhaps there is no signification at all herein intended but because these
it as a comfort in suffering seeing when a man hath suffered death for Christ he is receiued vnder his wing being conformable to him in being sacrificed they rest and are safe with him for euer Some expound the Altar of Christs humanity Bernard serm 4. Omnium sanct which the faithfull are receiued vnto now it being reserued till the last day to giue them the full fruition of his diuinity also Some by the Altar vnderstand the places of the martyrs buriall or sufferings Ribera Viegas because Altars were wont to be built vpon them and the crying of their soules they will haue to be none other but as the crying of Ables bloud where it was spilt and soules are spoken of by a phrase vsuall so many men being called so many soules But this is a meere Iesuiticall imagination seeing Altars vpon martyrs sepulchres were of a later edition and though so many men be often called so many soules yet when the soules of any that are slaine are named it cannot bee so taken Whereas most stand for Christ meant by the Altar I should willingly incline to thinke so to but that Christ yet standeth as a Lambe and therefore I cannot see how he can at the same time bee represented by an Altar also I conclude therefore as I began that by the appearance of an Altar is represented their sacrificing when they suffered the place wherein they now are being heauen the common receptacle of all faithfull soules but said to bee vnder the Altar to denote the manner of their death neither doth Iohn see them with his bodily eyes but being in the spirit And fidy doe the soules of the martyred appeare after such a number slaine by cruell enemies crying for vengeance not vocally for soules doe not vtter voyces but vertually the destroying and murthering of them hauing a loud cry in the eares of God so that a desire of reuenge in them is amisse surmised to bee from hence who being in the flesh had so much loue as that they prayed for their persecutors and were farre from the spirit of reuenge But they are brought in crying aloud for the terrour of persecutors seeing the cryes of such shall without doubt bee regarded though in respect of many more yet in these times of corruption to bee crowned also with martyrdome a delay to bemade Whereupon it is that their answer is also set forth in this manner And thus I haue briefly resolued the rest of the doubts without delaying the reader by the diuersity of expositions Pareus Brightman Chrysost Hom. in Psal 9. August Serm. 30. detemp some interpreting their cry for reuenge to be onely for deliuerance of the Church from persecutors hauing beene already so long oppressed and some for the taking away of this malice out of mens mindes that there may bee no more persecuting by confounding such Kings and Potentates that they may bee brought to turne vnto Christ The white robes giuen vnto them Bullinger Brightman howsoeuer some contend that they were signes of some comfort and breathing time which the Church should haue and had about this time according to their exposition yet both the plaine speech which is vsed in answering them is against it for they are told of their brethren that must be slaine also and white robes are neuer spoken of in this sense Pareus but to set forth heauenly glory which is not to be thought now first to haue been giuen vnto them but immediatly vpon their departure out of this life when their deaths began first to cry though it was not represented in vision till now so that euen when they cry they are in the midst of heauenly ioyes and without all passion of sorrow onely they are not perfectly glorified till the whole company being made vp at the day of iudgement being reunited to their bodies they shall reigne in heauen for euer wherefore they are bidden rest till their fellow seruants were slaine also And well doth this cry come in after the fourth seale representing the corruptions in the Church fighting against the truth because this persecution hath beene longer than any before it and therefore needfull it was to tell of martyrs which had beene already made crying out and of such as should yet bee made when it might seeme to bee full time to put an end to these miseries that expecting so long a continuance wee might arme our selues with patience Quest 3. The sixt seale being opened Vers 12. there was a great earthquake and the Sunne became blacke as haire cloth and the Moone as bloud c. What is meant by these things and whether the day of iudgement or no Answ Most Expositors hold that the day of iudgment is here described Fox Richard de Sancto victore Pannonius Primasius Beda Rupertus Arethas c. when the reuenge before cryed for is taken vpon all sorts of persecutors of the Church and the words here vsed are nothing else but a periphrasis vpon this day for thus the Lord setteth forth the day of iudgement Luk. 21.11 There shall be great earth-quakes in diuers places Vers 25. There shall be fignes in the Sunne Moone and Starres and vpon the earth distresse of nations with perplexity Vers 26. Mens hearts failing them for feare c. and more expresly Mark 13.24 The Sun shall be darkened the Moone shall not giue her light 25. The starres of heauen shall fall and the powers of heauen shall be shaken The Sun shall be darkened because it shall no more giue light to this world the Moone shall be turned into bloud to shew the great destruction that then shall be the stars shall fall there being no further vse of them when men shall cease to bee here euen as the leaues of the figtree fall off when there is no further need of them to couer the figs. The heauens are as a booke folded vp when they lofe all their light being as it were clapt together whereas now it standeth open That which followeth of the mountaines and ilands remouing out of their places is to shew the greatnes of this earth-quake euen to the destroying of the earth Then all wicked men how great soeuer they haue beene in this world shall quake and feare being vnable to beare the wrath to come vpon them set foorth in their calling to the mountaines to fall vpon them c. Blas Viegas Who also saith that many Doctors expound this thus Brightman Grasser Others will haue these things vnderstood allegorically the great earth-quake of the great persecution vnder Dioclesian being in all parts of the earth at once then say they the Sun of righteousnesse Christ was darkened in his members the Moone the Church appeared like bloud being all bloudy with slaughters the starres the ministers of God many of them fell for feare from Christianity to idolatry the heâ—uen the Church was folded vp as a booke hiding it selfe for feare at that time and the inhabitants of
ancients before named and Origen Hom. 6. in Numeros and August Serm. 98. de tem others vnderstand his precious passions as Bullinger c. The odours which were giuen vnto him they expound of the sights and groanes of Gods seruants or of his graciousnesse which is as sweet odours added to our prayers to make them the more acceptable One hath a strange conceit Brightman that Constantine is meant by this Angell who was the Author of gathering together that famous Councell of Nice wherein that confession of saith so acceptable to God was concluded vpon but it became an occasion of much contention by reason of Arrius and his sect Lyra. Another more strangely vnderstandeth Pope Damasus ann 384. who instituted Psalmodies and glory to the Father c. which were added to the common prayers Rupertus Ribera Some vnderstand it properly of an Angell such as he that was present to Iaacob in his iournying or Gabriel that appeared to Mary For mine owne part I see so much against the most common vnderstanding of this of Christ as that I cannot thinke him to bee meant here For first he appeareth still as a Lambe secondly this is said to be but another Angell thirdly Odours are giuen vnto him as Trumpets to the rest intimating an equality betwixt them fourthly that the Priest the Altar and the Censer should be all one it seemeth very improbable fiftly the prayers of the Saints are spoken of by the same phrase that Chap. 5. where the foure and twenty Elders are said to haue golaon Vials full of Odours which are the prayers of the Saints Where by the prayers of the Saints their praising of God in Heauen and praying for our good in generall being vnderstood and not the prayers of the godly vpon earth why should it not be vnderstood here likewise I thinke then that nothing else is here meant but as before any vision of future things a preparation was made thereunto by a representation of Gods Maiesty and of the Lambe delighted in the deuotions of his seruants as in a sweet persume but terrible to the wicked and therefore issued thunders lightnings and voices from before him so now the second particular vision being prepared vnto it is set forth in the figure of this Angell standing at the Altar and offering Odours with the prayers of the Saints which come vp before God how acceptable the seruice is which by the godly is done vnto God and in the fire taken and cast vpon the earth producing voices thunders c. how terrible he will be to the wicked of this world For the Altar and Censer it is beyond the intent of this place particularly to descant vpon them the seruice which is done vnto God being doubtlesse thus set forth in allusion to the old manner of worshipping In the former representation Prayers are called Odours here Odours are added vnto them Odours to Odours to shew yet further their extraordinary sweetnesse their voices and thunders c. issue forth here is shewed by what meanes viz. coales taken from the Altar signifying that howsoeuer the holy fire with sweet Odours maketh a pleasant smell yet without Odours it yeeldeth a thundring and terrifying noise the wicked that pray not can expect nothing but terrour and affrighting from the Lord who is most comfortable to the godly frequenting him with their prayers As for that exposition of some Beda Haimo Bullinger