away as a scrole when it is rolled and euery mountaine and I le were moued out of their place Vpon the opening of this sixt seale very dolefull and fearefull things which doo followe As earthquakes the darkening of the Sunne the obscuritie of the Moone the falling of the Starres the rolling together of the heauens the remouing of mountaines Iles out of their places the howlings and horrors of kings and captaines other great potentates of the earth which all are things very terrible and fearefull to beholde and all these do represent and figure out vnto vs the most fearefull tokens of Gods high displeasure and most heauie indignation against the wicked world Very grieuous things fell out vpō the opening of the 2.3 4. seales but they are farre more grieuous which followe vpon the opening of this sixt seale for this sixt seale containeth an aggrauation and encrease of all the former iudgements For now after the crie of the Martyrs for vengeance GOD the auenger of the bloude of the righteous doeth shewe himself from heauen and declare his wrath in more fearefull manner then before euen to the great astonishment of all the creatures in heauen and earth So horrible a thing is the sheading of the bloud of the Christians For now we see plainely that God heareth the cries of his Martyrs and commeth as a Giant or as an armed man to take vengeance of all their enemies For Pretious in the sight of the Lorde is the death of his Saints and hee is much mooued with the crie of their bloud as here wee see And therefore now threatneth to holde a generall Assises wherein hee will make inquisition after bloud and arraigne and condemne all such as are founde guiltie thereof according as the persecuting Emperours and many others did finde and feele by wofull experience For if God be angry but a little who may endure it Now although the Stories do report that in those dayes which was aboue 300. yeares after Christ there were many great and fearefull Earthquakes in diuers nations and cities of the world yet it is apparant that the Earth-quake here spoken of cannot bee taken literally nor any of the rest here mentioned For there was neuer any time neither is it mentioned in any Chronicle that euer the Sunne was as blacke as sacke-cloth of haire or the Moone turned into bloud or the Starres fell from heauen or the Heauens rolled together like a scrole or that Mountaines and Ilandes were mooued out of their places Therefore of necessitie all this must bee vnderstood metaphorically that is that God did in so straunge and fearefull a manner manifest his wrath from heauen by tumults commotions seditions alteratiōs of kingdomes as if these things of the Sun Moone and Starres had bene visibly represented to the eye An earth-quake in this booke and other bookes also of the scriptures doth by a borrowed speech signifie commotions of common-wealth troubles tumults vprores and great alterations of states kingdoms The darkning of the Sun Moone and Starres rolling together of the Heauens do by a metaphor in the scriptures signifie the fearefull wrath and angrie face of God which they being not able to endure are said here to blush at to couer themselues to hide themselues to be ashamed of thēselues to remoue out of their places no more to do their offices c. For as birds doo hide themselues and thrust their heads into bushes when the Eagle commeth abroade And as all the beastes of the forrest doo tremble and couch in their dennes when the Lyon roareth And as that subiect doth hide himselfe and dare not shewe his head with whom the King is displeased So here it is saide that the whole earth doth tremble and all the celestiall creatures are amazed and confounded with beholding the angry face of God against the worlde in so much that they do as it were drawe a canopie ouer them hide themselues vnder a cloude and surcease to do their offices The darkning of the Sunne and Moone is taken in this sense in the second of Ioel and also in the second chapter of the Acts of the Apostles For there God promising and foretelling that in the last dayes he would abundantly powre forth of his spirit vpon all flesh which is to be vnderstood of the plentifull preaching of the Gospell in the Apostles time and the aboundance of grace that was giuen with the same addeth that for the contempt of so great grace and mercie he would shewe wonders in heauen aboue and tokens in the earth beneath Bloud and fire and the vapour of smoake the Sunne shall bee turned into darkenesse and the Moone into bloud before that great and notable day of the Lord come The meaning of the Prophet is as Peter also dooth expound it that God from heauen will shewe such apparant signes of his wrath against the worlde that men should bee no lesse amazed then if the whole order of nature were inuerted And this was performed when as the Iewes for the contempt of Christe and his Gospell were most miserably destroied by the Romanes Euen so here vnder the opening of the sixt seale God dooth threaten that for the murdering of his sonne Christ and his Apostles and innumerable Christians hee would bring straunge iudgements and extraordinarie calamities vpon the worlde according as all stories do shewe that those times were full of bloud-sheads commotions famines pestilence and miseries of all sortes I am not ignorant that the darkening of the Sunne and Moone and the falling of the Starres from heauen are sometimes in this booke put for the obscuritie and corruption of pure doctrine and the falling away of the Pastors of the Church from their sinceritie and zeale But in this place the circumstances will not beare that sense First because heere the darkening of the Sunne and Moone c. is ioyned with an Earth-quake the rolling together of the Heauens and the mouing of Mountaines and Ilands out of their places which argueth a most horrible confusion and concussion of all things Secondly because afterward in the eight chapter hee doth of purpose speake of the corrupting of pure doctrine the falling away of the Ministers referring it to that chapter as his proper place Thirdly because the kings and captaines of the earth here immediatly mentioned would neuer haue bene cast into any such perplexities and horrours vpon any corruption of doctrine and the ministrie as here we reade of For commōly men are not any whit touched or moued with that or such like things Last of all because the scope and drift of the holy Ghost vnder the opening of this sixt seale is to describe corporall not spirituall visible not inuisible iudgements For he doth orderly and of purpose handle them in the next chapter Now whereas it is said in the last three verses that the Kings of the earth and the great men and the rich men vers 15 and the chiefe Captaines and
others endued with the same spirite which should mightily defend both the doctrine cause and quarrell which their predecessors had maintained and sealed with their blood in whom they should after a sort reuiue liue againe euen as Elias did reuiue and as it were liue againe in Iohn Baptist who is saide to be endued with the power and spirit of Elias as it was foretold by the Prophet and as our Sauior himselfe doth auouch Now blessed be God that we liue in these daies wherein we see with our eyes all these things fulfilled For when the Pope his Cleargy had murthered Gerhardus Dulcimus Nauarensis Waldus Nicolaus Orem Iohn Picus Iohn Zisca Visilus Groningensis Armerius Wickliffe Husse Ierome of Prage and many Preachers in Sueuia and one hundred holy Christians in the countrey of Alsatia and many others in all countries and of all conditions of men yet for all that spight of their hearts God raised vp others in their stead as Luther Caluin Zuinglius Peter Martir Peter Viret Melancton Bucer Bullinger and their successors yea the thousands of excellent Ministers and Preachers which are dispersed ouer all Europe at this day In whom all the former witnesses do reuiue and as it were stand vppon their feete againe And now a great feare is come vpon the Pope and his Cleargy and all his fauorites for they did neuer so much as dreame of such an alteration but this is the Lordes doing and it is maruellous in our eyes vers 12 And they shall heare a great voice from heauen saying vnto them come vp hither and they shall ascend vp to heauen in a cloude and their enemies shall see them Here the Lordes witnesses whom Antichrist had murdered are called and taken vp into heauen that they may be crowned with glory and immortalitie hauing in the earth fought so excellēt a fight of faith as they had for euen as Christ their head was taken vp in a cloud into the heauens Euen so his faithfull members are here taken vp in a cloud to raigne with him for euer Moreouer it is here said that their enemies shall see them ascending vp they shall as it were ascend vp in their sight for from the fire and faggot swords and speares of their enemies they went directly vnto God and the very consciences of their persecutors did witnesse so much nay some of them being in horrible convulsions of cōscience did not sticke to vtter it auouching the innocency of Gods Martirs as sometimes Pilat and the Centurion did of Christ But though they had not bene iustified by their enemies yet are they here iustified by a greater testimony for the voice from heauen the voice of God doth iustifie them cleare them accounting them worthy to be called vp from the earth to heauen and receiued to eternall glory For howsoeuer the Pope his Cleargy condemned them for heretikes and scismatikes yet here they are iustified and cleared by a voice from heauen which is more then the voices suffrages and approbations of all men in the world And the same houre there shal be a great earthquake and the tenth part of the citie shall fall and in the earthquake shal be slaine in number seuen thousand and the remnant were sore feared and gaue glory to the God of heauen As hee hath shewed before that the world was very ioyful iocond when they had made dispatch of Gods witnesses but afterward full of feare terror when they sawe what followed So here in this verse is shewed that at the same houre that is about the same time whē they haue persecuted the Saints and see thousands of others raised vp in their stead and as it were out of their ashes or rather out of their blood that there should immediately follow a great earthquake that is horrible commotions seditions tumults and open warres among the kingdomes and nations of the worlde and amongst all people which should liue after the breaking forth of the light of the Gospell as this day we see with our eyes For who now in these dayes dooth not see and feele this Earthquake who knoweth not what stirres there haue bene and are euery where about Religion Who is ignorant that all the warres seditions treacheries treasons and rebellions that are this day in Europe betwixt one kingdome and an other are specially concerning the matter of religigion But marke what followeth Beholde the effect of this Earthquake It is saide that the tenth part of the citie shall fall By the citie here he meaneth the great citie Rome mentioned before vers 8. which is therefore called the great citie because it was the chiefe citie of the Romane Empire and the verie seate of Antichrist Now then the sense and meaning of the holy Ghost is that when there once beginneth to be an earthquake that is broiles contentions alterations questions disputations about religion and that the popish doctrine which had so long preuailed in the world should be called in question yea openly preached against conuicted and cōdemned that then Rome should begin to fall and Romish religion to suffer a great eclipse yea the tenth part that is some part of the citie of Rome I meane the doctrine and authoritie of Rome should be ouerthrowne Now this falling of the tenth part of Rome was fulfilled within some fewe yeares after the broaching of the Gospell by Luther and his immediate successors but since it is gone backe many degrees and hereafter it shall still ebbe consume away by degrees euen till it come to nothing as God willing shal be plainly proued hereafter Moreouer here is set downe another effect of this earthquake which is that thereby shall be slaine in number seuen thousand that is many thousands for the number of seuen is a perfect and vniuersall number as formerly hath bene declared But the sense of this clause is that all such as wil not yeeld to the Gospell after matters once come in question and the light therof breaketh forth but continue still in their blindnesse and hardnesse standing out sturdily against the truth shall feele the heauie iudgements of God vpon them and come to miserable and wretched endes as did here in England Stephen Gardiner bloudie Bonner and many other such open persecutors in other nations and countries as the booke of Martyrs doth plentifully witnesse Last of all it is said that the rest were terrified gaue glorie to the God of heauen that is the elect of God seeing these horrible iudgements vpon the persecutors of the Gospel and hauing their eies opened through these contentions and broiles about religion should repent of their former Idolatries blindnesse and ignorance should yeeld to the truth and giue glorie to the God of heauen as at this day we see thousands doo God be thanked chapter 9 Wee heard before in the time of the Turkes murthering army when the third part of men were slain that the rest repented not of their Idolatrie But
Gidnon which signifieth the subtiltie of destruction because the blinde kings and Nobles of the earth shall by the subtiltie and craftie perswasions of the Iesuits and Seminarie Priests be entised to fight against the Protestants in a place where they shall haue a famous foile Some deriue Armageddon of Har which in Hebrue signifieth a mountaine and Megiddo which is the place where the godly king Iosias was slaine and so this place should be called Armageddon the mountaine of Megiddo for the slaughter of kings that shall be there To the which the Prophet Zacharie alludeth saying In that day there shall be a great mourning in Ierusalem as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddo Well we doe see that all these significations and deriuations of Armageddon come to one thing in effect which is that the great armies which assemble themselues in battaile against the Lord shall bee destroyed and therefore it is not much materiall to dispute which is the more likely signification of the Word But this let vs obserue for our comfort that whensoeuer wee shal see the kings Captaines Nobles and Potentates of the earth being solicited by the Iesuites priests and the false Prophet to leuy great armies and make great powers to fight against the Gospell and the true professours thereof for the maintenance of great Babylon they shall not preuaile but bee vtterly ouerthrowne and destroyed As in part wee see fulfilled in the yeare of our Lorde 1588. when the great and inuincible Armado of the Spaniards as they thought which was long in preparing against vs and at last by the instigation of the Iesuites brought vpon vs came to Armageddon as we know God be praised And in all time to come in the like case let them look for the like successe Well now to grow to some conclusion of this point wee doe plainely see that Rome falleth their kingdome waxeth darke their Euphrates drieth vp they espie it The Dragon the beast the false Prophet send out their frogs into all countries and kingdomes hoping to preuent it by the help of the kings of the earth and especially the king of Spaine but alas all in vaine for they must come to Armageddon when they haue done all that they can For God fighteth from heauē against them God bringeth them downe and no power of man is able to vphold them But now let vs proceede to prooue the third maine point which is that Rome shall fall finally and come to vtter desolation For all sound Diuines are perswaded of the fall of Babylon and doe graunt that it falleth and is in falling but all are not so thoroughly perswaded of the finall fall thereof in this life Therefore now I wil proue by manifest Scripture that Rome shall fall for a doo First if the things be deeply considered and narrowly looked into which Saint Iohn saith shall fall out vpon the pouring forth of the seuenth vial of Gods wrath by the seuenth Angel they doe fully portend a deadly downfall and vtter ouerthrowe of Rome For the seuenth vial is not poured