For they are virgins that is chast worshippers of God which are not polluted with the defilemeÌ„ts of Antichrist These follow the Lamb Christ whersoeuer he goeth They heare his voyce they professe his worship and obey his doctrine they abhorre Antichrist they followe not the beast nor receiue his marke They are bought from men and bought from the earth as it is sayd before that is they are redeemed and bought with a price from the corrupt lumpe of mankind and cursed race of Adam that they might bee the first fruits vnto God and to the Lambe that is wholy consecrated to his worship and to serue him in righteousnesse and true holinesse all the dayes of their life In their mouthes was found no guile That is they doe declare their innocencie and vprightnesse both in their words and works as those which Christ hath chosen out of this world and bought with a price thorough his bloud in whom they are without spot or speck before God vers 6 Then I saw another Angell flie in the middest of heauen hauing an euerlasting Gospell to preach vnto them that dwell on the earth and to euery nation and kinred and tongue and people vers 7 Saying with a loud voice Feare God and giue glorie vnto him for the houre of his iudgement is come and worship him that made heauen and earth and the sea and the fountaines of waters Hitherto the holy Ghost hath taught vs how the Church was preserued vnder the tyrannie of Antichrist and greatest waues of persecutions and that euen then they did purely and faithfully worship the true God Now he proceedeth to foreshew the ruine and downfall of Antichrist and plainely to prophesie the vtter decay of the kingdome of Babell This doctrine therefore we are to hearken vnto with great attention and cheerefulnesse because it doth so much concerne our good the good of the whole church also because we liue in the dayes wherin we see it is in part fulfilled First therefore wee are to vnderstand what is meant by this Angell heere mentioned to wit not anie celestiall Angell or inuisible spirit as it is sundrie times taken before but by this Angell and the two Angels following are meant all the faithfull Ministers of the Gospell which should bee raised vp in these last dayes for the ouerthrow of Rome and the deliuering of the Church from vnder the captiuitie of Antichrist which may plaineâ—y appeare by this that it is said this Angell preacheth the euerlasting Gospell vnto them that dwell on the earth which cannot properly agree to the celestiall spirits Wee haue heard out of the tenth chapter that Iesus Christ did open the little booke which is the Bible and did giue authoritie to his faithfull Ministers to goe preach and publish the doctrine thereof to manie nations countries and kingdomes chapter 10.11 nowe vnto that agreeth this which is heere spoken of and is a further opening and declaring of that which is there set downe For as there Iesus Christ commeth downe from heauen and openeth the little booke which had beene long shut vp vnder the darknesse of Poperie and the smoake which came out of the bottomlesse pit so heere Christ Iesus raiseth vp his faithfull Ministers and preachers to publish and proclaime the doctrine of the Gospell which had long lyen hidde vnder the outragious persecutions of the two monstrous and most hideous beasts chapter 18.1 To this also agreeth that which is written in the eighteenth chapter of this Booke where Saint Iohn seeth an Angell come downe from heauen hauing great power so that the earth was lightened with his glorie By which Angell is meant all the Preachers of this age And the Angell is saide to haue great power For what is more powerfull then the ministerie of the word And moreouer it is sayd that the earth was lightened with his glorie that is with the brightnesse of the preaching of the Gospel whereby the darkenesse of Poperie was dispersed and driuen away and Babylon falleth vpon it as there you may reade and as heere we shall see the like effect by and by Moreouer it is heere sayd that this Angell flieth in the middest of heauen that is verie swiftly carrieth this euerlasting Gospell thorough all the Churches For when Gods appointed time was come wherein he would goe about the ouerthrowe of Poperie he caused his euerlasting Gospell to be set abroach and to spread ouer many kingdoms and nations as wee see this day Now because these kingdoms where God would haue the knowledge of his Gospell diuulged were manie and great therefore heere is expedition required and this Angell doth carie it not standing but flying And all this we see perfectly fulfilled with our eyes when God raised vp Luther Zuinglius Melancthon Peter Viret Caluin Bucer Bullinger Peter Martyr and all their worthy successours vnto this day which haue spred the euerlasting Gospell verie farre and caried it verie swiftly ouer England Scotland Germanie Denmarke Polonia Sweuia Russia and many parts of France and Flaunders Another reason why this Angell is said to flie in the middest of heauen is because no power of man shall euer be able to stay the course of this euerlasting Gospel which this Angel carieth abroad no more then men are able to stoppe the course of the Sunne in the heauens or a cloud in the skie For this Angel flyeth in the midst of heauen far aboue the reach of the beast and al Kinges and Potentates that stand for the kingdom of the beast Therefore let them doe al what they can they shal neuer be able to stop the course of the Gospel For it is called the arme of God his very arme holdeth it forth to the world and who is able to bend it in or to turne it backward There be three reasons why the Gospell is called euerlasting First because it is in his owne nature euerlasting as it is written the worde of the Lord indureth for euer Secondly because it putteth vs in possession of euerlasting things As it is written Thy word O Lord endureth for euer in heauen Thirdly principally because as it was long before Antichrist was hatched so it shal continue when he and his kingdome is dead and rotten Saying with a loud voice Feare God ver 7 and giue glory vnto him c. Here is sette down the doctrine which this Angel preacheth with a loud voice that is with great zeale The summe whereof is this Feare God and giue glory vnto him and worship him that made heauen and earth c. The sense is that the true and euerliuing God should only be feared and worshipped and all glory should be giuen to him alone through Christ and none to Antichrist none to Cardinals and Legats none to Angelles none to Saintes none to images roods crosses and crucifixes Here then is set downe an abridgement of the doctrine of this euerlasting Gospell namely that men should onely feare God and worship him and
of a Chrysoprasus the eleauenth of a Iacinth the twelft of an Ametheist And the twelue gates were twelue pearles ver 21 and euery gate is of one pearle and the street of the citie is pure gold as shining glasse As we haue heard of the forme of this goodly citie so now wee are to heare of the matter of it that is to say of what stuffe it is made First S. Iohn telleth vs that the whole Citie is of most pure and glittering gold like vnto glasse and that the wall was of Iasper most greene and flourishing and also that the very foundation of the wall was beautified and adorned with twelue sundry kindes of pretious stones which hee reckoneth vp We count it a great matter heere below to compasse and close in our houses with a wall of bricke and none can do it but men of place but alas what is that to his wall what is bricke to precious stones pibbles to pearle But S. Iohn addeth that the gates were of pearle and the streete of the citie of pure gold Oh how braue how beautifull how glorious how glittering how gorgeous how admirable a citie is this for if the gates be of pearle the streets of gold then what are the inner roomes what are the dining chambers and what are the lodging roomes But heere we may not grossely imagine that the kingdome of God is of such mettall and matter inded as is heere described But the holy ghost would giue vs some tast of it and after a sort shadow out vnto vs vnder these things vvhich are in most pretious accompt amongst men vvhat the glory and excellencie of the immortall kingdome is For otherwise there is no comparison betwixt gold pearle and pretious stones and those heauenly inuisible immortall things which vve looke for and hope for thorough Christ vvhich in very deed are so great so glorious and so vnconceiuable that gold pearle pretious stones are scant so much as any shew shadow or resemblāce thereof ver 22 And I saw no Temple therein for the Lord God almightie and the Lamb are the Temple of it ver 23 And this Citie hath no need of the Sunne neither of the Moone to shine in it for the glory of God did light it and the Lamb is the light of it ver 24 And the people which are saued shall walke in the light of it and the kings of the earth shall bring their honor glory vnto it ver 25 And the gates of it shall not be shut by day for there shal be no night there ver 26 And the glory and honour of the Gentiles shal be brought vnto it ver 27 And there shall into it no vncleane thing neither whatsoeuer worketh abhomination or lies But they which are written in the Lambs booke of life In this new Ierusalem there is no Temple as was in the olde Ierusalem For there shal be no neede of any no neede of doctrine of Sacraments of prayer as in the olde Temple wherein the law was taught sacraments administred sacrifices offered and many other rites and ceremonies obserued But Saint Iohn saith that now God and Christ shal be all in all They shal be the Temple of this most holy Citie And all they elect shall fully know them and dwell with them for euer And as this Citie hath no neede of any Temple so hath it no neede of any light either of Sunne or Moone For the glory of God and the brightnesse of the Lamb doe light it for euer vvhose incomprehensible brightnesse doth as far excell the brightnesse of the Sunne and Moone as they doe excell a little candle at noone day But it may be demaunded vvho shall dwell in this so glorious a Citie and in this so great a light Saint Iohn answereth that the people that are saued shall walke in it that is all the Israell of God all true beleeuers vvhich are happy that euer they vvere borne that they may come to the possession of such a kingdome as is heere described For Saint Iohn saith that the resplendent brightnesse of this Citie is so great that euen the kings of the earth shall bring their glory and honour vnto it And also that the glory and honour of the Gentiles shal be brought vnto it Oh how vnspeakeable is the glory of this citie that Kings shall throw downe their Crownes and Scepters beefore it counting all theyr pomp and glory but as dust in respect of it And the magnificence and pomp of all the potentates of the earth shall heere bee laide downe And albeit none of the kings and nobles of the gentiles might bee admitted into the old Ierusalem yet all of the gentiles that beleue shall be admitted into this new Ierusalem made free denisons therof for euer And although the gates of this citie alwaies stand open both night and day as not fearing any danger of enemies yet no vncleane thing shall enter into it but onely they which are written in the Lambs booke of life Thus wee see how gloriously the holy ghost hath described vnto vs this citie of the Saints and habitation of the iust for euermore He must needes bee a very blocke that is not moued with the consideration of this endlesse felicitie For this citie is described vnto vs in so glorious admirable a manner to bring vs into loue with it and to worke in vs an vnquencheable thirst desire after it Oh therefore let vs spend many thoughts vpon it let vs enter into deepe meditations of the inestimable glory of it let vs long till wee come to the fingering and possession of it euen as the heire longeth till hee come to the possession of his lands Let vs thinke euery day tenne and euery yeere twenty till wee bee in possession let vs with the Apostle sigh and grone desiring to be clothed with our house which is from heauen let vs in the meane time cast away all things that may hinder vs in our christian course let vs shake off euery burden and run with patience the race that is set before vs let vs as they which prooue masteries abstaine from all lets and hinderances And sith wee striue so exceedingly for a corruptible crowne how much more ought wee for an vncorruptible For what paines what cost what labour can bee inough for a kingdome let vs therefore striue and straine to get into this golden citie where streets walles gates and all is gold all is pearle yea where pearle is but as mire and durt and nothing worth Oh what fooles are they which depriue themselues willingly of this endlesse glory for a few stinking lusts Oh what mad men are they which bereaue themselues of a roome in this citie of pearle for a few carnall pleasures and delights Oh what bedlames and straught beasts are they which shut themselues out of these euerlasting habitations for a little transitorie pelfe Oh what intollerable sots and fops are all such as will
againe and the Papists looke for a day It stands vs then all vpon which loue Christ and his Gospell that wee should be well appointed and throughly armed against them And for this purpose the Reuelation of S. Iohn is of great vse necessitie As I said before so I say againe that it is the Prophesie of our time written to this speciall ende that by it wee might bee both fore-warned and fore-armed If wee doo consider the whole matter of this booke wee shall easily finde out the vse and end of it For the excellent matter of it doth argue the excellent ende and vse of it Now then as concerning the generall matter of this booke here are to bee founde very large and liuely descriptions of the most glorious person of Christ chapter 1 and all his excellent offices both of King Priest and Prophet and also most notable descriptions of the Church and of the Ministers of it and of the persecutions and afflictions which it must of necessitie passe through in this world Also of Gods mercifull prouidence for his Church and most vigilant care ouer it in the middest of all extremities Here are set before our eyes very liuely descriptions of the Churches deadly enemies both of Sathan himselfe and his three great instruments the Romaine Emperour the Pope and the Turke Here are set downe all their cruell persecutions of the Church and their vtter ouerthrowe in the ende Here are described hell death the resurrection and the last iudgement Here also the very kingdome of heauen is at large described with all those great rewards infinite glory and endlesse felicitie which remaine for all the faithfull worshippers of God I conclude therefore that for as much as this Prophesie is of such excellent contents therefore the vse and necessitie of it must needes bee verie great And for this cause Iohn is willed and commaunded by Alpha and Omega chapter 1.19 to write the things which hee had seene the things that were and the things that shall come hereafter By the things which he had seene is meant that glorious vision mentioned in the first Chapter vers 13 14 15 16. wherein Iesus Christ did appeare vnto him in the middest of the seuen golden Candlestickes in most glorious manner as is there described And all this was in the I le of Pathmos where Iohn was first called and authorised to this worke and therfore he is willed first of all to record this vision which hee had alreadie seene By the things that are hee meaneth the present state of the seuen Churches of Asia which were then the most flourishing Churches in the world as they are described in the second and third Chapters and in them the estate of all other Churches By the things that shal be he meaneth all the prophesies of this booke which were to bee fulfilled in their time al those strange accidents which should come to passe in processe of time and the seuerall ages of the Church euen vnto the end of the world Thus we see how Iohn receiueth a precise commandement from the sonne of God to write things past present to come that they might stand in record vnto all posterities from generation to generation Thus much touching the fift circumstance which is the ende and vse of this booke Now followeth to speake of the last circumstantiall point which is the authoritie of this Prophesie which is strongly confirmed from the Author of it which is Iesus Christ and therefore it is called the Reuelation of Iesus Christ which God gaue vnto him chapter 1.1 And againe it is written I Iesus sent mine Angell to testifie these things in the Churches chapter 22 16. Here wee see plainely that Iesus Christ the very sonne of God the Alpha and Omega is the Author of this booke for hee subscribes his name vnto it and sets his hand and seale vnto it Needes therefore must the authoritie of it bee very great which commeth from so great a personage for looke what dignitie and authoritie he is of from whom the booke commeth of the same dignitie authoritie is the booke it selfe An other strong argument to confirme the authoritie of this booke may be taken from the protestation of Iesus Christ in these words I protest vnto euery man that heareth the words of the Prophesie of this booke chapter 22 18. if any man shall adde vnto these things God shall adde vnto him the plagues that are written in this booke And if any shall diminish of the words of the booke of this Prophesie God shall take away his part out of the booke of life Here wee see how Iesus Christ maketh the authoritie of this booke equall to all other the Oracles of God to the which it is not lawfull for any man to adde or detract vnder paine of condemnatiō It maketh much also for the authoritie of this booke that S. Iohn doth so often repeate reiterate and inculcate his owne name I Iohn I Iohn I Iohn I Iohn the Apostle I Iohn the Euangelist I Iohn the Diuine Shewing by all these repetitions how needfull a thing it was that the faithfull should bee throughly instructed who he was euen one of the Lambes twelue Apostles and therefore to be voide of all suspition and doubt concerning the authoritie of this booke and not once to imagine it to bee any inuention of man or faigned deuice sith it was penned by so great an Apostle Moreouer the authoritie of this Prophesie is confirmed by foure reasons in the last chapter The first is the affirmatiō of the Angell who saith chapter 22.6 7 8. These words are faithfull true The second is the authoritie of the most high God himselfe in these wordes vers 6 The Lorde God of the holy Prophets sent his Angell to shewe vnto his seruants the things which must shortly bee fulfilled The third is the testimonie of Iesus who pronounceth them blessed which keepe the words of this Prophesie For saith he Behold I come shortly vers 7 Blessed is hee that keepeth the words of his Prophesie The fourth and last is the witnesse of Iohn in these words I am Iohn which heard and sawe these things vers 8 Now it may bee demaunded what is the cause that here are so many things heaped vp for the confirmation of the authoritie of this booke Surely wee must thinke there is some speciall cause and reason of it For the holy Ghost dooth not vse to deale so much and so earnestly in a matter but vpon great cause We may easily gather what the cause is This booke painteth out the whore of Babylon and the whole kingdome of the great Antichrist together with all Sathans cunning and sleight therein and for this cause Sathan hath laboured especially to weaken the credit and authoritie of this booke Hee by some meanes in olde time preuailed thus farre that euen among some Churches of true Christians the authoritie and truth of it was doubted
Which question is asked of the Elder not as being ignorant thereof but to stirre vp Iohn being ignorant to enquire of the matter that he might instruct him therein And therfore when Iohn confessed his ignorance desiring to be instructed therein the Elder telleth him the whole matter namely vers 14 that they were such as were come out of great tribulation For none can enter into life but through many afflictions as the Apostle saith After this againe the militant and visible church is described and set forth not according to their present state but according to that which is to come vers 16 vers 15 for they are here spoken of as if they were alreadie in the possession of heauen and that for infallible certaintie and assurance thereof Therfore the Apostle saith that euen already they do sit together in heauenly places And here they are said to be in the presence of the throne of God vers 16 c. to hunger and thirst no more c. to haue all teares wiped from their eyes vers 17 and to be ledde by the Lambe vnto the fountaines of liuing waters All which dooth very plainely and plentifully expresse that infinite glory and endlesse felicitie which is prepared for all the true and faithfull worshippers of God Many good lessons and obseruations might be gathered out of all this But I do of purpose omit them because in this worke I do chiefly and almost altogether aime at interpretation therein also studying breuitie soundnesse and plainenesse CHAP. VIII WE haue heard out of the seuenth Chapter how the diuels and their instruments the Romaine Emperors did stop the course of the Gospel Now in this chapter we are to heare the woeful effects of the stopping thereof which was the springing vp preuailing of manifolde errors heresies in the worlde So that the principall scope and drift of this chapter is to shewe that God for the contempt of his Gospel and great indignities offered to the true professors thereof did giue vp the worlde to blindnesse to errour to superstition and heresie and as the Apostle saith Because they receiued not the loue of the truth therefore God sent them strong delusions that they should beleeue lies For as before we haue heard how the worlde was most fearefully punished with externall plagues and iudgements So here we are to vnderstand how the same was punished with iudgements spirituall and internall as formerly hath bene said vpon the stopping of the foure windes For although that spirituall plague was very great yet these spirituall plagues which follow vpon the opening of the seuenth seale are farre greater For now we are to heare and vnderstand not onely of the errours and heresies whereby a way and passage was made by degrees as it were by certaine staires for Antichrist to climbe vp into his cursed chaire and to take possession thereof but also wee are to vnderstand of his very tyrannie and kingdome it selfe and also of the kingdome of the Turke and the last iudgement For the things contained vnder the opening of the seuenth seale do reach vnto the ende of the worlde For the booke sealed with seuen seales containeth all the whole matters which were to bee reuealed This chapter containeth foure principall things as it were the foure parts thereof First the reuerent attention and silence vers 1 with admiration which was in the Church at and vpon the comming forth of this most horrible vengeance Secondly before the execution of these most execrable plagues vers 2.3.4.5 the Church is remembred and set in safetie with all her children by her great mediator Christ Iesus Thirdly the execution of this vengeance vers 6 which commeth forth at the blowing of the seuen trumpets by seuen Angels Fourthly the vengeance it selfe contained in the preuailing of errour and heresie vers 7.8.9.10.11.12.13 the falling away of the Pastors of the Church and the vniuersall darkenesse that followed therevpon And when hee had opened the 7. seale there was silence in heauen about halfe an houre By heauen in this place he meaneth not the kingdome of glory after this life but by heauen is meant the Church here vpon earth as it is so taken chap. 12. verse 1. and chap. 14. verse 2. There may bee three reasons yeelded why the church is called heauen First because the birth thereof is from heauen for it is borne of God Secondly because the inheritance therof is from heauen and therefore is called the inheritance of the Saints Thirdly because the conuersation therof is in heauen as the Apostle saith To this may be added that our Lorde Iesus in his Gospell dooth so often call his visible Church the Kingdome of heauen by a trope because Christ beginneth his raigne in the faithfull therein whom afterward he translateth actually into the very kingdome of glory By silence here is meant the great attention of the church because great things were now in hand For now vpon the opening of the 7. seale farre greater matters are threatned then any before and therfore the Church doth listen vnto them in deepe silence as it were in horror and trembling through admiration for now there appeare such dreadfull iudgements of God to be executed vpon the earth that all the heauenly company are astonished and amazed to behold it and do as it were quake and tremble to thinke vpon it For as when heauie newes commeth downe from the Prince to bee proclaimed in open markets all good subiects doe listen and giue eare with silence and trembling so it fareth in this case By halfe an houre hee meaneth that short time wherein the minds of the godly were prepared fitted and disposed wisely to consider of these matters and to make good vse of them I know right well that this Verse is farre otherwise interpreted of some but I take this to bee most sound and simple and best agreeing to all that followeth for the next Verse is ioyned vnto this by a coniunction copulatiue to note a coherence of the matter and to draw the sense together for he saith And I saw 7. vers 2 Angels which stood before God and to them were giuen seuen Trumpets These seuen Trumpets signifie that God would proceede against the worlde in fearefull hostilitie and come against it as an open enemie vnto battell proclaiming open warre against it as it were with sound of Trumpet and Dromme setting vp the flag of defiance against it And hereupon groweth this silence and trembling in the Church which onely is mooued with the signes of Gods wrath when as all others sit still in securitie as the Prophet Zachary saith in a like case To stand in this place signifieth to administer as it is said of the Priests Leuites that they stand before God and before the Aultar that is Minister So here the Angels doo stand before God as readie to administer and execute these iudgements For they are ministring spirits and here
