presence of the Throne of God c. to hunger and thirst no more c. to have all teares wiped from their eyes and to bee led by the Lambe unto the Fountaines of living waters All which doth very plainely and plentifully expresse that infinite glory and endlesse felicity which is prepared for all the true and faithfull worshippers of God Many good lessons and observations might be gathered out of all this But I do of purpose omit them because in this work I do chiefly and almost altogether aime at interpretation therein also studying brevity soundnesse and plainenesse CHAP. VIII VVE have heard out of the seventh Chapter how the divels and their instruments the Romane Emperours did stoppe the course of the Gospell Now in this Chapter we are to heare the wofull effects of the stopping thereof which was the springing up and prevailing of manifold errours and heresies in the World So that the principall scope and drift of this Chapter is to shew that God for the contempt of his Gospell and great indignities offered to the true professors thereof did give up the World to blindnesse to errour to superstition and heresie and as the Apostle sayth Because they received not the love of the truth 2. Thes 2. therefore God sent them strong delusions that they should beleeve in lies For as before we have heard how the world was most fearfully punished with externall plagues and judgements So heere we are to understand how the same was punished with judgements spirituall and internall as formerly hath beene sayd upon the stopping of the foure winds For although that spirituall plague was very great yet these spirituall plagues which follow upon the opening of the seventh seale are far greater For now we are to heare and understand not onely of the errours and heresies whereby a way and passage was made by degrees as it were by certaine staires for Antichrist to climbe up into his cursed chaire and to take possession thereof but also we are to understand of his very tyranny and Kingdome it selfe and also of the Kingdome of the Turke and the last judgement For the things contained under the opening of the seventh Seale do reach unto the end of the world For the booke sealed with seven seales containeth all the whole matters which were to be revealed This Chapter containeth foure principall things as it were the foure parts thereof ver 1.2.3.4.5 6 c. First the reverent attention and silence with admiration which was in the Church at and upon the comming forth of this most horrible vengeance Secondly before the execution of these most execrable plagues the Church is remembred and set in safety with all her Children by her great Mediator Christ Jesus Thirdly the execution of this vengeance which commeth forth at the blowing of the seven trumpets by seven Angels Fourthly the vengeance it self contained in the prevailing of errour and heresie the falling away of the Pastors of the Church and the universall darkenesse that followed thereupon And when hee had opened the seventh Seale there was silence in Heaven above halfe an houre By Heaven in this place he meaneth not the Kingdome of glory after this life but by Heaven is meant the Church heere upon earth as it is so taken Chap. 12. Verse 1. and Chap. 14. Verse 2. There may be three reasons yeelded why the Church is called Heaven First 1. Joh. 5.1 because the birth thereof is from Heaven for it is borne of God Secondly because the inheritance thereof is from Heaven and therefore is called Col. 1.12 Phil. 3.20 The inheritance of the Saints Thirdly because the conversation thereof is in Heaven as the Apostle sayth To this may be added that our Lord Jesus in his Gospell doth so often call his visible Church the Kingdome of Heaven by a Trope Mat. 13. because CHRIST beginneth his raigne in the faithfull therein whom afterward he translateth actually into the very Kingdome of glory By silence here is meant the great attention of the Church because great things were now at hand For now upon the opening of the seventh Seale far greater matters are threatned then any before and therefore the Church doth listen unto them in deepe silence and as it were in horror and trembling through admiration for now there appeare such dreadfull judgements of God to be executed upon the earth that all the heavenly company are astonished and amazed to behold it and do as it were quake and tremble to thinke upon it For as when heavy newes commeth down from the Prince to be proclaimed in open markets all good subjects do listen and give eare with silence and trembling so it fareth in this case By halfe an houre he meaneth that short time wherin the minds of the godly were prepared fitted and disposed wisely to consider of these matters and to make good use of them I know right well that this Verse is far otherwise interpreted of some but I take this to be most sound and simple and best agreeing to all that followeth for the next Verse is joyned unto this by a conjunction copulative to note a coherence of the matter and to draw the sence together for he sayth And I saw seven Angels which stood before God verse 2. and to them were given seven Trumpets These seven Trumpets signifie that God would proceed against the World in fearefull hostility and come against it as an open enemy unto battell proclaiming open warre against it as it were with sound of Trumpet and Drumme setting up the flag of defiance against it And hereupon groweth this silence and trembling in the Church which only mooved with the signes of Gods wrath when as all others sit still in security as the Prophet Zachary saith in a like case To stand in this place signifieth to administer as it is said of the Priests and Levites that they stand before God and before the Altar that is minister So heere the Angels doe stand before God as ready to administer and execute these Judgements For they are ministring spirits and heere they do sound the alarum at the commandement of God These Angels are popounded as seven in number because it pleased God at once to powre down his wrath upon the rebellious World but at divers times and by piece-meale Whether these were good or bad Angels it is not materiall to dispute seeing God executeth his judgements both by the one and the other 2 Sa. 24.16 Moreover it is specially to be observed that the blowing of these seven Trumpets do all belong to the opening of the seventh seale are as it were the seven parts thereof for the things which fall out upon the blowing of these seven Trumpets do reach even unto the last Judgement as the Angell sweareth Chap. 10.6.7 Then another Angell came and stood before the Altar ver 3. having a golden Censor and much odours was given unto him that he should offer with the prayers of
as it were a little before the blowing of the seventh trumpet which presently hereupon is sounded as in the next verses appeareth many should repent and give glory to God The second woe is past behold Vers 14 15. the third woe will come anon And the seventh Angel blew the trumpet and there were great voyces in heaven saying The kingdomes of this world are our Lords and his Christs and he shall reigne for evermore Now cometh the third the last and the greatest woe which is the woe of eternall death upon all the ungodly both in their soules and bodies for ever in the last judgment The second woe was Turcisme and this third wo is the last judgment For it now followeth that the seventh Angel bloweth the last trumpet as our Lord Jesus sware before that when the seventh Angel should blow the trumpet there would be no more time Chap. 10.6 Therefore when we see all things fulfilled which do belong unto the sixth trumpet it remaineth that we should every hour expect and look for the blowing of the seventh trumpet and the end of the world For the holy Ghost telleth us that when the kingdome of the Pope and the Turke shall fall and the Gospel be preached in many nations and kingdomes that then the third woe will come anon that is the last judgment followeth presently upon it Now at the blowing of this seventh trumpet there were great voyces in heaven saying The kingdomes of this world are our Lords and his Christs and hee shall reigne for evermore These voyces in heaven are triumphing voyces of Gods elect who doe exceedingly rejoyce and triumph that the kingdome of Satan and Antichrist is overthrown and that the kingdome of God and of Christ is set up and shall stand for evermore For now all adversary power being overthrown Christ doth deliver up a peaceable kingdom to his Father as it is written Then shall be the end 1 Cor. 1.15 24. when he hath delivered up his peaceable kingdome to God the Father For hee must reigne over the Church militant till he have trod downe all his enemies under his feet and when the Son of God hath subdued all things to himselfe then shall hee be subject to his Father as hee is the Mediator of the Church and yet reign with his Church triumphant for evermore Then the four and twenty elders which sate before God on their seates fell upon their faces Verse 16. and worshipped God Saying Wee give thee thankes Verse 17. O Lord God Almighty which art which wast and which art to come for thou hast received thy great might and hast obtained thy kingdome These four and twenty elders do signifie all the elect both of Jewes and Gentiles Chapt. 4. as wee have heard before which all in most suppliant manner doe worship the onely everlasting God even in the Church triumphant and doe greatly rejoyce and give all praise and glory unto him because now he hath received the kingdome the power and the glory both Pope and Turk and Emperor and all his enemies being subdued under his feet Verse 18. And the Gentiles were angry and thy wrath is come and the time of the dead that they should be judged and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the Prophets and to the saints and to them that fear thy name and to small and great and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth Now he mentioneth the wrath and vengeance which is to be powred forth upon all the wicked at the last day and also the reward of the godly For whereas he saith The Gentiles were angry and thy wrath is come and the time of the dead that they should be judged the sense and meaning is that all the profane enemies of the Church which had their time in which they were angry with Gods people and in their wrath did afflict and vexe them very sore should now be judged and condemned in Gods wrath for now the day of his wrath and vengeance is come wherein hee will destroy them that destroyed the earth and seemed to carry all before them and where also he will give a full recompence of reward to all his faithfull worshippers both small and great both preachers and professors of his Gospel Then the Temple of God was opened in heaven Verse 19. and there was seen in the Temple the ark of his covenant and there were lightnings and voyces and thundrings and earth-quakes and much haile This is a further amplification of that which is set down in this former verse For now hee saith that the Temple of God should be opened in heaven that is an open door and passage should be made through Christ for all the elect to enter into Gods everlasting kingdome and reigne with him and his Angels for evermore By the arke of the Covenant is meant Christ who is said here to be seen in the Temple or kingdome of glory because through his mediation onely in whom the covenant of peace is established with his Church the twenty four elders are made partakers of their crownes and enter in with him and his Angels into the everlasting Temple made without hands and eternall in the heavens But on the contrary here is said that there were lightnings thundrings c. that is most horrible vengeance and wrath powred down upon all reprobates in hell-fire for evermore For when it shall be said to all the faithfull Come yee blessed c. then also shall it be said unto all unbeleevers Goe ye cursed into hell-fire c. Now for warrant of this exposition of the last verse that the Temple in heaven is to be understood of the kingdome of glory look chapter 15. verse 5 6 8. chapt 16. verse 1. The reason hereof is that as the doors of the Temple of Jerusalem being set open Gods people entred in and worshipped so the everlasting gates of the new Jerusalem and celestiall Temple being set open by Christ all the elect do enter in and worship God without wearinesse even as the Angels for evermore That the ark of the covenant is taken for Christ see 2 Sam. 6.2 Psal 78. vers 61 62. This ark of the covenant that is Christ is here seen in the Temple because Christ hath already taken possession of heaven as Mediator and Head of the Church and now doth set open the kingdome of heaven to all beleevers that through him they may have free accesse thereunto as it is written that through him onely we have an entrance unto the Father Eph. 2.28 That by thundrings lightnings earthquakes hail is meant that horrible vengeance and wrath which is powred forth upon all the ungodly see Psal 11. verse 6. Let this briefly suffice to satisfie the conscience of the reader And thus much concerning the second vision contained in these eight chapters going before wherein we have heard all things expounded that doe belong unto the opening of the seven seales and