Pareus c. vnderstanding the sending downe of the holy Ghost in the likenesse of fiery tongues whereupon some were terrified as by thundring some instructed as by voices some conuerted as the earth is moued in an earthquake I cannot see how it agreeth to the terrible things following Fox some way whereunto is made in this passage I assent therefore to those rather who expound it of terrour as I haue already said neither is it strange that the prayers of the Saints comming vp before God the fire of his anger should be stirred vp against the wicked world occasioning so many sighs and grones to come from them Quest 3. And the first Angell sounded Vers 7 c. and there was haile and fire mingle with bloud c. Because there is a noted distance betwixt the foure first Trumpets and the other three and these foure doe immediatly follow one after another it will be fittest to handle these together What therefore is figured out by the things appearing at the sounding of these foure Answ Some will haue these seuen Angels to represent the Ministers of the Gospell at seuerall times and ages of the world for as they sounded forth the Word of truth aduersaries soone sprung vp who sought by their fierce oppositions to suppresse it Haime Caelius Pannonius Richard de Sancto Victore Zeger c. The first were the Apostles at whose preaching there was great tumult in the world to the shedding of the bloud of many set forth by haile and fire and bloud mingled with them the trees grasse burnt vp were such as for feare fell frō the Religion which they had imbraced or else by the haile c. they vnderstand a mixed company of good and bad Christians gathered together from the rest of the world of which the bad which are the third part are burnt vp that is perish by Gods iust iudgement and are called trees because of their instabilitie in times of winds and grasse for their frailtie The second ranke of Preachers set forth by the second Angell where the successours of the Apostles in the next age against whom the Deuill as a great burning mountaine falleth and the third part of the sea is turned into bloud by the destruction of the faithfull the fishes die by the reuolting of the wauering and many teachers who as ships had carried on others through the greatnesse of the persecution fall away The third ranke set forth by the third Angell are the Preachers of the next age to trouble whom Heretikes rise vp these are the Star falling from Heauen giuing light in times past but now making bitter by their hereticall doctrine the fountaines of holy Scriptures and the riuers of the Fathers by corrupting them to maintaine their heresies thereby The fourth ranke set forth by the fourth Angell are the Preachers of these last times who are troubled by Hypocrites and false Prophets that vnder a pretext of holinesse broach new opinions whereby it commeth to passe that a good part of the true knowledge of Christ is obscured which is the darkning of the Sunne to the third part and the true Church which is the Moone much distminished and the Doctors which are the Starres giue not so cleare light through this meanes as before Lyra. Bullinger Aretius Some vnderstand Heretikes and heresies of seuerall ages to encounter with whom the faithfull are stirred vp by these Trumpets sounded For first Arrius infected the third part of the world with his heresie Secondly Macedonius infected the Sea with
thin coat they are hatched in mid-Aprill and perish in mid-September and according to this they will haue the whole time of these Locusts set forth which is all the time of their flourishing but how long this shall bee it is vncertaine Ioach. Abbas Brightman Some resoluing these moneths into 150. and taking a day for a yeere reckon vpon 150. yeeres for in the time of Innocent the third ann 1210. the warme time of their hatching came in by the new orders of Dominicans Franciscans Mendicants Obseruants Trinitaries and Friers of the holy Ghost in so much as Polidor Virgil saith Lib. 7.3 That no age was so fruitfull of the Religious as this But in the time of Wicliffe ann 1360. they were blowne away as by a strong west wind in many places Some vnderstand by these fiue months a short time only for the comfort of the godly Ioan. Leonard D. Fulke or fiue ages of six which is the whole time of the world and so this shall last till the sixt age Some the whole time of this life Ambrose Primas Beda Richard de Sancto Victore Thom. Aquin. Haimo Forbs which is maintained by the fiue senses or consisteth of fiue ages infancy child-hood youth mans estate and old age Some lastly hold that it is alluded vnto the time of the floud preuailing vpon the old world which was fiue moneths They goe forth like horses prepared vnto battell to shew their strength they haue Crownes of gold to shew their vsurped power ouer Kings they haue the faces of men to shew their flattery haire like women to shew their alluring inticements the teeth of Lions to shew their deuouring of all Their brest-plates for defence shew that they are exempt from the reach of all secular power their sting in their taile sheweth their false doctrine vnder the best pretext for the false prophet is the taile their King is Satan and his Vice-gerent vpon earth the Pope destroying all his opposites corporally and his followers spiritually There are some differences in resoluing this description but all speake almost to this effect Some adde vnto the Papists the Saracens arising about the same time Brightman and so will haue them set forth by the Locusts also For ann 630. they began vnder Mahomet to afflict the Countries of Arabia Syria Mesopotamia Armenia Persia Egypt Affrica and Spaine and continued till about the end of the reigne of Leo Copronimus ann 780. at what time though their forces were not vtterly broken for they continued 400. yeeres yet they were so broken as that they could not doe such hurt as in times past Lacanadraco subdued them in Asia Constantine with his mother Irene ouerthrew them and so did Nicephorus and Theophilus and Michael c. After this in Italy being called from Babylon to their helpe ann 830. they proued most infest enemies wasting all neither could they bee suppressed till that Otto the second ouerthrew them ann 980. with so great a slaughter as that the place where was called The death of the Saracens till this day Some preferre this of the Saracens Fox as most agreeable to these Locusts because they are professed enemies to Christianity and come in great multitudes armed against them yet where they submit their liues are spared but by taking their children from them and rauishing their wiues and inthralling them to base slauery they make their liues more tedious to them than death and as for the time of fiue moneths he subscribeth to that allusion noted before vnto the time of the Locusts life The popish sort expound this Trumpet altogether of things yet to come For they say that the Deuill by Gods permission shall stirre vp a great number of Heretikes towards the end of the world who shall persecute the Catholikes and torment them diuersly for this Blasius Virgas saith is their common exposition Lyra. Râ—pertus Some by the Starre falling from Heauen vnderstand Lucifer and therefore it is said which had fallen he by Gods permission bringeth as it were out of hell an infinite multitude of cruell and barbarous Vandals who vnder fiue Kings which they had swarmed in all places namely vnder Gunderinus Gensericus Hunericus Trafimundus and Gelimer most horribly tormenting the world both in the East and West Now of all these expositions I finde that most of our side preferre the first touching the Pope and his religions and many things in the description doe fit so well that I would gladly ioyne with them but that I am resolued vpon such reasons as I haue already set downe that not corruptions in Religion but plagues comming vpon the world therefore are here represented Which being so and the last iudgements hauing beene executed against professed enemies of Christianity at the foure first soundings order requireth that some thing now should follow against Heretikes as they were the next troublers of the Church If then any great iudgement which may be fitted to this description can be found out in the time of the Arrian heresie it seemes most reasonable to me that this should be held to be the figure thereof For it is not likely that when the Lord is so carefull in setting downe the iudgements to come vpon the heathen persecutors and vpon the Antichrist of Rome that the middle time bringing the Church to so great misery and therefore most remarkably punished certaine hundreds of yeeres together should be passed ouer in silence aâ— it is if we finde not out something agreeing vnto it vnder this fifth Trumpet I hold therefore with Lyra Rupertus and some others that here is a description of the Goths and Vandals a base and ignoble people and in times past without name leaping about like Locusts to make a prey of other mens possessions and by their huge swarmes and multitudes preuailing where they came to the bringing of all things to ruine They were first brought in by Valens an Arrian Emperour about ann 366. but fighting against him they became his destruction Ruffind 2.6.13 for they fired the towne into which he fled so that he miserably perished together with it And after this partly in Affrike and partly in Italy Germany and France euen almost all ouer the Christian world they were most manifest scourges sent for a plague vpon the Heresies which were most rife in those times Victor vticenfis and chiefly that of Arrius And this plague continued breaking out oft times more violently the space of about 184. yeeres from the first to the last viz. till ann 550. in which time when they gat the victory no manner of barbarous cruelty was spared in so much as Writers compare some of them with Dioclesian and Maximiâ—nus the most bloudy persecutors that euer were Some were sent into banishment and if through infirmity any could not keepe pace with the rest they were fastened to the tailes of horses and dragged against the stones till they were pitteously rent and torne Some were