And the forme of the Locusts was like vnto horses prepared vnto battel on their heads were as it were crownes like vnto gold their faces was like the faces of men vers 8 And they had haire as the haire of women and their teeth were as the teeth of Lyons Hitherto we haue heard of the petigrew poisoned stings of these vile Locusts and how they vexed the inhabitants of the earth all the time of the great Antichrist Now we are to vnderstand of their form and likenesse for the spirit of God dooth here paint them out in their colours that all men may discerne them and beware of them First it is said that they were like vnto horses prepared vnto battell that is they were as strong and fierce as barred horses to rush and run vpon all such as should but once mute or mutter against them or their authoritie Moreouer they haue crownes of golde vpon their heads which sheweth and signifieth that they were the conquerors of the earth Lords of the world and who but they for in those daies no man nay no Lord or King durst quitch against a Monke a Frier or a pild Priest for if any did they were sure to smart for it They had also faces like the faces of men that is they set faire faces vpon matters and pretended great deuotion in religion flattering the people and making them beleeue that they could giue them pardon of all their sinnes and bring them to heauen when as in very truth for their bellies and for their gaine they did cunningly smoothe with the nobles the rich the mightie setting faire faces vpō al their proceedings and as S. Peter saith Through couetousnes with fained words they made merchandise of mens soules and did closely winde themselues into the hearts of the simple people by their fawning insinuations being in very deede most notable flatterers and hypocrites They had haire as the haire of women that is they were altogether effeminate being giuen to delicacie lust and wantonnesse they were drowned in whoredome al kind of beastlinesse being a shoale of most filthy villaines Their teeth were as the teeth of Lyons to catch snatch all that they could come by They deuoured all the fat morsels euery where they got the church-liuings into their hands they first made impropriations they incroached vpon temporall mens lands they swallowed vp all euerie where If we looke vpon the Abbeys Priories and Nunneries wee may easily iudge what teeth they had Moreouer it is said they had Habbergions like to Habbergions of Irō that is they were so strongly armed with the defence countenāce of the Pope that no secular power durst once quitch against thē Their wings were like the sounde of chariots when many horses runne vnto battell that is with fluttering noise terrible threatnings they stroue to vpholde their kingdome Also in Churches and Pulpits they make a roaring noise and take on terribly to maintaine their abhominable Idolatry They had tailes like vnto scorpions and there were stings in their tailes vers 10 For with their poisoned doctrine stinging authoritie like adders snakes they stung many to death Moreouer power was giuen them to hurt men fiue moneths that is all the time of Antichrists raigne as before hath bene shewed vers 11 They haue a king ouer them which is the angell of the bottomelesse pit whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon and in Greeke he is named Apollyon that is destroying As the foules haue a king ouer them which is the Eagle the beastes the Lyon mortall men some chiefe gouernour vnder whose protection and subiectiō they liue so here these hellish Locusts are said to haue a king ouer them which is the Angell of the bottomlesse pit that is the diuell or the Pope which you will vnder whose ensigne they fight and vnder whose defence they liue Their kings name in Hebrew is called Abaddon and in Greeke Apollyon The words are both of one signification that is destroying for both the diuell himself his vicar the Pope are destroiers and wasters of the Church of God One woe is past And beholde yet two woes come after this vers 2 Wee haue heard at large what this first woe is namely the plague of the worlde by the Pope and his Cleargie Now wee are to heare of the seconde woe which is the most huge and murthering army of the Turkes wherein the third part of men were slaine Some do expound this second woe of the kingdome of Antichrist and his armies but that it is not so may appeare by these reasons following First the Angell denouncing woe woe woe denounceth three seueral woes and therefore it is said One woe is past and behold yet two woes come after this It followeth then that this is a distinct and seueral woe from the former and therfore cannot be the same Secondly this woe containeth specially a bodily slaughter of the third part of the world and of the wicked reprobates but the first woe was specially a plague of mens soules as we haue heard and therefore this cannot be the same with the first Thirdly we are to vnderstand that this booke describeth all the greatest calamities and plagues that should come vpō the world in any age after Christ and therfore we may iustly think that the kingdome of the Turkes is not left out seeing it was one of the greatest plagues that euer came vpon the world But the kingdome of the Turkes is described in no other part of this Reuelation and therefore must of necessitie be here described vers 13 Then the sixt Angel blew the trumpet and I heard a voice from the foure corners of the golden Aultar which is before God vers 14 Saying to the sixt Angell which had the trumpet loose the foure Angels which are bound in the great riuer Euphrates Now we are come to the description of the second woe which followeth vpon the blowing of the sixt trumpet by the sixt Angell And first of all hee saith He heard a voice frō the foure corners of the goldē Aultar chapter 8.3 By the golden Aultar is meant Christ as before hath bene shewed with the reasons thereof Frō this Aultar the voice commeth to the angel which blew the sixt trumpet that wee might knowe it is the voice of the mighty God the cōmandemēt of our Lord Iesus The voice commandeth the sixt Angell to loose the foure Angels which are bound in the great riuer Euphrates By these foure Angels which are thus bound at Euphrates is meant many diuels or angels of darkenesse as we heard before chap. 7. verse 1. Their binding signifieth their restraint by which they were helde backe from doing that mischiefe which they desired to do Their loosing signifieth that power was giuen them to performe that which they wished They are saide to bee foure in number because they should raise an horrible plague in the foure corners of the earth both East
West North and South The sense is that the diuels haue yet further and greater scope giuen them to plague and destroy the inhabitants of the earth These diuels had exceeding great power in the kingdome of Antichrist but they are vnsatiable in mischiefe and so after a sorte lie still bound till they haue their desire The place where they lie bounde is Euphrates wherein is a mysterie for Euphrates literally taken is a great Riuer which ranne so nigh the citie Babylon in Chaldea that it was a mightie defence vnto it so that the citie could not be taken vntill they that laide siege vnto it cut out trenches and deriued the waters an other way Now for the mysterie it is this Rome in this booke is called Babylon By a metaphor and after the same manner the great Riuer Euphrates as wee shall see afterward chap. 16. signifieth the power wealth and authoritie which that citie Rome euen this westerne Babel hath to defend it selfe Then it followeth that in this power authoritie and strength of Rome the diuels lie bounde for they waited through the power of Rome to worke yet farre greater mischiefe and therefore are saide to bee bounde so long as they were restrained The mischiefe which they plotted and purposed to bring to passe by the authoritie and power of Rome was the hatching and bringing forth of the Mahometish religion which in very deed did spring from the darknesse of Rome as from his proper roote and originall cause The diuels did foresee that out of the superstitions and Idolatries of Rome defended by their great power and authoritie Mahometish religion might very well bee framed and therefore not being content to plague the West part of the worlde with Poperie and Idolatrie they do greedily desire also to plague the East part of the worlde with the false religion of Mahomet They are not satisfied with plaguing and poisoning all Europe with abhominable Idolatries except also they plague and infect all Asia Affrica with the Turkes most execrable religiō so insatiable are the diuels in working mischiefe Now in the meane time they think thēselues too much straightned bound and tied vp in Rome Romish religion except they may be loosed and proceede further to ouerspread the whole world with all impieties and most horrible abhominations A man would thinke that when the diuels had preuailed so far as to place Antichrist in his cursed chaire and to breede the swarmes of Locusts out of the smoake of hell they might haue bene satisfied for then as wee say hell seemed to be broken loose But yet all this cannot satisfie the vnsatiable diuels but they will haue the religion of Mahomet established to poison and plague all the East parts of the world in their soules and also they will haue the most huge cruell and sauage armies of the Turkes raised vp to murder and massacre milliōs of men in their bodies in the west parts of the world as presently we shall heare Now till all this bee effected they are saide to lie bound at Rome But here we see that this sixt Angell hath a precise commaundement from Iesus Christ to loose these diuels which lay bound at the great riuer Euphrates that they might plague the whole world farre and neare at their pleasure so now all the diuels of hell are let loose and let vs heare what followeth And the foure Angels were loosed which were prepared at an houre at a day at a moneth and at a yeare vers 15 to slay the third part of men Now the diuels being loosed and vnbounde by speciall commandement from Christ were in a readinesse to execute their mischiefe This ascending by degrees from a short time vnto longer longer From an houre to a day c. dooth signifie that as the diuels were prest at hand at an houres warning as we say to put in practise whatsoeuer they had plotted so they were as forwarde to continue the same From an houre to a day from a day to a moneth from a moneth to a yeare that is frō time to time vntil the date of their commissiō was out for their time was limited and their commission bounded as afterward we shall see And this is our comfort that both the Papacie is limited to fiue monethes and the Turcisme to houres daies monethes and yeares The diuels power is limited though it grieueth them full sore They cannot doo what they list they cannot continue as long as they would After the number of horsemen of warre were twentie thousand times ten thousand for I heard the number of thē vers 16 Now vpon the loosing of these diuels here followeth the description of a most horrible plague which they raised vp and it is a huge army a murthering army an army in number exceeding great for he saith They were twentie thousand times ten thousand that is two hundred millions or two hundred thousand thousands But we may not think that this army was euer all at one time or in any one age but here are the armies of many ages reckened vp and the full plague of many yeares set forth How could Saint Iohn number such an army may some man say He answereth this doubt and saith Hee heard the number of them Hee did not number them but the number was tolde him Moreouer it is to be noted that as this army did exceed in number so also in terror and strength and therefore they are said to be all horsemen For an army of horsemen are both more strong and more terrible then any arm of footemen vers 17 And thus I sawe the horses in a vision and them that sate on them hauing firy Habbergeons and of Iacinth and of brimstone and the heads of the horses were as the heads of Lyons and out of their mouths went forth fire and smoake and brimstone Heere is the description of these horsemen and horses as they appeared to Iohn in a vision First touching the horsemen it is saide that they were very well armed with Habbergions that is coates of Maile Corselets or Curets and that of a fiery colour and of the colour of Iacinth that is of smoake as appeareth in the last clause of this verse and also of the colour of Brimstone For as horsemen in compleate armour were wont to weare in their breast-plates and targets certaine ensignes and colours whereby they might be made terrible to their enemies So these Turkish warriours and horsemen do holde out their colours of fire smoake and brimstone as it were flagges of defiance against the whole world threatning present death to al that should withstand them or as if they meant to spet fire and flame them or to choake them with smoake and brimstone then burne them vp with fire brimstone All this their colours and ensignes in their breast-plates and Habbergions did portend Now as concerning their horses no doubt they were as fierce as the horsmen They were great Launces they had heads like
sword Here is the patience and the faith of the Saints Here is shewed that the things spoken of this great beast are very secret and mystical and can be vnderstood of none but those onely whose eares and eies God openeth to heare see and vnderstand that is the very elect of God as for al papists and worldlings their eares eies are sealed and shut vp they cannot vnderstand them but doe stil worship the beast ascribing vnto him diuine power and honor In the 10. verse the iudgement and vengeance of God is denounced against the Romane monarchie both former and latter which as it hath long oppressed the church with cruel bondage and drawne thousands into perpetual captiuity so it selfe also should be cast downe with al the adherents thereof both in this life and that which is to come For as the Romane Empire did tyrannise ouer the world and led millions into spirituall captiuity and bondage so here it is auouched that according to the iust lawe of quittance it selfe should be brought to the same lore And as this beast had murdered many by the sword so he him selfe must be murdered by the sword also As the Apostle saith God is iust and therefore will recompense tribulation to them that trouble his Church Now al this seemeth vnto me to be a cleere prophecy of the fal and final destruction of the Romane Empire which indeede considering the pitch that it was at may seeme a thing strange and incredible and therefore the Holy-ghost stirreth vs vp to attention in the ninth verse as to a thing of great woonderment and admiration for if the Romane monarchie fall the Papacy must of necessity fal with it For the Romane Empire is that beast chapter 17. verse 3. which beareth vp the whoore of Babylon as appeareth in the 17. Chapter of this prophecy where we shal God willing plainely and at large heare of the ioint destruction of them both together It is added Heere is the patience and faith of the Saints That is here is required great patience of al Gods children to waite and carry til the performance and accomplishment of those things and also faith and ful assurance to beleeue that they shal in Gods appointed time come to passe For few doo beleeue these things and therfore wait not with patience for the accomplishment thereof And I beheld another beast comming out of the earth ver 11 which had two hornes like the Lamb but he spake like the dragon Hauing described the first beast which is the Roman Empire now the Holy-ghost commeth to describe the second beast which is the Papacy or the kingdome of the great Antichrist for although hee bee described before in regard of his monarchy that is the ciuill iurisdiction which hee exercised as he was the seuenth head of the beast and head of the Empire yet here he is described after another sort that is according to his ecclesiastical authority and therfore he is called another beast or a beast differing from the former in that he exerciseth an other power besides the power of the heathen Emperours of Rome which is his spirituall iurisdiction in which respect he is called the false prophet This second beast riseth out of the earth as the former rose out of the sea then it appeareth that Antichrist is by his breed a sonne of the earth obscurely borne by little and little creeping vp out of his abiect estate as did the Turke It is here most truly said that the kingdome of Antichrist ariseth out of the earth is the very breed of the earth for assuredly it neuer came from heauen It was first hatched out of couetuousnesse ambition pride murders treasons poisonings sorceries enchantments and such like For al stories do shew that from these roots the Papacy grew to his exceeding height and altitude This second beast hath two hornes like the Lambe Whereby is meant his ciuil and ecclesiastical power or his kingdome and Priesthood which he falsly pretendeth to come from the Lamb and therefore he giueth in his armes two keies and hath two swords carried before him So Boniface the eight shewed himselfe one day in apparrel as a Pope and the next day in armour as the Emperour and the two hornes in the Popes miter are signes hereof But the Holy-ghost here telleth vs that these two hornes are not the hornes of the Lambe but only like the hornes of the Lamb for he receiued not his power from the Lamb Christ but from the diuel that is the dragon with ten hornes Then thus it is the Papacy is the seauenth head of the first beast that is the Empire yet a beast by it selfe with two hornes like the Lamb in respect of his ioint power and authority both ecclesiastical and ciuil in which respect he is called euen the eight and one of the seuen Chap. 17. ver 11. Although this second beast haue two hornes like the Lamb yet he spake like the dragon that is al his words and workes practises and proceedings lawes and decrees are for the dragon of whom he hath his power and throne and great authority So that whatsoeuer he pretendeth in religion and matters of Gods worship as though he would be like the Lamb yet assuredly hee is altogether for the dragon and the diuel he is assured vnto them as al experience doth manifestly witnesse And he did all that the first beast could doe before him he caused the earth them that dwel therin vers 12 to worship the first beast whose deadly wound was healed Here is shewed that this second beast was as mighty and stronge as the first beast and could doo as much as he euen in his presence Whereby is noted the great power and authority of the Papacy in performing as much in the seruice of the dragon against God and his church as euer the Empire of the heathen and those wicked Emperours could doo yea he did much more against Christ and his religion then euer the persecuting Emperours could do euen then when they were at their highest pitch And al this he did in his presence that is in the sight and open view of the whole Empire or whole world And he caused the earth and them that dwell therin that is al Papists and worldlings to worship the first beast that is to receiue the worship and religion of the old Roman tyranny which set vp and maintained Idolatry So then although the power in the Papacy came vnder the name of Christ yet in truth it was the same that the power of the persecuting Empire for the heathen emperours condemned the true worship of God and set vp false worship euen the worship of diuels which is Idolatry and so do the Popes also So then we see that this second beast is al for the first beast that is he leuieth al his power and authority to set vp the worship and religion of the old Romane tyrants and to force al men
Gidnon which signifieth the subtiltie of destruction because the blinde kings and Nobles of the earth shall by the subtiltie and craftie perswasions of the Iesuits and Seminarie Priests be entised to fight against the Protestants in a place where they shall haue a famous foile Some deriue Armageddon of Har which in Hebrue signifieth a mountaine and Megiddo which is the place where the godly king Iosias was slaine and so this place should be called Armageddon the mountaine of Megiddo for the slaughter of kings that shall be there To the which the Prophet Zacharie alludeth saying In that day there shall be a great mourning in Ierusalem as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddo Well we doe see that all these significations and deriuations of Armageddon come to one thing in effect which is that the great armies which assemble themselues in battaile against the Lord shall bee destroyed and therefore it is not much materiall to dispute which is the more likely signification of the Word But this let vs obserue for our comfort that whensoeuer wee shal see the kings Captaines Nobles and Potentates of the earth being solicited by the Iesuites priests and the false Prophet to leuy great armies and make great powers to fight against the Gospell and the true professours thereof for the maintenance of great Babylon they shall not preuaile but bee vtterly ouerthrowne and destroyed As in part wee see fulfilled in the yeare of our Lorde 1588. when the great and inuincible Armado of the Spaniards as they thought which was long in preparing against vs and at last by the instigation of the Iesuites brought vpon vs came to Armageddon as we know God be praised And in all time to come in the like case let them look for the like successe Well now to grow to some conclusion of this point wee doe plainely see that Rome falleth their kingdome waxeth darke their Euphrates drieth vp they espie it The Dragon the beast the false Prophet send out their frogs into all countries and kingdomes hoping to preuent it by the help of the kings of the earth and especially the king of Spaine but alas all in vaine for they must come to Armageddon when they haue done all that they can For God fighteth from heauē against them God bringeth them downe and no power of man is able to vphold them But now let vs proceede to prooue the third maine point which is that Rome shall fall finally and come to vtter desolation For all sound Diuines are perswaded of the fall of Babylon and doe graunt that it falleth and is in falling but all are not so thoroughly perswaded of the finall fall thereof in this life Therefore now I wil proue by manifest Scripture that Rome shall fall for a doo First if the things be deeply considered and narrowly looked into which Saint Iohn saith shall fall out vpon the pouring forth of the seuenth vial of Gods wrath by the seuenth Angel they doe fully portend a deadly downfall and vtter ouerthrowe of Rome For the seuenth vial is not poured vpon the earth or sea or fountaines of waters or on the Sunne as the first foure vials were which signified some particular iudgements but it was poured forth into the verie aire chapter 16.17 which signifieth the vniuersalitie of it and containeth the most general and most grieuous iudgment and vengeance of Almightie God vpon the whole bodie of the kingdome of Antichrist a little before the last day The text saith that vpon the pouring forth of this viall there was a loud voice heard out of the temple of heauen from the throne that is vers 17 from the verie presence of God saying It is done It is dispatched The vtter ouerthrowe of Rome is fully concluded of and all things finished which belong to the pouring forth of the seuen vials which containe the seuen last plagues wherein the whole wrath of God is fulfilled as appeareth chap. 15. as before it is said Babylon is fallen chapter 15.1 because it should certainly fal So heere God himselfe saith It is done because it shal certainly be done For whatsoeuer God hath determined to be done is as it were alreadie done because it shall most certainlie be effected Sith then the Lord hath pronounced this of Rome there remaineth nothing but a dayly accomplishment of it and let all the papists know for a certaintie that they must go to their geare they must come to their paiment there is no way of euasion For hath the Lord spoken it and shall it not come to passe Now vpon this that God saith It is done followeth presentlie that there vvere voices and thunderings and lightenings chapter 16.18 and there vvas a great earthquake such as was not since men were vpon the earth euen so mightie an earthquake What is meant by thundrings lightenings and earthquakes in this Booke I haue before shewed to wit chapter 6.12 commotions seditions tumults vprores and alterations of states kingdomes and common-wealths and then the meaning of this place is that there shall be horrible shakings cōcussions tumults great alteration of states in al y e kingdoms which are subiect to Antichrist none of them shall escape For this seuenth viall of Gods wrath vpon the kingdome of the beast is compared to a most horrible and blustering tempest raised vp in the whole aire that is in all places of Antichrists dominions And it is specially to be noted as a thing of great moment that the holy Ghost saith There was neuer such an earthquake as this since the world beganne and since men were vpon the earth For assuredly so soone as the seuenth Angell poureth forth his viall the kingdome of Poperie shall go downe a maine which shall not belong before the end of the world as all circumstances heere doe shew After all this Saint Iohn telleth vs the effect of this thundering lightning and extraordinarie earthquake which is chapter 16.19 that the great citie was diuided into three parts that is there shall bee a most horrible rent and diuision in the citie of Rome and throughout all the Popes dominions What this rent and diuision is and how it shall bee I cannot determine being a thing to come as all the rest comprehended vnder the pouring forth of the seuenth viall But this I am sure of that Rome shall go downe and there shall be such tumults vprores rents diuisions dissipations and concussions in Rome and throughout all the Romish iurisdiction as neuer was heard of nor read of since the world began For Saint Iohn addeth that Babylon came in remembrance before God vers 19 to giue vnto her the cup of the wine of the fiercenesse of his wrath That is God doth now at length call to mind all the wrongs done to his people all the righteous bloud shed for the space of seuen or eight hundred yeers by the whoore of Babylon that he may be fully reuenged and execute the