vpon the earth or sea or fountaines of waters or on the Sunne as the first foure vials were which signified some particular iudgements but it was poured forth into the verie aire chapter 16.17 which signifieth the vniuersalitie of it and containeth the most general and most grieuous iudgment and vengeance of Almightie God vpon the whole bodie of the kingdome of Antichrist a little before the last day The text saith that vpon the pouring forth of this viall there was a loud voice heard out of the temple of heauen from the throne that is vers 17 from the verie presence of God saying It is done It is dispatched The vtter ouerthrowe of Rome is fully concluded of and all things finished which belong to the pouring forth of the seuen vials which containe the seuen last plagues wherein the whole wrath of God is fulfilled as appeareth chap. 15. as before it is said Babylon is fallen chapter 15.1 because it should certainly fal So heere God himselfe saith It is done because it shal certainly be done For whatsoeuer God hath determined to be done is as it were alreadie done because it shall most certainlie be effected Sith then the Lord hath pronounced this of Rome there remaineth nothing but a dayly accomplishment of it and let all the papists know for a certaintie that they must go to their geare they must come to their paiment there is no way of euasion For hath the Lord spoken it and shall it not come to passe Now vpon this that God saith It is done followeth presentlie that there vvere voices and thunderings and lightenings chapter 16.18 and there vvas a great earthquake such as was not since men were vpon the earth euen so mightie an earthquake What is meant by thundrings lightenings and earthquakes in this Booke I haue before shewed to wit chapter 6.12 commotions seditions tumults vprores and alterations of states kingdomes and common-wealths and then the meaning of this place is that there shall be horrible shakings cōcussions tumults great alteration of states in al y e kingdoms which are subiect to Antichrist none of them shall escape For this seuenth viall of Gods wrath vpon the kingdome of the beast is compared to a most horrible and blustering tempest raised vp in the whole aire that is in all places of Antichrists dominions And it is specially to be noted as a thing of great moment that the holy Ghost saith There was neuer such an earthquake as this since the world beganne and since men were vpon the earth For assuredly so soone as the seuenth Angell poureth forth his viall the kingdome of Poperie shall go downe a maine which shall not belong before the end of the world as all circumstances heere doe shew After all this Saint Iohn telleth vs the effect of this thundering lightning and extraordinarie earthquake which is chapter 16.19 that the great citie was diuided into three parts that is there shall bee a most horrible rent and diuision in the citie of Rome and throughout all the Popes dominions What this rent and diuision is and how it shall bee I cannot determine being a thing to come as all the rest comprehended vnder the pouring forth of the seuenth viall But this I am sure of that Rome shall go downe and there shall be such tumults vprores rents diuisions dissipations and concussions in Rome and throughout all the Romish iurisdiction as neuer was heard of nor read of since the world began For Saint Iohn addeth that Babylon came in remembrance before God vers 19 to giue vnto her the cup of the wine of the fiercenesse of his wrath That is God doth now at length call to mind all the wrongs done to his people all the righteous bloud shed for the space of seuen or eight hundred yeers by the whoore of Babylon that he may be fully reuenged and execute the
we are therefore it was needfull for the better strengthning of their hope cōfort in afflictiōs that they should know the very time determined but because the Church of the christians liueth vnder most cleere comfortable promises of deliuerance therfore God according to his deepe wisedome would haue our faith exercised in an assured expectation of the accōplishment therof though the precise time be concealed An other reason may bee this the vtter ouerthrow of Rome falleth out to bee but a little before the comming of Christ to iudgement as appereth in this prophesie Now then if wee knew the day or yeere certainely when Rome should fall finally it would giue vs too much light vnto the knowledge of the last day which God in great wisedome hath of purpose hid from the knowledge of all men yea and of Angels I know right well that a certaine learned writer doth precisely determine the vtter destruction of Rome to fall out in the yeere of our Lord 1639. But by the fauour of so excellent a man bee it spoken I see no sufficient ground thereof But touching this matter of the time of Romes finall fall I will deliuer mine opinion and my reasons submitting my selfe to the iudgement of the learned for I would bee loth in this or any other thing to goe beyond my compasse or to passe the bounds of modestie and humilitie and therefore doe refer all to bee tryed by the sicle of the sanctuary I doe therefore thus iudge that the vtter ouerthrow of Rome shall bee in this age I meane within the age of a man my reason is this We of this age liue vnder the opening of the seauenth seale the blowing of the sixt trumpet and the powring foorth of the sixt vial For the first it is manifest because the opening of the seauenth seale containeth all things that shall fall out to the end of the world as hath beene shewed and proued before For the blowing of the sixt trumpet that also is plaine because vnder the blowing thereof the little booke was opened and the gospell preached as wee see in this age For the powring downe of the sixt viall of Gods wrath that also is most cleere because thereupon the great riuer Euphrates drieth vp and the Iesuits are sent out to sollicit the kings of the earth to battaile against the Church as wee see fulfilled in these our daies Then I reason thus Rome must fall downe finally in that age wherein the little booke is opened and the euerlasting gospell preached but in this age the little booke is opened and the euerlasting gospell preached therfore in this age Rome must fall downe finally And againe I reason thus Rome must fall downe finally in that age wherein the riuer Euphrates that is the fortification of Rome drieth vp and the Iesuits are sent forth to stop the leake thereof but all this falleth out in this age as wee see with our eies Therefore in this age Rome shall fall downe finally The reason of the proposition is because in this age the popish armies shall come to Armageddon Moreouer this I say and not I but the Lord when the seauenth Angell bloweth the seauenth trumpet then commeth the end of the world But the sixt Angell hath sounded the sixt trumpet long agoe as appeereth by the effects Therefore it cannot be long ere the seauenth Angell blow But Rome must fall downe finally before the seauenth Angell blow as hath beene shewed before Therefore the vtter fall of Rome cannot bee long deferred I doe not determine either of day month or yeere because it is not reuealed But I guesse at an age because the holy ghost pointeth vs vnto an agent But all these things I set downe for the comfort of Gods Church not desiring to vnderstand aboue that vvhich is meet to vnderstand but to vnderstand according to sobrietie Now it resteth to speake of the last maine point vvhich is the causes of Romes vtter ruine and ouerthrow chapter 14 8. Chap. 18.3 Chap. 19.3 Chap. 17 2. vvhich first of all are set downe foure seuerall times for falling to be because she made all nations drunke with the wine of the wrath of her fornication They which outwardly make others drunke or commit fornication vvith others are vvorthie to be seuerely punished How much sorer punishment are they vvorthie of vvhich doe the same spiritually and therfore vvoe be to Rome An other cause of the destruction of Rome is for that she hath shed the bloud of all the Prophets Martyrs chapter 16.6 Chap. 18.24 and Saints as it is vvritten In thee was found the bloud of the Prophets and of the Saints and of all that were slaine vpon the earth What is he vvorthie to haue that is a most cruell bloudsucker nay vvhat is he vvorthie to haue that shal murther a kings children yea that shall murther his eldest sonne and heire apparant to the crowne But Rome hath murthered thousands of the king of Heauens children Yea Rome hath murthered the great heire of Heauen and earth I meane the very sonne of God For Christ vvas put to death by the Romane power and authoritie and by a Romane Iudge chapter 11.8 as before hath bene shewed Therefore let all men iudge vvhat Rome is vvorthie to haue Moreouer S. Iohn telleth vs that Rome with her enchantments hath deceiued all-nations chapter 18.23 Then let the matter be referred to the iudgement of any indifferent man to determine and set downe vvhat punishment sorcerers and enchanters are vvorthie of especially spirituall sorcerers and enchanters Besides all this the holy ghost saith chapter 18.2 that Rome is the habitation of diuels and the hold of all foule spirits and a cage of euery vncleane hatefull bird What think you is like to come of an habitation of diuels What trow yee vvil be the end of a shoule of foule feends a company of most vgly mōstrous helcats What is like to become of a cage of Howles Rauens and Vultures Yea a nest of Vipers Toades Snakes Adders Cocatrices all the most stinging serpents and venemous vermin in the world What wil be the end of pild Priests filthie Friers maungy Monks roguing Iesuits Are not these a cage of vncleane birds What doe they studie what doe they plot what doe they practise euery daye but seditions periuries murthers cōspiracies treacheries treasons all maner of villanies If I had no other reason to persuad me that Rome shal fal come to a miserable end yet this onely would make me so to think that these villanous Iesuits do teach conclud in their cursed conuēticles y t it is not onely lawful but also meritorious to murther any christiā prince y t is not of their catholike religiō oh mōstrous villains ô most hideous helhoūds haue not these monsters suborned diuers desperate caitiffes to embrue their hands in the bloud of christian princes How many haue beene their plots now desperate
THE RVINE OF ROME OR AN EXPOSITION vpon the whole Reuelation Wherein is plainly shewed and proued that the Popish Religion together with all the power and authoritie of Rome shall ebbe and decay still more and more throughout all the Churches of Europe and come to an vtter ouerthrow euen in this life before the end of the world Written especially for the comfort of Protestants and the daunting of Papists Seminary Priests Iesuites and all that cursed rabble Published by Arthur Dent Preacher of the word of God at South-Shoobery in Essex Apoc. 18. vers 7.8 She saith in her heart I sit as a Queene and am no widow and shall see no mourning Therefore shall her plagues come at one day death and sorrow and famine and shee shall be burned with fire for that God which condemneth her is a strong Lord. LONDON THE EPISTLE TO THE Christian Reader BEing often requested gentle Reader and much importuned by sundry both learned and godly to publish that doctrine of the Apocalyps which diuers of them with liuely voyce heard publikely deliuered I did at last vpon my most mature deliberation yeeld vnto their reasonable request I meane the reasons of their request Indeed I doe ingeniously confesse that I am the vnmeetest of many which this age God be thanked doth afford to deale in a matter of so great importance or any wise to be imployed in so great and honourable a seruice as this is But if I doe industriously vse my small talent and be found faithfull in a little I hope it shall haue both chearefull and comfortable acceptation with the Church of God For this I presume will bee granted of all that hee which hath but a little strength and yet putteth it forth to the vttermost to doe good withall is more to be commended then he which hath thrise his strength and vseth it not to the helpe and benefit of others And true it is indeed that sundry worthy labours of diuers excellent men vpon the Apocalyps are already extant so as he may seeme to powre water into the Sea or goe about to mend the crowes eyes that will attempt to adde any thing to that which is already published But know this O Christian Reader that the Lords garden is so large and plentifull of all most sweete and pleasant flowers that where any one hath gathered a Nosegay most fragrant and delectable another may come after and gather another not to be contemned For the wisedome of God is such an vndrainable fountaine and head-spring that where one hath drawne much before another may come happely and draw as much afterward yea though thousands doe succeede yet can this fountaine neuer be drawne drie Be it farre from me to arrogate any thing to my selfe aboue others for I am priuy inough to mine owne meanes and do freely confesse that in this worke I haue receiued much light from others and therefore do not as a iudge giue sentence vpon other mens workes but as one that would furnish the same feast bring in my dish among them Or as one that in the same cause would come in as a third or a fourth witnesse to testifie and confirme the same thing And verily through the gracious assistance of Gods spirit my simple purpose and indeuor is to giue a lift to the vttermost of my power to further that which is already happily begun and to prouoke others of greater gifts to come after with their great lights and Lanternes in their hands to discry and discouer whatsoeuer in this Prophesie is not yet fully seene into I am not ignorant that some would not haue this booke medled withall nor in any wise to be expounded among the common people because say they it is so darke and hard to vnderstand But let all such leaue their owne opinions and hearken what the holy Ghost saith Blessed is he that readeth and they that heare the words of this Prophecy c. What can be said more or more effectually to stirre vs vp to heare and reade and with all gladnesse to embrace this booke then to tell vs that in so doing we shall be blessed For the thinges contained in this booke be no trifles they be not things onely for a shew to mooue wonderment or to delight the curious minds of men but such as indeed do giue true blessednesse vnto all those that are well instructed in them What thing is greater then to bee blessed for euermore If we be not exceeding dull yea euen like stockes and stones it must needs moue vs stir vs vp For who will wittingly willingly loose his own blessednes or suffer it to be taken from him when as he may haue it If any will obiect that a man may be blessed well inough without the knowledge of this booke and that there bee bookes inough in the Scripture to procure our blessednesse without this and that thousands are now in heauen which neuer knew what this booke meant I answere that all this doth not take away the necessary vse of this booke for the holy Ghost doth pronounce a blessing vpon the heads of those that reade and studie this booke not because a man cannot be saued without it but because of the great comfort which it ministreth vnto vs of this age and hath ministred vnto all the Churches since the Apostles times For it is the Prophesie of this age and the Prophesie of all the ages since Christ wherein is fully shewed what shall be the estate and conditiō of the Church in the seuerall ages thereof vnto the ende of the worlde For God according to his admirable wisdome mercy hath neuer from the beginning left his church without a Prophesie for the great comfort thereof For we know that immediately after the fall of our first parents God himselfe for the great comfort of his Church did foretell and foreprophesie long before of that restauration which should be made by the Messias his sonne according as it came to passe in the fulnesse of time Afterward he did foretell his people of Israel of their great seruitude and intollerable bondage in Egypt and also of the ende and full determination thereof after foure hundred and thirtie yeares After all this he foretold by his seruants the Prophets of the captiuitie in Babylon and the full expiration thereof at the end and tearme of seuentie yeares And yet further for the comfort and consolation of his people he foretold by Daniel and Ezechiel of the great afflictions troubles which his Church should endure by the persecutions of the diuided Greeke Empire I meane Alexanders posteritie especially the Kings of Egypt and Siria which descended of Ptolomeus and Seleucus whom the scripture calleth the Kings of the North and of the South by the space of 294 yeares and of the precise determination thereof at the comming of the Messias Loe then what care God hath had of his Church in all ages before the comming