rather to die expecting no end of these miseries To shew the warlike manner of their comming they are further likened to horses prepared vnto the battell to shew the soueraignty to which they attained Crownes like gold are ascribed vnto them to shew that they were no true Locusts but onely of their quality and condition they are said to haue the faces of men and the haire of women to shew their barbarousnesse and the teeth of Lions for their deuouring and cruell tearing in peeces none being able to withstand them in their time Their iron brest-plates shew their might their wings their swift and sudden comming their noise their hideousnesse in their comming Their terme of fiue months is againe repeated to make the Allegory taken from true Locusts to hold the better seeing this is the whole terme of their life as hath beene already shewed and therefore it is set forth by months and not by daies The Angell of the bottomlesse pit a murtherer and destroyer is said to be their King to note out by whose instigation they came forth and vnder whose banner they fought although God vsed them herein as instruments to execute his iust iudgements And thus I haue by Gods grace fitted a most kindly exposition to this most hard and mysticall passage Whence we may see that besides ordinary God hath vnexpected waies to plague wickednesse withall and to abate the pride of those that are most potent and thinke themselues most secure And whosoeuer are the instruments to execute Gods will in this kinde can doe nothing no longer time than he permitteth them And howsoeuer the godly being mixt with others partake in outward miseries yet nothing shall be able to hurt them God hauing a speciall care at these times ouer them so that they haue wherein to reioyce when all things are confounded for no hurt which is an hurt indeed can come to them seeing these outward things are but shadowes and as the superfluous haires of the head in losing whereof there is no detriment as Chrysostome and Augustine speake Quest And the sixt Angell blew his Trumpet Vers 13. and I heard a voice from the foure corners of the altar c. Loose the foure Angels bound in the great riuer Euphrates And these foure Angels were loosed being prepared for an houre for a day for a month and for a yeere Who are these foure Angels What voice commandeth their loosing and what is meant by the time of an houre day c. for which it is said they are prepared Answ Some by these foure Angels vnderstand two Popes Lyra. Pâ—t Aureolâ—â— D. Ant. and two Emperours Symmachus and Laurentius an Antipope and Anastasius Emperour in the East an Eutichian Heretike and Theodoricus King of Italy an Arrian about ann 502. For these two in contending for the Popedome this Emperour and King in standing for their heresies destroyed a great number of people which they were ready to doe before but now being loosed put it in execution and they are said to be bound in Euphrates because it was the bounds of the Roman Empire Some which desire to draw men a farre off that they may not looke at the Pope and Papacy Beda Richard de Sancto victore Haimo Rupertus Arethas c. expound this of all the Deuils in hell which are now bound but shall be let loose in the time of Antichrist to make such hauocke in the Church destroying and killing of Catholikes so as the like was neuer done before and this Viegas the Iesuite saith is the common opinion But neither of these expositions can stand not the first because it is much forced to expound the Angels bound in Euphrates of such as liued a farre off and farre distant one from another nor the second because it is a iudgement vpon the world for sinne not a triall of the Church by further persecution And it may bee plainly found out to haue beene already fulfilled and therefore in vaine applied to future times There is then a third exposition embraced by all ours by which the Saracens and Turkes are vnderstood here to haue beene loosed at this sounding to become a scourge to Popery the last and greatest trouble of the Church of God This sixt Angell sounded vnto iudgements vpon the idolatrous Papists the great corrupters of religion set forth before by the pale horse after that the Goths were put down who were sent for a plague of Arrianisme Now although the Longobards were the next iudgement in Italy yet because there will be a fitter place to figure them out in another vision Chap. 13. the Spirit of God proceedeth here to the Saracens the greater and more vniuersall iudgement The voyce which was heard speaking to the sixt Angell from amongst the foure hornes of the Altar is by the consent of all the voyce of the Lord Iesus who had suffered and was sacrificed for our sins he vttereth his voice not from the midst of the throne where he stood but from the midst of the Altar vnder which it is said before the soules lay crying for reuenge to shew that their cries were heard and preuailed to the producing of the grieuous euils following They were answered before by signes for the Angell tooke coales from the Altar and threw them downe to the earth whence insued thunders lightnings and earthquakes but now by a liuely voyce commanding to loose the foure Angels bound at Euphrates who stood alwayes ready at an houre day moneth or yeere that they might goe forth to kill and destroy and come vpon these grosse corrupters of religion with innumerable and inuincible armies of Saracens and Turkes Brightman Some vnderstand by these foure Angels foure chiefe rulers of the Turkes stirred vp by the euill Angels which are deuils ann 1300. For after a great ouerthrow receiued by the Scythians recollecting their forces againe they diuided that part of Asia which they held amongst foure Peeres Carmanus Sarchanes Gregor lib. 7.1 Calames and Ottoman there was also for a time a fift Amurius but the gouernment was soone reduced to foure againe They are said to be loosed when they began to preuaile on this side Euphrates which was not till about this time For howsoeuer they did much damnifie the Romans before yet they were made still to retire by the Catalaunes vnder the reigne of Andronicus Gregor lib. 7.3 who put them to flight and kept them in great awe but not pursuing their victory but returning home they brake out and in a short space possessed themselues of the holy land held till then by the Christians and in other places also did greatly inlarge their dominions whereunto they were more inabled by growing to a monarchie vnder Ottoman after that they had beene a while diuided vnder foure The time of an houre day month and yeere according to this is applied to the continuance of the Turkish greatnesse which counting a day for a yeere is 396. yeeres and so shall haue
is but a little booke in comparison Moreouer the contents of the other booke were before declared and therefore superfluous it was to propound it againe Pareus Bullinger Forbs One foot set vpon the sea and the other vpon the land some vnderstand to haue beene done to shew Christs dominion ouer sea and land euen in the time of persecutions when he might seeme to haue beene cast out of his possession Others allegorically Brightman Tho. Aquin. Beda by his feet vnderstand the instruments of rearing vp the Gospell againe and so apply his right foot vnto the most famous and the left to others of lesse note these were set vpon sea and land when all sorts of people were admonished by them But there needeth no such curiosity here for what doth he come to foretell of but the approach of the end of the world Which for so much as it consisteth of sea and land how could hee addresse himselfe more fitly to tell of the destruction of it than by this gesture of setting his feet vpon sea and land and lifting vp his hand to heauen Touching his loud cry and the seuen thunders hereupon vttering their voyces which Iohn must not write these things serue further to declare the terrour of this messenger sent from heauen for when the Lion roareth the beasts of the forrest tremble so when this Angell is set forth roaring so loud that a thundering noise reboundeth againe from the sound of his voyce the Lord would haue men to tremble at it and repent and turne to the Lord from their sinnes wherein they are noted hitherto to haue persisted The things vttered by the thunders the Lord will not haue written because in all likelihood they were copiously set forth in other parts of holy Scripture nothing being more frequent than to admonish to repent and to threaten the impenitent And the thunders are said to be seuen which is a number of perfection to shew that many terrours should come vpon the world if haply they would be rouzed vp hereby Others by these thunders vnderstand the ministers of these times Brightman who like sons of thunder cry aloud to moue men to repentance and the number of seuen is vsed to shew that they are guided by the Spirit with his seuen-fold gifts neither doe they vtter any thing but from Christs mouth whose ecchoes they are What they vtter must not be written because there are some mysteries which should not be knowne now Pareus but are reserued for after times Pareus as he referreth all things here in common to all the six trumpets before going as matter of consolation to the godly so hee vnderstandeth the ministers in the time of persecution who did not forbeare to vtter their thundring voyces against Tyrants though vnto deafe eares which is noted in that Iohn is forbidden to write for when any thing is spoken or writteÌ„ but not regarded it is as if it were not written And this is spoken that Gods ministers might not be discouraged but account of their ministery as most precious therefore sealed vp though vnprofitable to saluation to the wicked world Let the reader follow which of these he wil but the first seemeth to me most naturall and lesse strained Pareus Pareus mentioneth other words here vsed in some