more death neither sorrow neither crying neither shall there bee any more paine For the first things are passed By a new heauen and a new earth is meant the renued estate of heauen earth after this life in their qualitie not in their substance For wee doe beleeue according to the scripture that this visible heauen and this visible earth shall continue for euer as touching their matter and substance But shall bee greatly altered and changed in condition and qualitie For S. Peter saith wee looke for new heauens and a new earth according to his promise wherein dwelleth righteousnesse that is such heauens and such a earth as is free from all corruption sinne Which thing also the Apostle S. Paul doth plainely teach saying that the creature doth feruently expect when the sonnes of God shall be reuealed that is when Gods children shall be made knowen to be as they are the very heires of infinit glory which in this life doth not appeare And hee yeeldeth two reasons of this desire of the creature one is because in the meane time it is subiect to vanitie and corruption the other is that then it shall bee free from both And for this cause the Apostle saith that the creature groneth with vs and earnestly desireth and longeth after that day wherein it shall bee set free from the bondage of corruption and redintigrated and restored to that pristinate estate wherein it was before the fall But whether this is to be vnderstood of heauen earth onely or of heauen and earth with their adiuncts particular creatures I wil not heere goe about to discusse howbeit I do greatly incline to their opinion which hold that heauen and earth with all their furniture being redintigrated restored to their first estate shall remaine for euer to set foorth the glorie of the creator for that vse of glorified men which now the Angels haue of them Now whereas Saint Iohn addeth that there shall bee no more Sea Hee meaneth that there shall bee no more any troublesome and confused estate of this world no moe broiles waues tempests and stormes as it falleth out in this life For the word Sea is so taken twise or thrise before By the holy citie new Ierusalem hee meaneth the Church triumphant which therefore is said to come downe from God out of heauen because it hath all his newnesse and holinesse from God and from heauen whereby it is now prepared and made ready to bee maried vnto Christ ver 3 euen as a bride tricked and trimmed vp for her husband And for this cause S. Iohn heareth a voice from heauen saying the tabernacle of God is with men and hee will dwell with them and they shall bee his people and hee will bee their God Meaning therby that Iesus Christ will keepe house with his glorified spouse and be at bed and bourd with hir for euer in the heauens at what time shee shall bee freed from all teares woe and miserie ver 4 as the next verse declareth yeelding also a reason heereof which is that the first things are passed that is the state wherein the world is now being subiect to many afflictions temptations vanities and corruptions ver 5 And hee that sat vpon the throne said Behold I make all things new and he said vnto mee Write for these words are faithfull and true ver 6 And hee said vnto mee it is done I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end I will giue to him that is a thirst of the well of the water of life freely ver 7 Hee that ouercommeth shall inherit all things and I will bee his God and hee shall bee my sonne ver 8 But the fearefull and vnbeleeuing and the abhominable and murtherers and whoremongers and sorcerers and Idolaters and all liers shall haue their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death Heere the omnipotent God which sitteth vpon his most glorious throne doth protest that hee will make all things new that is restore the world to that execellent estate wherein it was before Adams fall and his elect to a state and condition farre more excellent in heauen and for the greater certainely and assurance of it willeth and commandeth Iohn to write it ver 5 and record it as a thing most certaine and infallible and to set it downe as a thing already done For things to come which are decreed in the counsell of God are as certaine as if they were past for God cannot erre alter nor change and therefore he saith I am Alpha and Omega the first and the last the vnchangeable and immutable God And addeth ver 6 that hee will giue freely to euery one that is a thirst of the well of the water of life that is without all regard of our desarts hee will giue to euery one that earnestly seeketh after heauen and heauenly things his full fill thereof And moreouer that whosoeuer ouercommeth in the spirituall battaile shall haue the full fruition of all good things both in this life and the life to come as hauing speciall right and interest therein through Christ God being his father and hee his sonne and heire ver 7 But on the contrary hee willeth it to bee written and recorded as a thing most certaine and sure that all reprobates all Atheists worldlings ver 8 and all vnbeleeuers shall haue their part an portion in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone for euer And there came vnto mee one of the seauen Angels ver 9 which had the seauen vials full of the seauen plagues and talked with mee saying I will shew thee the bride the Lambs wife ver 10 And he carried mee away in the spirit to a great and an high mountaine and shewed mee that great Citie that holy Hierusalem discending out of Heauen from God ver 11 Hauing the glory of God and her shining was like vnto a stone most pretious as a Iasper stone clere as Christ all Heere one of the Angels mentioned in the 16. Chapter which had a Viall full of Gods vvrath Talketh vvith Iohn and telleth him that he will shew him the bride the Lambs wife that is the triumphant Church or the Church in her glorified estate beeing vnited and married vnto Christ in the kingdome of glory And therefore Saint Iohn saith that this Angell carried him away in the spirit to a great and high mountaine and shewed him that great Citie holy Ierusalem c. chapter 17.1.2.3 Wee reade in the 17. Chapter that when this Angell shewed Iohn the great whore of Babylon he carried him away into the wildernesse in the spirit because the vvhore of Babylon should make the Church barren and desolate as a vvildernesse But now that he is to shew him the spouse of Christ in her glory and to describe the euerlasting Ierusalem he carrieth him in the spirit vnto a very high mountaine that he might take a sight of it as
willingly be barred out of this pallace of infinit pleasure for the short fruition of worldly lucre and trash Let vs therefore in all time to come make more reckoning of heauen and lesse reckoning of the earth Let vs minde heauenly things despise earthly things let vs prease hard vnto the things that are before and forget the things that are behind Let vs striue hard for the price of the high calling of God and contemne euen the glory of this world Chap. 22. IN this Chapter S. Iohn proceedeth yet more largely to describe the blessed estate of all Gods Saints in the kingdome of glory and the principall scope and drift of this Chapter is yet more to enlarge the ioyes of Gods people after this life and to ratifie the authoritie of this prophesie This chapter containeth foure principall parts The first is an amplification of the ioyes of Gods kingdome The second is a confirmation of the authoritie of this booke ver 9.10 11.12 13.14.15 The third is an exhortation both to spread abroad the knowledge of this booke and also for euery man to prepare himselfe for the comming of Christ vnto iudgement ver 17 20. The fourth is the feruent desire of the Church for the second appearing of Christ The text ver 1 AND hee shewed me a pure riuer of the water of life cleare as Christall proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lambe ver 2 In the middest of the streete of it and of either side of the riuer was the tree of life which bare twelue manner of fruits and gaue fruit euery moneth and the leaues of the tree serue to heale the nations with ver 3 And there shall bee no more curse but the throne of God and of the Lambe shall bee in it and his seruants shall serue him ver 4 And they shall see his face and his name shall bee in their foreheads ver 5 And there shall bee no night there and they neede no candle neither light of the Sunne For the Lord God giueth them light and they shall raigne for euermore The Angell doth yet further shew vnto Iohn a pure riuer of the water of life Whereby is signified the ouerflowing aboundance of all good things which the righteous shall enioy in the kingdome of glory This riuer is said to proceede out of the throne of God and of the Lambe because God in Christ is the originall of all this life and happinesse Further it is added that in the midst of the golden street of this new Ierusalem and of both sides the riuer there was a tree of life Which representeth Christ now in this heauenly paradise as in former time it represented Christ in the earthly paradise and also that eternall and blessed life which our first parents should enioy if they did continue in the obedience of God This tree standeth not in an out corner of the citie but in the very middest of the streete and of both sides the riuer that all the Citizens of the new Ierusalem might haue free accesse vnto it and tast of the most daintie fruits thereof in great varietie for it beareth twelue manner of fruits that is in Christ all varietie of pleasure and endlesse delight is to bee found This tree beareth fruit euery moneth as well in winter as in sommer for heere euery moneth is Autumne The sense is that in Christ the new and fresh fruits of immortall ioy without any satiety or loathing are for euer to be found The leaues of this tree are very medicinable and sauatiue For they serue to heale the nations with that is to preserue them from all diseases and griefes which argueth a most blessed life not subiect to sicknesse or any other infirmitie For Christ is our neuer failing phisition which in this life healeth all our spirituall diseases and infirmities And after this life will preserue vs in perpetuall health and happinesse There shall bee no more curse that is in the heauenly paradise we shall no more be subiect to any curse as Adam was in the earthly paradise Which also argueth the perfection of happines after this life yet for further amplification of this most glorious estate it is said that the throne of God of Christ shall be erected in the middest of this golden street and all his chosen people shall there accompany him dwell with him bee alwaies about him yea and serue him without wearines for euer Yea all his faithfull worshippers shall come so neere his throne that they shall see his very face and bee rauished with his glory hauing his image his name his wisdome and mercie imprinted in their foreheads yea his vnconceiuable light and glory shall bee so resplendent that there shall bee neither night nor neede of candle but in his glittering and most glorious chamber of presence shall all his elect raigne and triumph with him for euermore in infinit felicitie and the very fruition of eternall delectation where shall bee mirth without measure and solace without sorrow as the Prophet saith in thy presence is the fulnesse of ioy and at thy right hand there is pleasure for euermore And hee saide vnto mee ver 6 these wordes are faithfull and true and the Lord God of the holy Prophets sent his Angell to shew vnto his seruants the things which must shortly bee fulfilled Beholde I come shortly Blessed is hee that keepeth the words of the prophesie of this booke ver 7 And I am Iohn which saw and heard these things ver 8 and when I had heard and seene I fell downe to worship before the feete of the Angell which shewed me these things But hee said vnto mee see thou doe it not for I am thy fellow seruant and of thy brethren the Prophets ver 9 and of them which keepe the wordes of this booke worship God In these foure verses are foure speciall reasons brought to confirme and ratifie the authoritie of this booke The first of them is the affirmation of the Angell The second the authoritie of the most high God The third the testimonie of Iesus pronouncing them blessed which keepe this prophesie The fourth the testimonie of Iohn who heard and saw these things But beecause in the epistle to the Reader I haue more at large handled this argument and these same verses therefore heere I doe of purpose relinquish them And that also of Iohns adoration and the Angels refusall beeing thinges most manifest and easie to vnderstand ver 10 And hee said vnto mee seale not the words of the prophesie of this booke for the time is at hand ver 11 Hee that is vniust let him bee vniust still and hee which is filthie let him bee filthie still and hee that is righteous let him bee righteous still and hee that is holy let him be holy still ver 12 And behold I come shortly and my reward is with mee to giue euerie man according as his worke shaâ—l bee ver 13 I am
to passe nor fulfilled and therfore more hard for them to interprete and vnderstand for those things in this Prophesie which are not yet fulfilled are hardest for vs of this age to vnderstand and resolue of But when a Prophesie is fulfilled it is an easie matter to say this was the meaning of the Prophet Some things in this booke were fulfilled before the daies of the Fathers and some thinges in the daies wherein they liued and both those they did clearely vnderstand Some things were fulfilled after their daies as the rising and raigning of the great Antichrist which they did not so clearly see into Hereupon it commeth to passe that many things which vnto them were very obscure are vnto vs most cleare manifest as being already fulfilled insomuch that all which are not wilfully blinded may see and vnderstand them yea the most vnlearned Be not therefore discouraged gentle Reader at the darknesse difficultie of this booke Doe not preiudicially resolue and set downe with thy selfe that the naturall sense of this booke cannot be giuē nor the true meaning found out but that we must be faine when we haue done all that we can to rest in vncertaine coniectures some following one sense and some an other as seemeth most like and probable But no man can say confidently and precisely this is the meaning of the holy Ghost Oh be not of that minde good Christian brother for if we haue not an vndoubted certainty for the sense meaning of this Prophesie we are neuer the nearer and that is it which the Papists would driue vs vnto But know for a certainty that the naturall sense of this booke is to be found out as well as of other bookes of the Scripture And that we might not be left to our selues in the darke and to our vncertaine coniectures and doubtfull interpretations Behold the mercifull goodnesse of God to his Church who himselfe doth expound the darkest and most misticall things in this Prophesie or at least so many of them and so far as the rest are thereby laid open and made manifest The Lord himselfe expoundeth some things in the first Chapter which giue cleare light to the first vision The Angell expoundeth diuers other things In the 17. Chapter which is the key of this prophesie the Angel doth of purpose open and interpret all the greatest doubts of this booke as who is the Whore of Babylon who is the beast what be his seuen heads what be his 10. hornes what be the waters which the woman that is the Whore of Rome sitteth vpon Moreouer for the better vnderstanding of this Prophesie we must note that the writings of Moyses and the Prophets vnto which there bee sundry allusions and from the which sundry things are drawne do cleare diuers things in this Reuelation The knowledge of antiquities ministreth much aide to the vnderstanding of this Prophesie The knowledge of the histories of the Church and the particular state thereof in diuers ages bringeth great light The obseruation of the phrases and maner of speech vsed by the old Prophets doth helpe also not a little The serious and deepe weighing of all the circumstances of the text conferring one thing with another the cōsequents with the antecedents the antecedents with the consequēts furthereth greatly for the bolting out of the true natural sense And furthermore as the spirit of God is the author of this prophesie so the same spirit is the best interpreter of it doth opē and reueale it to all such as vsing al other good meanes are earnest and humble suters vnto God for the illumination thereof whereby they may vnderstand both this and all other the mysteries of his will which the Apostle saith God hath reuealed vnto vs by his spirit For the spirit searcheth all things yea the deepe things of God To all this may be added the knowledge of artes tongues and the learned writings and interpretations of sundry excellent men which all do bring great furtherance to the vnderstanding of this Prophesie Sith then there be so many helpes for the opening and expounding of this Reuelation why should any be discouraged from the reading and study thereof But if any man demaund a reason why Saint Iohn writeth this Reuelation in such misticall and allegoricall maner I answere that there may be diuers reasons yeelded hereof First that the world being blinded might fulfill the things herein specified Secondly because Iohn was to publish this Reuelation in such maner and forme as he had receiued it from Iesus Christ which was figuratiue and allegoricall Thirdly because it was much more wisedome to foretel the destructiō of the Romaine Empire which al that time bare the sway almost ouer all the world vnder couert and figuratiue speeches then in plaine tearmes least the Romaine Princes should rage more against the Christians euen in that respect The like also may be said for Daniels darke maner of deliuering his Prophesie For if he had vttered those things in plaine tearmes which he spake darkely and allegorically it might haue cost him his life For the heathen enemies would neuer haue endured to heare that all their Empires glory and renowne should fall one after another and one by another and that the Iewes were the onely holy people whome God did defend and to whome in the ende God would not onely giue a quiet possession of their owne land and kingdome but also a kingdome euerlasting that through their Messias and great deliuerer But to grow to a conclusion gentle Reader thou shalt find in this poore trauell First an exposition of the first 13. Chapters after thou shalt find the next 6. Chapters vnto the twentith reduced all to one head which is to proue the 5. points propounded and last of all the 3. Chapters following briefely and plainely expounded If any through lazinesse will not or through want of leisure cannot read ouer this short trauel yet for his cōfort let him read those things only which are written vpō the 14. Chapter And thus Christian Reader hoping that thou wilt not neglect that which may be for thine owne good I commēd thee to God to the word of his grace which is able to build further and to giue thee an inheritance among all them that are sanctified Thine in the Lord Arthur Dent. Vpon the 14. Chapter of this Booke these fiue points are handled First that Babylon in this Booke of the Reuelation is Rome Secondly that Rome shall fall and how Thirdly that Rome shall fall finally and come to vtter desolation in this life before the last iudgement Fourthly by whom and when it shall be ouerthrowne Fiftly the causes of the vtter ruine and ouerthrow thereof Apoc. 18. vers 4. I heard a voice from heauen say Goe out of her my people that ye be not partakers of her sinnes and that ye receiue not of her plagues THE RVINE OF Rome or an Exposition vpon the Reuelation Wherein is plainly
and by the vertue of his Propheticall office the whole will of God is made knowne vnto vs. For God hath sent him as the great Prophet to instruct the world in righteousnesse and hath reuealed himselfe to vs in him and therefore hee is called the Image of the inuisible God the brightnesse of his glorie and the ingrauen forme of his person And therefore hee said to Philip Hee that hath seene mee hath seene my Father also And if you had knowne mee you should haue knowne my Father also And againe No man knoweth the Father but the Sonne and hee to whom the Sonne will reueale him Thus then wee see that Iesus Christ is that faithfull witnesse and Prince of Prophets in whom the will of God and all the counsels of his Father are reuealed vnto vs. The manner of Iohns calling to receiue this Prophesie is set downe in these wordes vers 9 I Iohn euen your brother and companion in tribulation and in the kingdome and patience of Iesus Christ was in the I le of Pathmos for the word of God and for the witnessing of Iesus Christ vers 10 And I was rauished in the spirit on the Lords day and heard behinde mee a great voice as it had bene of a trumpet saying I am Alpha and Omega vers 11 that first and that last and that which thou seest write in a booke and send it vnto the seuen Churches which are in Asia c. Now out of these three verses fiue things are to be obserued First that Iohn is commaunded by the voice of Christ which he heard behinde him as loude as a Trumpet to write and record the visions which he sawe and being so written and recorded to commend them to all the Churches for the common benefite and vse thereof So that herein Iohn doth nothing of himselfe nothing of his owne braine but all things by special warrant and authoritie from Iesus Christ that Alpha and Omega which doth call him and authorize him to this great businesse which now he is set about Secondly Iohns rauishment in spirit to the ende he might be made more capable of all these heauenly visions which were shewed vnto him Thirdly his great humiliation whereby also hee was fitted to receiue and vnderstand these great mysteries For God will guide the meeke in iudgement and teach the humble his wayes yea his secrets are with them that feare him Therefore although Iohn was a great Apostle and had seene wonderfull visions yet hee is not thereby puft vp with pride and conceit of himselfe but in the greatest humiliation of his soule calleth himselfe a brother and companion of all the faithfull vers 9 but specially of such as patiently suffer for Iesus Christ and his kingdome Fourthly the time when Iohn was called which was the Lords day Fiftly and lastly the place where he was called which was the I le of Pathmos as formerly hath bene shewed The description of Christ the person that calleth Iohn to this new office is set downe in the next fiue verses following wherein the excellent glorie of Christes person is described vers 13 First from the place where Christ did appeare vnto him Secondly from the seuerall parts and members of his royall person vers 14.15 vers 16 Thirdly from his prouident care ouer his true ministers and all his faithfull people Touching the place where Christe in a vision did appeare to Iohn hee saith it was in the middest of the seuen golden Candlestickes For saith hee I turned backe to see the voyce that spake with mee and when I was turned I sawe seuen golden Candlestickes and in the middest of the seuen Candlestickes one like the sonne of man c. The 7. vers 12 vers 13 golden Candlesticks are interpreted by Christ himselfe in the last verse of this Chapter to be the seuen Churches The Churches are saide to be of golde because Christ delighteth in them as much as we do in golde he valueth euery true member thereof as we do golde for euery beleeuer is all glorious within euery true Christian is faire and beautifull euery regenerate man is all as golde euen as most pure golde It is said afterward that Christ walketh in the midst of these seuen golden Candlestickes that is he is alwaies present with his Church to feed it gouerne it defend it comfort it The Prophet saith that Christ hath seuē eies which goe through the whole world whereby is signified his watchfull prouidence for his Church for hee is alwaies looking out for the good of it to defend and protect it against all aduersary power whatsoeuer Which thing was figured in the Rammes skinnes Badgers skinnes wherewithall the Arke was couered to defend it against all violence of winde and weather Euen so the mercifull protection of Christ is as it were the continuall couering of his Church As touching the parts and members of his royall person hee is described of his head and haire vers 13.14.15 of his face of his eyes of his voice of his feete of his garments and of his girdle As concerning his head and haire they are said to be as white as wooll and as snowe vers 14 which signifie his great wisedom knowledge to performe all things in his Church for wisedome and knowledge for the most part do accompany white heads and gray haires His face shineth as the Sunne in his strength Which signifieth that Christ is the same to his Church that the Sunne is to the world For as the Sunne lighteneth the whole worlde with his brightnesse So Christ with the brightnesse of his face lighteneth his whole Church His eyes are like a flame of fire that is exceeding bright and piercing into all places yea the very harts of men for nothing is hid frō his sight with whom we haue to do He hath Egles eyes to foresee all dangers intended and plotted against his Church that he may in due time preuent them His voice is compared to the sounde of many waters because it should sounde throughout all the world by the preaching of the Gospell Waters is expounded Chapter 17. verse 15. of multitudes nations and tongues Christs voice therefore is like many waters because his voice should goe through many countries and kingdomes His feete are compared to fine brasse to signifie both the perfectiō of all his waies and also his mightie power to treade downe all his enemies He is cloathed with a garment downe to the ground to signifie that he walketh as King and Priest in the midst of the seuen golden candlestickes For Kings and Priests in olde time did weare long garments specially in the execution of their offices He is girded about the pappes with a golden girdle for as Kings and Priests did gird their garments close vnto them least otherwise they might be hindred in the execution of their offices So Christ girdeth himselfe close to his businesse for he is no idle beholder of the
