king of locusts and impudently professing himself to bee Christs vicar Besides he hath not the key of hell absolutely but of the bottomlesse pit or of the sinke of hel and thence to raise the smoak of his pestilent lies deceit to the damnation of the inhabitants of the earth 2. And hee opened the bottomlesse pit Now John expoundeth the pestilent effects of this power The bottomlesse pit was shut up by the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles who pluckt men out of the snares of Satan by leading them unto the living fountaines of Israel it was shut up I say almost untill these times For hetherto the faithfull teachers took heed that this pestilent smoake might not spread it self over their Churches But now Antichrist having gotten the key into his hand unlocked as it were the verie gate of hell which before was shut But what is this surely nothing else but the Popes universal power by which he laboured not to open unto men the kingdome of God but on the contrarie to unloose the verie barrs of hell that so the world might rush headlong into the same Now the Pope opened this bottomlesse pit when by his authority hee established his filthy errours superstitions idols c. and tooke out of the Church the certainty of faith perseverance tormenting infusing into the consciences of men feares doubtings c. This was the porch or entrie into hell he opened therefore the bottomlesse pit for the destruction of all men like as hunters open caves pits whereinto the unwarie deere might fall and be taken This was the first effect of the key And there arose a smoak out of the pit This second effect is an exhalation of a pestilent smoake which necessarily followes the former as when an house of office is uncovered there ariseth a filthy stinke And it is called a smoake because it ascendeth out of hell as smoake doth from fire Moreover it is not a thinne but a verie thick smoke as of a great furnace like to bakers brickmakers smiths or the like This smoake is nothing els but the blacke and smoaky divinity of the Pope His wicked decrees touching images and idol worship his taking upon him to purge sins by masses penance satisfactions pilgrimages almes purgatorie jubilees pardons c the primacle of his Romish chaire his power in heaven and hell to be short the whole volumes of their Canons Decretals together with the inextricable toyes of Scholastick divinity by all which the Pope hath in very deed brought a thick smoake upon the Christian world establishing a mingle mangle of Iudaisme Paganisme in stead of Christianity oppressing the truth of Christ with most grosse darknesse Now the doctrines of Antichrist are compared to smoake from the effects thereof For as the smoake obscures the ayre hurts the eyes causeth such a darknesse that things cannot bee seen as they are and he which walketh in it is in danger to be stiffled or to fall down headlong even so is it with Antichrists smoake therefore it followeth And the Sun and the aire was darkned The Revelation expounds it self The fourth trumpet sounding the third part of the Sun Moon and Stars was smitten But here the whole Sun is darkened and so consequently the aire which is enlightned by the same This signifies the same evil with the former but more grievous For before onely a third part but here a totall defect of the light appeareth Nothing is more sad to behold then totall eclipses as happened in Aegypt at Christs passion For all things then are in darkenesse the day beeing turned into the night Now as Christ is the Sun of righteousnesse so nothing can be signified by this total darknesse but that universall Apostasie from the faith which the Apostle foretold should come to passe under Antichrist Vntill the times of Gregorie the third part of the Sun was smitten that is much darkenesse was brought into the Church by Bishops hereticks hypocrites hermites and monkes as we have before shewed upon the going forth of the black and pale horse as also at the sounding of the the third and fourth trumpet But after Gregorie Boniface at length and his successours sitting on the chaire of VNIVERSAL pestilence a horrible night darkened Christ the Sun in the Church for all places were filled with most grosse darknesse of Popish decrees traditions superstitions ceremonies lies fraud and Sophistrie The summe of all is this The darkening of the Sun which the Apostaticall Star brought in by his hellish smoake of Popish divinity doth exactly answer to that obscurity which happened at the opening of the sixt seal For the Sun was made black like sackcloth of haire the Moon was turned into blood the Stars fell from heaven unto the earth c. by al which as we there shewed is mystically set forth that horrible night of blindnesse which Christ suffered during Antichrists reigne But thou wilt say how can this darkenesse bee applied unto the Papacy seeing they professe the name of Christ beleeve him to be the saviour receive the Apostolicall faith and to be short acknowledge the holy Scriptures of God unto this day Now here I desire the reader to consider what I have before answered unto this faire pretence And what the Apostle said unto the hypocritical teachers of his time who under a shew of preaching Christ brought into the Church Iewish ceremonies and a flagitious licentiousnesse of life they professe that they know God but in workes they denie him The which how fitlie it agreeth to Antichrist the fathers of old as Hilarie Austin and others have wel observed It is true indeed in word hee professeth Christ but in workes he denies him For had he come as an open enemie of Christ he could never have invaded the kingdome of the Church but his comming was as the Apostle hath foretold with all deceiveablenesse of unrighteousnesse Thus we see that Antichrist under the name of Christ should oppose Christ and labour to destroy the faith of Christ out of the harts of men The proprietie of Antichrists name saith HILARIE is to be contrarie to Christ the which is now effected under the opinion of fained pietie This is now preached under shew of preaching the Gospell And indeed Christ while hee seems to be preached is denyed So AVSTIN Hee also is to bee esteemed the SON OF PERDITION who under the NAME OF CHRIST which is the name of God that is making shew of beeing a Christian extolles himself above Christ whence it appeareth that these fathers were of opinion that Antichrist under the name of Christ the faith of Christ should deny both But how is this don by the Papists This hath fully been manifested long agoe They pray unto the images of Marie made of stone wood gold c. Holy Marie queene of heaven heare us save us O thou our onely hope c. In thee O Ladie I trust Into thy hands O Ladie I commend my spirit The
4. 3. From the efficacie and authority of their office v. 5. 6. II. Their warre with the beast where 1. we have the description of the beast his hostile invasion and victorie ver 7. 2. The martyrdome of the prophets and place of reproach v. 7. 8. 9. 3. The joyes of the wicked for the slaughter of the prophets with the cause of this their great rejoycing vers 10. III. The avengement of the prophets where 1. we have their restoring to life vers 11. 2. The astonishment feare of the wicked ibid. 3. Their glorious ascending up into heaven v. 12. 4. The shaking and ruin of Antichrists kingdome IV. An acclamatory conclusion of the end of the Churches calamities of judgement at hand v. 14. The latter part the seventh trumpet sounding declares the change of the Churches warfare in three particulars 1. An heavenly triumph because the kingdomes of the world were become Gods and Christs ver 15. 2. A triumphant song of the first companie viz. of the four and twenty Elders whose reverend cariage gratulatorie hymne is recited in which 1. they give thankes to Christ for freeing his Church and kingdom from the tyrannie of the adversaries v. 17. 2. They declare the vain fretting wrath of the wicked hereat v. 18. 3. They proclaime the resurrection of the dead with the last judgement ibid. 4. They denounce rewards unto the godly and punishment unto the wicked ibid. The excecution of judgement on the godly ungodly To the godly heaven is opened that they might see Iesus Christ the Ark upon the wicked are sent lightnings thunders eternal haile The first part of the Chapter Of the reformation of the Church by the two witnesses under the Westerne Antichrist 1. And there was given me a reed like unto a rod and the Angel stood saying Rife and measure the Temple of God the Altar them that worship therein 2. But the Court which is without the Temple leave out and measure it not for it is given unto the Gentiles the holy City shall they tread under foot fourtie and two moneths 3. And I will give power unto my two witnesses they shall prophesie a thousand two hundred and threescore dayes clothed in sakcloth 4. These are the two Olive trees and the two candlestickes standing before the God of the earth 5. And if any man will hurt them fire proceedeth out of their mouth and devoureth their enemies if any man will hurt them he must in this manner be killed 6. These have power to shut heaven that it raine not in the dayes of their prophecie and have power over waters to turne them to blood and to smite the earth with all plagues as often as they will 7. And when they shall have finished their testimony the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomlesse pit shal make warre against them shall overcome them and kill them 8. And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodome and Egypt where also our Lord was crucified 9. And they of the people and kindreds and tongues nations shall see their dead bodies three dayes and an halfe shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves 10. And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoyce over them and make merry shall send gifts one to another because these two Prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth 11. And after three dayes and an halfe the Spirit of life from God entred into them they stood upon their feete great feare fell upon them which saw them THE COMMENTARIE ANd there was given mee a reed This is a generall prophesie touching the restoring of the Church beeing declyned under Antichrist Before Iohn was commanded againe to prophesie But now to measure the temple of God with a measuring reed that is to prophesie of the measuring of the temple of God which should be afterwards in the times of Antichrist The measuring of the temple is the reformation of the Church The measuring of the temple signifies the building repairing thereof as appeares if this prophesie bee compared with that in Ezech. 40.41 c. unto which this place doth allude The Temple of God signifies the Church as almost all interpreters both ancient moderne understand it and indeed the words here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 temple of God are so taken 1 Cor. 3.16 2 Cor. 6.16 2 Thess 2.4 They who apply this to the temple of Jerusalem are refuted by the time it self for when these things were spoken unto John that temple with the city beeing utterly destroyed was never any more to be restored Lyra Lyras frivolous interpretation doting as his manner is applies it to the festivitie of the dedication of temples instituted by Pope Felix about the yeere 525. at which time the Bishop holding in his hand a sprinckling reed goes about the outward walles of the temple as if he were to measure the same and within on the floore from one corner thereof unto another he thwartwise writes downe the letters of the Greek alphabet and so measures the space within The words therefore Rise and measure he will have to be meant of Pope Felix speaking to every Bishop about the dedication of temples the court leave out or cast forth because masse may not be celebrated except the place be consecrated But I passe by these fopperies For Ribera and Alcasar themselves acknowledge that the Temple here signifies the Church of God Now let us see what instrument hee is to use what to doe with it wherefore and when First hee shewes the instrument A reed like unto a rod was given mee to wit by the Angel who before commanded him to eat up the booke and againe prophesie that is by Christ Ribera wel observeth that it was not a writing pen but a measuring reed because it is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like to a rod that is a great measuring staffe with which Architects use to mete plats of ground and buildings a measure of six cubites and a handbreth Ezech. 40.5 The Rod wherewith the Church is measured What is meant by the measuring rod of the Church is nothing else but the word of God the most perfect rule of faith and Church discipline Rupertus acknowledgeth it to be the authoritie of the Evangelical scripture So that this reed is indeed the same little booke which Christ gave unto John to eat it up the which is here againe delivered to him under the type of a reed or rule in regard of the measuring worke here enjoyned Thus also my Anonymus above 260 yeeres agoe The rod saith he is the sense of the scripture because as a rod of diverse colours it chastiseth sinners Rise and measure the Temple of God First he must measure the Temple Altar Worshippers therein Secondly leave or cast forth the inward court The reading of both is somewhat
fire and on the contrary the Churches Victory and Eternall Glory The particular Visions are finished with the two latter Acts The two Acts of the particular Visions because they onely represent Antichrists tragedie rage declining and destruction the which notwithstanding the former touching the seven Vials doth more briefly the later touching the whore riding on the Beast more largely and clearly therefore this also is to be distinguished into foure Acts yet answering to the two latter Acts of the universall Visions Now although the Parallell-Acts both former and latter are not alwayes divided by whole Chapters like as Tragedie-writers use to doe but sometimes are joyned together and as it were mingled in the same Chapters because they shadow out Histories or things by the same periods and walking as the saying is with equall steps yet every where if thou well observe the Method they have traces evident enough as wee have diligently shewed in every of the Visions where also wee have noted the Markes and Periods of every of them CHAPTER XI The manner of interpreting observed by PAREUS FVrthermore by the things hitherto spoken touching the Argument and Method the manner of interpreting observed by us will not be obscure To every vision wee have praefixed its proper dispensation or order with as much brevity and light as could be the Chapters we have illustrated with Arguments Parts and Analysis The Doctrines which in this Prophesie are many and excellent we have so laboured to expound and applie unto the Scope of divine Scriptures shewed by the Apostle Rom. 15.4 2. Tim. 3.16 being profitable for reproofe for correction for instruction in righteousnesse and lastly for the patience comfort and hope of the Saints that this Booke may with no great labour profitablie be propounded unto the Churches by the Ministers of Gods word Now seeing in the beginning I said that the eternall Deity of Christ is thorowout in this Prophesie proved with such evident Arguments against Heretickes as scarcely any other Scripture doth it more clearely I thought it worth the labour to note above XL. Arguments of that nature in their severall places vindicating them from the depravings of Eniedinus the Transsilvanian Hereticke which he cals Explications that it might so much the more appeare that those Ancients who as Eusebius recordeth denyed the Canonicall Authority of this Book as not written by the Apostle John but the Hereticke Cerinthus Lib. 7. hist cap. 25. did either not looke into the Booke and so sinned through grosse ignorance or else were carried away with more then humane affection What Method I have taken in explicating Propheticall things hath already been said and the Praefaces of the Visions shall shew in which I have not onely laboured to declare the Argument Scope Coherence Order and Period of every one but in speciall clearly to shew the Harmonie and consent of the foregoing and following Types and of the darker and more clear each with other and with the Types and Phrases of the ancient Prophets that so I might illustrate the Revelation by the Revelation It is most safe to expound the Revelation by the Revelation which manner of interpreting cannot bee but most safe and certaine For seeing it is evident that the darker Types go before and the clearer follow after and are notwithstanding Analogicall or agreeing with each other undoubtedly the more darke must bee sought out by the clearer Now the more cleare have no extraordinary difficult application unto the things signified by them And therefore wee may thence with some labour draw the understanding of the darker which also I have laboured to doe In summe following Austines advice I have shewed these two things that the same things are so many wayes repeated in this Booke as it may seeme to speake of different things whereas we shall finde that the same things are diversly related And that a few yea not a few but many things are in the Booke Aug. lib. 20. de C. D. cap. 17. by the manifestation whereof the rest might with labour be found out which again I say not as if I thought that all the mysteries of the Revelation were by me unfolded Far be it I come short in many things Throughout where I sticke and where bounds seeme to be set Eph. 4.7 there I ingenuously professe a man must stand and goe no further For here is wisedome 2. Cor. 12.8 To them that earnestly call upon God the Spirit is given according to the measure of the gift of Christ. It befell even the Apostle Paul that he obtained not the thing hee petioned of God How much more may the same befall us and me the least of all especially in these things of which the Lord hath as yet reserved much in his owne power Wherefore to interpret the Revelation What it is to interpret the Revelation is not to untie all the knots of Aenigmaes to leave unsifted or be ignorant of nothing at all in the same or by precisely interpreting the meaning of the Image Character number of the Beasts name the Beast himselfe the woman on the Beast the eating of her flesh the seven the ten Kings that shall burne her Gog and Magog to make all gain-sayers to bee silent For who hath ever attained unto this by interpretation or commenting on any part of Holy Writ They therefore that require the same are wiser then Christ the Apostles and God himselfe And on the contrary such are wise against God who make a mocke of the Oracles they understand not because of their obscurity or because of the diversity of Interpreters Many types of future things remaine secret and are known to God onely untill they be fulfilled The whole fourth Act with its accomplishment is secret because the seventh Trumpet hath not yet sounded neither is the seventh Viall yet poured forth into the Ayre A great part also of the third Act is reserved unto posteritie which in time shall see the full gathering together of the Kings of the Earth into Harmageddon the devouring and burning of the whorish woman the desolation of Babylon and the event of the Goggish Warre c. The beginning we see and further shall see In the two former Acts and the better part of the third the accomplishment whereof hitherto Histories and dayly experience do so plainly shew that if we held our peace the very stones would cry out it is the part of a Faithfull Interpreter not to draw the Readers from the scope neither to send them from those things which are done at home before their eyes to seek for Chymeras in the Hyperborean Mountaines which thing almost all the Iesuiticall brethren at this day do in their Commentaries least happily Antichrist should bee found in the Mountaines of Rome for the discovery of whom the greater part of the Apocalyps was of old revealed and circumscribed with such apparent oracles that after the Historie and experience of so many Ages we may
under foot the two witnesses shall prophesie because during Antchrists reign Christ shall never want two witnesses least he might seem to be overcome and thrust out of his possession by Antichrist now without al doubt this is the safest opinion sufficeth for the consolation of the godlie If thou demand what is the reason of the change of moneths into dayes Why the moneths are changed into dayes We have nothing here to answer precisely except that the same time the same thing is set forth by diverse expressions as it is familiar with the prophets By two dreames God signified the same thing unto Pharaoh so generally throughout this whole prophesie the same events are prefigured by diverse types Notwithstanding it is not a misse to observe as some have done that the lesser number is attributed to the treading down to denote the shortnes of afflictions the greater to the witnesses to signifie the during and invincible power of the Gospel both which serve to comfort the godly Furthermore what we said before concerning the 42 moneths seems here againe to bee repeated of the 1260 dayes it may be to the end that the time both of the moneths and dayes might hereby be defined For why should the spirit of God rather attribute 42 moneths unto Antichrists treading down then 10 20 60 or 100 and why should 1260 dayes be rather appointed then more or lesse If therefore it might be lawfull to gesse at the termes of the moneths and yeeres from histories past and present then I should thinke that as Antichrist began to tread down the Church when Boniface the third was set on the Chaire of universal pestilence anno 606. and that the Church hath now from that time unto this been troden down 34 moneths and an half so the prophesie of the two witnesses against Antichrist hath continued 1036 dayes and so are not yet ended And as the Churches oppression was not all at one time or instant neyther was the sorest in the beginning but it increased by little little untill at length the holy citie was troden wholie under foot by Antichrist so the preaching of the two witnesses was not alwayes alike perspicuous powerful against him but manifested it self in severall ages by manifold martyrdoms untill at length the mysterie of iniquitie beeing unfolded it most manifestly brake forth in these latter ages For it appeareth by histories that the Bishops of France Germanie yea also of Italie but especially they of Ravenna Mediolanum and Aquileia did often times most stronglie oppose the successours of Pope Boniface As also Synods not a few have condemned the tryannie and idols of the Popes of Rome moreover among these witnesses were John Scottis Bertramus the Abbat Berengarius a priest Waldus in France Wickleffe in England as also Nicolaus Clemanges Marsilius of Patavia Besides many of the Emperours as Henry IV. V. Frederick I. II. Ludowick IV. c. have with all their might suppressed Popish tyrannie Now the reason why I reckon these Emperours among the witnesses I will shew in the following verse See also the Catalogue of witnesses published in two volummes who by prophesying have opposed the Romish Hierarchie A little before the Council of Constans anno 1409. the holy citie was most miserably troden down by Romish beasts Tom 11. concil Constant sess XL. art 67. at what time three Antipopes laid claime and by tyrannie possessed the Antichristian chaire viz. Gregorie XII Benedicte XIII Alexander V. after his death Iohn XXIII who denied that there was any hell or resurrection of the flesh At this time the Antichristian Church was a horrible three headed monster the which schisme dured above seventy yeeres Then Christ raised up two witnesses in Bohemia Iohn Husse and Ierome of Prage to prophesie against those Beasts Who beeing called appeared before the Councill Sigismund the Emperour having swoorn safe-conduct unto them and laid down their testimonie in the assemblie of the Locusts condemning the Antichristian tyrannie of Popes But the thing here foretold happened unto them The Beast overcame and slue them Husse was cruelly burnt anno 1415. 8 of the ides of Iulie Hierom anno 1416. 3 of the Calends of Iune Now however Iohn Husse taught publicklie at Prage in the beginning of the yeere 1400. not withstanding he begane first to maintaine the opinions of Wicleffe and opposed the Beast in the yeer 1412. from which time untill his martyrdom were precisely 42 moneths or 1260 dayes So that the Prophesie may seem to have been fulfilled according to the letter in these two witnesses Now Husse while he was in the fire foretold that the adversaries after an hundred yeeres should give an account to God and to him which also came to passe for an hundred yeeres after the Lord stirred up other couples of Prophets against the beast In Saxonie Luther and Melanchthon at Argentine Buâ—â—er and Cariton In Helvetia Zwinglius and Oecolampadius In France Farellus and Calvin who beeing divinely armed with the spirit and power of Elias be gane with the reed of the holie Scriptures to measure the temple reforme the Church purge the doctrine of the Gospell and cast out the court of priests these beeing dead the Lord raysed up other maintainers of the truth in diverse Kingdoms Provinces Commonwealthes Churches Academies of Europe who unto this day both by word and writing have stronglie opposed themselves against the Beast treading the holy citie under his foot Clothed in sackcloth The titles of the witnesses now follow about which we are in a generall way to observe that what ever of old was attributed in holie scripture as memorable excellent unto the Prophets chiefe servants of God that is here applied unto these not indeed in a litteral sense which in many things can not hold but by a certaine similitude They shal be clothed in sackcloth like unto the Prophet Daniel Chap. 9.13 Two Olive-trees before God as Zerubbabel Iehoshua Zach. 4.11 Fire shall proceed out of their mouth as out of the mouth of Ieremie Ier. 5.14 With it they shall devoure their enemies as Elias 2 King 1. They shall shut heaven that it raine not as the said Elias 1 King 17. They shall turn waters into blood and smite the earth with plagues as often as they will as Moses Aaron Exo. 4.5.6.7.8.9.10 By which we may more clearly perceive First Against the fabulous opinion of Enoch and Elias that the two witnesses are not rightly applied to Enoch Elias seeing nothing of Enoch is here referred unto them The miracles indeed of Elias are attributed unto them but not his alone so that if we should judge by the attributes one of them should no more be Elias then Moses Aaron Ieremie Daniel Zerubbabel or Iehoshua Secondly that two individuals are not onely noted but a few at severall times yet many successively who shall prophesie against the Beast For those prophets unto whom they are likened