of his sonne in the flesh so to foretell both of the affliction it selfe and also of the iust period and determination thereof And shall we not thinke that God hath the like care now for his church which then he had or hath he not as great and as prouident care for the good of his Church since the promised Messias was actually exhibited as before Yes assuredly and much more too for if his care and prouidence was so great for his Church being in her ward-ship and minoritie then much more now being come to her ripenesse and full age If when it was lesse glorious then much more now being farre more glorious Therefore now vnto vs he foretelleth by his seruant Iohn what shall be the estate of the Church vnto the end of the world and therefore Blessed is hee that heareth and readeth this booke sith it foretelleth of the Churches afflictions in this age by the whoore of Babylon and of the full end and determination thereof It sheweth iustly and precisely what the Church hath suffered since the Apostles times in seueral ages and what it shall suffer and also how all the enemies thereof shall shortly be troden vnder foote What can be more ioyfull 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 shal be vtterly confounded and consumed in this world notwithstanding all plottes and policies crafts and deuises to the contrary notwithstanding all forces armies cunningly contriued and raised vp against the Church by Seminary Priests Iesuites Pope Cardinall 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 vp the breaches which are made in the walles of Babylon their great citie But alas all in vaine for it shall fall It shal fall It shal fall as Dagon before the presence of the Arke do what they can spight of their hearts maugre their beards it shall fall finally it shall without all hope of recouery for hath the Lord spoken it and shall it not come to passe or can any word of his euer fall to the ground Sith therefore the Iesuits and Secular Priests do so fiske about and croake in euery corner as greatly fearing the fall of their Babylon and the drying vp of their Euphrates it standes vs all in hand to be as resolute for Christ as they are for Antichrist and as studious to vphold the kingdome of God as they are to vphold the kingdome of the diuel And for this purpose it is very requisite and necessary that all the Lords people should be acquainted with this booke and armed against them with the things reueald in this Prophesie For this booke is a most precious Iewell which God hath bestowed vpon his Church in this last age and it is great pitie that all the seruants of God are not better acquainted with it especially in these times for now in this age is and shall be the very heate of the warre and brunt of the battell betwixt Papists and Protestants betwixt God and Belial betwixt the armies of Christ and the armies of Antichrist Now this Prophesie laieth all open and plainly telleth vs what shal be the issue and successe in the day of battaile which side shall haue the victory and which side shall goe downe And therefore very needfull it is that it should be expounded againe and againe and all the Lords people made throughly aaquainted with it For in this age wherein we liue this Prophesie can neuer be inough opened and beaten vpon that all good Protestants may bee armed with it against future times euen as it were with an armour of proofe S. Iohn plainly telleth the people of his time euen the Churches of Asia that they should be blessed by reading and studying this booke because they should thereby be both forewarned and forearmed against many eminent troubles and future dangers For saith he The time is at hand that is to say some things were euen then to be fulfilled For some matters foretold in this booke did begin to be fulfilled euen presently after they were shewed vnto Iohn for the mistery of iniquitie did euen then begin to worke The Church in the Apostles time had her conflicts The ten great persecutions began euen then to be raised vp Heresies shortly after beganne to spring and sprout Afterward by degrees the great Antichrist did approach towards his cursed seate And after all this S. Iohn foretelleth how hee should take possession of his abhominable and most execrable seate and sea of Rome How he should raigne and rule for a time as the Monarche of the world How he should preuaile against the Church and make warre against the Saintes How he should raigne but a short time and afterward come tumbling downe as fast as euer he rose vp and decrease as fast as euer he increased Therefore Blessed is he saith S. Iohn that diligently readeth and peruseth this booke that thereby hee may foresee all these thinges and bee armed against them For as the Heathen man saith Leuius laedit quicquid praeuideris antè Foreseeing daungers do least hurt Now to apply all this to our times I say they are twise happie that are studious and painfull 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 stick fast to the euerlasting truth of God knowing for a certaintie that these sonnes of Belial shall not long preuaile The date of their raigne is almost out and the time draweth on apace wherein both they and their king Abaddon shal be laide in the dust But I will now proceed to a new reasō to proue that this booke of the Reuelations 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 ver 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 the doctrine of it may not be sealed vp that is to say kept close from the knowledge of Gods people but it must lie alwaies vnsealed that all men may open it read it and see what is in it for it is a borrowed speech taken from sealing of Letters For we all knowe that when Letters are sealed none may open them or reade them but onely those whom it doth concerne but if they be of purpose left vnsealed then any man may reade them without daunger So the Lorde willeth and commaundeth that this booke of the Reuelations should of purpose be left vnsealed that all the people of God might reade it studie it and knowe it If any man doubt whether the Metaphor
shewed and proued that the Popish Religion together with all the power and authoritie of Rome shall ebbe and decaie still more and more throughout all the Churches of Europe and come to an vtter ouerthrow euen in this life BEfore I enter into the exposition of this Prophesie I thinke it not amisse to handle sixe circumstantiall points which may giue some light to the whole matter following and they be these First the instrument that writ this booke Secondly the time when he writ it Thirdly the place where he receiued it Fourthly the persons to whom he writ it Fiftly the ende and vse of his writing this Prophesie Lastly the authoritie of it As touching the first it is agreed vpon amongst the soundest Diuines that Iohn the Apostle or Euangelist Iohn the Disciple whom Iesus loued was the Authour and Instrument of penning this Prophesie as hee himselfe testifieth saying I am Iohn which sawe these things and heard them And he receiueth a commaundement from Iesus Christ which hath the keies of hell death that hee should write the things which hee had seene and heard and set them all downe together in a booke Now we all know that the testimony of Iohn is of great weight though hee be but a man for hee is such a man as is firmely to be beleeued in all that he speaketh Hee is an Apostle an Instrument of the holy Ghost and so guided by the spirit of God that he speaketh vttereth nothing that is his owne He was well knowne to the Churches to be one of Christs Apostles his authoritie among all the faithfull was throughly knowne and approued For we must consider that what an Apostle did vtter hee did vtter it as the instrumēt of the spirit which cannot erre For the prophets Apostles did not write the holy scriptures as they were men only nor yet as they were Ministers of the church only but as they were the immediate certain instruments of the holy Ghost of purpose chosen set apart to pen publish the holy bookes of God This S. Peter confirmeth saying Prophesie came not in old time by the wil of man but holy mē of God spake as they were moued by the holy Ghost The Apostle Paul also affirmeth the same touching his Gospell which saith he was not after man neither receiued hee it of man but by the reuelation of Iesus Christ Therefore whē this our Apostle saith I am Iohn which saw these things and heard them hee giueth vs to vnderstand that hee was both an eye and an eare witnesse Hee bringeth not matters which he hath heard by vncertain report he deliuereth this book to the churches they which receiued it at his hāds did know him to be a most faithfull seruant of the Lord euen a great Apostle which deliuereth not any thing but that which he had receiued of the Lord and therfore he testifieth that he saw heard al the things which he hath written in this booke And moreouer he testifieth of himselfe that he was called and authorised by Iesus Christ to write this Prophesie did nothing herein of himselfe or of his own brain For saith he I Iohn heard behind me a great voice as it had bene of a trompet saying I am Alpha Omega the first and the last that which thou seest write in a booke send it vnto the Churches Here we see how Iohn is called authorised by Alpha and Omega that is Iesus Christ to write this doctrine of the Apocalyps But may some man say was not Iohn called before was he not one of the Lambes 12. Apostles had he not now many yeares executed the office of the Apostleship right faithfully must hee now haue a new calling a second calling what needs he being an Apostle to be called authorised again To this I answer that this matter now in hand was a new a special work and therfore requires a new special calling It is a strāge reuelation therfore requireth a new authoritie to meddle in it For in this prophesie God dealeth with Iohn as he did with the old prophets in like cases For whē he wold foreshew vnto any of thē speciall matters he called them by glorious visions as we may read what a goodly visiō Esay had what a vision ful of glory Ezechiel had what a visiō Daniel had euē in maiestie like vnto this which Iohn hath here Thus then it is to be considered Iohn now is as one of the old Prophets to foreshew things to come therefore the Lord appeareth vnto him in vision and calleth him and authoriseth him therevnto as he appeared vnto them called them Let this then suffice for a reason of Iohns new calling to his new worke and office And thus much touching the first circumstance Now followeth the second circumstance which is the time whē Iohn receiued this Prophesie which is noted to be vpon a Lords day It is the day which S. Paul to the Corinthians calleth the first day of the weeke in which the Churches did meete for the holy exercises in religion which is also euident because hee saith they came together to breake bread Now the obseruation of a seuenth day is of diuine institution euen from the beginning It is naturall morall and perpetuall for God blessed the seuenth day and sanctified it We are therfore to thinke that although Iohn now in his exile was absent in bodie from the church assemblies yet he was present with them in spirit commending them most earnestly vnto God in his holy praiers and meditations and therefore it is said that hee was rauished in the spirit vpon the Lords day So we reade that the like befell vnto Daniel when hee was prisoner in Babylon the like also vnto Ezechiel who was taken by the spirit in the visions of God and carried to Ierusalem The like to Peter the like to Paul But the speciall reason of Iohns rauishment in the spirit at this time was that thereby hee might be made more fit and capable to receiue and vnderstand all those great mysteries and heauenly visions which now should be shewed vnto him And withall let vs obserue that all men are alwaies most capable of heauenly things when they are most in the spirit for God doth euermore most reueale himselfe to such as are most in praier reading and meditation and to such as make greatest conscience to spend his Sabaoths Christianly and religiously according to his great commandement And let vs alwaies be sure of this that the more feruent zealous we are in religious duties the more familiar acquaintance we shall finde with God and he will at all times be the more open-hearted vnto vs and will hide nothing from vs that may be for his glorie and our good For such as are much in heauenly contemplatiō he doth reckē not amongst his seruants but amongst his dearest friendes
againe and the Papists looke for a day It stands vs then all vpon which loue Christ and his Gospell that wee should be well appointed and throughly armed against them And for this purpose the Reuelation of S. Iohn is of great vse necessitie As I said before so I say againe that it is the Prophesie of our time written to this speciall ende that by it wee might bee both fore-warned and fore-armed If wee doo consider the whole matter of this booke wee shall easily finde out the vse and end of it For the excellent matter of it doth argue the excellent ende and vse of it Now then as concerning the generall matter of this booke here are to bee founde very large and liuely descriptions of the most glorious person of Christ chapter 1 and all his excellent offices both of King Priest and Prophet and also most notable descriptions of the Church and of the Ministers of it and of the persecutions and afflictions which it must of necessitie passe through in this world Also of Gods mercifull prouidence for his Church and most vigilant care ouer it in the middest of all extremities Here are set before our eyes very liuely descriptions of the Churches deadly enemies both of Sathan himselfe and his three great instruments the Romaine Emperour the Pope and the Turke Here are set downe all their cruell persecutions of the Church and their vtter ouerthrowe in the ende Here are described hell death the resurrection and the last iudgement Here also the very kingdome of heauen is at large described with all those great rewards infinite glory and endlesse felicitie which remaine for all the faithfull worshippers of God I conclude therefore that for as much as this Prophesie is of such excellent contents therefore the vse and necessitie of it must needes bee verie great And for this cause Iohn is willed and commaunded by Alpha and Omega chapter 1.19 to write the things which hee had seene the things that were and the things that shall come hereafter By the things which he had seene is meant that glorious vision mentioned in the first Chapter vers 13 14 15 16. wherein Iesus Christ did appeare vnto him in the middest of the seuen golden Candlestickes in most glorious manner as is there described And all this was in the I le of Pathmos where Iohn was first called and authorised to this worke and therfore he is willed first of all to record this vision which hee had alreadie seene By the things that are hee meaneth the present state of the seuen Churches of Asia which were then the most flourishing Churches in the world as they are described in the second and third Chapters and in them the estate of all other Churches By the things that shal be he meaneth all the prophesies of this booke which were to bee fulfilled in their time al those strange accidents which should come to passe in processe of time and the seuerall ages of the Church euen vnto the end of the world Thus we see how Iohn receiueth a precise commandement from the sonne of God to write things past present to come that they might stand in record vnto all posterities from generation to generation Thus much touching the fift circumstance which is the ende and vse of this booke Now followeth to speake of the last circumstantiall point which is the authoritie of this Prophesie which is strongly confirmed from the Author of it which is Iesus Christ and therefore it is called the Reuelation of Iesus Christ which God