Church should be full of eies to looke out for the good of his Church and to giue light to all others for hee is the life and light of the world And he came and tooke the booke out of the right hand of him that sate vpon the throne vers 7 Here Iesus Christ taketh the booke out of his Fathers hand purposing both to open it and expound it For he is the onely expounder of the law and the best interpreter of his Fathers will vers 8 Herevpon it is said that the foure beastes and 24. Elders fell downe before the Lambe to testifie their thankfulnesse and inward ioy and reioycing that the Son of God would take vpō him this office which none other would or could performe Moreouer by their falling downe and worshipping him they doo plainely testifie that hee is God ouer all to be blessed for euer For otherwise the Angels of heauen both Cherubins and Seraphins would not thus fall downe and worshippe him ascribing vnto him both deitie and diuine honour Consider then how great hee is of whom it is said Let all the Angels of God worship him Moreouer these Angels and Saints are said to haue euery one harpes and golden viols full of odours which are the praiers of the Saints vers 8 These harpes doo signifie the sweete concent and harmony both of men and Angels in sounding forth the praises of the Lambe For herein the whole Church both militant and triumphant doo accord and tune together as many harpers harping with their harpes as it is written also in an other place Hereby also they do plainely testifie that inward peace and spirituall ioy which all the faithfull haue through Christe which is more sweete and delightsome to the soule then any musicke is vnto the eares The viols full of odours are expounded to bee the praiers of the Saints which are therefore compared to odours because they smell sweete in the nosthrils of God and are more fragrant then any nosegay or perfume whatsoeuer for hee taketh great pleasure in the praiers of his people especially when they come out of golden viols that is sanctified hearts and consciences for euerie sanctified heart is a golden heart in the sight of God and euerie regenerate conscience is a iewell of price guilt with golde and enameled with pearle For this cause the holy man Dauid wisheth earnestly that his heart might bee so renewed and cleansed inwardely that his prayer might bee directed as incense in Gods sight and the listing vp of his handes as a sweete smelling sacrifice Furthermore vers 9 these Saints and Angels doo sing a new song That is they do sing to the praises of the Lambe with renued affections vnwearied desires Their inward ioy continueth alwaies fresh and greene as the Bay-tree They neuer wither or waxe wearie of the seruice of God Their song is euermore new and therefore euermore delightsome For the more new any thing is the more pleasant and delectable for men are not affected with olde but altogether with new things Now then Iesus Christ hauing taken this booke into his hande to open and expounde is applauded vnto by the general consent and voices of the whole church For say they Thou art worthy to take the booke vers 9 and to open the seales thereof Wherein they doo all with cōmon consent giue their voices vnto Christ acknowledging him to be the only fit persō in heauē or earth to take vpō him this functiō of opening a booke so closed so clasped so shut so sealed and they do yeeld a reason of their proceedings because say they thou wast killed and hast redeemed vs vnto God by thy blood out of euery kindred and tongue and people and nation Meaning hereby that he was put to death to pay the price of our redemptiō in whom all the beleeuers both of the Iewes and Gentiles are saued Their reason then is this he that hath died and risen againe and is now exalted farre aboue all principalities and powers c. is the most fit Instrument to open and interpret this booke But thou ô Christ the Lambe of God art such a one therefore thou of all others art most meete to take this matter vpon thee and to enter into this businesse Further they amplifie their reason thus that hee hath made vs of slaues and seruants vers 10 Kings and of prophane persons Priests vnto the most high God And last of all that we shall raigne vpon the earth Not meaning heereby that we shall raigne as earthly kings or only enioy an earthly kingdome For out of all doubt the Saints shall raigne with Christ in the heauens for euermore But heere is mention made of raigning in the earth because after this life Gods children shall haue the fruition and inheritance both of heauen and earth that is to say that new heauen and new earth wherein dwelleth righteousnesse for the heauens and the earth being redintegrated and purged from corruption shall be the portion of the Saintes and the habitation of the elect for euermore After all this vers 11 Iohn heareth the voice of innumerable Angels beside the foure beastes That is the Cherubins and Seraphins or chief Angels that is Angels deputed to chiefe offices round about the throne which all with a loud voice do acknowledge the Lambe which was killed to be worthy of all honor glory praise c. vers 12 And not onely these innumerable Angels being twentie thousād times ten thousand but also all other creatures both in heauē and earth as the Sun Moone Starres the fishes in the Sea and the beastes in the earth do all in their kinde sing the same song vers 13 acknowledging all honour and glory praise and power to belong vnto him that sitteth vpon the throne and vnto the Lambe for euermore For although the creature is as yet subiect to the bondage of corruption and therefore groneth and trauelleth in paine waiting when the sonnes of God shal be reuealed yet it stādeth in assured expectation of restitution to libertie incorruption and therefore here all the creatures do praise the Lambe for that restauration which they doo so longly and wishly looke for And the foure beasts said Amen That is they do subscribe to those praises which the creature yeeldeth to their Creator And not onely the Angels do subscribe and consent vnto it but the 24. Elders also who fall downe worship him that liueth for euermore So that the Lambe is praised and worshipped of all hands both of men and Angels and all other creatures as God euerlasting and blessed for euermore CHAP. VI. IN the fourth chapter we haue heard the description of God the Father which holdeth the sealed booke in his right hand In the fift chapter wee haue had the description of Iesus Christ the opener and interpreter of this seuen sealed booke Now in this sixt chapter wee are to vnderstande of the matter and contentes of this booke
away as a scrole when it is rolled and euery mountaine and I le were moued out of their place Vpon the opening of this sixt seale very dolefull and fearefull things which doo followe As earthquakes the darkening of the Sunne the obscuritie of the Moone the falling of the Starres the rolling together of the heauens the remouing of mountaines Iles out of their places the howlings and horrors of kings and captaines other great potentates of the earth which all are things very terrible and fearefull to beholde and all these do represent and figure out vnto vs the most fearefull tokens of Gods high displeasure and most heauie indignation against the wicked world Very grieuous things fell out vpō the opening of the 2.3 4. seales but they are farre more grieuous which followe vpon the opening of this sixt seale for this sixt seale containeth an aggrauation and encrease of all the former iudgements For now after the crie of the Martyrs for vengeance GOD the auenger of the bloude of the righteous doeth shewe himself from heauen and declare his wrath in more fearefull manner then before euen to the great astonishment of all the creatures in heauen and earth So horrible a thing is the sheading of the bloud of the Christians For now we see plainely that God heareth the cries of his Martyrs and commeth as a Giant or as an armed man to take vengeance of all their enemies For Pretious in the sight of the Lorde is the death of his Saints and hee is much mooued with the crie of their bloud as here wee see And therefore now threatneth to holde a generall Assises wherein hee will make inquisition after bloud and arraigne and condemne all such as are founde guiltie thereof according as the persecuting Emperours and many others did finde and feele by wofull experience For if God be angry but a little who may endure it Now although the Stories do report that in those dayes which was aboue 300. yeares after Christ there were many great and fearefull Earthquakes in diuers nations and cities of the world yet it is apparant that the Earth-quake here spoken of cannot bee taken literally nor any of the rest here mentioned For there was neuer any time neither is it mentioned in any Chronicle that euer the Sunne was as blacke as sacke-cloth of haire or the Moone turned into bloud or the Starres fell from heauen or the Heauens rolled together like a scrole or that Mountaines and Ilandes were mooued out of their places Therefore of necessitie all this must bee vnderstood metaphorically that is that God did in so straunge and fearefull a manner manifest his wrath from heauen by tumults commotions seditions alteratiōs of kingdomes as if these things of the Sun Moone and Starres had bene visibly represented to the eye An earth-quake in this booke and other bookes also of the scriptures doth by a borrowed speech signifie commotions of common-wealth troubles tumults vprores and great alterations of states kingdoms The darkning of the Sun Moone and Starres rolling together of the Heauens do by a metaphor in the scriptures signifie the fearefull wrath and angrie face of God which they being not able to endure are said here to blush at to couer themselues to hide themselues to be ashamed of thēselues to remoue out of their places no more to do their offices c. For as birds doo hide themselues and thrust their heads into bushes when the Eagle commeth abroade And as all the beastes of the forrest doo tremble and couch in their dennes when the Lyon roareth And as that subiect doth hide himselfe and dare not shewe his head with whom the King is displeased So here it is saide that the whole earth doth tremble and all the celestiall creatures are amazed and confounded with beholding the angry face of God against the worlde in so much that they do as it were drawe a canopie ouer them hide themselues vnder a cloude and surcease to do their offices The darkning of the Sunne and Moone is taken in this sense in the second of Ioel and also in the second chapter of the Acts of the Apostles For there God promising and foretelling that in the last dayes he would abundantly powre forth of his spirit vpon all flesh which is to be vnderstood of the plentifull preaching of the Gospell in the Apostles time and the aboundance of grace that was giuen with the same addeth that for the contempt of so great grace and mercie he would shewe wonders in heauen aboue and tokens in the earth beneath Bloud and fire and the vapour of smoake the Sunne shall bee turned into darkenesse and the Moone into bloud before that great and notable day of the Lord come The meaning of the Prophet is as Peter also dooth expound it that God from heauen will shewe such apparant signes of his wrath against the worlde that men should bee no lesse amazed then if the whole order of nature were inuerted And this was performed when as the Iewes for the contempt of Christe and his Gospell were most miserably destroied by the Romanes Euen so here vnder the opening of the sixt seale God dooth threaten that for the murdering of his sonne Christ and his Apostles and innumerable Christians hee would bring straunge iudgements and extraordinarie calamities vpon the worlde according as all stories do shewe that those times were full of bloud-sheads commotions famines pestilence and miseries of all sortes I am not ignorant that the darkening of the Sunne and Moone and the falling of the Starres from heauen are sometimes in this booke put for the obscuritie and corruption of pure doctrine and the falling away of the Pastors of the Church from their sinceritie and zeale But in this place the circumstances will not beare that sense First because heere the darkening of the Sunne and Moone c. is ioyned with an Earth-quake the rolling together of the Heauens and the mouing of Mountaines and Ilands out of their places which argueth a most horrible confusion and concussion of all things Secondly because afterward in the eight chapter hee doth of purpose speake of the corrupting of pure doctrine the falling away of the Ministers referring it to that chapter as his proper place Thirdly because the kings and captaines of the earth here immediatly mentioned would neuer haue bene cast into any such perplexities and horrours vpon any corruption of doctrine and the ministrie as here we reade of For commōly men are not any whit touched or moued with that or such like things Last of all because the scope and drift of the holy Ghost vnder the opening of this sixt seale is to describe corporall not spirituall visible not inuisible iudgements For he doth orderly and of purpose handle them in the next chapter Now whereas it is said in the last three verses that the Kings of the earth and the great men and the rich men vers 15 and the chiefe Captaines and
vnto the world for Turcisme because thereby thousands should bee murdered in their bodies by the Turkish armies Woe vnto the world because of the last iudgement for thereby all worldlings shall bee plagued both in body and soule in hell fire for euermore Sith then these three last plagues which were to come vpon the worlde are more fearefull and terrible then any of the other foure no maruell though here is sent of purpose a speciall messenger to giue intelligence thereof that euery man might looke to himselfe seeing such great dangers were at hand And for this cause also it is saide before that there was silence in the Church for the space of halfe an houre CHAP. IX THe principall scope and drift of this Chapter is to paint out both the Pope and his Cleargy and also the kingdome of the Turke and his cruell armies For hauing alreadie set downe how a way and passage was made for the Pope to climbe vp into his cursed chaire by the preuailing of heresies the falling away of the Pastors of the Church and the great ouerspreading of darknesse ignorance now hee commeth to describe the Pope in his full height and greatest exaltation being now vniuersall Bishop and in full possession of his seate and sea of Rome which was about some sixe hundred yeares after Christ as formerly hath bene shewed At what time Pope Boniface obtained of the Emperour Phocas that murther which slew his maister Mauritius the Emperour that the Bishop of Rome should be called the vniuersall Bishop and the church of Rome the head of all churches This ninth Chapter may very fitly be diuided into two partes The first is a liuely description of the Pope himselfe his kingdome and his cleargie The second is a description of the kingdome of the Turke and his most sauage armies so that this chapter is a full opening of the first two great woes mentioned before concerning the Papacie and Turcisme And the fift Angell blew the trumpet vers 1 and I sawe a starre which fell from heauen and to him was giuen the key of the bottomelesse pit Warning was giuen before that when this 5. Angell should blowe the trumpet a most fearefull woe should come vpō the world surpassing all that went before which is the setting vp of Antichrist in his pride that man of sinne that sonne of perdition The Pope is here compared to a starre as well as other godly Ministers in this booke because the Bishops of Rome at the first were godly and excellent men for amōgst the first thirtie of them there were some Martyrs But it is here said that now this starre was fallen from heauen vnto the earth that is the Bishops of Rome were greatly degenerated fallen cleane away from heauenly things to earthly for they declined from time to time grew worse and worse so farre as to become the great Antichrist But some man may say why may not this starre falling frō heauen vnto the earth be vnderstood of other Pastors falling from the truth as well as the Pope as it is taken in the former chapter in the 12. chapter verse 4. I answere that the circumstances will not here beare it Therefore to perswade euery honest mans conscience that this must needs be vnderstood of the Pope in his pride let vs giue eare to those three reasons following First wee are to consider that the maine drift of the holy Ghost in the opening of the seuen seales and blowing of the seuen trumpets is to lay out the state of the church in all ages till the comming of Christ Further wee are diligently to obserue that the things contained vnder the opening of the seuenth seale wherof the blowing of the seuen trumpets are as it were parts and do all belong vnto it do stretch euen vnto the ende of the worlde so as there is no straunge accident or any wofull condition of the Church in any age but it is set forth vnder the opening of these seales and blowing of these trumpets But the Papacie was a state of the Church and that most wofull and lamentable therefore it is described vnder the opening of these seales and blowing of these trumpets But it is not described vnder the opening of any other seale or blowing of any other trumpet therefore of necessitie it must be referred to this seuenth seale and fift trumpet And this is my first reason If any man obiect that the Pope and his kingdome are most liuely described in the chapters from the 12. to the last I answere that all those chapters belong to a new vision wherin some things propounded vnder the opening of the seuen seales are more fully opened expounded But this I say that in this 2. vision the whole estate of the Church in euery age is laid opē euen vntil the last iudgemēt and therfore when the 7. Angel here doth blow the 7. trumpet immediatly followeth the last iudgemēt as appeareth cap. 10. ver 6.7 cap. 11. ver 15.16 My second reason is drawne from the course and consideration of times for the great preuailing of errors and heresies mentioned before which made way for Antichrist was from the first 300. yeares vntill the 600. yeare and so forwarde But now immediately vpon this great encrease of error darkness commeth the description of a speciall starre fallen from heauen at this time which was about 600. yeares after Christ and therfore it must needs be vnderstood of the Pope And this is my second reason My third and last reason is drawne from the description of the Pope and his Cleargie in the first eleuen verses of this chapter For he is so liuely described painted out in particulars that all men that know him or euer heard of him must needes say it is he For this description here set downe by the holy Ghost can fitly agree to none other The Papists themselues do cōfesse that this starre here mentioned must needs be vnderstood of some Arch-hereticke And full wisely forsoothe they apply it to Luther and Caluin But wee affirme that it is to be vnderstood of the Pope For was there euer any such Arch-hereticke as he which opposeth and exalteth himselfe against all that is called God and against all imperiall powers as the Apostle saith But now let vs proceed to the description of him First he is said to haue the keie of the bottomelesse pitte which agreeth well to the Pope for hee hath power giuen him to open hell gates to let in thousands thither but no power to open heauen gates to let in any thither for he furthereth many to hell none to heauen Hee doth indeed falsely challenge vnto himselfe the keies of the kingdome of heauen to let in and shut out at his pleasure But here wee see the holy Ghost doth attribute no such power vnto him but onely telleth vs that his power and iurisdiction is in hell and ouer hell as for heauen he hath nothing
