that the vertues of this Lambe should be thankfully commemorated It is called a new song in respect of that in the former Chapter there are the praises of the creation which was of old here the praises of the redemption which was new Quest 3. Vers 9. And wee shall reigne on the earth How shall the Saints reigne vpon earth or how is it that being Kings in Heauen they ioy in thinking vpon a future reigning here Answ Forbs Brightman Some vnderstanding all of the Church militant say That reigning vpon earth is nothing else but being in the Kingdom of grace whilst we liue here Others vnderstanding it of the Saints in Heauen Bullinger Pareus say That the reigning vpon earth shal be when at the last day the Iudge descending they shall come together with him in great glory and shall appeare to be the Kings and Priests of God with Christ iudging this wicked world Arethas Mat. 5. Others againe vnderstand by earth that new earth which is promised to the meeke when it is said Blessed are the meeke for they shall inherit the earth And vnto this as the most probable doe I subscribe for there shall be a new Heauen and a new earth Chap. 21.1 and here shall the godly reigne in glory not as the Chiliasts and Turkes hold liuing in earthly pleasures for that is grosse neither is it to be thought that such pleasure is affected by such as are heauenly and spirituall but after the consummation of all at the Day of Iudgement the Saints shall reigne in another world which in allusion to this consisting of Heauen and Earth is called a new Heauen and a new Earth Or else consider whether it may not be vnderstood of the vpper hand which the Christian Religion should get of all false religions when Emperours and Kings should become Christian for being all of one mysticall body when the Christian Church getteth the principality the Saints in Heauen may reioyce to foresee it and say We shall reigne vpon earth that is our company which belong vnto the Lambe and admire and praise him as we doe And it was no small comfort to know this then when as all Empire and dominion was in the hands of heathen men and persecutors it must needs cheare vp the heart greatly to vnderstand what power Religion should haue ouer the Thrones and Scepters of this world and the ancient seruants of God may well be said to reigne vpon earth also because their dictates and instructions are generally receiued and obeyed vpon earth Quest 4. Vers 13. And I heard euery creature in Heauen and in earth vnder the earth and in the sea and all in them saying blessing and honour c. What are the creatures vnder the earth and how doth euery thing speake the praises of God when as all cannot speake Answ Ribera The Papists will haue the soules in purgatory meant by those vnder the earth some the Deuills who are compelled to giue glory to Christ But the best exposition is of the creatures which dwell in subterranean places for both they that are without and within the holes of the earth are called vpon to praise God Psal 148. and doe praise him and the Lord Iesus Christ in their kinde by whom a restauration of the world is attained when the faithfull shall be glorified as is declared Rom. 8.21 and for this cause they serue his prouidence which is their praising of him It is generally signified hereby what a consent there is amongst all things which are in expectation of benefit from Christ in celebrating his praises that we may doe likewise CHAP. VI. HEre is shewed how the Lambe beginneth to open the Seales in order and what followeth vpon the opening of each of them by such things as appeared future euents concerning the Church of God being emblematically set forth as the opening of euery Seale succeedeth one another and after the Seales follow the Trumpets Eullinger Forbs Brightman Lyâ—a Antonin Ambros lib. adulterinus Fox and after the Trumpets the Vials so some will haue the euents hereby set forth to succeed one another in order in diuers ages to the end of the world And some begin the computation from the beginning of the world by the seuen Seales vnderstanding the seuen ages Some from the foure Monarchies of the Assyrians Medes and Persians Grecians and Romans which they will haue set forth by these foure horses which beginnings cannot stand because Iohn is not taken vp to see things past but to come by which reason also that opinion reckoned vp by Andreas is confuted expounding the first Seale of Christs Birth Andreas ex Methodio the second of his Baptisme the third of his Miracles the fourth of his Arraignment the fift of his Buriall the sixt of his Descent c. The rest which speake more probably beginne the time at the Apostles going out to preach the Gospell in all nations and so apply euery thing to some notable accident as one happened after another from age to age Yet because at the opening of the sixt Seale mention is so plainly made of the last day of Iudgement as that it is but a wresting of the words to expound it any other way and againe at the sounding of the seuenth Trumpet it is so confidently affirmed that time was no more chap. 11. and the time is said to be come of iudging the dead vers 18. which cannot be meant but of the day of Iudgement and againe Chap. 14. the Vintage is cut downe and the Wine-presse trodden and againe Chap. 20. the dead arise and come to iudgement I cannot see how that computing of all things in order to the end can stand because the day of Iudgement which is last of all commeth so often in the way There are therefore that beginning the time at the propagation of the Gospell abroad in the world make diuers periods in these visions holding that within euery period most notable things which should happen to the end of the world are set forth Parcus in the first more obscurely and in euery following period more plainly and yet not alwaies the same but if any thing of note hath beene omitted in the former it is supplied in the periods following neither is euery one so vniuersall as another for some set forth the estate of the Church persecuted by Tyrants flourishing vnder Christian Emperours persecuted by Antichrist shaking off his yoke as the vision of the seuen Seales of the seuen Trumpets of the woman with childe cloathed with the Sunne and of the Angell binding the Dragon being afterwards loosened againe but some set forth that part of the estate of the Church only which was in Antichrists reigne and ouerthrow as the seuen Vials and the vision of the great whore and her destruction And vnto this as being most without exception doe I subscribe the rather because S. Augustine long agoe gaue some light to this method saying
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
A Catalogue of those Authors out of whom any thing is taken in the following Expositions AMbrosius Artopaeus Augustinus Anselmus Athanasius Aretius Adam Sasbout Alcasar Ambros Compsae Abbot Andreas Alphonsus Arethas Abbas Ioachim Basilius magnus Beda Brightman Beza Bernard Blasius Viegas Baronius Bibliander Bullinger Bellarmine Beard Brocardus Chrysostomus Clemens Alexand. Cicillus Alexand. Caietan Caelius Clemens 1. Chitreus Collado Catharinus Dydimus Dionysius Dent. Epiphanius Eusebius Erasmus Forbs Franciscus Breus Fox Fulke Faber Stapul Franc. Lambert Gregorius Magnus Glossa Ordin Glos Interlin Graeca Scholia Gagnaeus Giffard Gorran Grasserus Hieronymus Haimo Herodotus Hugo Irenaeus Iosephus Ioan. Leonard Illiricus Iunius Luther Lioy Lyranus Lorinus Methodius Marlorat Mason Nicephorus Napier Osiander Oecumenius Origen Orosius Petrus Aureolus Pareus Petrus Damascen Piscator Petrus du Moulin Pirkins Primasius Pannonius Prosper Aquitan Ribera Rupertus Richard de Sancto Victore Ruffinus Syrus Interpres Strabo Sebastianus Meyer Sixtus Senensis Scaliger Sabellicus Suarez Sleiden Surius Thomas Aquinas Tertullian Ticonius Tremelius Tossanus Turrianus Vict. Zeger Viterbiensis Victor Vticensis Victor Antioch Whitaker TO THE HIGH AND MIGHTY CHARLES by the grace of God of great Britaine France and Ireland King Defender of the Faith c. Grace Mercy and Peace in Christ Iesus DRead Soueraigne for so much as J haue now a long time deuoted my selfe by writing to doe some seruice to this Church whereof the great God of Heauen hath made your Maiesty vnder his Sonne Christ supreme Head and Gouernour J haue thought it my duty now that by the Diuine assistance J haue finished this difficult Worke which is the first that J haue put forth since your Maiesties auspicious comming to the Crowne to present it to your Royall hands as being the best way that J haue to expresse my vnfained hearty loue and affection and exceeding great ioy for the happy Inauguration of another very Dauid againe for courage after such a Solomon for wisdome of another Iosuah after Moses after a Writer a Fighter of the Lords battels Onely J pray that he who alone moderateth the warres would likewise grant Victories to our Iosuah and to his Forces and Confederates that no idolatrous Amorites may be able to stand before him but now that their wickednesse is come to such an height they may be confounded and dissipated This must be their end as the Fountaine of all profound wisdome did long agoe reueale vnto Iohn neither can it bee long before they come to this end as the