copies as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Andreas and Bibliaregia pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but all commeth to one After these things write againe and write not these things Touching the oath here taken it is to assure vs that it will not bee long before Christs comming to iudgement but vnder the sound of the seuenth Angell that none might deferre the time of their repentance And yet for so much as the time of this Angels sounding is vncertaine Napieâ— though we may know when it beginneth the iust time of the Lords comming to iudgement cannot hence bee gathered Wherefore that straine of some which make the seuen seales and trumpets to parallel one another and to containe euery one an equall portion of time viz. either two hundred and fifty yeere more or lesse and from this ground determine of this time of iudgement is to be declined as erroneous seeing these times haue appeared to bee vnequall some one being as long as two or three others And he calleth the Lords comming to iudgment the consummation of this world the mysterie of God by the Prophets foretold because it is hidden from most men and yet apprehended by faith onely but the Prophets did not cease from time to time to speake of it Thus all Expositors agree but onely Brightman who expounde h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 delay Brightman and the mystery of God of the calling home of the Iewes and of their flourishing estate after this their calling foretold by the Prophets So that he will haue this booke to extend no further but to the accomplishment of this mystery But for so much as plaine mention is made of the rising of the dead vnder the seuenth trumpet to come to iudgement Chap. 11. vers 18. it is euident that the mystery to be finished here mentioned is the consummation of the world and not the vocation of the Iewes Touching the eating of this little booke Iohn is herein made a figure of those instruments whom God meant to vse to set open the Scriptures Ezech 3. after that they had beene so long shut vp For by earnest studying they did euen deuoure this booke taking great pleasure in this study but afterwards it was an occasion of much suffering set forth by the sweetnesse in the mouth and bitternesse in the belly Thus most Writers agree Rupertus Thom. Aquin. but some vnderstand this of the person of Iohn who was to returne from banishment and to preach the Cospell againe But the extent of his preaching here mentioned is so great as that it cannot agree to his person who preached onely in Ephesus a few yeres after this Againe it is vnder the sixt trumpet long before which Iohn was departed Andâ—â—aâ— Some thinke that Iohn shall liue againe in the dayes of Antichrist and come and prophesie with Enoch and Elias But this is a fond phantasie the truth hath already beene shewed whereupon wee may build because confirmed by experience The word of God being shut vp in the time of Popery hath long agoe beene set open againe by the hand of a strong Angell and it hath beene prophesied againe to many Kings Peoples and Nations and although it be opposed to this day and Popery oft getteth the vpper hand in sundry places yet herein the truth suffereth but as in the time of the Primitiue Church it was aboue three hundred yeeres before that it was generally receiued then so that the time of iudgement when an end shall be put to all things cannot be farre off and this should moue euery one of vs to turne speedily to the Lord by true repentance and to beare patiently any
eft soones prepared for their suppression though many thankes be God in such Nations as wherein the liberty of the truth hath beene maintained haue beene out of their Gunshot Neither haue their preparations been in vaine for they both haue and still doe daily kill many And therefore I cannot see how any time already past can agree to that which is here figured out here being no intimation of any more opposition destruction but of fearing and fainting on the Antichristian part till they come to ruine In my poore iudgement therefore here is set forth what shall bee at the end of the halfe weeke before described by two and forty moneths and by 1260. daies making halfe a mysticall weeke of yeeres and three daies and an halfe being as all know halfe a weeke for so the Text precisely saith at the end of the three daies and an halfe And what shall be then Verily an exaltation of the truth no where to bee trodden vnder foot any more In the time of the Gentiles power when some witnesses are slaine others are raised vp but for so much as they are also impugned and many of them slaine I vnderstand the whole succession of witnesses by the two who were made Martyrs some after other some But when this tragicall time shall be ouer they shall be raised vp not to be sought against and to fall any more but to terrifie the aduersaries to propagate the truth finally to be made partakers of the kingdome of Heauen here signified by their being called vp and ascending in a cloud a speech plainly alluding to that of the Apostle 1 Thes 4.17 We that are aliue shall be caught vp together in the clouds to meet the Lord in the aire and so shall euer bee with the Lord. Now this ascending is subioined immediatly after their being raised vp and before the fall of the great City not for that these things shall be done in this order for then some which see that fall and repent should bee conuerted at the day of iudgement which is no time for that but the Argument touching the exaltation of the faithfull is prosecuted together to the last according to the vsuall manner of Scripture ioyning all things touching one and the same Argument together though happening at diuers times and then commeth in that of the iudgement of enemies It is therefore to be vnderstood that the seruants of God shall preuaile and the true Religion shall flourish whereat feare shall come vpon the enemies neither shall they haue power to make resistance any more but in stead of being murthered as in times past they shall to their comfort stand in expectation of the great Day of the Lord when they shall be taken vp in the Clouds and euer remaine in blisse with the Lord. And thus their ascending is also vnderstood by Bullinger and Fox Bullinger Fox After this it is proceeded to the iudgements against the aduersaries when the truth shall be thus exalted a great Earthquake shall shake the great City there shall be a wonderfull commotion in the world they which are for the truth taking courage vnto them and assaulting the contrary part of the Papals and Mahumetans and then their hearts failing them for feare being vnable any longer to withstand the force of the Orthodox the tenth part shall fall away from that City whereof they held before becomming professors of the truth Hest 8.17 as in the daies of Mordecai men became Iewes for feare and of those which yet harden themselues 7000. that is a great multitude shall be slaine Ios 10.11 God fighting against them as hee did sometime against the Canaanites The residue seeing this shall relent and acknowledging their errors embrace the truth thus giuing glory to God Ios 7. as once Ioshua bade Achan giue glory to God and tell the truth All which they suffered before could not make them that suruiued repent as was shewed Chap. 9. v. 20. so that here it being spoken of them in another phrase their repentance must needs be intimated and in this particular most Interpreters agree The whole drift of St. Augustine de Ciuitate Dei is to shew that here haue alwaies beene two Cities the City of God and of the Deuill this city of the Deuill comprehendeth the whole state of the Gentiles in the present sense a Catastrophe whereof shall be when the two and forty moneths appointed are ended no professed enemies to the truth bearing rule in any place being any more after this fatall blow to bee found but as there is one God so there shall be one Religion all ouer the world There will bee perhaps some peruerse sectaries still being frozen in the dregs of superstition till the glorious comming of the Lord to iudgement which cannot then be farre off and of this remainder it may bee that the Apostle speaketh 1 Thes 2.8 that the Lord will destroy by the brightnesse of his comming And thus haue I by the grace of God gone thorow this long darke and obscure way let the learned consider iudge and if I haue erred herein I shall willingly vpon demonstration of such error retreat but if nothing of moment can be obiected let vs stand in a comfortable and assured expectation of this issue glorious to the now despised and mistermed witnesses of the truth but terrible to the aduersaries that now for a time triumph ouer the dead and subdued to their lusts The day of the bitter enemies to the truth shall not last alwaies the time of their Sunne-set shall come shortly and then it shall gloriously arise to vs neuer to goe downe any more till the comming of the Sunne of righteousnesse to glorifie vs with heauenly glory for euer And in all this there is no contradiction to the Lords prediction of the ouer-spreading of sinne at his comming as in the daies of Noah and Lot for when one religion is externally imbraced by all all are not by and by reformed according to the same but rather trusting to the forme of godlinesse most shall giue themselues ouer to licentiousnesse louing the darknes in the midst of this light till the Lord come vpon them as a theefe in the night to their vtter vndoing and confusion For by the consent of all Historians Christians neuer were so licentious as in the time of peace and freedome from persecution of enemies which maketh that which I haue said the more probable and so free from any note of contrariety to other passages of holy Scripture Quest 2. And the seuenth Angell blew his Trumpet Vers 19. and there were great voices in Heauen saying the kingdomes of the world are become our Lords Vers 17 18. c. What is meant by this and in that the foure and twenty Elders in praising God doe further speake of the anger of the Gentiles and the time come of Gods anger and of iudging the dead and rewarding the godly And lastly what is figured