Lyons that is they were full of stomack fiercenes and out of their mouthes went forth fire smoake and brimstone that is they had the same colours and ensignes vpon them that their riders had Of these three was the third part of mē killed that is vers 18 of the fire of the smoake and of the brimstone which came out of their mouthes Here is set downe the great slaughters and massacres which these martiall horsmen Turkish armies made throughout the most part of Europe For hee saith the third part of men that is great numbers in Europe were slaine by the fire the smoake and the brimstone which came out of their mouthes that is by their bloudy crueltie barbarous immanitie some being murthered in their bodies by cruell death others violently drawne to the wicked religiō of Mahomet For partly by externall violence and partly by a subtill shewe of religion and deuotion they destroied thousands both in their soules bodies And therefore it is said vers 19 Their power is in their mouthes and in their tailes For their tailes were like vnto serpents and had heads wherewith they hurt But for the better vnderstanding of these things I thinke it not amisse a little to open and lay forth the rising vp and encreasing of the power of the Turke About the yeare of our Lord 591. was Mahomet borne in a certaine village of Arabia called Itrarix for so Histories do report This Mahomet by fraude and cousenage grew into great credit and fame among the seditious Arabians and Egyptians in so much that they made him a captaine ouer them to warre against the Persians After this hee married a rich wife and by that meanes he wonne the hearts of many with gifts In the daies of Heraclius the Emperour which was in the yeare of our Lord 623. he grew to be very mightie After this he faigned himselfe to be a Prophet and said that he had visions and reuelations and talked with Angels And so by the helpe of Sergius a Monke hee framed a new worship and religion patched partly out of the olde Testament partly from the Papists and partly from the Heathen Hee raigned nine yeares and so died After him succeeded in the kingdome of the Saracens Ebubezer who raigned two yeares Haumar who raigned twelue yeares Muhauias who raigned 24. yeares All these made great warres against the Persians and sundrie other nations and ouercame them and set vp the religion of Mahomet amongst them and so the kingdome of the Saracens grew mightie but in processe of time the kingdome of the Turkes grew great and the kingdome of the Saracens diminished Within a short time after this the Tartarians a barbarous people waxed strong and made warre against the Turkes and preuailed greatly for a time But about the yeare of our Lord 1300. the Empire of the Tartarians was ouerthrowne and the Empire of the Turkes did flourish more then euer before For now come the greatest monsters and most sauage and cruell tyrants of all The first of them was Ottomanus The second Baiazethes The third Amurathes These made bloudie warres against the Christians I meane the Papists in Europe and enlarged the Turkes dominions very farre They did from time to time so cruelly murther and massacre the inhabitants of the West with their huge and bloudie armies that at last both the Pope the Emperour the King of Hungary the King of Polonia the King of Fraunce the Duke of Burgundie and the Duke of Venice and almost all the Potentates in Europe did ioyne together to make warre against the Turkes and did leuie huge armies but yet could not preuaile so strong were the Turkes so huge and dreadfull were their armies Then wee see that verified which here was foretolde to wit that the monstrous armies of the Turkes with their horses and horsemen should slay the third parte of men that is the Idolaters in Europe by heapes and infinit numbers To set downe the particular battailes betwixt the Turkes and the Christians in Europe and their horrible bloudsheaddings would require a volume but this which I haue briefly set downe may serue to giue some light vnto it may suffice for the vnderstanding of this text vers 20 Now it is said in the next verse that notwithstanding this heauie hande of God which was vpon the Papists in Europe and these fearefull iudgements and massacres they repented not of their Idolatries but waxed worse and worse for no iudgements no plagues can make the wicked any whit the better as wee see in the examples of Pharaoh and Saul vers 20 And here it is saide that the remnant of men which were not killed by these plagues repented not of the workes of their handes that they should not worship diuels and Idols of gold and of siluer of brasse and of stone and of wood which neither can see nor heare nor goe vers 21 Also they repented not of their murther and of their sorcery neither of their fornicatiō nor of their theft And thus we see how the diuels which were bound at Euphrates being let loose vpon the world in the wrath and iust iudgement of God did fearefully plague both the Turkes in their soules and the Papists in their bodies The one with false religion the other with bloudie swordes and so was the desire of the diuels fully satisfied CHAP. X. HAuing opened and expounded the two first woes which fel out vpon the blowing of the fift and sixt trumpet containing the two great plagues of Poperie and Turcisme wherewith the world was punished many hundred yeares now in this chapter we are to heare of good newes and great comfort after so much sorrowe For here Iesus Christ commeth downe from heauen to relieue his poore afflicted Church and to be reuenged of all his cruell enemies For now before the 3. and last woe containing the greatest plague of al vpon the world which is the last iudgement wherein the wicked shall bee tormented in hel fire for euer both in body soule I say before the blowing of the 7. trumpet by the seuenth angel of which we shal heare in the next chapter Now in the meane time is shewed in this chapter what care God had for his little flocke which no doubt were hid in those daies and did not appeare and yet were scattered in corners euen in the middest of the darknesse of Poperie and the most furious hellish rage of the Turkish armies And therefore the principall scope and drift of this chapter is to shewe how the Gospell should bee preached in many kingdomes now after this generall darknesse for the discouering and ouerthrow both of Poperie and Turcisme and to shewe what should fall out in the church now in the middle time before the 7. last trumpet blow for then commeth the last iudgement as the Angel sweareth in this chapter ver 6.7 This chapter dooth containe foure principall parts vers 1 The first is a
the Church which Christ hath thundred out with terrour against them And when the time determined is come they shall be seene and vnderstood but in the meane time they bee sealed vp and kept close according to that of Iob Why should not the times bee hid of the Almightie so as they which know him should not perceiue the times appointed of him and that of Daniel These things are sealed vp vntill the time determined vers 5 And the Angell which I sawe stand vpon the sea and vpon the earth lift vp his hand to heauen vers 6 And sware by him that liueth for euermore which created heauen and the things that therein are and the earth and the things that therin are the sea the things that therein are that time should be no more vers 7 But in the daies of the voice of the seuenth Angel when he shall begin to blowe the trumpet euen the ministrie of God shall be finished as he hath declared to his seruants the Prophets The summe of these three verses is that Christ giueth warning of the last iudgement that men might awake and looke out in time And because men for the most part are carelesse and secure putting the euill day farre from them as the Prophet speaketh Therefore here Christ bindeth it with a solemne oath and solemne gestures therevnto annexed as was the lifting vp of the hand in auncient time Gen. 14.22 The thing that our Lord Iesus deposeth is that Time shall be no more that is Time as it is now or the state of things as they be now but he telleth vs flatly that as sixe Angels haue alreadie blowne their trumpets so when the 7. Angell should blowe the mysterie of God shall be finished that is the time of punishing the wicked and rewarding the godly should come which is therefore called a Mysterie because the world vnderstandeth it not They thinke there is no such matter They imagine there is no reward for the iust or punishment for the wicked as the Prophet saith But the holy Ghost saith Verily there is a reward for the righteous Doubtlesse there is a God which iudgeth the earth And here it is said that God hath declared it to his seruants the Prophets And the voice which I heard from heauen vers 8 spake vnto mee againe and said Goe and take the little booke which is open in the hand of the Angel which standeth vpon the sea and vpon the earth vers 9 So I went vnto the Angell and said vnto him giue me the little booke· And he said vnto me take it and eate it vp and it shall make thy belly bitter but it shall bee in thy mouth as sweete as honey vers 10 Then I tooke the little booke out of the Angels hand and ate it vp and it was in my mouth as sweete as honey but when I had eaten it my belly was bitter vers 11 And hee saide vnto mee Thou must prophesie againe among the people and nations and tongues and to many kings The briefe sense of these foure verses is that the Preachers of the Gospell being called allowed and authorised by Christ vnto their ministry should study the scriptures with great diligence eueÌ„ vntil they had eaten vp the booke of God then they should preach publish vnto all nations kingdomes that truth of God doctrine of the Gospell which now a long time had lien hid in the raigne of Antichrist It is to be obserued that Iohn in this place representeth the person of all the ministers of the Gospell which should be raised vp in these last dayes for the ouerthrowe of Antichrist and the restauration of true religion for Iohn himselfe did not liue to these times Further it is to be noted that all godly Students and zealous Ministers do eate vp the booke of God by reading study praier meditation they finde it sweete in their mouth that is they finde and feele great ioy and comfort in the studie and meditation thereof especially wheÌ„ God reuealeth therby great and hid secrets vnto them giueth them to vnderstand the mysteries of the Gospell counsels of his will which are locked vp from the wise and prudent of this world This I say is sweeter vnto their mouth then hony and the hony combe Concerning this phrase of eating vp the booke looke Ezech. 2.9 for here the holy Ghost alludeth therevnto This booke being so sweete in the mouth yet being eaten and digested is bitter in the belly There may bee three reasons yeelded of this bitternesse First because it being once taken downe into our soule by godly meditatioÌ„ doth mortifie our corrupt nature bring vnder our lusts therefore seemeth bitter to flesh and bloud Secondly because afflictions trials do alwaies necessarily followe the sounde digestion of the Gospell Thirdly because the doctrine of the Gospel being swallowed by the Ministers therof must not be kept to themselues as it were closed vp in their stomacks but they must out with it againe as if it were some loathsome bitter thing which must needes be cast vp again And for this cause it is said in the last verse that they must prophesie againe among the people and nations and tongues and many kings Now blessed be the name of the Lorde our God who hath giuen vs to liue in this age wherein we do with our eies behold and see the fulfilling of all these things let vs therefore praise God for this great worke which wee see wrought in our daies and let vs still more and more magnifie this lâ—ttle booke which will vtterly destroy Popery and bring downe the proude Antichrist do all that fight for him what they can CHAP. XI WE haue heard that the little Booke should be opened and the Gospell preached and published to many nations and kingdomes after the great darkenesse of Popery and that this was done by Luther Melancton Caluin Peter Viret Peter Martir Bullinger Bucer and all their faithfull successors vnto this day Now in this Chapter we are to vnderstand of the effect good successe of their preaching and publishing the Gospell which was that the Church should be restored reformed and built vp thereby which a long time had bene wasted and oppressed by the tyrannie of Antichrist and that many should imbrace the Gospell forsake their Idolatries and turne to God with all their hearts yea whole nations and kingdomes in Europe should be conuerted to the faith as we see this day God be praised So then the principall drift of this Chapter is to shewe those thinges which yet remaine to be fulfilled vnder the blowing of the sixt trumpet which is the preaching and preuailing of the Gospell euen vnto the worldes ende and also the thinges which follow vppon the blowing of the seuenth trumpet which is the resurrection last iudgement This Chapter containeth sixe principall things as it were the sixe parts thereof First ver 1.2 it
others endued with the same spirite which should mightily defend both the doctrine cause and quarrell which their predecessors had maintained and sealed with their blood in whom they should after a sort reuiue liue againe euen as Elias did reuiue and as it were liue againe in Iohn Baptist who is saide to be endued with the power and spirit of Elias as it was foretold by the Prophet and as our Sauior himselfe doth auouch Now blessed be God that we liue in these daies wherein we see with our eyes all these things fulfilled For when the Pope his Cleargy had murthered Gerhardus Dulcimus Nauarensis Waldus Nicolaus Orem Iohn Picus Iohn Zisca Visilus Groningensis Armerius Wickliffe Husse Ierome of Prage and many Preachers in Sueuia and one hundred holy Christians in the countrey of Alsatia and many others in all countries and of all conditions of men yet for all that spight of their hearts God raised vp others in their stead as Luther Caluin Zuinglius Peter Martir Peter Viret Melancton Bucer Bullinger and their successors yea the thousands of excellent Ministers and Preachers which are dispersed ouer all Europe at this day In whom all the former witnesses do reuiue and as it were stand vppon their feete againe And now a great feare is come vpon the Pope and his Cleargy and all his fauorites for they did neuer so much as dreame of such an alteration but this is the Lordes doing and it is maruellous in our eyes vers 12 And they shall heare a great voice from heauen saying vnto them come vp hither and they shall ascend vp to heauen in a cloude and their enemies shall see them Here the Lordes witnesses whom Antichrist had murdered are called and taken vp into heauen that they may be crowned with glory and immortalitie hauing in the earth fought so excellēt a fight of faith as they had for euen as Christ their head was taken vp in a cloud into the heauens Euen so his faithfull members are here taken vp in a cloud to raigne with him for euer Moreouer it is here said that their enemies shall see them ascending vp they shall as it were ascend vp in their sight for from the fire and faggot swords and speares of their enemies they went directly vnto God and the very consciences of their persecutors did witnesse so much nay some of them being in horrible convulsions of cōscience did not sticke to vtter it auouching the innocency of Gods Martirs as sometimes Pilat and the Centurion did of Christ But though they had not bene iustified by their enemies yet are they here iustified by a greater testimony for the voice from heauen the voice of God doth iustifie them cleare them accounting them worthy to be called vp from the earth to heauen and receiued to eternall glory For howsoeuer the Pope his Cleargy condemned them for heretikes and scismatikes yet here they are iustified and cleared by a voice from heauen which is more then the voices suffrages and approbations of all men in the world And the same houre there shal be a great earthquake and the tenth part of the citie shall fall and in the earthquake shal be slaine in number seuen thousand and the remnant were sore feared and gaue glory to the God of heauen As hee hath shewed before that the world was very ioyful iocond when they had made dispatch of Gods witnesses but afterward full of feare terror when they sawe what followed So here in this verse is shewed that at the same houre that is about the same time whē they haue persecuted the Saints and see thousands of others raised vp in their stead and as it were out of their ashes or rather out of their blood that there should immediately follow a great earthquake that is horrible commotions seditions tumults and open warres among the kingdomes and nations of the worlde and amongst all people which should liue after the breaking forth of the light of the Gospell as this day we see with our eyes For who now in these dayes dooth not see and feele this Earthquake who knoweth not what stirres there haue bene and are euery where about Religion Who is ignorant that all the warres seditions treacheries treasons and rebellions that are this day in Europe betwixt one kingdome and an other are specially concerning the matter of religigion But marke what followeth Beholde the effect of this Earthquake It is saide that the tenth part of the citie shall fall By the citie here he meaneth the great citie Rome mentioned before vers 8. which is therefore called the great citie because it was the chiefe citie of the Romane Empire and the verie seate of Antichrist Now then the sense and meaning of the holy Ghost is that when there once beginneth to be an earthquake that is broiles contentions alterations questions disputations about religion and that the popish doctrine which had so long preuailed in the world should be called in question yea openly preached against conuicted and cōdemned that then Rome should begin to fall and Romish religion to suffer a great eclipse yea the tenth part that is some part of the citie of Rome I meane the doctrine and authoritie of Rome should be ouerthrowne Now this falling of the tenth part of Rome was fulfilled within some fewe yeares after the broaching of the Gospell by Luther and his immediate successors but since it is gone backe many degrees and hereafter it shall still ebbe consume away by degrees euen till it come to nothing as God willing shal be plainly proued hereafter Moreouer here is set downe another effect of this earthquake which is that thereby shall be slaine in number seuen thousand that is many thousands for the number of seuen is a perfect and vniuersall number as formerly hath bene declared But the sense of this clause is that all such as wil not yeeld to the Gospell after matters once come in question and the light therof breaketh forth but continue still in their blindnesse and hardnesse standing out sturdily against the truth shall feele the heauie iudgements of God vpon them and come to miserable and wretched endes as did here in England Stephen Gardiner bloudie Bonner and many other such open persecutors in other nations and countries as the booke of Martyrs doth plentifully witnesse Last of all it is said that the rest were terrified gaue glorie to the God of heauen that is the elect of God seeing these horrible iudgements vpon the persecutors of the Gospel and hauing their eies opened through these contentions and broiles about religion should repent of their former Idolatries blindnesse and ignorance should yeeld to the truth and giue glorie to the God of heauen as at this day we see thousands doo God be thanked chapter 9 Wee heard before in the time of the Turkes murthering army when the third part of men were slain that the rest repented not of their Idolatrie But
now God be praised for it many doo repent euery day and turne from dumbe Idols to serue the liuing God And therefore although the times wherein we liue bee sinfull and troublesome yet are they golden times and daies in comparison of former ages wherein Antichrist did raigne and rule ouer all Moreouer from this place may plainly and strongly be concluded that the Gospel shal preuaile more and more in all the kingdomes of Europe euen vntill the ende of the world For here we see it foretolde and prophesied that in this very last age of the world euen as it were a litle before the blowing of the seuenth trumpet which presently herevpon is sounded as in the next verses appeareth many should repent and giue glory to God vers 14 The second woe is past behold the third woe wil come anon vers 15 And the seuenth Angell blew the trumpet and there were great voices in heauen saying The kingdomes of this world are our Lords and his Christs and he shall raigne for euermore Now commeth the third the last and the greatest woe which is the woe of eternall death vpon all the vngodly both in their soules and bodies for euer in the last iudgement The first woe was the Papacie The second woe was Turcisme And this third woe is the last iudgement For it now followeth that the seuenth Angell bloweth the last trumpet as our Lord Iesus sware before that when the seuenth Angell should blowe the trumpet chapter 10.6 there should bee no more time Therefore when we see all things fulfilled which do belong vnto the sixt trumpet it remaineth that wee should euery houre expect and looke for the blowing of the seuenth trumpet and the end of the world For the holy Ghost telleth vs that whē the kingdome of the Pope and the Turke shall fall and the Gospell bee preached in many nations and kingdomes that then the third woe will come anon that is the last iudgement followeth presently vpon it Now at the blowing of this seuenth trumpet there were great voices in heauen saying the kingdomes of this world are our Lords and his Christs and he shall raigne for euermore These voices in heauen are the triumphing voices of Gods elect who do exceedingly reioyce and triumph that the kingdome of Sathan and Antchrist is ouerthrowne and that the kingdome of God and of Christ is set vp and shall stand for euermore For now all aduersary power being ouerthrowne Christ doth deliuer vp a peaceable kingdome to his father as it is writtē Then shal be the ende when he hath deliuered vp his peaceable kingdome to God the Father For he must raigne ouer the Church militant till hee haue troade downe all his enemies vnder his feete and when the Sonne of God hath subdued all things to himselfe then shall he be subiect to his Father as he is the mediator of the Church and yet raigne with his Church triumphant for euermore Then the 24. vers 16 Elders which satte before God on their seates fell vppon their faces and worshipped God Saying Wee giue thee thankes ô Lorde God almightie vers 17 which art which wast and which art to come for thou hast receiued thy great might and hast obtained thy kingdome These 24. Elders doo signifie all the elect chapter 4 both of Iewes and Gentiles as we haue heard before which all in most suppliant manner doo worshippe the onely euerlasting God euen in the Church triumphant and do greatly reioyce and giue all praise and glorie vnto him because now he had receiued the kingdome the power and the glory both Pope and Turke and Emperor and all his enemies being subdued vnder his feete ver 18 And the Gentiles were angry and thy wrath is come and the time of the dead that they should be iudged and that thou shouldest giue reward vnto thy seruants the Prophets and to the Saints to them that feare thy name and to small and great and shouldest destroy thē which destroy the earth Now he mentioneth the wrath and vengeance which is to bee powred forth vpon all the wicked at the last day and also the reward of the godly For whereas he saith The Gentiles were angry thy wrath is come and the time of the dead that they should be iudged the sense and meaning is that all the prophane enemies of the Church which haue had their time in which they were angrie with Gods people and in their wrath did afflict and vexe them very sore should now bee iudged and condemned in Gods wrath for now the day of his wrath and vengeance is come wherein he wil destroy them that destroied the earth and seemed to carrie all before them and where also hee will giue a full recompence of rewarde to all his faithfull worshippers both small and great both Preachers and professors of his Gospell Then the temple of God was opened in heauen there was seene in the Temple the arke of his couenant and there were lightnings and voices and thundrings ver 19 and earthquakes and much haile This is a further amplification of that which is set downe in the former verse For now he saith that the temple of God should be opened in heauen That is an opē doore and passage should be made through Christ for al the elect to enter into Gods euerlasting kingdome and raigne with him and his Angels for euermore By the arke of the couenant is meant Christ who is saide heere to be seene in the Temple or kingdome of glory because through his mediation only in whom the couenant of peace is established with his church the 24 Elders are made partakers of their Crownes and enter in with him and his Angels into the euerlasting Temple made without handes and eternall in the heauens But on the contrary heere is said that there were lightnings thundrings c. That is most horrible vegeance and wrath poured downe vpon al reprobates in hel-fire for euermore For when it shal be said to al the faithful Come ye blessed c. then also shal it be said to al vnbeleeuers Goe ye cursed into hell fire c. Now for warrant of this expositiō of the last verse that the Temple in heauen is to be vnderstood of the kingdome of glory looke Chap. 15. ver 5.6.8 Chap. 16. ver 1. The reason hereof is that as the doores of the Temple of Ierusalem being set open Gods people entred in and worshipped so the euerlasting gates of the new Ierusalem and celestial Temple being set open by Christ al the elect do enter in and worship God without wearinesse euen as the Angels for euermore That the arke of the couenant is taken for Christ see 2. Sam. 6.2 Psal 78. ver 61.62 This arke of the couenant that is Christ is here seene in the Temple because Christ hath already taken possession of heauē as mediator and head of the Church and now doth set open the kingdome of heauen to al beleeuers