following expositions vpon Iohn I hope will make plaine to euery intelligent Reader The Reuelation the expounding of which is the chiefe part of this Worke was a Booke into the mysteries whereof your Maiesties Father of blessed memory delighted much to search as appeareth by that most worthy Monument which he hath left to all posterities hereupon and I doubt not but your Maiesty being Inheritor not onely of your Fathers Dominions but also of his Vertues is likewise affected with such holy Studies being indeed as a furtherance of courage and resolution so of true blessednesse as is peculiarly by the Spirit pronounced vpon this Booke saying Reuel 1.3 Blessed is hee that readeth and they that heare the words of this Booke The distractions of Kings I grant are great by reason of their manifold most important affaires yet it is the constitution of the King of Kings that they should haue his Word before them Deut. 17.18 and be reading therein all the daies of their liues that they might learne to feare God and not haue their hearts lifted vp aboue their brethren The marke at which he would haue them to aime is the feare of God and humility amidst so many and great temptations to pride and contempt the meanes to helpe to these glorious ornaments is daily reading My hope therefore is that my seruice tendred in this kinde though by the meanest amongst many will not be vnacecptable to your Royall Maiesty but that notwithstanding the great and diuers present distractions there shall be some times spared to meditate vpon these Expositions That speech of Chrysostome was notable to secular men Chrysost conc de Lazaro making their continuall worldly imploiments a Supersedeas to the reading of the Scriptures What sayest thou O man that thou hast no leisure by reason of thy worldly businesses to reade the Word of God the more thy distractions are the more need hast thou to reade that amidst the tossings of these tempestuous waues thou mayst enioy the perpetuall comforts and directions of the Scriptures Theodosius the second Theodos 2. though his distractions could not but bee great through the amplitude of his Dominions yet spared so much time in his priuate Closet to the Word of God that hee wrote the new Testament ouer with his owne hand and Alphonsus Alphonsus King of Spaine and Naples is said to haue read the Bible with the ordinary glosse fourteene times ouer Which things J mention not most Gracious Soueraigne but onely to adde fuell to your fire and oyle vnto your flame that the zeale which your Maiesty is well knowne to haue vnto the Word of God and to the truth therein set forth may bee yet increased till it commeth to be doubled as the spirit of Elijah was vpon Elishah For what seruice is there that wee the Ministers of Christs Gospell can doe comparable to this of seeking the through Sanctification of the Lords Anointed ouer vs and of polishing the rich Diamonds of grace vpon his Crowne that they be more and more resplendent and shining The bent of our Prayers both publike and priuate is daily this way and therefore let my Lord the King pardon the zeale of his seruants if when they can get any opportunity their exhortations bend this way also We reade of Gods blessings vpon the people of Israel vnder Dauid Solomon and Iosiah and generally how in the dayes of all the godly Kings and Gouernours that haue beene the Graces shining in them haue beene so acceptable as that the Lord hath delighted to doe good to the whole Kingdome for their sakes Your Maiesty is the very breath of our nosthrils and the light of our eyes that great Tree mentioned in Daniel vnder which we your Subiects as beasts and birds doe shroud our selues and make our nests being alone worth 10000. of vs. Jt is therefore the height of our ambition in our inward desires and outward endeuours that your Maiesty may be vpright hearted and valiant as Dauid wise as Solomon and of ardent zeale like vnto Iosiah And to this end doe we presse as into the Court of Heauen by our Prayers so into your Maiesties Court with Exhortations Treatises Discourses and Expositions not passing for any toile and labour any carping and cauilling of censorious Critikes or any enmity of Sycophants so that what we doe may be cordiall to him to behold whose vertues increase with his yeeres our eyes and hearts are all fixed The times are
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
office more peculiarly belongeth that are externally by their orders segregated from the rest whose calling is to tend vpon these sacrifices not only in priuate as others but in publike and to serue about holy things the Word and Sacraments If any therefore shall presume vnder the pretence of being a Priests as well as others to minister these things 1 Chron. 26. 1 Sam. 13.14 with Vzziah he is to be resisted as going beyond his bounds and hee may well looke for a iudgement to be sent from God vpon him as vpon Vzziah by leprosie and vpon Saul to the losse of his Kingdome This place is worth the noting Note both for the credit of those that are now in the office of Priests vnto God whom the prophane sort thinke to vilifie by this name for it is the greatest dignity of the Christian profession herein the houour of it standeth that true Christians are Priests and Kings these being coupled together as dignities of the highest ranke and much alike and for the name giuen vnto the faithfull Kings and Priests the remembrance hereof should worke a kingly and priestly minde in euery one of vs to rule ouer our affections and to offer vp a pure conscience and conuersation daily vnto God as * Leo Serm. 3. anniuers dâ—e sue as sumpâ—r Nâ—â—il tâ—m râ—giant quamsubditum dâ—o a ninuâ— corporâ— suâ— esse rectorem 〈◊〉 nihil saceâ—dotah quam vouâ—â—e domino conseiâ—ntiam puram immacâ—latâ—s pietatis â—ostias dealtari cordis offerre Leo excellently teacheth Nothing is so kingly as when a minde subiect vnto God ruleth the body nothing is so priestly as to vow vnto God a pure conscience and to offer the immaculate sacrifices of piety vpon the altar of the heart Againe Note let all keepe within the bounds of their Priest hood not presuming to doe the publike office of a Priest without a particular calling because they are said to be Priests no more than they will take vpon them as Kings because they are said to be Kings CHAP. 2. VER 13. Be ye subiect to euery humane ordinance for the Lord whether to the King as chiefe Vers 14. or to Rulers as being sent forth by him c. This other part of the Chapter being an exhortation to an holy and inoffensiue life Mâ—yâ—r beginning vers 11. hath nothing almost of any difficulty But that here beginning with particular duties he commandeth subiection to euery humane creature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beza reiecteth this reading as absurd and followeth the other euery humane ordinance But I see no reason why this reading being most proper should bee reiected seeing it may also haue a good exposition thus Be subiect to euery man that is in the place of authority as vers 17. Honour all men where such a supply must needs be vnderstood for to expound honouring thereof doing the offices of loue is to confound things distinguished for he saith Honour all men meaning Superiours Oecumen Beza Faber Staâ— loue brotherly loue meaning equals Honour the King as Superiour to all others Yet I confesse that both Oecumenius and Faber and Beza and all generally by all men vnderstand all indefinitely to the poorest and meanest amongst whom an honour is due for that Image of God which he beareth for so saith Faber Honour in a poore man Christ humble by doing good vnto Christs poore in a rich man honour God who is rich in beneficence towards all in a Lord and Ruler honour God the Lord of all in the mighty honour God likewise that is Almighty and so in all others hauing reference still to God only and not vnto carnall things for so thou shouldest become a respecter of persons Let the Reader consider and follow whether exposition he pleaseth but the authority of so graue and many Expositors cannot sway me to thinke that by all men are meant any other than Rulers and Gouernours seeing there is no place to second it being taken otherwise and there is one place whereby it seemeth that honour is not due to all no more than feare and tribute is Rom. 13.7 Render to all men their dues tribute to whom tribute feare to whom feare honour to whom honour is due Now the Apostle setteth downe this duty of subiection to Magistrates first and chiefly as some haue noted Didymus Oecumen Chrysost in Titum August Epist 5. left Christians hearing of the liberty of their condition should refuse to obey and to preuent enuy in the Heathen who were apt to haue a sinister conceit of Christians in this regard euer since one Iudas of Galelee arose and drew away many Act. 5. Joseph antiqu ib. 18. c. 1 2. holding that Gouernours were not to be obeyed nor tribute to be paid and for as much as most of the Apostles were Galileans they were the rather apt to cherish this opinion against them and their followers Rom. 13. Iude Epist and therefore Saint Paul is earnest in commending duty and obedience also and Iude impugneth such as despise gouernment most sharpely censuring them