of Prophets in whom the will of God and all the counsels of the Father are revealed unto us The manner of Johns calling to receive this Prophesie is set downe in these words I John even your brother Ver. 9 10 11. and companion in tribulation and in the Kingdome and patience of Jesus Christ was in the I le of Pathmos for the Word of God and for the witnessing of Jesus Christ And I was ravished in the Spirit on the Lords day and heard behinde me a great voice as it had beene of a Trumpet saying I am Alpha and Omega that first and that last and that which thou seest write in a booke and send it unto the seven Churches which are in Asia c. Now out of these three verses five things are to be observed First that John is commanded by the voyce of Christ which he heard behinde him as loud as a Trumpet to write and record the visions which he saw being so writen and recorded to commend them to all the Churches for the common benefit and use thereof So that herein John doth nothing of himselfe nothing of his owne braine but all things by speciall warrant and authority from Jesus Christ and that Alpha and Omega which doth call him and authorize him to this great businesse which now he is set about Secondly Johns ravishment in spirit to the end he might be made more capable of all these heavenly visions which were shewed unto him Thirdly his great humiliation whereby also he was fitted to receive and understand these great mysteries For God will guide the meeke in judgement and teach the humble his wayes Psal 25. yea his secrets are with them that feare him Therefore although John was a great Apostle and hath seene wonderfull visions yet he is not thereby puft up with pride and conceit of himselfe but in the greatest humiliation of his soule calleth himselfe a brother and companion of all the faithfull Ver. 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 been shewed The description of Christ the Person that called Iohn to this new office is set downe in the next five Verses following wherein the excellent glory of Christs Person is described First Ver. 13 14 15 16. from the place where Christ did appeare unto him Secondly from the severall parts and members of his royall Person Thirdly from his provident care over his true Ministers and all his faithfull people Touching the place where Christ in a vision did appeare to Iohn he saith it was in the middest of the seven golden Candlestickes For saith hee I turned backe to see the voice that spake with me and when I was turned I saw seven golden Candlestickes and in the middest of the seven Candlestickes one like the Sonne of man c. The seven golden Candlesticks are interpreted by Christ himselfe in the last Verse of the Chapter to be the seven Churches The Churches are said to be of gold because Christ delighteth in them as we doe in gold he valueth every true member thereof as we doe gold for every beleever is all glorious within every true Christian is very faire and beautifull every regenerate man is as gold even as most pure gold It is said afterward that Christ walketh in the middest of the seven golden Candlestickes Ver. 11.13 that is Hee is alwayes present with His Church to feed it governe it defend it and comfort it The Prophet saith that Christ hath seven eyes which goe through the whole world whereby is signified his watchfull providence for his Church for he is alwayes looking out for the good of it to defend and protect it against all adversary power Which thing was figured in the Rammes skins wherewithall the Arke was covered to defend it against all violence of winde and weather Even so the mercifull protection of Christ as it were the continall covering of his Church As touching the parts and members of his royall Person he is described of his head and haire of his face of his eyes of his voyce of his feet of his garments and of his girdle As concerning his head and haire they are said to be as white as wooll and in snow which signifieth his great wisdome and knowledge to performe all things in his Church for wisdome and knowledge for the most part doe accompany white heads and gray haires His face shineth as the Sun in his strength Which signifieth that Christ is the same to his Church that the Sunne is to the World For as the Sun lightneth the whole World with his brightnesse so Christ with the brightnesse of his face enlightneth his whole Church His eyes are like a flame of fire that is exceeding bright and piercing into all places yea the very heart of men for nothing is hid from his sight with whom we have to doe Hee hath Eagles eyes to foresee all dangers intended and plotted against his Church that he may in due time prevent them His voyce is compared to the sound of many waters because it should sound throughout all the World by the preaching of the Gospell Waters is expounded Chapter 17. verse 15. of multitudes nations and tongues Christs voyce therefore is like many Waters because his voice should goe through many Countries and Kingdomes His feet are compared to fine brasse to signifie both the perfection of all his wayes and also his mighty power to tread downe all his enemies He is clothed with a garment downe to the ground to signifie that hee walked as King and Priest in the midst of the 7. golden Candlesticks For Kings and Priest in old time did weare long garments especially in the execution of their offices He is girded about the paps with a golden girdle For as Kings and Priests did gird their garments close unto them lest 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 state of his Church but one that continually worketh out the good thereof Concerning his provident care over his faithfull Ministers he is said to carry them in his right hand for he had in his right hand seven starres Ver. 16. Ver. 10. that is the Ministers of the Churches As Christ saith The seven starres are the Angels that is the Ministers of the seven Churches Ministers are compared to Starres because they should shine as bright Starres in this darke world both by life and doctrine Christ is said to hold them in his right hand because he alwayes defended them against the malice and fury of the World which of all others is most outragiously bent against them and their favorites But let men take heed of over-bold presuming to pull the Stars out of Christs right
the wicked Religion of Mahomet For partly by externall violence and partly by a subtill shew of Religion and devotion they destroyed thousands both in their Soules and bodies And therefore it is sayd Their power is in their mouths ver 19. and in their tayles For their tayles were like unto Serpents and had heads wherewith they hurt But for the better understanding of these things I thinke it not amisse a little to open and lay forth the rising up and increasing of the power of the Turke About the yeare of our Lord 591. was Mahomet borne in a certaine Village of Arrabia called Itrarix for so Histories do report This Mahomet by fraud and coozenage grew into great credit and fame among the seditious Arabians and Aegyptians insomuch that they made him a Captaine over them to warre against the Persians After this he married a rich wife and by that meanes he wonne the hearts of many with gifts In the dayes of Heraclius the Emperour which was in the yeare of our Lord 623. he grew to be very mighty After this he fained himselfe to be a Prophet and said that he had visions and revelations and talked with Angells And so by the helpe of Sergius a Monke he framed a new worship and Religion a patched part out of the old Testament partly from the Papists and partly from the Heathen He raigned nine yeares and so dyed After him succeeded in the Kingdome of the Sarazens Ebubezar who raigned two yeares Haumar who raigned twelve yeares Muhavias who raigned twenty foure years All these made great warre against the Persians and sundry other Nations and overcame them and set up the Religion of Mahomet amongst them and so the Kingdome of the Sarazens grew mighty but in processe of time the Kingdome of the Turkes grew great and the Kingdome of the Sarazens diminished Within a short time after this the Tartarians a barbarous people waxed strong and made warre against the Turkes and prevailed greatly for a time But about the yeare of our Lord 1300. the Empire of the Tartarians was over-throwne and the Empire of the Turkes did flourish more than ever before for now came the greatest monsters and most Savage and cruell tyrants of all The first of them was Ottomanus The second Bajazethes The third Amurathes These made bloody 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 bloody armies that at last both the Pope the Emperour the King of Hungary the King of Polonia the King of France the Duke of Burgundy and the Duke of Venice and almost all the Potentates in Europe did joyne together to make warre against the Turkes so huge leave huge armies but yet could not prevaile so strong were the Turkes so huge and dreadfull were their armies Then we see that verified which here was foretold to wit That the monstrous armies of the Turkes with their horses and horse-men should slay the third part of men that is the Idolaters in Europe by heapes and Infinite numbers To set downe the particular battels betwixt the Turkes and the Christians in Europe and their horrible blood-shedding would require a volume but this which I have brifely set downe may serve to give some light unto it and may suffice for the understanding of this Text. Now it is sayd in the next verse That notwithstanding this heavy hand of God which was upon the Papists in Europe and these fearefull Judgements and massacres they repented not of their Idolatries but waxed worse and worse for no Judgements no plagues can make the wicked any whit the better as we see in the examples of Pharaoh and Saul ver 20. And here it is sayd That the remnant of men which were killed by these plagues repented not of the workes of their hands that they should not worship devills and Idols of gold and silver and of brasse and of stone and of wood which neither can see nor heare nor goe Also they repented not of their murther and of their sorcery neither of their fornication nor of theft ver 21. And thus we see how the Divells which were bound at Euphrates being let loose upon the World in the wrath and just judgement 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 bloody swords and so was the desire of the Divell fully satisfied CHAP. X. HAving opened and expounded the two first Woes which fell out upon the blowing of the fift and sixt Trumpet containing the two great plagues of Popery and Turcisme wherewith the World was punished many hundred yeeres now in this Chapter we are to heare of good newes and great comfort after so much sorrow For heere Jesus Christ commeth down from heaven to deliver his poore afflicted Church and to be revenged of all his cruell enemies For now before the third and last woe containing the greatest plague of all upon the World which is the last Judgement wherein the wicked shall be tormented in hell fire for ever both in body and soule I say before the blowing of the seventh Trumpet by the seventh Angell of which we shall 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 even in the middest of the darknesse of Popery and the most furious and hellish rage of the Turkish armies And therefore the principall scope and drift of this Chapter is to shew how the Gospell should be preached in many Kingdomes now after this generall darkenesse for the discovering and overthrow both of Popery and Turcisme and to shew what should fall out in the Church now in the middle time before the seventh and last Trumpet blow for then commeth the last Judgement as the Angell sweareth in this Chapter verse 6 7. This Chapter doth containe foure principall parts The first is a description of Christ and his glory ver 1. The second sheweth how the Gospell should be preached ver 2. in many Nations and Kingdomes by the Ministers of this last age whereby all adversary power should be overthrowne The third is a watch-word ver 6.7 given to the World by Christ that when the seventh Angell should blow the Trumpet the World should end The last doth shew ver 9.10.11 how all faithfull Preachers being called and authorized by Christ should travell and take paines in the study of Gods Booke and afterward should publish the knowledge thereof far and neere And I saw another mighty Angel come down from Heaven cloathed with a cloud ver 1. and the Rainebow upon his head and his face was as Sunne and his feet as pillars of brasse This Angell of