the two Angels following whereof the one proclaimeth the fall of Babylon the other the punishment of such as worship the beast Brightman Pareus Answ Some very particularly by these three Angels vnderstand three rankes of Preachers set out at three seuerall times 1. About ann 1371. when Wickliffe preached against the Pope and Popish idolatries and superstitions with whom ioyned Richard Killington and Robert Langland here and in Italy Dante 's Marsilius Patauinus and Franciscus Petrarcha and a little after viz. about thirty yeeres in Bohemia Iohn Husse and Ierom of Prague and Nicolas de Clemangis 2. About ann 1500. when Luther and Zwinglius and Oecolampadius began in Germany and Heluetia In the third ranke they place all the zealous Preachers of the Gospell which haue beene since Luther in dâ—uers countreys as Bucer Capito Hedio Brentius c. in Germany Bullinger Pellican Gualter c. in Heluetia Farrell Virell Caluin c. in Geneua and in England Cranmer Hooper Latimer c. in Denmarke Palladius Hemingius c. in Italy Martyr Zanchy Tremellius in Poland Iohn à Lasco in Hungary Michael Statinus Stephanus Szedegenus Paulus Thurius c. And because after this no more Angell appeareth but the next thing is Christs comming in a white cloud to iudgement therefore they hold that the Preachers which now are shall neuer be put downe but continue to maintaine the truth brought to light till the second comming of the Lord. Others taking these Angels for three of the seuen which are afterwards shewed to powre out their vials Napier vnderstand by the first the forenamed prime Preachers Luther Zwinglius c. by the second a great ruining of the Popish Empire about ann 1590. and by the third the vtter fall of the Pope about ann 1639. after which time some will still remaine in the dregs of their old superstition but if they doe here is the portion which they are to expect to bee tormented for euermore Others more generally vnderstand the breaking out of the Gospell againe Bullinger Fox Forbs Grasserus after that all had beene corrupted by Popery the light of which Gospell breaking out should extend as the truth did at the first to all nations because some in all countreys should be stirred vp to publish the same although all receiue it not no more than they did in the Apostles times carrying the light forth at the first into all countries for although many still were idolaters yet we heare the Apostle affirming 1 Tim. 3. Col. 1. that the Gospell was then preached all ouer the world Amongst all these differences it is agreed in the maine thing that the breaking out of the light of the truth which now by Gods grace shineth in England Scotland Denmarke c. is here figured out opposite vnto which is Babylon that is Rome still labouring to hold men in the darknesse of Popish superstition But touching the particular application of these figures either as Brightman and Pareus doth to three distinct times the last of which is not distinct for from Luther c. hath beene onely a continuation of those happy beginnings and therefore I doe not thinke that according to that distinction the Preachers of the truth are figured out Neither doe I subscribe to Napier that the third Angell setteth forth the Preachers which shall be when the Pope is quite put downe because killing of the Saints is still spoken of for not worshipping the beast and they are comforted with the blessing that shall follow vpon such a death Nor yet doe I thinke that generally onely the breaking out of the light is here set forth but because here are three Angels succeeding one another in order I hold that three things are here figured out which experience hath taught vs that liue in these dayes 1. That the light of the truth should breake out whereby men should be warned against Popish idolatry and superstition as it did by Wickliffe first in England as England had first a Christened King Lucius so hauing the honour first to hold out the light dispelling the mists of Popish darknesse but almost contemporanean with Wickliffe were others mentioned before in other countreys also 2. That the light should shine so as that the fog of Popery should vanish in many countreys and that the truth should be so powerfully preached that Babels wals should bee shaken and ruined which was done by Luther and the rest of the Worthies in diuers countreys before spoken of 3. That the vtter fall of the Pope should yet after this bee deferred he continuing stil where his power yet remaineth to kill and destroy his opposites For why else should the third Angell so seriously admonish men not to worship the beast c. adding Vers 12. here is the patience of the Saints and Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord c. but onely because the seruants of God in many places should still bee exercised with bloudy persecution after the fall of Babel before spoken of in a great part So things are like to continue in this state a long time onely the comfort is that wee are hence assured that there shall bee Preachers to giue warning against the Pope and all false religions till the last comming of Christ vnto iudgment and hereby he shall be consumed more and more till the date of this time shall be quite out According to this exposition then to expound euery passage more particularly Vers 6. He saith I saw another Angell when no mention is made of any Angell in this Chapter before hauing reference to the Angels of the tenth and eleuenth Chapters flying thorow the midst of heauen Eullinger Fox that is to expresse the swift and free passage of the truth hereby represented That of Brightman expounding it of the imperfect knowledge of those first Preachers seemeth to me to be too far fetcht The Gospell which he bringeth Pareus is called the eternall Gospell to meet with the imputation of the Papists who challenged them for broaching a new religion when as indeed they preached nothing but the eternall truth of God which was from the beginning There was not long before this Cent. Magdeburg 13. a certaine fellow called Cyril a Carmelite Fryer who made a booke which hee intituled The eternall Gospell grounding vpon this place and the religious of those times readily receiued it because it tended to the maintenance of their superstitions affirming that the Gospell set forth by the Apostles was at an end and this was now to take place A most blasphemous tenent when as this our Gospel is said to be such that if an Angel from heauen bring any other Gal. 1.8 he is to be counted accursed It is none other Gospell therefore which is here meant but this only Gospell which being obscured by the vaile of an vnknowne tongue and by false Glosses and interpretations in the time of Popery is now come to light againe and that
the Church cannot erre and is alwaies visible whereas if this should befall the Church of Rome which they hold to be the onely Catholike Church it should both erre fowly and the Church should sometime be ouerthrowne by the gates of Hell and put downe from the visibility into such contradictions doe they plunge themselues that are contradictors of the plaine and euident truth of Gods Word Touching the third Angell threatning eternall destruction to the followers of the beast Vers 9. enough hath beene said already to shew to what time it is to bee referred and as for the torments here mentioned and the comforts propounded to the faithfull it is easie for any man of himselfe to render the sense thereof Note from all that hath beene said Note that the doctrine of the reformed Churches at this day is the very doctrine of Gods Angell for we teach to ascribe all glory and to giue all worship â—o God only and not to make any a partaâ—er with God herein and in these points not to feare the tyranny of the Pope and his adherents but in the feare of God to persist herein to the end which is the very effect of the Angels teaching To this tendeth our impugning of Images and the worshipping of Saints departed our denying of the merit of workes and supererrogations the Popes power of pardoning sinnes our ascribing all to grace in the conuersion of a sinner and holding no vertue to be in crossing and holy water c. Againe Note see a plaine euidence that this is the truth and the Roman Catholike state Babylon falling before it in diuers Countries and which shall be vtterly razed to the foundation so that a stone shall not be left vpon a stone Lastly Note all prosperity and preuailing is not to be expected by the seruants of God vpon the first falling of Babylon for she maketh head still and putteth many to death whose comfort yet is that they are blessed and rest with the Lord whereas if cowardly they should for feare turne to the beast they must be tormented miserably for euermore But why is this word from henceforth put in are not all the dead that die in the Lord at any time blessed Yes doubtlesse but there is an opinion of Popery by which men were carried away in times past touching the paines of purgatory fire to be suffered after death which is secretly here glanced at as if it should haue beene said Hitherto a long time it hath beene thought that there is no râ—st in death to the godly but further pangs yet to be endured in Purgatory but the vaniâ—y of this tenent being now discouered by the preaching of the Gospell set forth vnder the type of the three Angels no such thing shall henceforth bâ—feared but they shall comfort themselues in the expectation of immediate rest and ioy Quest 3. And behold one like vnto the Sonne of man sitting vpon the cloud Vers 14. hauing vpon his head a crowne of gold and in his hand a sharpe sickle c. Who is this and what are the Angels next mentioned whereof one comming out of the Temple calleth to him to put his sickle into the haruest and a second comming out of the Temple also hauing a sharpe sickle to whom a third comming out from the Altar that hath