al ages at al times and in al places and countries hee hath alwaies vniustly raised vp against the true worshippers of God ver 11 But they ouer came him by the bloud of the Lamb and by the worde of their testimony and they loued not their liues vnto the death Heere is shewed that the churches victory ouer Sathan and hel is not thorough any power or might of her own but by the bloud of the Lamb and the word of their testimony that is the worde of God which they witnesse professe loue stick vnto euen vnto death Therfore reioice ye heauens and ye that dwel in them ver 12 Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea for the diuel is come downe vnto you which hath great wrath knowing that he hath but a short time Here againe the saints and Angels and al the blessed company of heauē are called vpon exhorted to reioice because the diuel and his Angels are cast out and the elect haue the victory ouer him thorough the bloud of the Lamb and because the saluation of the church is sealed vp and God onely reigneth through Christ Which al are matters of so great momēt that not onely the church militant is stirred vp to reioice herein but euen the church triumphant also that is the spirits of iust and perfect men But on the contrary here is feareful woe denounced against the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea that is all Papists Atheists worldlings and reprobates For sith he cannot haue his wil of the church yet hee wil haue his will and wite his malice vpon them by hardening their hearts and blinding their eyes making them his slaues and vassals to fight for his kingdom against Christ against his church against all goodnesse and all good men The reason is added why the diuel is in such a rage with the world and commeth vpon them in so great wrath and furie to wit because hee hath but a short time that is because his kingdome draweth toward an end therefore he dooth so bestir him ver 13 And when the Dragon saw that he was cast vnto the earth he persecuted the woman which had brought forth the man child Now the diuel seeing himselfe cast out of heauen so as he cannot impeach the saluation of the church he raiseth vp horrible persecutions against her by his instruments here in y e earth labouring to root her out if it were possible for being ouercome of the head he doth now with might and maine set vppon the body and what horrible stormes and tempests he hath in al ages speciallie in these last daies raised vp and daily doth raise vp against the church both the scriptures and al church stories do abundantly declare ver 14 But to the woman were giuen two wings of a great eagle that she might fly into the wildernesse into her place where she is nourished for a time and times and halfe a time from the presence of the serpent These two wings do signifie al the waies meanes of euasion which God gaue vnto his church when he deliuered her from the hands of her pursuers and persecutors and also her swift flight from them and al their malicious practises For although the church cānot absolutelie fly from the presence of the diuel with her Eagles wings being so vnspeakably swift as he is yet after a sort shee is said to fly from him and his presence when the power of the tyrants and persecutors which he raiseth vp cannot ouertake her to murder and kil her But as touching her flight into the wildernesse and her lodging and nourishment there by Gods prouidence in the middest of al penury and extremity wee haue sufficiently heard before ver 6. and therefore here I surcease to speake any further of it As concerning the space and continuance of her nourishment in the wildernesse which is heere set downe to bee a time and times and halfe a time it is the same that the thousand two hundred and threescore daies mentioned in the sixt verse and the 42 monethes mentioned Chap. 11. verse 2. and the three daies and a halfe mentioned Chap. 11. ver 9. as before hath bin shewed And the serpent cast out of his mouth water after the woman like a floud vers 15 that he might cause her to be caried away of the floud Now the church being secretly hid and nourished by Gods prouidence in the wildernesse so as the diuel and his instruments cannot find her out nor come at her he taketh another course and casteth about another way to annoy her that is by casting a floud of water after her to drowne her withal Whereby is meant the innumerable lies reproches slaunders which he raised vp by sundry hereticks against her in al ages as the Arrians Donatists Papists and such like and al to bring her into the hatred of Princes Potentates and al that were in loue with her that sith otherwise he could not preuaile against her yet at least he might vtterly sinke her in this gulfe of reproches But the earth holpe the woman ver 16 and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed vp the floud which the Dragon had cast out of his mouth The same God which first deliuered the church from the violence and fury of Sathan and afterward cast him out of heauen and gaue her the victory ouer him after that againe miraculously hid hir preserued her in the wildernesse doth not now at a dead lift forsake her nor suffer her to be drowned in this floud of reproches vniust calumniations which the dragon cast vp after her But causeth the earth to help her to swallow vp the floud That is he vseth al creatures in the earth to helpe his church and not onely so but also he stirreth vp many earthly and carnal men to befrend the church and to take part with her against her enemies As sometimes he did Cyrus Ebedmelech Nebuzaradan Gamaliel and sundry others whose power and policy he vsed for the good of his church and for the drying vp of that flood of reproches which Sathan hath in al ages cast vp against her And God be thanked we see at this day that this floud of slaunders and calumnies which papists atheists cast out against the church and her particular members do dry vp dayly and shal dry vp more and more being drunk in by the earth And the church doth stil stand vnmooueable and shal stand and continue euen vnto the end of the world ver 17 Then the dragon was wroth with the woman and went made war with the remnant of her seede which keep the commandements of God and haue the testimony of Iesus Christ Here we see there is no end of the diuels malice He is infatigable in mischief though he haue neuer so many foiles yet he wil not giue ouer but begin againe For wheras he could not preuaile against the woman to cast her out
of heauen by impeaching her election and saluation in Christ nor yet root her out the earth by persecutions being hid in the wildernes and locked vp in the priuy chambers of Gods prouidence as sometimes yong Ioash was locked vp in the priests chamber from the fury of Athaliah now he goeth another way to worke and setteth vpon her in her seed and posterity which remaine in the earth vnto this day So that now sith he cannot do what mischiefe he would against the church yet wil he doo what he can seeing he cannot wound her in her head yet wil he bite and pinch at her heele as it is written that he should bruise her heele And as is the malice of Sathan against the church so is the rage and fury of al his members euen al the wicked and vngodly against the true worshippers of God They are restles in malice and in mischiefe if they cannot vex them one way they wil try another if they cannot touch them in their liues yet will they molest them in their goods and good name if they cannot do what they would yet wil they do what they can they wil neuer giue ouer if they can spite them in the least thing that is they shal be sure of it For they are as ful of venime as a toad and as full of malice to Christ as an eg is ful of meate And I stood on the sea sand ver 18 Now Iohn affirmeth that he stood vpon the sea sand to behold the beast which riseth out of the sea in the next Chapter or else because the greeke word may be of the third person which is he stood that is the dragon stood it may beare this sense that the diuel stood vpon the sea sand as it were working and framing out of the sea his chief◠instrument which is the beast now following to be spoken of CHAP. XIII WEe haue heard in the former chapter the description of the church and of her arch-enemie the diuel and of the battell betwixt them with the successe thereof Now in this chapter wee are to heare of the dragons two great instruments whereby he fighteth against the woman that is the Romane empire and the Papacie For by these two as it were his two hands he hath in all ages from the Apostles time to this day most cruelly assailed and afflicted the church Therefore the maine drift of this chapter is to describe at large these two beasts together with all their beastly proceedings So that this chapter may fitly be deuided into two principal parts The first is a description of the Roman monarchy when it was at the highest pitch vntil the 11. verse The second is a description of the Papacie when it was in his pride and exaltation in all the verses following vnto the end of this chapter In the first of these two maine branches the Romane Empire is diuersly described First of the petigree thereof Secondly of her seuen seuerall gouernments vers 1 Thirdly of her great and outstretched power Fourthly of her victories Fiftly of her blasphemies vers 2 vers 3 Sixtly of her furie rapine and pride After this is set down the wound which was made in the Empire with the curing of the same vers 4.5.6.7.8 9.10 Lastly is set down the great and admirable power and authority of the Roman empire which ruled ouer a great part of the world and had many nations subiect vnto it especially when the Popes were the heads thereof In the second maine part is the Papacie very liuely described First frō the petigree thereof which is of the earth vers 11 Secondly from the ciuil and Ecclesiasticall power thereof which is pretended to come from Christ although in truth it is of the diuell After this is set downe that the Papacie should be as mightie vers 12.13.14 and performe as much in the seruice of the Dragon against God as euer the Empire of the heathen could do both by authoritie and force and especially by lying wonders Then is shewed that as the Papacie did in substance of matter set vp and restore againe the old Roman tyrannie to be worshipped and wondred at vers 14 so hath it framed an Hierarchie or Ecclesiasticall gouernment after the verie forme and president of the ancient Romane tyrannie which is indeed so like it that it is called the liuely image thereof vers 15 and he hath by his Clergie and their iurisdiction put such life and spirit into this image that it spake with authoritie and power in all countries and kingdomes vers 16.17 in so much that whosoeuer would not submit himselfe thereunto and both professe and practise poperie and yeeld himselfe wholy to the papacie he should die for it Last of all ver 18 is descried and discouered from the numeratiue letters of the name of the second beast both who hee was and from whence hee should spring Text. vers 1 And I saw a beast rise out of the sea hauing seuen heades and tenne hornes and vpon his hornes were tenne crownes and vpon his heads the name of blasphemie First we are to vnderstand that a beast in the Scripture doth signifie a kingdome or monarchie and that not in respect of the ciuil power therof which is of God as it is written There is no power but of God but in respect of the tyrannie crueltie ambition pride and other such like beastly qualities thereof which are of the diuell and therefore this beast is said to ascend out of the bottomlesse pit chap. 17.8 This word beast is thus taken in the seuenth of Daniel where the three great Monarchies of the Babylonians Medes and Persians and of the Grecians are compared for their pride rapine and cruelty to a Lyon a Beare and a Leopard The Angell in that chapter saith expresly that these beasts were kings that is kingly gouernments or Dominions By the beast in this place is meant the Romane Monarchie not in regard of the ciuill power thereof but especially in respect of the tyranny of it in oppressing the Church By the sea here is meant the troublesome state of the nations as it is taken chap. 4. vers 6. and chap. 21. vers 1. For from the boyling and broyling estate of the former kingdomes and heathen nations which were as a raging sea did the Roman Empire spring vp as all stories do witnesse And the Prophet Daniel doth flatly teach that through the diuision of the Greeke Empire which fell out in the posteritie of Alexander the Great especially betwixt his two sonnes Ptolemeus and Seleucus this Romane monarchie by degrees made a head till at last it came to this pitch which now we shall heare of By the seuen heads of this beast are meant the seuen seuerall gouernments of the Roman Empire First by Kings Secondly by Consuls Thirdly by Decemuiri Fourthly by Dictators Fiftly by Triumuiri chapter 17.9 Sixtly by Emperours And lastly by Popes as heereafter shal more
giue all glory to him alone and not to any creatures And the reason is yeelded because the houre of his iudgement is come that is the time of the manifestation of the Gospel or lawes of the most high God for so the word iudgement is often taken in the scriptures Here we are to obserue one speciall thing to wit that the Gospel which this Angel flyeth withal containeth the briefe summe of al the doctrine which Luther Caluin Peter Martyr and the rest haue taught out of Gods word agreeth in al points with it For what other thing did they al preach teach and write but that men should turne from idols to the liuing God from fearing glorifying worshipping creatures to feare worship and glorifie God alone which hath made al things What other thing doo all the Preachers of this age publish proclaime in al their sermons but this Feare God and giue glory onely to him Is not this the Epirome and short summe of the doctrine of all the Preachers of England Scotland Germany Fraunce Denmarke and all the rest and therefore I conclude that this Angel must needes be vnderstood of the preachers of this last age which now these fourescore yeares haue founded the Trumpet of the Gospell against all the inuentions of Popery And blessed bee God wee see these thinges fall out in our daies and are eye-witnesses of the fulfilling of them And there followed another Angell saying It is fallen it is fallen Babylon that great City for she gaue to all nations to drinke the wine of the wrath of her fornication Here is set downe the blessed effect of the preaching of this euerlasting Gospel which is the downefall of Babylon For as when the cleere sunne ariseth vppon the earth the thick mists and cloudes are dispersed euen so when the bright beames of the Gospel do shine forth vnto the world Babylon that darke kingdome vanisheth away incontinently And as it is writtē in the eighteenth Chapter chapter 18.1.2 So soone as the earth was lightened with the glory of this euerlasting Gospell Babylon immediately falleth Therefore now before I goe any further my purpose through the assistance of God is to prooue these fiue points out of this verse and that which follweth vnto the twentith Chapter to wit First that Babylon here signifieth Rome Secondly that Rome shal fall and how Thirdly that Rome shal fal finally and come to vtter desolation in this life Fourthly by whom and when it shall be ouerthrowne Lastly the causes of the vtter ruine and ouerthrow thereof But before I go about to prooue that Babylon here is Rome I would haue it carefully obserued what is meant by Rome viz. not the topographie of Rome that is so much groūd only as is compassed within the wals of that City but the regimēt gouerment prerogatiue that is claimed by vertue of that monarchie whereof Rome is the head By Rome is meant the power and authority of Rome or to speake plainelie by Rome is meant the Romane monarchy Further we are here to obserue the reason why the Holy-Ghost calleth Rome Babylon for Rome litterally properly taken is not Babylon in as much as they were two diuers Cities one in Italy the other in Chaldaea But Rome is called Babylon mystically figuratiuely as the Holy-ghost speaketh spiritually and by a kind of allusion For as the old Easterne Babylon did a long time oppresse the church of the Iewes so Rome this Westerne Babylō hath long oppressed the church of the Christians As the Easterne Babylon did many yeeres hold downe the people of God in miserable bondage and seruitude so the Westerne Babylon did a long time keepe the Christian Church in spiritual thraldome and misery In which respectes Rome is spiritually compared to Sodome and Egypt chapter 11.8 To Sodome for filthinesse and to Egypt for idolatry and keeping Gods Church in spirituall bondage and slauery And thus we see the reason why Rome is called Babylon which is not simply and properly but after a sort that is by a phrase of speech or trope which they call a Metonymie or changing of names when that is giuē to one thing which is proper to another for the likenesse of quality that it hath with it or adioined vnto it Now hauing shewed the reason why Rome is called Babylon and what is meant by Rome we are to proceed to the first point which is to prooue that Babylon in this place signifieth Rome which although it bee granted of all sound diuines and auouched in the writings of the best learned both new and olde so as it shal need no great proofe yet I wil ad three or foure reasons out of this booke to make it more plaine and apparant First therefore I doe thus reason out of the seuenteenth Chapter and laste verse chapter 17.18 Babylon is that great City which reigneth ouer the Kinges of the earth but there was no other City which did reigne ouer the Kings of the earth when Iohn writte this book but only Rome Therefore Rome is Babylon For as for Ierusalem it was at that time made an heap of stones The first proposition is auouched by the Angel of God expounding vnto Iohn what is meant by the great whoore chapter 17.1 whose damnation he had shewed him before and by the woman which sate vppon a scarlet coloured beast The woman which thou sawest saith the Angel to Saint Iohn is the great City which raigneth ouer the Kinges of the earth That is to say Rome or the Romish synagogue and malignant Church For the Angel could not speake more plainely except he should haue named Rome then to say thus The woman the great whoore of Babylon is the great City which raigneth ouer the Kings of the earth For if one should say the great City of Englād euery man knoweth that thereby is meant London if one should say the great City of France euery one knoweth that thereby is meant Paris so when the Angell sayth the great city which raigneth ouer the Kings of the earth all that liued in those times knew that therby was meant Rome For Rome was the chiefe City of the monarchie and is put in this booke for the whole monarchie and the religion thereof as hath beene sayd before My second reason is this chapter 17 verse 5. Babylon is the mother of whoredomes and abominations of the earth Babylon is that great whoore with whom haue cōmitted fornication the Kings of the earth chapter 17. verse 2. the inhabitants of the earth made drunke with the wind of her fornication But Rome none but Rome is such a one Therfore Rome is Babylon My third argument is this Babylon is that City which hath had seuen seuerall gouerments But only Rome hath had seuen seueral kind of gouermēts therfore Rome is Babylon The proposition is prooued from the words of the Angel expounding vnto Iohn what is meant by the seuen heads of the scarlet
coloured beast whereupon the woman sate chapter 17 9. The seuen heads sayth he are seuen Kings that is seauen orders or states of kingly gouerment for seuen Kings in this place are not put for seuen seueral men which were Kings as some do take it but for seuen seueral gouerments as it is taken in Daniel The foure great beastes sayth the Angel there are foure Kinges that is foure kingdomes gouerments or monarchies as al men know So here by seuen Kinges is meant the seuen seuerall regiments of Rome That is to say by Kings Consuls Decemuiri Dictators Triumuiri Emperours and Popes wherof the first fiue were then fallen when Iohn wrote one was chapter 17.10 that is the Empire and one was to come that is the Papacy My last argument is this Babylon is that City which is situate vpon seuen hilles but onely Rome of all Cities in the world is situated vppon seuen hilles therefore Rome is Babylon The proposition is auouched by the Angel which saith in the seuenteenth chapter that the seuen heads of the scarlet coloured beast are seuen mountaines whereon the woman sitteth that is seuen hilles whereon the City of Rome is scituated whose names are these Capitolinus Palatinus Auentinus Exquilinus Celius Viminalis and Quirinalis as al Poets and Historiographers doo testifie One sayth thus of Rome Septem quae vna sibi muro circundedit arces another thus Septem vrbs alta iugis toto quae praesidet orbe Another calleth Rome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the City with seuen heades that is seuen hilles It is cleere then by these reasons that Babylon in this place signifieth Rome As for the exposition of the Papists which affirme that Babylon here signifieth the vniuersall society of the wicked it is fond ridiculous for the Holy ghost sayth Babylon is that City which raigneth ouer the Kings of the earth But to say that the vniuersall society of the wicked raigneth ouer the Kinges of the earth is absurd and ridiculous Therefore to say that Babylon is the vniuersall society of the wicked is absurde and ridiculous The distinction of the Iesuits here is also as friuolous as their exposition for they say if Babylon be Rome then it must be vnderstood of Rome vnder the heathen Emperours but not vnder the Popes But the Angel sayth the woman that is the whoore of Babylon or Antichrist sitteth vpon seuen mountaines ergo shee sitteth at Rome and Rome is the seat of Antichrist and consequently Rome vnder the Popes is Babylon Moreouer we may reason thus against the Popish distinction That which was Babylon vnder the heathen Emperours is the same which is here prophecied to bee the chiefe City and seat of Antichrist But Rome was then Babylon ergo Rome is now Babylon for Rome is that City which the Angel sayth shoulde bee the seat of Antichrist And this book doth shew that the great Antichrist shoulde raigne in the same City where the heathen Emperours had raigned therfore it standeth firme that Rome vnder the Popes is Babylon This then beeing graunted that Babylon here is Rome it followeth that Rome shall fall for the Holy-Ghost sayth Babylon is fallen speaking in the present tense as the maner of y e scripture is in prophecying of things to come For whatsoeuer God hath determined to cōe to passe is as it were already don because of the certainty of it and for this cause also the word is doubled It is fallen It is fallen Wee see then most cleerly that almost 1500. yeers before Rome began to fal the certaine fall thereof was foretold This place of it selfe is cleere inough to prooue my second point which is that Rome shal fal But my purpose is to reduce and gather all the fiue Chapters following to certaine heades to prooue the maine points which I haue propounded first then I reason thus to proue the second point that Rome shall fall That City and kingdome which hath the seuen vialles of Gods wrath emptied and powred downe vppon it cannot stand but must needes fall But Rome is that City which hath the seuen vialles of Gods wrath powred downe vppon it Therefore Rome cannot stande long but must needes fall The proposition is manifest and not to bee denied The assumption is prooued throughout al the sixteene Chapter and especially in the tenth and the twelfth verses chapter 16. Ver. 10 Vers 12 where the vials of Gods wrath are expresslie saide to be powred downe vpon the throne of the beast and in the second verse of that Chapter it is auouched ver 2 that the second viall was powred down vpon the men which had the marke of the beast and vppon them which worshipped his image Howe then can the throne of the beast hould out or how can they which haue receiued the beastes marke stand vp long For there is a great Emphasis or vehemency in the manner of speeche For he dooth not simply say the wrath of God chapter 15. verse 7. but the fulnesse of Gods wrath he dooth not say should bee a little sprinkled but powred downe as it were by pailefulles vppon the kingdome of the beast How then can the kingdome of the beast stande which hath so many great ordinances and so many double cannons discharged and shot off against it Surely it must needes fal My second reason is this The beast that was and is not and yet is shall go into perdition chapter 17 But Rome is the beast that was and is not and yet is Therfore Rome shal goe into perdition The assumption is set downe Chapter 17. verse 8. For the Romane monarchie was great in the daies of Iulius Caesar Augustus Claudius Tiberius and therefore it is said that it was But in the raigne of Nero Otho Galba and Vitellius it was greatlie decayed and therfore it is said it is not meaning so great as it had beene and yet in some sort it was and therefore it is said and yet is Now this beast shall go into perdition Therefore the Romane monarchie shall bee destroyed and consequently the Papacie For the Romane Empire holdeth vp the Papacie as it is written that the woman or whoore of Babylon sitteth vppon the Scarlet coloured beast which had seuen heades and tenne hornes that is the Roman monarchie which beareth vp the whoore and beareth vp the Papacy but the Holy-ghost sayth this beast that is the Romane Empire shall go into perdition chapter 17. verse 8. Then it followeth that the papacy shal follow after for if the beast that she sitteth vpon which beareth her fal vnder her then shee must needes fall together with him But we see God be thanked that the Roman monarchie is in a manner quite fallen therefore the Papacy cannot stand long My third argument is this The beast that was and is not being euen the eight one of the seuenth shall go into destruction But Rome is the beast that was and is not being the eight and one