men and bought from the earth as it is said before that is they are redeemed and bought with a price from the currupt lump of mankind and cursed race of Adam that they might be the first fruits unto God and to the Lamb that is wholly consecrated to his worship and to serve him in righteousnesse and true holinesse all the daies of their life In their mouthes was found no guile that is they do declare their innocency and uprightnesse both in their words and works as those which Christ hath chosen out of this world and bought with a price through his bloud in whom they are without spot or speck before God Verse 6. Then I saw another Angel flye in the middest of heaven having an everlasting Gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth and to every nation and kindred and tongue and people Saying with a loud voyce Fear God Verse 7. and give glory to him for the hour of his judgement is come and worship him that made heaven and earth and the sea and the fountaines of waters Hitherto the holy Ghost hath taught us how the Church was preserved under the tyranny of Antichrist and greatest waves of persecutions and that even then they did purely and faithfully worship the true God Now he proceedeth to foreshew the ruine and downefall of Antichrist and plainly to prophesie the utter decay of the kingdome of Babel This doctrine therefore wee are to hearken unto with great attention and cheerfulnesse because it doth so much concerne our good and the good of the whole Church also because wee live in the dayes wherein we see it is in part fulfilled First therefore wee are to understand what is meant by this Angel here mentioned to wit not any celestiall Angel or invisible spirit as it is sundry times taken before but by this Angel and the two Angels following are meant all the faithfull ministers of the Gospel which should be raised up in these last dayes for the overthrow of Rome and the delivering of the Church from under the captivity of Antichrist which may plainly appeare by this that is said this Angel preacheth the everlasting Gospel unto them that dwell on the earth which cannot properly agree to the celestiall spirits We have heard out of the tenth chapter that Jesus Christ did open the little book which is the Bible and did give authority to his faithfull ministers to goe preach and publish the doctrine thereof to many nations Chap. 10.11 countries and kingdomes now unto that agreeth this which is here spoken of and is a further opening and declaring of that which is there set downe For as there Jesus Christ cometh downe from heaven and openeth the little book which had been long shut up under the darknesse of Popery and the smoak which came out of the bottomlesse pit so here Christ Jesus raised up his faithfull ministers and preachers to publish and proclaime the doctrine of the Gospel which had long lain hidden under outragious persecutions of the two monstrous and most hideous beasts To this also agreeth that which is written in the eighteenth chapter of this book where Saint John seeth an Angel come down from heaven having great power so that the earth was lightened with his glory By which Angel is meant all the preachers of this age And the Angel is said to have great power for what is more powerfull then the ministery of the word And moreover it is said that the earth was lightened with his glory that is with the brightness of the preaching of the Gospel whereby the darknesse of Popery was dispersed and driven away and Babylon falleth upon it as there you may read and as here wee shall see the like effect by and by Moreover it is here said that this Angel flyeth in the middest of heaven that is very swiftly carryeth this everlasting Gospel through all the Church For when Gods appointed time was come wherein hee would goe about the overthrow of Popery hee caused his everlasting Gospel to be set abroach and to spread over many kingdomes and nations as we see this day Now because those kingdoms where God would have the knowledge of his Gospel divulged were many and great therefore here is expedition required and this Angel doth carry it not standing but flying And all this we see perfectly fulfilled with our eys when God raised up Luther Zuinglius Melancthon Peter Viret Calvin Bucer Bullinger Peter Martyr and all their worthy successors unto this day which have spread the everlasting Gospel very far and carried it very swiftly over England Scotland Germany Denmark Polonia Swevia Russia and many parts of France and Flanders Another reason why this Angell is said to flie in the middest of heaven is because no power of man shall ever be able to stay the course of this everlasting Gospel which this Angel carrieth abroad no more then men are able to stop the course of the Sun in the heavens or a cloud in the skie For this Angel flyeth in the midst of heaven far above the reach of the beast and all kings and potentates that stand for the kingdome of the beast Therefore let them doe all what they can they shall never be able to stop the course of the Gospel for it is called the arm of God and his very arm holdeth it forth to the world and who is able to bend it in or to turne it backward There be three reasons why the Gospel is called everlasting First because it is in his own nature everlasting as it is written 1 Pet. 1.25 The word of the Lord endureth for ever Secondly because it putteth us in possession of everlasting things as it is written Thy word O Lord Psal 119. endureth for ever in heaven Thirdly and principally because as it was long before Antichrist was hatched so it shall continue when he and his kingdome is dead and rotten Saying with a loud voice Fear God Verse 7. and give glory unto him c. Here is set down the doctrine which this Angel preacheth with a loud voice that is with great zeale The sum whereof is this Fear God and give glory unto him and worship him that made heaven and earth c. The sence is that the true and everliving God should onely be feared and worshipped and all glory should be given unto him alone through Christ and none to Antichrist none to Cardinals and Legats none to Angels none to Saints none to images roodes crosses and crucifixes Here then is set downe an abridgement of the doctrine of this everlasting Gospel namely that men should onely feare God and worship him and give all glory to him alone and not to any creature And the reason is yeelded because the houre of his judgement is come that is the time of the manifestation of the Gospel or lawes of the most high God for so the word Judgement is often taken in the Scriptures Here are wee to
never set Popery here in England to stand and continue do what they can I must needs confesse that our sins being so horrible and outragious as they are and being grown to such an height and ripenesse doe deserve some fearfull vengeance and that God hath a just controversie against us as sometimes hee had against Israel Hos 4. because there was no mercy nor truth nor knowledge of God in the land but swearing lying killing stealing and whoring and bloud toucheth bloud and therefore saith God The land shall mourn c. But yet I hope for his covenant sake for his great mercies sake for his names sake for his glory sake and for his Churches sake he will be gracious and favourable unto us and not bring upon us that vengeance which our sins have deserved or at least wise though he correct us as indeed he hath just cause and we may justly fear it yet hee will doe it in mercy for our amendment and not in wrath to our destruction as hee saith by his Prophet I will not utterly destroy thee Jer. 30.11 46.28 10.24 but I will correct thee by judgment and not utterly cut thee off But howsoever it shall please the most wise God to deale with us yet this I say and am perswaded of that Popery shall never be established again in this kingdom my reason is because the everlasting Gospel carried abroad by the Angel that flyeth in the middest of heaven shall spread still more and more throughout all the kingdomes of Europe as appeareth chap. 14. v. 6. for otherwise how shall Rome fall how shall the Jewes ever be converted Rom. 11.24 how shall fire come down from heaven and devoure both Gog and Magog Chap. 19. as the holy Ghost fore-telleth shall come to passe and as we shall hear more anon Moreover S. John telleth us plainly Chap. 10.1 that in these last dayes the Gospel shall be preached to many people and nations and tongues and to many kings And further hee saith that in this age wherein we live many shall renounce idolatry repent and give glory to the God of heaven But some man may say How prove you that this kingdome is one of them which Saint John speaketh of and which hee meaneth wherein the Gospel shall be preached unto the end of the world I answer that it is proved out of the seventeenth chapter of this Prophecie where the holy Ghost telleth us flatly that those ten kingdomes of Europe which had a long time been the ten horns and strength of the beast Chap. 19.13 and being of one mind had given their power and authority unto the beast should now in these last dayes rise up against the whore of Babylon Verse 16. make war against her hate her and make her desolate But this kingdome is one of those ten hornes and one of those ten kingdomes which a long time had given her power and authority to the beast Therefore as this kingdome hath happily begun to hate the whore and to make her desolate and naked so undoubtedly she shall continue unto the end of the world * England other kingdoms which have forsaken the beast shal so continue unto the end of the world For if this kingdome and other kingdomes which now hate the whore doe not continue how shall she be made desolate and naked c. Then it should seem the beast shall revive and recover himselfe again and so St. John shall be found a false Prophet But God is true and all men are lyers and St. John shall be found a true Prophet and therefore these kingdoms of Europe which have begun to hate the whore shall continue and never give her over till as the holy Ghost saith they have eaten her flesh and burnt her with fire that is till they have utterly devoured her But here it will be objected that in the latter dayes iniquity shall have the upper hand I answer first that I find no such place of Scripture But this I find that our Lord Jesus fore-telleth his disciples that very shortly after his death and resurrection many seducers and false teachers should arise which should deceive many and draw them away from the love of the Gospel and saith he Mat. 24.12 because iniquity shall be increased the love of many shall be cold But this speech of our Saviour doth not properly concern our times but yet it must needs be granted that the wicked shall wax worse and worse and the world shall not amend but still be worse and worse and grow to a greater height and ripenesse of sin as appeareth in this Prophecie Yet for all this we must note withall that the number of true beleevers in those last daies shall be very many Ch. 11.1 11 13. as this book doth also teach But it may be objected How can this geare stand together that in the last dayes there shall be multitudes and millions of reprobates and most wicked and abominable persons and yet withall a great increase of true beleevers I answer that the world will be alwaies like it selfe impious and unbeleeving But the Church shall purely worship God and that with daily increasing even unto the end But now me thinketh I heare some man say What likelyhood is there of all this which you write touching the overthrow 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 upholders What likelyhood is there then that ever she shall be brought so low as you speak of I answer that in this case wee must not ask the question We may not say What likelihood is there of this What likelyhood Wee must not consult with flesh and bloud wee must not take counsell of humane reason For God is marvellous in his devices and when he hath once decreed and determined of any future event hee will compasse it by means far surpassing all humane reach and capacity yea by such plots and devices as mans wit could never have once dreamed of For hee hath all means in heaven and earth in his hands and is admirable in all his proceedings and therefore wee may not ask this question What likelyhood or how can it be or how can it possibly come to passe What likelyhood was there an hundred yeeres past when Rome was in her delight and all the kingdomes of Europe stood for her that ever she should have been forsaken of so many of her old friends as at this day she is What likelyhood was there that when the Pope could command the Emperor and all the Kings of Europe and their kingdomes that ever hee should have been brought so low as at this day he is God be thanked What likelyhood was there that ever poor Martin Luther should stand out with the everlasting Gospel in his mouth against the
