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
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
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
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
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
of Gods providence namely his vertue charity justice wisdom patience threatnings and wrath Which is a mysterie bringing along with it an inconvenience which he desireth to avoid for he makes question whither sound divinitie wil admit that grace and peace be asked from the seven vertues rather then from the seven created angels yea how grace and peace can be prayed for from menacings and wrath so he And from Jesus Christ In that he wisheth grace and peace from Christ in the the third and last place is neither against the former exposition nor any way derogateth from the dignity of Christ for as the Apostle 2 Cor. 13.14 doth not derogate from the order of the persons in the trinitie though he put Christ in the first place so here our Apostle for waighty causes sets downe the holy Ghost before Christ because he treateth of him not simply as being the son of God but also as he is the mediatour redeemer and revealer of this prophesie Notwithstanding great reason it is that he should pray for grace and peace from Christ Ephes 2.14 because it cometh by him Iohn 1.17 and he is our peace Who is the faithfull witnesse The following titles are so many reasons wherefore grace and peace is prayed for from Christ and they set forth as hath been shewed in the analysis both his threefold office with the benefit thereof as also declare his eternall Godhead The first title respects his propheticall office that faithfull witnesse which seemeth to be taken from Psal 89.38 witnesse because he hath brought forth out of the bosome of his father the testimonie that is the glad tydings of the redemption of man through his death and from heaven hath opened to us the true knowledge of God and way of salvation faithfull Because he not onely confirmed the heavenly truth by preaching by miracles meekly calling of sinners to repentance to the faith of the Gospel but also sealed the same by suffering on the crosse and by instituting the ministry he gave to the churches Apostles prophets Evangelists Pastors and Teachers who perpetually should be his witnesses Eph. 4.12 preach the Gospell to after ages for the perfecting of the saincts for the edifying of the body of Christ according to these scriptures Ioh. 17 6. I have manifested thy name to the men thou gavest me out of the world and 18 37. For this cause came I into the world that I should bear witnes unto the truth Io. 1.18 the son which is in the bosome of the father he hath revealed God unto us Who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession The father and holy Ghost are also said to be witnesses 1. Io. 5.7 Ioh. 5.37 there are three that bear record in heaven the father the word and the holy Ghost The father saith Christ himself hath borne witnes of me And of the holy Ghost he saith when the comforter is come c. He shall testifie of mee the Apostles are called witnesses Act. 1.18 And Antipas Rev 2.12 and two witnesses are mentioned called Martyrs for sheadding of their blood for the testimonie of Christ Revel 11.3 But Christ onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by way of prerogative is called that faithfull witnesse because he first brought with him the witnesse of the truth downe from heaven he first and he onely hath shead his blood for his owne testimonie whereas all other martyrs suffered not for their owne but for the testimonie of Jesus Christ Yea also the witnesse which the father and the holy Ghost gave of him was declared by himself and therefore Christ as by a speciall and proper right is called the faithfull witnes that is the true and constant revealer of the doctrine of our salvation whoever therefore hearkens not to him Deuteron 18.19 can not be saved but who so heareth him shall have life eternall This also confirmeth the authoritie of the revelation because it was revealed to John by Jesus Christ that faithfull witnesse who can notly nor deceive therefore this booke is trulie divine and we may safely trust and beleeve all things contained in it It serveth also to instruct us that if Christ onely be the true witnesse then those are not to be heard but avoyded as Liars which teach the Church such things as dissent from the testimonie of Christ It may also comfort us because Christ the faithfull witnesse will not forsake them who suffer for the cause of his truth but will at length reward them faithfully according to his promise The first begotten of the dead This title concernes Christ his priestly office who died for our sins and was raised again for our justification Rom. 4.25 For the word dead shewes that he died and being the first begotten of the dead it teacheth us that he was raysed from the dead And the whole scripture testifies that the end and use of his death and resurrection was not a bare witnesse as Socinus blasphemeth but chiefly a propitiation to purge us from our sins and to justifie us before God Paul calleth him likewise the first begotten of the dead 1 Collo 1.18 1 Corinth 15.20 and sheweth that Christ is become the first fruits of them that sleep But how can Christ be the first fruits of the dead seeing the scriptures testifie that Elias and Elisha raysed up two persons from the dead before the time of Christs manifestation in the flesh Lazarus also with the widows son and Centurions servant were restored from death to life Answer First Christ is the first begotten or first fruites of the dead because he was the first that raysed up himself from the dead by his owne power whereas all before Christ were raysed not by their owne power but Christs alone Secondly Christ was raysed up to