Wherefore the Anabaptists are hence to bee condemned who deny Magistracy in a Christian state and that obedience is due to any such because Christians are a free kinde of people and not subiect vnto men for here and Rom. 13. subiection is expresly commanded neither was there euer any state well gouerned without Magistrates reade Iudg. 19.20 c. Touching this subiection how farre it extendeth and how the Lawes of Gouernours binde I haue already treated Rom. 13. As free and not hauing liberty as a cloake of euill Vers 16. This may seeme to be contradictory to that which went before touching subiection Chrysostome but Chrysostome resolueth it thus as I finde in Oecumenius Oecumen Obey Gouernours as free that is as beleeuing him that hath made you free and commanded you to be subiect vnto them Or else as Oecumenius himselfe hath it Be subiect as free that is not hauing a minde ill affected towards Gouernours for the enuious or malicious minde is a slauish minde seeing euill lusts and affections ruling in a man make him a slaue and not to be subiect to Superiours for to obey them freely and willingly the minde not going against it is to obey them as free but to obey them by compulsion is to obey as slaues though they that doe so may pretend a liberty by their Christian profession Luther Luther expoundeth it as not abusing your Christian liberty to licentiousnesse to liue now as ye list in rebelling against Princes and contemning their Lawes but freely and willingly obey them as if there were nothing to compell you thereunto for the true Christian doth so willingly performe the things of the Law as that it is said 1 Tim. 1.9 The Law is not giuen vnto him but to the wicked And this is to the same effect with that of Oecumenius and most genuine But committed it to him that iudgeth
Iewes are declared in all places to bee the stiffest enemies to the faith to say nothing of the confounding of the tribes so together as that they shall not afterwards be knowne asunder I preferre also that reason from the Church militant and triumphant here set forth For the promiscuous setting downe of the names of the tribes one obserueth that they are reckoned fiue wayes in the old Testament â—l Viegas and yet to none of them doth this agree one according to their birth and so it is Renben Simeon Leui Iudah Dan Nephtalim Gad Asher Issachar Zabulun Ioseph Beniamin 2. According to the order of Iacobs blessing them and so in stead of Dan comming in in the fift place it is Zabulun Issachar Dan Gad Asher Nephtalim Ioseph Beniamin 3. According to the order of their standards Numb 2.4 According to the places of their habitation in the land of Canaan and he saith there may bee a fift according to their dignity beginning with Iudah and Ioseph Touching the obseruing of no order Beda Rupertus Richard de Sancto Victore Primasius c. here something hath beene already said Others hold that there is an excellent order in the force and signification of the names Iudah signifieth praise Reuben the sonne of vision Gad girt to Asher blessed Nephtalim latitude Manasseh forgetfulnesse Simeon hearing Leui changed Issachar a reward Zabulun habitation Ioseph addition Beniamin the sonne of a right hand And so by this order in setting downe these names they thinke is intimated that such as confesse and praise God shall see his Son and be girt vnto his warres and so become blessed of God whereby his heart shall bee inlarged so towards heauenly things as that he shall forget earthly and neglect them hearkening onely to the heauenly and being thus changed into a new man hee shall be rewarded God will dwell in him and increase all heauenly graces more and more till at the last he come to haue a place at his right hand in eternall glory This resolution I confesse is very ingenious and holy but for so much as the diuersity of peoples sealed seemeth rather to bee intimated by these tribes euery one differring from another and not the seuerall steps of grace by which the seruants of God passe on to glory I rather incline to that country-man of ours Brightman who hath beene most industrious about this Reuelation vnderstanding this order of the order of diuers nations cleaning to the true saith of Christ being considered according to their dwelling East West North and South for so we shall finde the dwellings of these tribes to haue beene as that they which first were famous for the truth of the Gospell held fast amongst them answer to Iudah and so others For when after the time of Constantine the great the Arrian heresie ouer-spread other parts Assyria the South part was cleare answering to Iudah in the South of Canaan after when the Vandals ouerran the South and West the Churches in the East were cleare answering to Reuben and Gad in the East of Canaan After this the Saracens ouer-running the East these North parts of Britaine were famous for withstanding Popish corruptions two thousand Monkes of Bangor at once refusing the Popes yoke and this answereth to Asher and Nephtalim in the North of Canaan After Leo Isaurus in the East and Carolus maguus in the West together opposed images answering to Manasseh on either side of Iordan East and West After this the true Church appeared not in any certaine place but lay hid as Simeon and Leui dwelt scattered amongst the rest of the Tribes After this notable conuersions were made of the Northerne Polands Saxons Danes Sueuians c. answering to Issachar and Zabulon in the North of Canaan After this the Waldenses and Albingenses were famous the one dispersed thorow France the other thorow Germanie answering to Ioseph and Beniamin inhabiting middle regions For though I doe not approue of euery thing here as the extending of the sealing onely from Gonstantine to the Waldenses whereas doubtlesse all faithfull Christians in euery place vnder the Gospell from the first propagation thereof till Antichrists time are set forth as sealed yet doubtlesse these tribes doe represent the parts of the Church comming on successiuely as God in his prouidence directed the Gospell vnto them Lastly for the leauing out of Dan and Ephraim it is no new thing to leaue out Dan for 1 Chron. 2 3 4 5 6 7. where the generations of the seuerall tribes are reckoned vp Dan is left out as a tribe that had rent it selfe from the rest euer since they tooke Laish and dwelt there apart from the rest setting vp an idoll and Priest of their owne Iudg. 18. Grasser will haue the mystery of Antichrists double power spiritual and temporall in these two tribes set forth 1 King 12. euen till the time of the captiuity And touching Ephraim that might also be well left out in detestation of idolatry so frequent in the kingdome of Israel whereof Ephraim was the head by reason of Ieroboam of that tribe who was the first Authour hereof vnto them Touching the signe in the forehead though some stand for the signe of the Crosse pressing that of Ezec. 9. where they are said to be marked with that which of old was written in the forme of a Crosse till the letters after the captiuity were altered by Ezra to auoid communion herein with the Samaritans yet the souÌ„der opinion followed by most is that the seale is Gods grace so imprinted in the heart as that they are hereby setled in the way of saluation but said to be set vpon the forehead because that is the most eminent part of the body and open to the view to shew that these are well knowne to the Lord though men not able to distinguish them from others and also how bold and constant they are in professing the Gospell against the fiercest oppugners as the followers of the beast are afterwards said also to beare his marke in the forehead or right hand to shew their impudency in errour and how by humane industry they further his kingdome all that they can According to this exposition of setlednesse in grace speaketh the Apostle saying The foundation of God remaineth sure 2 Tim. 2.19 and hath this seale set to God knoweth who are his And this may be a great comfort to all the godly in that amidst all the persecutions and troubles of the world they shall be sure to prosper and proceed in the way to euerlasting saluation God taketh notice of euery one of them hath them euer in his fight and is so intent vnto their best good as that he staieth the destruction of the world till euery one of them be well prouided for Onely let vs embolden our selues and not be ashamed to serue God against the mocks and despights of the world thus shewing the print of his seale in our foreheads As for