take ought from the Scriptures but with the hazard of their Salvation If any man shall adde The contestation consists of two heads The first is that this Prophesie may not be adulterated by any Addition To adde What it is to adde to this Prophesie is not soberly and according to the Analogy of Faith to interpret the meaning of the Prophesie but to mixe other things besides what the Lord Iesus hath revealed by his Angell He addeth saith THOMAS which adjoyneth a lye for whatsoever is patched to the Scriptures of mens inventions that it might be accounted as divinely revealed is a lie Such are the Popes Traditions which seeing hee will make of like authority with the written word of God he addeth unto the Scriptures Therefore they are lies The other branch of the contestation is What it is to take away from this Prophesie that none may deprave this Prophesie by taking away from the words thereof He not onely takes away that derogates from the divine authority of the Booke which as Christ foresaw many would do but he also that any wayes changeth or maliciously perverteth or contradicteth any thing here written Of which offence such are not altogether free who obstinately deny that the manifest events of the Types touching the fall of the great Starre from Heaven into the Earth of the Beasts ascending out of the Sea and of the worshipping of his Image and Character of the Romane Babylon of the whore committing fornication with the kings of the earth the like are not yet manifestly fulfilled in the Papacy The summe of the contestation is that the integrity sincerity and sacred Authority of this Prophesie bee faithfully preserved in the Churches and that the contemners falsifiers and corrupters thereof be no way suffered under paine of Anathema or curse unto which as it followeth that man is liable that presumes to adde or take away ought therefrom for he saith Vnto him God shall adde the plagues This is the reason of the contestation the horrible curse of them that falsifie this Scripture by adding or detracting For if Falsifiers of Coine are liable unto the civill curse of the Law much more shall the Anathema of eternall damnation be inflicted upon the Corrupters of the Scriptures which are the word of God To them that adde thereto God will adde all the plagues of this Booke to wit the Seven last plagues and cast them into the Lake of fire and brimstone with the Dragon the Beast and the False-Prophet Chap. 19. 19. And if any man shall take away That the righteousnesse of Gods judgements may appeare he will punish the Corrupters of his word according to the quality of the offence To Impostors he will adde plagues To them that take away God will take away their part out of the Booke of life c. Their judgement shall bee much alike For as the former are threatned with plagues so the latter shall be deprived of all good His part Not what he hath but what he seemes to have He speaketh of the part or portion of eternall life which such shall have as are written in the Book of Life that blessednesse I say and Heavenly joy which the Inhabitants of the Holy Citie shall be partakers of And from the things which are written To wit which in the Epistles of this Prophesie especially Chap. 2. 3. are promised to them that overcome and from the things which in this Book are spoken touching the glorious state of the Saints in Heaven Chap. 7.9.20.21.22 Now they that shall be deprived of Heavenly blessings must of necessity lie under eternall plagues and punishment For betwixt these there is no medium This place is remarkeable against the Popish depravers of the Scriptures For two things are evidently proved First that the Holy Scripture is Authentique in it selfe and that it giveth testimony of its owne divine authority For what is truely said of this Prophesie is rightly by Expositers extended unto the whole Scripture Hence ANDREAS A fearfull curse saith he shall light on them who are not afraid to adulterate divine Scripture SECONDLY That the Holy Sriptures are so perfect in themselves as that the Romanists are to bee held for most damned falsifiers who deny that all Doctrines of Faith and Salvation are contained therein unlesse the traditions of Rome bee added Lib. 4. de ver 80. dei c. 10. Against this Bellarmine objecteth that only the integrity of this Book is established but not the perfection of the whole Scripture ANSWER Yea both this Booke and all the rest of Holy Scripture This appears because this Booke is the last and last written Therefore this threatning annexed is as the Seale of the whole Cannon or of all Bookes of divine Scripture For as God put too this Seal to the Bookes of Moses being the first Cononicall Bookes Deut. 4.2 12.32 Ye shall not adde unto the word which I command you neither shall ye diminish ought from it So to this last Booke he puts the same Seale that nothing might be added made equall or taken away from this or any other part of Canonicall Scripture Bellarmine objecteth to the contrary that it is not said which I have written but which I have commanded But frivolously for Exod. 24.12 God saith expresly Which I have written that thou mayest teach them And Hose 8.12 I have written to him the great things of this Law Adde to this the former reason that all Interpreters do acknowledge this Anathema to be pronounced generally against all falsisiers of Scripture Why the oracles of the Revelation are most taken out of the old Canon and that most justly For the evident argument hereof is that the greatest part of this Prophesie is as it were taken word for word out of the Old Canon so as the Holy Ghost seemes purposely in every of the Visions to allude unto certaine Prophesies of the Old and New Testament Now the reason hereof without Question was First indeed really to demonstrate that there was nothing wanting in the Old Testament unto perfection Secondly that by this apparent imitation hee might shew that in the writings of the Old Testament is contained the state and condition of the Church of the New Testament Lastly he sheweth that the Revelation is as it were a recapitulation of both the Testaments and containeth the summe and agreement of all the Holy Scriptures By the which againe it is plaine that this present contestation or protestation belongeth unto the whole Body of Sacred Writ 20. He which testifieth these things saith Ribera will have these words to bee Johns because of the like sayings in his Gospell Iohn 21.24 But the words following shew that they are spoken by the Lord Iesus for he addeth Behold I come quickly Notwithstanding there is no great matter in it Hee calleth himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Testifier because he testified that is revealed this Revelation unto John by his Angell Hence
Touching the Canonicall authority of the Revelation NOw by these things the divine Authority of the Booke doth necessarily follow For if the Apostle Iohn be the Author the Divine and Canonicall Authority cannot justly bee questioned For the Apostles writings are Apostolicall Besides the Author doth againe and againe testifie that he received his Revelation from Christ and wrote the same by the Augels command This also the testimony of the Ancient Church confirmeth Concil Ancyran in appendice For the Revelation is alledged under the name of John and as Canonicall Scripture by the most ancient Councell of Ancyra which was before that of Nice also in the Councell of Carthage III. Can. 47. and some others following The Revelation also hath bin alwayes of Canonicall authority with the Greeke and Latine Fathers although certaine Graecians before Dionysius Alexandrinus did some what scruple the same as of old some of the Latine Church had their doubts touching the Epistle to the Hebrews because it did seeme to favour Novatus as Ierome writeth unto Dardanus But the scruple of one or a few of the Ancients can no more disanull the authority of any Canonicall Book of Scripture then the scruple of a few now can doe And howsoever Luther in his first Edition of the New Testament in the Germane tongue Published anno 1526. Sixtus Senensis Biblioth Ribera in Apoc. Prooem cap. 1. did not reckon the two latter Epistles of Iohn the Epistles also of Iames and Iude among the Apostolicall and Canonicall Scriptures Not indeed as some Papists write because he could not beare those words Chap. 14.13 Blessed are the dead c. because their workes follow them which verily doe notably overthrow their fiction of the Soules of the Saints going into Purgatory but rather because he thought that such obscure Visions and Figures were not so well agreeable unto the light of the New Testament notwithstanding in another Edition Anno 1535. hee speaketh more liberally in the Preface touching these Bookes neither do they who at this day are called Lutherans any longer question the Canonicall authority of the Revelation Alcas Vestig nota 2. Prcoem For our part we did not judge the Revelation was therefore to bee received that we might abuse the darke and obscure sayings of the Booke to vomit out the venom of our malice against the Pope of Rome as that upstart Interpreter before mentioned hath begun to calumniate us but because the reasons before laid down and many more do confirm our beliefe and because by the Revelation we are manifestly taught that that son of perdition lifting himselfe up against whatsoever is called God and sitting in the Temple of God as if he were God is no other but that Capitoline Iove even to this day treading down all powers under his feet But a man might justly wonder that Popish Writers do not tremble at the very sight of this Booke and how they are not afraid to explicate the Prophesie by their Commentaries Why Papists write Commentaries upon the Revelation but that the thing it selfe speaketh they chiefly doe it seeing they can neither wholly extinguish it nor keepe it any longer from the people at least to deprave the oracles thereof by their false Interpretations the which notwithstanding they labour for in vaine seeing it is as cleare as the Sun at Noon day that under the Image of the Beast and False-Prophet seducing the Inhabitants of the Earth and of the whorish woman committing fornication with the Kings of the Earth and of the great Citie on seven hils ruling over the Kings of the Earth is represented the Monarchicall and Papall Sea of Rome and under the Image of Locusts the innumerable vermine of the Clergy and Monkes under the Type of Merchandize which no man Antichrist beeing discovered shall buy any more are set forth Romish Indulgences and buying and selling of Soules c. CHAPTER III. Of the obscurity of the Booke What it is and whence with the remedies of the same AUGUSTINE writing of the darkenesse of the Revelation saith Lib. 20. de C. D. ca. 17 In this Booke which is named a Revelation are contained many darke things that the Readers mind might be exercised and in it are a few things by the clearnesse whereof the rest with labour may be sought out chiefly because it so repeateth the same things after a diverse manner that whereas it may seeme to speake of different matters by diligent search we shall find that they are the selfe same things diversly expressed And JEROM Tom. 3. ad paul Ep. 1. In the Revelation saith he is shewed a Booke sealed with seven Seales which though thou give it to a man that can rend to read it he will answer thee I cannot it is sealed And afterward The Revelation of Iohn hath as many Sacraments as words I have said but little in regard of the worth of the Booke It is beyond all praise In every of the words are hid manifold understandings So indeed it is for the sharpnesse of mans wit is blinder then beetles in the true understanding as of other divine Scripture so of this also unlesse it be enlightned by the beames of the Holy Ghost but the causes of this obscurity are plain First the whole Booke is Propheticall touching future things Write The causes of the darknesse of the Revelation saith the Angell the things thou hast seene which are and which shall be afterward But future things as future because they are not in any sense are either altogether unknowne or being foreknown are conceived not so much by the understanding as in hope Adde That these future things are not declared by plaine words The difference of Visions neither defined by notes or markes of times places and persons but are revealed unto Iohn and so written in darke and aenigmaticall Visions It is true many Visions in Scripture were plaine as set before the eyes of the mind or bodie Dan. 5.5 1. Kin. 6.17 Exod. 3.2 Act. 10.11 Act. 23.11 so King Belshazzar saw a hand writing upon the plaister of the wall Elisha saw fiery Charrets round about him and Moses the bush burning before him Peter a sheet with foure-footed Beasts let downe from Heaven unto the Earth Paul saw the Lord standing by him in the night c. In these there was no great difficultie But there are other Visions more intricate when the Images or Representations signifying some secret thing are exhibited unto the minds of men either sleeping or awake the mysteries of which except they be revealed are so obscure as that they cannot be found out by the understanding of mortall man Of this kinde were the dreames of Pharaoh Nebuchadnezzar the Visions also of Ezechiel Daniel and Zacharie unto which we worthily may compare the Visions of the Revelation The secrets indeed of the aforesaid dreames God not onely revealed unto the singular benefit of them which dreamt the same but also would have them
and Interpreters of the Revelation and thus I have freed this Booke from a three-fold slander first as if it were not Canonicall secondly obscure as not to be understood thirdly of neglect as if for this cause the worthiest Divines had hitherto shunned the interpretation thereof There remaine two other scandals to be taken away one of the order that this Booke is the last of the New Testament the other of errour that it containes somethings not agreeable to Apostollical Faith both these clouds will be dispersed by the consideration of the dignity of this Prophesie which like the Morning Starre above the rest shineth most clearely among the other Bookes of the New Testament What therefore respects the Order so farre is it from diminishing the worth of the Booke in any kind as it the more commendeth the same For it is in very deed a divine Seale by which the Holy Ghost was pleased not without-reason to close up both the Old and the New Canon of the divine Scriptures which manifestly appeareth from that propheticall Protestation at the end of the Booke by which such are pronounced blessed who observe the words of this Prophesie the falsifiers on the contrary that presume to adde or take ought there-from are threatned with curses for unto them that adde Rev. 22.18 God shall adde the plagues that are written in this Booke to them that take away The Canonicall authority of the Revelation confirmed from the order thereof God shall take away his part out of the Booke of Life and out of the HOLY CITY and from the things that are written in this Booke What could be expressed more honourable concerning this Prophesie for if it be unlawfull to adde ought therto then certainly in all respects it is absolute perfect divine and the word of God unto which nothing without impiety may bee added by men Againe if nothing may be taken away from the same then it is Sacred inviolable divine and the word of God which onely cannot bee broken Ioh. 10.35 Thus we see that the Canonicall dignity of this Booke is established by the order it selfe And hereby it is plainly made equall with the divine Bookes of Moses himself Deut. 4.2 12.32 the Prince of Prophets For as those because they are the first of the Sacred Canon are often confirmed with this Seale Ye shall not adde unto the word which I command you neither shall ye diminish ought from it c. So this Booke as it were closing the Holy Canon is confirmed with the like Seale that nothing may bee added to it nothing taken away from it As Moses therefore was the Chieftaine of the Prophets leading the first rankes So John was chiefe of the Prophets closing up or leading the last rankes and here I willingly assent to Bezas opinion most solidly and truely affirming that it seemed good to the Holy Ghost to gather into this pretious Booke In praefat Apoc. those things which remained to be fulfilled after Christs comming of the praedictions of the former Prophets and also to adde some things so farre as concerned us to know Praefat. in Daniel A like honourable Title that worthy Divine JOHN OECOLAMPADIUS giveth unto this Booke That it is the best Interpreter of all the Prophets Neither will I speake more touching the order save this one thing that in it appeareth also a manifest reason of time When the Revelation was written For it is the last Booke of the New Testament not because it is last in dignity but in time For Ierome writeth that Domitian raising after Nero the second persecution against the Christians Iohn wrote the Revelation in the 14. yeer of his reigne in the I le called Patmos In vita Iohannis With whom Irenaeus a most ancient Writer doth agree affirming that John saw the Revelation not long before his time but almost saith hee in our age towards the end of Domitian his Empire Lib. 3. c. 25 Wherefore the Apocalyps was written in the ninety sixth yeer of Christ after all the other Bookes of the New Testament were written For Iohn out-lived all the Apostles and Canonicall Writers and lived as Sophronius records untill the third yeere of Trajane which from Christs birth was Anno 102 and after his passion as Ierome recordeth 68. In vita Iohannis and from the destruction of Jerusalem 25. Now whereas some affirme that Iohn wrote his Gospell after the Revelation it is without any probabilitie But we come to speake of the utility of the Revelation This Booke doth excellently shine forth in point of doctrine for it truely teacheth the Propheticall and Apostolicall Faith and much illustrates many articles of the Gospell The profitablenes of the Revelation or common places In speciall it proveth the eternall Deity of Christ with such weighty arguments as scarcely more excellent are to be found in any other part of Scripture absolutely ascribing unto Christ many attributes which are onely proper unto Iehovah viz. that he is Alpha and Omega the first and the last the beginning and the end the Almighty that the Lambe standing in the Throne of the Deity equall in majesty with the Father is worshipped by all the Heavenly Inhabitants that he judgeth the adversaries rules the Nations with an iron rod that hee is the King of kings and Lord of lords c. It plainely also maintaineth the Doctrine of Christs Mediatorship and work of our Redemption through his blood calling him the faithfull Witnesse the First begotten from the dead Redemption of christ the Prince of the kings of the earth the Lambe slaine from the beginning of the world who hath washed us in his blood from our sins and made us Priests and Kings to God and the Father c. It sets forth the afflicted state and condition of the Church in this life especially in the latter times by evident types viz. that the woman bringing forth a Man-Child the Ruler of the Nations shall be driven into the Wildernesse by the Dragon and the Beast where she shall remaine hid from the sight of men when the two Witnesses shall prophesie against the Dragon and the Beast and shall indeed be slaine but being againe raysed to life they shall bee taken up into Heaven c. By which verily it is manifest that nothing else is signified then that the Church in Antichrists reigne shall bee obscure and secret in the wildernesse being oppressed in Babylon it selfe the Seat of Antichrist The flight of the Church into the wildernesse untill at length Babylon decaying shee being commanded to come out of her shall againe come forth and be seen of men By which that cavill is easily answered Where the Church was before Luthers time if the Papacy were not The Papacy indeed was the Apostaticall Church it was Babylon having nothing but the bare Name of the Holy Citie But the true Church lye hid as captivated and oppressed in the same
are for the most part to bee fully accomplished neer the very last times which is distant from the time this was revealed more then 1500 years some extend this to the whole time of the new Testament which though it were to continue more then a 1000 of yeers yet is called short both in regard of the age of the world then alâ—ready past Iohn 2 18. 1 Cor. 10 12 Psal 90 4. 1 Thess 5.3 as also in regard of eternitie in which shall bee neither shortnesse nor length of time For this cause the whole time of the new Testament is in scripture called the last hower the last times the ends of the world For the whole time and age of the world is but a moment in the eyes of God or as yesterday when it is past and as a watch in the night Which is the reason that Christ saith chap. 21. 12 that he will come to judgement quickly or shortly that is sooner then men imagin suddenly in which sence the words following come to passe were of necessitie to bee restrained to the full accomplishment of this prophesie which may not bee for it is to bee extended to the whole time and currant of those things which were foretold So that by shortly is meant the beginning and progresse of the fullfilling thereof Shall shortly come to passe that is shall begin for things are said to come to passe shortly not which are eyther already past or else are to come a long while after but which are beginning to bee effected are even in doeing Signifying that the stormes of afflictions were not to bee differred to the last times but that they were suddenly while the Apostles yet lived to rush in by heaps upoÌ„ the Churches Ioh. 16.12 the which Christ also foretold his disciples and histories manifest the accomplishment of it For the first persecution of Christians began straightways under Tiberius and Nero which tooke away Paul and Peter the other under Domitian in whose time Iohn was banished Wherefore hee foretels them not to terrify but to animate the godly against the dangers at hand that it might not come upon them unawares as Christ saith Iohn 16 1 these things have I spoken unto you that ye should not bee offended for the darts which are foreseen are the lesse hurtfull withall hee teacheth what is the portion of the Church in this world namely to suffer afflictions least wee should fayn delights unto our selves So likewise hee comforteth us from the brevitie of the afflictions and certainty of the promised deliverance For as afflictions must shortly come so also shall deliverance shortly and certainly come because Christ foretold the one as wel as the other unto Iohn Lastly it appeareth that the revelation treateth not of things past but to come wherefore they misse of the scope who apply a great part of the types to the state of the Iewish occurrences and Roman Empire then allready past And signifyed it by his angel that is Christ signified it He declareth the faithfulnesse of Christ in executing the charge committed to him of God and shewing this revelation to Iohn his servant and dear Apostle by sending his angel who instructed him in every particular of it And signified that is who also signified the same c. for so it is expressed in vers 6 16 of chap. 22 where the Lord Iesus saith that he sent his angel to shew these things to Iohn to his servants in the Churches So wee see that the scriptures compared together interpret themselves Wee need not restrain the word signified to a typical and dark manner of revelation but rather it noteth a plain and manifest discoverie made unto Iohn because that which is here said to bee signified is in the fore alledged place expounded by the words shewing and testifying c. And hee sent Gr. sending this whole verse retaineth the Hebrewe phrase 3 Argument of the deity of Christ and is as if it were read thus who also sending his angel signified the same to his servant Iohn Hence wee gather a third proofe of the God-head of Christ much like to the second for as Iohn is a servant so also is the angel and both are imployed by Christ as his proper servants who is Lord of them both and therefore God for the angels are servants to none but to Iehovah God of whom it is said Psal 104.4 who maketh his angels spirits c. it is true Christ is Lord of the angels in that hee is the mediator but unles hee were God hee could neither bee mediator or Lord of the angels by this argument Hebr. 1.6 the Apostle proveth the God-head of the son because the angels of God adore him Vers 2 Who bare record of the word of God hence it appeareth Iohn the Euangelist the writer of the revelation that the Euangelist Iohn is the writer of the revelation for hee bare record of the word of God in the very entrance of his Gospel saying in the beginning was the word this is the testimonie of Iohn when the Iews sent unto him and ye sent to John and he bare witnesse which things though spoken of Iohn the Baptist yet were written by Iohn the Euangelist who bare record to the word in setting downe of the testimonies of the word of God besides none of the writers of holy scripture have more expresly testified the divinity of Christ then the Euangelist Iohn For who but Iohn nameth of the person office and benefits of Christ Of the ministries of Angels happines of the triumphant church with the crosse and comfort of the militant withall teaching us to imbrace Godlinesse to bee constant in afflictions to hold fast faith and love to take heed of false prophets to Go out of Babylon and beware of Antichrist c. To be short it containes many worthy comfortable sentences as blessed are the dead that die in the Lord. c. Promises also of the deliverance of the Church of the mariage of the Lamb with threatnings of destruction to the enemies All which things how profitable and usefull they are it is manifest unto all For the time is at hand A reason to stir up a diligent care in us to read hear and keepe this prophesie Because the time both of the furie of the adversarie against the Godly as also of the deliverance of the Church is at hand The knowledge of evill and Good things even at the dore is not to bee neglected but the diligent reading of this prophesie causeth us to know both evill and Good things at hand therefore it is not to be neglected It admonisheth us therefore to watch lest unawares we be overwhelmed with the present troubles It comforteth us also that we be not disheartned for feare of the present battles but with full assurance of the presence of God and promised victorie we hold out manfullie unto the end That the time was then at hand histories
eyes Secondly spirituall when we behold the appearances of things either a wake or a sleepe yet understand them not thus did Phurao Nebuchadnezar and Peter The third they call intellectuall that is when the minde being illuminated by the holy Ghost understands the mysteries of those things which are presented Thus Ioseph understood the vision of Pharao and Daniel that of Nebuchadnezar this Iohn saw the visions of the revelation in the spirit that is the holy Ghost gave him to understand them Others expound these words in the spirit as opposite to the being present in the body not as if such which saw visions in the spirit did not still retain their real bodies but being ravished they seemed for the present to themselves as out of the body even as Paul in the 2 Corinth 12 3 caught up to the third heaven knew a man in Christ whither in the body or out of the body he knew not This kind of visions is one of the gifts of the new Testament which Christ ascending up on high poured forth upō the Church according to the oracle in Ioel. Ioel 2.28 Your young men shal see visions c. yet was this not given to all but a special grace and bestowed onely on such as the Lord pleased Neither was it perpetual but ceased with the gift of miracles after the doctrine of the Gospel was sufficiently propagated and confirmed in the world and hence we must beware of such who now a days boast of visions Isay 8 20. Luk. 16 29. Ioh. 5 39. as if they were inspired but they are deceivers to the law and testimonie For God hath tyed the church to the written word of the law and Gospel they have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them search the scriptures for though an angel from heaven preach any other Gospel let him be accursed On the Lords day He calleth the first day of the weeke on which Christ rose again the Lords day He saw the revelation on this day which Christians kept holy to God being by the authority of the Apostles set apart for Church meetings in stead of the Iewish sabbaths as we way gather from 1 Cor. 16.1 where the Apostle commandeth that on the first day of the weeke gathering be made in the Church for the brethren in Iudea So Acts 20.7 In one of the sabbaths that is the first day of the weeke the Christians are said to come together to break bread So then the observation of the Lords day is warranted by an Apostolicall tradition Hence Gagneus and Ribera infer that the Church besides yea and contrary to the scripture may impose some things to the observed as divine let no man thinck saith he that those things onely are to be observed which are contained in the scriptures but they do erre For first there is great difference betweene articles of faith and the Lord Mat. 15 9. Isay 29 13. day no man doubteth but the Church may lawfully appoint dayes and outward rites belonging to order and decencie so it be don◠without scandal opinion of worship and intruding upon the liberty and conscience But the question betwixt us and the papists is touching points of faith necessarie to salvation which they affirme that the Church or Bishops may ordaine without the authority of scripture the which thing wee denie For God is worshiped in vain by the commandements of men Besides the authority of the Apostles is one thing and the authority of Bishops and the Romish Church is another For they were not onely divinely inspired in their writings but also in whatsoever they instituted touching Church orders Wherefore they not onely appointed the Lords day to bee kept but also made it apart of scripture now as for other ministers they have not the same authority so that it cannot hence bee gathered that any thing should bee beleeved as necessarie to salvation besides what is contained in the holy scripture For though the Lords day is a matter not of faith but of fact yet the observation thereof is according to the word of God Here it may be demanded whether John saw the whole revelation upon one Lords day Indeed it may seem by the coherence of the matter so to be not withstanding I thinke that Christ did not at one time burden the minde of his servant with so many different and large visions neither is it probable because the like distinctions of time which other prophets had in their visions appears also to be in these visions of John as in Chap. 4. vers 1 2 is evident After this I looked c. and immediately I was in the spirit so that after he had seene the first vision he was come to himself ere he was again ravished saw other visions and in like-lihood this was upon another Lords day The like wee may gather from chapter 17.3 So he carried mee away in the spirit into the wildernesse and often it is said after these things But I doe not conceive all of them import a distance of time but the things which I specially minde are in Chap. 4.2 and 17.3 and 21.1 besides all things were not revealed to John in one place but some things he saw in Patmos some in the heavens some on the sea shore some things in the wildernesse But seeing we cannot certainly determine of the thing I will therefore leave it to the readers choise Heard behinde mee a great voice By this great voice Iohn whither sleeping or waking was stirred up to observe the visions least otherwise he should have neglected them as vain fansies The voice was great either in regard of the great mysterie of the visions or because it was the voice of the great God or lastly in regard of the lowdnesse and shrilnesse thereof As of a trumpet Whose sounde is high loud and heard a great way off signifying that those things which Iohn saw ought continually to sound in the eares and hearts of Gods people And hence the prophets were commanded to cry aloud not to spare but to lift up their voice like a trumpet that all might hear and have no pretence for their ignorance Alcasar untruely affirmes that this voice was altogether like unto the sound of a trumpet But the text saith it was the voice not of one founding but speaking Againe by this voice is signifyed how we should be stirred up to incounter with al our spiritual adversaries as souldiers by the found of the trumpet are imboldened to the battel In that hee heard the voice behinde him is signified that Iohn added nothing to these visions but that they were altogether divine for the things which are behind us we see not Or otherwise he heard a voice behind to denote how the things he heard were suddenly to come to passe even immediately upon Iohns departure 11. Saying I am Alpha Omega the first the last In this great voice are contained three things First the eternity of Christ is testified
