shall torment their bodies to augment the griefe and torment of their ulcerous consciences Brightman doth well observe that the construction it selfe There came a noysome and grievous sore upon men for in men doth intimate an inward ulcer inwardly troubling and vexing the hearts and consciences of men and he addes withall it is nothing else but malice and envy Hora. lib. Ep. 2. then which the Sicilian Tyrants could not devise a more exquisite torment c. By which indeed the Papists were wonderfully tormented at the pouring out of this Viall for as soon as Luther began to oppose popish Indulgences in Saxony Zwinglius and Oecolampadius to extinguish Purgatory in Helvetia It is wonderfull to consider what hatred malice sorrow fury and madnesse these ulcerous Priests Monks Schoolmen Cannonists Bishops were possessed with what arguments and counsells sought they not to extinguish this new flame Certainly this griefe was more tedious and painfull unto them then any Egyptian ulcer The first Viall therefore being poured upon the earth that is on the Regions of Bohemia Germanie and a while after on France England Denmarke c. begate foule ulcers in the minds of the Papists which are so far from being cured as yet as on the contrary we see the Monks and Sophisters of our time more ulcerous then those of old I apply the Earth The first viall chiefly fell on Germany under the first Viall principally unto Germany because I know not by what destiny Antichrist hath more bewitched the Germanes then other people so as they are ready to beleeve do or suffer any thing whatsoever for the sake of the beast yea some have not been ashamed to boast that the Germanes at the Popes Commandement for the redemption of soules would with the beasts of the field have eaten grasse had it not bin for Luther O wretched soile yet by how much Germany was deeply drown'd in the Gulfe of Superstitions by so much the Lord in mercy hath pittied them and vouchsafed the greater grace unto them above other Nations For though it is true indeed that the first Viall being poured out on this earth occasioned a noysome and filthy ulcer on the worshippers of Antichrist yet on others who overcame the beast it wrought the true feare of God encrease of joy and to be short it recalled the greater part thereof from Antichrist to Christ as we may see at this day CHAPTER XVI The pouring out of the second Viall on the Sea 3 And the second Angell poured out his Viall upon the Sea and it became as the blood of a dead man and every living soule died in the Sea THE COMMENTARY III. ANd the second Angell powred out The first plague hath wrought but little effect on the skabbie Monks for as yet they many wayes bewray that ulcer of venome and malice which lies hid in their hearts against the Gospell neither will they suffer themselves to be cured being blinded by a just judgement of God Ex. 7.20 And therefore the second Angell proceeds to poure out the wrath of God upon the Sea which became as the blood of a dead man that is corrupted and filthy and every living soule died c. It is a plaine allusion unto the first Aegyptian plague when Moses turned the waters of Nilus into blood that the Egyptians could not drinke thereof and all the Fishes of the River dyed Now we come to the meaning Some take it according to the letter The litterall exposition of Andreas Ribera that the Sea is to be turned into blood either miraculously by Elias and Enoch as of old by Moses or else by the slaughter of Sea-combats and such as dwell neer the Sea under Antichrist So Andreas whom Ribera followes All things shall be so as is here spoken The Sea shall be like to blood which is poured out when a man is slain or it shall be so red as if it were dyed with the blood of many men and all Fishes in it shall die as in the River of Egypt But the greater part of Interpreters acknowledge that this corrupting of the Sea is mystically to be understood for indeed the turning of the Ocean into blood It cannot hold cannot be a more heavy plague to Antichrist then to the rest of the sonnes of men The losse also of the Fishes would be common to others as well as to him yea his losse would be lesse for being the greatest Monarch he could the easier beare it though there should not be a Fish left alive in the whole Sea seeing the Land can furnish him with infinite dainties Therefore we must not at all keep to the Letter To come therefore to the mystery Lyras opinion first I passe by the historicall glosse of Lyra touching Charles the Great who as he saith poured out this Viall that is the vengeance of God upon the Sea viz. on the Saxons whom he vanquished which are signified by the Sea because of the multitude of that people The conjecture of Gagnaeus I passe by also the conjecture of Gagnaeus the Popish Commentator that the sea signifies the gentiles because of their manifold worshippings of divers gods whose blood whether it be corporally or spiritually taken is largely to bee poured out But they erre from the Scope not observing that here is treated of the plagues of Antichrist Most of our Interpreters understand the sea to be the world or the chiefe men of the world or Ilanders who shall become like corrupted blood because God will bring upon them all kinds of horrible warres pestilence and destruction that every soule that is the greater part of the wicked shall miserably perish or that all that assent to Antichrist in persecuting of the Saints shall perish through finall damnation which opinion is not unfit yet too generall forasmuch as the world was never free from war pestilence and destruction And the godly have allwayes had no lesse share in these evils then others but these plagues shal be peculiar to Antichristians Therefore we are more nearly to consider what this sea is What this Sea is whether that of Glasse which Iohn saw before the throne Chap. 4.6 and on which stood the Conquerours of the beast Chap. 15.2 But it seemes not to be the same because this here is a watery Sea the other of glasse Again whether it be that into which the burning Mountaine was cast Chap. 8.9 It is not for that denoted the world of the faithfull that is the Church which the Mountaine of the Romane Empire had almost overwhelmed But this here is the Antichristian SEA because one of the last plagues is poured upon it Or whether it be that out of which the Beast ascended Chap. 13. ver 1 It seemes to be the same for the sea there spoken of may be taken two wayes either for the pit whence the beast ascended Chap. 11.7 but so it is not here taken Or for the vile assembly of Episcopall
and eat of his mean and cuntry fare Christ sups with us when he delighteth in our faith and conversion like as frindes at meale rejoyce togither Now this is spoken by an allegory not as if Christ needed our supper but we make ready for him and he is said to sup with us when in faith and â—bedience we performe acceptable service and wholie consecrate our selves unto him And he with me to wit he shall sup with me For Christ will not come emptie but loaden with blessings to inrich and replenish them with the food of heaven and communicate unto them the good things of the Gospell as righteousnes holines peace the joy of the holy Ghost and to be short life and eternall happinesse And thus much for the allegoricall promise propounded unto us in this place But this allegorie is abused by Libertines Pelagians and Jesuites The abuse of this allegorie is shewed and resuted whom the Lutherans also begin to imitate to establish bence contrarie to the scriptures universal grace to the injuring of the free grace of Christ For seeing it is said I stand and knock Jf any man heare and open c. They inferre that God hath made universally unto all this promise and as all are counselled to open to Christ so it is in their free-will eyther to admit or exclude him For saith Bellarmin they at whose heart the Lord knocketh eyther have sufficient power to open or els they have not If they have then the thing we plead for is granted If they have not then why I pray you doth the Lord knock or is be ignorant that they cannot open Would we not account him vnwise who should knock at his neighbours door knowing in the mean time that there is no man within to open unto him First I answer with Ierom that parables and the exposition of darke sentences are not to be brought for the confirmation of doctrines Now all this is spoken allegorically and by an anthropopatheia and not properly for wheras Christ is said to knocke like a traveller at the doore and to sup with them that open The Iesuites argument retorted upon him If this should be taken according to the letter of the text he should not be God omnipotent For eyther he can open or els he can not If he can not doe it except we open unto him how then is he omnipotent but if he can why then doth he knocke or what use is there that we should open to him Would not he seem to be unwise who should knock at his neighbours door having in the mean time the key in his owne hand Secondly the consequence will not hold from what is conditional to the thing categorically required As If any man heare and open therefore it should follow that it is in our free-will to doe the same For conditionals prove nothing but what ought to be don by us and what if don will follow thereupon Thus Erasmus disputed against Luther If yee will yee shall eat the good things of the earth therefore saith he men have a free-will to doe good and repent But this the scripture wholie denies Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the Leopard his spots Ier. 13 23. Matt. 7.18 Philip. 