was so great for his Church being in her ward-shippe and minority then much more now being come to her ripenesse and full age If then it was lesse glorious then much more now being farre more glorious Therefore now unto us he foretelleth by his servant John what shall be the estate of the Church unto the end of the world and therefore Blessed is he that heareth and readeth this booke sith it foretelleth of the Churches affliction in this age by the whoore of Babylon and of the full end and determination thereof It sheweth justly and precisely what the Church hath suffered since the Apostles time in severall ages and what it shall suffer and also how all the enemies thereof shall shortly bee troden under foote What can be more joyfull or comfortable to all the people of God then to know afore-hand that Babylon shall fall Rome shall downe Antichrist the great persecutor of the Church shall bee utterly confounded and consumed in this world notwithstanding all plots and policies crafts and devices to the contraâ—y notwithstanding all forces and armâ—es cunningly contrived and raised up against the Chuâ—ch by Seminary Priests Jesuites Pope Cardiâ—all and King of Spaine For all these in this age do very busily bestirre them and ransacke all corners of their wits to repaire the ruines of Rome and to make up the breaches which are made in the walles of Babylon their great City But alas all in vaine for it shall fall It shall fall it shall as Dagon before the presence of the Arke doe what they can spite of their hearts maugre their beards it shall without all hope of recovery For hath the Lord spoken it and shall it not come to passe or any word of his ever fall to the ground Sith therefore the Jesuites and Secular Priâ—sts do so fiske about and croake in every corner as greatly fearing the fall of their Babylon and the drying up of their Euphrates it stands us all in hand to bee of resolute for Christ as they are for Antichrist and as studious to uphold the Kingdome of God as they are to uphold the kingdome of the divell And for this purpose it is very requisite and necessary that all the Lords people should bee acquainted with this Booke and armed against them with the things revealed in this Prophesie For this booke is a most precious Jewell which God hath bestowed upon his Church in this last age and it is great pitty that all the servants of God are not better acquainted with it especially in these times for now in this age is and shall bee the very heat of the warre and brunt of the battle betwixt Papists and Protestants betwixt God and Belial betwixt the armies of Christ and the armies of Antichrist Now this Prophesie layeth all open and plainly telleth us what shall be the issue and successe in the day of battell which side shall have the victory and which side shall goo downe And therefore very needfull it is that it should be expounded againe and againe and all the Lords people made throughly acquainted with it For in this age wherein we live this Prophesie can never be enough opened and beaten upon that all good Protestants may bee armed with it against future times even as it were with an armour of proofe Saint John plainely telleth the people of his time even the Churches of Asia that they should be blessed by reading and studying this Booke because they should thereby bee fore-warned and fore-armed against many eminent troubles and future dangers For saith he The time is at hand that is to say some things were even then to bee fulfilled For some matters foretold in this booke did begin to bee fulfilled even presently after they were shewed unto John for the Mystery of iniquity did even then begin to worke The Church in the Apostles time had her conflictes The Tenne great persecutions began even then to bee raised up Heresies shortly after began to spring and sprout Afterwards by degrees the great Antichrist did aproach toward his cursed seat And after all this Saint John foretelleth how hee should take possession of his abhominable and most execrable seat and sea of Rome How hee should raigne and rule for a time as the Monarchy of the world How hee should prevaile against the Church and make warre against the Saints How he should raigne but a short time and afterward come tumbling downe as fast as ever he rose up and decrease as fast as ever he increased Therefore Blessed is he saith S. John that diligently readeth and peruseth this booke that thereby he may foresee all these things and be armed against them For as the heathen man saith Levius laedit quicquid previderis ante Foreseeing dangers doe least hurt Now to apply all this to our times I say they are twice happy that are studious and painefull in searching out the true sense and meaning of this Prophesie that thereby they may be strengthned against all the assaults of the Papists our professed enemies and the enemies of Gods Church and sticke fast to the everlasting truth of God knowing for a certainty that the sonnes of Belial shall not long prevaile Apo. 9.11 The date of their raigne is almost out and the time draweth on apace wherein both they and their King Abbadon shall bee laid in the dust But I will now proceed to a new reason to prove that this Booke of the Revelation ought not to be concealed but openly preached and published to the whole Church of God in this age My reason is taken out of the 22. Chapter of this Booke verse 10. in these words Seale not the words of the Prophesie of this Booke for the time is at hand Here is a flat commandement from God that this Booke and Doctrine of it may not bee sealed up that is to say kept close from the knowledge of Gods people but it must lie alwaies unsealed that all men may open it reade it and see what is in it for it is a borrowed speech taken from sealing of Letters For we all know that wooing Letters are sealed none may open them or reade them but onely those whom it doth concerne but if they bee of purpose left unsealed then any man may reade them without danger So the Lord willeth and commandeth that this Booke of the Revelation should of purpose bee left unsealed that all the people of God might reade it study it and know it If any man doubt whether the Metaphor of sealing be thus taken in the Scripture let him reade the places quoted in the Margent and in all those places hee shall finde it taken in this sense Whereby it doth evidently appeare that the mind and meaning of God is that this Booke should bee proclaimed and published in all the Churches And upon this ground Esa 29.11 Dan. 1â— 9 Apoc 4 1. Apo. 10.4 I hold that every Minister of the Gospell standeth bound as much as in him lyeth to
matters John did very intentively fixe his eies upon the Lambe being now about to open and unclaspe the first Seale of the booke and all on the sudden he was admonished and stirred up by one of â—he Cherubins that he should draw neere and come up and take knowledge of these great â—nd important matters which were now to be revealed unto him And to the end that he might be throughly awaked and stirred up to attention in so waighty matters it is sayd that the voice of the Angell which spake unto him was like the voice of a thunder So that thereby Iohn was throughly rouzed fitted and prepared to receive these heavenly visions verse 2. Therefore I beheld and loe there was a white horse and hee that sate on him had a bowe and a Crowne was given unto him and he went forth conquering that he might overcome Iohn keeping his eye steady upon the Lambe having now opened the first seale doth in a vision see a white horse c. By this white Horse is meant the Ministery of the Word of God and the first preaching of the Gospell by Christ and his Apostles and the successors in the Primitive Church The white horse is taken in this sense in the nineteenth Chapter of this Prophesie where our Lord Jesus being upon this white Horse beateth downe all his enemies before him For who is able to resist his word and the ministery of it In the first Chapter of the Prophesie of Zachary our Lord Jesus purposing to build up his Church being in a very ruinous estate after the captivity is brought in by the Prophet on horse-backe both for the reedifying of his Church and also for the punishment of the Babilonians his enemies and the enemies of his people In the 45. Psalme the Church the Spouse saith thus to her beloved Husband Christ Gird thy sword upon thy thigh Psal 45. O thou mighty one the sword of thy glory and comely beauty and with thy comely beauty ride on prosperously for the businesse of truth and of meek righteousnesse c. Now in all these places of the Scripture we do plainely see that when Christ goeth about either to preach his Gospell or build up his Church or to be revenged on the enemies thereof he is brought in on horsebacke And this doth strongly confirme and warrant this exposition seeing it is not any imagined sense or new device of mans braine but such a sense as other places of Scripture will very fully beare out Moreover if we do seriously consider and deepely weigh the purpose and intendment of the holy Ghost in all this it will not a little helpe and further this exposition For the chiefe scope and drift of all is to describe the state of the Church from the Apostles time to the end of the World For this Prophesie serveth to shew unto John the things that must shortly come to passe Now we all know by blessed experience that the first estate of the Church did consist in the preaching of the Gospell by Christ and his Apostles and therefore this must needs be understood of that time and estate of the Church For Jesus Christ is he that sitteth upon this white horse that is by the Ministery of his Gospell he conquereth and subdueth the Nations under him There may be three reasons alledged why this Horse is sayd to be of a white colour First because the Doctrine of the Gospell which was preached by Christ and his Apostles was pure and sincere being without all spots and blots of errour and heresie For the white colour in the Scripture doth signifie purity sincerity innocency joy glory and beauty Secondly because the doctrine of Christ and his Apostles was full of joy and comfort As it is sayd of Samaria after Philip had set the Gospell abroach there that there was great joy in that City Thirdly because the Ministery of Christ and his Apostles was very glorious and beautifull as it written How beautifull are the feet of them which bring the glad tydings of peace c. And againe with thy comely beauty ride on prosperously Psal 45. for the businesse of truth c. If any man demand a reason of Christs sitting on horse-backe and riding forth on horse-backe I answer that it doth fitly represent that marvellous swiftnesse wherewith the light of the Gospell should be carried and spred not only throughout all Judea Samaria and Galile but also throughout all the Kingdomes of the world For it is not a wonder to consider how swiftly and as it were on horse-backe and also how far over the heathen nations within a few yeares after Christs ascension the doctrine of the Gospell was preached and of multitudes imbraced He rode forth indeed prosperously and swiftly upon this white Horse even the Ministery of the Gospell for the businesse of truth and of meeke righteousnesse and his right hand wrought fearfull things as saith the Psalmist Moreover it is here said that Jesus Christ hath a bow in his hand And in the 25. Psal from whence it seemeth all these phrases and speeches are borrowed he is said to have sharpe arrowes in his hand whereby he pierceth the heart of his enemies Now his bowe and arrowes do signifie the piercing power of the Gospell whereby the World hath been subdued unto Christ For all the arrowes of the Gospell which Christ shooteth out of his bowe which is even the tongue of his Ministers do stick in the hearts of men yea they pierce into all the secret places of the soule For the Ministery of the Gospell is lively and mighty in operation sharper then any two-edged sword and entreth through Heb. 4. even unto the dividing asunder of the soule and the spirit of the joynts and the marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and the intents of the heart Heere is yet further mention made of a Crowne which was given unto Christ and that he went forth conquering that hee might overcome This Crowne signifieth the victory which he getteth over the World with his bow and arrowes For the Psalmist saith By thy sharp arrowes in the hearts of the Kings enemies thâ— people shall fall vnder thee We reade in the second of the Acts of the Apostles that 3000. of the Kings enemies were at once shot thorow with this bowe and these arrowes and did fall under him We read of many other at other times and in other places For the Apostle saith plainly 2. Cor. 10. that the weapons of our warrefare are not carnall but spirituall mighty through God to cast downe holds casting downe the imaginations and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ Thus we see how Christ and his Apostles and all their true successors riding upon this white Horse which is the Ministry of the Gospell have gon over all the world conquering and overcomming I am not ignorant that some do