power ouer fire calleth to put his sickle into the Vintage which is cut downe and trodden in a Winepresse without the City the bloud comming out vp to the bridles of the horses by the space of 1600. furlongs Answ Almost all Expositors agree that the comming of Christ to iudgement is here represented for hee is like the Sonne of man though a great Iudge he shall come in the Clouds 1 Thes 4. and the consumma ion of the world is likened vnto the cutting downe of the Haruest Mat. 13. and both to the Haruest and Vintage Ioel 3.13 from whence this phrase seemeth to bee taken But some vnderstanding Christ by one like the Sonne of man as it is commonly taken P. du Moulin yet hold that some other iudgements vpon Babylon are here set forth to be applyed to the times of the three Angels going before the first whereof come with the eternall Gospell ann 1039. in Berengarius opposing transubstantiation and preuailing so farre that France Spaine Guil. Noribrigens Eng. â—â—ist lio 2 chap 13. Italy Germany were full of men holding the same with him for William Noribrigens saith that they were as the sands of the Sea but they were persecuted for this whereupon the Lord being offended sent his Angell with a sharpe sickle of iudgement ann 1076. About the time of Berengarius his death by a quarrell arising betweene Henry and Gregory the seuenth named Pope Hildebrand betwixt whom forty bloudy battels were fought and all things were filled with confusion and misery The second Angell came with threatnings against Babylon by Peter de Bruis and Henry de Tholouse ann 1130. and by Iohannes de Waldo of Lions ann 1158. for they called Rome Babylon and exhorted all men to goe out of her but Innocent the third then Pope caused the Croisado to be preached and by that meanes within a few moneths 200000. of them were slaine in Prouence Ioh. Cassanion Hist Languedoc and Guienna Hereat God being againe offended sent another sharpe sickle by Fredericke Barbarossa his armies and the Popes by reason of which the miseries were so great as that no Pen can expresse them sufficiently For whilst these warres lasted the Moores wasted Spaine together with the Sarazens murthering all the Christians which they could finde and the Saladine destroyed the Kingdome of Ierusalem which had cost so many millions of mens liues to conquer it The third Angell came with admonition to beware of worshipping the beast by the Preachers of these times against which when the Papacy shall grow most outragious some greater iudgement then euer yet shall come vpon them to the effusion of so much bloud that it shall come vp a wonderfull great space of ground to the very horse bridles which is not yet effected Forbs Grasserus Others hold that here is set forth the increase of such as should stand for the truth it being first vpheld by the immediate power of Christ set forth by his comming in a cloud with a sharpe sickle but afterwards diuers Countries being conuerted his Angels dare be bold to be seene to stand for the truth both temporall Kings set forth by the Angell with his sharpe sickle and spirituall Ministers comming from the Altar who by their exhortations and preaching stirre vp the other against Babylon so that here in briefe is set downe what is more at large described vnder the seuen Vials powred out by the seuen Angels following Some more particularly by one like the Sonne of man vnderstand the protestant Princes in Misnia Brightman Hassia Prussia c. such as Fredericus Saxo Mauritius Philippus Lantgranius Iohannes
after this they shall be cast into the Wine-presse of Gods wrath there to be crushed and squeesed in infinite multitudes an infinite long time set forth by the bloud running out in so great abundance arguing both many grapes and a long time of pressing There is no ground by the reaping of the haruest to vnderstand the gathering in of the godly as some would haue it taken for Tares are amongst the Corne and this similitude howsoeuer it doth sometime set forth the putting of an end to this temporall life in all men yet sometime with a particular respect vnto the wicked only as here and Ioel 3.13 and then it is only to be so farre forth applied as it setteth forth a cutting off or destroying from off the face of the earth and if wee shall goe a little further in applying it it must be in that which is vnderstood but in other places further added viz. in respect of that part of the haruest which is to be burnt with fire the tares and the chaffe which it may be is also intimated here by the Angell which is said to be ouer the fire whose office haply it was when the other Angell had destroyed the world temporally to cast the bundles of tares into vnquenchable fire and the grapes which were sharpe and sowre into the Wine-presse of Gods wrath for euermore And this Angell commeth from the Altar fitly because fire is vsually taken from thence for the destruction of the wicked as Chap. 8.5 from whence haply he may be thus described as afterwards hee that powreth out his Viall vpon the waters is said immediatly to be the Angell of the waters Chap. 16.5 so this the Angell of the fire or that had power ouer the fire If any man shall further demand but why doth not Christ appeare the second time like the Sonne of man but an Angell is said to appeare if both apparitions serue to expresse the same thing I answer that in the destruction of the world at the last day two things are to be considered the Iudge by whose power and authority it shall be acted and the instruments which shall be imployed herein the first is the Sonne of man the second the Angels spoken of as one here to shew their going about this ministery as one and according to this twofold consideration there are two diuers appearances of the Sonne of man sitting and crowned and of an Angell neither sitting nor crowned whereby wee are to vnderstand the Lord and Master of this great Haruest and Vintage is Christ Iesus hee onely giueth power to cut downe and a fruit of his iust wrath is the wickeds suffering of endlesse torments but hee doth instrumentally act both the one iudgement and the other by his holy Angels the sentence giuing is omitted here the iust manner of the whole proceeding at that day being sufficiently declared elsewhere He shall come in a Cloud hauing a sharpe sickle in his hand that is being ready to condemne the wicked world and to cut them off with the breath of his mouth as with a sharpe sickle then the Angels with all readinesse as his Ministers shall destroy the world and after sentence by him giuen leauing the godly who are inuited into the Kingdome of Heauen they shall cast the wicked into their place of torment in innumerable multitudes And thus I thinke that all hitherto is made most plaine There remaineth only the space of ground without the City where the Wine-presse is trodden being 1600. furlongs to be considered touching which I finde that most Exposiâ—ors content themselues with this generall that here is set forth the great abundance of those that shall be destroyed so that if men on horsebacke would looke out to it their bloud couereth the ground such a distance and so deepe as that it commeth vp to the horse bridles it being alluded vnto Esa 66.24 where somewhat a like phrase is vsed But one besides Brightman before spoken of Napier who applieth it to England expoundeth it particularly of the time when this great iudgement shall be viz. ann 1600. from the time of this vision that is about ann 1699. But here is nothing to intimate any time but the greatnesse of the place where this Wine-presse standeth Rabbi Menahen Rabbi Menahen vpon Gen. fol. 60. saith that the land of Canaan was 1600. furlongs in length now for so much as all things are carried here on in an Allegory to the Temple the Altar and the holy City which were of the Iewes I doubt not but in this space without the City it is also alluded vnto that Country such an innumerable multitude are destroyed as if such a slaughter of men were made as would ouerflow in this depth all the whole land of Canaan The valley of Iehoshaphat hath beene of old set forth to be the place of iudgement and Tophet Ioel 3. Esa 30. which is in that Country to be wide and large where there is wood enough and the breath of the Lord as a riuer of brimstone kindling it It is without the City of the Saints which is much greater euen 12000. furlongs square Chap. 21.16 not for that the number with shall be tormented together is lesse than the number of those that shall be saued but because to be streightened is an addition to paine to be inlarged an addition to ioy and comfort Touching the Angell of the fire I doe not thinke with some that either here or Chap. 16. where the Angell of the waters is spoken of it can be iustly gathered that diuers things are assigned to diuers Angels to rule ouer for they together are ministring Spirits to execute the will of God sometime in one kinde and sometime in another and because this Angell before Chap. 8.5 is said to take a Censer full of fiery coales from the Altar he may now be brought in by this Periphrasis tacitly implying what shall become of the haruest of the wicked before said to be reaped and hee that afterwards is called the Angell of the waters is plainly so called because he powred out his Viall vpon the waters Note Note that when the godly who haue suffered and beene toiled in this world shall rest most sweetly from all trauell and labour the wicked followers of the beast of Rome and all wicked persons come to burning and pressing with intolerable pangs neither can there be any auoiding of it because the Lord Iesus and his holy Angels from whom none can lie hid and not men who may be deceiued shall be actors in adiudging and compelling them into the Wine-presse CHAP. XV. ANd I saw another great wonder in Heauen Quest 1 Vers 1 2 c. seuen Angels hauing the seuen last plagues c. Vers 2. And I saw as it were a glassie sea mingled with fire c. To what time is this to be referred what is this glassie Sea whereupon the Harpers stand and what is the song of Moses which they