compelled to carry vnreasonable burthens and if being oppressed with the weight they went slowly they were whipt with whips full of iron prickes that put them to exceeding great torment Then they which before had beene rulers of the world were made slaues vnto a barbarous people For Augustulus was compelled by them to deuest himselfe of his imperiall robes and to goe into banishment the Empire in the West being thence forward ruled by Odoacer the King of the Rugians and Theodoricus of the Goths and his successors till that Etius being sent by the Emperour of the East cut them quite off from hauing any dominion more And yet neither then were they free from the oppression of strangers for the Longobards brought in by the said Etius obtained the Kingdome of Italy and ruled for the space of aboue two hundred yeeres till the time of Charles the great All which History that it may be vnderstood the better I haue thought good to transcribe hither as I finde it to haue beene by others collected together I haue already touched Valens his bringing in of the Goths into the East to his owne ruine about ann 380. After him reigned Theodosius sixteene yeeres all which time that sauage Nation was able to doe no great hurt But in the daies of Arcadius and Honorius the sonnes of Theodosius they came in great multitudes especially into the west where Honorius reigned For Radagisus King of the Goths came in the eighteenth yeere of his reigne into Italy with 200000. men ann 409. but this great multitude being dispersed and perishing by famine he came to a miserable end but fiue yeeres after Alaricus who succeeded him besieged and tooke Rome and spoiled it and the rest of Italy Adaulphus succeeded him and tooke Rome the second time After him Genscricus came with 500000. and tooke Rome the third time ann 445. After this Odoacer King of the Rugians tooke Rome and quite ouerthrew the Empire reigning in Italy fourteene yeeres Against him came Theodoricus King of the Goths sent by Zeno Emperour of the East who ouercomming him reigned in Italy three and thirty yeeres Atalaricus succeeded him and reigned eight yeeres then Theodatus two yeeres and he being deposed Vitiges was made King and reigned fiue yeeres he being taken prisoner by Bellisarius a Captaine sent by Iustinian Emperour of the East Totilas succeeded vnder whom and Vitiges his predecessor Italy and Rome indured infinite miseries Totilas tooke Rome the fifth time and razed it to the ground burning all with fire fourteene dayes together and so the Citizens being left harbourlesse wandred about the fields of Campania hee reigned ten yeeres and then Etius another famous Captaine being sent against him he was ouercome and an end was put to the Kingdome of the Goths These times being computed together from the eighteenth yeere of Honorius when these Locusts beganne first to swarme in Italy vnder Radagisus vnto Totilas the last King of the Goths will appeare to be about 150 yeeres For the eighteenth yeere of Honorius when Radagisus came was the fourth of Theodosius of the East who reigned 38. yeeres after Martianus 7. Leo 17. Zeno 17. vnder whose reigne Odoacer beganne and reigned 14. yeeres Theodoricus 33. Atalaricus 8. Theodatus more than 2. Vitiges 5. an inter regnum after that Bellisarius had ouerthrowne Vitiges 2. Totilas 10. From Radagisus then to the end of Zenoes reigne are 80. yeeres when the Roman Empire was put downe in Augustulus which time I reckon by the easterne Emperours because that after Honorius who reigned 29. yeeres Valentmian the third onely reigned 30. yeeres but after him there were many which stood so short a time and were so vnhappy in their reignes as that their times are not counted as namely Auitus Richimex Maioranus Senerus Anthemius Olibrius Gliceriâ—s Nepos Orestes Augustulus From Odoacer to the end of Totilas are 74. yeeres which being put vnto the former 80. amount to 154. Now it is to be noted that the Kingdome of these strangers was some yeeres before the end of Zenoes Empire before spoken of and the time of Theodatus might be two or three yeeres more than are reckoned wherefore we may deduct out of this some fiue or six yeeres because this change was vnder Zeno and so the time will be 148. vnto which if we adde againe the foresaid two or three the whole will be about 150. from ann 409. to ann 559. This ground being thus laid all things will most excellently agree to these troubles For first the Deuill who is a murtherer from the beginning in times past a Lucifer but fallen is by God appointed for a punishment of heresie to bring in an infinite multitude of strangers and this is his opening of the bottomlesse pit because the purpose of spoiling wasting and destroying is from hell These are compared to Locusts darkning the aire through their multitude as in Egypt both because they had no certaine place of habitation but preyed vpon others and because they were not of any great power to hurt but by reason of their great multitudes They hurt like Scorpions because when Valens first brought them in they came as helpers but after a while they proued most mischieuous to Christendome as the Scorpion looketh pleasantly and putteth to no paine at the first till after three daies when the torments of his stinging are most grièuous and kill for which cause also their sting is said to be in their taile Yet there is a difference from the Scorpions sting in that these only torment and kill not and torment such onely as want the marke of God in their forehead For though many in these warres were slaine yet the Empire was but wounded as it were and not for euer destroyed seeing after a certaine time it reuiued againe And it is the state in generall whereof it is spoken when he saith That they should not kill but torment them As for the exception of the sealed ones whereas it may seeme that they were hurt most for so much as the Orthodox were most peresecuted by the Goths being partly after a time drawne to be Arrians This exception I take it is made to note that such as were not sealed but turned away after Heresie were the cause of this mischiefe neither could the Elect receiue any dammage hereby seeing all outward calamities suffered for Gods sake are turned to an inward aduantage vnto them The time of fiue moneths being resolued into daies is iust the foresaid terme of 150. yeeres a yeere being vnderstood by a day as is frequent in prophesies It may also bee applied vnto the fiue times of Romes vanquishment in the compasse of these yeeres The state being thus often ouerturned and they who were wont to bee Lords of all into seruitude reduced their houses fired their wiues rauished their riches comming into the possession of others and themselues exposed to extreme pouerty and want harbourlesse and comfortlesse no maruell though they desired
was crucified Here the Papals triumph as if by no meanes the Pope could be counted an instrument from the bottomlesse pit killing the Lords Witnesses and exposing their bodies without buriall seeing it is plaine they thinke from hence that these things shall be done at Ierusalem and not at Rome for Ierusalem is the great City where Christ was crucified and which the Prophets were wont to vpbraid by the name of Sodome and Egpyt for their vncleannesse and idolatries there But who so shall attentiuely consider the whole passage here shall easily finde that by Ierusalem must be vnderstood necessarily a farre larger place than that City seeing that vpon the entrance of this prophesie that which shall be trodden vnder foot by the Gentiles is called the holy City which no man can deny to be the Christian Church in all parts of the world whereof that holy City was a type and therefore according to the vsuall phrase of holy Scripture it is set forth by that name This then being taken for granted the same prophesie still continuing about that which should befall the seruants of God in this City being a long time at the will of their enemies it cannot with any probability be denied but that this spirituall Egypt and Sodome where the Lord was crucified is the same holy City of the vniuersall Church destined yet to the treading vnder foot of the Gentiles this being one most tyrannous act executed by them to expose the murthered bodies of Gods faithfull seruants vnburied euen here But this Church becommeth first another Sodom for vncleannesse an Egypt for idolatries and yet is old Ierusalem for crucifying and putting to death the Lord Iesus in his members This great City then is the vniuersall Church before called the holy City trodden vnder foot by wicked enemies not in respect of all the parts for the Temple and the Altar are exempted but in respect of those parts which are oppressed by the enemies of the truth both Turke Pope and chiefly the Pope whose iurisdiction is most infamous for vncleannesse and therfore called Sodom and for idolatry being therefore called Egypt and for murthers being therefore here set forth by a Periphrasis Where the Lord was crucified Ierusalem I grant is properly the City where our Lord was crucified but seeing all that hath beene said hitherto of the place is allegoricall this cannot be in any reason taken properly but allegorically also the City where our Lord was crucified that is Ierusalem imbrued in the most innocent bloud for the Roman Church so full of innocent bloud Ierusalem another Sodom and Egypt for the Roman Church a very Sodom and Egypt for the vncleannesses and idolatries as much reigâ—ing here as euer they did in those two cursed places Our Diuines doe all generally in effect say the same for they agree vpon the popish Church here meant But that some apply it vnto Rome Brightman as from whence the authority to crucifie Christ was deriued and so the great City where the Lord was crucified setteth forth the Roman Empire for which cause it is not only called Sodom a City but Egypt a Country and whole dominion which is now vnder the Pope as it was then vnder heathen