Thy will O Lord be done in earth as it is in heauen And let euery man take heed vnto himselfe hee is a sacrilegious renter of the Church who breakes the bond of loue with his brother in whom hee sees no rupture of the vnity of faith But for our further instruction let vs know that the Harpe of a Christian wherewith he praises God is his Heart the strings of the Harpe are the affections of the Heart which must be well tuned and prepared before they can make any melodie to the Lord My heart is prepared and I will sing said Dauid Then is the heart like vnto a ten stringed Instrument when it is inclined to the obedience of God his ten commandements for as a Musicall Instrument makes no pleasant complete sound if any string thereof be broken so the heart of man if it be possessed and thralled with any vice cannot rightly praise the Lord. The truth is we can keepe no commandement of the Law as we should this is the perfection of degrees which in this life no man can attaine vnto yet hath the Christian a begunne obedience to all the commandements of God which is the perfection of parts Both these are true the most perfect Christian cannot keepe one of the Lords commandements as hee should and so we deny vnto him the perfection of degrees and yet hee keepes all the commandements of God by a begunne obedience and so wee grant to him the perfection of parts for there is no grace needfull to saluation but euery true Christian hath some part and measure thereof Bastard Professors cannot make this melodie they flatter themselues because they are free of some sinnes when notwithstanding they are captiued by other great sinnes which raigne in them and command them The commandements of the Law are so linked together that he who transgresseth one transgresseth all If one string of this Instrument be broken all the rest are distempered and therefore do tehy farre deceiue themselues who diuide the Law In some things they are content to subiect themselues vnto it in others vsurpe a liberty to breake it which will neuer be allowed These answer the Lord as an Eccho doth the voice of a man it resounds in part but not wholly or like Naaman are content to serue God but with an exception or reseruation of some sinnes which they cannot nor will not cast siom them There is no man so euill but in some things he will seeme to bee good but this is not the good which the Lord requireth such euill diuiders can make no concord of spirituall Musick to the Lord. Now with their Harpes they are said to haue golden Vials full of Odours and those Odours are expounded by the Lord to be the Prayers of the Saints which openeth a cleere entrance to these words which otherwise had beene more obscure A Viall is a vessell narrow beneath wide aboue now this Viall being also a figure of the Heart sheweth how the heart of man should be inlarged toward things which are aboue but contracted beneath open towards God but closed towards the world and things therein Therefore the Church is compared to a Garden enclosed wherein nothing can enter but that which comes from aboue And the Vials are said to bee of gold because the Heart that praises the Lord should be holy and pure I will that men pray euery where lifting vp pure hands As also to shew that a pure heart praysing the Lord is precious and honourable in the eyes of God For vessels of gold and vessels of honour are put by the Apostle for one and the same These Vials are said to be full of Odours which are expounded to bee the prayers of Saints So were they figured vnder the Law by sweete Incense and such as were spirituall among the Iewes vnderstood this very wel that it was not the externall sweet Odour wherein the Lord delighted they vsed the Ceremoniall Incense but neglected not the Spirituall Incense figured thereby as is euident out of Dauid his prayer Let my prayer be directed before thee as Incense And properly is prayer figured by Incense Quia sursum fertur oratio coelestia quaerit for the fume thereof ascends and seeks heauenly things As also because it is sweete and pleasant to the Lord. The prayers of Saints are odoriferous and pleasant smels vnto the Lord as when Noah sacrificed the Lord smelled a sweet sauour of rest But the Bride and the Bridegroome haue their owne Odours which either of them presents to other The Perfumes and sweet Ointments of Christ are two first his Merits for hee is the Angell hauing a Golden Censor full of Odours and these ascend to his Father secondly his Compassions are called sweet Ointments and these descend vpon his brethren Thy Name is as an Ointment powred out saith the Church to her Sauiour His Compassions are not locked vp in his Treasurie like precious Ointment enclosed in a Boxe but they are compared to Ointment powred out the fragrant smell whereof should allure vs to loue him and runne after him His sweete mercies declared vpon so many stand for examples to vs to confirme vs in assurance of the like mercy if repenting of our sinnes we turne to the Lord. The Lepers came to him and were cleansed the Blind cryed to him and receiued their sight the Paralitique was carried to him and was healed the Adulteresse was brought to him and was absolued the Persecutor of Saints was pardoned his owne disciple that denyed him yea the Iewes who crucified him were conuerted and receiued to mercy In odore horum curremus post te There are sweet Ointments powred out and in the sauour of them will we run after thee Wee are more then senselesse if the sweet smell of them allure vs not also to come that we may be refreshed by them The Church hath in like manner her two-fold Odours First the Odour of Contrition next of Thankes-giuing the ingredients whereof the Odour of Contrition is made are our sinnes and a godly sorrow for them euery childe of God gathers together in one handfull his sinnes not sparing any that he knowes or can remember and in the Mortar of a sorrowfull heart he brayes them with the Pestell of Contrition and with the Publican beateth on his brest whereof a sweete and pleasant sauour ascendeth to the Lord. The other Perfume hath no ingredients but Gods sweet Mercies with a godly reioycing in them Now these Mercies are so many that none can count them in order yet the Saints so farre as of weaknesse they may gather them together in one masse by diligent meditation of them they are stirred vp to thankes-giuing and this is a sweete smelling sacrifice vnto the Lord. The Iesuites of Rhemes abuse this place to proue the lawfulnesse of their prayers vnto Saints departed for so they
then may suffice his owne belly And yet it is to be marked that the famine threatned here is not in the highest degree wherwith afterward the sins of men prouoked the Lord to punish them For here Wine and Oile are spared which in greater famines haue been altogether taken away for except smaller iudgements be contemned the Lord proceedeth not vnto grèater Mercie pleaseth him rather then iudgement but if mercy be despised the iudgement is doubled according to that threatning If ye will not for all these things obey me I will punish you seuen times more according to your sinnes and if yee walke stubbornely against me and will not obey mee then will I walk stubbornely against you in mine anger and yee shall eate the flesh of your sonnes and daughters Such was the famine inflicted vpon Samaria and Ierusalem that tender women haue beene forced for hunger to eate their children not of a span long A horrible thing to heare that the Infant new come out of the wombe should bee deuoured at the mouth and sent into the wombe againe yet as I said Ieremie records it to haue beene done at the first destruction of Ierusalem by the Caldeans and Iosephus records the same at the second destruction thereof by the Romanes But since this Prophecy and the time thereof this plague hath increased aboue that which here is denounced Among many others fearefull was that Famine which fell out in the daies of Iustinian hunger ouercomming humane affection forced man to feed vpon the flesh of man It is recorded that two women were found to haue slaine and eaten seuenteene men and men debilitat weakened with famine bowing themselues to creep on their knees and armes that with their teeth they might pull any greene fruit of the earth after the maner of beasts fell downe and tumbled ouer for lack of strength and so died there being none to bury them When we reade of the like of these fearefull iudgements it should stirre vs vp to praise the Lord for his great indulgence and patience toward vs who notwithstanding our great sinnes against his Maiestie yet hath hee not visited vs with the like plagues his holy Name be praised therefore and the Lord giue vs grace that his patience may leade vs to repentance VERSE 7. 