2.13 then may yee also doe good that are accustomed to doe evill A corrupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit for it is God which worketh in you both to will and to doe according to his good pleasure Luther therefore answâ—â—â—ng to Erasmus saith that oftentimes these conditionals doe signifie an impossibility 〈◊〉 If one should say Jf thou thinkest O Maevus to equal Virgil in singing Jt behoveth thee to sing better then as yet thou hast don If thou thinkest to surpasse Cicero O Scotus then thou must in sted of thy subtilties manifest more eloquence If thou wilt compare with David then compose such psalmes as he hath don which manner of speech signifies things which are not possible in regard of our owne strength though to God all things are possible And indeed the scriptures by such expressions doe declare unto us not what we can do of our selves but what the Lord may worke in us by his owne power Thirdlie concerning universall grace and power to open of our selves First it is false that the same is bestowed on all in the state of nature considering that the meanes of conversion and salvation is not alike offered unto all But allwayes as it hath pleased the Lord where when and to whom he would We see that the Turkes Jewes and Pagans to this day have not the meanes of salvation which we Christians enjoy by the singular mercie of God 2. we doe not deny but such at whose door Christ knockes by his special grace have sufficient helpe to open so farre as concerneth the outward means and indeed this were enough for all but that all by nature are deafe and dead in sins not withstanding it is sufficient for their conversion who inwardlie are wrought upon by the spirit of God But it is untrue that this sufficiencie is made effectuall and operative through a free-will in us because while Christ outwardlie knocketh we inwardlie are dead in our sins beeing deafe and blinde blacke Ethiopians spotted Leopards evill trees which of themselves cannot bring forth good fruit And therfore the greatest outward meanes are of no force untill there be an inward and powerfull motion raising us up from the death of sin illuminating the minde opening the hart and changing the whole man neyther is Christ ignorant that we cannot open at his knocke much lesse unwise in knocking but doth it because he knowes we are inwardly deafe and dead in sin and unable of our selves to open besides hereby to convince us of our miserable estate by nature and to rayse us up from the death of sin and to give unto us both will and power to open unto him And lastly the scripture speaks in a twofold manner of our conversion Sometimes the Lord attributes to us and requires of us the whole worke therof as if it depended altogether on our will Isai 1.19 Zach. 1.3 Ezech. 18.31 Mar. 1.15 Why God requireth and attributeth conversion to man Chap. 6. de Grat. lib. arbit De correp grat Chap. 3. Esech 36.26 Ier. 31.18 Ioh. 6.44 Ioh. 15.6 If yee bee willing and obedient yee shall eat the good things of the land Turne yee unto mee and I will turne unto you make you a new heart and a new spirit for why will yee die O house of Israel repent yee and beleeve the Gospel not as if it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or in our power to doe these things For how can they spiritually move who are dead in sins But the scripture thus speaketh 1. To teach us that wee neither will nor can doe any thing of our selves but are bound to ask it of God And 2. because God by such exhortations threatnings promises and conditions doth please effectually to raise
kings that we read of to be persecuted or to shun these tyrants Besides the following words hide us and fall upon us are not expressions of the godly groaning under the crosse but of the wicked dispairing for feare of wrath as the cause annexed shewes for the great day of his wrath is come which cannot be possiblie understood of the day of the Diocletian persecution Others therefore have thought that these things appertaine to the last times and the punishments of persecutours So Andreas The kings saith hee and all the princes rich men c. shall rather desire to be hid in mountaines rocks and caves then to feele the wrath and scourges of the Lambe which at Antichrisis comming shall overwhelme those miserable men Or certainely they shall thus greatly quake for feare of the judgements prepared for them after the resurrection of the flesh which never shall have an end Therefore this fourth Act of the vision concerning the final punishment of reprobates is briefly annexed to the matter going before and answereth successively to the third Act howbeit neyther this nor the third is yet fullie ended in this Chapter as before we noted For as the third Act hath two parts the first setting forth Antichrists tyranny over the Christian world in the three former verses the other his restraint and the sealing of the elect afterward described in Chap. 7. So likewise the fourth Act consists of two parts both full of joy and consolation to the Church the first whereof describeth the final and universal destruction of the wicked in the three last verses of Chap. 6. The second sets forth the happy condition which the saintes shall enjoy with the Lambe in heaven from v. 9. of Chap. 7. unto the end thereof Now we come to handle the punishment of the wicked the which here is but briefly touched but afterward more largely set forth in the following visions The generall doctrine is this that however the wicked for a while oppresse and afflict the Church yet they shall one day finallie perish their rage cruelty in seeking to destroy the godly shall turn to their utter overthrow ruin for ordinarily injury goes before destruction Now the reason hereof is because God is just will not suffer their crueltie to goe unpunished And also he is omnipotent and able easily to cast downe the kings of the earth which have risen up against him to bee short he is faithfull and true to performe the promised deliverance and glorie unto the saintes Now here is described 1. The condition of the adversaries 2. their trembling and despaire and thirdly the cause thereof And the kings And here is not so much copulative as continuative or adversative for then the kings or but the kings c. For it signifies the effect of this great Antichristian earthquake we have not in this place neyther Antichrist nor his false prophets and parasites by whose fraud he was advanced here named not as if they should go unpunished but because their destruction is purposely more manifestly described in the following history and especially in the fift and sixt visions by many fearfull expressions These here are named kings great men rich men tribunes and mightie men and all bondmen and freemen that is both high low all of the laicks as they call them of what degree soever who have been instruments eyther by their authority or wealth to advance Antichrist to that hight of tyrannie and cruelty or who for the establishing of his power have drawen the sword or been helpfull in making or kindling of the fires wherin the martyrs were burnt But this also is to be extended more largely unto al the enemies of the Church even from the beginning of the world Who these kings and great men are viz. as well such as persecuted the godlie under the law as Nimrod Pharaoh Saul Ahab