gaue vnto him chapter 1.1 And againe it is written I Iesus sent mine Angell to testifie these things in the Churches chapter 22 16. Here wee see plainely that Iesus Christ the very sonne of God the Alpha and Omega is the Author of this booke for hee subscribes his name vnto it and sets his hand and seale vnto it Needes therefore must the authoritie of it bee very great which commeth from so great a personage for looke what dignitie and authoritie he is of from whom the booke commeth of the same dignitie authoritie is the booke it selfe An other strong argument to confirme the authoritie of this booke may be taken from the protestation of Iesus Christ in these words I protest vnto euery man that heareth the words of the Prophesie of this booke chapter 22 18. if any man shall adde vnto these things God shall adde vnto him the plagues that are written in this booke And if any shall diminish of the words of the booke of this Prophesie God shall take away his part out of the booke of life Here wee see how Iesus Christ maketh the authoritie of this booke equall to all other the Oracles of God to the which it is not lawfull for any man to adde or detract vnder paine of condemnatiō It maketh much also for the authoritie of this booke that S. Iohn doth so often repeate reiterate and inculcate his owne name I Iohn I Iohn I Iohn I Iohn the Apostle I Iohn the Euangelist I Iohn the Diuine Shewing by all these repetitions how needfull a thing it was that the faithfull should bee throughly instructed who he was euen one of the Lambes twelue Apostles and therefore to be voide of all suspition and doubt concerning the authoritie of this booke and not once to imagine it to bee any inuention of man or faigned deuice sith it was penned by so great an Apostle Moreouer the authoritie of this Prophesie is confirmed by foure reasons in the last chapter The first is the affirmatiō of the Angell who saith chapter 22.6 7 8. These words are faithfull true The second is the authoritie of the most high God himselfe in these wordes vers 6 The Lorde God of the holy Prophets sent his Angell to shewe vnto his seruants the things which must shortly bee fulfilled The third is the testimonie of Iesus who pronounceth them blessed which keepe the words of this Prophesie For saith he Behold I come shortly vers 7 Blessed is hee that keepeth the words of his Prophesie The fourth and last is the witnesse of Iohn in these words I am Iohn which heard and sawe these things vers 8 Now it may bee demaunded what is the cause that here are so many things heaped vp for the confirmation of the authoritie of this booke Surely wee must thinke there is some speciall cause and reason of it For the holy Ghost dooth not vse to deale so much and so earnestly in a matter but vpon great cause We may easily gather what the cause is This booke painteth out the whore of Babylon and the whole kingdome of the great Antichrist together with all Sathans cunning and sleight therein and for this cause Sathan hath laboured especially to weaken the credit and authoritie of this booke Hee by some meanes in olde time preuailed thus farre that euen among some Churches of true Christians the authoritie and truth of it was doubted
of The holy Ghost did well foresee this practise of Sathan and therefore bringeth the moe reasons for the confirmation therof If the credit and authoritie of this booke should neuer haue bene impugned there needed not any such special confirmatiō But now God be thanked there is no question or controuersie concerning the authoritie of this Prophesie It is receiued as authenticall by the common consent of all the Churches Almost all the auncient Fathers do acknowledge it to bee Canonicall The new writers doo with one voice giue their consent approbation vnto it The Papists themselues do acknowledge it to bee the sacred vndoubted word of God though of al scriptures they cannot endure it should be medled withall because it cutteth them so neare the bone Moreouer it may not be omitted that God is called the Lord God of the holy Prophets chapter 22. verse 6. which proueth that this Prophesie is of equall authoritie with the Prophesies which were of olde in as much as the same God is the Author of it And this booke is to be held in the same account with the bookes of Moses and of the Prophets for all things contained in it shall as certainly be fulfilled in their time as theirs were In Esay in Ieremie in Ezechiel in Daniel and in the rest we find many things which the Lord shewed by thē lōg before they came to passe Euē so there be many things foreshewed fore-prophesied in this booke which in their time shal be assuredly fulfilled Nay we see and know that many things here fore-tolde are already fulfilled some things are come to passe euen in these our daies Hee that shall looke into the times that are past since this Prophesie was giuē shal finde that all things haue fallen out agreeable to the Prophesie of this booke And surely if there were none other thing to perswade vs touching the authoritie thereof this might suffice that euery thing hath fallen out iust and iumpe as this Prophesie did foreshewe It is our great negligence that we do not clearely see so much And I do humbly entreate all the people of God to looke more diligently and narrowly into it in all time to come And thus much concerning the circumstances Now as concerning the booke it selfe it may very fitly be deuided into three visions as it were into three generall parts The first vision is contained in the three first Chapters The second vision is contained in the next eight Chapters following from the 4. to the 12. Chapter And the last vision is contained in all the Chapters following from the 12. to the ende As concerning the first vision my purpose is not to stand much vpon it because it is plaine and easie to vnderstand and because it containeth no Prophesies of things to come but onely openeth the present state of the Church at that time also because I haue alreadie touched the summe of it in handling the circumstantiall points I will therefore content my selfe with a very briefe opening and resolution of it beginning at the first Chapter CHAP. I. The summe of the first Chapter THe first Chapter containeth foure principall things The Title of the booke The salutation of the Churches The maner of Iohns calling to receiue this Prophesie The description of Christ the person that calleth him The Title of the booke is set downe in these words The Reuelation of Iesus Christ which God gaue him vers 1 It containeth three things First the Author of the booke which is Iesus Christ receiuing it from God the Father vers 1.2 Secondly the end and vse of this booke which is to shewe vnto all the seruants of God the things which must shortly be done vers 3 Thirdly the singular fruite and benefite which the Church shall receiue by it in these words Blessed is he that readeth and they that heare the words of this Prophesie c. vers 4 The salutation is in these words Iohn to the seuen Churches which are in Asia Grace bee with you peace c. It containeth a description of the Trinitie or three persons in the God-head The Father is described of his eternitie namely to be he which is which was and which is to come vers 4 The holy Ghost is described of his diuerse gifts and operations and therefore is called the seuen spirits which are before the Throne or which proceed from the Throne but S. Iohn speaketh here of the holy Ghost according to the vision shewed him in the fift chapter where Christ is said to haue seuen eyes which are the seuen spirits of God sent into all the the world Of the which afterward vers 5 6. Iesus Christ is described of his three great offices of King Priest and Prophet and also of his glorious power and eternitie vers 7.8 First touching his kingly office hee is called the Prince of the Kings of the earth that is vers 5 King of Kings for he is King of Sion He is a King to rule and gouerne his Church Hee must raigne ouer the house of Iudah for euer Hee must raigne ouer all his enemies and in the middest of all his enemies euen till he haue trode them all vnder his feete And this benefite we haue by it that we are made Kings in him in this life to raigne ouer our corrupt affections and after this life to raigne as crowned kings foreuer with him in infinite glorie and endlesse felicitie Secondly touching his Priest-hood vers 5 hee is said to loue vs and wash vs from our sinnes in his bloud For hee is our onely high Priest which by his owne bloud hath once entred into the holy place and obtained eternall redemption for vs. Hee onely it is which through the eternall Spirit offered himselfe without fault to God to purge our consciences from dead workes to serue the liuing God So then by vertue of his Priest-hood and sacrifice wee are reconciled vnto God haue free accesse vnto the throne of grace and are made Priests in him to offer vp spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through him vers 6 For hee hath made vs Kings and Priests vnto God euen his Father Thirdly concerning his Propheticall office hee is called that faithfull witnesse For hee said to Pilate vers 5 For this cause was I borne and for this cause came I into the world that I might beare witnesse vnto the truth And the Apostle saith Hee witnessed vnder Pontius Pilate a good confession So then Iesus Christ is one of those three great witnesses which beare record in heauen Iesus Christ is the Prince of Prophets euen that great Prophet that should come into the world through whom all the counsels of God are reuealed vnto vs he is that only begotten son which is come downe from the bosome of his Father and hath made knowne vnto vs whatsoeuer he hath receiued of his Father Hee both by his doctrine life and miracles hath borne witnesse vnto the truth
flye a very high pitch we are giuen to vnderstand that the heauenly spirits are much in celestiall contemplation and do receiue the knowledge of hid secrets and counsels for they are much aloft about the throne of God and many high and deepe secrets are opened vnto them And the foure beasts had each of them sixe winges about him and they were full of eyes within c. vers 8 This maketh it very plaine that by these beasts are vnderstood the sixe Angels because he ascribeth vnto euery one of them sixe wings a piece For the Angels are described with winges both in the first and tenth of Ezechiel before mentioned and also in the sixt Chapter of the prophesie of Isaias where the Seraphins are saide to haue sixe wings a piece two to couer their faces two to couer their feete and two to flie withall because they haue two wings to couer their faces withall because they are not able to endure the vnconceiuable brightnesse and glory of God for he dwelleth in vnapproachable light They haue two wings to couer their feete withall because mortall men are not able to looke vpō the brightnes that is in them For we read that many haue bin astonished dazeled with the glory brightnes of Angels so glorious creatures are they They haue two wings to flie withall to note the prompt obedience and readinesse to execute the commandements of God as formerly was shewed Moreouer the angels are saide to haue winges and to flie swiftly because God by them doth speedily dispatch many purposes actions seruices here below and for this cause the scripture affirmeth that he rideth vpon the Cherubins that he dwelleth betweene the Cherubins and that he maketh the cloudes his chariots and walketh vpon the winges of the winde For as earthly Kings are in their progresses carried in their most sumptuous coaches drawne by the most excellent coach-horses to dispatch great businesses and many waightie affaires within their dominions so the visions in Ezechiel doo shewe that the immortall king is carried most swiftly in his chariot of triumph drawne by the Cherubins as it were by beasts to direct and ouerrule all actions vnder the Sunne Moreouer these Angels are said to be full of eies within vers 8 to note not only their fulnesse of knowledge but also their inward sight into all heauenly things yea euen such as are most secret and hid for they are of all other creatures most inward with God None of his children know so much of his counsell as they Furthermore the Angels are here said to praise God vncessantly vers 8 day and night saying holy holy holy Lord God almightie which was which is and which is to come Where wee may clearely see that the Angels praise and worship God in a burning zeale without wearinesse For they are not as men which through their great corruption are full of dulnesse and wearines in Gods worship but they do alwaies serue him with infatigable desires and therefore are called Seraphins because they burne in the zeale of God and Cherubins because their delight is to approach neer vnto him and to be alwaies about his throne yea euen in his chamber of presence They do double and treble this word holy and warble much vpon it because they know full well that hee is righteous in all his waies and holy in al his workes and that all his proceedings iudgemēts are euen then waighed in the ballance of iustice and equitie when to mans sence the iudgement of reason they seeme nothing lesse For his Iudgements are as a great depth which mans reason cannot found Further wee see that when these beastes that is vers 9 the Angels gaue glory and honour and thankes to God c. vers 10 the 24. Elders also fell downe before him and worshipped him that liueth for euermore Where we may plainely see that both Saints and Angels doo iointly praise and magnifie God and him alone Euen that God that liueth for euermore euen that God which was which is and which is to come that is the eternall and euerlasting God For the scripture saith Praise him ô yee Saints and praise him ô yee Angels that excell in strength And the 24. Elders cast their crownes before the throne saying Thou art worthy ô Lord to receiue glory and honour c. Wherein wee see that all the elect doo emptie themselues of all worthinesse to haue any glorie acknowledging that their crownes of glorie are Gods free gift that the praise therof belōgeth onely to him and nothing to themselues And this in very deede is the right manner of worshipping God frankely to ascribe all glorie to him and all shame to our selues to giue all to him to whome all is due and nothing to our selues which haue nothing for nothing can bee giuen or taken out of nothing Now then to conclude and winde vp this fourth chapter wee doo clearely see the summe and drift of all is that heauen doore was opened vnto Iohn and that hee was let in and called vp into the Chamber of presence by a very loude voice there to take notice of the future estate of the church and that the person which thus called him vp was the very immortall God himselfe who is so gloriously described of his throne his troupes and traines of Saints Angels as we haue heard And all this is to commend set forth the authoritie of this booke whose Author is so excellent yea superexcellent CHAP. V. AFter this Vision containing the glory of the diuine maiestie was shewed vnto Iohn that hee might knowe from what fountaine this Prophesie was deriued now in this fift chapter is taught and shewed by what meanes and by whose mediation the knowledge of such hidden mysteries were reuealed vnto the church namely by the meanes and mediation of Iesus Christ in whom only the counsels and secrets of God the Father are opened and made knowne vnto men For hee is the great Prophet Doctor of the church which is come downe from the bosome of his Father and hath made knowne vnto vs whatsoeuer he hath receiued of his Father as hee himselfe testifieth And the church is commaunded by a voice from heauen to heare him and him alone ver 1.2.3.4 This fift Chapter containeth three things generally First a description of the booke which was in the right hand of God ver 5.6.7 Secondly a description of Iesus Christ which receiueth it at the hande of his Father and openeth it Thirdly a description of those most glorious praises which are giuen to Christ by the Angels vers 8.9.10.11.12.13.14 Saints and all the creatures in heauen and earth I sawe in the right hand of him that sate vpon the throne vers 1 a booke written within and on the backe side sealed with seuen seales By this booke here mentioned is meant this present booke of the Apocalyps or Reuelatiō as it shall plainely appeare in the