8. And when he had opened the fourth Seale I heard the Voice of the fourth liuing creature say Come and see And I looked and behold a Pale Horse and his name that sate on him was Death and Hell followed after him and power was giuen vnto him ouer the fourth part of the earth to kill with Sword and with Hunger and with Beasts of the earth AS the sound of the Trumpet when the Lord by it proclaimed his Law on Mount Sinai waxed louder and louder so here the denunciation of his iudgements waxeth greater and greater for his wrath increaseth like a fire where it is not slackned and quenched with the teares of repentance Hitherto the plague of the sword and famine hath bene threatned to take vengeance on man for contempt of the Gospell now followes the plague of pestilence and deuouring Beasts Yet is it to be marked that mercy is first offered before iudgement the Rider on the White Horse comes with the message of mercy grace peace if men receiue it not then the Lord proceedeth to iudgement Vnder the Law as the people passed ouer Iordan there were six of their Tribes or principal men chosen out of theÌ„ appointed to stand on Mount Gerizzim to blesse the people if they shuld obey other sixe againe to stand vpon Mount Ebal to curse them if they should rebell Vnder the Gospell our Sauior began his preaching first with blessings but after proceeded to denuntiation of woes The Apostle to the same purpose saith We are not come to the Mount that might not be touched But we are come to Mount Sion c. As the Lord allures by mercy so he terrifies by iudgement if mercy cannot moue vs iudgement shall confound vs and that so much the more because mercy was first offered and we refused it In the opening of this Seale we haue first the Preparation Secondly the Vision it selfe and Thirdly an exposition both of this Vision and the proceeding The preparation contained in the seuenth verse is coincedent with the former and I passe it In the Vision it selfe we haue three things first the Horse his colour is pale next the Rider his name is Death thirdly his Page or foot-man following him is called Hell The Pale Horse is a Type of Pestilence and all other strange and vncouth diseases so is it expounded in the vvords following vvhich giue vs a sufficient vvarrant to exclude all other interpretations Pestilence is one of the Lords ordinary iudgements wherby he huÌ„bleth the pride of man When I send my foure sore iudgements vpon Ierusalem the Sword Famine the noisome beast and Pestilence Heere it is threatned afterwards at diuers times executed as the Historie records which iustifies this Prophecie In the yeere of our Lord foure score Vespasian being Emperour such a Pest plagued Rome that for many daies ten thousand people died in a day In the yeere two hundred three fifty Decius a vile Persecuter there was no Prouince in all the Romane Empire no Citie no House which Pestilence pursued not In the yeere two hundred six and fifty Valerian another bloudy Persecuter being Emperour such a Pest inuaded Alexandria that famous Citie of Egypt that in so populous a Towne there were not so many Citizens to be found as before the Pest it had Canos senes ancient men of white haires It were tedious to repeate all we want not domestick warnings the Light of the Gospell hath come among vs but for our vnthankefulnesse the Red Horse the Black and the Pale now and then haue visited vs though we must confesse to the glory of God his mercy that in most gentle manner the Lord hath chastised vs yet haue we need to remember that warning of the Gospell Behold thou art made whole sin no more lest a worse thing come vnto thee for certainely our forgetfulnesse of the Lords by-past gentle corrections our vnthankfulnesse for his present mercies may iustly feare vs that the Lord is to enter in a sharper course against vs if we amend not And this for the Pale Horse Now he who rides vpon him is named Death we haue here then Death brought in riding on Horseback to signifie the celerity and speed wherewith hee posteth vpon the wicked howsoeuer they sleep in carelesse security and put the euill day fâ—…r from them yea and thinke with themselues that they are in couenant with death and hell yet goe where they will ride where they will go and ride as they please Death goes and rides with them he posteth after them and
vs and bids vs come but causes vs to come Blessed is the man whom thou chusest and causest to come to thee Now blessed bee the Lord who hath giuen vs mercy after wee had sinned which hee hath denyed to reprobate Angels and men and after we had fallen hath raised vs vp againe to inherite heauenly places where hee hath condemned them vnto vtter darkenesse And the Lord who euery day cals vs to come to him draw vs vpward and cause vs to come according as he cals And I will shew thee things which must be c. Prediction of things to come made by God are vndoubted arguments that they fall not out by hap but as they are ruled by his Prouidence who fore-tels them therefore the Lord vendicates this praise to himselfe that hee onely can tell things which are to come Shew the things that are to come hereafter that we may knew that yee are gods thereby also declaring that none but the Lord can truely fore-tell things to come As for Satans Predictions they are either out of experience which hath taught him by the collection of naturall causes to fore-see the effects arising of them or else he hath them by reuelation from God It was easie for Satan to fore-tell the death of Achab in the battell against the Aramites for he heard the decree of his destruction giuen out in the Court of heauen and himselfe was directed as a Burrio to execute it They are miserably blinded who consult with Satan to know things to come from so cursed and wicked a spirit as he is good tydings came neuer vnto any nor neuer shall When his Responses are peremptory then are they deadly like that which he gaue vnto Saul To morrow at this time thou shalt bee with mee Otherwise they are deceitfull like that which he gaue Heraclius Gentem circumcisam ipsius Imperium vastaturam That a circumcised Nation should destroy his Empire Wherupon Heraclius persecuted Iewes and Christians but had no minde that Mahumetists were circumcised also who were indeed the destruction of the Empire But to returne it is not so with the Lord his knowledge is not acquired by experience nor deriued from any other For who was his counsellour In the volume of his booke are all things written that euer tooke fashion hee knowes with one looke all his creatures what and when they were are or will bee what they can do or what shall bee done with them He is all Vnderstanding and of himselfe and by himselfe Hee sees all things as they are hath beene or shall bee Which must be done This is for our comfort that the things prophecied in this Booke must bee done Scornefull men thinke it impossible the power of Antichrist and his Confederates is so great and they aske how it can be But where the Lord sayes that hee will do a thing it sets not man to enquire How shall it bee done O but now saith the mocking and faithlesse Papist God workes no miracles this was the word of one of that sort when the Spanish Armado approached to our Coasts not content to triumph ouer men but ouer the very heauens as though the Lords Arme were shortned The Lord now a daies said he workes no miracles But how then was that Armado destroyed Inuincible marrowlesse matchlesse in their iudgement was it in respect of man Who did it then Was it not the hand of God from heauen which ouerthrew them Be silent therefore O yee blasphemous mouthes aske not how can these things be done It is sufficient the Lord hath said They must be done None of the words of the Lord shall fall to the ground As himselfe is vnchangeable so are his decrees figured therefore to Zacharie by Mountaines of Brasse Babylon assuredly shall fall Rome shall bee ruined the Whore shall be condemned the Kings of the earth which now giue their Kingdomes to the Beast shall ere it be long hate the Whore and strip her naked God shall put it in their hearts to do so This is fore-told in this Prophecie and here the Lord saies They must be done Here then we haue the generall matter of this Prophecie it is a prediction from this fourth chapter of things which shortly must bee done hereafter here we haue Persecutiones tribulationes Ecclesiae postea consolationes remunerationes maiores first the persecutions and tribulations of the Church afterward consolations and large remunerations thereof They are farre mistaken therefore who expound this Prophecie of the foure Monarchies and referre it to things done in the old Testament VERSE 2. And immediately I was in the Spirit and behold a Throne was set in heauen and One sate on the Throne AS the Lord called vpon his seruant S. Iohn 〈◊〉 him come vp namely to the sight of greater Visions then bad bene reuealed to him in the first Vision so now he carries him vp and the calling of God is effectuall in him Thus the Lord worketh that in his children which he craues of them and