Nebuchad-nezar Antiochus c. as those under the Gospel viz. Herod Nero Domitian Trajan Severus Decius Diocletian Julian Valens and whosoever else have bent their bow against Christ and insulted over his truth or at this day doe seek to uphold Antichrist But in the end an unhappy and lamentable destruction shall come upon them Before we come to treat of this great catastrophe I againe desire the reader not to thinke it strange that we expounded the mountains Ilands spoken of in v. 14. to be kings and nations though it seems that they are here onely expreslie named For before they were more obscurelie and restrainedly set forth by the names of mountaines Iland moved out of their place by Antichrist that is by him seduced shaken and subjugated but here in generall is prefigured the overthrow of all enemies eyther under or before Antichrists time This also by the way we may take notice of that Andreas understands by kings of the earth them whose power and studie onelie is in and about earthlie things as having nothing to doe with Christ heaven Chief captaines Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying captaines over thousands such as among the Romans had the chief charge over souldiers for in a Romane Legion which consisted of seven thousand and somtimes more there were ten bandes of souldiers whereof the first bande was the greater having 1105 footmen and 132 men of armes and properlie such as had charge over this bande were called chiliarchi collonels or chiefe captaines Vegetius lib. 2. de re milit cap. 2. 6. Every bondman and every freeman that is all other enemies of inferiour ranks who were strong to shead the blood of the saintes and to persecute blaspheme the Gospell now fearfull indeed shall be the end of every one of them as it followeth And hid themselves in the dens Wee read that the godlie in times of persecution often fled into mountaines woodes and deserts hidings themselves there for fear of tyrants as the historie of the Machabees and others witnesse But here not the godly under persecution but the persecutors themselves are spoken of as is plainly to be gathered by what followeth they hid themselves in dens that is they now shall doe that themselves which formerly they constrained the saintes to doe it signifies their extreem fear and perplexity as not knowing where to turn themselves for to finde any succour Now their kingdoms palaces fortresses and munitions of warre now their armies legions militarie bandes c. cannot helpe them but in vain doe they fly unto dens rocks which shall not be open to receive and hide them And therefore they shall despairinglie cry Ah fall on us and hide us The voyce of men without hope of mercy and salvation and wishing that which no wise man would desire to wit to be crushed under the mountaines and miserablie brought to nothing This is a proverbial description of the wicked despairing by which is intimated that such shall be the horrible appearance of things as that they shall an hundred times rather desire any cruel
a white horse as a conquerour having a crown on his head signifying the prosperours successe of the Gospell and in his hand the bow of his word by which he moved wounded and converted whole nations unto himself so here a contrarie effect is shadowed out in respect of the enemies of the Gospell to wit the grievous contradictions persecutions raysed by the Iewes in all places against the Apostles For the Gentiles readily inbracing the Gospell moved the Iewes through envie tumultuously to rage and raise up much mischiefe in every place against the Christians the which is here set forth by the haile and fire migled with blood alluding unto the seventh plague of Egypt Exod. 9.24 beeing a grievous haile mingled with fire and the blood of men and beasts consumed by it Haile is a congeling of the water in the ayre through cold and it is very hurtfull unto the standing corne Fire is contrarie to haile Blood signifyes cruelty At the sounding therefore of the first trumpet which began by the preaching of the Apostles on the day of Pentecost there fell haile fire and blood that is contradictions persecutions banishments and slaughters through the obstinate Iewes as the Acts Epistles of the Apostles with other histories doe plainely prove Now the reason why I referre this with the Catholick Glosse unto the Iewes and other tumultuous adversaries viz. such as had lost their civill power shall appear by the following trumpet Now familiarly in scripture by haile fire and blood are noted popular and common calamities as Joel 2. Zeph. 1. and in other places But the following effects touching the burning of the third part of the trees and of the green grasse causeth me to expound this of the calamities befalling the godly and not of the punishments of the wicked because undoubtedly this is to be applied to the sufferings of the Saints And the third part of trees was burnt up by the trees I understand the Apostles chiefe teachers by all green grasse the Saintes of the primitive Churches For the godly are compared to fruitfull trees planted by the rivers of waters Psal 1.3 and to grasse noting their imbicillitie and weaknes yet green because of their lively faith and charitie Of these the third part was burnt up that is multitudes of them were hurt afflicted and murdered by their adversaries the perfidious Iewes For as tempestuous haile and lightning is verie hurtfull to the trees and grasse of the earth even so at the first beginning of the Gospell the Apostles the rest of the faithfull were exercised with cruel stormes of afflictions wherby a great part of them was taken away The phrase seems to have an allusion unto that of Ezech. 5.2 where the Prophet is commanded to cut of the haire of his head and beard and to burn a third part with fire to smite a third part with a sword and to scatter a third part in the winde under which type the Lord threatned grievous plagues unto the Iewes for their rebellion And all green grasse was burnt up Not all strictly but a great part for often times all in scripture is put onelie for a part not for the whole In saying the green grasse it notes the extreem calamities of those times For the dry hay may more easely be burnt then the green grasse or wood Luk. 23.31 Hence it appeares that this affliction was verie grievous How long this trumpet sounded I will not precisely define but thinke that is to be extended from the first preaching of Gospell mentioned Act. 2. untill the times of Domitian who was the first of the Romane Emperours Nero excepted that persecuted the Christians But the Iewes afflicted and persecuted them many wayes The special use of this first trumpet belonged to Iohn the primitive Church that they should not though living under the white horse promise delight ease unto themselves but prepare for cruel stormes of afflictions notwithstanding this was their comfort that howsoever by the cruelty lightnings of the wicked the third part should be burnt up yet two parts should remain unhurt In generall it appertaineth unto us also that we having the primitive Church for an example should not be offended if we be brought to the like condition but be confident that the Lord will still preserve some Churches notwithstanding the rage of Antichrist who for a long time hath tyrannised over our Ancestours with whom we yet wrestle unto this day The sound of the second trumpet 8 And the second Angel sounded and as it were a great mountaine burning with fire was cast into the sea and the third part of the sea became blood 9 And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea and had life died and the third part of the shippes were destroyed THE COMMENTARIE 8. ANd the second Angel sounded Lyra understands this Angel to be Macedonius who sounding that is Lyraes opinion proudly teaching for he was an eloquent man Bishop of Constantinople a great mountain that is the great Macedonian heresie which was the denying the holie Ghost to be God burned with the fire of perfidiousnes and fell into the sea that is into the Church resembling the sea by baptisme and the third part of the sea became blood that is by denying the Deity of the holy Ghost he corrupted the forme of baptisme in the third part of it and the third part of creatures perished that is beleevers infected by his heresie and the third part of the ships that is of Prelates and Bishops whom he drew into the same heresie untill at length he was condemned by the councill held