iustly cause the worlde to smart for it and make them with sorrowe inough to feele the punishment of the Gospell reiected And whē he had opened the fourth seale vers 7 I heard the voice of the fourth beast say Come and see And I looked and beholde a pale horse vers 8 and his name that sate on him was Death and hell followed after him c. This pale horse signifieth the pestilence and other contagious diseases which God most iustly brought vpon the world for the contempt of the Gospel and the murthering of Christe and his Apostles and as I noted before out of the scriptures that when God commeth either in mercy or iudgement he is said to come on horsebacke to note his expedition and swiftnesse both in the one and the other so as before Christ is vppon the white horse the diuell vpon the red horse famine vpon the black horse so here death and hell are said to be vpon the pale horse for pestilence and death maketh men looke pale but being dead hee saith hell followed For assuredly hell doth alwaies followe the death of the bodie excepting those onely whom Christ hath deliuered from hell and damnation by the power of his death Thus then it is the redde horse with blood the blacke horse with famine the pale horse with pestilence haue power giuen them ouer the fourth part of men to murther kill and slea as all stories doe shewe that for the reiecting of Christ and his Gospell these plagues were carried as it were on horsebacke ouer a great part of the worlde Now as touching this famine and pestilence which fell out vpon the opening of the third and fourth seales they are to bee referred vnto those times especially wherein the Hunnes Gothes and Vandales and other barbarous nations which were the wasters of the world did waste decaie the Romane Empire both farre and neare Wherevppon grew this famine scarsitie and pestilence and straunge diseases heere spoken of about some 300. yeares after Christ and somewhat more And when hee had opened the fift seale I sawe vnder the Aultar the soules of them that were killed for the word of God and for the testimonie which they maintained c. Heere is discouered the state of the Martyrs after this life and the condition of the spirits of all iust and perfect men For whereas it might bee demaunded what became of all those heapes and multitudes of men which were slaine for the testimonie of Iesus in the tenne great persecutions it is here answered that they were vnder the Aultar Iohn in a Vision seeth them vnder the Aultar That is vnder the mercifull protection of Christ in heauen who for them and for vs all was made both Aultar Priest and Sacrifice This Aultar Christ is afterward called the golden Aultar which is before the throne of God chapter 8.3 So then it is cleare that the soules of the Martyrs were with Christ in glory For hee saith to his disciples Where I am there shall you be also And in an other place he saith If I were lift vp from the earth I will drawe all men vnto me that is all beleeuers Then it followeth that the soules of these iust and righteous men were in Paradise and in Abrahams bosome which is the very port and hauen of saluation For although the persecuting Emperours and other tyrants of the earth had power to kill theyr bodies yet had they no power ouer theyr soules as our Lorde Iesus affirmeth vers 10 And they cryed with a loude voice saying How long Lord holy and true doest thou not iudge and auenge our bloud on them that dwell vpon the earth Here wee see plainely that the soules of the Martyrs doo very vehemently crye for vengeance vpon these cruell tyrants which shead their bloud Moreouer they crie for it speedily and seeme to be impatient of delay But it is to be obserued that they doo not this in any hatred or priuate desire of reuenge in respect of any wrong or crueltie shewed to them but in a very loue and burning zeale of the Kingdome and glory of Christ and whatsoeuer desire they haue it is wholy to that ende Wherefore they are here vnder a figure brought in crying for vengeance rather to expresse what iudgement of God tarrieth for the cruell persecutors then to shewe what minde they beare towards them For it is indeede their cause that cryeth for vengeance And as Abels bloud so theyr bloud cryeth aloude in the eares of the Lorde of Hoastes for reuenge Moreouer wee may not imagine or gather out of this loude crying of the Martyrs in heauen that they haue any disturbance impatience disquietnesse or any discontentment there But this they do in a feruent desire of that fulnesse of glorie which they assuredly hope for and looke for in the consummation of all things when both their soules and bodies shall be ioyned together And long white robes were giuen vnto euery one vers 11 and it was said vnto them that they should rest for a little season vntil their fellow seruants their brethren which should be killed euen as they were were fulfilled These white robes do signifie that honour glory and dignitie wherevnto not onely the Martyrs but also all other faithfull beleeuers are aduanced in the chambers of peace for so white robes are to bee vnderstood in sundrie other places of this booke And this doth plainely proue that the Martyrs were now in glory with Christ Now as concerning the answere to their complaint and crie it was this that they should be content and haue patience for a little season for the time remaining to the ende of the worlde was but as a day with God and as a moment in comparison of eternitie and the reason of the delay is yeelded which is this that there were numbers of others their bretheren in the worlde which should bee martyred and slaine for the truth as well as they vnder the great Antichrist of Rome and the bloudie Turke at and vpon the opening of the sixt and seuenth seale And therefore in consideration that the most wise God had decreed and fore-determined with himselfe in his most secret and hid counsell to bring multitudes of others to glory by the same way and meanes that they themselues were brought that therefore in the meane time beeing so short a time they should rest satisfied and contented And hereby the way we see what staieth the comming of Christ vnto iudgement namely this that the number of his Martyrs and Saints and all such as he hath chosen vnto life are not yet accomplished vers 12 And I behelde when hee opened the sixt seale and loe there was a great earthquake and the Sun was as black as sackcloath of haire and the Moone was like bloud vers 13 And the starres of heauen fell vnto the earth as a figge-tree casteth her green figges when it is shaken of a mightie winde vers 14 And heauen departed
they do sound the alarum at the commandement of God These Angels are propounded as 7. in number because it pleased not God at once to powre downe his wrath vpon the rebellious worlde but at diuers times and by peecemeale Whether these were good or bad Angels it is not material to dispute seeing God executeth his iudgements both by the one and the other Moreouer it is specially to be obserued that the blowing of these seuen trumpets doo all belong to the opening of the seuenth seale and are as it were the seuen parts thereof for the things which fall out vpon the blowing of these seuen trumpets do reach euen vnto the last iudgement as the Angell sweareth chap. 10.6.7 vers 3 Then an other Angel came stood before the Aultar hauing a golden Censor much odours was giuen vnto him that hee should offer with the praiers of all Saints vpon the golden Aultar which is before the throne We heard before that whē the course of the Gospell was stopt by the diuell and his instruments yet God was very carefull for the safetie and sealing vp of his owne seruāts so likewise we are now to heare of the like care and prouidence For now that errors and heresies were to be sowne in the world whereby many were corrupted and that he himselfe from heauen dooth proclaime open enmitie against the despisers of his Gospell by giuing them vp to blindnesse and error hee doth double his care and prouidence to all his faithfull worshippers For here wee do plainely see that the Church hath a mediator and that he which keepeth Israel neither slumbreth nor sleepeth And therfore when the wrath of God doth most of all breake forth vpon the world for the contempt of his graces yet the Church is remembred and set in safetie with all her children For her praiers come vp before God and are accepted through the same mediator And this is the sense and drift of this third verse By this Angell is meant Iesus Christ the Angell of the couenant as we haue heard before who is not an Angell by nature but by office It is manifest that in the olde lawe there was a golden Aultar and a golden Censor in which the Priest did burne sweete incense before the Lorde which did figure the mediation of Christe in whome the prayers of the Saintes are accepted Now heere the holy Ghost alludeth to that sacrificing Priest-hood of the olde Testament where incense was offered at the Aultar which now is the sweet sauour of the death of Christ through whom both we and all our sacrifices are seasoned sweetned Who therefore is this Angell but Christ Who is the golden Aultar but Christ What are the sweete odours with the which the prayers of all Saintes come before God but the most sweet mediation of the Lord Iesus What is meant by the smoake of the odours which with the praiers of the Saints went vp before God out of the Angels hand Surely the sweete incense of Christs mediation wherwith our praiers are spiced and perfumed that they might be as sweete smelling sacrifices in the nosthrils of God For as water cast into a fire raiseth a smoake so the teares of the faithfull besprinkeled in their praiers make them as sweete incense acceptable to God through Christ The summe of all is this that in the midst of all these heresies and those hellish troubles which should be raised vp by the Pope his Cleargie the Turke and his armies as in the next chapter wee shall see the elect haue their praiers heard for their preseruation by the merits of Christ vers 5 And the Angell tooke the Censor and filled it with the fire of the Aultar and cast it into the earth and there were voices thundrings lightnings earthquakes Here we see how Iesus Christ taketh the Censor and filleth it with the fire of the Aultar that is the graces and gifts of the spirit for so the fire of the Aultar is taken in Esay In this sense it is said that our Lord Iesus should baptise with fire and the holy Ghost that is the gifts and graces of the holy Ghost In this sense also the holy Ghost did rest vpon the Disciples in the likenesse of clouen tongues like fire wherevpon they were all filled with gifts and graces The holy Ghost is compared to fire because hee burneth out our drosse purgeth the hearts of the faithfull and setteth them on fire with the burning loue and zeale of Gods glorie So then it followeth that as before there was prouision had for the safetie of the Church by her Mediator so here many heauenly giftes and graces are bestowed vpon her For Christe casteth this fire of the Aultar vpon the earth that is vpon his elect dwelling in the earth Herevpon it is saide that there were voices and thundrings c. that is all manner of broiles tumults vprores slaughters and diuisions For after the Gospell was sounded forth in the Church by the power of the holy Ghost the diuell is disturbed and the worlde molested And hence spring all these broiles and tumults thundring and lightning and wee must looke for such stirres after the preaching of the Gospell whilest there is a worlde and a diuell Therefore our Lord Iesus saith hee came not to bring peace into the earth but fire and sworde and to sette a man at variance against his father and likewise the daughter against her mother c. for diuisions and ciuill dissentions doo alwaies followe the preaching of the Gospell which thing yet is not simply in the nature of the Gospell which is a Gospell of peace but accidentally through the frowardnesse and corruption of mans nature which will not yeelde vnto it but most stubbornely rebelleth against it vers 6 Then the seuen Angels which had the seuen Trompets prepared themselues to blowe Now beginneth this open warre to be proclaimed against the world for their great vngodlinesse and rebellion against the truth vers 7 So the first Angell blew the Trompet and there was haile and fire mingled with blood and they were cast into the earth and the third part of trees was burnt and all greene grasse was burnt It were absurd to imagine that any thing in this Verse is to bee taken literally seeing in the literall sense there was neuer any such matter Therefore of necessitie it must be expounded mystically and allegorically therefore by this haile and fire mingled with blood is meant errours and heresies For as haile doth beate downe corne and destroy the fruits of the earth fire doth consume and blood doth corrupt and putrifie So false doctrine and heresie doth annoy consume and corrupt the soules of men For it is saide that all these being mingled together were cast vpon the earth that is the inhabitants of the earth and the third part of the trees that is numbers of men or a verie great part of the worlde was
And the forme of the Locusts was like vnto horses prepared vnto battel on their heads were as it were crownes like vnto gold their faces was like the faces of men vers 8 And they had haire as the haire of women and their teeth were as the teeth of Lyons Hitherto we haue heard of the petigrew poisoned stings of these vile Locusts and how they vexed the inhabitants of the earth all the time of the great Antichrist Now we are to vnderstand of their form and likenesse for the spirit of God dooth here paint them out in their colours that all men may discerne them and beware of them First it is said that they were like vnto horses prepared vnto battell that is they were as strong and fierce as barred horses to rush and run vpon all such as should but once mute or mutter against them or their authoritie Moreouer they haue crownes of golde vpon their heads which sheweth and signifieth that they were the conquerors of the earth Lords of the world and who but they for in those daies no man nay no Lord or King durst quitch against a Monke a Frier or a pild Priest for if any did they were sure to smart for it They had also faces like the faces of men that is they set faire faces vpon matters and pretended great deuotion in religion flattering the people and making them beleeue that they could giue them pardon of all their sinnes and bring them to heauen when as in very truth for their bellies and for their gaine they did cunningly smoothe with the nobles the rich the mightie setting faire faces vpō al their proceedings and as S. Peter saith Through couetousnes with fained words they made merchandise of mens soules and did closely winde themselues into the hearts of the simple people by their fawning insinuations being in very deede most notable flatterers and hypocrites They had haire as the haire of women that is they were altogether effeminate being giuen to delicacie lust and wantonnesse they were drowned in whoredome al kind of beastlinesse being a shoale of most filthy villaines Their teeth were as the teeth of Lyons to catch snatch all that they could come by They deuoured all the fat morsels euery where they got the church-liuings into their hands they first made impropriations they incroached vpon temporall mens lands they swallowed vp all euerie where If we looke vpon the Abbeys Priories and Nunneries wee may easily iudge what teeth they had Moreouer it is said they had Habbergions like to Habbergions of Irō that is they were so strongly armed with the defence countenāce of the Pope that no secular power durst once quitch against thē Their wings were like the sounde of chariots when many horses runne vnto battell that is with fluttering noise terrible threatnings they stroue to vpholde their kingdome Also in Churches and Pulpits they make a roaring noise and take on terribly to maintaine their abhominable Idolatry They had tailes like vnto scorpions and there were stings in their tailes vers 10 For with their poisoned doctrine stinging authoritie like adders snakes they stung many to death Moreouer power was giuen them to hurt men fiue moneths that is all the time of Antichrists raigne as before hath bene shewed vers 11 They haue a king ouer them which is the angell of the bottomelesse pit whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon and in Greeke he is named Apollyon that is destroying As the foules haue a king ouer them which is the Eagle the beastes the Lyon mortall men some chiefe gouernour vnder whose protection and subiectiō they liue so here these hellish Locusts are said to haue a king ouer them which is the Angell of the bottomlesse pit that is the diuell or the Pope which you will vnder whose ensigne they fight and vnder whose defence they liue Their kings name in Hebrew is called Abaddon and in Greeke Apollyon The words are both of one signification that is destroying for both the diuell himself his vicar the Pope are destroiers and wasters of the Church of God One woe is past And beholde yet two woes come after this vers 2 Wee haue heard at large what this first woe is namely the plague of the worlde by the Pope and his Cleargie Now wee are to heare of the seconde woe which is the most huge and murthering army of the Turkes wherein the third part of men were slaine Some do expound this second woe of the kingdome of Antichrist and his armies but that it is not so may appeare by these reasons following First the Angell denouncing woe woe woe denounceth three seueral woes and therefore it is said One woe is past and behold yet two woes come after this It followeth then that this is a distinct and seueral woe from the former and therfore cannot be the same Secondly this woe containeth specially a bodily slaughter of the third part of the world and of the wicked reprobates but the first woe was specially a plague of mens soules as we haue heard and therefore this cannot be the same with the first Thirdly we are to vnderstand that this booke describeth all the greatest calamities and plagues that should come vpō the world in any age after Christ and therfore we may iustly think that the kingdome of the Turkes is not left out seeing it was one of the greatest plagues that euer came vpon the world But the kingdome of the Turkes is described in no other part of this Reuelation and therefore must of necessitie be here described vers 13 Then the sixt Angel blew the trumpet and I heard a voice from the foure corners of the golden Aultar which is before God vers 14 Saying to the sixt Angell which had the trumpet loose the foure Angels which are bound in the great riuer Euphrates Now we are come to the description of the second woe which followeth vpon the blowing of the sixt trumpet by the sixt Angell And first of all hee saith He heard a voice frō the foure corners of the goldē Aultar chapter 8.3 By the golden Aultar is meant Christ as before hath bene shewed with the reasons thereof Frō this Aultar the voice commeth to the angel which blew the sixt trumpet that wee might knowe it is the voice of the mighty God the cōmandemēt of our Lord Iesus The voice commandeth the sixt Angell to loose the foure Angels which are bound in the great riuer Euphrates By these foure Angels which are thus bound at Euphrates is meant many diuels or angels of darkenesse as we heard before chap. 7. verse 1. Their binding signifieth their restraint by which they were helde backe from doing that mischiefe which they desired to do Their loosing signifieth that power was giuen them to performe that which they wished They are saide to bee foure in number because they should raise an horrible plague in the foure corners of the earth both East
Lyons that is they were full of stomack fiercenes and out of their mouthes went forth fire smoake and brimstone that is they had the same colours and ensignes vpon them that their riders had Of these three was the third part of mē killed that is vers 18 of the fire of the smoake and of the brimstone which came out of their mouthes Here is set downe the great slaughters and massacres which these martiall horsmen Turkish armies made throughout the most part of Europe For hee saith the third part of men that is great numbers in Europe were slaine by the fire the smoake and the brimstone which came out of their mouthes that is by their bloudy crueltie barbarous immanitie some being murthered in their bodies by cruell death others violently drawne to the wicked religiō of Mahomet For partly by externall violence and partly by a subtill shewe of religion and deuotion they destroied thousands both in their soules bodies And therefore it is said vers 19 Their power is in their mouthes and in their tailes For their tailes were like vnto serpents and had heads wherewith they hurt But for the better vnderstanding of these things I thinke it not amisse a little to open and lay forth the rising vp and encreasing of the power of the Turke About the yeare of our Lord 591. was Mahomet borne in a certaine village of Arabia called Itrarix for so Histories do report This Mahomet by fraude and cousenage grew into great credit and fame among the seditious Arabians and Egyptians in so much that they made him a captaine ouer them to warre against the Persians After this hee married a rich wife and by that meanes he wonne the hearts of many with gifts In the daies of Heraclius the Emperour which was in the yeare of our Lord 623. he grew to be very mightie After this he faigned himselfe to be a Prophet and said that he had visions and reuelations and talked with Angels And so by the helpe of Sergius a Monke hee framed a new worship and religion patched partly out of the olde Testament partly from the Papists and partly from the Heathen Hee raigned nine yeares and so died After him succeeded in the kingdome of the Saracens Ebubezer who raigned two yeares Haumar who raigned twelue yeares Muhauias who raigned 24. yeares All these made great warres against the Persians and sundrie other nations and ouercame them and set vp the religion of Mahomet amongst them and so the kingdome of the Saracens grew mightie but in processe of time the kingdome of the Turkes grew great and the kingdome of the Saracens diminished Within a short time after this the Tartarians a barbarous people waxed strong and made warre against the Turkes and preuailed greatly for a time But about the yeare of our Lord 1300. the Empire of the Tartarians was ouerthrowne and the Empire of the Turkes did flourish more then euer before For now come the greatest monsters and most sauage and cruell tyrants of all The first of them was Ottomanus The second Baiazethes The third Amurathes These made bloudie warres against the Christians I meane the Papists in Europe and enlarged the Turkes dominions very farre They did from time to time so cruelly murther and massacre the inhabitants of the West with their huge and bloudie armies that at last both the Pope the Emperour the King of Hungary the King of Polonia the King of Fraunce the Duke of Burgundie and the Duke of Venice and almost all the Potentates in Europe did ioyne together to make warre against the Turkes and did leuie huge armies but yet could not preuaile so strong were the Turkes so huge and dreadfull were their armies Then wee see that verified which here was foretolde to wit that the monstrous armies of the Turkes with their horses and horsemen should slay the third parte of men that is the Idolaters in Europe by heapes and infinit numbers To set downe the particular battailes betwixt the Turkes and the Christians in Europe and their horrible bloudsheaddings would require a volume but this which I haue briefly set downe may serue to giue some light vnto it may suffice for the vnderstanding of this text vers 20 Now it is said in the next verse that notwithstanding this heauie hande of God which was vpon the Papists in Europe and these fearefull iudgements and massacres they repented not of their Idolatries but waxed worse and worse for no iudgements no plagues can make the wicked any whit the better as wee see in the examples of Pharaoh and Saul vers 20 And here it is saide that the remnant of men which were not killed by these plagues repented not of the workes of their handes that they should not worship diuels and Idols of gold and of siluer of brasse and of stone and of wood which neither can see nor heare nor goe vers 21 Also they repented not of their murther and of their sorcery neither of their fornicatiō nor of their theft And thus we see how the diuels which were bound at Euphrates being let loose vpon the world in the wrath and iust iudgement of God did fearefully plague both the Turkes in their soules and the Papists in their bodies The one with false religion the other with bloudie swordes and so was the desire of the diuels fully satisfied CHAP. X. HAuing opened and expounded the two first woes which fel out vpon the blowing of the fift and sixt trumpet containing the two great plagues of Poperie and Turcisme wherewith the world was punished many hundred yeares now in this chapter we are to heare of good newes and great comfort after so much sorrowe For here Iesus Christ commeth downe from heauen to relieue his poore afflicted Church and to be reuenged of all his cruell enemies For now before the 3. and last woe containing the greatest plague of al vpon the world which is the last iudgement wherein the wicked shall bee tormented in hel fire for euer both in body soule I say before the blowing of the 7. trumpet by the seuenth angel of which we shal heare in the next chapter Now in the meane time is shewed in this chapter what care God had for his little flocke which no doubt were hid in those daies and did not appeare and yet were scattered in corners euen in the middest of the darknesse of Poperie and the most furious hellish rage of the Turkish armies And therefore the principall scope and drift of this chapter is to shewe how the Gospell should bee preached in many kingdomes now after this generall darknesse for the discouering and ouerthrow both of Poperie and Turcisme and to shewe what should fall out in the church now in the middle time before the 7. last trumpet blow for then commeth the last iudgement as the Angel sweareth in this chapter ver 6.7 This chapter dooth containe foure principall parts vers 1 The first is a
the Church which Christ hath thundred out with terrour against them And when the time determined is come they shall be seene and vnderstood but in the meane time they bee sealed vp and kept close according to that of Iob Why should not the times bee hid of the Almightie so as they which know him should not perceiue the times appointed of him and that of Daniel These things are sealed vp vntill the time determined vers 5 And the Angell which I sawe stand vpon the sea and vpon the earth lift vp his hand to heauen vers 6 And sware by him that liueth for euermore which created heauen and the things that therein are and the earth and the things that therin are the sea the things that therein are that time should be no more vers 7 But in the daies of the voice of the seuenth Angel when he shall begin to blowe the trumpet euen the ministrie of God shall be finished as he hath declared to his seruants the Prophets The summe of these three verses is that Christ giueth warning of the last iudgement that men might awake and looke out in time And because men for the most part are carelesse and secure putting the euill day farre from them as the Prophet speaketh Therefore here Christ bindeth it with a solemne oath and solemne gestures therevnto annexed as was the lifting vp of the hand in auncient time Gen. 14.22 The thing that our Lord Iesus deposeth is that Time shall be no more that is Time as it is now or the state of things as they be now but he telleth vs flatly that as sixe Angels haue alreadie blowne their trumpets so when the 7. Angell should blowe the mysterie of God shall be finished that is the time of punishing the wicked and rewarding the godly should come which is therefore called a Mysterie because the world vnderstandeth it not They thinke there is no such matter They imagine there is no reward for the iust or punishment for the wicked as the Prophet saith But the holy Ghost saith Verily there is a reward for the righteous Doubtlesse there is a God which iudgeth the earth And here it is said that God hath declared it to his seruants the Prophets And the voice which I heard from heauen vers 8 spake vnto mee againe and said Goe and take the little booke which is open in the hand of the Angel which standeth vpon the sea and vpon the earth vers 9 So I went vnto the Angell and said vnto him giue me the little booke· And he said vnto me take it and eate it vp and it shall make thy belly bitter but it shall bee in thy mouth as sweete as honey vers 10 Then I tooke the little booke out of the Angels hand and ate it vp and it was in my mouth as sweete as honey but when I had eaten it my belly was bitter vers 11 And hee saide vnto mee Thou must prophesie againe among the people and nations and tongues and to many kings The briefe sense of these foure verses is that the Preachers of the Gospell being called allowed and authorised by Christ vnto their ministry should study the scriptures with great diligence eueÌ„ vntil they had eaten vp the booke of God then they should preach publish vnto all nations kingdomes that truth of God doctrine of the Gospell which now a long time had lien hid in the raigne of Antichrist It is to be obserued that Iohn in this place representeth the person of all the ministers of the Gospell which should be raised vp in these last dayes for the ouerthrowe of Antichrist and the restauration of true religion for Iohn himselfe did not liue to these times Further it is to be noted that all godly Students and zealous Ministers do eate vp the booke of God by reading study praier meditation they finde it sweete in their mouth that is they finde and feele great ioy and comfort in the studie and meditation thereof especially wheÌ„ God reuealeth therby great and hid secrets vnto them giueth them to vnderstand the mysteries of the Gospell counsels of his will which are locked vp from the wise and prudent of this world This I say is sweeter vnto their mouth then hony and the hony combe Concerning this phrase of eating vp the booke looke Ezech. 2.9 for here the holy Ghost alludeth therevnto This booke being so sweete in the mouth yet being eaten and digested is bitter in the belly There may bee three reasons yeelded of this bitternesse First because it being once taken downe into our soule by godly meditatioÌ„ doth mortifie our corrupt nature bring vnder our lusts therefore seemeth bitter to flesh and bloud Secondly because afflictions trials do alwaies necessarily followe the sounde digestion of the Gospell Thirdly because the doctrine of the Gospel being swallowed by the Ministers therof must not be kept to themselues as it were closed vp in their stomacks but they must out with it againe as if it were some loathsome bitter thing which must needes be cast vp again And for this cause it is said in the last verse that they must prophesie againe among the people and nations and tongues and many kings Now blessed be the name of the Lorde our God who hath giuen vs to liue in this age wherein we do with our eies behold and see the fulfilling of all these things let vs therefore praise God for this great worke which wee see wrought in our daies and let vs still more and more magnifie this lâ—ttle booke which will vtterly destroy Popery and bring downe the proude Antichrist do all that fight for him what they can CHAP. XI WE haue heard that the little Booke should be opened and the Gospell preached and published to many nations and kingdomes after the great darkenesse of Popery and that this was done by Luther Melancton Caluin Peter Viret Peter Martir Bullinger Bucer and all their faithfull successors vnto this day Now in this Chapter we are to vnderstand of the effect good successe of their preaching and publishing the Gospell which was that the Church should be restored reformed and built vp thereby which a long time had bene wasted and oppressed by the tyrannie of Antichrist and that many should imbrace the Gospell forsake their Idolatries and turne to God with all their hearts yea whole nations and kingdomes in Europe should be conuerted to the faith as we see this day God be praised So then the principall drift of this Chapter is to shewe those thinges which yet remaine to be fulfilled vnder the blowing of the sixt trumpet which is the preaching and preuailing of the Gospell euen vnto the worldes ende and also the thinges which follow vppon the blowing of the seuenth trumpet which is the resurrection last iudgement This Chapter containeth sixe principall things as it were the sixe parts thereof First ver 1.2 it