sung who are they that sing this song Answ Some referre the powring out of these Vials vnto the time of Hadrian Leo and Hildebrand Lyra. Popes with their successors who powred out these Vials against Constantinus Iconomachus Henry the fourth and other Emperours euen vntill the time of Peter the Eremite who stirred all vp to the holy warre that is from the yeere 742. to the yeere 1094. Some apply these things to the supposed three yeeres and an halfe of Antichrist Ribera Viegas Gagnaeus Rupertus Beda Haimo Pannonius Richard de Sancto Victore Gorran c. Forbs Brightman Pareus Ballinger Fox Napier holding that according to the letter it shall be fulfilled as in the plagues of Aegypt Some that these Angels set forth the Preachers which haue beene and shall bee then denouncing Gods iudgements against the wicked in all times and ages since the first preaching of the Gospell Some referre this vision to the tune after Antichrists discouery holding that it is here set forth by what degrees hee should be brought downe vntill his finall vtter destruction And lastly some doe make these seuen Vials parallel to the seuen Trumpets and so to set forth the iudgements of God against persecutors in all ages since the first propagation of the Gospell This last is coincident almost with the third touching Preachers denouncing Gods iudgements in the seuerall ages of the Gospell neither of which can stand here because these are the last effects of Gods anger in this booke reucaled and so necessarily after all the iudgements before figured out any kinde of way As for that of Lyra it is not worth the refuting because so these iudgements should all haue beene executed long agoe when it is plaine here that they hold to the end of the world And that of their taking effect in the supposed three yeeres and an halfe of Antichrists reigne is most ridiculous because if in such a time according to the letter these things should be sensibly fulfilled it were easie for euery man to know Antichrist and when the day of iudgement shall be which are both very great mysteries I subscribe therefore to them that apply these things to these latter times wherein Antichrist being reuealed is diuers waies plagued and shall be plagued till that hee bee vtterly destroyed For now that the spirit is fallen vpon Antichrists ruine Chap. 14. 8 c. he continueth in the description thereof and of the preuailings and finall happinesse of such as stand for the truth to the end of the booke handling in order the passages of his fall more at large and of the last generall iudgement of the whole world The iudgements of God vpon Antichrist and his adherents are set forth first obscurely vnder the figure of Angels powring out their Vials Chap. 15 16. then more plainly the Whore of Babylon and her fall being more at large described Chap. 17 18. and the ioy of the godly Orthodox therefore Chap. 19. after which the chaining vp of Satan and his loosening being mentioned Chap. 20. together with the fearefull destruction of the wicked the most happy estate of the godly is described Chap. 21 22. and who shall be excluded from it Beda Pannonius Primasius Richard de Sancto victore Rupertus c. Forbs Touching the glassie Sea mingled with fire some will haue it to be baptisme wherein the holy Ghost like fire is giuen the faithfull that haue held the faith whereinto they haue beene baptized not being ouercome by the feare of Antichrist though they haue passed thorow the fire stand now reioycing and praising God for his downefall Some vnderstand the pure Word of God accompanied with the Spirit set forth here Brightman Bullinger Pareus Napier as the meanes whereby Antichrist is ouercome Some the word or truth accompanied with contention about some points by the Lutherans c. And some by the glassie Sea vnderstand the world like vnto the Sea for tumultuousnesse but glassie because transparent to the eyes of God or setled vnto the faithfull it is mingled with fire by aduersities and persecutions which the faithfull meet withall here I haue already deliuered my poore coniecture touching this glassie sea spoken of before Chap. 4.6 which as I take it is the same with this A Sea of pure water transparent like Crystall setteth forth holinesse and immunity from corruptions in the midst of the Antichristian state Hereupon the faithfull are set forth standing because they abide still in the pure worshipping of God but this their purity is not without the mixture of fire through aduersity for the cause thereof for to fire are sufferings here compared by Saint Peter 1 Pet. 4.22 whereas he biddeth vs not to thinke strange of the fiery triall Those expositions which are for Baptisme and for the Word of God doe not differ much from this they being a meanes of sanctifying and setling them in this grace but in this sense the proper scope of this place is not so fully declared How the world may bee figured out by such a cleare water seeing it is so miery and corrupt I cannot see Touching the fire mingled if it be vnderstood of the holy Ghost here were nothing but purity to purity which is vnlikely if contentions amongst the faithfull themselues they should not at the same instant haue beene brought in in so sweet an harmony of praising God but by fire vnderstanding affliction the estate of the godly euen in these times wherein Antichrist is going downe is most significantly set out they are not yet in their reformed seruing of God without all mixture of the fire of persecution but are as it were vpon a glassie Sea mingled with fire They are said to haue ouercome the beast and his Image c. because they haue preuailed about the reformation of Religion by an high hand setting vp the same against the machinations of the beast his image character or number of his name The harpes of God which they haue seeme to haue reference to that which was spoken of Harpers Chap. 14. they heard the Harpers in Heauen then and learned their song now they sing it playing as they did And all this is said to be done in Heauen because the godly by faith are in Heauen in minde though in body they be in this world The song which was onely mentioned before is here more particularly declared to be the song of Moses a most fit song for such as precaile against the beast for in that song Moses and the children of Israel praised God for their deliuerance from Pharaoh Exod. 15. and for executing iudgement vpon him in the red Sea wherein his might did wonderfully appeare so likewise the Church being indangered by this beast but the victory being obtained through God inabling her though shee cannot yet stand vpon the Sea banke but in the Sea mingled with fire yet for her deliuerance in part obtained and fully by faith expected to be ere
but by the Westerne Kings who set vp the Whore she must be made desolate againe as is plainly shewed Chap. 17.16 and it were strange that such a poore runnagate people as the Iewes should haue the title of Kings of the East where they are the basest and of the least account I subscribe therefore to them that expound it as altogether Allegoricall by Euphrates the reuenues of the Popedome being meant and by the Kings of the East such Kings as God would stirre vp in these parts to be her vtter ruine and ouerthrow the great defence which is in the riuer of worldly wealth being taken away as sometime Euphrates was dreaned whereby Babylon was taken by Cyrus and Darius Easterne Kings And because the wealth of Spaine is so great a meanes to strengthen this kingdome yet I thinke it not amisse to bring that in also within the compasse of this great riuer In that part where the Popes reuenues runne the water is very shallow at this day there is great probability that the other will be much diminished shortly if not cleane dryed vp if the Indian treasure be once cut off which is very powerfully attempted And hitherto I thinke that these vials haue taken effect for the most part already onely we are to expect the drying vp of this Euphrates more and more and then that such Kings and Princes as abominate Rome for the wickednesse therof should vniting their forces giue the on-set vnto her desolation Touching the seuenth Angell I hold it best to go with the common streame of them that expound this of the finall iudgment 7. Angell not only of the beast and his followers but of the whole world that of the beast being againe re-assumed to bee more fully declared in the Chapters following as being the most remarkable thing pointed at in this booke For without wresting and straining the passages here in such manner as that there is no president for it in other places of holy Scripture it cannot be applied otherwise It is done Babylon came into remembrance to giue vnto her the cup of the wine of the fiercenesse of Gods wrath and euery Iland fled away and the mountaines were no more found What else can these speeches set forth but the full and finall recompencing of the Whore of Babylon and of others enemies of the truth which cannot be said to haue beene done but at the last day For then onely it may be rightly spoken it is done it being till then but in doing and it is at that time onely that there is flying away to hide themselues from the wrath of God and that the fashion of the world is altered It should seeme to make against it that the great city is not said to fall Vers 19. but to be diuided into three parts I answer with Pareus that hereby the vtter ruine of it is set forth seeing three parts which may well be taken for all the parts of a building are said to be diuided or rent in sunder and in speaking of three it is alluded to the three before spoken of as the founders of this city the Dragon the beast and the false prophet the three vncleane spirits like frogs comming out of their mouthes Againe the nations are immediatly said to haue fallen that is to be quite ouerthrown and therfore it is not likely but that the vtter ruine of Rome is meant also though deliuered in a diuers phrase