at Constantinople Bullingers interpretation Bullinger much to the same purpose understands by the sea the world by the great mountain the great heresies of the Valentinians Manichees Montanisâ—s BVRNING WITH FIRE that is boasting of divine revelations as if they had been altogether led by the spirit the effects whereof were verie pestilent because the third part of men and such also as dwelt in Ilands dyed that is beeing infected with these heresies perished for ever The opinion of Aretius Aretius also takes it for a great heresie strengthened with the arme of flesh as the Macedonian and Eutichinian heresies by which not onely many private Christians but many whole Churches were seduced and brought to destruction Ribera understands the mountaine literally of a great fiery globe Riberas opinion Alcasars opinion which should at some certaine time be throwne into the sea Alcasar applies it to the warre with which God afflicted the Iewes by Titus and Vespasian But I would faine know of him why that shoul be abscurely foretold which was already fully accomplished The greater part of interpreters both Papists Protestants as my Anonymus Gagnaeus Lambertus others with Andreas understand this mountaine to be Satan the prince of the world who burning with the fire of envie at the preaching of the Gospel is cast
in the world after he was once thrust out of heaven But this is a prophetical threatning of other plots at hand by which not long after this revelation he should bring to destruction all the inhabitants of the earth and sea through out the Christian world as wholy given to all manner of superstition by Antichrists meanes Seeing therefore by what hath been spoken and hereafter more shall be it appeareth that the darknesse and calamities of Antichrist came into the world about the yeere of our Lord 606. this Wo is altogether to be referred unto that time Brightman consents that the inhabitants of the earth are all sorts of wicked men hypocritically professing Christianitie viz. all the inhabiters of Antichrists kingdome But by the inhabitants of the sea he understands the clergie men who broach grosse troubled and saltish doctrine to their counterfaite Christians which indeed produceth hypocrisie in them but at last gnawes their entralls and bereaves them of understanding Full of great wrath They foretell Satans furie by which he should introduce Antichrists spiritual and secular power into the Christian world establishing his kingdome to the destruction of infinite sowles Because he knoweth The cause of this his great furie is the shortnes of time allotted him to rage in or immunitie from the eternall torments of hell to which he knowes himself to be ordained And therefore he will make up the the brevitie of the time with unwearied indeavour of doing mischief not letting passe a moment without satisfying his poysoned lust on the miserable inhabitants of the earth But thou wilt say whence doth he know that his time is short seeing no man knowes the day of judgement but God Vndoubtedlie he knowes it by the signes foreshewing the same to be at hand and by conjectures which are secret to us seeing he is a spirit of quick and deepe apprehension But how is the time short it having continued more then a thousand yeeres How this time is said to be short Ribera restraines it to the last four yeeres of his supposed Antichrist But if it were so not onely the devil but men of the weakest capacitie might know the day of judgement aforehand But this is manifestly false for the Beast was not as yet ascended out of the sea and earth The Dragon had not as yet seduced the world by the Beast and fals Prophet when he should be cast down to the earth So then the time of Antichristian persecution which was to continew more then a thousand yeeres is said to be short for the consolation of the godly that they might know that the Dragons rage should have an end short also in respect of the time that was past before Antichrist was revealed 1 Ioh. 2.18 1 Cor. 10.11 like as the time of the new Testament though long in it self yet is called the last houre and the ends of the world 13. And when the Dragon saw The things we heard before touching the deliverie of the woman the warre of Michael and the ruin of the Dragon represented the state of the Church from the first birth therof unto Constantines time and were the first part of the first and second Act. Now followes the latter member of both the said Acts containing new combats and comforts of the Church belonging unto the three hundred yeeres from Constantine untill the rising of Antichrist Then the Church seemed to be in a safe haven beeing freed of outward persecutors and having obtained Christian Emperours But as histories witnes no lesse stormes befell her then before For she falling to hypocrisie and abounding in securitie idlenesse wealth luxuriousnes and ambition soon begane by hom-bred dissentions to consume herself and to hold forth the faith not in the heart but in Creeds and papers depraving the doctrine of grace by philosophical subtilties and to heap up without measure humane traditions bringing in the rites and idols of Pagans in a word under the name of Christ to follow heathenisme and deny Christ Then sincerity betooke it self to Eagles wings and fled into the desert out of the sight of men but whatever was hypocritical and Antichristian gott the upper hand And he persecuted the woman Here followes a new assault of the Dragon against the woman The second assault of the warre now what it was and when is to be considered The time wil declare the persecution which is signified two manner of wayes First on the Dragons part secondly on the womans part The Dragon is said to assault the woman after he saw that he was cast unto the earth Now we have shewed that spiritually he was thrust out of heaven soon after the death and exaltation of Christ but allegoricallie when Constantine came to the Empire who overthrew Maxentius Maximinus and Licinius beeing the heads of the Dragon Then the Dragon begane to plot new mischief against the woman The adjunct also of the woman shewes the time who brought forth the man-child The persecution therefore begane after the woman was delivered Her bringing forth was the time of sorrowes and persecutions under the tyrannical Iewes Romanes For a woman saith Christ when she is in travell hath sorrow because her houre is come To retaine therefore the sense of the prophesie Ioh. 16.11 it is thus after that the Church had brought forth a man-child that is had gotten Constantine to defend her a new calamity more pernicious then the former befell her The occasion whereof was partly the overmuch bounty of Constantine towards the Bishops and Churches The occasion of a new persecution Partly also his and some of his successours their inconstancie For by the perswasion of ambitious Bishops he built at Rome to his great cost statelie and sumptuous palaces he gifted the Churches with revenues lands and princelike treasures he honoured the Bishops as gods and such as none might judge inriching them with excessive gifts which made them insolent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In vita Silvestri for fulnes breeds pride especiallie he was lavish towards the Bishop of Rome on whose head if Platina lie not he set a mitre beset with gold and precious stones he built a royal Temple named first Equitium of the Knighthood then Lateranensis afterwards Peters at last Pauls and Agnets two also at Constantinople One called the temple of Peace the other of the Apostles furnished rather with Persian then Christian ornaments bestowing on them vessels of silver gold and large rents Why Constantine was called Nepos insomuch for his immoderate prodigalitie he was commonly called Nepos which signifies a spendthrift or a riotous person In the first tenne yeeres of his reigne he was called CONSTANTINVS THE GREAT because of his victories The ten yeers after Latro a robber because of his crueltie to his children and friends The last ten yeeres of his reign for he reigned 30 yeers in all Pupillus a pupil because of his prodigalitie as Bapt. Egnatius recordeth These things ministred an occasion