Emperours Pareus Bullinger Some repeating the word spiritually say that it is meant where the Lord was crucified spiritually in his members neither can it be meant properly of Ierusalem because all nations and tongues shall see these dead bodies which could not be in one City againe this is doubtlesse the same City ruling ouer the Nations afterwards more amply described which the learned amongst the Papists themselues cannot deny to be Rome Touching their rising againe whereupon a great feare fell vpon those that saw them vers 11. and their being called vp into Heauen and ascending in a Cloud their enemies beholding it vers 12. Some vnderstand hereby other men of the same zealous spirit that they were of which were slaine Bullinger whom God stirreth vp to abate the ioy and to strike new terrour into the Antichristian Sect who are finally receiued vp into Heauen at the last day in the sight of their enemies the Kingdome of Antichrist being first much ruined by their meanes great warres being stirred vp called an Earth-quake by which many thousands are shine here called 7000. and the state in a great part commeth to ruine here said to bee the tenth part of the great City whereupon men suruiuing who were formerly deluded returne vnto God giuing all glory to him alone not making others partners with him any more as in their ignorance they had before done With this consenteth Pareus Paâ—â— but that he will haue their ascending to bee the honour and esteeme which the Teachers of the truth come into when their true doctrine is againe reuiued and preuaileth by meanes of such as God stirred vp in the roome of those that were formerly slaine by the enemies of the truth for thus Iohn Husse and Ierome of Prague being killed and their tenents condemned for hereticall liued againe in Luther and Melancthon and Caluin c. and were highly honoured and esteemed of together with their doctrine as also these and other their successors maintaining the same wherby great terrour was stricken into the Papals and that state being much ruined many were turned to the truth Brightman Brightman will haue this ascending to be of their doctrine concerning which a decree was made by Cesar Ferdinand and other Princes Sleid. lib. 26. that the Religion of the Augustane confession should bee free for all men ann 1555. sept Calend. Octobris Hereupon followed a great change in the state called here an Earth-quake the Pope loseth a great part of Germany the tenth part of his reuenue and the religious lose their meanes whereupon their life depended But these are said to be but 7000. the generall losse the fall of the tenth part of the City because this losse by the supressing of superstitious houses was not so great extending but to particular persons as the vilifying of the Pope for hereby the state in generall was greatly shaken For mine own part I consent with these learned Authors in that wherein they all agree that by the two Witnesses reuiued is not meant properly the raising againe of two particular persons Enoch and Elias as the Papists hold for this hath beene sufficiently confuted already but the stirring vp of others in the roome of such witnesses of the truth as haue been slaine during the reigne of Antichrist Yet I doe not thinke that this is to be brought within the compasse of the 1260. daies as already accomplished but that this shall be in the last declination of Antichristianisme at what time the enemies of the truth shall haue no more power to persecute and destroy as yet they haue For within the compasse of that time of their power as any haue beene stirred-vp they haue not stood still as affrighted hereat but they haue
not in a corner but in all countreys and nations of Christendome and shall wee doubt not be diffused into all other parts ere long This is the same in effect with that Chap. 10. Thou must prophesie againe to Nations and Kings and many peoples Feare God Vers 7. and giue glory to him c. this is all the effect of our preaching now and the speech is adaptated to the present occasion for in the time of Popery men feare the beast Pareus giue him glory and worship him as most admirable as was shewed Chap. 13. The chiefe thing therefore now to be pressed is to feare God and to worship him by giuing ouer that fond admiration of the Pope whereby they were drawne after him trusting in him and receiuing his Dictates as the Oracles of a God which indeed is the worshipping of him And the phrase here vsed giue glory to God doth fitly answer that in Chap. 11.13 where it is said that the great city being fallen and seuen thousand slaine the rest trembling gaue glory to God that is were conuerted from that superstition The time of his iudgment is come that is is at hand so that wee may gather hence as Chap. 10. where after the open booke appearing the Angell sweareth that time shall be no more c. that now since these things haue come to passe the destruction of the Pope and Papacy and of all wicked ones is very neere euen at the doores Touching the second Angell proclaiming the fall of Babylon Vers 8. it is plaine that by Babylon here the old city of the Assyrians so called is not meant both because this Babylon is described to be such as had dominion in the time of Saint Iohn ouer the Kings of the earth Chap. 17.18 and because the people of God are bidden to come out of this Babylon where they had not beene fiue hundred yeeres before the time of this Prophecie But some haue held that by Babylon the world is meant wherein there is so much confusion by reason of the Deuils reigning in it But this cannot stand Ambros Beda Arethas Haimo Primasius Ansel because this Babylon is spoken of but as a part of the world for with her all nations haue committed fornication and when it is fallen yet the world of the wicked remaine for they are threatened with euerlasting torments by the next Angell And lastly wee are bidden come out of Babylon which we cannot doe if by Babylon the whole world be vnderstood If wee looke backe to Chap. 11.8 we shall finde a great city mentioned which before was called the holy City vers 2. trodden vnder foot by the Gentiles two and forty moneths in which city it is said the Lord was slaine and his two witnesses their dead carkasses being cast out and all nations and kindreds beholding them which city all men know according to the letter is Ierusalem but spiritually the Text saith it is Aegypt or Sodome This city I shewed there setteth forth the Church of the Gentiles sometime holy but by Popery and Mahumetisme in time corrupted wonderfully and therefore called Aegypt or Sodom and the fall of it in part is also there spoken of vers 13. Now the same is called Babylon another great city and of great note for rule and dominion and of infamy for idolatry and cruelty and because Rome is the head of this corrupted Church and the chiefe city of the world the Papall Empire residing there but extending it selfe into all parts it is meant by this Babylon the name being aptly changed from Aegypt or Sodom to Babylon Ribera to expresse this imperiall Babel-like power Ribera the Iesuite acknowledgeth Rome to be meant by Babylon here alleging many worthy Writers who affirmed the same As Augustine August de Ciuit. Deid 8.6.22 who saith that Babylon falling Rome was built the daughter of Babylon and another very Babylon so likewise Euseb lib. 2. cap. 14. Beda Oecumen Victorinus Ieronym in Esa 24. Tertull. lib. 3. contra Marcion Sixtus Senensis Ludonicus Viues Lindanus Bellarmine c. But hee will not haue Rome as the state thereof now standeth to be Babylon but as it was vnder the persecuting heathen Emperours But this is a most vaine defence 1. Because Antichrist was not come whilst heathen Rome stood who by the consent of all must be come before this fall of Babylon 2. Because from this Babylon spirituall fornications that is idolatries are deriued to all countreys and nations whereas it was neuer so with heathen Rome for then all countreys were suffered to enioy their owne religions but the Christian onely 3. Because none of the Authors alleged except Tertullian liued whilst heathen Rome stood and therefore could not call Rome Babylon meaning heathen Rome Lastly because this Babylon is afterwards called The great Whoore noting a state apostatizing from the truth sometime receiued to goe after Idols for in the holy Scriptures Israel only and Iudah are taxed for whoredome and not either Countries because they were married as it were vnto the Lord and yet they fell from him to the seruing of Idols Other Nations which were neuer taken in for Gods peculiar though they were full of Idols could not properly be said to goe a whooring no more could heathen Rome but the Popish state now iuling there may justly be thus charged Ribera seeing that it is but a shift to apply this to Heathen Rome at the last leaueth it and saith That Rome is meant as it shall be when in the time of Antichrist it shall forsake the Pope and the Catholike Religion as he laboureth to make it probable that it shall doe But who so is wise will easily see that this is but a shift to elude a plaine euidence To Rome that now is and to the Pope who hath his seat there all circumstances doe so agree as that we are sure this Prophesie thus taken is already verified a state falling from the Pope there and returning to their old heathen idolatry is but a phantasma like the man in the Moone which none but fooles will beleeue to be so indeed Here is now the Empire ouer Kingdomes and Nations here are miracles and shewes that draw the world after the Pope After a long time of delusion by faire pretences the eternall Gospell is come to light againe and this state hath beene much shaken this thousand yeeres and vpward and is in a great part fallen but yet murthereth and destroyeth the Saints according to their old manner from hence are idolatries and superstitions deriued into all Countries and lastly now standeth that reuiued head which was deadly wounded being the seuenth which was to come after Saint Iohns time for of the seuen fiue were fallen one that is Emperours then stood and the seuenth that is the Pope was to come And the Iesuite in yeelding that Rome shall fall away to heathen idolatry from the Catholike Religion doth quite forget himselfe of that grand Maxim 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