all times should continually read it for their comfort and instruction which also is the end and use of the whole scripture Rom 15 4. 2 Tim. 3.16 Vers 20. The mystery of the seven starres After that the Son of man had shewed who he was whom Iohn saw he comes to unfold the mystery of the starres and candlesticks viz. that the seven starres are the seven angels or ministers the seven candlesticks the seven churches of Asia to whom he was commanded to write vers 11. The mistery The vulgar hath it the sacrament of the starres that is the thing figured by them so again chap. 17.7 I will tell thee the sacrament of the woman but it is improperly used for the mysticallsfignification of the same Bishops So he caleth the starres because they ought to shine before others in purity of doctrine and integrity of life like unto starres shining in the firmament they are said to be angels because they are Gods messengers to the Churches and the Churches are compared to candlesticks because like as the candle or light is set up into the candlestike even so the Church ought to hold forth and preserve the shining light of true doctrine that all may behold it least being in darknesse they stumble and perish thorow their ignorance Hence we learn in the first place that the scripture best interpreteth it self for what was before more darkly spoken is now clearly unfolded So Christ opened the parables to his disciples Matth. 13 in like maner this vision which at first seemed obscure is now made plain by its own interpretation For albeit the scripture doth not make clear every thing that is darkely spoken not withstanding if we diligently observe it that of Austin will appeare most true that there is all most nothing abscure in scripture which is not in some other place plainly expounded Furthermore we are to take notice of these figurative and sacramental phrases The starres are Angels that is they signifie the Angels the candlestiks are the Churches Gen. 41 27. 1 Cor. 10 4. Cont. adim c. 12. that is they signifie the Churches according to that in Genesis the seven kine are seven years that is do signifie seven years And the rock was Christ for it signified Christ as Augustine expoundeth it For there is nothing more familiar in scripture then to name signes by the things which they signify which maner of speech is not darke but plaine in regard of the analogie betwixt the signe and the thing signified wherefore it was not obscure but familiar to the scripture that Christ called the bread which was broken at the institution of the supper his body which was crucifyed for us seeing it was a sacrament or holy signe of the same Hence Augustine opening the etymologie or signification of a sacrament applies it to the Lords supper saying that the Lord Iesus doubted not to say this is my body when he gave the signe onely thereof And this is so cleare a truth that even Aloasar a Iesuite confesseth it saying that in the phrase of scripture touching dark sentences and sacraments the word which is used is to be referred to the signification of it and that the bread and wine in the Eucharist which they call the species doth signify the body and blood of Christ because Christ saith this is my body c. Indeed he supposeth there are two sorts of signes some instituted onely for doctrin and signification as in parables and darke sentences the other such as really include and containe the things which they signifie as in baptisme and the supper in which saith he is truly and properly contained as the cleansing of the soule from sinne so the body and blood of Christ and he proveth it First because Christ instituted these signes to that end Secondly the Church so teacheth And lastly because it were an easy thing for any one to institute meere and naked signes wheras it is in the power of Christ alone to appoint such signes as are full of efficacy I answer first Alcasars arguments answered that in the institution either of baptisme or the Lords supper there is no mention made of any including of the things signified in the signes Secondly the primitive Church taught no such inclusion but the new popish Church in so teaching is departed from the institution and doctrin of the primitive times Lastly though it be true that the sacraments are not meere signes yet it followeth not that they are signes including the thing signified For there is in scripture another kinde of signes which as they are signes so they are seales confirming to the faithfull the grace of Christ signified by them For properly the sacraments are signes and seales of the promise of grace which no creature could institute or bring into the Church but God alone Another expositor denieth Hoe in the Revel chap. 1. that these are figurative speeches and why because saith he those candlesticks doe not signify but are really the Churches and the starres doe not denote but are in truth the angels But both is false first because then there should be no mystery in the candlesticks or starres Secondly if the candlesticks and starres were truly Churches and Angels then would not Christ have required Iohn to write his Epistles as being absent from them but he should have delivered his message unto them as there present with him in Patmos Thirdly because then the words the candlesticks are Churches the starres are Angels should be regular expressions But this he denies and truly For they are termes of disparity What then the metaphor saith he is in the subject which doth not import that the copulative IS should be taken for the word signifieth And though it were granted here yet would it not follow that the words of Christ at the institution of the supper were of the same significatiō because Christ did not expound to them a vision but institute asacrament Now howsoever both be true yet doth not this take away the metonymical expression for in typical Sacramental assertions the tipes signes are said to be the antitypes or things signified partly indeed by a metaphor because of the analogie or likenesse that is betwixt the signes the things themselves but chiefly by a metonymia Epist 23. ad Bonif. because of the sacramentall signification For as Augustine saith if sacraments had not some likenesse with the things they represent they should not at all be sacraments for in regard of that likenesse they have the name of the things themselves Therefore as in some sort the sacrament of the body of Christ is Christ the sacrament of the blood of Christ is Christs blood even so the sacrament of faith is faith Againe that is called the soule In Levit. lib. 3.4.5 Genes 41.26 1. Cor. 10.4 which signifies the soule for it is usuall that the thing signifying be called by the name of that which it doth signifie as it is written
true Messias before whom there was no other neyther shall there be any after him But 1 Isai 44.6 the text sheweth the falshood hereof for as in Isai Jehova calleth himself the first and the last absolutelie so here Christ speaketh the same of himself both absolutely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and with an Emphasis also that is with an expresse signification of his person I am that first and that last 2. Though it be true that this belongeth to God the Father yet is it not true that it belongeth to him onely For the Son beeing one in Essence with the father assumeth it likewise unto himself even as he saith in the Gospel I and the father are one For as is the Fatâ—er so is the Son because as among men the Father and the Son Qualis pater talis filius are of one the same essence Even so as God the father is the first and the last that is Eternall so also is God the Son the first and the last that is Eternally begotten before the world was For the father who is Eternall cannot have a son but he must be Eternall also forasmuch as the Father is not without the Son Lastly we grant that Christ is called the first and the last in regard of his office because neyther before him was nor after him shall be any other Messias yet it is false that Christ is onely so called in regard thereof not chiefly in respect of his Essence For the Word was in the beginning not in regard of his office onely but of his divine nature for the Word was God In which respect Christ said to the Iewes before Abraham was I am But the heretike further objecteth that he who absolutely is said to be the first and the last that is he whose essence is without beginning or ending he cannot die For he that dieth ceaseth to be But Christ saith of himself that although he now liveth yet he was dead therfore he is not absolutely called the first the last I answer There is a fallacie in the argument as I have before shewed in chap. 1.18 For Christ saith not that he was dead simply neyther according to his divinity in which regard he is the first and the last absolutelie but as he tooke Flesh and in this regard he coulddy as the scriptures testify 1 Pet. 4.1 1 Pet. 3.8 Christ suffered for us in the Flesh he was mortified in the Flesh c. which limitation he himself propoundeth to us in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and lived for he saith not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he lived again nor in the present tense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he liveth but in the preterperfect tense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he lived or was alive to wit even then when he was dead in the flesh he lived as he was God Now this could not possibly be in respect of one the same nature Therefore there was in Christ being dead in Flesh another nature to wit divine the which sustained raised up his dead body Thus we have freed the eight argument of Christs godhead from the cavils of the heretike the repetition whereof was not unprofitable because of the grievous trials dangers martyrdoms which were to befal them of Smyrna for the gospels sake now here Christ doth encourage them to be faithfull even unto death because he once being dead liveth eternally and dyeth no more but remayneth for ever to defend all his and to restore them from death to life I know they workes The whole narration is ful of prayse comfort and containes three things 1 a commendation of their vertue 2. a praediction of the dangers at hand 3. an exhortation to constancle The Vulgar omitteth thy workes as here so v. 13. But the words are in the greeke copies Workes in this place are not to be understood as before v. 2. indifferently eyther for good or evil for Christ reproveth nothing in this pastor not that he was without sinne but as irreprovable in his life and office and blamelesse before men 1 Tim. 3.1 Tit. 1.7 the which the Apostle requireth in a Bishop But to be taken of good workes onlie the which he commendeth in this Bishop and encourageth him to perseverance in the same I know An hebrew phrase that is I approve by worker I understand in general the moral vertues wherwith he was excellently indued as also his zeal diligence in performing the worke of his ministrie Hence we are taught alwayes to remember that Christ beholds our actions takes delight in whatsoever is good what is evil in us he disliketh let us therfore walke with reverence in his presence that so he without beeing offended with us may still walke amongst us He addeth three other things in special concerning his commendation Thy Tribulation Which thou hast sustained at the hands both of Jewes and Gentiles for my name sake And thy Povertie that is spoild of thy earthly estate by the adversaries of the truth for the Governours of Provinces persecuting as they pretended the Christians for their religion did chiefly thirst after their goods so robbing them made a publicke sale therof even as it is to this day the common practice of the Romish harpies But thou art rich this being put in by a parenthesis mitigates the miserie of his povertie calling him rich because the faithful howsoever spoiled of their outward estate are yet possessors of heavenly riches Heb. 1.2 which the wicked cannot deprive them of for by faith they inherit Christ Who is the heire of all things And in whom are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge This is indeed one of the Paradoxes of our religion that Christians are rich in God though poore to the world Now this thing ought not to seem strange unto us seeing heathen philosophers could say that onely wise men are rich men in as much as wisedome alone sufficeth to make a man blessed but how much more then doth the true knowledge of God and of Christ inrich us with all spiritual blessings whatsoever becomes of our transitorie goods in this life And the blasphemie of them That is the Iewes who persecuted the Christians blasphemed Christ counted him a deceiver a magician and justy crucified opbraiding the Christians to be idle and foolishmen Apolog. cap. ult worthy of nothing but stripes torments hanging the like as Tertullian recordeth Now these blasphemers named themselves for honour sake Iewes as if they were the onely people of God But Christ saith they are no Iewes but a Synagogue of Satan that is a blasphemous congregation led by Satan to their destruction Thus Christ applies the title of their Synagogue wherin they boasted to their shame and approbrie And are not For he is not a Jew which is one outwardly neyther is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh but he which is one inwardly c. Here we see that titles availe
the bosome of the Church by the indulgence of the Pastor so publickly maintained their wicked doctrine to the scandall of the faithful and danger of the whole Church For a little leaven leaveneth the whole lumpe Besides because of this 1 Cor. 5.6 the unbeleeving Gentiles spake evil of the Christians as if they committed fornication each with other Thus we see that their sinne was of a high nature and therfore great reason had Christ to require repentance for the same I wil come against thee shortly The like phrase of threatning is in v. 6. and the same kind of punishement is applied to the discription of Christ v. 12. as if he should say It is not in vain that I have a two edged sword in my mouth for therewith I wil strike and wound the unrepentant I wil fight against them Christ then fighteth against us with the sword of his mouth when he reproveth our evils threatneth punisheth obstinate sinners For Gods threatnings are never without effect But as it is written unlesse ye repent Luk 13.3 ye shall all likewise perish Christ fighteth with a sword to convince wound condemne and cast off the irrecoverable Against them To wit the Nicolaitans notwithstanding he includeth the Pastor also with the Church it self except they repented so that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with or against them is put in stead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against you 17. He which hath an eare He endeth the Epistle with his wonted Epiphonema or acclamatorie conclusion wherin though the promise differs in words yet the sence is the same with the former To him that overcommeth this is put by a change of the number for all that overcome that al in hope of a recompence might be incouraged to the good fight of faith For rewards much prevaile to harten us unto duties By them that overcome he meaneth such as stood fast in the faith were not polluted with the filthines of the Nicolaitans To these by an allegorie he promiseth a threefold benefit To eat of the hid Manna This is the first Manna was that heavenly bread sweet in tast with which God fed his people in the wildernes who being pressed with hunger found in the morning without the camp an heavenly dew like to Coriāder Exo. 16.15 1 Cor. 10.3 at which they wondring said man-hu what is this And hence it was called Manna It was a sacrament shadowing out Christ the true bread of life Of this Christ will give him that overcommeth to eat that is I wil feed him with the pleasant food of my owne bodie give unto him eternal salvation for he which eateth the Flesh of Christ Io. 6.54 drinketh his blood hath life eternal By hidden Manna he alludeth to the Omer of Manna which was laid up in a golden pot into the Arke for a remembrance according as God commanded Moses which signified that Christ indeed is hidde to the prophane of this world yet seene of the godly not with bodilie eyes but by the eye of their faith Ribera saith wel that it is called hidden Manna because eternall happines is not bestowed on all alike but is reserved onely for the elect in the world to come And wil give him a white stone This is the second benefit about which interpreters much differ in opinion Some understand by it the pretious bright shining Carbuncle Rupertus interpreteth it of the glorious bodies of such as doe overcome whom Christ wil rayse at the last day and make them shine like the Sun in his brightnes Others understand it of an allusion taken from runners in a race to whome was given a white stone in signe of victorie when they overcame the which thing if it were confirmed by historie it were then a cleare opening of the text Sixtus Senensis saith that the ancient heathens caused their festival dayes to be ingraved on their publick tables and noted with a white stone that they might the better discerne them from other dayes But they seem to come neerest to the litterall meaning who thinke that Christ in this respecteth the manner of judgments where there were two sorts of stones or counters white and blacke cast into a basen By the white the innocent was absolved by the black the guiltie condemned lib. 15. Metamor and hence they were named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 acquitting or condemning stones Of which the Poet speaketh Mos erat antiquis niveis atrisque lapillis His damnare reos illis absolvere culpa In ancient times with stones they did In Iudgment seat proceed By blacke the guiltie were condemnd The Iust by white were freed Thus Christ wil give to him that overcommeth a white stone that is absolve him in the day of Iudgement Io. 5.24 according to the promise he that heareth my words and beleeveth in him that sent me hath eternal life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death unto life And in the stone a new name written This is the third benefit and the phrase is taken from the forenamed custom where the names of such as were absolved were ingraven on white stones but on blacke the condemned A new name That is an excellent and honorable name for so much the scripture in many places doth set forth by the word New Psa 33. Reve. 3.12 14.3 as sing unto the Lord a new song I wil write upon him my new name They sung as it were a new song before the throne c. This undoubtedly is the name of Gods children whereof the Lord speaketh Isai 56.5 J wil give unto them a name better then of sonnes and daughters meaning the adoption of the sonnes of God which infinitely surpasseth the name of carnall sonnes and daughters For what is there more glorious then to be the sons of God surely such shall never be condemned But some may say how can he give them that Io. 1.12 which they have already for as many as received him to them he gave power to become the sons of God I Answer now we are sons and heires in hope but in the world to come we shall fully enioy the right of children and really then posses the promised inheritance and be like unto the angels of God Luk. 20.36 for they that shall be counted worthy to enioy that world neyther marrie wives nor are married for they can die no more forasmuch as they are equall unto the Angels and are the sons of God Thus we se that the third benefit promised to them that overcome is a full possession of the inheritance of Gods children Which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth is What this meaneth which is also spoken of Christ who hath a name that no man knoweth but himself I will shew in a word Reve. 19 12. namely it is a name which can not be uttered because the happines of Gods children can not be expressed for eye hath
that the lord is greatly offended with the defilements both of our soules and bodies for he is a pure and holy spirit and requireth the same in them that worship him Hebr. 12.14 And without this no man shall see him 2. The corrupters of the truth shall be grievously punished howsoever they may for a time by subtiltie cover their deceit and draw many into their snares 3. That God is ready to forgive most vile sinners if they truelie repent XVII Arg. of Chr. deity Lastly here we have the seventeenth argument of the deitie of Christ in that he threatneth to punish these wicked deceivers for none but God onelie is able to doe it and therfore it manifesteth his divine omnipotencie That which the hereticke objects concerning Moses striking the Aegyptians with plagues is of no waight neither of Peter his slaying of Ananias Nor Pauls striking Elymas with blindenesse For we know that the Prophets and Apostles wrought miracles not of themselves but by the power of God Wheras Christ threatens to doe this by his owne power Io. 5.19 Mat 10.1 16.17 For whatsoever things the Father doth these also doth the Son likewise Yea the Son giveth power unto others to doe the like things And all the Churches shall know The end and use of Gods vengeance on sinners is to declare both his omniscience of the hidde things of the hart as also his omnipotencie and Iustice in rendring to evry one according to his workes Even as God said to Pharoah Exo. 9.16 Rom. 9.17 And in very deed for this cause have I raysed thee up for to shew in thee my power and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth Thus the lord by threatning cals sinners to repentance by Iudgments punisheth the obstinate and hereby declareth his wisedome power and Iustice unto all Now it is not without cause that Christ attributes to himselfe the knowledge of hidden things for seeing this wicked woman beguiled many by couveringe her uncleane actions under a pretence of holinesse Christ therefore here declares that none of her wayes were hidden from his eyes Hence we observe in the first place that one principal end of Gods exemplarie punishing of the wicked is that all the Churches may acknowledge declare the wisedome power and Iustice of God Thus we se how profitable it is that publike examples are propounded before our eyes to the end we may take notice of the judgments of God beware least by the like wickednesse we stirre up his wrath against our owne soules XVIII Argu of Chr. deity Secondly here is offred unto us the eighteenth argument excellently proving the divinity of Christ For here Christ will be acknowledged to be the searcher of the heart and reynes which the scripture ascribeth unto God alone For the righteous God trieth the heart and reynes Psa 7.9 1. King 8.39 1 King 16 7. Give unto every man according to his wayes whose heart thou knowest Thou alone knowest the hearts of all the sonnes of men see also 1. Chro. 28. Iere. 11.20 and 17.10 and 20.12 Eniedinus the Samosatenian objecteth in the first place that the searching of the heart and reines doth not here signifie a knowledge of the thoughts But rather a most equal and just administration of judgment by Christ and so it proveth not that he is true God I answer The antecedent is a manifest and bold corrupting of the text For the divine attribute which elsewhere is ascribed to Jehova is here without any limitation and in the verie same words applied unto Christ not onely in regard of the administration of his righteous judgments but also as he is the searcher of the heart and therefore must necessarily be taken in one and the same sence But again he objecteth That Christ hath received all his knowledge judgment yea and himself too from the Father as he confesseth Io. 5. Rev. 5.11 here v. 27. as I have received from my Father so that he is not the same God with the Father I answer he deceiveth by an equivocation For Christ receiveth all things from the father two maner of wayes Io 1.14 Prov. 8.25 God the sonne hath received his divine essence from the Father by eternal generation for he is the onely begotten of the Father before the mountaines were setled So that with his divine essence he received his divine omniscience But as he is man he received all his power and glorie in time by his reall exaltation so far forth as consisted with the nature and perfection of his manhood in this latter respect we confesse he is not God notwithstanding it is false to affirme that he is not God in the former for howsoever in this respect he hath received all things from the Father yet whatsoever is divine the Sonne hath it by his owne essence even as the Father Because the Father hath given to the Sonne to have life in himself as the Father hath life in himself See Damascenus lib. 4. Orth. fid cap. 19. Thirdly he objecteth that many Prophets and Apostles knew the hearts of men also Io. 5.26 I answer Eyther this or that of Salomon is false Thou onely knowest the hearts of all men 1 King 8.39 God indeed did reveal some things not al things unto Elisha Peter and Paul but not the knowledge of the hearts To be short none of them did or could say that he was the searcher of the reynes and heart as Christ here saith And all the Churches shal know that I am the searcher of the reynes hearts 24. But unto you I say The fourth part of the narration is an exhortation and here he turnes aside from the Pastor before commended and reproved and from the deceivers threatned and speakes to the rest of the Church in Thyatira and exhorts such as were godly among them and had not harkened unto the false teachers to go foreward and continue in the Apostles doctrine And hence again it appeareth that these Epistles were written not to the officers alone but to all the Churches The Vulgar as also Andreas and Montanus read it without the copulative but to you the rest but the other Greeke copies have it to you and to the rest as if he had said to thee o Pastor and to thy fellow officers and to the resâ—â—f the Church But the sence is the same For the Pastor also was one of those which held not the doctrine of Jezabel although indeed he was to negligent in repressing of the same This doctrine To wit of Jezabel and the Nicolaitans concerning fornication and communicating with Idolaters And which have not knowen This is an Hebrue phrase and signifies who have not approved The depth of Satan So these deceivers called their blasphemies as being deep mysteries and hidden wisedome and things more excellent then ever the Apostles taught Now Christ graunteth they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 depths but such as had their original