what he commands he causeth them do it How this was done hee declares when hee saith I was in the Spirit that is Alienatus ab omni exteriorum sensuum vsu atque ecstasi mentis raptus in intensissimam eorum quae mihi ostendebantur considerationem diuorced from the vse of the externall senses I was rauished to an inward consideration of these things which were shewed vnto mee Hee saies he was in the Spirit Non quod esset absque corpore sed quia nihil per corpus vidit audiuit sensit Not that hee wanted a body but because in all these Visions he heard and he saw and he felt nothing by the body Spiritus eius docendus à spiritu docente assumptus est vt alta mystica posset intueri his spirit that was to bee taught is assumed and carried vp by the Spirit of the Lord that taught him to the contemplation of higher and more diuine Mysteries then could be learned by bodily sense In a word his body being relinquished for a time and left senselesse the Visions are presented to his spirit it being vnable at one time both to animate the earthly and inferiour body and to conceaue heauenly and superiour mysteries reuealed vnto it This hee meanes when he saith I was in the Spirit not that the soule as yet was dissolued from the body but because in respect of operation it did not animate the body after the wonted manner The body is a great impediment to the familiar conuersation of the soule with the Lord. The soule cannot at one time exercise her ordinarie office in the body and feele the Lords extraordinary presence also and therefore the Lord when he would reueale his secrets to his seruants in most familiar manner hath beene accustomed to cast them for a time into a trance as we speake to
and people and Nation THe fourth point to be considered here is their Song which now followeth It is called a new Song not as some Diuines thinke because it is an Euangelike song for euen vnder the Law they had their new songs Sing vnto him a new song sing cheerefully with a loud voice And againe He hath put in my mouth a new song of praise to our God And againe Sing vnto the Lord a new song and his praise from the ends of the earth Both before the Law and vnder it they had the Gospel yea their ceremoniall law was Euangelium inuolutum a Gospell inclosed in ceremonies and figures It is therefore called a new song first in comparison of the preceding song which wee haue in the end of the fourth chapter there they praysed him for the benefit of Creation heere they prayse him for the benefit of Redemption Secondly it is called a new song as his Maiesty hath well obserued because our Redemption ought to be new and fresh in the hearts of all them that would be accounted thankfull Thirdly it is called a new song in respect of the new affection wherwith Saints praise God and this new affection ariseth of new sight of mercies which are discouered to Saints so oft as they looke into the worke of Redemption the height the depth the length and breadth of this loue of God cannot bee comprehended But as the redeemed Saints get new sight and sense of it so out of renewed affections doe they sing a new song to the Lord. But because Angels also sing their part of this new song wee must see how it is competent to them what benefit they haue by the Redemption of Iesus wee shall heare shortly onely now wee touch the new song they and redeemed Saints glorified in heauen cannot but sing a new song because they find alway in GOD new matter of ioy which mooueth them with renewed affections to praise him So infinite a Good is the Lord that they finde alway new good comming from the Lord to refresh them not that at any time they haue wearinesse but for the variety of ioyes wherewith they are continually delighted for in his face is the fulnes of ioy He satisfies his Saints with the fatnesse of his house and giues them drinke out of the Riuer of his pleasure Properly here is a Riuer of pleasure ascribed to the Lord for his ioyes flowe continually they neuer dry vp nor decay after present ioy succeeds other ioy like water in a liuely Riuer succeeding to water there is change of ioyes without want of ioyes they are not weary of that vvhich they haue and yet by looking on his face are comforted with that which they had not How can they then but sing alway a new song O happy life wherein Angels and the spirits of iust and perfect men are satiate and satisfied by looking to that Image whereunto once they were made and here is our onely comfort that when we awake wee shall be satisfied with that Image O Lord hasten that day There is nothing on earth so excellent but continuall looking on it breeds a lothing and disdain of it Truth it is many are the pleasures vvhich God hath placed in the creatures for the comfort of man euen vpon earth but wee may knowe by experience that the greatest pleasures here and the most beautifull and delectable sights the creature can render if they be perpetuall they become painfull It is not so with the ioyes of heauen it is not so with the sight of the Creator the Angels who for their continuall beholding of his face are called Aphnim are neuer weary to behold him because as wee haue said euery new sight brings with it new delight and new pleasure Thou art worthy The tenor of their song followes wherein as before they cast their golden Crownes before him that sits vpon the Throne so now they ascribe all worthinesse to the Lambe the Angels of heauen acknowledge it Saints militant and triumphant confesse it no other voice is heard in the true Church but Thou art worthy both Angel and man emptie themselues of all praise yea of all opinion or conceit of worthines or merit the contrary voice heard in the Popes Church proueth it Antichristian The chaire of merit is proper to Christ none without Laesae Maiestatis may sit down in it but himselfe The benefit of his merit belongs to all his Saints the praise of worthinesse and meriting is reserued onely to himself eand this appeares more euidently by the reason which they subioyne Because thou wast killed To whom should the praise of a Redeemer be giuen To him onely that was killed for vs. Saint Paul asketh a question of the Schismatiques of Corinth Was Paul crucified for you Hee could not abide that some of them should be called Paulists some Petrists and some Apolimists he would not haue them named from any other but Christians from Christ because neither Paul nor Peter nor Apollo was crucified for them but Christ Iesus onely And this same were good to aske of the Papists of our time Was Franciscus or Dominicus or Bernardus crucified for you How is it then that you will be called some of you Franciscans Dominicans and Bernardins But this is a small thing in respect of these greater iniuries done to him they will haue other Mediators ioyned with Christ other merits mixed with his merits but I pray them answer S. Paul his question Was any other crucified for you And poâ—…der this reason of the Saints Thou art worthy because thou wast killed Why then ioyne ye others in the worke of Redemption with him Sure it is He alone troad the Wine-presse of the wrath of God for vs. When he entred into the Garden to his agonie hee tooke his three Disciples with him Peter Iames and Iohn but did they help him No hee craued no more of them but that they should watch and pray with him yet when hee was sweating bloud for anguish they were sleeping and when he went to the Crosse did they not all forsake him yea did not Peter deny him Sith he onely suffered for vs to whom should wee giue the praise of a worthy Redeemer by whose merits we are saued but to him onely This is the Song of the whole Church Worthy is the Lambe because hee was killed and the worthinesse of another shall we neuer acknowledge Super omnia amabilem te mihi reddit bone Iesu calix quem bibisti opus nostrae Redemptionis amorem nostrum totum facile vindicat sibi Aboue all sweete Iesus the cup which thou drankst makes thee worthy to be loued of me And the worke of our Redemption challenges vnto it selfe all our whole loue no part of it being reserued to our selues or vnto any other Yea when wee haue giuen him our whole loue and all that wee