Or if by the great city we vnderstand all the countries where the Christian religion hath beene planted as I haue expounded it before vpon Chap. 11. then the city of Rome is not so much meant but the whole dominions of Turke and Pope for it is likely that Rome shall be destroyed before the riuer Euphrates the defence thereof being dryed vp yea it must needs bee so by reason of the lamentation made by such as haue had trafficke there for the desolation of that city Chap. 17. which cannot be after the great day of iudgement And if the great city bee thus taken then by the nations other countreys which are neither Mahumetane nor Popish are to be vnderstood which for their sinnes shall come to ruine also this being plainly set forth and the fall of the city by a periphrasis taken from such a fal as is by diuision as Ierusalem fell before the Romans by a triple faction therin to which in particular it is to be thought that it is alluded for so much as Ierusalem trodden vnder foot by the Gentiles is a type of Christendome vnder the dominion of Turke and Pope as hath been shewed more at large vpon Chap. 11. Vers 21. If it should seeme to make against this exposition that a great haile like talents is said to follow after all this whereupon men blaspheme God which as Brightman saith is not to bee thought shall be at the day of iudgement because all mouthes shall then be stopped the generall silence of all arguing their consent to the iustice of Gods proceedings and none blaspheming any more I answer with Pareus againe that howsoeuer the wicked shall subscribe to this iudgement in their owne conscience as most iust and so shall not mutter any word of reason against those proceedings yet the sense of the extremity of torment from which they shall despaire euer to be deliuered will so inrage them Exod. 6. as that like the Aegyptians when haile fire mingled therwith came down from heauen or like the Canaanites vpon whom God hailed with exceeding great hailestones to the destroying of most of them to which I think it is rather than to the other alluded here as they I say being moued with anguish did doubtlesse bitterly take on against the God of Israel so here the wicked at the last day are brought in blaspheming to expresse the sense of intolerable pangs vpon which wicked men are wont thus to do And haply their tongues will thus rebell against God as the tongues of persons inraged euerlastingly These things being thus explained wee see that there is no reason why any should be offended and doubt whether Popery shall euer goe downe altogether or no because it is still vpheld after so many yeeres since it first receiued a blow for it must fall by degrees as it rose by degrees and as it had a long time of rising to the full height so it must bee long in falling into vtter destruction And seeing fiue of these Vials haue so manifestly taken effect already and the sixt in a great part why should wee not by faith assuredly expect the full accomplishment of it as well as wee see the accomplishment of those foregoing by experience O yee foolish and blinde Papists why are ye so hard to beleeue the things that this Prophet hath foretold touching your Babylon if ye loue your soules open your eyes and by that which hath beene hitherto done be assured of a full destruction and therefore come out of Babylon in
most against the professours of the truth assuring our selues that they are neerest their vtter ruine CHAP. XVII IN this Chapter and that which followeth the great City before said to bee diuided into three parts is more particularly described together with her vtter ruine and ouerthrow in respect of the head and fountaine Rome from whence all the abominations of idolatry and superstition haue flowed In the exposition of the particulars there is no great difference nor difficulty so much light hauing beene already giuen and therefore I will the more briefly only touching the diuersity of interpretations come to open euery passage as it lieth in order Quest 1. Which of the seuen Angels is it that sheweth Iohn these things Vers 1 2 c. who is the great Whore whom he saith he will shew vnto him what are the waters called also a beast vers 3. strangely described that she sitteth vpon And why was hee led into a desart place to behold this and touching the more particular description of this Whore and the word Mystery written in her forehead what is meant hereby Answ The Angell is held by some to bee the fift Brightman who powred out his Viall vpon the throne of the beast Pareus Napier But others more rightly hold him to bee the seuenth Angell vpon the powring out of whose Viall the great City was diuided into three parts which is againe more particularly vndertaken here that by the relation of this Angell it might be more fully vnderstood both what this City is and how and by what meanes she commeth to be destroyed Others indefinitely take this Angell for one of the seuen Bullinger c. Touching the great Whore it is agreed almost by all that it is Rome Bellar. lib. 3. de Rom. pont fice cap. 13. yea euen by Romanists themselues Bellarmine saith Wee may say and that better in my iudgement that by the Whore Rome is vnderstood so likewise Ribera and Viegas the Iesuites vpon this place Tertullian of old spake to the same effect Tertul. contra Iudaeâ—s Babylon in Saint Iohn doth represent Rome being as great and as proud of her dominions and as tyrannizing ouer the Saints as euer Babylon was Ieronim 11. qu. ad Algasiam And Ierome saith According to the Reuelation of Saint Iohn in the sorehead of the queane clad in purple there was a name of blasphemy written to wit Rome the euerlasting See more touching this before Chap. 14. vers 8. and how that shift of heathen Rome being meant here is confuted whereunto wee may adde that heathen Rome cannot be meant because then Rome subdued the Kings of the earth by force and not by subtill inticements as this Babylon doth and because the Rome here spoken against shall bee vtterly destroyed for the sins found then therein when the time of destruction commeth but heathen Rome was not so destroyed and if Rome should at the last be destroyed for the idolatries of the Heathen this destruction must come for idolatries put downe many hundred yeeres agone which is contrary to the course of the Lords proceedings against sinfull places As for their last refuge to an apostasie yet to bee expected in Rome in regard of which it is thus spoken of here see also Chap. 14. vers 8. Touching the many waters whereupon this woman sitteth they are interpreted vers 15. to be peoples and Nations and tongues ouer which Rome ruleth by the power residing there And this circumstance of her sitting is varied euery time that it is spoken of Vers 3. Vers 3. She is shewed sitting vpon a beast of a purple colour full of names of blasphemy hauing seuen heads and ten hornes and vers 9. the seuen heads being spoken of are said to be seuen hills whereupon the woman sitteth Vers 9. She is shewed sitting thus diuersly for diuers respects shee sitteth vpon many waters because she ruleth ouer many peoples and Nations vpon a purple coloured beast because the Senators and Rulers of this State vnder the Emperours did weare purple and skarlet clothing ascribing diuine titles of honor vnto their Emperours in a blasphemous manner as the Cardinals by whom the Pope ruleth now doe vnto him being also likewise apparelled and vpon seuen hils because the City was anciently seated vpon seuen hills And this variation maketh it so plaine as that nothing can bee plainer than that Rome is meant by this Whore seeing no City in the world is so seated but Rome onely neither doth that periphrasis whereby this City is described vers 18. agree to any other This is the great City that hath rule ouer the Kings of the earth And this name Whore is chosen to expresse Rome the head of the Antichristian Sect for continuation of the allegory of a woman in the similitude of whom the Church appeared chap. 12. The true Church is a chaste and holy woman who keepeth her selfe only to the Lord to whom shee is married refusing to worship any other or to make any other partaker with him in his diuine titles and attributes The Antichristian Sect is a whorish woman together with the Lord worshipping Images and Saints departed and attributing that vnto the Pope which is proper to the Lord only wherein truly spirituall whoredome doth consist Touching the place the Wildernesse Vers 3. Brightman into which hee was led to see this sight some take Iohn carried hither for a type of such as should be able to see Rome to be the beast and the Pope to be the Whore tiding this beast they should bee obscure persons and such as in whom this light should be little expected euen as in a man liuing and brought vp in the Wildernes there is expected no great matter of learning knowledge Some expound the Wildernesse of Gentilisme wherein Popery indeed appeareth Bullinger for so much as the idolatries and superstitions of the Gentiles barren of good men as the Wildernesse is without people are the very attire wherein Popery marcheth Pareus Some hold that reference is had here to the woman before spoken of Chap. 12. flying into the Wildernesse in the time of heathen persecution being then chaste and beloued of God but now become an Whore by her manifold idolatries Lastly Forbs some hold that hee is carried into the Wildernesse as the fittest place for contemplation and he that will diue into any deepe mysteries must retire himselfe from all worldly incumbrances I hold with this my last Author that there is no mystery in this passage but as vpon other occasions it hath beene vsed Mat 4. Christ was carried by the Spirit into the Wildernesse to be tempted so here Iohn is carried into the Wildernesse to see this mystery onely that in so solitary a place there might be no interruption by the comming in of any man or any occurrence which vnusually hapneth in places more frequented whereunto if we adde that the Wildernesse is in