sung unto the Lamb 1. By both companies representing the Church triumphant who celebrate the benefit of their redemption glorification obtained by the blood of the Lamb. v. 8.9.10 2. By a third apparition or companie of Angels celebrating the worthinesse power and divine glorie of the Lambe v. 11.12 3 By a fourth apparition of all creatures rendring prayses and blessings unto God on the throne and unto the Lambe v. 13. And last of all the two first apparitions of the 24 Elders foure beasts closing up the thanksgiving by a divine adoration v. 14. The first part of the Chapter A description of the booke sealed 1 And I saw in the right hand of him that sate on the throne a booke written within and on the backside sealed with seven seales THE COMMENTARIE ANd or then I saw I will not here repeat all the diverse opinions of interpreters concerning this book who rather obscure then unfold the obscurity thereof but onely will cite some of the most probable The common opinion about the booke Most interpret it either of the booke of the old Testament or els the whole volume of Gods booke both old and new which is in the right hand of God because it is inspired by the holy Ghost and the contents thereof are in the hands of God alone This booke is written within that is obscurely in the old Testament without that is openly in the new or within as respecting the mystical sence without the litterall It is sealed with seven seales because the mysteries thereof are hid from humane reason 1 Cor. 2.14 It cannot be opened by any creature because the naturall man receiveth not the things which are of God The Lambe alone is worthy to open it because he onely hath fulfilled the scriptures and he onely doth reveal unto us outwarly by his word and inwardly by his spirit the hid things thereof These things in themselves are true and according to godlines but I judge they serve little to the purpose in hand because here he treats not about the obscurity or manifestation of legal types neyther are the mysteries thereof revealed in this booke but things of another nature and which concerne the condition of the Church under the Gospel Neither can it be said that the old and new Testament was as a sealed booke unto all creatures untill the time of Iohn seeing it would then follow that both the Prophets and Apostles were ignorant of the writings of Moses and the Prophets Besides all the bookes of the new Testament were then already written and so not shut but knowen unto all such as had their sences exercised in the scriptures of God even as the preaching of the Apostles opened a doore unto the faith of the Gospell unto every creature And therefore this interpretation seems to be repugnant to the holy scriptures and injurious to the Apostolicall Churches They seem to come neerer the marke Another opinion of the booke who understand it of the booke of Gods providence For the scriptures attribute three sorts of bookes to God 1. Of his providence 2. of life and 3. of universall judgement of which we have treated Chap. 3.5 But these also differ in opinion Some take it in a generall way for the booke of Gods decree concerning the governement of the world which interpretation is to large seeing not all Gods secret judgements but onely such which concerne the state of the Church are here intended Therefore I rather assent to them The booke is the Revelation it self who understand it litterally of the booke in which all these things were contained which Christ was pleased to reveale unto Iohn concerning the last times the which he afterward penned and left the same unto the Churches This booke I say is the revelation it self not as if he saw a materiall booke but a visionall booke so to speak wherin was written Gods secret decree touching the future event of the Church and her enemies Thus also Andreas Ribera expound it For first this is the same booke which Iohn after it was opened is commanded to eat up that is fully and clearly to take knowledge thereof And which was sweet in his mouth like hony that is he was much delighted with the knowledge of so high mysteries but by and by it became bitter in his belly as gall that is he was much greeved in foreseeing the great calamities of the Church as we shall see Chap. 10. for the booke there mentioned is the Revelation given unto Iohn Furthermore the contents of the whole Revelation is taken out of this booke For at the opening of the seventh seale seven Angels are said to come forth sounding with trumpets signifying thereby the diverse changes of the Church in the third vision At the sounding of the seventh trumpet the Dragon and two beasts are raised up against the Church in vision the fourth Presently here upon follow seven Angels powring forth the vials of the last plagues upon the earth in vision the fift Afterward one of these seven Angels pronounceth with a mighty voyce the judgement of the great whore and ruin of Babylon in vision the sixt At length the new Ierusalem with the marriage of the Lamb is represented unto John in the last vision whence we see that the whole matter of the Revelation was comprehended in this booke not included in a few Chapters viz. from 6. to 11. as Alcasar supposeth To be short the circumstances of this booke doe altogether agree with the former preface For as Christ is there said to receive the Revelation of God and by an Angel to deliver it unto Iohn so this booke was in the right hand of him that sate on the throne taken out of his hād by the Lamb opened delivered unto the Angel who gave it to Iohn commanding him to eat it Chap. 10. Forasmuch therefore as all things thus agree together there is no question but this booke here spoken of is the revelation it self delivered unto the Apostle These things observed the three following circumstances will bee the lesse obscure 1. The booke is held in the right hand of him that sits on the throne because God is the author of the revelation in Gr. it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at the right hand and is put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the hand as appeares v. 7. where the Lambe takes the booke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of his right hand therefore it was In and not at his right hand as some will have it Now he is said to have it in his right hand to the end to give it unto Christ to open As men reach out with their right hands what they give unto others And I suppose we need not seek for any other mysterie in this expression 2. It is written within and without that is there was no place emptie in it For we are to understand this litterally This booke was not made as
God with censers but these with vials Which are the prayers of the saintes Their prayers are called vials by a twofold trope First by a Synechdoche for the odours in the vials And secondly by a metonymical denomination or els a metaphorical translation as signifying the prayers of the saintes For as persumes ascend upward and give forth a sweet smell so the saints in prayer seeke after heavenly things and the same is acceptable unto God They are golden vials because as gold excels in puritie so prayers proceeding from a pure hart are precious to the Lord what their prayers are now followes 9. And they sung a new song Both Companies of the Church triumphant with a most sweet accord prayse the Lamb the redeemer which proveth that these beasts and Elders are not Angels but men redeemed by the blood of Christ It shewes also unto us the consent of both covenants in the point of salvation For all the Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles together acknowledge the Lamb their redeemer Act. 10.43 According to that of the Apostle To him give all the Prophets witnesse that through his name whosoever beleeveth in him shall receive remission of sins And againe Act. 15.11 we beleeve that through the grace of the Lord Iesus Christ we shall be saved as the fathers For in him all the promises are yea and Amen 2 Corinth 1.20 Furthermore those prayers of the saintes Psal 40.4 96.1 97.1 144.9 149.1 caried here by the Elders in their golden vials are to be understood as their owne and not the prayers of others It is called a new song that is most singularly setting forth the great rare and excellent benefits of the Lambe For generally in the Psalmes a new song is taken in this sence The former Hymne Chap. 4.8 was sung unto him that sate on the throne but this is a song unto the Lamb. So Chap. 14.1 the saintes in heaven sing a new song unto the Lamb which none could learn but these hundred fourty and four thousand which had his fathers name written in their foreheads The argument therefore of this song is new because it is most excellent and containes the new benefits of Christ Thou art worthy They acknowledge him alone worthy to take the booke and to open the seales because they both know and confesse with all reverence that he is the onely mediatour of the Church and that the cause of this his great worthinesse is in the preciousnes of his blood For thou wast slaine that is by dying for the sins of the world thou declarest thy self to be the Messias Chap. 53. whoÌ„ Isaiah foretold should be led as a sheep to the slaughter to take away the sins of the world Here we are taught that the mediatour ought both to be slaine for us that is to merit and also to take the booke that is meritoriously to bestow life and righteousnes upon others Seeing therefore he onely merited by his sacrifice it must necessarily follow that none else could take the booke that is reveale the counsell of God to the Church and by his power give salvation unto her And thou hast redeemed us to God by thy blood Now the Church triumphant prayseth the Lambe and applyeth the price of her redemption with the effects thereof unto her self Thus we ought so to acknowledge the benefits of Christ as to make them our owne not onelie in beleeving that he hath redeemed others by his blood and made them kings and priests to God but our selves also for true justifying faith is accompanied with a certaine perswasion of our own salvation I live saith the Apostle by the faith of the son of God who loved me Gal. 2.24 and gave himself for me Hence we observe two things First that the death of Christ is truly a ransome satisfactorie for our sins and that our redemption by it is not metaphorical as the new Samosatenians blasphemouslie affirme but proper for the redemption which is made by a price is proper But such is ours by Christ because by the shedding of his blood he hath paid a full ransome and satisfied the justice of God as the scripture witnesseth Matt. 20.28 and 1 Tim. 2.6 beeing the same with what is here said thou hast redeemed us by thy blood and â—hap 1.5 who hath washed us in his blood and Heb. 1.3 purged our sins by himself unlesse that by the word redemption is properly signified the whole worke of our salvation by washing and purging a part thereof viz. our justification or sanctification This place therefore and many others proving Christs satisfactorie ransome are to be opposed against Socinian blasphemies Secondlie that the redemption made by Christs blood is truely universal as sufficient and propounded not onely to one nation or a few but to all nations tongues and peoples yet not so as if all promiscuously should be saved but those of everie tribe people and language who beleeve in Christ And thus much the Elders teach us Thou hast redeemed us out of every tribe We adde in the third place XXX Argument of Christs deity that this redemption proves the Lamb to be God omnipotent For to redeem the Church from sin death and satan is a worke of divine power Psal 130.8 Hence the Apostle Act. 20.28 saith that God hath redeemed the Church by his owne blood 10 And made us to God They magnifie the Lambe for three other benefits 1. That he hath made us kings 2. priests 3. given us a kingdome on the earth The two former we have expounded Chap. 1.6 beeing meant of our spiritual kingdome and priesthood See Rom. 14.17 1 Pet. 2.5 But how shall we raigne on the earth seeing Christs kingdome is not of this world besides earthly things perish in their use and lastly the Church in this life is to expect nothing but tribulation Andreas saith that the Church shall reigne not in this present thick and cloudie world but in that new one which is promised unto the meek Matth. 5.5 But the saints may truly be said to reigne here on earth diverse wayes First by mortifying their earthly desires and trampling them under their feet Secondly as Christ raignes on the earth not by a secular but spirituall power by which he forceth the adversarie unto obedience Even so the faithfull doe raigne with Christ in the earth For the head raigning the members raigne also to be short the saintes with Christ shall judge the world and therefore shall rule the same however we are to understand this not of an earthlie but a spirituall dominion 2 Cor. 10.4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnall but mightie through God c. But thou wilt say how shall the saints who now triumph in heaven raigne on the earth I answer after the same manner as they shall judge the world and the Angels 11. And I beheld and round about the throne The third apparition is of Angels who sing the new
Platina onely the rents of Bishoprikes was looked at Plati in vita Bonif 3. but not what sheep were in the pasture It would be tedious to declare how this Antichristian tyrannie by the successours of Boniface was afterward established As for Boniface himselfe he indeed sate scarce a yeere on this chair of universall pestilence For on all sides these ecclesiastical harpies so gaped after the prey as that by poyson murder deceit factions seditions enchantment and magical art one sought to dispatch the other Balaeus hath distributed these Antichristian Popes from this Boniface unto Julius II that is from the yeere of Christ 606. unto the yeere 1513. Balae in Act. Rom. Pont. into five distinct classes or orders as may there be seen Who for the most part as Genebrardus a Popish writer himself cōfesseth were Magicians Sorcerers Atheists Adulterers Murderers wicked perjured impure not Apostolical but apostatical and heretical men they were I say capital enemies of Apostolical doctrine inventours and defenders of idolatrie superstition and a new worship bloodthirstie men and so have continued even unto this day And here indeed the earthquake began to shake all Christianity in the Westerne parts Now about the same time viz. in the yeere 609. Heraclius beeing Emperour who toke away Phocas the tyrant Mahumet an Ismaelite by open force raysed no lesse an earthquake in the East For he beeing a souldiour and an hypocrite by the help of the Persians tooke from Heraclius many provinces and after he had established a kingdom unto himself he caused one Sergius a Nestorian Monke to compose the Alcoran who mixed togerher somwhat of every religion in such a manner as might best serve to draw the affection of carnal people unto a love and liking thereof thereby to strengthen the politie of his new usurped kingdom in the world and the better to root out the faith of Christ Whence it came to passe that by this commotion most people in the East fell from Christian religion and the Sun of righteousnesse beeing darkened the mist of Mahumeticall superstition prevailed and oppressed not the East alone but all the south parts of the world also these are the earthquakes darkening of the lights and prodigious wonders here enigmatically described according to the manner of propheticall scriptures Now we come to the words themselves And behold a great earthquake most dreadfull and prodigious things with which under the reigne of Antichrist as most interpreters both Greeke Latine confesse the Christian world yea and heaven it self too were to be shaken as the darkning of heavenlie lights the falling downe of the stars and lastlie the the concussion of the mountaines and Islands are here shewed unto Iohn under the Image or form of a great earthquake Indeed such kind of praedictions are diverse times mentioned both in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles But not in one and the same sence the which thinge we are well to take notice of for the circumstance of the places will lead us sometimes unto a literall sometimes unto an allegoricall interpretation thereof Vndoubtedly the predictions of Christ The signes which are literally to be understood touching the end of the world and his last comming are to be taken litterallie as in Matth. 24. Mar. 13. Luk. 11. Then there shall be signes in the Sun and in the Moon and in the Stars and upon the earth distresse of nations with perplexitie the sea and the waves roaring Mens hearts failing them for fear and for looking after those things which are comming on the earth for the powers of heaven shall be shaken and then shall they see the Son of man comming c. and in Revel 16.20 Every Island fled and the mountaines were not found viz. in the day of judgement For indeed all these things shall then really come to passe Now in other places these expressions doe set forth allegorically horrible alterations or Gods great judgements and those eyther particular against the enemies of the Church as in Isay 13.10 where the prophet speaketh of the horrible overthrow of the Babylonians in these words The stars of heaven and the constellation thereof shall not give their light The Sun shal be darkned and the Moon also shall not give her light And again in Isai 34.4 And all the host of heaven shal be dissolved and and the heavens shal be rolled together as a scroll and all their host shall fall down c. And from this place as it seems by the like phrase the words here in our text are taken Again in Ezech. 32.7 concerning the overthrow of Aegypt I will cover the heavens saith the Lord and make the stars thereof dark I will cover the Sun with a cloud and the Moon shall not give her light Or universall signifying the total commotion of the Church somtimes in a good sence sometimes in a bad and somtimes in both In a good sence as in Hag. 2.7 Hebr. 12.27 Thus saith the Lord yet once it is a little while and I will shake the heavens and the earth and the drie land And I will shake all nations and the desire of the gentiles shall come c. In which oracle is prophesied of an universall concussion that is of the reformation of the world by Christ the which how it hath been shall yet further be fulfilled we have expounded in our commentarie on Hebr. 12.27 In the evil part it is undoubtedlie taken in this place as signifying the shaking of the heaven and earth that is the future corruption oppression of the Church by Antichrist Now this concussion both in a good sence by Christ also in an ill sence by Antichrist is prophesied of by Ioel 2.28 The oracle of Ioel Chap. 2.27 expounded And it shall come to passe afterward that I will poure out my spirit upon all flesh and your sons and your daughters shall prophesie c. And I will shew wonders in the heavens in the earth blood fire pillars of smoack the Sun shal be turned into darknes the Moon into blood before the great terrible day come Act. 2.17 which prophesie Peter shewes to have been partly fulfilled when as on the day of Pentecost the Apostles the Apostolical Church were miraculously filled with the holy Ghost Partlie to be accomplished before the last comming of Christ at what time the Church shal be troubled with horrible calamities not so much by hereticks or tyrants as by Antichrist Christs adversarie Now these things are foretold least the faithful should imagine Christs kingdome to bee of this world or to expect pleasures in this life but rather to prepare themselves for all manner of adversities in the mean while beeing fully assured that these calamities shall no way hurt the Elect persevering in prayer and supplication Ioel. 2.32 and therfore this is added as a consolation Whosoever shall call on the name of Iehovah shal be delivered for in
happinesse in a fourfold degree First They are before the Throne of God that is they enjoy eternally the sight of God have a blessed and happy communion with him Secondly They serve him day night that is they allwayes worship him in celebrating his glorie majestie This service is the glorious liberty of the sons of God In his temple In Chap. 21.22 it is said that the heavenlie Ierusalem hath no temple viz. a material one for the Lord God allmighty the Lamb are the temple of it Thirdly Christ shall dwell among them Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is shall cover them as with a shadow under whose wing they shall safely sweetly rest themselves The Latine version renders it shall dwell over them the which Beza also in his first edition followed and not a misse The sence is they shall eternally enjoy the favour grace and glory of God 16. They shall hunger no more The two former degrees noted their positive good The two latter the evils they shall be freed from taken out of Isai 49.10 For hunger thirst heat are by a synecdoche put for all the defects wants and troubles of this life Wherefore as the third degree of glory signifyes their freedom from the wants of this miserable life so the fourth shewes that they shal be no more afflicted with any troubles or calamities For in scripture the heat of the sun is put for persecution Matt. 13.21 17. For the Lambe shall feed them These words containe a reason of this so great felicity freedom from former defects they shall not hunger for the Lambe will feed them who is both a saviour in redeeming them and a sheepheard in feeding his sheep to life eternal The food of this present life is one thing that of the life to come is another viz. satiety of joyes in his presence and pleasures in his right hand for ever Nor thirst for the same Lambe will lead them to the fountaines of living waters as we shall see in Chap. 22. 1. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes A metaphor taken from mothers who not onely lay their infants crying for hunger or thirst to the breast but are wont also to wipe of their tears from their eyes of which also see Chap. XXXIII Argum. of Christs deity 21.4 Now here let us take notice of a XXXIII argument proving the Deity of the Lambe And it is twofold 1. He that feedeth the elect with life eternal leads them to the fountaines of living waters is Iehovah God Isai 49.10 Psal 23.1.2 Ezech. 34.14.15 But this the Lambe doth as wee see in this place Ergo c. 2. He that wipes away all teares and feedeth the elect is the same God Iehovah Esa 25.8 and 49.10 but the Lamb feedeth wipes away all teares Isai 25.9.10 Lo this is our God wee have waited for him and he will save us this is Jehovah c. Ergo c. The Preface on the third Vision contained in Chap. VIII IX X. XI THe second vision is ended at the opening of the seventh seal Now followes the third vision concerning seven Angels with seven trumpets containing more dreadfull apparitions then hitherto we have heard What is signified by them the same being very obscure interpreters are diversly minded Yet herein they all agree that the persecutions of the world the afflictions of the godly punishments of the wicked are prefigured But what and after what manner they are herein they much differ For here is wisdome indeed neyther can any man fully declare the meaning of them except Iohn himself to whom they were revealed by the spirit were present to interpret the same To the end therefore we may in some measure attaine to the knowledge of these mysteries lifting up our eyes in the first place for the Lords assistance Let the observation before spoken of be as a leading starre unto us viz. that as the end of the second vision was the catastrophe or change of the Churches calamities in the last day so likewise this third vision endeth at the last judgement Chap. 11.17 Whence we gather for tertaine that here again in a general way is represented under new mysteries the historie of the state of the Church the enemies thereof unto the end of the world For this vision takes its beginning at the casting of the censer full of fire of the altar The beginning and ending of this vision The third vision is universall upon the earth that is from the time the holy Ghost first fell upon the Apostles it is ended in the description of the last judgement This vision therefore is also universall consisting of four Acts and is of the same argument or nature with the former vision prefiguring the successe of the preaching of the Gospell what enemies the Church should have what battels should befall the godly teachers in the world especially under the kingdome of Antichrist also comfort and remedie by which the godly ought to raise up themselves in the midst of so great confusions Now in this it differeth from the former The difference between the second and third vision in that the types are different which for the most part doe more clearly represent some speciall events to wit the apostasy of certain eminent teachers and the rising of Antichrist both in the East and West For the sound of the trumpet in scripture hath a plain analogie to the preaching of the Gospell Isa 27.13 58.1 Hos 8.1 And lastly the four Acts of this vision are somwhat differing more clearly set down then the foregoing The first Act in the sound of sixe trumpets shadows out the state of the Church and the godly in this world The four Acts of vision III. not onely during the first sixe hundred yeers unto Antichrist as before but furthermore it describeth the rising raigne both of the Eastern and Western Antichrists The Western under the figure of a star falling from heaven of locusts proceeding out of the smoake of the bottomlesse pit But the Easterne under the forme of a very great army of horsmen and withall it deploreth the great evils wherewith these two enemies should afflict both the Church and astonish the inhabitants of the whole earth This Act is extended from the blowing of the first trumpet or promulgation of the Gospell untill the councill of Constans during the space of 1382 yeeres or rather untill the time of the reformation of doctrine by Luther Anno 1482. in Chapters VIII IX The second Act subalternate to the former is consolatory teaching us that notwithstanding the violent rage cruelties of both these Antichrists yet Christ will keep the booke open having his foot upon the earth upon the sea and alawayes preserving a Church unto himself Chap. X. The third Act prefigureth new battles of the two witnesses or reformers of the Church in the last times And also the great
Lord said unto my Ladie sit thou at my right-hand c. And unto other images thus S. Peter S. Paul S. Nicolas S. Magdalene have mercie on us save us c. Is not this in workes to deny God and Christ the onely Saviour albeit in the words of the Creed they doe professe him They teach that the remission of sins righteousnesse and eternal life is to be sought for in the merits of humane workes as penance satisfactions Iubilees indulgences masses exorcismes processions pilgrimages purgatorie c. Is not this whatsoever they professe a denying of the blood and merit of Iesus Christ The Pope boasteth to be the Vicar of Christ the Head and Monarch of the Church on earth But Christ neyther appointed nor gave any such office unto the Church Read 1 Cor. 12.8 and Ephes 4.11 where the distinct orders and office which Christ gave unto the bodie are all reckoned up Now if any man takes upon him to bee a Kings Vicar without his appointment is not such a one the kings enemie Ioh. 19.12 as they said in the Gospell whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar The Pope therefore arrogating to himself the title of Christs Vicar doth thereby plainely prove that he is Antichrist Christs adversarie The Pope will be adored as God In Donat. Constant dist 96. taking divine honour unto himself Steuchus saith Constantine adored the Pope as God Bloudus saith all the Princes of the earth adore and worship the Pope as the chiefe God Mantuan thus writeth concerning the pope Great Caesar with victorious kings Who golden crownes doe weare They doe adore his footsteps Who the double sword doth beare The Fathers of the Lateran Council gave this blasphemous applause to the Pope Thou art all things and above all things To thee is given all power in heaven and in earth And another Poet thus Oraculo vocis mundi moderaris habenas Et merito in terris diceris esse Deus By thy unerring word thou rulest over all And fitt it is a god on earth men should thee call The titles of some bookes lately dedicated unto the Pope are thus PAVLO V. VICE DEO To Paul the fift in place of God The letters of which title in Latine doe pecisely expresse the number of the BEASTS name 666. doth he not therefore deny God and shew himself to be the very Antichrist seeing he thus presumptuously takes a deity to himselfe Touching mariage meats fasting c. He binds where God unlooseth looseth where God binds Now is not this in pride to lift up himself both against and above the Lord He will not that the scriptures should bee beleeved no neither God himselfe otherwise then he approves off Enchi de script de authorit scriptu lib. 1. cap. 10. sect 3. The scripture is not authentick saith Eckius but by the authoritie of the Church And Stapleton neyther doe we beleeve God but for the Church How therefore can he himself eyther beleeve in or call on the name of God He hath made himself to bee the GREATEST high-priest of the Church whereas Christ is called the GREAT High-priest thereof Heb. 4. 12. By how much therefore greatest is more then great by so much the Pope hath lift himself up above Christ To be short he not onely weakens but labours wholy to take away all faith out of the harts of the Godly not onely in making the scriptures which is the rule of faith to depend on his will but also in denying and comdemning all certainty and confidence of grace mercie and salvation and on the contrarie he will have the conscience to be in perpetuall trouble fear and doubtings I forbear to speake more these things are sufficient to shew how in the Papacie the Sun was darkened by the smoake of hell And the aire by reason of the smoake of the pit The Sun being darkned the aire of necessitie must be so likewise What is meant by the darkening of the aire For the aire darke in it self is enlightned by the Sun Lyra well understands by the aire the Church because the Church receives her light from Christ as doth the aire from the Sun Now the Church vanished out of the sight of men when she lay hid and buried as it were under the smoke of this pit beeing changed into the chaire and kingdom of Antichrist At first the state of the Church was oeconomicall wherein Christ as the onely father of his houshold taking a far journy even to heaven appointed many servants over his familie the Church and howsoever he gave unto them diversitie of talents or gifts yet equall power in the dispensation thereof But Antichrist having possessed the chaire of VNIVERSAL pestilence altered this oeconomicall state into a Monarchie and was acknowledged in stead of Christ to be the priest and head of the Church But thou wilt say was Christ now without a Church had he quite forsaken and lost his spouse These indeed are the objections of the Romish Parasites but they are idle and frivolous For in the midst of the confusions of Antichrist Christ as we heard before preserved unto himself out of everie tribe and nation tongue 144000 sealed ones So that there was a Church even in the bowels of Popery although it were not in the least the Papall Hierarchie which caried the title thereof We may also interpret the aire to be the holy Scriptures or the ministry of the Church for as the aire instrumentally brings the light of the Sun unto us so by the holy Scriptures and the opening of them the light of the glorious Gospell of Christ doth brightly shine in our harts But now this aire was darkened viz. by a fatal eversion of the word and the whole ecclesiastical order But I rather approve the former sence For touching the ecclesiasticall order how it began the historie of the locusts will shew 3. And there came out of the smoake Locusts We have heard three effects of this Apostaticall Star viz. the opening of the bottomlesse pit the smoake of the pit the darkening of the sun and aire Now the fourth followes a monstrous brood of Locusts came out of the smoake of the pit Locusts are a small kinde of vermine having weak wings The description and nature of Locusts lifting up themselves by flight so little from the earth that they seem rather to leap then to fly In Africa Syria and the Indies they are bigger of bodie and stronger of wings they are verie hurtfull to the herbs fruites and trees upon which they feed and by touching infect them in sommer time they leap make a creaking with their wings Among the ten plagues of Egypt the Locusts were the eight beeing brought by an East-winde over the whole land Exod. 10.13 Ioel. 1.6 In Ioel also the Lord threatneth the Israelites with Locusts having teeth like Lions alluding allegorically unto the Babylonians Here also the whole description argues The Locusts