therein are that time should be no more But in the daies of the voice of the seventh Angell ver 7. when he shall begin to blow the trumpet even the ministery of God shall be finished as he hath declared unto his servants the Prophets The summe of these three verses is that Christ giveth warning of the last judgement that men might awake and looke out in time Amo. 6 1. And because men for the most part are carelesse and secure putting the evill day far from them as the Prophet speaketh therefore here Christ bindeth it with a solemne oath and solemne gestures thereunto annexed as was the lifting up of the hand in antient time Genesis 14.22 The thing that our Lord Jesus disposeth is that time shall be no more that is Time as it is now or the state of things as they be now but he telleth us flatly that as six Angels have already blowne their Trumpets so when the seventh Angell should blow the Mystery of God shall be finished that is the time of punishing the wicked and rewarding the godly should come which is therefore called a Mystery because the world understandeth it not They thinke there is no such matter Mal. 3.14 They imagine there is no reward for the just or punishment for the wicked as the Prophet saith But the holy Ghost saith Verily there is a reward for the righteous Psa 58.18 doubtlesse there is a God which judgeth the Earth And here it is said that God hath declared it to his servants the Prophets And the voice which I heard from Heaven spake unto me agine verse 8. and said goe and take the little booke which is open in the hand of the Angell which standeth upon the Sea and upon the Earth So I went unto the Angell and said unto him give me the little booke vâ—rse 9. And he said unto me take it and eat it up and it shall make thy belly bitter but it shall be in thy mouth as sweet as hony Then I tooke the little booke out of the Angels hand and eat it up ver 10. and it was in my mouth as sweet as hony but when I had eaten it my belly was bitter And he said unto me verse 11. Thou must prophesie againe among the people and nations and tongues and to many Kings The briefe sence of these foure verses is that the Preachers of the Gospell being called allowed and authorized by Christ unto their ministery should study the Scriptures with great diligence even untill they had eaten up the booke of God and they should preach and publish unto all nations and Kingdomes that truth of God and doctrine of the Gospell which now a long time had lien hid in the raigne of Antichrist It is to be observed that John in this place representeth the person of all the ministers of the Gospell which should be raised up in these last daies for the overthrow of Antichrist and the restauration of true Religion for John himselfe did not live to these times Further it is to be noted that all godly Students and zealous Ministers do eate up the booke of God by reading study prayer and meditation and they find it sweet in their mouth that is they find and feele great joy and comfort in the study and meditation thereof especially when God revealeth therby great and hid secrets unto them and giveth them to understand the mysteries of the Gospell and counsels of his will which are locked up from the wise and prudent of this world This I say is sweeter unto their mouth than hony and the hony combe Concerning their phrase of eating up the Booke looke Ezek. 2.9 for here the holy Ghost alludeth thereunto This booke being so sweet in the mouth yet being eaten and digested is better in the belly There may be three reasons yeelded of this bitternesse First because it being once taken downe into our soule by godly meditation doth mortifie our corrupt nature and bring under our lust and therefore seemeth bitter to flesh and blood Secondly because afflictions and trialls do alwaies necessarily follow the sound digestion of the Gospell Thirdly because the doctrine of the Gospel being swallowed by the ministers therof must not be kept to themselves as it were closed up in their stomacks but they must out with it againe as if it were some loathsome and bitter thing which must needs be cast up againe And for this cause it is sayd in the last verse that they must prophesie againe among the people and nations and tongues and many Kings Now blessed be the name of the Lord our God who hath given us to live in this age wherein we do with our eies behold and see the fulfilling of all these things let us therefore praise God for this great worke which we see wrought in our daies and let us still more and more magnifie this little Booke which will utterly destroy Popery and bring downe the proud Antichrist do all that fight for him what they can CHAP. XI VVE have heard that the little Booke should be opened and the Gospel preached and published to many nations and Kingdomes after the great darknesse of Popery and that this was done by Luther Melancthon Calvin Peter Virit Peter Martyr Bullinger Bucer and all their faithfull successors unto this day Now in this Chapter we are to understand the effect and good successe of their preaching and publishing the Gospell which was that the Church should be restored reformed and built up thereby which a long time had been wasted and oppressed by the tyranny of Antichrist and that many should embrace this Gospell forsake their Idolatries and turne unto God with all their hearts yea whole Nations and Kingdomes in Europe should be converted to the faith as we see this day God be praised So then the principall drift of this Chapter is to shew those things which yet remaine to be fulfilled under the blowing of the sixth Trumpet which is the preaching and prevailing of the Gospel even unto the worlds end and also the things which follow upon the blowing of the seventh trumpet which is the resurrection and last judgement This Chapter containeth six principall things as it were six parts thereof First it sheweth how the true Church should be gathered together ver 1.2 and built up by the preaching of the Gospell and all the wicked refused and cast out ver 3.4.5.6 Secondly it describeth the builders that is all the faithfull Ministers which had and should resist Antichrist Thirdly ver 7.8 it sheweth how Antichrist should persecute the Preachers and Professors of the Gospell unto death and murther them by heapes Fourthly it sheweth that Papists Atheists and wicked worldlings ver 9.10 should rejoyce in the death of Gods people and not vouchsafe them so much as the honour of buriall but sends gifts one to another for joy that they were rid out of the Earth Fifthly it sheweth that
these things fulfilled For when the Pope and his Clergie had murthered Gerbardus Dulcimus Navarrensis Waldus Nicholaus Orem John Picus John Zisca Visilus Groningensis Armerias Wickliffe Husse Jerome of Prague and many Preachers in Suevia and one hundred holy Christians in the Country of Alsatia and many other Countries and of all conditions of men yet for all that spight of their hearts God raised up others in their stead as Luther Calvin Zuinglius Peter Martyr Peter Viret Melancthon Bucer Bullinger and their successors yea the thousands of excellent Ministers and Preachers which are dispersed over all Europe at this day in whom all the former witnesses doe revive and as it were stand upon their feet againe And now a great feare is come upon the Pope and his Clergie and all his favourites for they did never so much as dreame of such an alteration but this is the Lords doing and it is marvellous in our eyes And they shall heare a great voyce from him saying unto them vers 12. Come up hither and they shall ascend up to Heaven in a Cloud and their enemies shall see them Here the Lords witnesses whom Antichrist had murdered and called and taken up into heaven that they may be crowned with glory and immortality having in the earth fought so excellent a fight of faith as they had for even as Christ their head was taken up in a cloud to the Heavens even so his faithfull members are here taken up in a cloud to raigne with him for ever Moreover it is here said that their enemies shall see them ascending up they shall as it were ascend up in their fight for from the fire and faggot swords and speares of their enemies they went directly unto God and the very consciences of their persecutors did witnesse so much nay some of them being in horrible convulsions of conscience did not stick to utter it avouching the innocency of Gods Martyrs as sometimes Pilate and the Centurion did of Christ But though they had not beene justified by their enemies yet are here justified by a great testimony for the voyce from Heaven the voyce of God doth justifie them and cleare them accounting them worthy to bee called up from the Earth to Heaven and received to eternall glory For howsoever the Pope and his Clergie condemned them for Heretickes and Schismatickes yet here they are justified and cleared by a voyce from Heaven which is more than the voyces suffrages and approbations of all men in the World And the same houre there shall bee a great earth-quake and the tenth part of the City shall fall and in the earth-quake shall be slaine in number seven thousand and the remnant were sore feared and gave glory to the God of Heaven As he hath shewed before that the world was very joyfull and jocond when they had made dispatch of Gods witnesses but afterward full of feare and terrour when they saw what followed So here in this Verse is shewed that at the same houre that is about the same time when they have persecuted the Saints see thousands of others raised up in their stead and as it were out of their bloud that there should immediately follow a great earth-quake that is horrible commotions seditions tumults and open warres among the Kingdomes and Nations of the world and amongst all people which should live after the breaking forth of the light of the Gospell as this day we see with our eyes For who now in these dayes doth not see and feele this Earthquake Who knoweth not what stirres there have beene and are every where about Religion Who is ignorant that all the warres seditions treacheries treasons rebellions that are this day in Europe betwixt one Kingdome another are especially concerning the matter of Religion But mark what followeth Behold the effect of this Earth-quake It is said that the tenth part of the Citty shall fall By the City here hee meaneth the great City of Rome mentioned before vers 8. which is therefore called the great City because it was the chief city of the Roman Empire and the very seat of Antichrist Now then the sense and meaning of the holy Ghost is that when there once beginneth to be an earth-quake that is broyles contentions alterations questions and disputations about religion and that the Popish doctrine which had so long prevailed in the world should be called in question yea openly preached against convicted and condemned that then Rome shall begin to fall and Romish religion to suffer a great eclipse yea the tenth part that is some part of the city of Rome I mean the doctrine and authority of Rome shall bee overthrown Now this falling of the tenth part of Rome was fulfilled within some few yeers after the broaching of the Gospel by Luther and his immediate successors but since it is gone back many degrees and hereafter it shall still ebb and consume away by degrees even till it come to nothing as God willing shall be plainly proved hereafter Moreover here is set downe another effect of this earth-quake which is that thereby shall bee slaine in number seven thousand that is many thousands for the number of seven is a perfect and universall number as formerly hath been declared But the sense of this clause is that all such as will not yeeld to the Gospel after matters once come in question and the light thereof breaketh forth but continue still in their blindnesse and hardnesse standing out sturdily against the truth shall feel the heavie judgement of God upon them and come to miserable and wretched ends as did here in England Stephen Gardiner bloudy Bonner and many other such open persecuters in other nations and countries as the book of Martyrs doth plentifully witnesse Last of all it is said that the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven that is the elect of God seeing these horrible judgments upon the persecuters of the Gospel and having their eyes opened through these contentions and broyles about religion should repent of their former idolatries blindnesse and ignorance should yeeld to the truth and give glory to the God of heaven Chap. 9. as at this day we see thousands doe God be thanked Wee heard before in the time of the Turks murthering army when the third part of men were slain that the rest repented not of their idolatry But now God be praised for it many doe repent every day and turne from dumb idols to serve the living God And therefore although the times wherein we live be sinfull and troublesome yet are they golden times and dayes in comparison of former ages wherein Antichrist did reign and rule over all Moreover from this place may plainly and strongly be concluded that the Gospel shall prevail more and more in all the kingdomes of Europe even untill the end of the world For here wee see it fore-told and prophesied that in the very last age of the world and even