an immortall life not to dy any more but the other to an earthly life and became subject to death again He is said to be the first begotten or the first that did rise again Matt. 19.28 Act. 13.13 Rom. 1 4. because the resurrection is a kinde of new birth and so Christ calleth the last resurrection a regeneration And Paul applieth that in Psal 2. of the father eternally begetting the son to his resurrection from the dead and hence he is declared to be the eternall and omnipotent son of God This should greatly comfort us that though we are borne and brought forth in a corruptible condition yet when we rise again we shall be regenerated unto a state incorruptible even while we are in this life we are regenerated but it is spiritually onely and in part but when we shall by the spirit of God be restored to eternall life then we shall be regenerated both corporally and fully to wit when our mortall bodies shall be made conformable to the glorious body of Christ let us not fear therefore though we should suffer death for the testimony of Christ because he who is the first begotten of the dead
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
to the Churches for he is the author of al these Epistles and Iohn his penman or scribe Which further proveth the authority of this book for without doubt after Christ had made an end of revealing the mysteries of this booke unto Iohn he faithfully wrote to every one of the Churches according to the commandement of Christ These things saith he that holdeth The first Epistle hath three parts namely an inscription a narration and a conclusion In the inscription Christ is brought in speaking to the church of Ephesus by a description of his person taken from the foregoing vision which serveth both for the authority of the Epistle and to stirre them up unto attention The manner of the stile is propheticall For so usually the prophets in stirring up to attention bring God in speaking thus to the people thus saith Jehovah So Iohn these things saith hee that holdeth c. not simply these things saith Christ but these things saith he that holdeth the starres c. Thus by degrees two things are repeated which he saw before One of the starres another of the candlesticks Which holdeth the seven starres That is which holdeth the seven Pastors of the Churches in his right hand as chap. 1 vers 16. This as we have already shewed may be taken either in the better part that is of Christs loving and caring for his faithfull teachers his governing and preserving of them by the right hand of his power with precious promised rewards Or in a contrary sence it signifies that Christ detesteth and by his right hand suppresseth and rejecteth all slowbellies hirelings and wolves And so much here he threatneth to some of these teachers unlesse they did repent Who walketh in the midst of the candlesticks First he saw him standing but now walking in the midst of the candlesticks signifying hereby that Christ our Lord sitteth not still in the heavens but is present by his providence in the midst of the Church beholding all things proving our faith and obedience and recompencing the same with great rewards disliking our slothfulnesse and other corruptions punishing the ungratefull by taking away their talent from them and bestowing it on others Levit. 26 24. This walking therefore imports Christs gracious presence with his Church according to that promise I will walke among you and I wil be your God So Christ I will be with you at all times unto the end of the world This being so it is our duty to walk reverently in the sight of God and of Christ that so they not being offended may walke and abide with us Ioh. 14 23. according to the promise if a man love me he will keepe my words and my father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him 2. I know thy workes In the narration are five things First their great diligence and constancy is commended for Christ prayseth and rewardeth the labour and faith of his servants because he delighteth therein I know thy workes This he speaketh not onely to this Church but to the rest yea to Laodicea also Here I take workes indifferently to be either good or bad vertues or vices of which as nothing is hidde from him so nothing shall passe without reward or punishment For it is the part of him that is the admonisher and judge to pronounce sentence of nothing but what is well knowen unto him He taketh unto himselfe not onely the knowledge of what is outward but also a cleare and perfect sight of men and all their inward actions the which Iohn often in the Gospel ascribes unto Christ He knew all men Ioh. 2 24 25. Ioh. 21 17. and needed not that any should testify of man for he knew what was in man and so Peter said unto him Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee But who knoweth all things save God alone for he seeth all things searching the heart and reynes of man So that this is the tenth argument 10 Argument of Chr. deity to be added to the former proving the Godhead of Christ taken from his omniscience or knowledge of all things And thy labour patience The first copulative and is put for to wit thy labour and patience so the like in vers 9.13 18. Moreover he commendeth three sorts of vertues in this Bishop labour in doctrine constancy in suffering Zeale in discipline which vertues he doth in many words commend in this and the following verse by a contrary order First his labour that is his sincere and unwearied paines in preaching the word 1 Thes 5 12. 