with his hellish Locusts upholding his tyrannie by the favours of the great men and kings of the earth but it sufficeth that these witnesses enjoy the favour and blessed presence of God the King of kings Lord of the whole earth The Epithite of the earth doth not lessen but augment the authority of God therfore by and by in ver 13. he is called also the God of heaven Fire proceedeth out of their mouth The third title sets forth the power and effect of their ministerie against the adversaries Fire proceeding out of their mouth against the enemies Iere. 5.14 Ier. 23.29 as the former shewed their dignitie efficacie in respect of the godlie It is an allusion partly to the ministerie of Jeremie partlie to that of Moses and Elias Of Jeremies preachings God saith Behold I put my wordes in thy mouth as fire but this people I will give for chaffe which the fire shall consume Againe My word is as fire like the hammer that breaks the rock in pieces Thus fire shall proceed out of the mouth of the witnesses But they that would understand it according to the letter should be more absurd then Pollodorus faining that a monstre called chimera vomits flames out of her mouth and destroyes all what comes neer her and infecteth the cattle Now howsoever perhaps it may be credited that fire should proceed out of a beastes mouth yet that a man should spit fire without hurt except it were a jugler hath not been seen neither can it be This fire therefore proceeding out of their mouth is to be spiritually understood of the word of God proceeding out of the mouth of the witnesses as it is clear by the fore alledged scripture in Ieremie Neither are the other titles of the witnesses to be taken otherwise then by certaine allegorical phrases applied to the things signified thereby as plainlie appeares by the word SPIRITVALLY in v. 8. The which thing unlesse it be well observed we shall be as absurd in urging the letter touching the killing of the witnesses the casting of their carkeises in the streetes their resurrection and ascention into heaven as in the sackcloth Olive-trees candlesticks and ascention of the Beast out of the bottomlesse pit c. But against whom shall the fire proceed Against them that will hurt them that is against their adversaries called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 enemies namely the Beast with the Locusts proceeding out of the infernal smoke with all other their complices favorites adherents These wil hurt them By opposing their preaching both by sophistical disputations cruell proscriptions But it shal be in vain For fire proceeding out of the mouth of the witnesses shall devoure them But thou wilt say The Beast shall destroy the other for he shall kill and overcome them How then shall they devour the adversaries this must again be spiritually understood The fire of the witnesses shall devour the adversaries not by killing them corporally for in this sence they rather shal be devoured but spiritually because by the fire of the word they shal lay open to the world the abominations impostures of Antichrist confound his idols refute his lies by which his kingdom shal greatly diminish the kitchings of Locusts begin to grow cold This fire therfore proceeding out of the mouth of the witnesses devouring the enemies is nothing els but that spirit of Christs mouth 2. Thes 2.8 by which as the Apostle foretold Antichrist shal be consumed because the preaching of the Gospel shal utterly consume Antichristian lies like as the fire consumes the stubble But he alludes as I said to the two histories of Moses and Elias Numb 16.35 For at the prayer of Moses there came out a fire from Iehovah consumed two hundred and fiftie sworn rebels At the prayer of Elias fire fell from heaven and consumed the captaines with their fifties beeing sent to take the prophet 2 King 1 9 After their example these witnesses shall devour their enemies by the fire of their mouth not by any externall miracle Luk. 9.54 which the disciples in a preposterous zeal desirous to imitate were reproved for it by Christ but by a spirituall effect not unlike the other because the fierie preaching of the Gospel shall prevaile against the enemies labouring by all meanes to hinder the same For Gr. and if any man will hurt them This serves for the confirmation of the efficacie before spoken of Many shall rise against the Gospell Antichrist indeed shall indeavour to suppresse the witnesses but to his own destruction He must thus be killed The particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thus or so doth limit the destruction of the enemies he shall not be so killed by the sword or outward force as to cease from hurting but he shall be consumed by the fire of Gods word in so much that his opposition against the Gospel shal be in vain What I pray you can be spoken more plainly concerning the events of our age God raysed up his two witnesses Luther Zwinglius Bucer Musculus a few other weak Monkes out of whose mouth the fire of Gods word hath so devoured their opposites as that they could not resist them by any forces plots thundrings or punishments For by how much they cruelly opposed themselves against the Gospel by so much the more it was spread over diverse kingdomes provinces in the Christian world devouring and confounding the sophistries subtilties armes plots of all Sophisters and enemies fighting for Antichrist To be short this whole effect of the preaching of the Gospell may be declared in these words of the Apostle The weapons of our warfare are not carnall 2 Cor. 10.4 2 Cor. 2.16 but mightie through God to the pulling down of strong holds c. Again We are to God a sweet savour of Christ in them that are saved and in them that perish to the one we are the savour of death unto death to the other the savour of life unto life For the ministery of the word is powerfull to the salvation of the elect through faith destruction of the ungodlie through their own perfidiousnes 6. These have power to shut The fourth title is their power to shut heaven that it rain not in the dayes of their prophesie Power to shut heavē This is a manifest allusion to the historie of Elias who shut the heavens by his prayer that it rained not on Ahabs kingdom for three yeers and six moneths whence arose a grievous famin 1. King 17.1 Iam. 5.16 by which God punished the wickednes of the Israelites And from this verie place it appeares that whatsoever is said of the 42 moneths and 1260 dayes is not litterally to be understood of three yeeres and an half commonly attributed to Antichrist For then heaven should be shut during the whole time of his kingdom and this must needs be so because the heavens shall give no raine
est Aegyptum coluisse animalia quaedam Et pro numinibus multas habuisse ferarum Illa superstitio minor est quam nostra ferarum Hic aras habet omne genus contraria certè Naturae res atque Deo qui dicitur olim Praeposuisse hominem cunctis animantibus unum That Egypt did adore some living creatures heard have we And for her gods some wild beasts she acknowledged to be That superstition sure of theirs is lesse then ours by farre Because for Beasts of every kind high altars now there are Which thing against both nature is and Gods most righteous law For he ordaind over all Beasts one man to have the sway So then the great city seat of the Beast is Aegypt that is like unto Aegypt in wicked Idolatrie It is also like it in miserable blindenesse we read that the Lord sent on the obstinate Aegyptians such darknesse as that for three dayes together they groped at noon day like blinde men So the city of the Beast what is it but a kingdom of darkenesse wherein miserable blindenesse and ignorance of the scriptures yea of God Christ doth extreamely abound Luther writes wel In act August lit P 207. Italie is cast into the grosse darkenesse of Aegypt in somuch as they are become all of them altogether ignorant of Christ and of the thinges appertaining to him To bee short as Aegypt of old most cruellie oppressed the Church by a lamentable bondage for the space of 225 yeeres even so hath the Church now of long time been burdened yea yet groaneth under the yoake of Antichrist kingdome of the Beast And therfore this great city is fittlie called Aegypt because of her cruelty Where also our Lord Hence Ribera and Bellarmin doe faine In Apocal. 11. nu 22. Lib. 3. de P. R. c. 13. that the great city or seat of Antichrist is not Rome but Jerusalem For in what citie say they was our Lord crucified except Ierusalem But this is a vaine shift for as before the seat of Antichrist is called Sodome and Aegypt not litterally but spirituallie so here it is called the citie where our Lord was crucified that is Ierusalem in a spiritual sence This then is the third title of the great city beeing called Jerusalem where our Lord was crucified Ierome and others dispute how Christ was crucified in Aegypt Epist 1. ad Marcell how Ierusalem is called Sodome but it is beside the purpose For the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where also doe not cohere with Aegypt next preceding for the scripture no where saith that Christ was crucified in Aegypt but are to be referred to the former words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the great citie as the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and or also inserted doth shew as if he had said it is called also that citie where our Lord was crucified that is Ierusalem Furthermore it wil clearly appear on Chap. 17. The great citie is not Ierusalem that this great citie the seat of Antichrist is not Jerusalem literallie for there the great citie is said to have seven mountaines and to reigne over the kings of the earth neither of which agrees literallie to Ierusalem but both unto Rome For Ierusalem had never seven mountaines but onely three hils viz. Sion Moriah and mount Calvarie It never held the Empire of the world as Rome hath don To be short It was never absolutely called the citie or the great citie but this title was proper to Rome onelie Lib. 8. de bello sacr Wilhelmus Tyrius writing of the largenesse of Ierusalem saith that it is a city lesse then the greatest yet greater then the middle sort But of Rome Lipsius writeth Lib. 3. de magn Rom cap. 2. that the greatnesse thereof appeares to this day and that her ancient walles contained in circuit XV or XVI miles So that the Iesuites here doe falsly and guilfully send us unto Ierusalem that we might not seek Antichrist at Rome Furthermore why the great city of the Beast is compared unto Ierusalem appeares by the following paraphrase where also our Lord was crucified Ierusalem crucified our Lord literallie The great citie of the Beast doth it spirituallie Now there is nothing more cruel or ungodlie then to crucifie the Lord of life yea it is more cruel for to crucifie Christ spiritually then his witnesses literally And therefore the seat of the Beast is called Ierusalem because of their unheard cruelty impiety killing the Prophets and witnesses of Christ against all right reason yea not satiated with their death have exercised all maner of contumelies upon their dead bodies Besides as much as in them is they not once but daylie sacrifice destroy crucifie and kill Christ himself Epist 19. Let us heare Petrarcha long agoe accusing Rome of this most horrid parricide in his own words Behold thou seest a people not onely adversarie to Christ but that which is worse under Christs ensigne rebelling against him and fighting for Satan beeing druncken with the blood of Christ and malapertly saying Our lips are ours who is Lord over us a hard harted wicked people indeed proud hungerstarved thirstie allwayes gaping having sharp teeth crooked nailes slippery feet a stonie breast and hart of steel a minde of lead but hony in their mouth a people unto whom thou mayest well apply not onely that of Christ and the Prophet This people honoureth me with their lips but their heart is far from me But that also of Judas Iscariot who betraying his master with a kisse said haile master And that of the Jewes who clothed Christ in purple and crowned him with thornes smote most contumeliously spat in his face bowing the knee worshipped saluted him saying Haile king of the Iewes whom they in the mean time accounted neyther as God or a king worthie of divine or humane honour but as a blasphemer guilty of death reproach and judgement But what is not the like daily practised among Christs enemies and Pharisees of our age doe they not buy sell make marchandise of Christ himself whose name notwithstanding they seem day and night to extoll with most high prayses whom they cloath with purple gold whom they load with precious stones salute and worship Him I say as if he had his eyes covered saw not they crown with the briars of wicked mens workes defile him with the spittle of a most impure mouth and inveigh against him with viperous hissings strike him with the dart of venemous actions and what in them lies doe again and again deridinglie drag him as naked poore scourged on mount Calvarie and wickedlie consent to naile him unto the crosse And oh shame oh griefe oh indignitie Even such are the Romanists at this day as it is reported These things Petrarcha wrote concerning Rome Now let the Romish Locusts see how they can deny Rome to be spiritual Ierusalem themselves crucifiers againe
of original sin but neither of these opinions can be of faith because neither of them are grounded on the word of God The virgins conceiving indeed was miraculous But her bringing forth was natural for by the opening of the wombe she brought forth her first born son Luk. 2.23 But whither a natural delivery can be without paine I leave to naturalists Neither is it needfull to define that with danger August Enchirid. cap. 59. the which without any danger a man may bee ignorant of The type represents the usuall order of nature wherby women being in labour to be delivered are commonly pained the which Christ confirmes John 16.21 And indeed the sorrow of child bearing at first was imposed on the woman by God as a punishment of her sin Gen. 3.16 I will multiply thy sorrowes c. Hence the scripture compares vehement and inevitable anguishes unto the paine of a woman in travel which the Greekes call by a peculiar word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sorrowes and to be in sorrow If therfore the scripture hath defined childbearing to be with paine then we cannot without danger bee ignorant thereof So then this type signifies that the Woman or Church shall not bring forth her fruite without labour sorrow and much crying The which is to be referred partlie to the labour and care of the ministrie and partly to the troubles and calamities of persecutions hence the Apostle traveling in birth of the Corinthians cryes out not without griefe Even unto this present hour we both hunger and thirst 1 Cor. 4.11 and are naked and are buffeted and have no certaine dwelling place we are made the filth of this world and are the of scouring of all things unto this day In stripes 2 Cor 6.5 7.5 in imprinsonments in tumults in labours and watchings on every side we are troubled without were fightings within were feares So likewise he speakes of the declining Galatians My little children saith he Gala. 4.19 of whom againe I travel in birth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 untill Christ be formed in you So then we se that the birth and propagation of the Church shal be with great troubles cares sorrowes and crying the which thing Christ foretold us saying The world shall rejoyce but yee shall mourn And the Apostle Ioh. 16.20 2 Tim. 3.12 All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution Now by that which followeth it will appear that by this sorrowfull travel of the woman are chiefly prefigured the miseries persecutions punishments and martyrdomes which Christians should afterwards suffer under tyrants yet not to terrify but to comfort them for wheras the world thought by these things to suppresse the Church she should though with paine most fruitfully bring forth and bejond all expectation increase far and nere 3. And there appeared another signe The first signe or wonder was a woman The second followes viz. a Dragon is seen by Iohn in heaven of a terrible shape not in that starrie heaven where Astronomers place the Dragon with the signe Ophiuchus or Esculapius but in that heaven which the Apostle speakes of where principallities powers and spirituall wickednesse doe rule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is in the regions of the aire above us as the Apostle himself declares it Ephes 2.2 unlesse perhaps this signe appeared in the utmost heaven beeing opened A great Dragon Of an huge bignesse and strength for a Dragon is an old Serpent who by devouring of many serpents at last becomes a Dragon according to the saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If a serpent doth not eat a serpent he shall never be a Dragon He is said to be a red Dragon to denote his cruel blood thirstie nature as beeing wholie red with the blood of the Saints Others thinke he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fierie for it may either way be translated to denote his fierie and hellish condition but I rather approve the former Having seven heads Hence Ribera saith it is manifest that these things belong unto the time of his fained Antichrist But he deceiveth and is deceived as thinking Dan. 7.8 that these are the heads and the hornes of the fourth Beast mentioned in Daniel whose little horne tipeth out Antichrist As if the Beast with his heads hornes there spoken of were yet to be expected and not already come long agoe The Dragon here hath nothing common with the Beast in Daniel besides the ten hornes yet it shal neither be this Dragon nor the Beast in Daniel but passing by this let us more narrowly consider the monstre Poets have fained a terrible monstre called Hydra Lernaea not much unlike unto this Dragon in shape having a huge body and nine heads Hydra Lernaea vide Apollod Bibl. lib. 2. eight whereof were mortal the middlemost immortal the killing whereof they ascribe to the second labour of Hercules Now the monstre here spoken off How the Dragon Beast differ differs from the following Beast in that the Dragon hath crownes on his head the Beast on his hornes so that the heads and hornes in this place doe not signifie the same thing there as we shall see herafter Thus there is some difference betwixt the Dragon and the Beast yet their likenesse is great for the Dragon begate the Beast even as like begets its like Who this Dragon should be is very plain by the epithites for he is called that Old Serpent the Devil Satan ver 9. Chap. 20.2 who is known of all to be that enemy of mankind He is represented in the form of a serpent both because in likenesse of a serpent he seduced our first parents as also because of his rage cruelty against the Church and lastly because of his poyson wherwith he infecteth the world The heads and hornes of the Dragon are the devils instruments ministers of his furie against the Woman In that the crownes are said to be on his heads not on his hornes it argues that the heads denote the chiefe instruments of the Dragon armed with regal authority But the hornes inferiour and vulgar yet armed The crowned heads therfore of the Dragon are kings and tyrants persecuting the woman The hornes Who are the heads and hornes of the Dragon are officers under them as governours captaines soldiours hang-men and the like by whom they exercise their crueltie like as the head of a beast doth push with his hornes Seven heads indefinitely for many as before the seven spirits seven lampes c. For a sevenfold number is allwayes indefinite except it bee restrained as afterward it is where it is said that the seven heads of the beast are the seven mountaines of the woman or Rome SO THE TEN HORNES indefinitelie are verie many because there are more inferiour executioners and murtherers then kings Among the heads of the Dragon Herod the Ascalonite is worthelie reckoned in the first place as first labouring to
no miracles can verifie false and blasphemous doctrines Adde to this that Alcasar the Iesuite contrary to the common opinion acknowledgeth that a litterall sence doth not at all agree with the stile of this aenigmaticall sentence which undoubtedly is most true although he brings in a most idle glosse taken not from the Scriptures but out of the conception of his own braine Antichrist therefore by an allusion unto the litteral history of the Scripture causeth fire divers waies to descend from heaven In the likenesse of fire rushing from heaven the Apostles received the holy Ghost How the Pope causeth fire to descend from heaven so Antichrist boasteth that he by power given him from above doth confer the grace of the holy Ghost in consecration confirmation confession and absolution to wit by a great and miraculous working In the likenesse of lightning the devill made fire to descend from heaven and devoured the sheep and servants of Job And doth not the Pope boast that he fulminates against Emperours Kings and Princes by his excommunications for so Gregory VII said that the Emperour Henry IV. whom he excommunicated was stroken with lightning And therefore in excommunicating the Pope casteth down burning torches or firebrands from on high that even hence we might understand that it is he who causeth this dreadfull fire to descend from heaven by which the sheep and servants of Job are devoured to wit by a marveilous wonder In that it is added In the sight of men it signifies that he gaines authority to himselfe and his deceitfull working by striking great amazement feare and delusion in the hearts of men For he bewitcheth the eyes and mindes of the people and so terrifies the conscience with his signes and lightnings as that the simpler sort are held in false devotion and the more prudent in feare and obedience 14. And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by those miracles Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the miracles Seducing by his signes and it seems to be put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by or by means of those miracles as Chap. 4.11 12.11 This is the third effect of his power he drives wretched men from Christ to Antichrist from the truth to a lie and from the path of salvation to the way of destruction For to seduce is properly to bring out of the right way and lead into errour It is a metaphor taken from travellers ignorant of the right way for so Antichrist seduceth the inhabitants of the earth that is earthly minded men ignorant of God and of their salvation to wit as casting all care of religion upon their spirituall fathers and hence being bewitched and terrified with the signes and lightnings of the Beast they devoutly swear obedience unto his lies For as by true signes being the seales of true doctrine the Elect are helped and moved to believe that it is divine For God who is true and the authour of miracles gives no testimony save to the truth so the lying miracles of the Beast are the seales of his lying doctrine which earthly men embrace for true because of his miracles thinking that they are divine signes and so his doctrine also But thus thinking they are deceived and seduced What therefore are our workers of miracles but seducers And in this sence it is truely said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for or because of the signes as being the formall cause of his imposture Now they work their signes in the sight of the Beast that is by the Popes authority because the miracles of these deceivers must of necessity be Canonized by the Pope that they may be authentick to the faith that is to the seducement of men Saying to them that dwell on the earth that they should make Observe how often the holy Ghost doth reiterate the dwellers on the earth The image of the beast lest the faithfull should be offended with the multitude and readinesse of them that follow the Beast against Christ And this is the fourth effect of his power he commands the inhabitants of the earth to make an Image to the Beast which was wounded by the sword and did live With which cohereth the first that he gave life to the Image of the Beast and also that the Beasts image should speake and cause that whosoever would not worship the image of the Beast should be slaine Ribera in c. 13.32 For these two verses agree together by which indeed most interpreters amongst the Papists will have the third miracle of the Beast to be described viz. that he should perswade men to make an Image to Antichrist and worship him in their temples Lib. 3. de P. R. c. 15. to which image he would give life and speech c. Whence againe it followeth saith Bellarmin that the Pope is not Antichrist because none of them have made an Image to speake c. But first this fable touching Antichrists image placed in temples speaking and to be worshipped Alcasar refutoth Bellarmine Aleasar himselfe refuteth and expounds it of heathenish idols which they imagined by an heavenly miracle should receive and give answers This opinion is far more tollerable although not agreeable unto the text which openly speaketh not of Satans delusions among the Gentiles already past but of the future impostures of Antichrist sitting in the temple of God Secondly to let passe the fable do not the images in the Papacy speak and hath not the Pope caused and commanded them to be worshipped on paine of death Such of ours who understand the former Beast of the old Romane Empire interpret this Image of the Beast sometime wounded and again healed of the Romane Empire re-established by the Pope Which they think was done when Steven II. and Leo III. transferred the decayed Empire of the West on Charles the Great and as it were repaired the same The which was no more then a certaine image or rather a shadow of the old Empire comming short both in the majestie largenesse and power thereof But we have before shewed that the former Beast denotes not the Romane Empire but Antichrist Neither doe the circumstances of the text agree to it The Pope say they made the image of the Romane Empire But the second Beast or the Pope made not the image of the former but the inhabitāts of the earth did it by the commandement of the Beast That also which is added touching the worshipping of the image doth little agree For as much as none of the Germane Emperours commanded either themselves or their Empire to be worshipped on paine of death The participle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saying referred to that which goes before makes the sence cleare to wit that to the two former waies of power and seducing being his false doctrine and great miracles now are added two more to wit worshipping of Images and outward violence And the spirit doth plainely allude to Daniels History where the King set up a golden image Hebr.