preuaile as it is said of a threefold cord that it is not easily broken These preuaile so as that the Potentates of the earth stand to the Pope and fight for him and his religion euen vntill the great day of the Lords battell when all shall bee cut off that is at the day of iudgement which is described vnder the next viall by the commotions in the aire by thunderings and lightenings c. Others by the first plague vnderstand the Hierarchicall kingdome set vp in the dayes of Gregory the seuenth Grasser when the Roman Clergy began to be exempt from the secular iurisdiction becomming thus the more licentious in their filthinesse seeing none but the Pope and his instruments now had power to iudge them So that they make these seuen vials none other but types of corruption by degrees inuading the Church of Rome first in their manners they becomming most filthy and vile 2. In their doctrine set forth vnder the second viall by the sea turned into bloud 3. In their bloud-shed by being an occasion of many ciuill warres and dissentions 4. In their tyranny scorching like the heat of the Sunne in the Canicular dayes beginning in the dayes of Gregory the eighth 5. After all this the throne of the beast was darkened in the Councell of Constance by meanes of Iohn Husse and Ierom of Prague boldly laying open the wickednesse of the Papacy which made them euen to gnaw their tongues for sorrow 6. The sixt viall tooke effect in the sixteenth age of Christs incarnation when the Lusitanians passing beyond the promontory of the cape of good hope came into the Persian gulfe whereinto the riuer of Euphrates falleth and subiected the East parts thereof and going further tooke Calecut and Molucco and Iapania which are the vttermost bounds of the world and of the East in respect of vs founding there many Bishoptickes and seminaries of Iesuites whereas this way was neuer opened before neither had they any knowledge of the Romish religion And that this Prophecy might be fulfilled according to the letter by the comming of the Kings of the East from those parts so farre remote the Iesuites brought ouer the Embassadours of the three Kings of Iaponia ann 1584. thorow the most famous parts of Spaine and Italy to Rome where in the name of their kings they did obedience to Gregorie the thirteenth then Pope Genebrard in Psal 68 v 34. and this Genebrard himselfe a Papist acknowledgeth to bee the fulfilling of this prophecie holding that they came ouer to succour the Church now languishing through the great opposition that it findeth in these parts And in this time the Popes Legats and the Iesuites like frogs leaping about bestirre themselues to make ciuill commotions in all parts of Christendome for the rooting out of heretikes as they call them but the armies are gathered together into Harmageddon signifying a cursed army and so they make a way hereby to their owne vtter destruction figured out vnder the seuenth viall This exposition is prosecuted very largely by the Author Others vnderstanding by the earth whereupon these Angels are bidden to powre out their vials Forbs the earthly kingdome of Antichrist distinguish them according to the relation betwixt the earth sea riuers and aire which at the first are altogether vnderstood by the earth which is below being opposed to heauen aboue And thus the first viall is the first and lightest degree of euill that befell this kingdome when by the light of the Gospell their auarice filthinesse pride and hypocrisie as noisome boiles were detected â—ew yet daring to challenge their doctrine which is impugned vnder the next viall when this Sea appeared filthy like bloud the very worship processions and pilgrimages amongst them being exclaimed vpon as superstitious Vnder the third the corruption of their chiefe Doctours who as riuers seeke by their eloquence and learning to sweeten this Sea is set forth and withall the execution done vpon them for their conspiracies and treacheries against states and kingdomes Vnder the fourth viall they are inraged against the truth being exceedingly heat and vexed by the light and Sun-shine thereof growing clearer and of more force euery day for in stead of repenting they are more obdurated hereby Vnder the fift viall is shewed how the glory of Antichrists kingdome is darkened the Pope and Papistry becomming now vile and odious to many whereupon like men distracted they gnaw their tongues for sorrow Vnder the sixt viall is shewed how the riches glory and dominion of this kingdome being decayed set forth by the riuer Euphrates dried vp wherein it is alluded to Ier. 51. an open way shall be made for the Iewes and Mahumetans in the East to come in and receiue the Gospell that as their defection in the Easterne parts to Mahumetisme was occasioned by the rise of the Pope so their comming againe to embrace the truth may follow vpon the fall of the Pope But the Popes emissaries compared to vncleane spirits and frogs shall still seeke to hinder it by exciting the Potentates of the earth to wars in fauour of the Pope which when they shall be about with an high enterprise set forth by the word Harmageddon that is the mountaine of Megiddo which place is twice mentioned 1. Iudg. 5. when Iabin and Sisera are said to fall at the waters of Megiddo 2. when Iosiah was slaine by Pharaoh Necho in the valley of Megiddo 2 King 23. but here neither waters nor valley but mountaine of Megiddo is named to shew that when they should be at the highest pitch of their designe they should be defeated as God is said to foile Gog vpon the mountaines of Israel and hence a two-fold sorrow shall ensue one worldly of those that are ouerthrowne as the Midianites sorrowed when Iabin and Sisera were discomfited the other godly of those that hereby take occasion to see and acknowledge him whom they haue pierced as Zach. 12. and as they mourned for Iosiah when he was slaine by Pharaoh Necho Vnder the seuenth viall the great alteration that after these things shall be in the world is set forth all the enemies of the truth being destroyed the Church shall come to a flourishing state hauing nothing to expect more but the comming of the Bridegroome Christ Iesus Some more particularly holding that by these Angels certaine eminent persons are set forth Brightman who were stirred vp against the Papacy will haue the first to bee Queene ELIZABETH of blessed memory about ann 1560. and the byle to be her fauouring of the reformed religion turning out of their Bishoprickes and liuings Popish Bishops and Parsons The second Chemnitius in his writing of that booke called Examen Concilij Tridentini wherein the Sea of the Councell of Trent is set forth in the colours all bloudy and corrupt The third the Parlament here in England ann 1581. decreeing that they should be proceeded against as traitours who should at any time after goe about