sworn vassals of the Romish Church By the said name and Character is manifested the Image of the Beast that all were to adore viz. that mad worship of stocks and stones by which every one is constrained at the sound of the Cornet Flute Harpe Sackbut Psaltery Organ Dulcimer and al kinds of Musick to adore the image or idol that is nearest to him Lastly by the name Character and image of the Beast appeareth what was both the land and Sea-Beast exercising the same power and eccasioning all the evils which hitherto have been spoken of But what is the reason Why the holy Ghost doth not expresse the Pope of Rome See the notes on vers 1. that the spirit doth not more clearely expresse this name Why doth he not openly say the name of the Beast shall be the Latine or Romane chiefe Priest It might also be demaunded why he doth not plainely say that the Beast is Antichrist Touching this we are to know that typicall oracles of future things are not wont to be plainly set down till they be fulfilled Now it pleased the spirit thus to manifest these mysteries even by darke expressions that the faithfull hereby might be stirred up to diligent searching after them and lest that hence disturbances should be occasioned before the time and the Church endangered The Apostle 2 Thes 2. might have said more openly that the son of perdition should sit in the Church of Rome and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that did let was the power of the Romane Empire the which in the appointed time should be weakned and assaulted with the citie it selfe by the Romish Pope But it was usefull to the Church to speak more closely of the mystery of iniquity as then secret And if John had openly written that the Pope of Rome should be Antichrist c. Certainly either the Popes themselves would have laboured long ago to take away this Revelation out of the sight and memory of men that they might not be bewrayed Or else the mystery of iniquity which was a growing should never have broken forth because the Romane Emperours would soon have cast down the Popes out of their seat lest they should be forced to kisse their feet and try by experience their great tyranny Now thus the counsell of God a thing impossible to be done should have been hindred and this prophesie never fulfilled But Bellarmin disputes much against these things Lib. 3. de P. R. cap. 10. Bellarmins subtilties answered I. He saith that Irenaeus onely applieth the name Lateinos probably to Antichrist but that to him the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seems more probable which signifies the Sunne I answer That which to Irenaeus seemed onely probable is unto us most certaine both by history and experience The things we see Irenaeus indeed was ignorant of and saw them not but undoubtedly had he lived to see the state of the Romish Church as now it is he would have judged as we now doe Yea it is not without admiration that Irenaeus did even then suspect and feare that Antichrist should sit at Rome Perhaps the arrogancy of Victor might occasion the same Euseb lib. 5 hist c. 24. who was not ashamed to excommunicate all the Churches of Asia for a difference about Easter certainely he mightily blamed him for it It is true indeed he did not affirme the thing as certaine touching the name of Antichrist because he either could not as wanting sufficient arguments which now we have or else he durst not because of the scandall and danger that thence might befall the Christians by the Romanes notwithstanding his words there added are not without a propheticall mystery though perhaps few have observed them BUT IN THIS WE WILL NOT GLORY What is this but to shew that that name of the Beast should be the greatest infamie of the Church of Rome as if he should say in this we have no great cause of boasting but rather of shame I beseech the prudent reader well to weigh this feare of Irenaeus II. He saith that the Latines possesse not now that most potent kingdome which they held in the times of Irenaeus I answer It sufficeth that the Pope hath a long time held under him the kingdome and seat of the Romanes in Italie the rest of the Christian world also being subject to his power and beck III. He saith that Latinus is not written with ei but simply with an i. I answer This cavill is too childish for who is ignorant that the Ancients were wont to write their j longum by ei as queîs for quis so queîbus preîmus capteîvi usuall to Plautus And thus the Englishmen to this day pronounce the i as if it were ei IV. He saith that the word Latinus is not the proper name of any Pope And that onely one was called Romanus who lived no more then foure moneths and therefore could not be the Antichrist I answer It is a frivolous evasion for it appeareth that the spirit speakes not of a personall but nationall name and profession for he will have the numerall name to be the marke whereby it might be known where Antichrist should reign as it shall further appeare on Chap. 17.18 to wit in Italie at Rome Now personall names are common to many Therefore the holy Ghost intends here no such name V. He saith that innumerable other names besides Lateines make up the same number and therefore hence nothing can be concluded And he alleadgeth out Hippolitus the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to deny out of Arethai 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 illustrious 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Sun 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a conquerour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an evill guide 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 truely hurting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 invying of old 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a wicked lamb Out of Primasius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contrary Out of Rupertus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the two Latine words DIC LUX Out of Lindanus Martin Lauter Out of the Cronologie of Genebrard 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lulther so himself addes two 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all which words faith he make the same number I answer most of the old words he alledgeth are wrested for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which makes onely 664. and therefore must be written barbarously 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make 666. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is 672. abruptly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make 666. Neither have the other words the like evidence with these two 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Romanus The new are allfoolishly feined The Germanes write Luthers name Martin Luther not Martin Lauther or Lauter But put the case they did who ever hath heard that the Germane letters are all numerall or used in stead of ciphers according to the manner of the Hebrew and Greek Certainly he that feineth that this agrees to the proprietie and truth of the Germane tongue is altogether foolish But Genebrard saith he hath
not simply disapprove of this propheticall sense especially seeing the Iesuits themselves begin to prophesie of the destruction of Rome and banishment of the Pope as before in Chap. 14. I shewed out of Ribera For though the Turke sit still yet certainly Christian Kings and Princes will put their hands to this worke of God for to thrust the Pope out of his nest as Iohn Chap. 17.16 doth not obscurely intimate Notwithstanding if it be thought more agreeable not to restraine the Throne of the beast to the City Rome but rather to understand the same of his whole Kingdome which is said to be darkened because in the Egyptian Type for it is a plain Allusion unto the ninth plague of Aegypt not onely Pharaohs royall Court Ex. 10 23 but the whole land except the dwellings of the Israelites was overwhelmed with most thick darknesse three dayes together I see not to whom I should rather assent then to our foresaid interpreters who expound it of the darkening or totall darknesse in which Antichrist hath deeply involved and plunged the Christian world these thousand yeers which shall wholly be dissipated by the cleare light and preaching of the Gospell How the beasts king dome is darkened The darkening therefore of Antichrists Kingdome is not a bringing in of a new darkenesse for his kingdom was never inlightned with the light of true doctrine But began to be darkened even from the first after that the smoake of the bottomlesse pit had filled all parts and places thereof with a most grosse myst or blindnesse although the world in regard of its externall lustre thought it to be most bright and shining But the full manifestation