are yet stand wee debt-bound to him in so much more as hee that died for vs is more then we are What then shall we talke of any worthinesse but his And hath redeemed vs. There is the effect of Christs death to wit our Redemption We were vnder a most fearefull seruitude and bondage of Satan and sinne we sold our selues to them most foolishly now hath our Lord bought vs againe and redeemed vs Not with any corruptible thing as gold or siluer but by the precious bloud of the Lambe of God vnspotted The greatnesse of the price giuen for vs may tell vs how great his loue was toward vs who hath redeemed vs as also how desperate our danger was from which wee could not bee any other way deliuered Other Kings make conquest by sheading the bloud of their people but Iesus Christ hath conquered for vs by the sheading of his own bloud A most rare and maruellous thing and such as hath not beene heard of before The Physician drinkes the bitter potion and the Patient is cured But of this and many notable maruels to bee marked in the worke of our Redemption wee haue spoken in that Treatise on the eighth to the Romanes and elsewhere Vnto God We are loosed from the bondage of Satan that wee should be bound seruants to our God So Zacharie in his Song God hath shewed mercy toward vs that wee being deliuered out of the hands of our enemies should serue him without feare Let Libertines marke it who turne the grace of God into wantonnesse liuing a loose and dissolute life in as much as they are not bound vnto God they manifestly declare that they are not as yet loosed from the Diuell Si Christianus es vt nominaris sicut particeps es nominis eris etiam particeps vnctionis If thou beest a Christian as thou art named one as thou art partaker of the name so wilt thou also be of the vnction If thou be a Christian then Put on the Lord Iesus and study to be like vnto him For Christianisâ—…nus imitatio est Diuinae Naturae True Christianity is an imitation of the Diuine Nature Out of euery kindred There is the amplitude of this Redemption it is not limited within any Kingdome not within Canaan Now of a truth I perceiue that God is no accepter of persons Yet vniuersality is here excluded They say not Hee hath redeemed euery Nation and Tribe but some out of euery Nation and Tribe The secret Decree of God his ElectioÌ„ is executed by his Calling wherby out of the whole lumpe and masse of lost mankinde hee separateth culleth and chuseth out to himselfe so many as in his secret counsell hee hath chosen to saluation But to eschew repetition the Reader who pleaseth may looke concerning this purpose that which is written of the golden Chaine on the eighth to the Romanes verse thirty VERSE 10. And hath made vs vnto our God Kings and Priests and we shall raigne vpon earth THE benefites we haue by our Redemption are two-fold for not onely are we deliuered from that euill and miserable estate wherein wee were but are also aduanced to an high and glorious estate whereof here is mention made hee hath saued vs from wrath we iustly deserued and hath aduanced vs to grace and glory which we could neuer deserue Pharaoh his Baker would haue thought it great fauour if the King had but spared his life but the Butler was not onely deliuered from death but aduanced to the seruice of his King Not vnlike is our case God make vs thankfull for it And hath made vs. What we are in goodnesse the Lord hath made vs Wee made not our selues wee helped nothing to our first creation farre lesse to our second It is folly to dreame of a power in Nature by which man of his owne free-will is able to do good and make himselfe congruous for the receiuing of grace Noli te extollere supra Deum Confitere illi qui fecit te Extoll not thy selfe aboue God but giue glory to him that made thee Nam si ille nos fecit homines nos autem ipsi nos fecimus saluos aliquid maius illo fecimus For if hee made vs men and we haue made our selues righteous men then haue wee done somewhat more then hee Nâ—…mo recreat nisi qui creat nemo reficit nisi qui fecit None can create ouer againe but hee who created vs first none can renew vs but he who made vs. Deus est qui operatur in nobis velle perficere It is God who worketh in vs the will and the deed that thou mightst haue a will inclined to good his Calling went before thee to worke it and his Mercy did preuent thee To thinke otherwise is as Augustine said Superbus error A proud errour Firmiter rene nâ—…llam tibi facultatem inesse posse voluntatis aâ—…t operis nisi id gratuitò munere diuinae miserationis accipias Hold this for certaine that there can be in thee no power either to will or worke any thing that good is vnlesse thou receiue it freely of the mercy of God I conclude all with the testimony of that famous Councell Si quis per naturae vigorem bonum aliquod quod ad salutem pertinet vitae aeternae cogitare aut eligere se posse confirmat absque illuminatione inspiratione Sp. Sancti haereticâ—… fallitur spiritu If any man affirme that by the strength of Nature he is able to thinke or chuse any good pertaining to eternall saluation without the illumination and inspiration of the holy Spirit he is deceiued with an hereticall spirit Ab eo quod formauit Deus mutauit Adam sed in peius per iniquitatem suam Adam changed himselfe from that which God made him but he changed himselfe to the worse by his iniquity Ab â—…o quod operatur iniquitas mutatur fidelis sed in melâ—…s per gratiam Dei from that which iniquity worketh the Christian is changed but to the better by the grace of God Illa mutatio fuit praeuaricatoris primi haec secundum Psalmistam mutatio dexterae Excelsi The first change from good to euill was made by the first Transgressor the second change as the Psalmist saith from euill to good is made by the right hand of the most High And so in this Hymne redeemed Saints confesse it Thou hast made vs. Kings and Priests There is the dignity whereunto we are called inclosed in two the most honorable Offices that euer were in the world to wit the Kingdome and Priest-hood S. Peter ioynes them both in one when he cals vs A Royall Priesthood As Kings we should fight the battels of the Lord against Satan and Sinne. And here fortitude especially is required with spirituall wisedome Non enim viribus sed prudentiâ—… Diuina vincitur serpens So long as we are wise in God
first arrowes of iudgement against the wicked these he fastneth so deeply in the soules of his enemies and bodies also that repine as they will they cannot shake off the sense of his wrath but are confounded therewith Such an arrow shot hee at Iudas he might not abide but desperately hanged himselfe which yet helped not to release him of his paine Such an arrow directed he in the battell against Iulian as forced that scornfull Apostate to confesse that hee fought against an inuincible Conquerour Vicisti tandem Galilaee Next hee hath arrowes of mercy which hee shootes at his owne and wherewith hee vvounds them that he may cure them and these are of two sorts the one worketh a sense of sinne with feare of wrath for so he works with his children to terrifie them with the sense of wrath that he may waken them to eschew the wrath to come Such arrowes shot he at Dauid Thine arrowes haue light vpon me and thy hand lyeth vpon me He expounds himselfe incontinent For mine iniquities are gone ouer my head and as a waighty burden they are too heauy for me Such arrowes also shot he at Iob. The arrowes of the Almighty are in me the venim whereof doth drinke vp my spirit and the terrors of GOD fight against me These are sharp and fearfull and heauy for the present but healthfull and profitable in the end I note it for this cause that the children of God should not suffer themselues to be ouercome with griefe when they are exercised with such terrors of mind The other sort of his arrowes worketh in his Saints a sense of mercy which ingendreth loue he fastneth their harts knits them to himselfe that they vvander no more from him Of these speaketh the Church Vulnerata sum amore I am wounded and sick vvith loue By these arrovves Amor excitatur interitus non cōparatur loue is vvakened destruction is not procured In a vvord these are the two operations of the Spirit vvhereby GOD vvorks the saluation of his children Ye haue not receiued the spirit of bondage to feare againe but ye haue receiued the Spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father He beginneth to feare terrifie vs these are his first arrowes but in the end hee comforts vs these are his second arrowes many of them may the Lord shoote at vs. The fist point touched here is his ornament A crowne was giuen vnto him Two sundry wayes find we Christ crowned They platted a Crown of thorns and put vpon his head Thornes are the fruite of our sinnes Cursed is the earth for thy sake thornes thistles shall it beare vnto thee These are the best flowers vvhich the earth could giue were it not that by Iesus the curse is remoued and of these cursed fruits of the earth our sinnes procured a garland to be set vpon the head of our Lord. Quale oro sertum pro vtroque sexu subiit ex spinis opinor tribulis in figuram delictorum nostrorū we should neuer thinke of that thornie and pricking crowne set vpon the head of the God of glory but our soules should be humbled and our hearts pricked vvith sorrow for our sinnes which procured it The other is a crowne of glory But now we see Iesus crowned with glory and honour Except wee be content to beare the first with him we shall not be partakers of the second No man is crowned except hee strine as he ought The last point is his errand Hee went foorth conquering that he might ouercome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Here