numerative letters of the Greek word Lateinos do make just this number And yet further we are to observe as a very speciall thing that Irenaeus Irendi contra haeres an ancient Father of the Church who lived very neer unto the Apostles times mentioneth this word Lateinos as the name of the beast And moreover affirmeth that it was a common received opinion in his time and before that the beast should so be called Now then let us consider how this fitteth First wee know that the numerative letters of Lateinos doe justly fit Saint Johns Greek numerative letters Secondly wee know that Antichrist is the head of the Latine Church or Latine Empire and therefore this very Lateinos For here we do not enquire after the name of any particular man but about the name of a kingdome for the beast is a kingdome and a succession of men Now Italy in old time was called Latinum and the Italians Latini which noteth of what Countrey the beast should come Moreover the beasts name or name of the Roman Empire is Lateinos because the Empire both under the heathen tyrants and the Popes especially had all their religion service prayers lawes decrees writings and translations in Latine all was in Latine Latine the Pope preferred his Latine translation of the Bible before the Hebrew and Greek originals Thus then it is Saint John telleth us flatly the number of the beast is six hundred sixty six Irenaeus saith that Lateinos is his name which containeth just the number Therefore here we have his name here he is found For if his name be Lateinos we need search no further wee know who it is we know who is meant for is not the Pope Lateinos are not the succession of them Latini are they not the heads of the Latine Church and Latine Empire have they not all their worship and service in Latine are they not Latines for what is the name of the Roman Empire but Lateinos and what is the name of the Popish Hierarchy but Lateinos True it is indeed which the Papists say that many names may be invented whose letters make this number but the Spirit of God speaketh not of fained names for thereof can come nothing but uncertainty but he willeth us to count the number of his name which then the beast had that is Lateinos I do thus then conclude The beast is a kingdom and the Papacy is the kingdome of the Latines Therefore the Papacy is the beast The Papacy is Lateinos and containeth the number of the beast For what other Monarchy can be shewed since the Revelation was given whose numerative letters containe this foresaid number assuredly none And therefore out of all doubt Saint John pointeth at the Roman Empire and Monarchy of the Popes For Lateinos doth both containe the number of the beast according to Saint Johns computation and also his name which is the Latine Empire or Roman Empire And thus have wee heard the description of these two huge and monstrous beasts the sea-beast and the land beast which both from the Apostles time hitherto have indeed played the beast against Christ and his Church and still doe play the beasts and will never cease playing the beasts till their horns and hoofes heads and bodies be clean cut off which will be shortly as wee shall heare anon CHAP XIIII WEe have heard in the former chapter the description of the two great and dreadfull beasts Wee have heard how mightily they have prevailed now many yeers and raigned as Monarchs of the earth Now in this chapter we are to hear the fall and ruine of them both So that the main drift and scope of this chapter and all the chapters following untill the twentieth chapter is to shew that both the Roman Empire and the Papacy shall ebb as fast as ever they did flow shall wain as fast as ever they did waxe shall decrease as fast as ever they did increase and fall down as fast as ever they did rise up even untill they come to utter ruine and desolation This chapter containeth seven principall things Verse 1. Ver. 2 3 4 5. First it sheweth that God had his Church upon the earth even then when it seemed to be utterly extinct by the prevailing of the two outragious beasts Vers 6 7. Secondly it sheweth that the poor persecuted Church did syncerely and zealously worship God even in the fire and flames of afflictions Verse 8. Thirdly it sheweth that the Gospel shall be preached with great successe in these last dayes throughout many kingdomes Ver. 9 10 11. Fourthly it sheweth that Rome shall fall down at the preaching of the Gospel Fifthly Vers 12 13. it sheweth that all Papists shall be condemned and cast into hell fire for ever Sixtly it sheweth that it shall go wel with Gods elect which having refused the worship of the beast do live and die in the Lord. Lastly it describeth the day of judgment Verse 14 c. wherein all both good and bad shall have according to their deserts Then I looked Verse 1. and behold a Lamb stood on the mount Sion and with him an hundred and fourty and four thousand having his Fathers name written in their foreheads Now at the last the holy Ghost bringeth in Jesus Christ upon the theater of the world as it were to play his part in this tragedy and to help the poor weak woman which we heard of before against the Dragon and the two monstrous beasts which would have torn her in pieces and utterly devoured her if this Lambe Jesus Christ had not stept in and rescued her Well now cometh in our Lord Jesus and beginneth to stirre in these matters and to take upon him the protection and defence of the poor helplesse woman against both the Dragon and the Dragons two great instruments But some may say What is a poore lamb to encounter with a dragon with a lion with a leopard and a bear I answer that although Christ be a lamb to his church even the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world and the Lamb that was a slain Sacrifice from the beginning for the redemption of his elect yet to all his enemies hee is a most strong and terrible lion even the Lion of the tribe of Juda as hee is called before Chap. 5.5 Now this most terrible Lion even the Lord of hosts the Lord mighty in baâ—tell cometh forth to protect and defend his Church against all her enemies who is of such infinite might and puissance that neither the old dragon nor his young imps not all the cursed hel-hounds that bark and bite and take their part shall ever be able to stand in his hands For rage they never so much he shall hamper them all wel enough For though hee hath given them the reine a long time and let them alone and suffered them to play the tyrants with the woman his spouse yet now he will no longer put
observe one speciall thing to wit that the Gospel which this Angel flyeth withall containeth the brief summ of all the doctrine which Luther Calvin Peter Martyr and the rest have taught out of Gods Word and agreeth in all points with it For what other thing did they all preach teach and write but that men should turn from idols to the living God from fearing glorifying and worshipping creatures to feare worship and glorifie God alone which hath made all things What other thing doe all the preachers of this age publish and proclaime in all their Sermons but this Feare God and give glory onely to him Is not this the Epitome and short sum of all the doctrine of the Preachers of England Scotland Germany France Denmarke and all the rest and therefore I conclude that this Angel must needs be understood of the Preachers of this last age which now these fourscore yeeres have sounded the trumpet of the Gospel against all the inventions of Popery And blessed be God wee see these things fall out in our dayes and are eye-witnesses of the fulfilling of them And there followed another Angel saying Verse 8. It is fallen it is fallen Babylon that great city for she gave to all nations to drink the wine of the wrath of her fornication Here is set down the blessed effect of the preaching of this everlasting Gospel which is the downfall of Babylon For as when the cleer Sun ariseth upon the earth the thick mists and clouds are dispersed even so when the bright beames of the Gospel doe shine forth unto the world Babylon that dark kingdom vanisheth away incontinently And as it is written in the eighteenth chapter so soon as the earth was lightened with the glory of this everlasting Gospel Babylon immediatly falleth Therefore now before I go any further my purpose through the assistance of God Five maine points is to prove these five points out of this verse and that which followeth unto the twentieth chapter to wit First that Babylon here signifieth Rome Secondly that Rome shall fall and how Thirdly that Rome shall fall finally and come to utter desolation in this life Fourthly by whom and when it shall be overthrown Lastly the causes of the utter ruine and overthrow thereof How Rome is to be taken But before I go about to prove that Babylon here is Rome I would have it carefully observed what is meant by Rome viz. not the topography of Rome that is so much ground only as is compassed within the wals of that city but the regiment government and prerogative that is claimed by vertue of that Monarchy whereof Rome is the head By Rome is meant the power and authority of Rome or to speak plainly by Rome is meant the Roman Monarchy Further we are here to observe the reason why the holy Ghost calleth Rome Babylon for Rome literally and properly taken is not Babylon in as much as they were two divers cities one in Italy the other in Chaldea but Rome is called Babylon mystically figuratively and as the holy Ghost speaketh spiritually and by a kind of allusion Chap. 11.8 A reason why Rome is called Babylon For as the old Eastern Babylon did a long time oppresse the Church of the Jewes so Rome this Western Babylon hath long oppressed the Church of the Christians As the Eastern Babylon did many yeers hold down the people of God in miserable bondage and servitude so the Western Babylon did a long time keep the Christian Church in spirituall thraldome and misery In which respects Rome is spiritually compared to Sodom and Egypt to Sodom for filthinesse and to Egypt for idolatry and keeping Gods Church in spirituall bondage and slavery 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 given to one thing which is proper to another for the likenesse of quality that it hath with it or adjoyned unto it Now having 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 prove that Babylon in this place signifieth Rome which although it be granted of all sound Divines and avouched in the writings of the best learned both new and old so as it shall need no great proof yet will I add three or foure reasons out of this book to make it more plain and apparant First therefore I do thus reason out of the seventeenth chapter and last verse Babylon is that great city which reigneth over the kings of the earth But there was no other city which did reigne over the kings of the earth when John wrote this book but onely Rome Therefore Rome is Babylon For as for Jerusalem it was at that time made an heap of stones The first proposition is avouched by the Angel of God expounding unto John what is meant by the great whore whose damnation hee had shewed him before and by the woman which sate upon a scarlet coloured beast The woman which thou sawest Chap. 17.18 saith the Angel to Saint John is that great city which raigneth over the kings of the earth that is to say Rome or the Romish synagogue and malignant Church For the Angel could not speak more plainely except he should have named Rome then to say thus The woman the great whore of Babylon is the great city which raigneth over the kings of the earth For if one should say The great citie of England every man knoweth that thereby is meant London if one should say The great citie of France every one knoweth that thereby is meant Paris so when the Angel saith The great citie which reigneth over the kings of the earth all that lived in those times knew that thereby was meant Rome Babylon is Rome for Rome was the chief citie of the Monarchy and is put in this book for the whole Monarchy and the religion thereof as hath been said before My second reason is this Chap. 17. Babylon is the mother of whoredomes and abominations of the earth Babylon is that great whore with whom have committed fornication the Kings of the earth and the inhabitants of the earth made drunk with the wine of her fornication But Rome and none but Rome is such a one Therefore Rome is Babylon My third argument is this Babylon is that city which hath had seven severall governments But only Rome hath had seven severall kinds of government Therefore Rome is Babylon The proposition is proved from the words of the Angel expounding unto John what is meant by the seven heads of the scarlet coloured beast whereupon the woman sate The seven heads saith hee are seven kings Chap. 17.9 that is seven orders or states of kingly government for seven kings in this place are not put for seven severall men which were kings