to fill drinke to the poore So that to drinke out of the mixt cup for so the words may be translated is to drinke out of a cup filled with the wine of Gods wrath and this wine is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not allaied with water to denote its strength and efficacy to make drunke Brightman understands this pure wine said to be mixt of divers kindes of wines mingled together which mixture saith he doth much sooner beget drunkennesse The sense is all one Of his indignation and anger The Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies furie or great indignation and is more then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 anger The words seeme to be taken out of Psal 75.9 A cup is in Jehovahs hand and the wine is red it is full of mixture And Ier. 25.15 Take the wine-cup of his furie at my hand and cause all the nations to whom I send thee to drinke it This Cup of his anger the Lord in the following Chapter divides into seven vials the which being full of his wrath he will powre forth on the Antichristian idolaters six of them in this life but the last in the end of the world Therefore he threatneth temporall and eternall punishments The temporall he expoundeth specially in Chap. 16. here the eternall are more clearly described And he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone This is a declaration and an amplification of their punishment He shall drinke of the wine of wrath that is he shall be tormented for as he drunke the wine of pleasure so likewise he shall drinke the wine of torment and that eternally He addes the matter of the torment With fire and brimstone Brimstone is soon set on fire burnes strongly is not easily extinguished and causeth a filthy smoak and deadly stinke Fire is nourished by brimstone it devoures and destroyes combustible things the burning therof is intollerable torment to the body Not as if there were materiall fire or brimstone in hell but the grievousnesse of the torment is hereby noted It seemes to be an allusion unto Psal 11.6 Vpon the wicked he shall raine snares fire and brimstone and an horrible tempest shall be the portion of their cup. This is expounded in Chap. 19.20 where the Beast and they that worship him are to be cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone This is the torment of hell Luk. 16.24 Isai 66.24 Mark 9.43 Luk. 3.17 in which the glutton being to this day crieth Father Abraham have mercy upon me for I am tormented in this flame The Scripture doth not finde words as it were sufficiently to expresse the unspeakable torments of the wicked Isaiah saith The worme of transgressours shall not die neither shall their fire be quenched and they shall be an abhorring to all flesh Christ Math. 8.12 calls it utter darknesse where is weeping and gnashing of teeth 5.22 hell fire 25.41 everlasting and unquenchable fire Paul saith Rom. 2.9 2 Thes 1.8 Tribulation and anguish shall be on every soule that doth evill and againe The Lord will take vengeance in flaming fire on them that obey not the Gospell IN THE PRESENCE OF THE HOLY ANGELS AND IN THE PRESENCE OF THE LAMBE The Lambe shall be the Iudge of the ungodly who despised him and as much as in them lay exposed him to be torne by the Beast The Angels are added to the Lambe as sumners by whose ministery all men shall be gathered from the foure corners of the earth and presented before the tribunall seat of Christ to be judged The word therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before which is attributed as well to the Angels as to the Lambe signifies that the Angels shall not onely be beholders of the torments of the wicked but also executioners of the same So the Apostle They shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord 2 Thes 1.9 and from the glory of his power Holy to distinguish them from evill angels concerning whom Paul saith Know ye not that we shall judge the Angels 1 Cor. 6.3 11. And the smoke of their torment He further amplifies the torments of the wicked if happily the kings and inhabitants of the earth might be restrained from worshipping the Beast by the horrour of cruell torments The smoake of their torment by an hebraisme he calleth it a tormenting smoak Or by a metonymia of the signe the fire tormenting them But I rather approve the former because he had before spoken of their torment by fire Now what is more bitter then to be tormented broyled and stifled with smoak Before in Chap. 9. the smoak of the bottomlesse pit did denote in a sence somewhat different the darknesse of doctrine brought into the Church by the Pope of Rome through the operation of Satan And this belongs to the matter of the infernall torment What smoak is whether it be in hell not that there is a reall smoak in hell for properly smoak is an exhalation or fume arising out of a materiall fire which is not in hell otherwise the smoak must cease when the matter is wholly consumed but the Scripture doth metaphorically shadow out the grievousnesse of the torments in hell from things known unto us and very hurtfull as calling the same smoake fire brimstone the worme c. Ascended for ever and ever Smoak by its lightnesse ascends upward and so the smoak of eternall fire shall ascend 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into ages of ages that is for ever and ever for it is an unquenchable fire Isai 66.24 Hence we see that the torments of the wicked in hell shall be everlasting and without end Before in Chap. 8.4 The prayers of the Saints are called a smoak ascending up before God by a more noble metaphor That smoake was sweet and pleasing to God as being the smoake of incense But this here is stinking and pestilent unto the wicked as being the smoak of brimstome The verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to ascend argues that the place and fire of hell is beneath but where it is they shall feele who too curiously seek it And they have no rest day nor night He signifies their continuall torments without any intermission they shall not now and then have rest but shall be perpetually tormented Thus hitherto the Glutton cryeth in hell without intermission I am tormented in this flame For as hell fire shall not be extinguished no not for a moment so the wicked shall not have so much as a moments respite from torment but in this unquenchable fire they shall be like incorruptible firebrands never to be consumed O most miserable men whom the cogitation and perhaps horrour also of so great tormenrs hath not hitherto moved to repent and forsake the worship of the Beast Before Chap. 4.8 this same phrase is applyed to the foure Beasts And they rest not day and night saying holy holy holy Lord God Almighty And to the sealed in their foreheads Chap.
But by that war God will root them both out together It is called a great Day because the judgement of that day shall be great and wonderfull by the slaughter of all adversaries of which in Chap. 19. 15. Behold I come as a thiefe By a prophetical Parenthesis he exhorts us unto watchfullnesse And it is inserted by the occasion of that great Day in which the enemies shall come to fight against Christ Christ then on the contrary shall come to cut off the adversaries Now this his comming shall be sudden and unexpected like a thiefe in the night as Mat. 24.43 Luke 12.39 1. Thessa 5.2 Reve. 3.3 We must watch therefore least being brought asleepe by the cares of the World we be on a sudden oppressed by that great day of the Lord. And keepe his garments That they be not polluted with the defilements of the flesh and of this World or rather that they be not secretly stollen away for if their garments be taken from them they shall be forced to goe naked having nothing wherewithall to cover their shame 2 Cor. 92 This exhortation agrees with the doctrine of the Apostle We desire to be clothed upon with our house which is from Heaven if so be that being clothed we be not found naked And with that of Christ unto the Bishop of Laodicea Chap. 3.18 I counsell thee to buy white raiment that thou mayst be clothed and that the shame of thy nakednesse do not appeare See the exposition on that place And indeed Beza supposeth that this Parenthesis is for some reason from thence here inserted but there is no cause of such suspicion seeing the occasion of the Parenthesis is manifest and that the metaphor taken from garments is familiar to this Booke 16. And gathered them The old Version And he shall gather them as if it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beza in his latter Edition he gathered them according also as it is in our English Translation to wit Christ or God referring it to the foregoing Verse But in his former more rightly And they gathered them viz. the three uncleane Spirits for the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do cohere as if he had said The spirits went forth to gather the Kings of the world and they gathered them the 14. verse as we have shewed being inserted by a parenthesis It is true the Verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being in the singular number may carry both senses notwithstanding it plainely appeares from the end of the Spirits going forth that in the Text by an Atticisme usuall to the Greekes the Noune 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Spirits being plurall is joyned with a verbe of the singular number Now the end of the Ambassage of the uncleane Spirits was to gather the Kings least therefore it should seeme they had bin slacke in their office their endeavour is added And they gathered them viz. to the Battell for by their importunitie subtilty and jugling they perswaded the kings to take up this warre The Kings therefore of the earth and of the whole world are in readinesse with their armies for to defend the Beast against God Almighty O detestable madnesse The whole world will be up in armes no corner shall be in quiet or free from the warre of these frogs And indeed it seemeth that towards the end of the world it shall come to passe that not onely Popish kings who then shall be but few but also forraine and barbarous nations as of India Asia Africa being induced by the craft and deceit of the frogs shall joyne their forces against the professours of the Gospell for to restore the authority of the Pope What a confusion shall there then be in all places And how great shall the feare and trembling of the godlie bee Now what shall be the event of this unhappy expedition This is reserved to the following Vision onely the place where the battell shall be fought is set forth by the Hebrew word Armageddon Of Armageddon the place of the battell concerning which if I should alleadge the severall guesses of Interpreters seeing it seemes not to be manifested either by Scripture or Histories time would faile me In the writing of the word copies do differ generally it is writen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Harmageddon with two dd some have it Harmagedon with one d some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hermagedon with E divers significations are also alleadged Jerome expounds it The mountain of thieves Others A cursed Troup from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Others The army of malediction or destruction Others The deceit of destruction Others The ruine of the River or streame Others The mountaine of the Gospell Others The mountaine of apples or fruit Two of these opinions I like best First theirs who render it The deceit or guile of destruction from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 subtle and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies cutting off or ruinating that the very place of the battle it selfe might discover the imposture of the Frogs who having put the Kings in hope of a great prey should deceitfully bring them into the place of their destruction where they shall be slain in a horrible manner not by the sword of men but by the sword of Almighty God for while they tumultously rage and fiercely fight against the Gospell in a moment they shall all be oppressed by the last judgement and be cast into the Lake of brimstone with the Beast false Prophet and the Frogs as it is in Chapter 19. verse 19. The other opinion of Beza I rather approve that Armageddon is that place where Josias unhappily fighting with Necho king of Egypt was slaine as we read 2. Chron. 35.22 Zechar. 12.11 where it called the field or valley of Megiddon here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The mountaine Megiddon for at the foot of the mountaine was a valley or large field for Combat but Megiddo was not the name of the mountaine or field but of a citie after which the field and the mountaine called Gilboe neer unto the same took their denomination Neither doth it hinder that the field Megiddo was tragicall not unto the adversaries but to good Iosias for it may be answered that two things are here aimed at The opportunity of the place as being most fit for battle and the mourning which there was of old for the death of Iosias the which at last shal be here in regard of the destruction of the adversaries The summe is this This cursed armie here treated of shall bee gathered into the place of its destruction which is not meant of one certaine place but wherever it be that these unblessed Troupes shall then gather themselves and rage against God there the day of judgement shall come upon them The pouring out of the seventh Viall into the Ayre 17 And the seventh Angell poured out his Viall into the ayre and there came a great voice out of the
other cities of the nations But what Great City is here intended Vndoubtedly The great City broken into parts see chap 11 8. 14 8 17.18 the same in whose streets the bodies of the two witnesses did lie unburied Chap. 11.8 that is the Citie Dominion and Church of Rome which is the Kingdome of Antichrist being as it were one Great City because it is governed by one head the Pope Brightman includes the Turkish kingdome or Empire because here is treated of the totall destruction of all the ungodly But the Mahumetane tyrannie is more rightly comprehended under the Cities of the Nations that so wee might take notice that Rome is set forth by the Great City both formerly here and in the following Chapter also The Allegory of some seems to me not to be proper namely that the great Citie that is the universallity of men shall be divided into three parts that is in the last time there shall be found three sorts of men in the Church Christians Papists and Neutralls for these three sorts shall not then take their beginning seeing they have already bin a long while in the world Ribera following Andreas makes Jerusalem to be this great citie understanding the division of it into three parts to be three sorts of people living in the same Christians Iews and Saracenes But the following Chapter doth evidently shew that not Ierusalem but Rome is this citie as standing on seven Mountaines and in Iohns time having dominion and power over the Kings of the earth and therefore Alcasar doth justly reject this opinion although himselfe doth wholly erre from the scope Neither is it materiall that Ribera supposeth that Rome must be overthrowne before these things do happen unto which also Brightman seemes to assent in his exposition on the fifâ— Viall for of this wee shall see more in the following Chapter however the Iesuite erreth feining that Rome shall be destroyed before Antichrists rising seeing Iohn in Chapter 11. and againe Chap. 17. doth not obscurely make the great City standing on seven hills to be the Seat of Antichrist But how long before the end Rome shall be cut off the Lord knoweth If some time before it makes nothing against the sense by us alleadged For by the great City we are not onely to understand the walles and streets of Rome but all places wherever the Romish Antichrist hath any jurisdiction which as the Iesuite confesseth may stand although Rome bee destroyed before even unto this last Earthquake And the Cities of the Nations fell Wee have heard of the ruine of Rome Antichrist and his kingdom Now is added what happened to the other Adversarie kingdomes They also fell by the foresaid Earthquake for the Cities of the Nations I take to be the kingdoms Provinces Forts and power of the Barbarians not belonging to Antichrists kingdom as Iewes Turkes Saracens and the like dispersed throughout the whole world which shall all at the same time be ruinated And thus it must necessarily be understood for if here we should understand the Nations figuratively viz. of the Antichristian Papists who worshippe God after the manner of the heathens as it is before taken in Chapter 11.1 it would seem to be a tautologie not to be approved of And great Babylon came into remembrance before God That which before he called the Great City here he calles it great Babylon and so much we may plainely gather from the voice of the second Angel Babylon is fallen is fallen that great City Chapter 15.8 18.10 Wherefore I see no reason why we should here seeke for another Babylon to wit a new Rome that is Constantinople as Brightman supposeth for seeing Constantinople to this day and so without doubt shall continue in Mahumetisme and idolatry the same shall fall with the Cities of the Nations But to imagine that the Westerne Christians after Popery shall bee aboâ—shed and also drive the Turke out of the East and recover or overthrow Constantinople the Metropolis of the Turkish Empire this I say seemes to me to be a thing rather to be wished then expected in regard that our owne sinnes shall fight for the Turke even against our selves untill such time that the great Citie Babylon and all the Cities of the nations shall be utterly overthrowne by the universall Earthquake Wherefore then doth he repeat the name of the great City I answer hee doth it by an Emphaticall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or reversion that we may not thinke the division which before he spake of to be small or to happen by chance but understand the just and horrible judgement of God in the destruction thereof for then the Lord will give unto her the cup of the fury of his wrath by which phrase is signified the most fearfull judgement of God executed on her in regard of her idolatry and tyranny according to the threatning of the third Angell Chap. 14.10 as if he had said The great City is broken Babylon I say the great is come into remembrance before God that forasmuch as she hath made drunk the world with the wine of her fornication she herselfe also shall have her fill of the cup of the fury of Gods wrath that is God will punish her in a horrible manner Shee is said to come into remembrance before God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or after the manner of men For God did seeme for a thousand years and more to connive and forget her as it were in not punishing her wicked Idolatry and tyranny but at last by his horrible judgements he will make it knowne that she was never out of his remembrance and that he never approved of her flagitious workes Now in what sense and how many wayes both in the good and evill part God is said to forget and to remember and wherefore the Scripture speaketh thus of God we have fully expounded in our Commentary on Genesis touching these words And God remembred Noah Chap. 8.1 20. And every Island fled away The third kind of wonders are in the Sea Signes in the Sea intimating how they that live though never so remote in the Islands shall also be overwhelmed by this fatall Earthquake for every Island shall flee away that is shall vanish away and perish either by water or fire Now by Islands the Hebrews understand all places seated neer the Sea The Mountaines also which are either in the Islands or other mediterranean places shall not be able to shelter the adversaries because there shall none be found but all bee swallowed up by the violence of the Earthquake In the dayes of Noah when the flood came men ranne to the Mountaines for safety and at the destruction of Ierusalem Christ counselled his disciples to flee unto the Mountaines But here now the wicked cannot flee to the Islands or Mountaines because then they shall not be by a like manner of Speech the end of the world is set forth afterward in Chap. 20.11 Before in the Antichristian
forbidden in Scripture The Third Part of the Chapter The Voyce of the third Angell figuring the destruction of Babylon under the Similitude of a Milstone cast into the SEA 21 And a mighty Angel took up a stone like a great milstone and cast it into the Sea saying Thus with violence shal that great City Babylon be throwne downe and be found no more at all 22 And the voice of harpers and musicians and of Pipers and Trumpeters shal be heard no more at all in thee and no Craftsman of whatsoever craft he be shal be found any more in thee and the sound of a milstone shal be heard no more at all in thee 23 And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee and the voice of the Bridegrome and of the Bride shal be heard no more at all in thee for thy Merchants were the great men of the Earth for by thy sorceries were all Nations deceived 24 And in her was found the blood of Prophets and of Saints and of all that were slaine upon the Earth THE COMMENTARY AND a mighty Angell The second voyce leaves speaking And another Angell comes forth on the Scene Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 One Angell indefinitely that is One of the companie of the ANGELS who was to seale up the whole action of Babylons judgement by an externall Symbole 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Strong Hee is said to be mighty because of the Symbole which did require more then humane strength For he takes up as if it were but a straw a stone like a great Milstone which ten strong men can hardly move and casteth it with force into the Sea Therefore in Scripture the Angells are worthily commended for their strength to comfort the Godlie and terrifie the wicked But what is meant by this throwing It would have seemed frivolous had not the signification thereof bin added Tract 81. in Iohan. for signes without the word are dead Ceremonies Therefore our Sacramentall signes which we call Sacraments have the word annexed touching the things signified according to that of AUSTIN Let the word be joyned to the Element and it becomes a Sacrament The word therefore is the soule of the Sacrament The soul of signs is the word because it expoundeth what the signe in every Sacrament doth signifie Whence it is certain that signes testifie the same thing to the eye that words sound to the eare and that Sacraments signifie the same benefits of Christ which are taught in the Word or Gospell hence also Austin often calls them Visible words De catal Chap. 3. Cantr faust Cap. 16. Tract 18. in Iohan. because as I said they represent the same thing to the eye which the word sounds to the eare But to the matter Thus with violence shall the great City Babylon be cast downe and shal be found no more at all Hence it appeares that signes represent the same thing that the word doth but much more effectually because they work upon two Sences together stir up to faith viz. The eyes by the Symbole The eares by the word For the same judgement which hitherto we have received or heard by the voice of the Angels and the Iamentation of the wicked we now also as it were behold with our eyes under the Type of a Milstone throwne into the Sea So that the thing which before was certaine to the eare is now made far more certaine the Sence of the Eyes confirming the same The Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so denotes the force and analogie of the Type The Analogie between a milstone and Babylon For as a great Milstone cannot be easily moved so the great Citie Babylon is hardlie to be conquered As a Milstone is thrown down so Babylon shall be cut off As a stone is throwne with force So Rome shall suddenly and with force be overwhelmed As a stone is swallowed up by the Sea So fire a contrarie Element shall devour Babylon As a Milstone thrown into the Sea remaines covered in the bottome thereof and can no more be drawn out So Rome being once burnt with fire shal not be found or repaired any more but remain in ashes This is the analogie of the type and antitype We are to know Ier. 51.63 that the same Type was of old used about the destruction of Ancient Babylon for Ieremie is commanded to bind the Booke of his Prophesie not indeed to a Milstone but another stone and cast it in the midst of Euphrates saying So shall Babylon sincke and shall not rise from the evill that I will bring upon her and they shall bee weary Thus Old and New Babylon go borh one way in Gods judgement The Great Citie BABYLON This is so often reiterated in this Prophesie as it confounds with shame the boasting of Papists touching the greatnesse of the Romish Citie and Church 22. And the Voyce of Harpers The Angell aggravates the most sad desolation which shall there appeare where now lofty Rome doth pride it by propheticall phrases threatning the privation of such good things which are requisite for the pleasure and necessitie of a flourishing Common-wealth To the pleasure of a Citie belong musicall Instruments Harpes Fluites Trumpets and Artists that have skill to use them By Harpes men are occasioned to rejoyce at Feasts At the sound of the Fluite they use to dance By Trumpets the people are called to holy and civill meetings and Souldiers stir'd up to war whither for exercise or in earnest Nothing saith he of these things shall bee heard in thee any more Therefore there shall bee nothing but meere desolation and sadnesse To the necessitie of a Citie are required all kinde of Artists Arist in Eth and Handicrafts men For a City consists not of a Physitian alone but of a Physitian and the husbandman But no Craftsmâ—â— shall be found in thee any more so that in stead of the deliciousâ—â—sse and abundance of these pretious wares shal be misery and desolation To the upholding of mans life Corne also and Millers are requisite by whom the seed is grinded and the meale prepared for bread and necessary food The voyce saith he of a Milstone shal be heard no more in thee In stead of abundance of fine floure and delicacies shall be povertie and want Also burning lights are requisite for the night season without which wee should beforced to passe the halfe of our Life in darkenesse These also saith he shall shine no more in thee Therefore there shal be datknesse and desolation Lastly to the preservation of Cities there must of necessity be procreation of children in lawfull Matrimonie for without Weddings and Marriage a Citie must needs perish either by death of her Citizens or bee full of Bastards Also there shall bee no more Weddings in thee For the voice of the Bride and of the Bridegrome shall bee no more heard in thee Thus thy delosation shall bee consummated Behold in what a horrible