are two wordes one in the present time the other in the future declaring that from the beginning he hath been victorious and so will be to the end and herein stands his victory to deliuer his Saints from the hand of their enemies till at length he make his enemies his footstoole This is his errand and hee shall continue riding and fighting vpon his white horse till he haue fully finished and done it They are therefore much mistaken as wee said before who bound the course of the white horse within certaine yeeres some to the destruction of Ierusalem and some to the dayes of Constantine They who so limit him spoyle the Church of great comfort but say they what they will we say with this Prophecie Our Conqueror is stil riding on his white horse and so shall continue vntill he ouercome And we haue yet here this further comfort that where other Warriers goe out to battell vvith a carnall considence which often faileth them as we may see in Senacherib Antiochus and many such our Captaine Conqueror comes out not to a doubtfull battell the euent whereof is vncertaine but as a crowned victorious King sure at the last to ouercome Many of his enemies hath he put downe by his hand already and couered their face with shame Where are now the first Persecuters no better successe shall the remanent haue The enmity was proclaimed in Paradise and therewith the euent foretold The seed of the Woman shall bruise the head of the Serpent Victorie is sure for we fight not as men vncertain but certain Great opposition in all ages hath bin made to this crowned King yea many times would it seem his white horse hath been slaine vnder him The Baptist beheaded Steuen stoned Peter executed Preachers martyred but he hath still others in readines Paul may be bound the Word of the Lord cannot be bound This King shall furnish horses armor all needfull for the battell till he obtaine the victory It should greatly animate vs to the battell that we are sure before-hand Iesus Christ in the ministery of his Word shall preuaile oppose who will VERSE 3. And when he had opened the second seale I heard the second liuing creature say Come and see AT the opening of the second seale the second Vision is exhibited to the Church warning them that the happy successe of the Gospel foretold in the first seale will not be without bloudie persecution for Sathan shall stirre vp the bloudy beasts on whom he rides to afflict such as carrie the Name and testimonie of Christ through the world but what they intend by way of persecution against the Church the Lord shall turne it into a plague by which they themselues shall be punished and therefore are the Saints forewarned of it that they may be prepared for patient suffering when the Persecution shall come In this verse the preparation goes before and in the next verse the Vision followes In the preparation Saint Iohn is warned by the second of the liuing creatures to attend the opening of the second seale They who expound the foure liuing creatures to be the Preachers of the Word as by the first they vnderstand Quadratus and Aristides Athenienses so by the second they vnderstand Iustinus Martyr and Melito Sardensis by the third
Lord. But consider the end let all flesh looke into this Mirror and in time learne to embrace the counsell of God Be wise now therefore ye Kings be learned ye Iudges of the earth serue the Lord in feare and reioyce in trembling kisse the Sonne lest he be angry and ye perish in the way when his wrath shall suddenly burne Blessed are all that trust in him VERSE 16. And said to the Mountames and Rocks Fall on vs and hide vs from the presence of him that sitteth on the Throne and from the wrath of the Lambe TWo things here we haue first to whom doe the Reprobates runne in this desperate estate next what doe they craue They run to the creature Rocks and Mountaines But haue they eares to heare or can they protect when the Lord pursues This is their blindnesse they loued the creature more then the Creator In their necessitie they seeke comfort in the creature but can finde none a iust recompence of their error But why doe they not cry to the Lord Surely because they dare not they see nothing in him but vvrath vvhich their owne consciences tell them they haue most iustly deserued they find within themselues a condemnatorie sentence which they knowe cannot be recalled Let vs in time seeke mercy so long as it may be found the day before the Trumpet blowe mercie will be preached vnto men but they who receiue it not yet then shall neuer find it afterward By their folly let vs learne wisedome The onely rocke of our refuge is the Lord Iesus Christ if wee runne to him in time hee shall hide vs and saue vs from that fearefull vvrath which is to come The Romane Doctors vpon this place build vp as they thinke a sure ground for their inuocation of creatures they said to the Mountaines that is to the Saints and to the Rocks that is to the confirmed Angels Hide vs from the Lambe And hitherto they abuse that place of the Psalmist I lift mine eyes to the Mountaines from whence commeth mine helpe that is to the Saints VVhat a grosse ignorance is this Will Saints and Angels goe between the Lord and the wicked when they shall be iudged Shall they not rather assist the Lord in iudging them Know ye not that the Saints shall iudge the world Or what doe they meane to propose that vnto them for imitation vvich is here condemned in the wicked as vttered by them in their desperation These and such like are the sundry foundations vvhereupon stand the pillars of Papistry A twofold error in them is here manifest They lay another foundation then that vvhich is layd vvhich is Iesus Christ. And againe pretend of Christ what they will sure it is they build not vpon him gold and siluer but stubble and hay which will not abide the triall of the fire But now what craue they that the Rocks and Mountaines would fall vpon them and hide them from the presence of him that sits vpō the throne O desperate folly can Mountaines hide thee from the Lord Are they not a part of that Chrystall Globe which is before the Throne and is transparent to the Lord they liued all their dayes out of Gods presence not that his eye did not behold them and marke them in all their waies but their eyes looked not vp to him and therefore now may they not abide his presence Let vs leaue them and learne at Dauid when he had considered with himselfe that there was no flying from the Lord Whither shall I go from thy Spirit or whither shall I flee from thy Presence He betooke him to this resolution I set the Lord alway before me hee is at my right hand therefore I shall not slide Sith we cannot flee from the Lord let vs flee to him there is no defence against his vnsupportable wrath but to hide vs vnder the mantle of his mercy There are two feares which trouble two sorts of men the feare of Sin and the feare of Death which is the punishment of sinne the godly in their life feare nothing so much as sinne they fight continually against it they desire nothing more then to be quit of it O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from this body of death And therefore is it that hauing ouercome sinne they feare not death when it commeth more then a Serpent that wants a sting The wicked on the contrarie in their life feare nothing but death they flie it as the center of their sorrowes because they cannot eschew it all their care is to prolong it as for sinne they feare it not It is a pastime to a foole to doe wickedly But when their Terme-Day commeth and conscience wakens against them to pursue them for their sinnes and lets them see wrath due to their sinnes then seeke they Death as a remedy of their sorrowes but shall not find it yea they would vndergoe the most painefull death euen to bee pressed quicke to the death by the weight of Mountaines that they might bee freed of the heauie burthen of their sinnes VERSE 17. For the great Day of his wrath is come and who can stand THe day of Iudgement is called A great Day of wrath First because all the children of wrath shall be iudged in that Day none excepted Next because all the Vialls of Gods wrath shall then be powred vpon them an vniuersall deluge of all the plagues of God shall then ouerflow them The wicked put the euill day farre from them the vnfaithfull seruant thinkes his Master will not come Mockers will say Where is the promise of his comming As the kinsmen of Lot regarded not his praediction of Sodoms destruction ab vno dicebatur à multis ridebatur it was spoken by one and scorned by many but they felt the force and fury of that scorching fire shortly after so no lesse assuredly shall all the wicked who repent not feele the weight of that terrible wrath both on their soulos and bodies they shall confesse at length The great Day of his wrath is come that Day which wee despised that Day which we scorned that Day which we thought would neuer be That Day of the Lord is now come Two things perturbe and confound the wicked The one is without them the terrible presence of the Iudge or wrath of the Lambe Hee that is a Lambe to his owne lookes to the wicked like a deuouring Lyon And not without cause is the name of a Lambe here attributed to the Iudge for sure it is that iudgement iustly inflicted will not torment the wicked so much as mercy wilfully despised Terrible will it be to them when they looke to the Lambe who hath giuen mercy to so many and so many times offered mercy to themselues and now see him refuse all mercy to them because they despised it iustly shall the meek face of