of the seuenth chapter 17. verse 11 therefore Rome shall go into destruction The assumption is set downe Chapter 17. verse 11. For the Papacy or dominion of the Popes is the seuenth head of the beast in respect of their ciuil power and yet a beast by themselues that is an eight in respect of their ecclesiasticall power Nowe the Angel sayth flatly they shall both together go into destruction that is both the Empire and the Papacy For as the dominion of the Popes goeth downe so also their worship and religion goeth downe with it and for this cause it is expresly set downe in the nineteenth Chapter chapter 19. verse 20 that the beast and the false Prophet that is the Romane Empire and the Papacy were both destroied together Sith then the Holy-Ghost hath spoken it twise for failing that Rome shall goe into perdition and shall goe into destruction I take it to be a very sound consequence that Rome shall fall and shall be destroyed But how shall it fall may some man say or wherein shall it fall I answer that it shall fall in the credite and estimation of her doctrine It shall fall in wealth and riches It shall fall in power and authoritie And in all these it shall fall by degrees as it did rise vp by degrees It shall not fall at once as it did not rise vp at once This is set downe in the sixteenth chapter chapter 16. v. 12 where the fall of Rome is compared to the drying vppe of the riuer Euphrates which was dried vp by degrees Thus it is Euphrates was a great Riuer which did runne very neere vnto the olde Babylon in Chaldaea and it was the wall and fortification of the Citie in so much that Cyrus and Darius the kings of the Medes and Persians laying siege against it could not take it till by policie they digged great trenches and deriued the waters another way and so dried them vppe that the Holie Ghost saith The vvay vvas prepared for them to passe ouer Now as this Euphrates was the strength and fortification of old Babylon so the honour wealth riches power and authoritie of Rome is the verie fortification of it chapter 16.12 But the punishing Angell is commaunded to poure downe the Viall of wrath vppon this Euphrates that is vppon all that vpholdeth Rome or fortifieth Rome and foorthwith it dried vppe that is all the credite power riches and authoritie of ROME did diminish daylie vppon it doeth diminish and shall diminish by degrees vnto the end of the world For the vtter destruction of Rome is not yet come but it is greatly decayed from that it was fourescore yeares ago And if it continue decaying fourescore yeeres mo as assuredly it shall then will it bee brought to a lowe ebbe Since Luthers time wee knowe how the Popes Euphrates hath dried vp but there is yet much water left and it is yet too deepe for the kings of the earth to passe ouer and take it But it shall ebbe so lowe that the kings of Europe shall easily passe ouer and take it as wee shall heare anon But in the meane time we see that it falleth and that it is in falling and the worke of God goeth forward euerie day For now in this age God bee thanked manie kings and princes with great multitudes of their subiects haue their eyes opened to behold that the Romish religion is abominable and that the Papacie is the verie kingdome of the great Antichrist And whereas before they worshipped the beast now they holde vp their hands onely to the God of heauen and glorifie him in his sonne Iesus Christ Now wee see that manie lawes are made in sundrie kingdoms and prouinces to abolish that vsurped power of the Bishop of Rome Manie acts edicts and iniunctions are set forth in sundrie nations and kingdomes of Europe to destroy roote out and deface all monuments of Idolatrie and superstition which Antichrist had erected in all kingdoms Now the Popes which were honoured as Gods in the earth are accounted and adiudged as the most vile and abominable creatures that liue vpon the earth Doth not all this experimentally shew that Babylon is fallen and that Babylon doth fall by degrees It is very palpable we need no further proofe for this second point But heere wee are further to obserue that the Iesuits perceiuing the great decay of Rome and the continuall drying of their Euphrates doe bestirre them to stoppe the leake that it might not drie vp altogether Euen as when men let out the waters of great fish-ponds so as the water waxeth lowe wee see the fishes skip and plunge and take on wonderfully So the Iesuits perceiuing the waters of their Romish Euphrates to emptie and drie vp daily doe mightily take on digging and searching euerie day to open the springs and to find out some fresh fountaines to maintaine their great fishpond and to keepe the waters deepe enough that there may be no safe passage ouer for the kings of the earth to come and take their great Babylon All this doth appeare out of the sixteenth Chapter of this Prophesie where Saint Iohn in vision seeth three vncleane spirits like Frogges chapter 16. v. 13. comming out of the mouth of the Dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false Prophet By which frogges the holy Ghost meaneth the Iesuits and Seminarie Priests which are compared to frogges for three reasons First that as frogges delight in filthie lakes and puddles so the Iesuits delight in the filthie puddles of idolatrie and superstition Secondly as frogges make a great croaking in their marish grounds so the Iesuits make a great croaking in kings courts in Noblemens houses and Gentlemens houses and almost euery where where they can get any entertainment croaking and craking of the Popes supremacie the popes holinesse the Popes blessing the popes keyes the popes power Peters chaire Peters successour Christs Vicar and many good morowes I knowe not what Thirdly as frogs are all of one nature and qualitie delighting in croaking and liuing in puddle so the Iesuits are al of one mind and disposition in euil croaking euerie where to maintaine their Euphrates and liuing dayly in whoredome Sodomitrie and al kind of outragious beastlinesse But that I may more fully perswade the cōscience of the reader that by these frogs are meant the Iesuits seminarie priests let vs seriously weigh that which goeth before and that which followeth after in this text and wee shal discerne it to be verie cleere and apparant First it is said vers 10. that when the fift Angell poured out his viall of Gods wrath vppon the throne of the beast chapter 16. v. 10. by and by his kingdome waxed darke that is the maiestie power pompe credite and estimation of Antichrist beganne to bee diminished obscured and to suffer a great Eclipse which thing was fulfilled shortly after Luthers preaching And presently it followeth
fiercenesse of his wrath both vpon her and her whole kingdome yea and that in such terrible and wrathfull maner that there shall bee no place of refuge no place to flie vnto for succour vers 20 For Saint saith Euerie I le fled away and the mountaines were not found Meaning that the Papists in that day shall haue neither moutaine nor Iland to flie vnto And last of all the holy Ghost saith that there fell a great haile like talents out of heauen vpon the Idolaters chapter 16.21 insomuch that they blasphemed God because of the plague of the haile For the plague thereof was exceeding great A taleÌ„t was about the weight of threescore pound as some write Then it followeth that this haile of Gods wrath vpon the Papists shal be most terrible and fearfull and beate them all downe to the ground as it were an haile of milstones or plough-irons Nowe when this haile of talents commeth as assuredly come it shall then shall the kingdome of Poperie bee beaten to dust and powder and therfore no maruell though the idolaters seeing all this bee in a most horrible rage and blaspheme God as Saint Iohn saith vers 21 because of this exceeding and most extraordinarie plague which shall then come vpon them But nowe to conclude and wind vp all together For as mucâ— as this last viall is powred into the aire God saith it is done an extraordinarie earthquake followeth the great citie of Rome is rent Babylon called into question and feareful hailestones of wrath poured down vpon the Idolaters I do conclude that Rome shal fall finally and come to vtter destruction in this life Nowe let vs proceede to further proofe In the eighteenth chapter of this booke the whoore of Babylon saith in her heart chapter 18.8.9 I sit being a Queene and am no widowe and shall see no sorrowe Therefore shall her plagues come at one day death and sorrow and famine and shee shall be burnt with fire For that God which condemneth her is a strong Lord. First here Rome is described as shee was in the height and toppe of her pride and securitie when shee held the dominion of the kings of the earth and boasted that shee was the head of the Catholike Church carying her selfe very insolently aboue all kings and Emperours treading vppon their neckes and making them attend at her gates barefoote in the middest of winter as the stories report Yea and that shee was no widow that is no solitarie or desolate person but one that had manie louers which were strong to defende her so as shee should feele no want nor see any sorowe But the time will come and draweth on apace wherein shee shal be throughly punished for her haughtinesse and intolerable pride security For the holy Ghost saith her plagues shal come at one day that is sodainly shortly and speedily euen death sorow and famine and she shall 〈◊〉 burnt with fire For that God which condemneth her â—â— a strong Lord. If this bee not plaine enough to proue an vtter ouerthrow of Rome I know not what can be plaine enough For if death famine and fire will not pul her downe I knowe not what shal pul her downe But Saint Iohn saith flatly that God himselfe who is a strong Lord will oppose himselfe against Rome and condemne her If this strong God take against her who can vpholde her Can the king of Spaine can the Cardinalles can the Emperour can all the Dukes of Italy and al the potentates of the earth that take part with her No no they are al too weake For if God take against a man who can reclaime him sayth the Holy-Ghost For he dooth whatsoeuer he will And againe God is wise in heart and mighty in strength who euer hardened his hart against him and prospered If God call not backe his anger the most proud helpes are bowed vnder him And God sayth by the Prophet Can thy hands be strong or can thy hart endure in the day that I shal haue to do with thee Then it followeth that though Babylon sit as a Queene al her louers take part with her yet because the strong Lord is against her therefore shee shal come to vtter destruction Some of good iudgement in the truth haue gathered from this place that the very City of Rome shal be burnt with fire which assuredly may wel bee But this I am sure of that the phrase of burning with fire doth in the Prophets alwaies signifie an vtter destruction and desolation of a City or a kingdome and therefore it followeth that Rome shal be vtterly destroied But behold yet stronger and plainer proofe chapter 18. verse 2. For Saint Iohn sayth a mighty Angel tooke vp a stone like a great milstone and cast it into the sea saying with such violence shal that great City Babylon be cast downe and shal be found no more Al men know that old Babylon in Chaldaea was destroied by the Medes and Persians long before Saint Iohn writte this booke and therefore that is not here meant but the new Babylon which is Rome as afore hath bin prooued The Phrases of speech and the signes which the Prophets vsed to declare the destruction and desolation of olde Babylon are heere alluded vnto in the destruction of Rome For we reade in the prophecy of Ieremy that the Prophet hauing written in a booke al the euil that should come vpon Babel for holding Gods people so long in most miserable captiuity sayd to Seraiah When thou commest vnto Babel thou shalt reade all these words and when thou hast made an end of reading this book thou shalt bind a stone to it and cast it into the middest of Euphrates and shalt say Thus shall Babel be drowned and shall not rise vp from the euill that I will bring vpon her although they wearie themselues Now let vs consider how this agreeth with the same which is heere set downe and wee shal finde that all thinges are here set downe with greater force to expresse as it were a deeper vengeance and a more heauie and vnrecouerable destruction First there is a man here is a mighty Angel there the man taketh vp a stone heere the Angell taketh vp a great stone like a milstone there the stone is caste into the riuer here into the deepe sea Al these circumstances being applied to Rome doo greatly aggrauate the matter and verie plainely shewe that it shal fal Without al hope of recouery For the Lorde declareth by this forcible signe of casting a milstone into the sea that the City and kingdome of Antichrist shal bee cast deepe downe into perdition and shall lie ouerwhelmed and drowned in the same for euer For if olde Babylon was vtterly destroied and came to a final desolation in this life much more shal Rome as the Holy Ghost disputeth But olde Babylon came to vtter ruine and desolatition in this life as both Isay and Ieremy doe witnesse Therefore
grown to such an height and ripenesse do deserue some fearefull vengeance and that God hath a iust controuersie against vs as sometimes he had against Israel because there vvas no mercie nor truth nor knowledge of God in the land but swearing lying killing stealing and whooring and bloud toucheth bloud and therefore saith God the land shal mourn c. But yet I hope for his couenant sake for his great mercies sake for his names sake for his glory sake and for his Church sake he will be gratious and fauorable vnto vs not bring vpon vs that vēgeance which our sins haue deserued or at leastwise though he correct vs as indeed he hath iust cause we may iustly feare it yet he will doe it in mercie for our amendment and not in wrath to our destruction as he saith by his Prophet I will not vtterly destroy thee but I vvill correct thee by iudgement and not vtterly cut thee off But howsoeuer it shall please the most wise God to deale with vs yet this I say and am perswaded of that Poperie shall neuer bee established againe in this kingdome my reason is because the euerlasting Gospell caried abroad by the Angell that flieth in the middest of heauen shall spread still more and more throughout all the kingdoms of Europe chapter 14.6 as appeareth Chap. 14. ver 6 for otherwise how shal Rome fal how shal the Iewes euer be conuerted how shall fire come downe from heauen and deuour both Gog and Magog chapter 20.9 as the holy Ghost foretelleth shall come to passe and as we shal heare more anon Moreouer Saint Iohn telleth vs plainly that in these last dayes the Gospell shall bee preached to many people and nations and tongues and to many kings And further he saith that in this age wherein wee liue many shall renounce Idolatry repent and giue glorie to the God of heauen But some man may say how proue you that this kingdom is one of them which S. Iohn speaketh of and which he meaneth wherein the gospell shall be preached vnto the end of the world I answere that it is prooued out of the 17. chapter of this prophesie where the holy ghost telleth vs flatly that those ten kingdomes of Europe which had a lōg time ben the ten hornes strength of the beast chapter 17. verse 13 being of one minde had giuen their power authority vnto the beast should now in these last daies rise vp against the whore of Babylō make war against her hate her make her desolate But this kingdome is one of those ten hornes ver 16 and one of those ten kingdomes which a long time had giuen her power authoritie vnto the beast Therefore as this kingdome hath happily begun to hate the whore and to make her desolate and naked so vndoubtedly shee shall continue vnto the end of the world For if this kingdome and other kingdomes which now hate the whore doe not continue how shall shee bee made desolate and naked c Then it should seeme the beast shall reuiue and recouer himselfe againe and so S. Iohn shall be found a false prophet But God is true and all men are liers Saint Iohn shall bee found a true prophet and therefore these kingdomes of Europe which haue begun to hate the whore shal cōtinue neuer giue her ouer till as the holy ghost saith they haue eaten her flesh burnt her with fire that is till they haue vtterly deuoured her But heere it will be obiected that in the latter daies iniquitie shall haue the vpper hand I answere first that I finde no such place of scripture But this I find that our Lord Iesus foretelleth his disciples that very shortly after his death resurrection many seducers and false teachers should arise which should deceiue many and draw them away from the loue of the gospell and saith hee because iniquitie shall bee increased the loue of many shall bee cold But this speech of our sauiour doth not properly concerne our times But yet it must needes be granted that the wicked shall wax worse and worse the world shall not amend but still bee worse and worse chapter 14. ver 1 14 18. and grow to a greater height and ripenesse of sinne as appeareth in this prophesie Yet for all this wee must note withall that the number of true beleeuers in those last daies chapter 11. ver 1 ver 11. ver 13. shall bee very many as this booke doth also teach But it may bee obiected how can this geare stand together that in the last daies there shall bee multitudes and millions of reprobates and most wicked abhominable persons and yet withall a great increase of true beleeuers I answere that the world will bee alwaies like it selfe impious and vnbeleeuing But the church shall purely worship God and that with daily increasing euen vnto the end But now me thinketh I heare some man say what likelyhood is there of all this which you write touching the ouerthrow of Rome Doe wee not see that Rome is yet strong Doth not Italy Spaine the greatest part of France and Netherland and Germany stand for her defence Hath not the whore still many and great bearers and vpholders what likelyhood is there thē that euer she shal be brought so low as you speake of I answere that in this case we must not aske this question what likelyhood We must not consult with flesh and bloud Wee must not take counsell of humane reason For God is maruellous in his deuises and when hee hath once decreed and determined of any future euent he will compasse it by meanes far surpassing all humane reach and capacitie yea by such plots and deuises as mans wit could neuer haue once dreamed of For hee hath all meanes in heauen earth in his hands and is admirable in all his proceedings and therefore we may not aske this question what likelyhood or how can it bee or how can it possiblie come to passe What likelyhood was there an hundred yeeres past when Rome was in her height and all the kingdomes of Europe stood for her that euer she should haue been forsaken of so many of her old friends as at this day shee is What likelyhood was there that when the Pope could commaund the Emperor and all the kings of Europe and their kingdomes that euer hee should haue beene brought so low as at this day hee is God bee thanked What likelyhood was there that euer poore Martin Luther should stand out with the euerlasting gospell in his mouth against the Pope Emperour as it were the whole world yet dye in his bed in a good old age What likelyhood was there that Henry the eight of famous memory should renounce Rome oppose himselfe against the Pope and suppresse the Abbies Priories and Monasteries in this kingdome and take their lands and liuings into his owne hands Therefore I
pleasure so much giue yee to her torment and sorrow And therfore I affirme that no man ought to be moued with any compassion or pittie for the ouerthrow of Rome But heerein that saying of the Prophet is true Blessed is hee that taketh and dasheth her children against the stones and againe bend thy bow shoot at her spare no arrowes For she hath sinned against the Lord. Moreouer wee are to obserue that forasmuch as the Lord willeth commandeth all men to reward Rome as shee hath rewarded vs to giue her double according to her works therefore wee ought euery one of vs as much as in him lieth and as his calling will beare to doe his vttermost to pull downe Rome the Magistrate by the sword the Minister by the word and the people by their prayers For euen Christian kings and princes and all the nobles of the earth must not bee negligent to fight against Rome For heerein that saying is true Cursed is hee that doth the worke of the Lord negligently and cursed is hee that keepeth backe his sword from bloud For this cause I doe vpon my knees night and day most humbly and instantly intreate the God of heauen that as hee hath put into the heart of our most gratious and excellent Queene to hate the whore of Babylon and to be his greatest instrument in the whole world for the weakening and ouerturning of Rome and defence of his most glorious gospell which is her crowne and glory in all the Chuches and her great renowne in all Christian kingdomes so shee may constantly continue and neuer cease drawing out the sword of Iustice till she haue vtterly rooted out of her dominions all the cursed crew of popish Iebusits and all such as haue receiued the beasts marke and especially the Iesuits and seminary priests which are the diuels brokers the popes agents and the king of Spaines factors in all kingdomes Here also I doe most humbly euen vpon my knees with dropping eies yea if it were possible with teares of bloud beseech and intreate the learned and reuerend fathers of our Church that they would bend all their power and authoritie with might and maine against the Romish strumpet and the rather because in these dayes shee seemeth to make a head againe hauing so many and great fauourers that shee and her complices dare perke with their nebbs and very boldly and confidently prate of a tolleration Heere also I doe most humbly and earnestly intreate all my learned and godly brethren the ministers and preachers of this Church of England that in all their publike teachings and priuate proceedings they would make strong opposition against Rome and Romish religion And I beseech the God of Gods that wee may all ioyne together with vnited forces to march on valiantly against the armies of Antichrist and to spread the euerlasting Gospell far and neere to the vtter ouerturning and beating downe of this westerne Babylon and that howsoeuer wee may amongst our selues differ in iudgement in some things yet that there may bee no breach of loue or alienation of affections amongst vs but that wee may all goe together hand in hand and arme in arme to preach Gods euerlasting truth and to set our selues against the common aduersaries For if wee will not set our selues against them yet they will be sure to set themselues against vs. And thus much concerning the third maine point which is the finall fall of Rome euen in this world Now it followeth to speake of the fourth maine point which is by whom and when Rome shall bee ouerthrowen But for the better vnderstanding of this point concerning the persons that shall ouerthrow Rome wee are to obserue that S. Iohn describeth the whore of Babylon sitting vpon a scarlet coloured beast hauing seauen heads and tenne hornes whereby is meant the Romane monarchie as hath beene shewed before After this the Angell expoundeth vnto Iohn what the heads and hornes of the beast meane and saith that the ten hornes are ten kings or ten kingdomes ver 12 which yet haue not receiued a kingdome but shall receiue power as kings at one houre with the beast The sense is that these tenne kingdomes had not receiued such power and authoritie vnder the Emperours as they should vnder the Popes for there was great difference in these kingdomes vnder the Popes from that which they had beene vnder the Emperours For they receiued far greater power and they carried an other minde toward the papacy then the nations did before toward the empire for they did submit themselues to the papacy for conscience and loue euen as to the holy Church which they neuer did to the Empire And this is the reason why the holy ghost saith they had not receiued a kingdome but should receiue power as kings at one houre with the beast Which is not to be vnderstood simply but after a sort for they had receiued kingdomes vnder the Emperors but not in such sort as afterward they did vnder the Popes For the Romane monarchie vnder the dominion of the Popes was in his greatest height and altitude and the kings of Europe grew vp together with the papacie in power might and dominion And S. Iohn addeth that these ten kings or kingdomes were all of one minde and did giue their power and authoritie vnto the beast that is they did with might and maine labour to vphold the Babylonicall strumpet But the Angell telleth Iohn flatly that the ten hornes that is the ten kingdomes of the empire which before had giuen their names their power and authoritie to the beast to vphold her and defend her should now in these last daies all change their mindes and turne against her For saith the Angell to Iohn chapter 17.36 The ten hornes which thou sawest vpon the beast are they that shall hate the whore and make her desolate and naked and shall eate her flesh and burne her with fire Heere then it doth plainely appeare who they bee that shall ouerthrow Rome and by whom it shall bee destroyed To wit by the tenne kings of Europe or kingdomes of Europe which some very learned doe reckon vp to bee these England Scotland Germany France Spaine Denmarke Sweueland Poland Russia and Hungary S. Iohn words are plaine that these kingdomes which tooke part with the beast shall take against her pull her downe But we know that all the kingdomes of Europe did take part vvith her therefore it followeth that all the kingdomes of Europe shall take against her And therefore it is very probable that in time France Spaine and Italy shall turne against the beast Wee know that the rest of the kingdomes are already turned against the beast and the beast hath lost seuen of his hornes the eight which is France beginneth to be somewhat loose and to shake a little which if it fall off the rest will follow after a pace The reson why the kingdomes which were subiect