a place And all this hee holdeth to bee already fulfilled for the most part the Spanish Armado in 1588. being brought by such meanes into an Harmageddon So that now wee liue vnder the seuenth viall wherein shall bee greater mutations in states than euer and that in this very age the Popish faction being destroyed with horrible destructions and so a finall end being put vnto Rome and to the Popedome I might set downe more expositions but these shall suffice wherein indeed I haue beene the larger because of the obscurity of this place giuing such occasion of diuersity of coniectures as that amongst our new Writers scarce two are to be found that agree together in all things that hauing so many before our eyes we may â—â—e holpen the more in finding out the truth Those ancients which so consentingly expound these vials of Preachers in diuers ages are surely mistaken because these are the last plagues of all in this booke contained and therfore cannot be in diuers ages but in the last onely and they are powred out against Antichrist his marked ones and vpon his throne and to his disturbance intimated in that out of his mouth come the frogs to moue the Kings of the earth to warres in his defence And the long rising of Antichrist arguing a long time wherein hee is falling sheweth that coniecture of the Iesuite to be vaine who bringeth all these vials within the narrow compasse of three yeeres and a halfe yea the latter end of this time Why the two first expositions cannot be receiued I haue shewed before Touching the third the French Pox and pestilences and droughts being common to others as well as to the Papals I cannot see how it doth well agree For the fourth it is more improbable because the scope of this Prophecies is to shew how the Papacie and Pope should be plagued for their wickednesse to their great anguish and not how they should become an annoiance and vexation to others The 5 6 7.10 and 11. expositions then remaine which in many things agree well together and therefore by the light and help hereof I will endeuour chiefly looking vp to the Father of lights for direction to set downe the truest and most genuine sense of these most mysticall vials If in the entry it be a stumble as some haue made it how these Angels may be iustified to doe according to their command when as being bidden to powre out their vials vpon the earth they doe not but one of them only the rest powring out their vials vpon the sea riuers throne of the beast Sunne and aire this I take it hath beene well resolued already in the fift exposition all these are but the parts of the earth as it is here taken viz. for the kingdome of Antichrist here below opposed to heauen aboue so often mentioned in this prophecie when the faithfull seruants of God are spoken of Touching the first Angell with his viall 1. Angell I cannot with Brightman vnderstand it of Queene Elizabeth because howsoeuer she was an excellent instrument for the comfort of the godly and the vexation of the Popish yet she was not the first as this Angell is I hold therefore with Forbs and Pareus that the first oppugners of Popery shewing their filthy byles to their great vexation are here figured out here we may ascend higher than Luther euen to Wickliffe and to the Waldenses and Albingenses before together with many Worthies who wrote and spake against the filthinesse of the Priests Monkes and Fryers many yeeres agone as all that are but meanly conuersant in history know And herein as in almost all the rest it is alluded vnto the inchanters in Aegypt who were smitten with a sore byle that they could not stand before Moses and Aaron for as these make men loathsome so the abominable vices of the Roman Clergy made them loathsome to most men Touching the second 2. Angell I doe not thinke that the doctrine and Doctors of that Synagogue of Rome are meant for so the speech of the Angels iustifying the Lord in his proceedings giuing them bloud to drinke as they had shed the bloud of the Saints would not so well agree for here is plainly noted a paying of them with the like to that which they had done I approue therefore here rather the tenth exposition that hereby is figured out the bloud of the Popish shed by the Turkes especially and the order of time doth agree most excellently for after that the bloud of many thousands of innocents had beene shed in Merindall and Cabriers and other neighbouring parts for religion a great destruction happened to the Papals by the Turkes Munster Cosmogr de Turcis about ann 1444. Ladislaus the Emperour himselfe being slaine together with many Princes Dukes and Nobles and an infinite multitude of common people And in Hungary and Transiluania still after this the Turke preuailing many yeeres a sea of bloud was shed As for the riuers I take it not to bee amisse to apply their turning into bloud to executions done vpon Priests and Iesuites for their treasons here in England and vpon Iesuites in other parts together with the apparant iudgements of God vpon many of them that haue beene most forward in persecuting to their destruction and the slaughters that haue beene made of them in their ciuill warres procured by their owne seeking Touching the fourth I hold that the increase of the light of the Gospell is hereby set forth 4. Angell as most of my Authors agree for the word of God is compared to the Sunne Psal 19. which as it enlightneth and so is comfortable so it heateth and the neerer it draweth to any part of the world the more it scorcheth with the exceeding great heat thereof And thus this viall doth very well agree to the euent for the Sunne being risen to enlighten the world gat vp higher still dayly in the firmament till the heat of it grew intolerable to the Papals making them to raile and sweare against it like mad men Touching the fift there cannot be a more kindly exposition than to apply it to the obscuring of the Popes glory 5. Angell for when by the Sun-shine of the truth the Doctors of that Church and others who stand to the defence of it are scorched so as that they cannot maintaine with any reason any longer the Popes vsurped Supremacy infallibility of iudgement indulgentiary power and power to make Lawes and to dispense with Lawes but their onely refuge is railing and virulency of tongue then what must needs follow next but a vilipending of their Pope whom they so much magnified And when this commeth to passe how can they that are the Popes vassals and in their mindes inthralled to his Holinesse but sorrow extremely and behaue themselues like frantickes Touching the sixt I cannot thinke that the conuersion and returne of the Iewes is once glanced at herein 6. Angell seeing that not by them
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
to shew both the vniuersality of the iudgement that shall be Note and the terriblenesse of the Iudge to the wicked so that nothing shall be able to abide his presence and the iust proceedings according to which all shall bee sentenced because they shall be by bookes and according to mens workes and lastly the wofull estate of all that haue done euill after this time they shall be cast into the lake of fire and the ioyfull estate of those that haue done well death and hell is abolished vnto them so that they shall stand in feare of these enemies no more What is written in the booke of life is kept so secret that wee cannot know it but they whose workes are euill may be sure that they are not therein written the booke of life and the register of mens workes doe parallel one another Wouldest thou then see into this great secret goe to thy workes and consider them if they be good thou art assuredly written in the booke of life otherwise thou mayst bee sure that thou art not and then the lake of fire gapeth for thee Psal 34.12 Be not deceiued therefore by thy faith but wouldest thou liue long and see good dayes refraine thy tongue from euill and thy lips that they speake no guile cease to doe euill seeke peace and ensue it Attend to that direction of our blessed Sauiour giuen to him that asked what he should doe to be saued 1 Tim. 6.7 keepe the Commandemâ—nts and if thou be rich forget not to distribute of thy goods to the poore and so lay vp to thy selfe a good foundation CHAP. XXI IN this and the Chapter following vnder the figure of the new Ierusalem the state of the Church triumphant in heauen is set forth as it shall be after the day of iudgement according to the opinion of all Expositors Brightman Forbs except two of ours who vnderstand it of a flourishing Church vpon earth after the Pope and Turke destroyed and the Iewes conuerted and some Popish Writers who expound it of the Church of Rome whom Alcasar a Iesuite mentioneth and confuteth But that it cannot possibly bee vnderstood of the Church vpon earth in any time or age is most plaine first because this vision followeth after the vision of the last great day of iudgement and therefore in order should represent somewhat after that 2. Because the condition of the Church is such here as that it can neuer be free from suffering and sorrow All that will liue godly must suffer persecution Rom 8.17 wee shall bee glorified with Christ if we suffer with him Ioh. 16. 1 Pet 5.8 and In the world ye shall haue trouble and if at any time there bee outward peace yet the Deuill like a roaring Lion goeth about continually seeking whom he may deuoure and there are bodily pangs and sicknesses and other occurrences that doe afflict whilest this life lâ—steth Heb. 12.10 for if wee should bee without chastisement wee should be bastards and no sonnes And lastly there is sinne euer here in the best which maketh them to sorrow Matth. 