the will and the deed And hereby may yee know that the Lord in mercy is working your saluation when hee worketh in you both a will and a deed to doe all that yee can that yee may be saued sorrowing for sins past euer fearefull for sinnes to come continuall in prayer feruent in thanksgiuing and euery way carefull to keepe your selues in your spirit and so to be at peace vvith GOD and vnder the sence of his loue Their garments or their robes here come to be considered Seeing the garments of Saints is the righteousnesse of Christ according to that Put ye on the Lord Iesus and againe Christ is made vnto vs righteousnes how is it that their garments neede washing Truth it is indeed the righteousnesse of Iesus imputed to vs by which wee are iustified is perfit holy like vnto himselfe without all spot or blemish but our inherent righteousnes which by his Spirit he worketh in vs and whereby we are sanctified in this life is imperfit not without spot but all the defects thereof are destroyed in death by the clensing vertue of the bloud of Iesus and we then shall bee presented blamelesse to the Lord. Our Lord hath fulfilled the righteousnesse of the Law for vs but he shall also fulfill it in vs and this is it which heere is to bee vnderstood by the washing of their garments And made them white in the bloud of c. The Lambe as we haue spoken before is the Lord Iesus who takes away the sinnes of the world his Disciples are also called Lambs Behold I send you forth as Lambs in the middest of Wolues yea all Christians are so called Peter louest thou mee feede my Lambs they are also called the Light of the world but not that true Light which lighteth euery maÌ„ that commeth into the world and so he is called a Lamb in a speciall respect Agnus singulariter solus sine macula non cuius maculae abstersae sunt sed cuius macula nulla fuerit onely without spot not because they are washt away but because he had none to wash away Agnus quem lupi timent qui lâ—…onem occisus occidit a Lambe of whom Wolues are afraid and who being slaine slew the Lyon But of him we haue spoken before As to his bloud the efficacy thereof appeares in this that it is medicinall to them who shed it the same Iewes of whom S. Peter saith that they crucisied Christ by the preaching of his Crosse were conuerted to the faith of Christ three thousand of them at one Sermon Ipsoredempti sanguine quem fuderunt redeemed by the same bloud which theÌ„selues shedde Sic enim Christi sanguis in remissionem peccatorum Iesus est vt ipsum etiam peccatum delâ—…re possit quofusus est For the bloud of Christ was in such sort shed for the remission of sinnes that it is able to put away that same sinne by which it was shed What a wonder is this the Physician comes to cure a frantique patient the frantique slayes the Physician and yet the Phisician of his bloud makes a sufficient medicine to cure the frantique qualis insania eius qui medicum occidit quanta verò bonitas potentia medici qui de sanguine suo insano interfectori suo medicamentum fecit O how great was his madnesse who slewe his mediciner and how great is the goodnes and power of the mediciner who of his owne bloud hath made a healing medicament to him that shed it Yea the very manner of phrase vsed by the Seignior or Elder le ts vs see how the worke of our redemption wrought by the bloud of Iesus is full of miracles for is not this strange that where all other bloud defiles and pollutes that wherevpon it lights this bloud purifies and cleanses them on whom it lighteth Other bloud maketh the whitest linnen vgly vnpleasant and lothsome to behold but this bloud makes a menstruous cloth pleasant white Though your sinnes were as crimson they shal be made white as snow though they were red as scarlet they shall be made white as wooll But to this cleansing of vs there is no need of the naturall or corporall sprinkling of that bloud vpon vs No the sprinkling of that bloud that purifies vs is spirituall Let vs drawe neere with a true heart in assurance of faith sprinkled in our hearts from an euill conscience No word here is as we see of any Papall purgations Indulgences or fire of Purgatorie or holy Water these are the Merchandize and wares of whoorish Babel such trumperie is not knowne in heauenly Ierusalem onely the bloud of Iesus must wash thee All other washing pollutes and defiles thee Though thou wash thee with â—…itre and take thee much Sope yet thine iniquity is marked before me saith the Lord God But the bloud of Iesus cleanseth vs from all sinne With Scripture Fathers are consonant to cry out against this blasphemous purgation of sin by any infernall fire Piorum animâ—… recta in beatas seâ—…es impiorum in gehennam abeunt the soules of godly men goe the high way into heauen the wicked straight vnto hell Anima vbicunque eâ—…olauerit è corpore aut à daemonibus in infernum aut ab Angelis in coelum abripâ—…tur the soule so soone as it fleeth out of the body is either reft and carried to hell by Diuels or to heauen by Angels Sinne they grant is forgiuen here but the punishment of it must be sustained there Against this let them mark what S. Cyprian saies Quando istine excessum fuerit nullus iam poenitentiâ—… locus nullus satisfactionis effectus vita hic aut tenetur aut amittitur from the time we go out of this life there is no more place of repentance nor effect of satisfactioÌ„ by suffering here life is either kept or lost Qualem te inuenit Deus cum vocat talem pariter indicat such as God findes thee when by death he cals on thee such he iudges thee Vnusquisque cum causa sua dormit cum causa sua resurget euery man sleepeth with his cause and with his cause shall he rise againe there is no changing nor bettering of it betweene his death and his resurrection PostquaÌ„ discesserimus non est in nobis situm poenitere neque commissadiluere From time we goe out of this life wee are not able to repent nor to wash away the sinnes which we haue done It were tedious to rehearse all And therfore I returne conclude this point In the bloud of Christ there is a threefold vertue First a purging vertue next a protecting vertue thirdly a pacifying vertue What need haue we theÌ„ of any other thing or to seeke any other merit or bloud beside his Of his purging vertue we haue spoken already His protecting
with his Saints in earth and in heauen 334 E EArthquake 255 Elders twenty foure cannot signifio Bookes 90. 91. 150. What they are 90. Primasius iudgment concerning them 92. Why they are so called 90. 91. Their Crownes 93. 94 Ephraim why omitted 292. 293 Examples of deuouring Beasts 235 Executors of wrath haue all a limited Commission 232 F FAmine 229. 220. 221. Horrible examples of it 226 Fathers not to be followed in all thingâ—… 92. The Fathers of the first age could hardly vnderstand the Reuelation 7. They are falsly charged for Heretiques by Iesuites 244. Feare a bulwarke against it 80. What good and what euill men seare most 265 Free-will 172 G GOD workes in his children that which hee craues of them 77. Why sometimes hee is put without a name 182. His Eternity Iustice and Mercy 84. 85. His operation terrible 96. Gracious 97. His manifold wisedome seene in the variety of his workes 107 God giueth to man and man to God but in different manners 118. Hee is a liuing Lord. 188. How he is said to demand any thing 310. Hee iudgeth and hee auengeth 245 God how hee speakes vnto soules 247. 310. 311. Hee workes both by good and euill Angels 271. Hee doth what he saith 283 Go to God we cannot except we go out of our selues 69 Gospell hath a speedy course 199. It is a ioyfull message 205. Wrongfully blamed by the world 222 Good men and euill vnder the like crosses the one vnlike the other 223. Good euill temporall is common to good and euill men 234. But good things are to come to good men which the wicked shall neuer see Ibid. Glory of Saints how increased 296 Glorified Saints are Kings indeed 312 H HAnds linked and hearts locked in this age 175 Harpe of a Christian is his heart 154. 156. when is it well tuned 155. 156 Hardnesse of heart 345 Heart resembled by a golden Viall 158. Heart disposed to pray a fore-runner of grace 246. It must be the Altar of Burnt-offering before it can be the Altar of Incense 304 Helim after Marah what it is 315 Hell 231 Heauen three waies taken in holy Scripture 65. Heauenly things how to be learned 64. Heauen departing like a scroll 259 Holinesse proper to God 114 Hornes what they signifie in Scripture 145. 