1 Tim. 5 17. For the scripture in many places cals the office of teaching 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a labour as being full of wearisomnesse and trouble This is the first and principall vertue and honour of a faithfull Bishop the which Christ attributeth to this teacher But what would Christ now say of the mitred Bishops of these dayes who neither know the word of God and for the most part regard it not But being idle and dumbe are unfit to preach and so spend their time either in warre sports or following of their filthy lusts The second is sufferante that is patience in induring and constancy in overcomming the dangers injuries and afflictions with which they were exercised both by the Iewes and Gentiles for the sake of Christ For the crosse is an inseparable companion of the Gospel 1 Corinth 1 18. and therefore is called the word of the crosse both because it sheweth us the way to salvation through the crosse esteemed foolishnes by the world As also because satan doth stirre up his instruments to hate persecute and put to death the constant professors and teachers thereof as being the greatest opposers of his kingdome All which things the Angel of this Church patiently induring Iam. 1 12. is for the same highly commended of Christ for blessed is the man that indureth tentations for when he is tried he shall receive the crowne of life which the Lord hath promised to them that love him And canst not beare them which are evill The third vertue for which Christ prayseth him Matth. 18 17. 1 Cor. 5 5. Apolog. 2. Apolog. chap. 39. Treat 35. in Matth. Rom. 7. is his singular Zeal in observing Church discipline namely his strong opposing of such vices as violently brake in upon the congregation and his due administration of Church censures against scandalous persons casting them out of the communion of the Church as Christ commanded And indeed Church censures were in full force in the primitive time to the great good of the Church as Justin Tertullian Origen and others of the ancient writers testifie And hast tried them Now he repeateth and declareth the particulars shewing in the first place who those evill persons were and wherefore he could not beare with them But vehemently withstood the false Apostles seeking to creep into the Church examined their false doctrine
who is onely called the great hie priest This therefore confirmes what we said before that he was not Christs successor but the Pagans priest neyther will the pretence of other hie priests any whit helpe or credit them for eyther they are not great hie priests in respect of whome the Pope must bee said to be the greatest or if they are then they make themselves equal with Christ by assuming his proper title and so are as sacrilegious in this as the Pope is in the other To bee short the Pope in naming himselfe the highest priest universall bishop prince of priests c. doth manifestly transgresse against their own Cannons dist 100. cap. Let not the Bishop of the chiefe citie be called the prince or chiefest of priests or by any name tending this way but onely the Bishop of the first seat againe Let none of the Patriarcks use the name of universalitie because if any one of the Patriarks be called universall how can there bee any more And the Rubricke hath it Let not the Bishop of Rome be called universall By this therefore he shewes himself to be Antichrist indeed for as Pope Gregorie witnesseth Whosoever calleth or desireth to be called the universall Bishop is in this his ambition a forerunner of Antichrist in that hee proudly preferreth himself before the rest Neither doth that helpe them which some vainly pretende that the Pope takes not away the name or jurisdiction from other Bishops for eyther he makes himself alone universal or els it must necessarilie follow that every Church hath two at one time But how ever it be yet that of Gregorie is no way answered but he is certainlie Antichrist who assumeth a superioritie over his fellow ministers But let us returne to the titles of Christ Who hath the key of David This is the third Epithite The Kings Bible hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Greeke Scoliast observes that some copies in steed of the key of David read the key of hell according to that in Chap. 1.18 I have the key of hell and of death which though it well agrees with that which followes yet our reading is approved by most copies Beza supposeth that it might be read the key of the howse of David as alluding to Jsay 22.22 where the Lord promising to make Eliakim treasurer in steed of Shebna saith the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder so he shall open and none shall shut and he shall shut and none shall open The house of David is the Church the key is a signe of aeconomical power Now Christ hath this key that is absolute power over the Church as Lord and head thereof and hath committed the ministeriall power of the keyes to the Apostles and their successors which consisteth in opening and shutting the kingdome of heaven by preaching of the Gospel and administration of Church discipline Who openeth and no man shutteth This notes a further degree of power for he alone holdeth the key by his sole and absolute authoritie Matt. 28.18 and so whatsoever he doth herein he cannot be resisted according to that in the Gospel all power is given unto me in heaven and in earth But this seems to be a paradoxe he openeth and no man shutteth how can this bee the words seem to be taken from the place before cited The meaning is he onely hath right to open and to shut but how is that Some understand it of the sence of the scripture which to us is as a booke shut unlesse Christ by his spirit open our harts and understanding This is true indeed in regard of one part of the sentence but to the other it answereth not for howbeit Christ openeth the meaning thereof by enlightening of us yet hee shuts them not unlesse it be by accident that is when he darkens such more and more who are alreadie blind in the things of God But I questiō whither such an exposition appertaines to this place For I rather thinke it is spoken of Christs opening the dore of his Church