God that love the Church and that love the truth greatly to rejoyce in the destruction of Rome because this monster shall no longer oppresse the Israel of God And sure it is that the more zealous and godly that a man is the more hee will rejoyce at the destruction of Popery for a man cannot love God and his Church that doth not laugh in the destruction of that Antichristian and bloudy kingdome Let no man here say This is cruelty this is want of charity and want of pity to laugh in the destruction of any or to rejoyce at other mens harmes But the most wise God saith Chap. 8.6 Reward her even as shee rewarded you and give her double according to her works and in the cup that shee hath filled to you fill her the double In as much as shee glorified her selfe and lived in pleasure so much give yee to her torment and sorrow And therefore I affirme that no man ought to be moved with any compassion or pitie for the overthrow of Rome But herein that saying of the Prophet is true Psal 137.9 Blessed is hee that taketh and dasheth her children against the stones And again Bend thy bow Jer. 50.14 shoot at her sâ—are no arrowes for shee hath sinned against the Lord. Moreover wee are to observe that forasmuch as the Lord willeth and commandeth all men to reward Rome as she hath rewarded us and to give her double according to her works therefore we ought every one of us as much as in him lieth and as his calling will bear to doe his uttermost to pull down Rome the Magistrate by the sword the Minister by the word and the people by their prayers For even Christian Kings and Princes and all the Nobles of the earth must not be negligent to fight against Rome For herein that saying is true Jer. 48.10 Cursed is hee that doth the work of the Lord negligently and cursed is hee that keepeth back his sword from bloud For this cause I doe upon my knees night and day most humbly and instantly intreat the God of heaven that as he hath put into the heart of our most gracious and excellent King to hate the whore of Babylon and to be his greatest instrument in the whole world for the weakning and overturning of Rome and the defence of his most glorious Gospel which is his crowne and glory in all the Churches and his great renown in all Christian kingdomes so hee may constantly continue and never cease drawing out the sword of justice till he have utterly rooted out of his dominions all the cursed crew of Popish Jebusites and all such as have received the beasts mark and especially the Jesuites and seminary Priests which are the Divels brokers the Popes agents and the King of Spaines factors in all kingdomes Here also I do most humbly even upon my knees with dropping eyes yea if it were possible with tears of blood beseech and intreat the learned and reverend Fathers of our Church that they would bend all their power and authority with all their might and maine against the Romish strumpet and the rather because in these daies she seemeth to make a head again having so many and great favourers that she and her complices dare perk with their nebs and very boldly and confidently prate of a toleration Here 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 publick teachings and private proceedings they would make strong opposition against Rome and Romish religion And I beseech the God of gods that we may all joyn together with united forces to march on valiantly against the armies of Antichrist and to spread the everlasting Gospel far and neer to the utter overturning and beating down of this western Babylon and that howsoever wee may amongst our selves differ in judgement in some things yet that there might be no breach of love nor alienation of affection amongst us but that wee may all goe together hand in hand and arme in arme to preach Gods everlasting truth and to set our selves against the common adversaries For if that we will not set our selves against them yet they will be sure to set themselves against us And thus much concerning the third main point which is the finall fall and destruction of Rome even in this world Now it followeth to speak of the fourth main point which is By whom and when Rome shall be overthrowne But for the better understanding of this point concerning the persons that shall overthrow Rome wee are to observe that Saint John describeth the whore of Babylon sitting upon a scarlet coloured beast Chap. 17.4 having seven heads and ten horns whereby is meant the Roman Monarchy as hath been shewed before After this the Angel expoundeth unto John what the heads and horns of the beast mean and saith that the ten horns are ten kings Verse 12. or kingdomes which yet have not received a kingdome but shall receive power as kings at an houre with the beast The sense is that these ten kingdomes had not received such power and authority under the Emperors as they should under the Popes for there was great difference in these kingdoms under the Popes from that which they had been under the Emperors For they received far greater power and they carried another mind toward the Papacy then the nations did before toward the Empire for they did submit themselves to the Papacy for conscience and love even as to the holy Church which they never did to the Empire And this is the reason why the holy Ghost saith They had not received a kingdome but should receive power as kings at an houre with the beast Which is not to be understood simply but after a sort for they had received kingdomes under the Emperors but not in such sort as afterward they did under the Popes For the Roman Monarchy under the dominion of the Popes was in his greatest height and altitude and the Kings of Europe grew up together with the Papacy in power might and dominion And Saint John addeth Chap. 17.13 that these ten kings or kingdomes were all of one mind and did give their power and authority unto the beast that is they did with might and main labour to uphold the Babylonicall strumpet But the Angel telleth John flatly that the ten horns that is the ten kingdomes of the Empire which before had given their names their power and authority to the beast to uphold her and defend her should now in these last dayes all change their mindes and turne against her For saith the Angel to John Chap. 17.36 The ten hornes which thou sawest upon the beast are they which shall hate the whore and make her desolate and naked and shall eat up her flesh and burn her with fire Here then it doth plainly appeare who they be that shall overthrow Rome
and by whom it shall be destroyed to wit by the ten kings of Europe or kingdomes of Europe which some very learned do reckon up to be these England Scotland Germany France Spaine Denmarke Sweveland Poland Russia and Hungary * If the holy Ghost by the ten horns do not meane a definite number that is just ten yet assuredly he meaneth all the kingdoms of Europe and whatsoever else did once uphold the beast Saint Johns words are plaine that these kingdomes which took part with the beast shall take against her and pull her down But we know that all the kingdomes of Europe did take part with her Therefore it followeth that all the kingdomes of Europe shall take against her And therefore it is very probable that in time a It is probable that France Spain and Italy shal forsake the whore France Spaine and Italy shall turn against the beast Wee know that the rest of the kingdomes are already turned against the beast and the beast hath lost seven of his horns the eighth which is France beginneth to be somewhat loose and to shake a little which if it fall off the rest will follow after apace The reason why the kingdoms which were subject to the Roman Empire are compared to horns is because that as hornes are the strength and defence of a beast wherewith also hee pusheth down other creatures so the strength and defence of the Roman Empire and the Papacy was in the kingdomes which were subject unto them and took part with them whereby also they did mightily push at other nations and kingdomes Moreover we are to observe that whereas Saint John saith the same horns which did uphold and defend the whore shall pull her down it is not to be understood of the same men but of their successours in the same kingdomes For the king of England Scotland Denmarke Polonia and other countries which gave their power and authority unto the beast are dead and gone And if we respect the persons of men those which succeed them now in these kingdomes and pull downe the whore are other persons but because they succeed and governe in these kingdomes they are said to be those ten hornes of the beast Then thus it is these ten kings which now hate the harlot are called the ten horns of the beast not because they be any defence and strength unto him but because they sit upon the same thrones of their ancesters which did uphold and maintaine him But this one thing is very cleer and apparant out of the interpretation of the Angel that the same kingdomes which have maintained Popery shall put it down as we see already fulfilled in England Scotland Denmarke and the rest which have imbraced the Gospel And it is very likely that the other kingdomes which as yet have not imbraced the Gospel shall in Gods good time imbrace it For this seemeth unto me to be a very good argument taken from the words of the interpreting Angel Those ten kingdomes which have upheld Rome shall pull downe Rome But France Spaine and Italy have upheld and doe uphold Rome Therefore France Spaine and Italy shall pull down Rome To this may be added for confirmation Chap. 14.6 that the everlasting Gospel shall be preached in these last dayes to every nation and kindred and tongue and people Which I understand of all the nations of Europe which were subject to the Roman Empire and the Papacy And further that the holy Ghost saith that the preachers of the Gospel from Luthers time shall publish Gods truth among people and nations and tongues and many kings which I understand as before I am not ignorant that some good Divines make it doubtfull whether Rome shall be overthrown by the kings of Europe only or by the Turk also and the kings of the east For mine own part I dare not resolutely determine of it being a thing to come but the event shall declare and they that live shall one day see it It may be the Turk and the Easterne Princes may have some hand in this businesse for the Roman Monarchy did stretch farre that way when it was in his highest elevation But that which is alledged of the drying up of the waters of Euphrates Chap. 16.11 that the way of the kings of the East might be prepared proveth nothing because it is an allusion to Darius and Cyrus which were kings of the East and took old Babylon by drying up the waters of Euphrates and leading over their armies as wee have heard before I doe thus then resolve and conclude that the Turke and the Easterne kings may happily have some stroke in this work The kings of Europe shall overthrow Rome but it seemeth most probable unto mee that the kings of Europe shall be the greatest agents in this action For the words are plain that the kings of the earth which sometimes were subject to that monstrous beast should now at last shake off the yoke of her servitude and withdraw the obedience of their subjects from her and shall hate and abhor the harlot of Rome and should make her desolate by withdrawing their subjects from her obedience and naked by spoyling her of her treasures and shall eat her flesh Chap. 17.1 and tear her in pieces for very hatred and burn her with fire that is bring her to utter destruction So that she which before at her pleasure might command all princes to begin war to cease from war to defend her quarrels and to annoy her enemies now is glad to flatter a few seduced Princes to take her part that shee be not utterly forsaken of all men whatsoever Or else to practise by treason and treacherie suborning the Jesuites those rogues and vagabonds to stirre up tumults amongst the people and to trouble godly estates and common-wealths that despise her dominion but assuredly without all hope ever to recover her ancient tyranny But here it may be objected that the preaching of the Gospel is the greatest and strongest meanes to overthrow Babylon And therefore how can it be done by the Christian Princes I answer that it is true indeed that of all other meanes the Gospel is the strongest but the thing is this First the Gospel being set abroach shall detect and discover the whore of Rome and all her abominable doctrine and filthinesse which the Christian Princes espying shall renounce her make warre upon her and slay in the field thousand thousands of her souldiers as we heard before And hitherto concerning the persons that shall overthrow Rome Now it followeth to speak of the time when it shall be destroyed which of all the rest is a thing most hard to be decided For the holy Ghost saith Job 24.1 Why should not the times be hid of the Almighty so as those which know him should not fore see the times appointed of him Dan. 12.9 And againe the words are closed and sealed up untill the time determined And againe