to God Iehovah which againe plainely proveth the Divinitie of Christ our Lord. 16. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh That he may once for all fullie set forth the invineible power and immense Majestie of this Iudge he cals him King of kings and Lord of lords The which title many Monarchs have indeed arrogated to themselves as Nebuchad-nezzar Xerxes Alexander but falsely It beeing proper to this Captaine who alone is the Monarch of Heaven and earth for to him alone is given all power in Heaven and earth Given I say not onely in time according to the dispensation of the flesh through his exaltation at the right hand of God but also from al eternity according to the nature of the Dietie by eternal generation of the Father As the Father hath life in himself viz. from eternity So he hath given to the Son to have life in himself viz. from eternity that as all men honour the Father so they should honour the Sonne also Therefore he hath this title King of kings and Lord of lords common with the Father as being one God with the Father The xxxviii argument of Christs Dietie whom the Apostle sets forth by this his proper title which again is an evident argument of Christs Dietie Now how the Samosatenian hereticks labour to shift this off with the vindicating of the same hath before bin expounded on Chap. 17.14 This name he hath written on his garment to signify that the Divine Power and Majesty of this Captaine shall then be apparent to all creatures that he may be openly acknowledged worshiped by all It is written also on his thigh to denote the eternity of his power and Monarchie For by the thigh the scripture usually vnderstands the generative force and propagation of posterity as often we have it in Genesis and Exodus Therefore he carries the name on his thigh because his kingdome shal be propagated endure to all posterities that is unto eternity 17. And I saw an Angell standing Thus much touching the honourable armies the troopes of Angels Now other administring forces are called foorth which in some manner are to be imployed in executing vengeance viz. all the ravenous birds of heaven Notwithstanding they are not called to the fight but are invited to the banquet Who this Angel standing in the Sunne should bee needs not curiously to be enquired after He was an he rauld proclaiming the Captaines comming being an Angel either really or in appearance For Iohn records what he saw Neither is it necessarie to seeke for mysteries in every circumstance of the visions He cals him indefinitely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one Angel for A CERTAIN ANGEL because he stood before the other without the Camp going before like an Herauld of armes Standing in the Sunne That is in the midst of heaven in a cleare and high place that he might be seen and heard of al the foules which serves to the decencie of the Action For Heraulds when they publish the Edicts of Princes Vsually stand in some Eminent place that they may be the better seene of all men And here I seeke no other my stery And cryed with a great voyce Like as Heraulds use to doe that they may be heard afar off also the efficacie of the voyce is here noted for this cry shal not be in vaine but at the very instant the foules are in readinesse Now perhaps we may say that this Angel is the Archangel this voice that great trumpet of God with which Christ shall descend on the clouds 1 Thessa 4.16 Come and gather your selves together unto the supper This whole Propheticall allegory is taken out of 39. of Ezech. v. 17. For the Revelation hath many things common with the visions of Ezekiel and Zacharie There the Prophet thus prophesieth against Gog and Magog understood by many to be the two Antichrists viz. the Turke the Pope touching which we shal Treat in the following Chap. v. 8. Assemble your selves come gather your selves on every side to my sacrifice Hebr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 slaughter that J doe slay for you The comparing of the present place with Ez. 39.17 even a great sacrifice upon the mountaines of Israel that ye may eat flesh and drinke blood Ye shall eate the flesh of the mighty and drink the blood of the Princes of the earth of Rams of Lambs and of goats c. Al things are alike save that the Prophet is there commanded to proclaime Here the Angel proclaimeth There both the fowles and beasts also are called here the fowles onely There they are called to the sacrifice Here to the Supper of the great God There to eat flesh and drinke blood here onely to eate flesh There to eat the flesh of the Mighty and the Princes of the earth here to eat the flesh of Kings Captains mighty men of horses and of them that ride on them of free-men and bond-men of small and great c. The sense of both Allegories is the same This indeed shall not Litterallie be accomplished at the last judgement for the birds of the ayre and beasts of the field with all the elements shall be consumed with fire But under this similitude is set forth the horrour of the last judgement For as after some bloodie combate the Ravenous birds as Crowes Ravens Kites and such like Harpies flie to the prey as it were to some great Feast and feed upon the dead carkeises so after the like manner the enemies beeing overthrowne by a great slaughter and torne as it were by vultures shall be cast into the everlasting fire of hell This supper therefore is the judgement of God it self by which the wicked shall be consumed He cals it the Supper of the great God Because it shal be prepared by him The xxxix argument of Chr. deity Now This great God is the same who even now was called the King of kings and Lord of lords viz. Christ the Iudge which again is an evident argument of his Divinity 18 That ye may eate the flesh of kings To wit of the earth whom the three uncleane spirits gathered in Harmageddon to fight against the Lamb in defence of the Beast Chap. 16.14 It seemes to be doubtful whither these kings be those ten who were as in Chap. 17. to give al their power to the Beast to fight with the Lamb and be overcome by him The reason of the doubt ariseth hence that those ten kings should hate the whore and burne her with fire that is destroy Rome the seate of Antichrist But it is not probable that they should defend the Beast who shall destroy the whore and seat of the Beast The thing therefore shall be thus If not all yet certainely many of those Ten Kings forsaking the Papacy shall turne to Christ and destroy Rome And that which many shall doe all are said to doe yet some shall still adhere to Popery who after the burning of Rome shall
is also another reason ab incommodo for it seems not convenient to say that the Saints after Satans loosing and when he again rageth should then reign Nay rather they shall reign Satan being as yet bound for this raging enemy being loosed would scarce suffer them to reign Besides the other opinion doth with the Chiliasts and Papists too much determinate and circumscribe the time of Christs comming to Iudgement against the expresse saying of Christ Mat. 24.26 Of that houre and day no man knoweth c. And therefore I say that both Satans binding and the Saints reigning with Christ shall bee in the same thousand yeeres Now touching these things It is demanded I. Whither the thousand yeeres be definitely or indefinitely to bee understood II. If definitely where they are to begin and end III. What condition John did see the Saints to be in during these thousand yeers IV. What Satan is said to attempt after the accomplishing of these thousand yeers In the expounding of these Questions those things are contained which follow in Verse 11. I. WHITHER THE THOVSAND YEERS BE DEFINITELY TO BE VNDERSTOOD whether I say the thousand yeers be definitely or indefinitely to be understood in both appeareth a difficulty If thou say indefinitely taking a thousand for many or for all unto the end then in vaine it were said Afterward Satan shall be loosed If definitely then the difficulty will be so to expound the beginning and ending thereof and how in the meane time Satan was bound afterwards loosed that we runne not into the errour of the Chilasts or some other inconvenience Augustine whom most of the ancient and latter Writers follow Lib. 20 de C. D. cap. 7 understood the thousand yeers indefinitely that is for the whole time from Christs death and resurrection when Satan began to be bound that he should no more seduce the Nations unto the end of the world because that sometimes in Scripture a thousand signifies indefinitely a very long time as Psal 105.8 He hath remembred his Covenant for ever the word which he commanded unto a thousand generations Notwithstanding he doth not precisely extend the thousand yeers unto the end of the world but untill the time of Antichrist who as he thought following herein the errour of his Predecessours mislead by Papias should come in the last foure years of the world and reigne three years and an halfe but he questioneth whether Antichrists time should be added to the thousand yeers or rather to the little season in which Satan is to be loosed This opinion Ribera prosecutes at large shewing Com. in Apoc cap. 20 N. 36.37 c. that these thousand yeeres signifie the whole time from Christs Resurrection unto Antichrists Kingdome because by thousand in Scripture we often understand a very great and indefinite number Joh. 9.3 Psal 91.7 1. Sam. 18.7 Psal 90.4 c. The like also we find in Heathenish Writers Virgil. 1. Aeneid 11. Aene. 2. Pers Sat. 5. Ovid. Met. Lib. 13. c. But this opinion cannot stand for many causes for first we may not rashly and without necessity goe from the Letter to Figures Now here no necessitie urgeth us to turne from the proprietie of the letter about the thousand yeers unto a trope of indefinite signification Besides neither the Subject Yeers nor the Epithite Thousand doth here admit a Trope Not the Subject because howsoever other names signifying time as houres dayes weekes moneths are often in Scripture taken improperly Yeers also attributed to God do improperly signifie eternity Job 10.5 36.26 Psal 102.25.28 Heb. 1.12 Or by an Hebraisme the time of divine Iudgement as Isa 61.2 Luke 4.19 the acceptable yeere Isa 34.8 the yeere of recompence Jerem. 23.12 the yeere of Visitation Notwithstanding Yeers with a numerall Epithite as in this place have never any other signification save propet and definite Againe neither the Epithite Thousand the which howsoever it doth sometimes both in sacred and humane Writers only amplifie a matter indefinitely as may be seen in the Examples before mentioned Notwithstanding being in Histories and Prophesies of Scripture joyned to yeers I shall alwayes beleeve that it is never taken but in a definite signification except any man can shew me the contrary Thirdly the Text it selfe yeelds us a weighty reason because Iohn indeed at first in verse 2. determinates the thousand yeers without the Article having it only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but afterward emphatically repeats it foure times with the Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these thousand yeers and undoubtedly defines the same Fourthly from the Text wee have another evident reason viz. that during those thousand yeers Antichrist was worshipped for within those thousand yeers they also that worshipped not the Image of the Beast that is of Antichrist lived and reigned with Christ and therefore it cannot be understood that these thousand yeeres were finished before Antichrists coming nor indefinitely untill his coming We are therefore to embrace their opinion who hold that these thousand yeers are definite And now let us come to consider the termes II. Where these thousand yeers have their beginning and ending Such as understand the thousand yeers definitely are diversly minded about their beginning as by and by I will shew I suppose it best to take their beginning from the Angels descension because otherwise the determination of the thousand yeers so often repeated should be uncertaine and vaine I say in case they should have an indeterminated beginning elsewhere Now the descension of the Angell was in the Incarnation of the Son of God as before we shewed Notwithstanding Satan was not bound presently upon his Nativity because the Son of God did not immediatly exercise his power in his Child-hood But the true beginning is understood from the cause why the Dragon should bee bound which was that he should deceive the Nations no more to wit by keeping them in Paganisme Where we are to begin the thousand yeers and turning them from the Gospell of Christ Therefore when the Dragon began to desist from deceiving the nations then he was bound Now he desisted from seducing the Nations any longer not presently at the beginning of the Ministery or Resurrection of Christ or of the preaching of the Apostles although the Angell did then begin to cast the great chaine upon the Dragon but especially after the dispersion of the Iewes and the destruction of the Iewish Temple and worship by the Romanes for before that time the beginnings of the Gentiles conversion to Christ were but small because the Dragon never ceased to hinder the Gentiles from the Gospell of Christ by meanes of the turbulent Iewes as the History of the Acts of the Apostles testifies But afterward Ierusalem being destroyed the Iewes were rejected and dissipated and in their roome the Gentiles were called and added to the Church as Paul teacheth Act. 13.46 Rom. 11.11 c. Then at length it appeared that Satan was bound because
giving us to understand these soules were slaine for that Essentiall word of God who in the foregoing Vision Chap. 19 13. sate on a white horse that is the eternall Son of God for whose sake many thousands laid downe their lives in the Arian Macedonian and Nestorian tempests c. in the three hundred following yeers Wherefore he saw both the soules of these and of the other Martyrs resting on thrones in Heaven And them that worshipped not the Beast Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whosoever The Ellipsis or defect is to be supplied from the foregoing part Thus I saw also the soules of such sitting as had not worshipped c. These he distinguisheth from the former because they are latter in time which the adjuncts shew They worshipped not the Beast and his Image c. Perhaps also all were not Martyrs but some of them Professours onely though but few seeing the Beast caused all to be slaine that worshipped him not and his Image Chap. 12.15 These therefore had to doe with the Beast Now the Beast began to reigne rage and to be worshipped in the last Ages of the thousand yeers viz. from the six hundred and sixt yeer as we shewed in Chap. 13. 17. whosoever therefore from that time even unto the end of the thousand yeeres did constantly oppose the Beast and got the victory over him which was said of the multitude of Harpers standing on the Sea of glasse Ch. 15.17 and unto which multitude these also belong are here spoken of and commended for their constancy in banishments torments and all manner of punishments which they suffered in maintaining the Faith of Christ against the Beast Whence we gather these certain conclusions I. That the Beast his Image and his Character were within these thousand yeers because there were then some who worshipped the Beast to wit all the Inhabitants of the Earth Chap. 13.8 and they that would not worship him were either Martyrs or Confessours II. That Antichrist was again to rage within the said thousand yeers because the Beast then was and would be worshipped Now the Beast is Antichrist as appeared Chap. 13. 17. and Ribera confesseth Cap. 13. Numb 1. Cap. 19. Num. 31.32 III. That these yeers are not indefinitely the whole time from the Vision untill the end of the world or untill the comming of Antichrist because Antichrist began to rage between them or while they were running on IV. And lastly that the Papists Antichrist who as they feine shall come and beare sway in the last foure yeeres of the world is but a vaine Skare-crow by which they deceive themselves and the world because Iohn foretold that the true ANTICHRIST should bee manifested within the first Thousand yeeres after CHRISTS descension Ribera saw this knot in Apocal. Cap. 20. Num. 33. therefore to untye the same he saith that which followeth And lived and reigned is not to be referred to those that worshipped not the Beast but onely unto the soules of them that were beheaded for the testimony of Jesus But this subtilty is too repugnant to the Text and sheweth that here the Papists are at a Non-plus for John saith of the very same they lived and reigned Of whom he had before said they sate upon thrones Now these were not onely such as were beheaded but also the Conquerours of the Beast But saith RIBERA he saith not that these were dead or slaine What of that It is enough that he maketh the Confessours also Conquerours of the Beast and saith that they sate with the Martyrs or certainly he meaneth that these also were slaine because before in Chap. 13.15 he had said that all that worshipped not the Beast and his Image were slaine but these worshipped not the Beast and his Image therefore they were either slaine or Confessours that were Conquerours of the Beast and it remaineth that they sate with the Martyrs It remaineth that they lived and reigned in these thousand yeers It remaineth that the Beast was within the said first thousand yeeres for betweene this time Iohn saw the soules of the slaine for the Testimony of Jesus and of them that denyed to worship the Beast but the worship of the Beast could not be refused before he was Lastly it remaines that the Papists Fiction touching the Beasts coming in the last four yeers of the world is as repugnant as the opinion of the Chiliasts to this most manifest place of Scripture And they lived and reigned with Christ these thousand yeeres Now comes as it seemes the inextricable knot which of old drove the Millenaries into by-wayes while they did not sufficiently consider neither the Scope nor the words of the Prophesie nor the Analogie of Christian beleefe The which least it happen to us also let us well ponder the sense of the words directing the same to the scope before declared Let us therefore I say consider of these things in order I. Who they were that lived and reigned with Christ II. How and how long they lived and reigned with him III. Who were the rest of the dead and how they lived not againe IV. What the first Resurrection may bee V. LASTLY What the opinion of the Chiliasis or Millenaries was and how to bee refuted What concernes the first Beza renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lived and reigned which are Preterperfects by the Futures shall live and reigne because he saw ver 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall reigne is in the Future But here the Preterperfects are to be retained because they answer to the Preterperfect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sate notwithstanding the difference in respect of the sense is very little for John speaketh of things to come as past by a Propheticall manner for the certainty thereof but the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with Christ belong in common to both They lived with Christ Who they are that lived reigned with Christ and with him they reigned But who To wit They which sate on Thrones also reigned and lived with Christ namely the Soules of them that were slaine by Romane Tyrants and by the Hereticks for the witnesse of Iesus and the Soules also of the slaine or tormented for denying to worship the Beast as erewhile I shewed against Ribera's subtilty For John declareth the condition of those whom he saw sitting on thrones what it was during the thousand yeeres both corporally on Earth already spoken of and spiritually in Heaven which here he declareth They lived and reigned with Christ to wit contrary to the foolish opinion of the world touching them which is for the consolation of the Godly The world indeed judged these slaine to have miserably perished but death to them was life Oppression a Kingdom with Christ This is the First that the soules of the slaine not restored to their bodies but being out of them as before wee shewed did live and reigne with Christ The Second seems more difficult to be expounded viz.
corporally raised Therefore these also Answ I. The Antecedent is denyed for neither doth that type speake of a corporall Resurrection according to the Letter but of a successive living againe as was there shewed II. They who confound them with these shew that they are but strangers to the Revelation for these Martyrs and Confessours belong to the first ten Ages from Christs birth The other two unto our last times in which the Temple was to be measured or the Church purged from Popery Objec VIII The Prophets and many Martyrs came forth out of their Sepulchres at Christs death on the Crosse Mat. 27.53 according to the Prophesie of Daniel Chap. 12.2 Neither was that corporall Resurrection any way derogatorie to the Article of Faith touching the future universall Resurrection Therefore also these Martyrs lived againe corporally neither is it any way derogatorie to the universall Resurrection of the dead Answ Whether those Saints whose bodies came out of the Sepulchres and appeared to many after Christs Resurrection to testifie the efficacie of his Death were Prophets or Martyrs appeares not from the Text neither is it a point of Faith to know the same However the Prophesie of Daniel cannot without wresting bee applied to these which expresly speaketh not onely of the Resurrection of such as shall be saved but of the damned also that is of the last Vniversall Resurrection But that speciall and corporall Resurrection of those Saints is certainly to be believed because it is written neither can it be derogatorie to our beleefe of the universall Resurrection seeing the Scripture doth plainely except this from that But this Resurrection of the Martyrs a thousand yeers before that is not to be beleeved because it is not written but onely as we have shewed sought to be maintained by wresting the words of this Prophesie yea it derogates from the Faith because he that beleeveth this cannot beleeve the other viz. that there shall be a universall Resurrection at the last day Objec IX Christ promised it should be so Mat. 19.28 Luk. 22.28 In the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory ye shall sit upon twelve thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel c. Answ These indeed are most sweet promises of our Saviour touching the singular rewards of the Apostles in Heavenly Glory and touching the large recompence of their labours and losse of all things which here they sustained for the sake of Christ But it is erroneous to beleeve that here any thing is promised touching a corporall resurrection of the Martyrs that shall be before the rest of the dead and of a golden Age to continue a thousand yeeres before the last day in which the Martyrs reigning with Christ in Heaven the Iewes beeing joyned to Christians and freed from the yoke of all adversaries shall as the opinion of some is serve Christ in all manner of prosperity and peace Let such I say see too least they erre and diligently consider Act. 3.21 that those rewards are promised to be fulfilled in the regeneration or restitution of all things at the last day promised also Mark 10.30 with persecutions which things are plainely repugnant unto the Millenary Resurrection and peace before the last day Lastly they pretend that it were greatly for the comfort of the Martyrs if they knew that a little after their martyrdome the thousand yeers being near at hand they should rise againe and ascend both in soule and body into Heaven and reign with Christ a thousand yeers before the rest of the Faithfull Answ To seek for comfort in a doubtfull thing is to feed upon the wind in a false thing to mock with ones selfe and with God neither is it without impiety how pleasing soever it seems to humane wit forasmuch as faith cannot be had in a doubtfull or false matter such as is this Corporall Resurrection and so no solid consolation But this is solid and double comfort to the Martyrs if from the sure word of God they do beleeve that their Soules as soone as they goe out of their bodies shall live and reigne with Christ in Heaven and that at the last day when their brethren and fellow servants who are to be slaine on earth shall be fulfilled their bodies also being raised up by the Son of God Rev. 20.4 Ioh. 6.40 Rev. 6 11. Rev. 22.5 they shall reigne with him for ever and ever in Heaven TOVCHING THE OPINION OF THE OLD CHILIASTS HAving expounded and vindicated the true meaning of this Prophesie it remaineth in the last place to lay downe and weaken the false opinion of the Old Chiliasts who understanding this Prophesie corruptly according to the Letter and not according to the Analogie of Faith did thence invent this Jewish Fable which Austin hath set forth in these words Lib. 20. de C. D. C. 7. That as the world was created in sixe dayes and the seventh was a Sabbathisme so the world should continue sixe thousand yeers and afterward should follow a Sabbathisme in the last thousand yeers namely by the Saints that shall rise and celebrate the same which opinion he saith might be somewhat tollerable if it were beleeved in that Sabbathisme some spirituall delights should come to the Saints through the presence of the Lord. For we also were sometime of this opinion but seeing they affirme that such who should rise againe shall enjoy carnall Feasts and eat and drinke beyond measure and modesty these things cannot be beleeved but by carnall men and therefore such as were spirituall called them that believed these things CHILIASTS being a Greek word and by us may be rendred MILLENARIES The first Author of this opinion Papias author of the Chiliasts opinion as Eusebius recordeth Lib. 3. Hist Cap. 33. was Papias whom Irenaeus and Hierom at which I wonder make to be a hearer of the Apostle Iohn where as Papias himselfe in the Preface of his worke confesseth that he never heard or saw the Holy Apostles but saith that he received this tradition from the Elders of the Apostles Now Eusebius also writeth of this Papias that being pious yet too credulous and of little soliditie he tooke up many Fables for Apostolicall truths because he understood the Apostolicall Interpretations amisse and that he became ringleader of the Chiliasts error unto many who followed his traditions among whom also was Irenaeus Hence almost all the Elder fathers Many of the fathers held the opinion of the Chiliasts following the antiquity of the tradition and authority of so great a man who was accounted a Disciple of the Apostles became Chiliasts IUSTINUS Martyr dial cum Tryphon Judaeo IRENAEVS Lib. 5. Cap. quinque extremis not long since published at Paris and annexed as a filthie clout to his workes but it had bin better they had buried the same in eternall oblivion then to uncover the secret shame of so worthy a Father NEPOS a Bishop of Aegypt whom DIONYSIUS ALEXANDRINVS
Resurrection To have part in a thing is to become partaker of that thing as appeares from the contrary Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter saith Peter to Simon the hypocrite And Christ to Peter refusing to be washed by him If I wash thee not thou bast no part with me for thou shalt not have no communion with me Therefore to have part in the first Resurrection is to be partaker of the first Resurrection that is through faith and repentance to rise from the death of sinne unto newnesse of Life with Christ For we clearly shewed erewhile that this first Resurrection is not of the body but of the soule By which we see the great benefit and excellency of the first Resurrection because in it consisteth true blessednesse and holinesse The necessity also because no man shall bee blessed and holy without the same But is it the cause of blessednesse yea verily not indeed the meritorious for that Christ onely is for he hath merited blessednesse for us but causa sine qua non a cause without which it is not for without holinesse which the first Resurrection bringeth Heb. 12.14 no man shall see God yea it is also the formall cause inchoated or begun For the first Resurrection is inchoated holinesse and part of the future blessednesse which shall be perfected in heaven Hence first it followeth that all having part in the first Resurrection that is being truly born again in this life shal be blessed and holy with Christ in the other Life and on the contrary that none which rise not againe with Christ unto newnesse and holinesse of life on Earth shall be blessed and holy with Christ in Heaven Lib. 20. de C. D. ca. 6. For none can belong unto this first Resurrection but such as shal be blessed for ever saith Austin They therefore which have no part in the first Resurrection shall not bee partakers of blessednesse for wee shall bee clothed upon with our house if so bee that beeing clothed we shall not bee found naked 2. Corinth 5.3 Secondly it followeth as before we proved that the First Resurrection is not corporall but spirituall for if it were corporall then by this Exclamation all that shall be raised at the last day should be excluded from blessednesse because none of them should have part in the first Corporall Resurrection But this is absurd because in the last day some shall rise unto blessednesse others unto eternall death The reason of the consequence is because all and they onely that have part in the First Resurrection shall be blessed All indeed thou wilt say but not they onely Yea because all therefore onely for in an enunciation of the property touching the subject or of the effect touching the cause without which it is not or else an Antistrophe such as this is not only a simple conversion and contraposition will hold but a contrary sense also which begets exclusives Blessed are they that have part in the first Resurrection therefore they that have no part in the first Resurrection are not blessed which is of like force with the exclusive Onely they that have part in the first Resurrection are blessed Ps 119.1 Psal 32 1. Rom. 4.7 Rev. 12.14 Rev. 19.9 like as it followeth Blessed are the pure therefore the impure are not blessed Blessed are they whose sinnes are forgiven They therefore are not blessed whose sins are not forgiven Blessed are they that keep his Commandements They therefore that do not keep them are not blessed Blessed are they that are called to the marriage Supper of the Lambe therefore they who are not called are not happy and a thousand such like places are found in Scripture But perhaps thou wilt say it will not hold because as in Chap. 1.3 a speciall blessednesse is promised to the keepers of the words of this Booke so here also some speciall and eminent felicity of the Martyrs is commended by which notwithstanding other beleevers are no way deprived of their blessednesse THIS is nothing for they that keep not the words of this Booke shall be deprived both of speciall and common blessednesse Therefore they onely who keepe the words and Commandements of this Booke are blessed and so are they alone who have part in the First Resurrection Lastly either they onely that have part in the first Resurrection shall be blessed or not they onely If they onely it confirmes what we sayd If not onely then Blessednesse shall not be a speciall priviledge of the Martyrs agreeable to the justice of God viz. that they who have suffered more then others for the Confession of Christ should bee longer in joy and glory as before they said For either there shall be some other Martâ—â—rs on earth in these thousand yeers who shall suffer as much or more also for the Gospell at the hands of Antichrist regaining as they say his strength or of other enemies then the former suffered by Romane Tyrants for the witnesse of Jesus or else there shall be none If some then either these shal enjoy shorter happinesse and glory in Heaven which stands not according to their opinion with Gods justice Or else it was not agreeable to his Iustice that those other should enjoy longer happinesse and glory If there shal be no Martyrs but that the Church Militant during the THOVSAND YEERS shall be free from all hostile invasion of the ungodly living in peace and security as they promise then it followes 1. Cor 2.18 that the Gospell shall cease to be the word of the Crosse and the true Oracles of Christ and his Apostles touching the difficulties of the last times Luk. 18.8 Mat. 10.34 Act. 14.22 2. Tim. 3.1 c. shall cease Thirdly we learne the certainty of the Salvation of all that are borne againe for if all and they onely that have part in the First Resurrection are blessed and that none can belong unto the First Resurrection but such as shall be blessed for ever then certainely all and they onely that are borne againe shall infallibly obtain eternall blessednesse Ribera objects that very many rise againe from sinne and yet die againe In cap. 20. N. 49.50 by their relapse into sinne and so depart out of this life in their sinne Answ This is true of dogs and swine returning to their vomit and wallowing in filthinesse that is of hypocrites who in appearance indeed rise againe from sinne and seem to others to be truly purged from the defilements of the world but yet are not truly purged before God which for the most part the event sheweth but of such as are truly regenerate and rise againe from sinne it is said 1. Ioh. 3.9 Ps 37.24 Whosoever is borne of God commits not sinne for his seed remaineth in him and he cannot sin because he is borne of God And Though the righteous fall he shall not be utterly cast downe for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand On such the second