and of grace and so consequentlie of heaven it self And thus in the following verses he is said to open the dore of the church in Philadelphia and the like he doth in all other places when he calleth whomsoever he pleaseth and draweth them by his spirit for none enter in at this dore but such unto whom Christ openeth the same And no man shutteth For none can pluck Christs sheep out of his hands the gates of hel cannot shut this doore beeing once opened by him neyther can any adversarie power hinder them from entring into the same The which matter indeed is of singular comfort for his Church for let Satan attempt what hee can neverthelesse to whomsoever Christ openeth the doore to them it shall still remaine open and his sheep shal have their egresse and regresse and finde sweet pasture for their soules hence we see that the condition of the elect is safe and unchangeable He shutteth and no man openeth As he openeth and no man shutteth so again on the contrarie he by his mightie power shutteth and no man is able to open For whosoever is not elected called and drawen by Christ can never enter for he is the doore the way and life Io. 10 which again proveth the Godhead of Christ for to whom can these things be applied XXI Argu. of Chr. deitie except to God alone some object that this also was said of Eliakim Isay 22. I answer it was spoken of him typicallie and in respect of his ministerial power as being a legal hie priest but of Christ in regard of his kinglie divine and proper power as being an eternall high-priest The Pope of Roome to establish his tyrannie doth most impudently assume this power which onely is proper to Christ now Christ indeed gave power to Peter of binding and loosing of opening and shutting but it was by the key of the gospel and not to him alone but unto all the Apostles and Pastors of the Churches For as he said to Peter Matt. 16.19 Matt. 18.18 whatsoever thou shalt binde c. So he said unto the rest whatsoever yee shal binde on earth shall be bound in heaven Wheras the Pope alone wil open and shut all things as he pleaseth yet not by the key and power of the gospel but by the adulterate key of his owne Antichristian tyranny 8. I know thy workes I have set before thee The first part of the following narration is a commendation of the Pastor and Church of Philadelphia for holding fast the sinceritie of the doctrine receyved against the haerisies of the time and remaining faithfull in their fierie trials This he commendeth first generallie I know thy workes which is not to be taken indifferentlie as chap. 2. v. 2. or in the evil part as it is spoken of those in Sardis Laodicea but in a good sence as if hee had said I approve thy
are left in their unwillingnesse is the free mercie and grace of Christ by which we are differenced and made better then others according as it is here said I wil make them to come c. 1. Cor. 4.7 Rom. 9.18 and again who hath made thee to differ for he hath mercie on whom he will have mercie and whom he will he hardeneth Here fals in a question how Christ makes us to come to worship The Sophisters who plead for free-will confesse indeed that this is a worke of grace and without which no man can come notwithstanding they affirme that a man before hee is in the state of grace hath a free-wil to doe good although weak and sleepie which will say they by grace is awakened and strengthened and so it cooperates with grace yea prevents it in the verie act of conversion beeing as it were a co-working cause as when two horses draw a chariot or two men togither carie some waightie burden Moreover they affirme that free-will is like a seeing man who albeit in the darke he discernes nothing by reason of the indisposition of the means yet beeing brought into the light he presentlie discerneth every thing So likewise they discourse much though differing among themselves of the sympathie or agreement betwixt grace and the will The Scotists will have grace to worke nothing on the will but to have its influences on the effects But the Iesuites with Thomas affirme the contrarie that grace workes upon the will yet so as by an indifferent influence and so is distinguished from it according as the will is eyther good or evill But herein they all agree that grace is onelie perswasive such as is the motion of Orators unto their auditorie unto which the will if it will eyther doth or doth not give efficacie and entertainment Ephes 2.1 Ier. 13.23 1 Cor. 2.14 which was the heresie of Pelagius Now on the contrarie the scripture teacheth that the naturall man lies dead in sinne and is like unto an Ethiopian who cannot change his skin or a Leopard which cannot cast off his spots hee receives not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnesse unto him Everie imagination of the thought of his heart is onely evil continually Gen. 6.5 8.21 Rom. 8.6 thus we see that mans free wil is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be For his blinde and erroneous minde cannot bring spirituall things savinglie unto the will neyther can his corrupt wil refuse that which is evil as evil but on the contrarie chooseth and delighteth in it as if it were good And therfore seeing that such is the corruption of our will and faculties as that it is Christ who makes us to come unto him and the Father drawes unto Christ none can affirme that the grace of conversion is onely an indifferent influence or mâ—â—all perswasion but with blasphemie against God But they further object that free-will makes man to differ from the beast that perisheth and therfore sin could not take it away without the destruction of nature wherby man should become an unreasonable creature I answer It is true if it be meant of free-will absolutely But what is that to the purpose we deny not free-will absolutely for without it a man should bee no more a man