But they are all overcome and destroyed and that old Serpent himselfe is caught and together with his instruments the beast and the false prophet is cast into hell-fire to be tormented for ever And this is the summe and principall drift of this Chapter It containeth five principall things as it were five parts thereof The first is the binding and chaining up of Satan by our Lord Jesus Verses 1 2 3. for the space of a thousand yeers Ver. 4 5 6. The second is the flourishing of the Church during the time of Satans captivity Verses 7 8 9. The third is the loosing of Satan after the thousand yeers expired and the woful effects thereof Verse 10. The fourth is the casting of the Divell into a lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and false prophet were Vers 11 c. The fifth is a glorious description of the last judgment wherein every man shall be judged according to his works The TEXT Verse 1. ANd I saw an Angel come down from heaven having the key of the bottomlesse pit and a great chain in his hand Verse 2. And he took the dragon that old serpent which is the Divell and Satan and bound him a thousand yeers Verse 3. And cast him into the bottomlesse pit and hee shut him up and sealed the door upon him that hee should deceive the people no more till the thousand yeers were fulfilled so after that he must be loosed for a little season This Angel here spoken of is our Lord Jesus who is therefore said to have the key of the bottomless pit because he hath power and authority over hell and death as we have heard before By the chain in his hand is meant the doctrine of the Gospel The time when Satan was thus taken and bound was when Christ first preached the Gospel and his Apostles after him to all nations The cause why he was bound and chained up was for that he had a long time seduced all nations and reigned as king and lord over the Gentiles and greatly seduced the Jewes also The time of his imprisonment is set down to be a thousand yeers that is all the time from the preaching of Christ and his Apostles untill Gregory the seventh and other monstrous Popes which did let Satan loose againe Which space of time is ghessed by the learned to be a thousand yeers or thereabouts But here it is to be observed that this binding of Satan is not to be taken simply and absolutely as though Satan was so bound and chained up for this thousand yeers that he could not seduce at all or do no mischiefe at all after the preaching of the Gospel by Christ and his Apostles I say this is not to be taken simply but after a sort that is that he could not so generally and universally seduce all nations as hee had in former time before the coming of Christ For otherwise it is well knowne that even after Christs time he did greatly persecute the Church bring in many errors and heresies and harden and blinde many mens hearts but yet all this was nothing in comparison of that which hee had wrought in former ages when he was even as it were the god of the world and the Gentiles worshipped him as god as the Apostle teacheth 1 Cor. 10. That all the worship of the heathen nations was the worship of Divels And againe Acts 14.16 That God in times past suffered all the Gentiles to walke in their owne wayes And then was Satan a great prince indeed But now cometh a chaine for him For Christ preacheth the Gospel and sendeth forth his Disciples with power and thereupon saith Luke 18.10 I saw Satan fall downe like lightning For the preaching of the Gospel beateth downe the kingdome of Satan and sinne Moreover it is to be noted that notwithstanding all Satans power and might craft and subtilty yet this Angel which hath the key of the bottomlesse pit doth apprehend him and shut him up and seale the doore upon him that hee cannot get abroad to seduce so generally as in former time But Saint John saith that after a thousand yeers hee must be loosed for a little season that is the time wherein the great Antichrist should beare the sway which was some four or five hundred yeers For the Gospel did prevaile in some measure in the world a thousand yeers after Christ and the principles and grounds of true religion continued in the Church untill the first loosing of Satan though with many blots corruptions and abuses For after the first 600 yeers the cleer sincerity of the truth was much dimmed with errors and heresies but yet the main grounds did remain till the full expiration of the thousand yeers Now wee know that the Gospel hath been preached in these last dayes above threescore yeeres Therefore it followeth that the strength of Popery continued not much above five hundred yeers which here the holy Ghost for our comfort calleth a little season of which wee have heard before Chap. 11.2 and therefore I doe here omit it And I saw seats and them that sate upon them Verse 4. and judgement was given unto them and I saw the soules of them that were beheaded for the witnesse of Jesus and for the word of God and which did not worship the beast neither his image neither had taken his mark upon their foreheads or on their hands and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand yeer Verse 5. But the rest of the dead men shall not live again untill the thousand yeers be finished this is the first resurrection Verse 6. Blessed and holy is hee that hath part in the first resurrection for on such the second death hath no power but they shall be the Priests of God and of Christ and shall reign with him a thousand yeers Here now is set forth the estate of the Church militant for the space of the thousand yeeres wherein Satan was chained up For it is said here that the Church did grow and flourish yea and greatly exercise her power and authority during the time And therefore Saint John saith that he saw seats and they sate upon them and judgement was given unto them Whereby hee meaneth that the Apostles and their successours had their chairs seates and consistories wherein they did both preach the word and execute the Churches censures as the Scribes and Pharisees before did sit in the chaire of Moses and I take it the latter part of the fourth verse is to be referred to the first clause to wit that the Church did live and reigne with Christ a thousand yeeres Which is not to be understood of the Church triumphant as some do take it and all the rest of the fourth verse but of the flourishing estate of the Church militant during the time of Satans captivity for all the faithfull do after a sort live and reigne with Christ even here
Jerusalem therefore lyeth foure-square because it can never be moved but standeth fast for ever as the Apostle saith Seeing wee receive a kingdome which cannot be shaken Heb. 12.28 let us have grace whereby we may so serve God that wee may please him with reverence and feare The Angel with his golden measuring rod measureth the square sides of the city both in length breadth height and depth of it and findeth each of them to be 12000 furlongs which after eight furlongs to the mile maketh in our accompt 1500 miles and so the whole square of this great city cometh to 6000 miles which is a goodly compasse and noteth unto us the great largenesse of Gods kingdome and that there is roomth enough for all the inhabitants thereof yea most pleasant and commodious rooms as our Lord Jesus saith In my Fathers house are many dwelling places John 1.4 if it were not so I would have told you for I go to prepare a place for you After this hee measureth the thicknesse of the wall and findeth it to bee an hundred and fourty and foure cubits thick which after our common account of two cubits to a yard amount to seventy and two yards which is a jolly thicknesse even so thick as no cannon can pierce and therefore altogether inexpugnable as hath been said before And the building of the wall of it was of Jasper Verse 18. and the city was pure gold like unto cleere glasse And the foundations of the wall of the citie were garnished with all manner of precious stone Verse 19. The first foundation was of Jasper the second of Saphire the third of Chalcedony the fourth of an Emerald The fifth of a Sardonix the sixth of a Sardius Verse 20. the seventh of a Crysolite the eighth of a Beryl the ninth of a Topaze the tenth of a Chrysophrasus the eleventh of a Jacinct the twelfth of an Amethyst And the twelve gates were twelve pearles Verse 21. and every gate is of one pearle and the street of the citie is pure gold as shining glasse As wee have heard of the forme of this goodly city so now we are to hear of the matter of it that is to say of what stuffe it is made First Saint John telleth us that the whole city is of most pure and glittering gold like unto glasse and that the wall was of Jasper most green and flourishing and also that the very foundation of the wall was beautified adorned with twelve sundry kinds of precious stones which hee reckoneth up We count it a great matter here below to compasse and close in our houses with a wall of brick and none can doe it but men of place but alas what is that to this wall What is brick to precious stones and pibbles to pearl But Saint John addeth that the gates were of pearle and the streets of the city of pure gold Oh how brave how beautifull how glorious how glittering how gorgeous how admirable a city is this for if the gates be of pearl and the streets of gold then what are the inner rooms what are the dining chambers and what are the lodging roomes But here we may not grossely imagine that the kingdom of God is of such metall and matter indeed as is here described But the holy Ghost would give us some taste of it and after a sort shadow out unto us under these things which are in most precious account amongst men what the glory and excellency of the immortall kingdome is For otherwise there is no comparison betwixt gold pearl and precious stones and those heavenly invisible and immortall things which wee looke for and hope for through Christ which in very deed are so great so glorious and so unconceivable that gold pearl and precious stones are scant so much as any shew shadow or resemblance thereof And I saw no Temple therein Verse 22. for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the Temple of it And this city had no need of the Sun Verse 23. neither of the Moone to shine in it for the glory of God did light it and the Lamb is the light of it And the people which are saved shall walk in the light of it Verse 24. and the kings of the earth shall bring their honour and glory unto it And the gates of it shall not be shut by day Verse 25. for there shall be no night there And the glory and honour of the Gentiles shall be brought unto it Verse 26. And there shall enter into it no uncleane thing Verse 27. neither whatsoever worketh abominations or lies but they which are written in the Lambs book of life In this new Jerusalem there is no Temple as was in the old Jerusalem for there shall be no need of any no need of doctrine of sacraments of prayer in the old Temple wherein the law was taught sacraments administred sacrifices offered and many other rites and ceremonies observed But Saint John saith that now God and Christ shall be all in all They shall be the Temple of the most holy city And all the elect shall fully know them and dwell with them for ever And as the city hath no need of any Temple so hath it no need of any light either of Sunne or Moon for the glory of God and the brightnesse of the Lambe doe light it for ever whose incomprehensible brightnesse doth as farre excell the brightnesse of the Sun and Moone as they doe excell a little candle at noone day But it may be demanded Who shall dwell in this so glorious a city and in this so great a light Saint John answereth that the people that are saved shall walk in it that is all the Israel of God all true beleevers which are happy that ever they were born that they may come to the possession of such a kingdome as is here described For Saint John saith that the resplendent brightnesse of this city is so great that even the kings of the earth shall bring their glory and honour unto it And also that the glory and honour of the Gentiles shall be brought unto it Oh how unspeakable is the glory of this citie that kings shall throw downe their crownes and scepters before it accounting all their pomp and glory but as dust in respect of it For the magnificence and pomp of all the Potentates of the earth shall here be laid downe And albeit none of the Kings and Nobles of the Gentiles might be admitted into the old Jerusalem yet all the Gentiles that beleeve shall be admitted into this new Jerusalem and made free denizens thereof for ever And although the gates of this citie alwayes stand open both night and day as not fearing any danger of enemies yet no unclean thing shall enter into it but onely they which are written in the Lambes book of life Thus wee see how gloriously the holy Ghost hath described unto us this citie of the Saints