haue beene their practises to murther poison our gratious and noble Queene the French king the king of Scots and other Christian princes But can such proceedings prosper can such courses bee blessed can a man bee established by iniquitie No no let them know for a certaintie that God will crosse and curse all such diuellish proceedings as hitherto hee hath done his most holy name be praised But if any man list to know more of the proceedings and practises of Iesuits let him read master Doctor Sutclieffe his answere to Parsons wardword a booke worthie to bee read and knowen of all men But now to grow to a conclusion of this point and to winde vp together all the reasons and causes of Romes ruine thus I doe determine that forasmuch as Rome is the great whore chapter 17.2 with whom haue committed fornication all the kings of the earth forasmuch as Rome hath made all nations drunke with the wine of her fornication forasmuch as Rome hath deceiued all nations with her inchantments forasmuch as Rome is a denne of diuells and a cage of all vncleane birds forasmuch as Rome hath shed the bloud of Apostles Martyrs and Saints forasmuch as Rome hath murdered the sonne of God Therfore it shall at last come to most miserable destruction being that Chittim which in the end must needs perish for what punishment what paine vvhat torture vvhat torment can be inough for this damnable whore which hath committed such execrable and most outragious villanies Bee it therefore knowen vnto all men by these presents that Rome for all her most monstrous and prodigious sinnes shall fall still more and more and come to a fearefull destruction euen in this life But some man may say what shall become of Rome and of all her friends after this life S. Iohn answereth that if any man worship the beast and his image and receiue his marke in his forehead or on his hand the same shall drinke of the wine of the wrath of God and hee shall bee tormented in fire and brimstone before the holy Angells and before the Lamb. And the smoake of their torment shall ascend and they shall haue no rest day nor night which worship the beast c. Heere is sentence of eternall damnation passed vpon all the friends of Rome Oh that all papists would consider this in time think with themselues what a wofull thing it is to bee a papist for they and their kingdome must goe downe in this life and in the life to come they must bee tormented in hell fire for euer For Saint Iohn saith flatly that all papists shall bee cast into the great wine presse of the wrath of God where they shall bee strained and tread till bloud come out of the wine presse vnto the horse bridles by the space of a thousand and sixe hundred furlongs And againe hee saith that the beast and the false prophet were taken aliue and cast into a lake of fire chapter 19.20 burning with brimstone Let all men therefore take heed how they ioyne with the papists for wee see what shall bee their end both in this life and the life to come Therefore let all Gods people come out of Babylon and hasten out of Sodome least they bee wound vp in their iudgements Let all wise men practise the pollicie of the Gibeonits who when they saw that Iosuah did so mightely preuaile against the Cananits beare downe all before him did very pollitikely prouide for their owne safety and by subtile meanes enter into league with Iosuah and the Israell of God So let all that haue any care of their owne saluation speedely forsake Babylon which otherwise will fall vpon their heads and flie to Zion which shall stand fast for euermore And thus hauing reduced all the fiue Chapters following to proue these foresaid points I will proceede vnto the twentith Chapter for there is almost nothing of any moment or difficultie in the 15.16.17.18 and 19. Chapters but it hath beene already opened and expounded Chap. 20. SAint Iohn hauing in the former chapters plainely and plentifully set down the vtter ouerthrow both of the beast the false prophet that is the Romane empire and the papacie doth now in this chapter set forth the condemnation of the dragon their graund captaine which set them all on worke For there hath as yet beene no motion of him which hath beene the beginner and raiser vp of the rest and the great worker of all mischiefe therefore now commeth his iudgement and condemnation now because hee hath beene a more generall worker and his mischiefe hath extended larger then the kingdome of Antichrist therefore in this 20. chapter ther is an historie of him set foorth by it selfe First how he seduced the nations before the comming of Christ afterward how Christ at his comming bindeth him by the light of his Gospell from seducing the nations and so holdeth him shut vp for the space of a thousand yeeres in which the Church did flourish greatly and many were raised vp vnto the spirituall life But when the thousand yeeres were expired Sathan was let loose and went foorth againe to seduce and by the great Antichrist the Turk gathered innumerable multitudes into his armies to fight against the Church which armies are called Gog and Magog But they are all ouercome and destroyed and that olde serpent himselfe is caught and together with his instruments the beast and the false prophet is cast into hell fire to bee tormented for euer And this is the summe and principall drift of this Chapter It containeth fiue principall things as it were the fiue parts thereof The first is the binding ver 1.2.3 and chaining vp of Sathan by our Lord Iesus for the space of a thousand yeeres The second is the flourishing of the Church ver 4 5.6 during the time of Sathans captiuitie The third is ver 7 8.9 the loosing of Sathan after the thousand yeeres expired and the wofull effects thereof ver 10 The fourth is the casting of the Diuell into a lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet were ver 11.12.13.14.15 The fift is a glorious description of the last iudgement wherein euery man shall bee iudged according to his workes The text ver 1 AND I saw an Angell come downe from heauen haueing the key of the bottomlesse pit and a great chaine in his hand ver 2 And he tooke the dragon that old serpent which is the diuell and Sathan and bound him a thousand yeeres ver 3 And cast him into the bottomlesse pit and hee shut him vp and sealed the doore vpon him that hee should deceiue the people no more till the thousand yeeres were fulfilled so after that hee must bee loosed for a little season This Angell heere spoken of is our Lord Iesus who is therefore said to haue the key of the bottomlesse pit because he hath power and authoritie ouer hell and death as we
whom hee calleth the rest of the dead and hee saith these shall not liue againe meaning the life of God or the life of grace and whereas hee addeth vntill the thousand yeeres be finished he meaneth neuer or not at all for so the word vntill is often taken in the scriptures and it is sure that after the expiration of the thousand yeeres they did not liue the life of God and the life of the spirit For then the diuell was let loose vpon the world to worke his pleasure and to seduce with all efficacie of error and iniquitie Whereas it is said this is the first resurrection he meaneth the rising from sinne to the life of righteousnesse which was in the thousand yeeres of the gospells preaching and therefore hee addeth that he is blessed that hath part in the first resurrection c. and saith that all such shall raigne with Christ a thousand yeers Which is meant of the raigne of the faithfull euen vpon earth for the space of that thousand yeeres in which Sathan was bound but yet excludeth not their eternall glory in the heauens ver 7 And when the thousand yeeres are expired Sathan shall bee loosed out of his prison ver 8 And shall goe out to deceiue the people which are in the foure corners of the earth euen Gog and Magog to gather them together to battaile whose number is as the sand of the sea ver 9 And they went vp vnto the plaine of the earth and they compassed the tents of the Saints about and the beloued cittie But fire came downe from God out of heauen and deuoured them Now S. Iohn telleth vs that after the determination of the thousand yeeres Sathan shall be let loose vpon the world for their vnthankfulnesse and contempt of the Gospell to seduce and deceiue euen as much as euer hee did No maruaile therefore that the two great and monstrous heresies of Popery and Mahometrie did now beginne mightely to grow and increase in the world For what other thing can bee looked for after this letting loose of Sathan But wee are to obserue that as Sathan was bound by degrees through the ministery of Christ and his Apostles and their immediat successors so also he was loosed by degrees by the preuailing of heresies till the great Antichrist was hatched and brought into the possession of his cursed chaire For Sathan was not fully loosed till the yeere of our Lord 998. At what time Siluester the second came to bee Pope who was in league with the Diuell Stories doe report that at his death hee called for the Cardinals and confessed that hee had familiaritie with the Diuell and how hee had giuen himselfe vnto him body and soule so that hee might come to the papall dignitie After him succeeded sundry other Popes which were notorious monsters some of them murderers some poisoners some sorcerers some coniurers By whom the diuell was fully loosed all light of the gospell and true religion being in a manner cleane put out most abhominable Idolatrie all manner of villany spreading ouer the face of the earth therefore S. Iohn saith that Sathan being thus fully loosed hee went forth to deceiue the people which were in the foure corners of the earth euen Gog and Magog c. This seducing by Sathan heere spoken of is the same with that which is spoken Chapter 13. onely this excepted that this of Gog and Magog is more generall Wee reade there how all nations kindreds and tongues were made to worship the image of the beast and to receiue his marke but that is to bee extended no further then to those kingdomes which were subiect to the papacie But heere by these armies of Gog and Magog are vnderstood all the chiefe enemies of the Church in these last daies since the loosing of Sathan both open and secret both Turk and Pope for the Turk is an open enemie the Pope a more close enemie Gog signifieth couered Magog vncouered wherby is noted the Pope the Turk For the Pope coÌ„meth couered vnder the name of Christ and Christs vicar Peters successor c. But the Turk commeth vncouered for hee openly denieth and impugneth Christ Moreouer the names of Gog and Magog are heere set downe to note of what countries these chiefe enemies should spring to wit out of Scithia Siria Arabia Italy and Spaine For Magog was the sonne of Iapheth Gen. 10. ver 2. of whom came the Sythians Gog was the name of a great Captaine in the lesser Asia which built a citie and named it after his owne name Gogkartah that is the citie of Gog. And it is put in the prophesie of Ezechiel for the whole region of the lesser Asia and Siria Whereby the prophet did foretell that the great enemies of the Church should arise out of those coasts As in very truth they did for out of Egipt Scithia Siria and the lesser Asia did spring vp Ptolomeus Silencus Antigonus Cassander and the rest of Alexanders posteritie which vexed and oppressed the Iewes by the space of 294. yeeres euen vntill the comming of the Messias at what time the deuided Greeke empire was ouerthrowen and translated to the Romanes Furthermore it is to bee noted that the prophet Ezechiell saith that Gog is the chiefe prince of Mesech and Tuball By Mesech hee meaneth Arabia and by Tuball Italy and Spaine noting thereby the countries and kingdomes from whence the great persecutors of the Church from the returne out of the captiuitie of Babylon vntill the comming of the Messias should arise For assuredly those enemies were collected of diuers nations but serued chiefely vnder the princes of Asia the lesser of Siria and of Scithia Now then to conclude Gog and Magog in Ezechiell are put for the princes of those couÌ„tries which were the chiefe Captaines in gathering great and mightie armies vnto battaile against the children of Israell after they were come out of the captiuitie of Babylon And the prophet there in one summe vnder the armies of Gog and Magog comprehendeth all the enemies that fought against them from time to time after the captiuitie vnto the comming of Christ And now for the application of this vnto the enemies of the Church vnder the Gospell wee must first note that through this booke the figures and phrases of speech are taken out of the law the prophets Now therefore when the Lord would set foorth in one summe all the enemies of the Church which Sathan mustereth after the time of his loosing out of prison before the comming of Christ to iudgement there is no one place more fit to set foorth all these armies then those armies of Gog and Magog therefore the names euen Gog and Magog are heere brought in to set foorth these huge arâ—ies of the Turk and of the Pope and of all the enemies of the Church in these last daies which should gather theÌ„selues to battaile being in number as the sand of the sea as S. Iohn saith
yea did couer the whole face of the earth with their multitudes and compasse the tents of the Saints about and the beloued citie that is did make warre against the Church and people of God which in comparison of them were but as a few tents or some little citie But marke vvhat followeth and consider the issue of the battaile The holy ghost saith expressely that fire came downe from God out of Heauen and deuoured them Which doth plainely shew that the armies of Gog Magog though neuer so huge shal be destroyed by the fire of Gods vvrath Now from this I gather that as the armies of the Pope shall goe downe still more and more as formerly hath bene shewed and as experience in the last yeeres good successe both in Ireland Netherland and against Spaine also hath partly prooued Gods most holy name be praised so also the armies of the Turk shal be ouerthrowen so farre foorth as they fight against the true Church or at least be so kept back that they shall not be able to compasse the tents of the Saints as vve see and feele this day God be thanked ver 10 And the Diuell that deceiued them was cast into a lake of fire and brimstone where that beast and that false prophet are and shal be tormented euen day and night for euermore Heere is set downe the Diuells doome to vvit that he shal be cast downe into the infernall pit as vvell vvorthy both for his seducing all nations and stirring vp the armies of Gog and Magog against the Church euen to roote it vp if it vvere possible Therefore Saint Iohn telleth vs that forasmuch as he is the author of all mischiefe and he that hath set all the rest a vvork therefore both he and his instrumens the beast and the false prophet Gog and Magog shall all drinck of the same cup of Gods eternall vvrath and be all throwne downe together into one close prison vvhich is that gasping gulfe and infernall lake that burneth vvith fire and brimstone for euer Loe then vvhat shal be the end of the diuell the Pope the Turk the Emperour the King of Spaine the Cardinall and all other the diuels instruments vvhich heere in earth haue persecuted the Church and compassed the tents of the Saints and the beloued Cittie Now after all this in the fiue last verses Saint Iohn entreth into a liuely and cleere discription of the last iudgement First noting the terror and maiestie of the Iudge himselfe in this ver 11 that from his face both Heauen and earth fled away that is no creature shal be able to endure his angry countenance in that daye and yet vvithall setting downe the puritie and vprightnesse of his iudgement and iudgement seate calling it a white Throne ver 12 And after this the generall citing and personall appearing of all men before him of vvhat degree estate or condition soeuer For both death and hell sea and graue did deliuer vp their dead And all vvithout exception came to iudgement And the bookes of their consciences vvere opened for euerie mans vvorke is engrauen vpon his cōscience as it vvere in letters of brasse or vvith the point of a Diamond as the Prophet speaketh And they were iudged of those things which were written in the bookes according to their workes and according to the testimonie of their owne consciences And death and hell ver 14 that is all the heires of death and hell euen all the societie of reprobates both papists Atheists and all vnbeleeuers yea whosoeuer were not found written in the booke of life were cast into the lake of fire ver 15 which is the second death Now heere I would haue it dilligently obserued that the holy ghost hath three seuerall times in this booke described the last iudgement to wit in the latter end of the 11. Chapter in the latter end of the 14. Chapter and now in the latter end of this Chapter And moreouer I would haue the order and causes of these descriptions well waighed For in the 11. Chapter hauing before described the kingdome of the Pope and the Turk with their ouerthrow and also the preaching and preuailing of the Gospell in these last daies hee commeth to describe the last iudgement In the 14. Chapter hauing set downe that the euerlasting gospell should be plētifully preached in this last age the ouerthrow of Babylon immediately following forthwith hee proceedeth to the discription of the last day In this Chapter hauing before concluded of the vtter ouerthrow of Rome of the beast and the false prophet of Gog and Magog and all aduersary power at length hee proceedeth to this description of Christs second comming which wee haue heard of And out of all this I do gather that the vtter ouerthrow of the Pope all his adherents shall be in this life a little before the comming of Christ vnto iudgement Chap. 21. AS wee haue heard before of the vtter ouerthrow of the beast and the false prophet and all their adherents and also of the euerlasting condemnation of the dragon that old serpent which set them all a worke So now in this Chapter wee are to heare of that most happy and blessed estate which the faithfull shall dwell in for euermore so that the maine drift of this Chapter is most fully to describe that infinit glory and endlesse felicitie to the which all the 144000 that is all the elect of God shal be aduanced when both the beast and all that haue receiued his marke shall be cast downe into the infernall lake This Chapter may very fitly bee deuided into foure parts The first is a description of the renouation of the world and the restauration of the creature ver 1 The second is ver 2.3.4 a laying foorth of the most glorious estate of the Church when it shall bee freed from all misery The third is a protestation of God himselfe ver 5.6.7.8 concerning the renouation of all things the felicitie of his elect and the endlesse torment of all reprobates The fourth is ver 9.10.11.12.13.14.15.16.17.18.19.20.21.22.23.24.25.26.27 a liuely description of the very kingdome of God and the vnspeakeable ioyes of heauen vnder the figure of a great citie called the holy Ierusalem Which citie is heere most gloriously described of his walles gates foundations streets height length breadth brightnesse matter forme persons and inhabitants The text ver 1 AND I saw a new heauen and a new earth for the first heauen and the first earth were passed away and there was no more sea ver 2 And I Iohn saw the holy city new Ierusalem come downe from God out of heauen prepared as a bride trimmed for hir husband ver 3 And I heard a great voice of heauen saying behold the tabernacle of God is with men and hee will dwell with them and they shall bee his people and God himselfe shall bee their God ver 4 And God shall wipe all teares from their eies and there shall bee no
Moises was carried vp to the top of mount Nebo that from thence he might take a view of the holy Land Which teacheth that none can take a right view of Heauen and heauenly things but onely such as fly an high pitch and mount far aboue this earth in holy affections and heauenly contemplation Moreouer Saint Iohn telleth vs that assone as hee tooke a sight of this new Ierusalem far passing all Sinai sights foorthwith he espied in it the very glory of God If he had said he had espied the glory of a King it had bene much If he had said he espied the glory of an Angell it had bene more But that he espieth the very glory of God it is most of all For vvho can conceiue or expresse vvhat the glory of God is beeing infinit The Apostle saith that God dwelleth in vnaccessible light or such light as none can approch vnto Then this is one vvord for all touching the beautie and superexcellencie of the new Ierusalem that it comprehendeth in it the very glory of God but yet for amplifications sake it is compared to a Iasper stone for neuer fading greennesse and to a Chrystall stone for bright shining and glittering for euer And had a great wall and high and had twelue gates ver 12 and at the gates twelue Angels and the names written which are the twelue tribes of the children of Israell On the East part there were three gates and on the Northside three gates on the Southside three gates ver 13 and on the West side three gates And the wall of the citie had twelue foundations ver 14 and in them the names of the Lambs twelue Apostles Now Saint Iohn procedeth to the description of the wall gates of this great citie This we all know that a strong wall serueth for the safety and defence of a citie and for the securitie of such as dwell in it For if it bee so high that none can it scale so thick that none can batter it then is it indeed impregnable and the Citizens in great securitie But the wall of heauen is so high as none can scale it as is set downe in this twelfe verse and so thicke that no double Cannon can pierce it as appeareth verse 17. therefore all the inhabitants of this new Ierusalem are out of all feare of dangers Moreouer this citie hath twelue gates to signifie an hard accesse for enemies to breake in and an easie passage for the Citizens themselues to goe in and out And at those twelue gates twelue Angels at euery gate an Angell as it were a porter to see that none bee let in but the true Citizens and free denisons and such as haue to doe there which are heere named to bee the twelue tribes of Israell that is all the elect of God both of the iewes and gentiles Moreouer it is said that there were three gates on euery side the citie both East West North and South to note that out of all quarters of the earth the redeemed should bee gathered and as our sauiour saith many shall come from the East and the West the North and the South and sit downe with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the kingdome of God So that it is not materiall what countrey or nation a man is of whether English Scottish French or Spanish so hee bee a beleeuer for then he shall be sure to be let in at one gate or another either at the Eastgate or the Westgate the Northgate or the Southgate Moreouer the wall of this citie hath twelue foundations that is to say it is surely founded And in euery gate the name of an Apostle so that all the gates had the names of the Lambs twelue Apostles to signifie that the groundsell foundation of this citie is laid vpon the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ himselfe beeing the chiefe corner stone And he that talked with mee had a golden reed ver 15 to measure the citie withall and the gates thereof and the wall thereof And the citie lay foure square ver 16 and the length is as large as the breadth of it and hee measured the citie with the reed twelue thousand furlongs and the length and the breadth and the height of it are equall And hee measured the wall thereof an hundred forty and foure cubits by the measure of man ver 17 that is of the Angell Now S. Iohn telleth vs that the Angell which talked with him had a golden reed to measure both the citie and the gates and walls thereof Measuring with reeds was a thing of great vse in ancient times as wee read in the prophesie of Ezechiell and Zachary and as wee heard before in the eleauenth Chapter But because all things belonging to this celestiall Ierusalem are super excellent and glorious therfore the very measuring rod and reed is of pure gold This great and glorious citie is said to lye foure square to note vnto vs that it standeth fast and vnmoueable for round things are easily rolled mooued this way or that way hither and thither But square things are not apt to rolle or mooue This euerlasting Ierusalem therfore lieth foure square because it can neuer be moued but standeth fast for euer As the Apostle saith Seeing we receiue a kingdome which cannot be shaken let vs haue grace whereby we may so serue God that we may please him with reuerence and feare The Angell with his golden measuring rod measureth the square sides of the citie both the length breadth height and depth of it and findeth each of them to bee 12000 furlongs which after eight furlongs to the mile maketh in our accompt 1500 miles and so the whole square of this great citie commeth to sixe thousand miles which is a goodly compasse noteth vnto vs the great largenesse of gods kingdome that there is romth inough for all the inhabitants thereof Yea most pleasant commodious roomes as our Lord Iesus saith in my fathers house are many dwelling places If it were not so I would haue tolde you for I goe to prepare a place for you After this hee measureth the thicknesse of the wall and findeth it to be an hundred forty and foure cubits which after our common accompt of two cubits to a yard amount to seauentie and two yardes which is a iolly thicknesse euen so thick as no Cannon can pierce and therefore altogether in expugnable as hath beene said before ver 18 And the building of the wall of it was of Iasper and the citie was pure gold like vnto cleere glasse ver 19 And the foundations of the wall of the citie was garnished with all manner of pretious stones The first foundation was Iasper the second of Saphire the third of a Chalcedonie the fourth of an Emeraud the fit of a Sardonix ver 20 the sixt of a Sardius the seauenth of a Chrysolite the eight of a Beryll the ninth of a Topaze the tenth