and witnesse of the Conscience Rom. 2 5. which shal suggest to every one the exact memory of his Actions whether good or bad the sentence pronounced shall be most just according to the same and Gods judgements shall bee righteous for the Holy Scriptures containe a most exact written rule of righteousnes unto which most righteously all are obliged and whosoever hath conformed himselfe unto the same shall most righteously be acquitted whosoever hath swarved from it Orat. in Plag gran shall most righteously in the day of Iudgemen bee condemned The Booke also of every mans conscience is of such exact righteousnes as it deceives no man doth injury to no man for the conscience saith NAZIANZENVS is a domesticke and true Tribunall And the Poet siath well Prima haec est ultio Iuven Sat 13. quodse Iudice nemo nocens absolvitur improba quamvis Gracia fallacis prae oris vicerit urnam This vengeance takes if judge it bee None that are guilty quitt doth hee Though that the Praetor through falle Grace Sometimes puts wicked men in place How much more therefore shall the conscience in the day of Iudgement bee a righteous rule to judge by The holy Scriptures are the rule of truth righteousnesse By the way observe If God will then judge according to the written word how much more doth he require that faith and our works be now done according to the said rule of Holy Writ According to their workes Good or evill This shall be the other infallible rule of righteousnesse for it is a righteous thing with God to render rewards to the righteous and tribulation to the wicked Every one therfore shall righteously receive either good or evill according to what he hath done It is observeable that here and every where in Scripture it is said Iudgement shall be according to workes we shall be judged 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to workes never 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for our workes no man therefore shall be saved for good workes notwithstanding the wicked shall be damned for their evill workes because there is a different reason between good and evill workes Evill workes are the wages of or merit death Eze. 184. Rom 1.28 Good works merit not life eternal for the Soule that sinneth shall dye And It is the judgement of God that they which commit such things are worthy of death Good workes merit not life because all are due to God the Creator and Redeemer But no debt comes under the notion of merit I passe by that the best workes of the Saints are imperfectly good polluted with many blemishes so that if God did judge them to his severity they would be found to be nothing but unrighteousnesses as the Church of old confesseth Isa 6.46 We are all as an uncleane thing and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags Therefore we pray forgive us our trespasses Wherefore least Hypocrites should be bold to inferre if the wicked shall be condemned for evill workes therefore the Iust are saved for good workes The Holy Ghost would have it no where written that the judgement shal be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for workes which might signifie the meritorious cause but alwayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to workes which signifies the condition But why not according to Faith or infidelity Why the Iudgement shal not bee according to faith infidelitie because Faith and infidelity are hid to the eyes of men But workes whither good or evill flowing from the same shall be conspicuous and open unto all Therefore in that open judgement Christ the Iudge shall alledge the cleare rule of righteousnesse that it may appeare unto all that the wicked are justly condemned having done evill and the Godly righteously acquitted who have done good this is a great encouragement to good workes that we follow after them and touching evill workes that we should shun them because according to them we shall all be judged 13. And the Sea gave up her dead AVGVSTINE by the Sea doth not unproperly understand the world Lib. 20. de C. D. c. 15 which like to the tempestuous Sea is alwayes tossed with waves By the dead is meant wicked men dead in sinnes as is the greater part in the world or all men having mortall bodies Notwithstanding I thinke it is more proper to the sense to understand it of such as perished or were drowned in the Sea or Rivers or whose burnt bodies and ashes were cast into the same in times of persecution For humane reason judgeth it very absurd that the bodies of such as have been devoured by the fishes of the Sea or torne by wild Beasts and eaten by wormes on land should be restored John therefore saw what shall come to passe when all the Elements through the power of God shall render up the consumed Carkeises The Sea shall vomit up as it were out of a Sepulchre the dead she swallowed up The same Death and Hell shall doe that is the Earth which hath received in Sepulchres all the bodies of the dead as it were in her lap or bosome and opening her mouth hath swallowed downe some alive also By death here AVSTIN understandeth the dead bodies of the Godly which the Earth shall render up By hell the damned soules of the wicked which thence shall be brought forth to Iudgement Ribera extends it unto the bodies of such as Hell swallowed downe alive as Corah Dathan and Abiram The summe is by what kind of death soever they perished in this life whatever became of their soules after death all are seen by John as brought forth to Iudgement The Soules therefore of the Saints shall return from Heaven with Christ the Iudge the wicked shall be called forth out of Hell to Iudgement All mens bodies shal be raised up to life and being restored to their own soules shall stand before Christ to be judged 14. And death and hell In a few words hee toucheth the execution of the sentence pronounced against the ungodly The state of the Godly he more largely Treats of in the following Chapters First he sees hell and death to bee cast into the Lake of fire and soone after all that were not found written in the Booke of Life that is reprobates in which again is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or inversion for first the wicked shal bee cast into torments Afterward the last enemies viz. death and hell by which names AVGVSTINE thinks here is signified the devill himselfe as being the Author of death and hellish punishments and the whole company of devils which very thing he had said before by an Anticipation And the devill was cast into the Lake c. So death should be put for the devill causing death 1. Cor. 15.54 1. Cor. 15.26 Hell for the devill drawing men to Hell As by a like metonymia it is said Death is swallowed up in victory And The last enemie that shall be destroyed is
they cause troublesome vapours and smoake neither doe they give light any great distance Therefore we stand in need of the Sunne or Day-light But the servants of God shall not then want any of these things For there shall be no night and therefore no use of lights no not of the light of the Sunne it selfe because the Lord God shall enlighten them with the brightnesse of his majesty as before he said Ch. 21.23 The glory of God did lighten it and the Lambe is the light thereof and the Nations which are saved shall walke in the light of it And they shall reigne for ever and ever This shall be the very height of our glory in Heaven that wee shall reigne with God and the Lambe for ever more Now indeed Christ hath made us Kings and Priests to God and the Father but our Kingdome is yet hid in Christ But then the Kingdome of God shall be manifested in our selves Now is the Kingdome of grace then it shal be of glory Before in Chap. 20. ver 4. they that were beheaded reigned with Christ a thousand yeeres Then we shall all of us reigne with Christ for ever and ever and this is that which he there added in ver 6. touching the rest having part in the first Resurrection They shall reigne with him a thousand yeeres See the exposition there Now we shall so reigne as that God and the Lambe shal be the head of the Kingdome But shall not the Son then deliver up the Kingdome to the Father 1. Cor. 15.28 and be subject to him Yea verily but this he shall not do by laying downe the Kingdome and so cease to reigne For how should the King of kings and Lord of lords of whose Kingdome there is no end Luk. 1.33 ever cease to reigne but by changing the present and mediate forme of the Kingdome into an immediate and by abolishing all the adversaries of the Kingdom as we have elsewhere declared The Second Part of the CHAPTER The Conclusion asserting the profitablenesse and Authority of the whole Prophesie 6. And he said unto mee These sayings are faithfull and true And the Lord God of the Holy Prophets sent his Angell to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly bee done 7. Behold I come quickly blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the Prophesie of this Booke 8. And I Iohn saw these things and heard them And when I had heard and seene I fell downe to worship before the feet of the Angell which shewed me these things 9. Then saith he to mee See thou doe it not for I am thy fellow servant and of thy brethren the Prophets and of them which keepe the sayings of this Booke worship God 10. And hee saith unto mee Seale not the sayings of the Prophesie of this Booke for the time is at hand 11. He that is unjust let him be unjust still and he which is filthy let him be filthy still and he that is righteous let him be righteous still and he that is holy let him be holy still 12. And behold I come quickly and my reward is with mee to give every man according as his worke shal be 13. I am Alpha and Omega the beginning the end the first the last 14. Blessed are are they that do his commandements that they may have right to the tree of life and may enter in through the gates into the Citie 15. For without are dogs and sorcerers and whoremongers and murderers and idolaters and whosoever loveth and maketh a lye 16. I Iesus have sent mine Angell to testifie unto you these things in the Churches I am the root and the off-spring of David and the bright and morning Starre 17. And the Spirit and the Bride say Come And let him that heareth say Come And let him that is athirst come And whosoever will let him take the water of life freely 18. For I testifie unto every man that heareth the words of the Prophesie of this Booke if any man shall adde unto these things God shall adde unto him the plagues that are written in this booke 19. And if any man shall take away from the words of the booke of this Prophesie God shall take away his part out of the booke of Life and out of the holy Citie and from the things that are written in this booke 20. Hee which testifieth these things saith Surely I come quickly Amen Even so Come Lord Iesus 21. The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be with you all Amen THE COMMENTARY AND he said unto mee Thus farre of two Parts of the Booke the Preface and the Visions The third or Conclusion remaineth in which somethings respecting the Authority of the Booke are taken out of the Preface and some other things added by which the great utilitie and sacred Authority thereof is further commended as we shewed in the Analysis After the concluding of this Revelation an Angell saith unto John to wit one of the Seven pouring out the Vials who before shewed him the judgement of the whore and the Beast and afterward the magnificence of the Heavenly Ierusalem These words are faithfull and true That is not only what was last spoken but the whole Prophesie as Chap. 19.9 This is the Proposition unto the confirmation whereof the whole Conclusion respecteth that wee might beleeve the Prophesie to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Divine true profitable and saving unto the Church and so bee stirred up unto the continuall meditation thereof The Holy Ghost was not ignorant that many would call into Question the divine authority of this Booke for it was a long while rejected as being composed by the hereticke Cerinthus which errour we have before confuted in the Prologue But they ought to have beleeved the Angell saying These words are faithfull and true Faithfull to which we may safely give credit True which shall certainly be accomplished And indeed so it is for we who are now more then fifteen hundred yeers after the Revelation do if not see with our eyes yet certainly feel as it were with our hands the manifest accomplishment almost of all the Visions Here therefore wee have an evident note of divine authoritie and truth imprinted on this Prophesie against the most impudent assertion of BELLARMINE Lib. 4 de verb. cap. 1. which is that it can no way be gathered from the Scripture it selfe that some Scripture is divine What I pray is this but to give the Angell the lie who saith These words are faithfull and true But the liar condemneth himselfe in saying elsewhere that besides other arguments Lib. 1. cap. 2. de verbo the divine authority of Canonicall Bookes of Scripture may be proved from the scripture it selfe The Sophisters and adversaries of Scripture object that this Argument is not sufficient to Faith unlesse it be before proved and beleeved that the Angell or Writer uttering these things spake truth ANSWER First principles are not proved but laid
downe and beleeved because therefore the Holy Scripture is the principle of Christian beleefe with Christians it needs no proof but beliefe Secondly that the scripture is divine and these words of the Angell true and faithfull is beleeved either by divine or humane Faith That it may be beleeved by humane Faith it can bee made out by probable yea forcing Arguments as from the majesty of the matter and style from the consent of this Prophesie with other Propheticall Scriptures But especially from the truth of the Oracles which we know for the most part are fulfilled touching the woman in travell and fleeing into the Wildernesse also of the Beast deceiving the world of false miracles of the great whore making drunke the Kings of the Earth with the cup of her spirituall fornication c. For this is Bellarmines Argument in the foresaid place If the praedictions of Scripture touching future things are true as the event hath proved why should not the testimonies of things present be true And indeed this his saying is alwayes to be retorted against Popish Sophisters demaunding us How we know that the Scriptures are true and divine But that any man should beleeve this with divine Faith cannot possiblie bee effected by outward arguments unlesse God by his spirit doth inwardly perswade the heart For divine Faith is not wrought by humane Arguments but wrought in the heart by the testimony and power of God Lastly by such kinde of cavelling all Authority both of God and man is made a mocke of and all Faith both of God and men is taken away For thus Adam Abraham Moses and the Prophets who heard God to speake might have excepted Who knowes whither it be the voyce of God Thus the Apostles might have shifted off the authority of Christ and Ecclesiasticall men the authority of the Apostles And why then I pray may not we much more the Authority of the Pope Touching humane authorities of Histories and Writers what more easie then to object whence knowest thou that Cicero Aristotle Plinie or Livie wrote these things or ever had a being in nature Thus no Faith should be safe but a meer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or uncertainty shall reigne in divine and humane matters which Satan labours to effect by these his Instruments But we go forward And the Lord God of the Holy Prophets Hee confirmes the truth of the Prophesie from God the Author thereof the faithfullnesse and truth of whose words cannot be questioned The Copulative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And hath the force of the causal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because He calleth Christ the Revealer of this Prophesie the Lord God of the Prophets as appeareth by the following words sent his Angell for this Christ did as in ver 16. I Jesus have sent my Angell See also Chap. 1.1 XLV Argument of Christs Deity This Argument of Christs Deity is beyond all exception the which Eniedinus the Samosatenian of whom mention hath often above bin made durst not meddle with For if Christ be the Lord God of the Holy Prophets then verily he is the same true and eternall Iehovah with the Father who by his spirit stirred up the ancient Prophets Moses David Isaias Jeremy c. by revealing his Oracles unto them therefore he was yea he was the God of all the Prophets of Moses and Author of the Law These things considered who can imagine that CERINTHUS should write this which he beleeved not but opposed with all his might The difference of the reading is also to be noted which notwithstanding lessens not but confirmes the Argument Andreas and the Kings Copie for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of the Holy Prophets read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of the spirits of the Prophets and so the Old Latine Version hath it that is who of old inspired the Prophets that is Propheticall Revelations The sense comes all to one For therefore he is called the Lord God of the Prophets because by his divine power he moved them to Prophesie His Angell That is Mee For they are the words of the same Angell who hitherto did exhibit by Christs commandement divers Visions unto John That hee might shew to his servants These things have been expounded in the Preface whence they are taken And that in speciall how at the giving of the Revelation such things could be said shortly to come to passe which yet are not altogether fulfilled after so many ages In a diverse respect he saith they should shortly be done I. In respect of eternity unto which all times are but a moment which is short II. In respect of the beginning for the Prophesie began soone after it was revealed and yet is a fulfilling III. In regard of the security of men unto whom all these things have happened and yet daily do quickly that is suddenly and unawares Now thus the Scripture speaketh of all future things that they shall shortly bee done Luk. 12.45 2. Pet. 3.4 to stirre us up to watchfulnesse and care least with the wicked servant we should say My Lord delayeth his comming or with mockers where is the promise of his comming And therefore it followeth 7. Behold I come quickly It is the voyce of Christ the Lord God of the Prophets By this acclamation hee approveth the words of the Angell that the things revealed must shortly be done as if he should say Indeed they shall shortly be done for I come suddenly or I will come to wit unto judgement as in ver 12. For all these things must be done before I come but I will come shortly Therefore they must shortly be done They are no Prophesies which shal not begin to be fulfilled til after many ages even now they begin Therfore now even now there is need of comfort 1. Thes 5.3 or as before shortly that is sooner then men imagine For when they shall say peace and safety then sudden destruction shall come upon them This variation of persons belongs to the forme of dramaticall representations in which divers persons use to be brought in speaking Blessed is he that keepeth He commends the Prophesie from its profitablenesse Now not onely they doe keep the sayings of the Prophesie which diligently search out the accomplishment of them but they much more who conforme their Faith and Life according to the same who worship not the Beast and his Image who detest the whoredoms of the whore flee out of Babylon and lastly who in faith adhere to God and the Lambe This Argument wee have more largely treated of in the Preface Chap. 1.3 whence it is taken Now let it suffice to note that blessednesse in vaine is promised unto the Keepers of the Revelation if it could in no measure bee kept But surely it is not promised in vaine and therefore the Visions of this Booke are not so intricate but that by diligent meditation and observation we may in some measure finde out the understanding of them 8. And I John John also speakes
expresly forbid us to injurie or hurt others or to give our selves to filthinesse and pollutions Wherefore it is a prevention of a secret objection against the Commandement of publishing this Prophesie Thou commandest the Prophesie to be published but the world will abuse the publishing thereof For some hereby will do hurt that is be occasioned to do injurie to Christians as Tyrants and Antichrist applying to themselves the Visions touching the Dragon and Beast the fall of Babylon the judgement of the whore and her casting into the Lake of sire Others shal be filthy that is will turne all things unto laciviousnesse of the flesh and in hope of going unpunished will commit all foule iniquities because they shall see their judgement to be deferred wherefore it seemeth far better that the Prophesie should be sealed then published Vnto this care of Iohn the Angell answereth first by a comminatory concession or grant He that will hurt let him hurt still Hee that will bee filthy let him be filthy still as if hee should say It is true indeed some from this Booke will take occasion to hurt and do injury others to be filthy But what of that Let them hurt let them be filthy to themselves the mysteries of God are not therefore to be kept secret These shal be accidentary effects of the Booke hurtfull to none but to hurtfull and filthy persons For they shall doe injury and be filthy to their owne destruction So Dan. 12.10 The wicked shall doe wickedly unto which words our Prophet seemes to allude Therefore they are not words of permission or approving of injustice and silthinesse but of threatning a secret judgement because the adversaries of the Church and impure swine being delivered up of God unto a reprobate sense shall by their wickednesse most of all hurt themselves This is the first cause of not sealing the Prophesie Secondly he answereth by a comfortable promise He that is righteous let him bee righteous still He that is holy let him be holy still The imperatives 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let him be righteous or justified for which the Kings Copy hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let him do righteousnesse and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let him be holy or sanctified with the Hebrewes have the force of futures for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they shal be justifiyed and sanctified still This is the other reason of not sealing the Prophesie because properly it worketh saving effects in righteous and holy persons as if he should say although the wicked shall wrest this Scripture to their destruction yet therefore it is not to be kept secret from the Elect who by the promises exhortations and consolations thereof shal be more confirmed in righteousnesse piety and holinesse This I take to bee the naturall meaning of the place Here first we may see the two-fold and contrary effect of the Scripture and Doctrines The two-fold effect of Holy Scripture For some thereby grow worse and worse to their owne hurt but others are furthered thereby to Salvation That indeed by accident because the wicked understanding the Scripture corruptly pervert the same to their destruction 2. Pet. 3.16 Rom. 1.17 But this by it selfe because the Gospell is the doctrine of Salvation to every one that beleeveth Wherefore although all are not reformed by our Doctrine but that some abuse the Gospell unto laciviousnesse neither ought we to be offended nor yet the wicked to accuse the Gospell as the cause of wickednesse For so the Doctrine of Christ and the Apostles was saving unto beleevers but to the offence and destruction of the dis-obedient by their owne default 2. Cor. 2.15 We are saith Paul unto God a sweet savour of Christ in them that are saved and in them that perish To the one we are the savour of death unto death but to the other the savour of life unto life Secondly we learne The Doctrine of justification by faith not to bee kept close because of the abuse thereof that the doctrine of the Gospell touching free justification by faith is not to be past by in silence because some abuse the same unto licentiousnesse of life For he that is filthy let him be filthy still Neither is the doctrine of Praedestination therefore to be past over because some abuse the same unto carnall security others to despaire by saying If I am praedestinated I shall bee saved although I defile my selfe with all manner of filthinesse If I am a reprobate although I labour after holinesse yet I shall be damned This is the devils most false and unsavoury Logicke or rather calumnie of old objected against Augustine and Orthodoxe Teachers by the Pelagians For they joyne repugnant Tom. 7. Aug. lib. 5. hypognost in prooemio yea impossible things together for Praedestination cannot stand with the purpose of filthinesse because it is made not onely to Salvation but also unto the antecedents of Salvation viz. Faith Repentance and Holinesse as the Apostle teacheth Ephe. 1.3 He hath electe◠us in Christ that we should be holy c. Reprobation on the contrary cannot cohere with holinesse or a purpose thereunto because Reprobates by their owne malice neither will nor can labour after holinesse Now in whom there is a serious desire of holinesse they have a sure Testimonie in themselves not of reprobation but of their election Thirdly this place teacheth Iustification Sanctification distinct benefits of Christ. 1. Cor. 1.30 1. Cor. 6.11 that the benefits of Iustification and Sanctification are distinct which the Papists do corruptibly confound For Iustification consists in the free pardon of sinne and imputation of Christs righteousnesse Sanctification in regeneration and newnesse of life The former is in relation the latter in action So the Scripture distinguisheth these two where it saith that Christ is made unto us Righteousnesse and Sanctification And againe Ye are justifyed ye are sanctifyed Fourthly Papists do vily abuse this place to establish their second justification which they say is actuall and meritorious through good workes For the words let him be justifyed still they expound let him be justifyed yet more or let him being righteous become more righteous Therefore they say they that are justified can bee made more righteous or more just through charity and good workes ANSWER First although the Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 still might signifie increase of Righteousnesse yet the inference would not follow touching increase of righteousnesse through Charity For we are no where said to be justified by Charity but alwayes through or in Faith Secondly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth rather signifie perseverance then increase For as hee said The Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stil noteth continuation of time Let him be unjust still let him be filthy still for let him goe on to doe injuriously and to be filthy so he saith Let him be righteous still sanctifyed still for let him persevere in righteousnesse and holinesse for the Particle