signifieth Christ as Dan. 10.13 Iude v. 9. This name is giuen to Christ in Daniel because he is the first of the chiefe Princes that is he is the head of the Angels who are chiefe Princes as the Apostle affirmeth That Christ hath his Angels ioyned with him is not to note any weakenesse or want of strength in Christ alone to ouercome his enemies but to shew that as Christ doth effect great wonders in the world so for the most part hee doth it by instruments and meanes as sometimes Angels sometimes men But here he specially meaneth the Apostles and their successours yea and at this day all christian kings princes and potentates of the earth and all others which take part with Christ against the diuel his instruments Well here wee see that these two Generals and grand captaines Michael and the Dragon do muster both their armies ioyne battel and fight a pitched field the euent and successe whereof is this that the Dragon and his Angels goe downe Oh blessed successe may we say For if the diuel had preuailed it had beene woe to vs sith this battel was about and concerning the verie saluation of mankind by christs death and resurrection We know how the diuel set vpon Christ alone to tempt him vnto sinne that so he might ouerthrowe the worke of our redemption supposing in this combate or Monomachie to haue got the day but he preuailed not Afterward how strongly did he oppugne him by his Angels I meane the Scribes and Phariseâ—â— the high Priests and Elders of the people yea all the diuels in hel and his whole infernal armie not onely in murthering and crucifying his natural bodie but also in vsing all forcible and cunning meanes to keepe him downe that he might neuer rise vp againe as the great stone vpon his tombe the sealing of it the watch set to keepe it for the diuel knew right wel that if Christ rose again hee should lose the field For the resurrection of Christ is our actuall iustification And Christ was mightily declared to be the Sonne of God by his resurrection from the dead Wel do the dragon and his Angels what they can yet Christ is risen againe and hath spoiled principalities and powers yea al the infernall armie and hath made a shew of them openly and hath led them all in triumph vpon his crosse So that we see in this first and greatest battell the diuell hath the foile And it is further said that the diuell and all his Angels were cast out of heauen and their place was no more found which is not to be vnderstood of their first casting out of heauen immediately after their creatioÌ„ For at that time they were no diuels nor enemies to the church but Angels of light but nowe since their fall and since they were diuels they are said to be cast out of heauen not because they euer came in heauen since they were diuels but because they can no longer impeach the church touching her blessed estate in heauen They are without all hope to dispossesse her of her inheritance for that is ratified and made sure vnto her in the death and resurrection of Christ And for this cause it is said that the diuell hath no more to do in heauen that is he cannot for his heart ouerthrow the saluation of Gods children For who can lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen It is God that iustifieth who shall condemne It is Christ which is dead yea or rather which is risen againe c. True it is indeed that this battell is said to be in heauen that is about heauenly things yea about the highest points of heauen which is saluation or damnation for the diuel vpon this very point these very termes hath froÌ„ the beginning mightily wrestled and strugled with y e church doth euen vntil this day but blessed be God that he cannot nor shall not preuaile against any one of gods elect For our lord Iesus saith I giue vnto theÌ„ eternal life they shal neuer perish neither shal any take them out of my hand my father which gaue theÌ„ me is greater then all Neither shal any pluck theÌ„ out of my hand And againe All that the Father giueth me shal come vnto me And this is the fathers will which hath sent me that of all which he hath giuen me I should lose nothing but should raise it vp againe at the last day Now further we are to obserue that as Christ in his owne person hath once preuailed in the maine battell against the diuell so his church militant shal likewise alwayes preuaile through him For it is written The gates of hell shall not preuaile against it And the great Dragon that old serpent called the diuel and Satan was cast out which deceiueth al the world vers 9 He was euen cast into the earth his Angels were cast out with him Now because the diuel cannot ouerthrow the saluation of Gods elect hee is said to be cast out of heauen into the earth that is amongst earthlie and carnall men that he may exercise his tyranny and wrecke his malice vpon them For he hath power giuen him to tyrannise ouer them at his pleasure and the Apostle saith he worketh in the children of disobedience and taketh them captiue to do his will Then I heard a loud voice in heauen saying vers 10 now is saluation strength and the kingdom of our God the power of his Christ for the accuser of our brethren is cast downe which accused them before God day and night Here is the triumphant song of victorie which al the Saints Angels do sing vnto God praysing and magnifying his power and the power of his Sonne Christ for ouercomming the dragon and giuing the victory to the church through Christ For now with great ioy and loude voices they sing and say that the churches saluation is sealed and made sure vnto her for euer It can neuer be shaken The diuel is foiled and cast down into the earth These songs of ioie after great victories are of great antiquity in the church as we read of the children of Israel after the ouerthrow of Pharaoh and his army in the red sea of Deborah after the great victory ouer Sisara of the women that sung after the victory of Goliah by Dauid The deuil is called the accuser of the brethren for two causes First because he accuseth Gods elect of much sinne and calleth for iustice against them day and night at Gods hands that they might be condemned vpon such articles as he is able to proue against them for he knowing right well that the iudge of al the world is a iust God and must needs deale vprightly doth daily vrge him to doe iustice vnto sinners being willingly ignorant that al Gods People though sinners are cleared and discharged in Christ Another reason is because of the calumniations reproches and slaunders which in
fiercenesse of his wrath both vpon her and her whole kingdome yea and that in such terrible and wrathfull maner that there shall bee no place of refuge no place to flie vnto for succour vers 20 For Saint saith Euerie I le fled away and the mountaines were not found Meaning that the Papists in that day shall haue neither moutaine nor Iland to flie vnto And last of all the holy Ghost saith that there fell a great haile like talents out of heauen vpon the Idolaters chapter 16.21 insomuch that they blasphemed God because of the plague of the haile For the plague thereof was exceeding great A taleÌ„t was about the weight of threescore pound as some write Then it followeth that this haile of Gods wrath vpon the Papists shal be most terrible and fearfull and beate them all downe to the ground as it were an haile of milstones or plough-irons Nowe when this haile of talents commeth as assuredly come it shall then shall the kingdome of Poperie bee beaten to dust and powder and therfore no maruell though the idolaters seeing all this bee in a most horrible rage and blaspheme God as Saint Iohn saith vers 21 because of this exceeding and most extraordinarie plague which shall then come vpon them But nowe to conclude and wind vp all together For as mucâ— as this last viall is powred into the aire God saith it is done an extraordinarie earthquake followeth the great citie of Rome is rent Babylon called into question and feareful hailestones of wrath poured down vpon the Idolaters I do conclude that Rome shal fall finally and come to vtter destruction in this life Nowe let vs proceede to further proofe In the eighteenth chapter of this booke the whoore of Babylon saith in her heart chapter 18.8.9 I sit being a Queene and am no widowe and shall see no sorrowe Therefore shall her plagues come at one day death and sorrow and famine and shee shall be burnt with fire For that God which condemneth her is a strong Lord. First here Rome is described as shee was in the height and toppe of her pride and securitie when shee held the dominion of the kings of the earth and boasted that shee was the head of the Catholike Church carying her selfe very insolently aboue all kings and Emperours treading vppon their neckes and making them attend at her gates barefoote in the middest of winter as the stories report Yea and that shee was no widow that is no solitarie or desolate person but one that had manie louers which were strong to defende her so as shee should feele no want nor see any sorowe But the time will come and draweth on apace wherein shee shal be throughly punished for her haughtinesse and intolerable pride security For the holy Ghost saith her plagues shal come at one day that is sodainly shortly and speedily euen death sorow and famine and she shall 〈◊〉 burnt with fire For that God which condemneth her â—â— a strong Lord. If this bee not plaine enough to proue an vtter ouerthrow of Rome I know not what can be plaine enough For if death famine and fire will not pul her downe I knowe not what shal pul her downe But Saint Iohn saith flatly that God himselfe who is a strong Lord will oppose himselfe against Rome and condemne her If this strong God take against her who can vpholde her Can the king of Spaine can the Cardinalles can the Emperour can all the Dukes of Italy and al the potentates of the earth that take part with her No no they are al too weake For if God take against a man who can reclaime him sayth the Holy-Ghost For he dooth whatsoeuer he will And againe God is wise in heart and mighty in strength who euer hardened his hart against him and prospered If God call not backe his anger the most proud helpes are bowed vnder him And God sayth by the Prophet Can thy hands be strong or can thy hart endure in the day that I shal haue to do with thee Then it followeth that though Babylon sit as a Queene al her louers take part with her yet because the strong Lord is against her therefore shee shal come to vtter destruction Some of good iudgement in the truth haue gathered from this place that the very City of Rome shal be burnt with fire which assuredly may wel bee But this I am sure of that the phrase of burning with fire doth in the Prophets alwaies signifie an vtter destruction and desolation of a City or a kingdome and therefore it followeth that Rome shal be vtterly destroied But behold yet stronger and plainer proofe chapter 18. verse 2. For Saint Iohn sayth a mighty Angel tooke vp a stone like a great milstone and cast it into the sea saying with such violence shal that great City Babylon be cast downe and shal be found no more Al men know that old Babylon in Chaldaea was destroied by the Medes and Persians long before Saint Iohn writte this booke and therefore that is not here meant but the new Babylon which is Rome as afore hath bin prooued The Phrases of speech and the signes which the Prophets vsed to declare the destruction and desolation of olde Babylon are heere alluded vnto in the destruction of Rome For we reade in the prophecy of Ieremy that the Prophet hauing written in a booke al the euil that should come vpon Babel for holding Gods people so long in most miserable captiuity sayd to Seraiah When thou commest vnto Babel thou shalt reade all these words and when thou hast made an end of reading this book thou shalt bind a stone to it and cast it into the middest of Euphrates and shalt say Thus shall Babel be drowned and shall not rise vp from the euill that I will bring vpon her although they wearie themselues Now let vs consider how this agreeth with the same which is heere set downe and wee shal finde that all thinges are here set downe with greater force to expresse as it were a deeper vengeance and a more heauie and vnrecouerable destruction First there is a man here is a mighty Angel there the man taketh vp a stone heere the Angell taketh vp a great stone like a milstone there the stone is caste into the riuer here into the deepe sea Al these circumstances being applied to Rome doo greatly aggrauate the matter and verie plainely shewe that it shal fal Without al hope of recouery For the Lorde declareth by this forcible signe of casting a milstone into the sea that the City and kingdome of Antichrist shal bee cast deepe downe into perdition and shall lie ouerwhelmed and drowned in the same for euer For if olde Babylon was vtterly destroied and came to a final desolation in this life much more shal Rome as the Holy Ghost disputeth But olde Babylon came to vtter ruine and desolatition in this life as both Isay and Ieremy doe witnesse Therefore
withal remember the fatte reuenewes the good cheere the pleasure and delight which sometimes they haue had in those places it cuts their heartes and maketh them shake their heads at it saying alas alas that great City that was clothed in fine linnen and purple and scarlet and gilded with gold vers 16 and pretious stones and pearles for in one houre so great riches are come to desolation Marke then that the ruine of their great City with al the pompe pleasure and riches thereof is that which yet sticketh in their stomackes Thirdly the Mariners doe greately mourne and lament chapter 18. verse 17.18.19 for the losse of their profit and commodity For while Rome had dominion ouer the kingdomes and the Pope ruled ouer al euen as a God vppon the earth there was nothing but trudging ouer the seas to Rome out of al landes and againe from thence there was carrying and recarrying in somuch that multitudes of Mariners and Shipmasters were continually set on worke gained greately therby No maruaile then though these Mariners are brought in among other friends of Rome bewailing her destruction euen with dust vpon their heads weeping and crying and saying vers 19 Alas alas that great City wherein were made rich all that had ships on the sea by her costlines For in one houre she is made desolate Thus we see how the Kings and Merchants and Mariners shal bewaile the vtter ruine and great desolation of Rome for the losse of their pleasure their gaine and their profit Moreouer wee are to obserue that that which is spoken by the old Prophets Isay and Ieremiah touching the vtter desolation of olde Babel is applyed by Saint Iohn to newe Babel which is Rome Touching the olde Easterne Babylon the Prophet sayth thus Babel the glory of kingdomes the beauty and pride of the Chaldeans shall be as the destruction of God in Sodome and Gomorrah It shal not be inhabited for euer neither shall the Arabian pitch his tent there neither shall the sheppeheardes make their foldes there But Ziim shall lodge there and their houses shal be ful of Ohim Ostriches shall dwell there and the Satyres shall dance there that is Fairies Hobgoblins Night-spirits and such like whereby is signified the vtter desolation of olde Babylon chapter 18. v. 2. Now Saint Iohn applyeth al this to Rome saying Babylon that great City is become the habitation of diuels and the hold of al foule spirits and a cage of euerie vncleane and hatefull bird Noting heereby both the filthinesse of Rome and also her vtter desolation But nowe let vs proceede to our last and greatest argument to prooue the finall fall and vtter destruction of Rome and all Romish power and authoritie In the nineteenth chapter of this Prophesie our Lord Iesus is described sitting vpon his vvhite horse chapter 6.2 which is the ministerie of the Gospell as hath before beene proued and is most gloriously brought in by Saint Iohn as graund Captaine and Generall of the field fighting with all his armie against Antichrist and his souldiers Saint Iohn giueth him goodly names and titles calling him the word of God the King of kings and Lord of lords chapter 19. v. 12.13.14.15.16 and saith that hee hath a name written that no man knew but himselfe which is his infinite glorie and maiestie And moreouer that