146 Horse white a type of Preachers 204. The white Horse continueth to the end of the Battell 209 Humility 109. 110 Hymnes of Papists discordant from songs of Saints 305 Hiding from God cannot bee 265 Hearing of God must go before seeing 77 Heauy wrath abides the wicked 233. 234. 256 I IAsper stone 83. 84 Idolatry destroyes Kingdomes and houses 297 Iewes first in the Couenant 284 Their Tribes not alway reckoned in order 286. 287 Iesuites do well to enquire for a new Seat for their Pope 55 Image of God is our first and last glory 279 Ioy of heauen how exprest 166 Iudge and reuenge belong to God 245 Iudgements of God righteous 224 K KIngs earthly not like the Lord. 87. 88 Kneeling due to God 119. And comfortable for our selues 153. Kneeling in prayer recommended by S. Iames his example 308 Knowledge that Saints haue in heauen 247. Conceite of knowledge is a sore enemy to true knowledge 312 L LEui his comfort 288 Liberty of conscience 217 218 Liberty Christian abused by Libertines 170 Limbus patrum â—…lumbat 134 Linnen of a rare sort 300 Loue broken by them who professe one faith 155. 156 Life to come affoords good things 108. Life threefold giues the Lord. 188. Life of good and euill men haue different courses and ends 325. Life present vaine 338. and miserable Ibid. Life to come 325. Happy state of Saints there 334. Felicity of it 336. How God shall leade vs in it 342. How wee shall be changed 343 How to be preferred to this life 346. M MAN vncleane both for conception and conuersation 316. He hath proud Propositions weake Assumptions vaine and fruitlesse Conclusions 80. How weake he is in his strongest estate 258. Man cannot consist without Gods creatures how can hee then want himselfe 220 Marie not without sinne 141. 142 Mercy first offered yer iudgement be executed 227. Contempt of mercy a sore sinne 292. Mercy of God to this I le 275 Meriting vertue is personall and proper to Christ. 164 Mirrour for man to looke into 262 Ministers of the Word should be farre from timidity as farre from timerity 198. 199 Millinaries errour 176 Mourning is good now 347. Iust causes thereof Ibid. N NEw Song 150. 151. 165 Number of elect 286 O OBedience of bastard Christians iâ—…perfect 157. compaâ—…d 〈◊〉 Echo Ibid. 〈◊〉 the Bride Bridegroome and sundry sorts which both of them haue 158. 159 Omnipotencie of God wherein it consists 114. Great help of our faith 106 abused by Papists Ibid. P PAtience 316 Papists admonished 55. Reproued by Angels 110. Their prayer to creatures well warranted 264. They count vs Heretiques for singing with Angels and Saints 309. Papall Purgations are possutions 314 Palme-tree a signe of victorie 301 Peace maruellous in our time 213. 222. 152. 153 Persecutors may take away peaâ—… 〈◊〉 not internall 217. They are profitable to Saints but pernicious to themselues 218. and foolish 248 Persecution followes Preaching 210 Perfection of parts wee haue not of degrees 156 Pestilence 228 Prayer and praise compared 113. Prayers are sweete Odours 158. 159. They should not be made vnto Saints 160 161. Foure sorts of prayer Ibid. Comfort against weake prayer 164. What stiles to God should be vsed in prayer 244. Force of prayer 255. In prayer teares are better then talke 304. Babbling in prayer reproued 310 Praises of God should bee feruent 185. Coldnesse in praysing God rebuked â—…bid In praysing of God euery Christian should haue his part 153. 154 Preachers grace how it groweth 63. A warning to Preachers 70. They are compared to horses sadled and bridled by Christ 202. can doe nothing without Christ 202. 203. The vertue of their touÌ„g 200. They need both bridle and spur 202. How they are transported by Christ both in respect of place and preaching 202. 203. Christ worketh by them that which themselues know not 204 Preachers should be holy 204. Their comfort 288 Preaching and â—…all Peace seldome goe together 210 Predictions diuine arguments of diuine prouidence 72 Presence of God is threefold in goodnesse in grace in glory 326. terible to the wicked 261 Prophecie is of things past present and to come 35. Prophecie of the Reuelation not to bee limited to particular times and persons 29. It goeth not by one interrupted course of time 32. but is sundry times sundry waies repeated 33. It consists of three prophecies which cannot be confounded 34. 37. 38 39. 44. 48. 49. it is not to be vnderstood of things past in the old Testament 71 Professors not to bee discouraged for that they are not Preachers 209. Presumptuous professors warned 325 Prerogatiues carnall not to be respected in heauen 287 Pope is
the seuenth head of the first beast and yet the second beast also 51. His opposite is Christ. ibid. Q QVestion for Papists 168. R RAinebow 86 Redemption is maruellous and what benefits wee haue by it 170. 171. It 〈◊〉 vâ—… debtors to Christ in more then wee are worth 169. It is not vniuersall 171. wonderfull many waies 321 Religion bastard is alway cruell 204. wants not its owne Martyrs 241 Recusants rebuked 292 Righteousnesse imputed and inherent 319. 320 Romane Doctors cannot vnderstand the Reuelation and why 80. How they are to be handled in handling this booke 11. They are rauening Wolues 214 Roman state opposite to Christ vnder Emperours is the first beast vnder Popes the second 50. 51 S SAluation the glory thereof is the Lords 300 Sanctus the Martyr 280 Saints sealed in their harts and foreheads 280. 283. Particularly they are known to God 284. their stability in glory fauor with God 299. Felicity of Saints glorified 224. 328 329. They need no creature 339. Saints are both seruants and sonnes to God 333. How they shall know others in heauen 237. 238. Saints some neerer the Throne then others 93. Militant Saints how they are said to haue crowns 93. 94 Saints triumphant not yet perfected 161. 162. How they pray 158. How said to reigne vpon earth 177. 178. Al Saints are fellow-seruants 249. Their number ibid. Sanctification 326 Sacrifices of a Christian are three 175 Sardine stone 83 Satan a restlesse enemy 50. His predictions 72. None should consult with him ibid. Hee is a sore enemy to our Peace 213. He is a Lyon but chayned 216 Satan thirsts for bloud and bloud is his destruction 214 215 Seale what it is in generall 274. Seale of God what it is ibid. How Christ is sealed of the Father 278. He hath the seale of God two wayes ibid. How wee may know if God hath sealed vs. 279. 280. Such as want his Seale are not his 281. Seale internall Christ keepes it his seruants haue the externall 276 Seales seuen contain a generall prognostication of things to come 39. The first seale too narrowly limited by some 29. 31. It continues to the worlds end 30. None of al the seales but the sixt is bound to a particular time 40. Sixt seale how to be accoÌ„modated 40. 41. 251. 252. Summe of the seales 190. Fist sixt seales explaned in the seuenth chapter 43. Seales limited to seuen yeares 221 Seuenth chapter a pendicle of the sixt 43. 268 Seruice of God commended 329. 330 Seruants of Satan and sin how 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The profit of all seruice we doe to God redounds to our seluâ—… 335. Not to God ibid. Yet hee craues it that he may doe vs good for it 336 Scripture hath three sorts of bookes 1. Obscurity thereof 128. Why Papists call it obscure 129. Perfection of it 132 Sight three-fold 161. Naturall sight is no comfort without the spirituall 63. Sight which S. Iohn saw was internall imaginary and intellectuall 61. Sight of God what it doth 79. Who shall get it 178. Sight that Saints haue â—…ur of the body 237 â—…igne of the Crosse. 277 Similitudes of holy Scripture are from most excellent things in Nature 300 â—…inne an vncleanenesse 317 Song of Saints why called a new Song 165 Soules immortality 238 Spirit how S. Iohn was in the Spirit 75 Spanish Army handled not vnlike the Syrians of old 213 Starres falling like figges what they signifie 258 Sunne darkened 249. The heat thereof hurtfull to mâ—…ny 340 T THankesgiuing 160. 310 Throne of God 77. Court about it and before it 78 Threatnings most generall admit exceptions 292 Three things men would haue from God and hee will not giue them 235. Because men will not receiue one thing which God offereth to men Ibid. Tribulation in this life 315. It is Nebuchadnezzars fire Gods Flayle and Wine-presse 314. As it hath an in-gate so an out-gate 305. It is measured by God 307 Trinity in the God-head 84. 113 Types should be rightly accommodated 77. 78 V VAriety with vnity makes the sweeter Harmony 305 Victory cannot be without fighting 302. Figured by the Palme-tree 294 Victory is sure to Saints yer euer they fight 209. 210 Vision preparatory in the fourth and fifth chapter 57. Properly preparing for the Visions of Prediction 59. 