of the darkenesse and dispelling of the smoak shall be a fatall darkning unto Antichrist when the most cleare light of the Gospell shall breake forth and shine in all parts of the world for then the beasts abominations shall be layd open to the view of all men whereupon many shall desert him his glory shall be obscured his authority despised and his Kitchin grow cold This plague shall be more grievous then the former or certainly an extreame encreasing thereof for then the beast shall be neerest to utter ruine of which more afterward And they gnawed their tongues Now follow three secundary effects of this Viall on the Vassalls and Worshippers of Antichrist First they gnaw their tongues By which proverbiall Speech is noted the extreame rage they shall fall into And the cause is added to wit for the paine or griefe in which they shall be because of the fatall declining of the Popish Kingdome for mad or furious persons use to bite their lips tongues and fingers and gnash their teeth as beasts not able to revenge themselves It may also be an Allusion to such as have the Falling-Sicknesse who by the sharpe sits of their disease are wont to bite their lips and fingers with the like madnesse or phrensie the Papists shall then be vexed when they see the Popes Kingdome to be darkened exposed to contempt and the authority thereof taken away when Kings Princes and the Vulgar sort shall deny obedience unto the same Secondly They shall blaspheme the God of Heaven As before for because they goe on to condemne the Gospell of Christ as divelish heresie and wickedly accuse the same as the cause of all the Commotions and troubles which themselves have raised Thirdly They repented not of their deeds viz which we have expounded verse 9. and before in Chapter 9. ver 20.21 The pouring out of the Sixt Viall on Euphrates 12 And the sixt angell poured out his Viall upon the great River Euphrates and the Water thereof was dryed up that the way of the Kings of the East might be prepared 13 And I saw three uncleane Spirits like Frogges come out of the mouth of the Dragon and out of the mouth of the Beast and out of the mouth of the false Prophet 14 For they are the Spirits of Devils working miracles which go forth unto the Kings of the earth and of the whole world to gather them to the battell of that great day of God Almighty 15 Behold I come as a theefe Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments lest he walke naked and they see his shame 16 And he gathered them together to a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon THE COMMENTARY 12 AND the sixt Angell poured out The sixt Viall is poured out on that great River Euphrates which as histories testifie runneth through Babylon is the bound of the Eastern Palestina Two events do follow The drying up of the waters of Euphrates And the sending forth of three uncleane Spirits unto the Kings of the earth to make Warre against God c. By the former the plague it selfe by the latter the last endeavour of the Beast to keepe off the plague is signified The drying up of Euphrates is by some properly by others mystically expounded Andreas expounds it properly Andreas opinion touching the drying up of Euphrates yet doubtingly Perhaps saith he Euphrates by Gods permission shall be shallow as that it will be easie for the Kings of the Nations and other men to passe over for to kill each other Now these Kings of the East for whom the way shall be prepared he guesseth to be Gog and Magog who shall come out of the region of the Scythians Or Antichrist with other Kings out of the eastern Persia where the Tribe of Dan shall inhabit of which Tribe Antichrist is to be borne and passe over Euphrates to the destruction and death of the soules and bodies of very many The first clause of which sentence touching the litterall drying up of Euphrates Ribera approveth but the latter hee rejecteth viz. of Antichrists comming out of the East with other kings over the River Euphrates being dryed up because saith he Antichrist shall sit in Jerusalem on this side of Euphrates and therefore shall not come out of the East which is beyond it but supposeth that the seven Kings of the East shall be called forth by the three impure spirits to joyne themselves with Antichrist in that generall battell against Christians Wonderfull darknesse and fabulous toyes no token of any plague doth appeare in these things whereas it is certaine that the beasts last plague save one is here denounced Here also I see our Brightman to keep to the Letter about the drying up of Euphrates but in a diverse sence and end Euphrates in this place as in Chap. 9.14 in the sixt Trumpet he understands to be the River of Mesopotamia which made the passage of the Easterne People into Judea very difficult The waters whereof he thinkes after the overthrow of Rome shall be dryed up by a like miracle as of old it happened at the red Sea and the waters of Iordane To what end That the way of the Kings that come from the rising of the Sun might be prepared that is that the Iews dwelling in the East
Nicolaitans by open Antichristian Tyranny banishing the same out of the Church which thing indeed was justly abominable to Emperours and the Christian world Genebr chronol lib. 4. pa. 593. yet formidable because of the enchantment of the Apostolicall Church Notwithstanding Popish Writers doe glory in this most filthy Beast That HENRIE was the first among the Westerne Emperours whom the Pope deposed Histories also testifie that after those thousand yeeres the God of Strengths foretold by Daniel Chap. 11.38 that is the Idol of Transsubstantation and Stage-like Masse was chiefly erected and confirmed in which the whole strength of the Papacie hath hitherto consisted With this grew up the innumerable fraternities and families of Clergy-men Sacrificers Monkes and Religious Sects who all of them being exempted from civill jurisdiction are onely subject to the Popes Scepter Then were invented the Jubilees the gainefull trafficke of Popish Indulgences or Pardons and a thousand trickes to draw monies from all Provinces into Romes Exchequer Then infinite Ceremonies Superstitions and Idols were brought in and established so that if now thou compare Popery with Paganisme thou shalt scarce see any difference but in names Therefore it is not said without cause that Satan being loosed after the thousand yeeres should deceive the Nations of the whole Earth Neither was this horrible declining of Christianitie in the West onely For it is knowne that many most flourishing Churches of the East which yet stood in the first thousand yeeres were in the next five hundred yeeres either cut off and miserably dissipated or by the seduction of Satan filthily corrupted On the contrary we see that Mahumetisme although it began somewhat sooner yet within the latter five Ages was more generally spread both in Asia Africa and Europe This therefore was Satans former seduction Gog and Magog to gather them to battle Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which commonly is taken appositively That he might seduce the Nations Gog and Magog for which Nations are Gog and Magog but so Satans fury seemes to be lessened as if after his loosing he were onely to deceive and draw the barbarous Nations unto a civill battle Whereas he shall chiefly be busie about the intestine seduction of the Church within indeed labouring to trample her under foot by the slights of the domesticke Antichrist and outwardly by force of armes to suppresse her by a forreigne Antichrist It is therefore an Ellipsis or defect of the Copulative for And Gog and Magog because the Verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ruleth the three Accusatives 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the middlemost of which did least need the Copulative The seduction therefore of Gog and Magog shall be diverse from the seduction of the Nations being not Ecclesiasticall as the former but politicall For Satan shall stirre up not the nations but Gog and Magog to this cruell battell which appeareth by the Relative not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to wit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gog and Magog by whom he shall set all things in confusion and blood Now what manner of adversaries or peoples these should be may scarcely be guest at For there are almost as many opinions about the same as Writers both Ancient and Moderne Bellarmine reckons up ten Lib. 3. de P R. cap. 17. Vestig pag. 877. all which his own excepted not a whit better then the rest yea even that of the five old Fathers Lanctantius Eusebius Theodoretus Hierom and Austine he disproves Alcasar also brings in many more But we will not weary our selves in rehearsing the conjectures of other men Magog to begin with this as the more knowne was the second sonne of Iaphet Gen. 10.3 of whom Lib. 1. Antiq cap. 7. as Iosephus writeth came the Magogites so called after him or Scythians that is the peoples which inhabit beyond the mountaine Caucasus neer the Lake Maeotis and the Caspian Sea unto the Northern India Hierom therefore by Magog understandeth the Scythian Nations unto whom some doe joyne the Cappadocians and Arminians seated beyond Coelesyria lib. 5. c. 23 whose Metrapolitan Citie Hierapolis where Papias sometime was Bishop is in the Syrian tongue called Magog as Plinie recordeth Touching Gog there is nothing mentioned in Scripture save in Ezech. 