his eyes were as a flame of fire and on his head manie crownes and a sharpe sword in his mouth and clothed with his warlike garment dipt in bloud and all his heauenly souldiers followed him vpon white horses meaning thereby all Christian Kings Dukes Lords Nobles Captaines Preachers and Professours of true religion This graund Captaine with all these worthie souldiers saith Saint Iohn shall muster together and prepare themselues to fight against the beast and the false Prophet and all their forces and at last hee seeth them ioine battaile vers 19 I saw saith Saint Iohn the Beast and the kings if the earth vers 19 and their armies gathered together to make battell against him that sate vpon the vvhite horse and against his armie Now all this is to be vnderstood of the battels betwixt the Papists and the Protestants in these last dayes But may some man say who shall haue the victorie what is the successe what was the issue Let vs heare of that The holy Ghost answereth that the Beast and the false Prophet vvere taken foyled and ouercome vsing a warlike phrase because in the warres they vse to take the greatest Captaines and Commaunders aliue and to put them to their raunsoms The like vnto this wee haue in the seuenteenth Chapter where Saint Iohn telleth vs that when the Popish kings and Potentates shall make warre against Christ and his Gospell they shall haue the like successe vnto this For saith hee These haue one mind chapter 17. v. 13.14 and shall giue their power and authoritie vnto the beast they shall fight with the Lambe and the Lambe shall ouercome them for hee is Lord of Lords and king of kings But may some man say when the Leaders and commanders of the Popish armies shal be taken captiue and set at their ransomes what shall become of the inferiour Captaines and souldiers The holy Ghost answereth that the remnant were slaine with the sword of him that sitteth vpon the horse That is they were put to the sword chapter 19. v. 21. and al the foules were filled full with their flesh And for this cause S. Iohn saith that he saw an Angell stand in the Sunne chapter 19. v. 17. who cried with a loud voice saying to al the foules that did flie by the middest of heauen Come and gather your selues together vnto the supper of the great God Now to make this plaine Wee know that they which proclaime anie matter seeke some market crosse or high place to stand in where they may best be heard So this Angell which proclaimeth the victorie against Antichrist before anie stroke bee stricken because of the certaintie of it standeth in the Sunne as it were in the Theater and middest of the world as in a place most fit for his purpose that hee may bee heard throughout all the earth Now this proclamation is directed to all the foules of the aire to bid them to a supper which is here called the supper of the great God But it may be demanded what cheare shall they haue The holie Ghost answereth that they shal eat the flesh of kings and the flesh of great Captaines and the flesh of mightie men vers 18 and the flesh of horses and of horsmen and the flesh of all freemen and bondmen and of small and great This we knowe that when men are slaine in great numbers in the warres their bodies lie scattered as meat for the foules of the aire And therefore heere all foules are inuited and bidden to a great supper made them by the great God whose hand is in all this their cheare and their dainties are reckoned vp to
grown to such an height and ripenesse do deserue some fearefull vengeance and that God hath a iust controuersie against vs as sometimes he had against Israel because there vvas no mercie nor truth nor knowledge of God in the land but swearing lying killing stealing and whooring and bloud toucheth bloud and therefore saith God the land shal mourn c. But yet I hope for his couenant sake for his great mercies sake for his names sake for his glory sake and for his Church sake he will be gratious and fauorable vnto vs not bring vpon vs that vēgeance which our sins haue deserued or at leastwise though he correct vs as indeed he hath iust cause we may iustly feare it yet he will doe it in mercie for our amendment and not in wrath to our destruction as he saith by his Prophet I will not vtterly destroy thee but I vvill correct thee by iudgement and not vtterly cut thee off But howsoeuer it shall please the most wise God to deale with vs yet this I say and am perswaded of that Poperie shall neuer bee established againe in this kingdome my reason is because the euerlasting Gospell caried abroad by the Angell that flieth in the middest of heauen shall spread still more and more throughout all the kingdoms of Europe chapter 14.6 as appeareth Chap. 14. ver 6 for otherwise how shal Rome fal how shal the Iewes euer be conuerted how shall fire come downe from heauen and deuour both Gog and Magog chapter 20.9 as the holy Ghost foretelleth shall come to passe and as we shal heare more anon Moreouer Saint Iohn telleth vs plainly that in these last dayes the Gospell shall bee preached to many people and nations and tongues and to many kings And further he saith that in this age wherein wee liue many shall renounce Idolatry repent and giue glorie to the God of heauen But some man may say how proue you that this kingdom is one of them which S. Iohn speaketh of and which he meaneth wherein the gospell shall be preached vnto the end of the world I answere that it is prooued out of the 17. chapter of this prophesie where the holy ghost telleth vs flatly that those ten kingdomes of Europe which had a lōg time ben the ten hornes strength of the beast chapter 17. verse 13 being of one minde had giuen their power authority vnto the beast should now in these last daies rise vp against the whore of Babylō make war against her hate her make her desolate But this kingdome is one of those ten hornes ver 16 and one of those ten kingdomes which a long time had giuen her power authoritie vnto the beast Therefore as this kingdome hath happily begun to hate the whore and to make her desolate and naked so vndoubtedly shee shall continue vnto the end of the world For if this kingdome and other kingdomes which now hate the whore doe not continue how shall shee bee made desolate and naked c Then it should seeme the beast shall reuiue and recouer himselfe againe and so S. Iohn shall be found a false prophet But God is true and all men are liers Saint Iohn shall bee found a true prophet and therefore these kingdomes of Europe which haue begun to hate the whore shal cōtinue neuer giue her ouer till as the holy ghost saith they haue eaten her flesh burnt her with fire that is till they haue vtterly deuoured her But heere it will be obiected that in the latter daies iniquitie shall haue the vpper hand I answere first that I finde no such place of scripture But this I find that our Lord Iesus foretelleth his disciples that very shortly after his death resurrection many seducers and false teachers should arise which should deceiue many and draw them away from the loue of the gospell and saith hee because iniquitie shall bee increased the loue of many shall bee cold But this speech of our sauiour doth not properly concerne our times But yet it must needes be granted that the wicked shall wax worse and worse the world shall not amend but still bee worse and worse chapter 14. ver 1 14 18. and grow to a greater height and ripenesse of sinne as appeareth in this prophesie Yet for all this wee must note withall that the number of true beleeuers in those last daies chapter 11. ver 1 ver 11. ver 13. shall bee very many as this booke doth also teach But it may bee obiected how can this geare stand together that in the last daies there shall bee multitudes and millions of reprobates and most wicked abhominable persons and yet withall a great increase of true beleeuers I answere that the world will bee alwaies like it selfe impious and vnbeleeuing But the church shall purely worship God and that with daily increasing euen vnto the end But now me thinketh I heare some man say what likelyhood is there of all this which you write touching the ouerthrow of Rome Doe wee not see that Rome is yet strong Doth not Italy Spaine the greatest part of France and Netherland and Germany stand for her defence Hath not the whore still many and great bearers and vpholders what likelyhood is there thē that euer she shal be brought so low as you speake of I answere that in this case we must not aske this question what likelyhood We must not consult with flesh and bloud Wee must not take counsell of humane reason For God is maruellous in his deuises and when hee hath once decreed and determined of any future euent he will compasse it by meanes far surpassing all humane reach and capacitie yea by such plots and deuises as mans wit could neuer haue once dreamed of For hee hath all meanes in heauen earth in his hands and is admirable in all his proceedings and therefore we may not aske this question what likelyhood or how can it bee or how can it possiblie come to passe What likelyhood was there an hundred yeeres past when Rome was in her height and all the kingdomes of Europe stood for her that euer she should haue been forsaken of so many of her old friends as at this day shee is What likelyhood was there that when the Pope could commaund the Emperor and all the kings of Europe and their kingdomes that euer hee should haue beene brought so low as at this day hee is God bee thanked What likelyhood was there that euer poore Martin Luther should stand out with the euerlasting gospell in his mouth against the Pope Emperour as it were the whole world yet dye in his bed in a good old age What likelyhood was there that Henry the eight of famous memory should renounce Rome oppose himselfe against the Pope and suppresse the Abbies Priories and Monasteries in this kingdome and take their lands and liuings into his owne hands Therefore I
willingly be barred out of this pallace of infinit pleasure for the short fruition of worldly lucre and trash Let vs therefore in all time to come make more reckoning of heauen and lesse reckoning of the earth Let vs minde heauenly things despise earthly things let vs prease hard vnto the things that are before and forget the things that are behind Let vs striue hard for the price of the high calling of God and contemne euen the glory of this world Chap. 22. IN this Chapter S. Iohn proceedeth yet more largely to describe the blessed estate of all Gods Saints in the kingdome of glory and the principall scope and drift of this Chapter is yet more to enlarge the ioyes of Gods people after this life and to ratifie the authoritie of this prophesie This chapter containeth foure principall parts The first is an amplification of the ioyes of Gods kingdome The second is a confirmation of the authoritie of this booke ver 9.10 11.12 13.14.15 The third is an exhortation both to spread abroad the knowledge of this booke and also for euery man to prepare himselfe for the comming of Christ vnto iudgement ver 17 20. The fourth is the feruent desire of the Church for the second appearing of Christ The text ver 1 AND hee shewed me a pure riuer of the water of life cleare as Christall proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lambe ver 2 In the middest of the streete of it and of either side of the riuer was the tree of life which bare twelue manner of fruits and gaue fruit euery moneth and the leaues of the tree serue to heale the nations with ver 3 And there shall bee no more curse but the throne of God and of the Lambe shall bee in it and his seruants shall serue him ver 4 And they shall see his face and his name shall bee in their foreheads ver 5 And there shall bee no night there and they neede no candle neither light of the Sunne For the Lord God giueth them light and they shall raigne for euermore The Angell doth yet further shew vnto Iohn a pure riuer of the water of life Whereby is signified the ouerflowing aboundance of all good things which the righteous shall enioy in the kingdome of glory This riuer is said to proceede out of the throne of God and of the Lambe because God in Christ is the originall of all this life and happinesse Further it is added that in the midst of the golden street of this new Ierusalem and of both sides the riuer there was a tree of life Which representeth Christ now in this heauenly paradise as in former time it represented Christ in the earthly paradise and also that eternall and blessed life which our first parents should enioy if they did continue in the obedience of God This tree standeth not in an out corner of the citie but in the very middest of the streete and of both sides the riuer that all the Citizens of the new Ierusalem might haue free accesse vnto it and tast of the most daintie fruits thereof in great varietie for it beareth twelue manner of fruits that is in Christ all varietie of pleasure and endlesse delight is to bee found This tree beareth fruit euery moneth as well in winter as in sommer for heere euery moneth is Autumne The sense is that in Christ the new and fresh fruits of immortall ioy without any satiety or loathing are for euer to be found The leaues of this tree are very medicinable and sauatiue For they serue to heale the nations with that is to preserue them from all diseases and griefes which argueth a most blessed life not subiect to sicknesse or any other infirmitie For Christ is our neuer failing phisition which in this life healeth all our spirituall diseases and infirmities And after this life will preserue vs in perpetuall health and happinesse There shall bee no more curse that is in the heauenly paradise we shall no more be subiect to any curse as Adam was in the earthly paradise Which also argueth the perfection of happines after this life yet for further amplification of this most glorious estate it is said that the throne of God of Christ shall be erected in the middest of this golden street and all his chosen people shall there accompany him dwell with him bee alwaies about him yea and serue him without wearines for euer Yea all his faithfull worshippers shall come so neere his throne that they shall see his very face and bee rauished with his glory hauing his image his name his wisdome and mercie imprinted in their foreheads yea his vnconceiuable light and glory shall bee so resplendent that there shall bee neither night nor neede of candle but in his glittering and most glorious chamber of presence shall all his elect raigne and triumph with him for euermore in infinit felicitie and the very fruition of eternall delectation where shall bee mirth without measure and solace without sorrow as the Prophet saith in thy presence is the fulnesse of ioy and at thy right hand there is pleasure for euermore And hee saide vnto mee ver 6 these wordes are faithfull and true and the Lord God of the holy Prophets sent his Angell to shew vnto his seruants the things which must shortly bee fulfilled Beholde I come shortly Blessed is hee that keepeth the words of the prophesie of this booke ver 7 And I am Iohn which saw and heard these things ver 8 and when I had heard and seene I fell downe to worship before the feete of the Angell which shewed me these things But hee said vnto mee see thou doe it not for I am thy fellow seruant and of thy brethren the Prophets ver 9 and of them which keepe the wordes of this booke worship God In these foure verses are foure speciall reasons brought to confirme and ratifie the authoritie of this booke The first of them is the affirmation of the Angell The second the authoritie of the most high God The third the testimonie of Iesus pronouncing them blessed which keepe this prophesie The fourth the testimonie of Iohn who heard and saw these things But beecause in the epistle to the Reader I haue more at large handled this argument and these same verses therefore heere I doe of purpose relinquish them And that also of Iohns adoration and the Angels refusall beeing thinges most manifest and easie to vnderstand ver 10 And hee said vnto mee seale not the words of the prophesie of this booke for the time is at hand ver 11 Hee that is vniust let him bee vniust still and hee which is filthie let him bee filthie still and hee that is righteous let him bee righteous still and hee that is holy let him be holy still ver 12 And behold I come shortly and my reward is with mee to giue euerie man according as his worke shaâ—l bee ver 13 I am