79 Voice of God calleth men vpward Satans on the contrary 70. Voice of Gods mercy sounded to apostate man neuer to apostate Angell 71 Now it is a Trumpet and a Thunder 194. 68. The Voice which S. Iohn heard how it was vttored 67. Loud and liâ—…ely 69. Miserable are they who heare it not 67 Vials and Trumpets how they differ 46. 47 W WAlking here is by faith not by sight 1â—…4 Washing three-fold whereof we stand in need 317. How is it that Saints need washing sith Christ is their garment 319. And how Saints are said to wash themselues 318 White Rayment 95. 247. 299. 300 Wicked men why some of them are plagued now and some spared 233. They want the Creator now and shortly shall also want the creature 256. 257. In their trouble they runne to the creature 256 Words last of our Lord should be best remembred 4 Worke with God should we in the worke of our saluation 319 World figured by a glassic Sea and the Moone 98. 99. Best pleasures thereof like waters of the salt Sea 101. It shal fall yer it be ripâ—… â—…58 How all creatures in it shall bee changed in the lost Day 259 Worldlings called Inhabitants of the earth and why â—…46 Worship due to God onely 308 Wrath of God is a fire 227 FINIS 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebr. 1. 3. Luk. 1. 78. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ioseph Antiquit lib. 3. c. 12. Sigon de repub Heb. lib. 5. Psalm 127. 3. Psalm 116. 12. Psalm 16. 2. Sam. 9. 1. 2. Vers. 11. 13. The bookes of holy Scripture are of three rankes rendring a threefold fruit 1 Of Conuersion Psal. 19. 7. Rom. 15. 4. 2 Of Consolation Psal. 34. 19. 3 Of Confirmation Ioh. 16. 4. This booke of the Reuelation is Prophetical And it serues especially to confirme vs in the faith This book the Father giues to the Son the Son to an Angel and the Angel to Saint Iohn that hee might giue it to the Church Reuel 1. 1. The generall matter of this Prophecie Reu. 3. 10. The time wheÌ„ this book was written commends it greatly to vs. The last words of our Lord should be best remembred Luke 16. 31. An answer to Atheists who will haue one from the dead to teach them About threescore yeeres after his ascension our Lord sent this Reuelation Ephe. 4. 8. 〈◊〉 lib. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bucholâ—…er chronol To keepe his Church from fainting vnder trouble till he come himself By two scandals would satan scarre vs froÌ„ this book 1 By denying authority of it Reu. 1. 3. Iustin. Marâ—…n Dialog 〈◊〉 tryph cont Iudcos Iren. lib. 5. cont Valen. Ambros. lib. 3. de S. Sancto cap. 21. Aug. de
onely but here a Voice speaking with S. Iohn quo non obscurè innuitur verbi quod personam suam habet nostri communio whereby the communion of the Word with vs is not obscurely declared Both these are good points of Diuinity but too hardly picked out of this place The more soberly wee handle the Prophecie we shall vnderstand it the better S. Iohn heere tels vs no more but that by a Voice sounding lowdly in his hearing hee was prepared to behold these things which God was to shew him How God did vtter this Voice to him it were but curiosity for vs to enquire Deo namque qui nostris loquendi legibus astrictus non est liberum est loqui quomodocunque voluerit The Lord is not bound to our manner of speaking as Cotterius hath well obserued it is free to the Lord to speake what manner of way hee will This we may be sure of and it should content vs that his seruant vnderstood very well what the Voice said to him which we may perceiue by his owne declaring of it vnto vs. And now out of this the lesson ariseth The Apostle looked vp to God in the beginning of this Verse desirous to see more and now the Lord offers not onely new sight to his eye but new information to his care Wee neuer turne our hearts truely to the Lord but hee is readie to meete vs All his children finde this in experience Certainely if wee would be more homely with our God we should soone finde him more familiar with vs. But alas our sinne is we wait not vpon him and intertaine not a spirituall fellowship with him How shall wee see that delight not in the light And how shall we bee replenished with that grace which ouerflowes in him so long as we are carelesse and negligent to come to him This is the ground of all our euill neglect of the spirituall worship neglect to waite vpon the Lord. God giue vs eyes to see it and hearts to mend it As it were of a Trumpet The Voice soundeth said one like a Trumpet Quia inuitabat Ioannem ad praelium contra diaboli temptamenta contra mundi blandimenta contra carnis oblectamenta because it inuites S. Iohn to battell against the tentations of the deuill the allurements of the world the pleasures of the flesh No question S. Iohn was a good Souldier of Iesus and had fought these battels couragiously but this goes further hee is stirred vp by this Trumpet to heare a Proclamation made in heauen of such battels as his Saints had to fight vpon earth to the worlds end that hee might fore-warne the Church of them The lesson here arising is that the Voice whereby God speakes to his owne is loud liuely and powerfull to waken them out of the dead sleepe of their sinne That same Word of the Lord preached which to a naturall man is but foolishnesse and a dead letter which he vnderstands not to the childe of God is the power of God it is liuely and mighty in operation The houre shall come and now is when the dead shall heare the voice of the Sonne of God and they that heare it shall liue O how miserable are they to whom this Voice sounds and they heare it not and the Trumpet of the liuely Word wakneth them not For if they continue in this estate and their sleepe bee vnto death what remaines but a fearefull Trumpet of doome which whether they will or not they shall be forced to heare denouncing to them the iudgement of endlesse condemnation But to returne our ground is God in his mercifull dealing with his seruants what euer hee haue to doe with them speakes to them in such sort that hee causes them both to vnderstand and also to obey him This S. Iohn declares when hee saith the Voice was like the voice of a Trumpet because by it hee was wakened moued and stirred vp to heare attentiuely and with reuerence Saying Come vp hither Non corporis motu sed mentis intuitu Come vp not by motion of the body but attention of the mind Here then Saint Iohn his calling is renewed to him againe he must be a separate man and after a sort go out of himselfe and go vp vnto God to bee familiar with him who would see the things of God This is required of euery Christian if hee would be the Spouse of Christ ioyned in marriage with him Forget thy owne people and thy fathers house so shall the King haue pleasure in thy beauty How much more then is it requisite in Christian Preachers Did Moses see the patterne of the Tabernacle till he went vp to the Mount Or did the Lord talke familiarly with Ioshua and Moses till first they put off their shooes And shall any Preacher now thinke to be familiar with God and powerfull with his people vnlesse he learne this lesson first that here first is giuen to S. Iohn Come vp hither Againe the voice of God when he talkes to his people is Come vp Satans voice on the contrary Fall downe Cast thy selfe downe That presumptuous Beast durst speake so to our Sauiour what maruell then he dare speake so to his seruants The Lord would haue thee to come vp and enioy all the good which hee hath to communicate to thee Satan would haue thee to go downe that thou mayst be partaker of his remedilesse condemnation He himselfe for his sinne was cast out of heauen He is now reserued in chaines vnder darkenesse to the iudgement of the great Day And he knowes that when the time of his complete iudgement shall come he will bee cast into vtter darkenesse and all his care is to draw man downe-ward with him into the same condemnation There is no restitution for him mercy neuer was neuer will be preached to him neither can he seeke it neither will he get The most that euer he craued was a Supersedere Why wilt thou torment vs before the time he is condemned in his own conscience and knowes that intolerable ineuitable torment abides him We reade that the Lord talked with Satan but neuer called vpon him to come vp since that first he fell down But blessed be the Lord it is his voice to his owne Come to me notwithstanding yee haue fallen from me yet Come to me yee haue sinned but if yee be weary of sinne I will refresh you It was the answer of Christ to the Disciples of Iohn Baptist when they asked Master where dwellest thou Come and see said our Lord and still hee speaketh vnto all his beloued as here hee doth to one of his beloued Come vp hither not to get new reuelations to be shewed vnto others but Come vp hither to get a new and a full sight of my promised glory to your selfe Yea such is the goodnesse of our God that not onely hee cals vpon