38. 39. where you shall finde a long Prophesie against Gog and Magog of which the Phantisies of the Iewes Mahumetans and Papists are not much unlike The Iewes feine that Gog and Magog are the Northerne Nations shut up by Alexander the Great beyond the Mountaine Taurus who breaking out towards the end of the world shall by war wast the whole earth especially the Land of Israel and the Citie Ierusalem But then the Messias shall bee at hand and slay Gog and Magog according to the Oracle of Ezechiel which Fable Galatinus hath refuted Lib. 5. Cap. 12. The Mahumetans Fiction touching Gog and Magog is much like to this Alcor A 20.28.32 c. save onely that it is somewhat otherwise touching the Messias and Ierusalem The Papists dreame that their Antichrist shall come in the end of the world with great forces and that in his Army which mostlie shall consist of the barbarous Scythians he shall have seven Kings for so many and no more shall then be remaining in the world as Ribera affirmeth The Emperour therefore of the Romanes the King of France of Spaine c. shall then either have no being or fight for Antichrist among whom Gog and Magog shall bee most powerfull Lib. 3. de P. R. c. 17. Apoc. 20. yea Gog according to Bellarmine shall be Antichrist himselfe which Ribera denyeth and in the space of lesse then foure full yeeres most cruelly over-runne and bring into subjection the whole world especially Christendome and to this Antichristian warre they applie the Prophesie of Ezechiel and of Iohn in this place As the Iews therfore dream that their Messias is not yet come because Ierusalem hath not bin assaulted by Gog and Magog who are to be slaine by the Messias So the Papists feine that their Antichrist is not yet come because Gog and Magog are not come who with a most numerous Army shall fight under Antichrists banner Ezech. 39.4.6.9.12 The fiction touching Gog and Magog refuted and with him oppose the Holy City that is the Romane Church Both Fictions are alike frivolous and are easily refuted by the Prophesie it selfe for i◠Ezechiel God threatneth that Gog shall fall upon the mountaines of Israel and that he will send a fire on Magog whereupon the Inhabitants of Ierusalem shall goe forth and burne the spoile with fire seven yeeres and that the slaughter of the enemy shall be so great that the land shall be seven yeers in cleansing because of the carkeises of the slaine But the Papists say that Antichrists kingdome and the Gogish warre shall not continue full foure yeers and that from this Victory of the Church unto the day of Iudgement there shall not
be seven months much lesse seven yeers but XLV dayes onely Therefore either this latter Fiction of theirs or else the former is false This difficulty by which they see their Fable overthrowne Ribera seeks to shift off one way Bellarmine another Ribera saith In apoc 20. N. 70. the words of Ezechiel signifie power not the Act not as if they shall spend seven months in burying the carkeises But the number of the carkeises shall be so great that if all should be buried there would be need of seven months time for the doing of it Bellarmin understands it that the Prophet speaks not properly but figuratively putting seven yeers for a very long time But by these slights they take not away the difficultie in the least Riberas glosse de potentia is by the Text there refuted ver 1.3 All the people of the Land shall bury them Therefore they shall bury all the carkeises ipso actu because the Land must be cleansed of the carkeises and therefore they shall spend seven months actually in burying of them This Ribera saw therefore at last he was forced contrary to Bellarmine and the common opinion to grant not onely XLV dayes but seven yeeres after Antichrists slaughter unto the day of Iudgement As for Bellarmines shift it makes the difficultie yet greater for whither the Prophet understands properly and definitely seven moneths and yeers or figuratively and indefinitely a very long time it appeareth the Fiction is false which Bellarmine there affirmeth That after Antichrists death Ribera refuteth Bellarmines Fiction there shall be no more then XLV dayes unto the end of the world the falsitie whereof Ribera himselfe doth solidly confute by two places of Scripture both because those things which in Mat 24.38 are spoken touching the security and riot of the world at Christs comming cannot in the least be done in XLV dayes as also because then as soon as Antichrist should begin to reigne it might certainely be knowne when the day of Iudgement should be which to thinke saith he is absurd 1. Thes 5.2 because the day of the Lord shall come as a thiefe in the night But he pretends Mat. 24.36 that perhaps it cannot be knowne by the unlearned No nor by the learned for it is said Of that Day and Houre no man knoweth no not the Angels of Heaven Therefore beeing convinced by the truth he at length ingenuously confesseth that no man can know how long time shall remaine from Antichrist Therefore O Ribera thou seest that time to be foolishly defined of thee by the space of seven yeeres and more foolishly by Bellarmines XLV dayes Behold the power of the trueth and the Iesuites discord Now however it belong not to this place Whether Ezechiel Iohns Prophesie touching Gog be the same to shew whither the Prophesie of Ezechiel and this here in the Revelation be the same or not yet contrary to the Iesuites affirmation we are to hold that here indeed is an allusion unto the Prophesie of Ezechiel both in the name of the adversaries and in likenesse of punishment yet this Prophesie is diverse from that For that did belong unto the times going before Christs comming and indeed hath been fulfilled already but this is to be referred to our and the following Ages in case there shall be any more What I said of the accomplishment is manifest from the Argument of the prophesie which is directed unto the people in the Captivity of Babylon for first God promiseth to bring them againe into their countrey Ez. 39.25 Now will I bring againe the captivity of Jacob c. When I brought them againe from the people c. Secondly he foretels new calamities which afterward shall befall them by their Adversaries Gog and Magog c. of whose horrible slaughter he prophesieth Lastly he promiseth a Spirituall reformation of the Church by the benefits of the Messias shortly after to come in the flesh Ibid ve 29. Neither will I hide my face any more from them when I have poured out my spirit upon the house of Israel saith the Lord Jehovah Now it is certaine the first and third part of the Prophesie was fulfilled And therefore without all doubt the middlemost also it being the chief It is objected that Gog was to come in the latter or last of yeeres that is Eze. 38.8 in the end of the world But the Glosse is infirme It is also said ver 16. that he shall come in the latter or last of dayes Now nothing is more frequent to the Prophets then by this phrase to denote the term of some certaine time Ierem. 49.39 In the latter dayes I will bring againe the Captivity of Elam that is at length or after much affliction Ierem 30.24 In the latter dayes yee shall consider it that is after your deliverance out of Babylon Ezech. 38.8 After many dayes thou shalt be visited in the latter yeers thou shalt come And afterward In the latter dayes I will bring thee c. that is after I have brought backe my people Therefore here also by the latter yeers an indefinite term may be understood Hence Theodoretus wrote Nehem. 4. 