5.5 according to that Blessed are they which mourne for they shall be comforted But the new Ierusalem here described is without all sorrow and paine vers 4.3 Because the Church here described hath the glory of God which is all one with being glorified in heauen so as cannot said of any vpon earth vers 11.4 Because this Church is without a Temple needeth no light of the Sunne c. vers 22 23. whereas the Church vpon earth must alwayes haue a place to resort vnto and must be enlightened and vpheld in grace by meanes and shall euer need the light of the Sun and Moone 5. Because no vncleane thing is in this Church vers 27. whereas in this world the kingdome of heauen is euer like a corne field with tares in it like vnto ground with thornes and briars and stones in it and such as that it may be said alwaies Many are called but few are chosen Lastly to put vs out of doubt that no state of the Church here is meant but in heauen he saith that they shall see his face Chap. 22.4 for this shall neuer be till we come in heauen 1 Cor. 13. then shall we see as we are seene and herein standeth the perfection of blessednesse 1 Ioh. 3.3 for now we are the sonnes of God but it doth not yet appeare what we shall be for we shall see him as he is To say nothing of the new heauens and the new earth 2 Pet. 3.13 which Saint Peter speaketh of when he hath shewed how the world shall bee destroyed by fire but wee saith he looke for a new heauen and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousnesse These reasons I thinke may satisfie any reasonable man against the probabilities that are that it should not be meant of the Church triumphant in heauen except the phantasticall Chiliast who may thinke to reconcile all these to his imagined ioyfull time of a thousand yeeres vpon earth after the first resurrection of the Martyrs onely for they apply all this to that imaginary condition But that hath beene sufficiently confuted already and whereas any thing may seeme to make against the common tenent of the glorified estate of the Church here set forth it shall be answered in the proper place And so I hasten to the exposition of the difficulties here as they offer themselues in order And I saw a new heauen and a new earth Vers 1. for the first were passed away neither was there any more sea By the new heauen and earth here most Expositors vnderstand not any new creation but so great an alteration in the heauens and the earth as if they were made new For these heauens and earth say they shall not cease to bee in regard of their substance but become more glorious as is taught Rom. 8.19 being no more subiect to corruption Neither shall they be renewed that we might again haue a dwelling here for we shall ascend 1 Thess 4. and euer remaine with the Lord aboue but to intimate the new glorified estate of the faithful if the creatures which were made to serue them shall come now to a new glorious condition then much more they for whose seruice they were made as Bullinger speaketh Bullinger But I haue already deliuered my coniecture vpon 2 Pet. 3.8 for the first heauen and earth were passed away This was shewed before Chap. 20.11 and because no mention was there made of the sea here it is added the sea was no more that we might not conceiue but that all the parts of the world fled from the Lords angry presence Bullinger Some thinke that nothing else is meant but that the sea was altered to a more glorious estate euen as the heauen and the earth but it is to be noted that he speaketh onely negatiuely of the sea but both affirmatiuely and negatiuely of the
City in this light they walke that enioy it as all the saued of the Gentiles shall doe and by the Kings of the earth they vnderstand all Regents temporall and spirituall politicke and Ecclesiasticke who bring their glory and honour hither when hauing drawne many by their care and industry in their places to piety they present them before the Lord in Heauen For this is immediatly after set forth to bee the glory here spoken of when it is added Vers 26. Vers 26. And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it for the nations and peoples who haue embraced the faith by their meanes are their glory as Saint Paul calleth the Corinthians his glory 2 Cor. 1. 1 Thes 2. Pareus Napier and likewise the Thessalonians Others agreeing in the light here spoken of yet differ a little about the Kings bringing of their glory hither for they say that they bring their glory hither when as they referre their power and authority to the honouring of the Church so comming at the last to enioy this glorious light for thus the Prophet Esay speaking of the same setteth it forth in words a little different from these Esa 60.3 The nations shall walke in thy light and the Kings in the splendour of thy rising It is againe obiected here that it cannot bee meant of the Church triumphant in heauen but of the flourishing Church of the Iewes that shall be vpon earth because the nations are distinguished here-from so as they shall not bee in heauen in the participation of that light for all shall enioy it immediatly not the nations by the meanes of the Iewes as they are set forth here to doe Againe all earthly kingdomes being in the end destroyed what glory shall the kings of the earth haue to bring into heauen They may indeed be rightly said to bring their glory to the Church when as they come in with their subiects to the embracing of the faith of Christ but otherwise there can be no good exposition of this passage I answer that the nations are not spoken of for distinction but for necessary resolution that the faithfull amongst them should enioy this glorious light as well as the faithfull of the Iewish nation who might easily bee vnderstood by the generall type here represented the new Ierusalem now lest any man should doubt whether the faithfull amongst the Gentiles should not partake of this light also he resolueth it by saying And the Gentiles that are saued shall walke in the light of it for as much as they concurre to the making of this holy City Touching the Kings bringing of their glory to it I take it that nothing else is meant but their accession vnto this building so many of them as haue beene wise and haue serued the Lord against the Whore as it was declared that they should Chap. 17.16 though at the first there were not many Noble yet the truth should so preuaile in time as that the Church should not only consist of the vulgar sort but of Kings and Princes also who are the glory and the most magnificent amongst the nations and as they helpe to constitute the spirituall building in this world so shall they be a part of this new Ierusalem in the world to come when all their worldly glory shall seeme nothing to them to the glory which they shall then partake of for which sense that of the Prophet Esay before alleaged maketh notably Esa 60.3 The nations shall walke in thy light and Kings in the splendour of thy rising And so it is no more than as if it had been said As this City shall be infinitely rich for gold and all the costly pretious stones and glorious like vnto the glory of God so they which seeme most glorious in this world the Kings of the earth that be of the faithfull and not the common sort of people shall ioy to bee made partakers of this glory bringing in as it were and laying at the Lords feet all their temporall honour and glory as nought worth in comparison of this as the faithfull in the Primitiue Church brought in their goods and laid them at the Apostles feet willingly depriuing themselues thereof that they might enioy their blessed and heauenly society in comparison of which they counted all this world as nothing All this then serueth onely to expresse yet more fully the glory of the new Ierusalem The gates of it shall not be shut Vers 25. It is the manner of citizens to shut their gates in the night to preuent danger because the world is full of euill disposed persons by reason of whom they may iustly feare to haue them stand open then but this state here described enioyeth perpetuall day here is no night neither is there any feare of enemies for they that are in heauen dwell most securely in this respect and therefore the gates are set forth to be continually open Yet whatsoeuer is vncleane is not permitted to enter for the Angels stand at the gates to keepe it out O thrice and foure times happy are they which shall partake of this estate Dost thou loue to be rich to be glorious to bee safe from danger to bee for euer free from the assaulâ—s of enemies and the vexation of such as be of corrupt and filthy conditions then loue the truth and walke according to it and abandon errour for such onely as cleaue to the truth and are constant against all temptations haue a part in this admirable City CHAP. XXII IN this Chapter it is proceeded in the description of other commodities of this City keeping to the allegory of a City wherein as a riuer of cleare water running thorow the midst of it is very pleasant and comfortable to the inhabitants and trees by the riuers side alwayes greene springing and fructifying doe yet adde vnto the pleasantnesse of the place so the heauenly city is set forth For hee proceedeth saying He shewed me a pure riuer of water of life Vers 1. as cleare as Crystall proceeding out of the Throne of God and of the Lamb. And in the midst of the street Vers 2. and on either side of the riuer was there the tree of life which bare twelue manner of fruits and yeelded fruit euery moneth and the leaues of the tree were for the healing of the nations There is a place not much vnlike to this in Ezechiel where waters were shewed vnto the Prophet Ezec. 47. â— 3.5 increasing to a great riuer that issued out from the Temple Vers 7. many trees growing on the bankes on the one side of the riuer and on the other and it was told him that euery thing Vers 9. where these waters should come should bee healed and liue and that the trees should bee all sorts of trees for meat Vers 12. whose leaues fade not and they should bring forth fruit according to their moneths their fruit being for meat and