6. that these very Nations did straightway invade the Iewes after their returne to hinder them from building the Temple and City But our Interpreters Tremellius and Junius do in my understanding more rightly according to the circumstances of the name and time applie the Oracle of Ezechiel to the cruell warres raised up against the Iewes by the Macedonians Antiochus c. but often put to the worst not without a divine miracle by the Macchabees for they learnedly shew that Gog and Magog do denote the Nations of the lesser Asia and Syria so called after Gyges King of the Lydians with the Kings Antiochi Seleuci Demetrij and Nicanors mighty Oppressours of the Iewes which happened not presently upon their returne out of Babylon but long after in the end of yeers or dayes that is about two hundred yeeres after the Prophesie To these Ribera doth frivously object In Apoc. 20 S. 57. that Josephus and the Iewes write nothing of the accomplishment thereof which had it bin fulfilled they would have mentioned the same neither would they any longer expect the Messias As if forsooth so manifest or at least so probable a truth were to be called into question because of the blindnesse of the Iews Therefore in a word this I do hold That Ezechiels Prophesie touching Gog and Magog grievous enemies and wasters of the Holy Land was not indeed then fulfilled litterally for it clearly appeareth that part of the Prophesie is an Allegory of a Slaughter from Heaven but Analogically or with reference when the Tyrants of Syria and Asia were repressed by the valour of the Macchabees The old new Goggish war But that there by a certain allusion unto the Prophesie of Ezechiel and the accomplishment there of like as the Revelation is full of such Allusions
and witnesse of the Conscience Rom. 2 5. which shal suggest to every one the exact memory of his Actions whether good or bad the sentence pronounced shall be most just according to the same and Gods judgements shall bee righteous for the Holy Scriptures containe a most exact written rule of righteousnes unto which most righteously all are obliged and whosoever hath conformed himselfe unto the same shall most righteously be acquitted whosoever hath swarved from it Orat. in Plag gran shall most righteously in the day of Iudgemen bee condemned The Booke also of every mans conscience is of such exact righteousnes as it deceives no man doth injury to no man for the conscience saith NAZIANZENVS is a domesticke and true Tribunall And the Poet siath well Prima haec est ultio Iuven Sat 13. quodse Iudice nemo nocens absolvitur improba quamvis Gracia fallacis prae oris vicerit urnam This vengeance takes if judge it bee None that are guilty quitt doth hee Though that the Praetor through falle Grace Sometimes puts wicked men in place How much more therefore shall the conscience in the day of Iudgement bee a righteous rule to judge by The holy Scriptures are the rule of truth righteousnesse By the way observe If God will then judge according to the written word how much more doth he require that faith and our works be now done according to the said rule of Holy Writ According to their workes Good or evill This shall be the other infallible rule of righteousnesse for it is a righteous thing with God to render rewards to the righteous and tribulation to the wicked Every one therfore shall righteously receive either good or evill according to what he hath done It is observeable that here and every where in Scripture it is said Iudgement shall be according to workes we shall be judged 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to workes never 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for our workes no man therefore shall be saved for good workes notwithstanding the wicked shall be damned for their evill workes because there is a different reason between good and evill workes Evill workes are the wages of or merit death Eze. 184. Rom 1.28 Good works merit not life eternal for the Soule that sinneth shall dye And It is the judgement of God that they which commit such things are worthy of death Good workes merit not life because all are due to God the Creator and Redeemer But no debt comes under the notion of merit I passe by that the best workes of the Saints are imperfectly good polluted with many blemishes so that if God did judge them to his severity they would be found to be nothing but unrighteousnesses as the Church of old confesseth Isa 6.46 We are all as an uncleane thing and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags Therefore we pray forgive us our trespasses Wherefore least Hypocrites should be bold to inferre if the wicked shall be condemned for evill workes therefore the Iust are saved for good workes The Holy Ghost would have it no where written that the judgement shal be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for workes which might signifie the meritorious cause but alwayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to workes which signifies the condition But why not according to Faith or infidelity Why the Iudgement shal not bee according to faith infidelitie because Faith and infidelity are hid to the eyes of men But workes whither good or evill flowing from the same shall be conspicuous and open unto all Therefore in that open judgement Christ the Iudge shall alledge the cleare rule of righteousnesse that it may appeare unto all that the wicked are justly condemned having done evill and the Godly righteously acquitted who have done good this is a great encouragement to good workes that we follow after them and touching evill workes that we should shun them because according to them we shall all be judged 13. And the Sea gave up her dead AVGVSTINE by the Sea doth not unproperly understand the world Lib. 20. de C. D. c. 15 which like to the tempestuous Sea is alwayes tossed with waves By the dead is meant wicked men dead in sinnes as is the greater part in the world or all men having mortall bodies Notwithstanding I thinke it is more proper to the sense to understand it of such as perished or were drowned in the Sea or Rivers or whose burnt bodies and ashes were cast into the same in times of persecution For humane reason judgeth it very absurd that the bodies of such as have been devoured by the fishes of the Sea or torne by wild Beasts and eaten by wormes on land should be restored John therefore saw what shall come to passe when all the Elements through the power of God shall render up the consumed Carkeises The Sea shall vomit up as it were out of a Sepulchre the dead she swallowed up The same Death and Hell shall doe that is the Earth which hath received in Sepulchres all the bodies of the dead as it were in her lap or bosome and opening her mouth hath swallowed downe some alive also By death here AVSTIN understandeth the dead bodies of the Godly which the Earth shall render up By hell the damned soules of the wicked which thence shall be brought forth to Iudgement Ribera extends it unto the bodies of such as Hell swallowed downe alive as Corah Dathan and Abiram The summe is by what kind of death soever they perished in this life whatever became of their soules after death all are seen by John as brought forth to Iudgement The Soules therefore of the Saints shall return from Heaven with Christ the Iudge the wicked shall be called forth out of Hell to Iudgement All mens bodies shal be raised up to life and being restored to their own soules shall stand before Christ to be judged 14. And death and hell In a few words hee toucheth the execution of the sentence pronounced against the ungodly The state of the Godly he more largely Treats of in the following Chapters First he sees hell and death to bee cast into the Lake of fire and soone after all that were not found written in the Booke of Life that is reprobates in which again is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or inversion for first the wicked shal bee cast into torments Afterward the last enemies viz. death and hell by which names AVGVSTINE thinks here is signified the devill himselfe as being the Author of death and hellish punishments and the whole company of devils which very thing he had said before by an Anticipation And the devill was cast into the Lake c. So death should be put for the devill causing death 1. Cor. 15.54 1. Cor. 15.26 Hell for the devill drawing men to Hell As by a like metonymia it is said Death is swallowed up in victory And The last enemie that shall be destroyed is