but a verie beast But we deny that a natural man hath a free and understanding will unto that which is good in things appertaining to God because the scripture in this pronounceth man blinde and a servant to that which is evil yea to be dead in sinnes and altogither disobedient unto God And therfore that we may come unto Christ wee have need not onely of perswasive motions but also of an effectuall worke of grace by which the Lord illuminateth draweth and regenerateth us that so we may become new creatures but what need have we to use many words the sum of all is this The natural man is dead in sin and God gives us both the will and the deed Christ makes us to come unto him what now is there left unto free will they therfore which establish it against grace doe rob God and Christ of their honour precipitate man by pride into extreem danger and renew the herifie of the Pelagians whatsoever they pretend to the contrarie 10. Because thou hast kept the word of my patience Now he comforts him in regard of the persecutions at hand of which wee might discourse more fullie if we had the histories of the Church of those times Some understand it of the persecution under the Emperour Trajane Who though he prohibited that Christians should be drawen before the Iudgement seats yet such as were accused he commanded to be put to death as Plinie witnesseth in his epistles Lib. 10. Epist 97. Others applie it to the persecutions of Antichrist wherwith not onely these of Philadelphia but all the saintes upon the face of the whole earth were greevously afflicted but the former opinion is more probable This consolation is also threefold The first is an approbation of their constancie in their former afflictions because thon hast kept my word It is a great comfort unto us to hear that our actions are approved of by men but we ought much more to rejoyce if God approve thereof for this worketh in us an assurance of a good conscience and of the goodnesse of the cause for which we suffer as suffering not as evil doers but as Christians He calleth the doctrine of the Gospel the word of his patience and Paul cals it the word of the crosse because we must take up the crosse of Christ and suffer afflictions patientlie for the profession therof He cals it his patience or sufferance because he first suffered beeing an example unto all them that beleeve in him for through manifold tribulations we must enter into the kingdome of God And I will deliver thee a second consolation is a promise of deliverance in the houre of temptation that is of affliction which figuratively is called the temptation of the Godly Now hope of deliverance out of evil causeth constancie because hope maketh not ashamed Unto this hope we are stirred up by laying hold on the promises of God concerning our certaine deliverance which the Lord not onely promiseth here unto this teacher but unto all such as are in the like temptation that is unto all the saintes dispersed throughout the whole earth And therefore it teacheth us to be constant in the day of tryal to expect a ful and perfect freedome by Christ our Lord. But this seemeth to establish the doctrine of merits seeing Christ promiseth deliverance because we keep his word I answer when the scriptures speake of workes reward they usually thus expresse it as because thou hast don this I will multiply thy seed Now we are to know that this argues no mercenary reward due for desert sake But a fatherly though undeserved promise annexed unto the condition of
endure but for a moment neyther shall Antichrist rage according to his full desire but he shal be be limited according to the decree and purpose of God who hath determined the number of martyrs which number beeing once accomplished not one drop of blood shall more be spilt by him And last of all their fellow servants and bretheren which should be killed shall also be gathered under the same Altar to pertake with them of the same blessednes Now Antichrists time is said to be short or for a little season after the maner of the scripture which speaking of the last times compare them as it were unto an houre in comparison eyther of eternitie or the age of the world alreadie past We are taught therefore in the first place that God doth alwayes heare the prayers of his children although touching their deliverance hee reserve the time and manner thereof unto himselfe as best knowing when and how to dispose of all things for their good Secondlie the blasphemies outragious cruelties of the wicked are never forgotten of God but vengeance certainlie is prepared for them however he forbeares them for a time Thirdly the goodnesse of God is the cause of this forbearance Rom. 2.4 As to lead men unto repentance so also that the full number of martyrs may be accomplished And for this cause no doubt the Lord suffered the Romanes Vandales Gothes and other tyrants by the space of six hundred years to shed much blood though no more then was appointed of the saintes for the confirmation of the Christian religion And no otherwise he decreed but from that time unto the end of the world many should suffer under Antichrist for the same causet that so the judgement of the whore might be the more intollerable Hence we may not thinke that either the Churches sufferings under Antichrist were unknown unto the Lord or happened against his will but rather came to passe by his most wise counsell in which we ought to rest never to be scandalised at his fury nor rage of any of his instruments but to rest in the worke of God if so be he have appointed eyther thee or mee to be among the number of the martyrs To be short here we see that there is a communion between the saints in heaven those on earth For we are brethren fellow servants neyther are they our lords Chap. 19.10 22.9 and patrones as Idolaters imagine And beeing fellow servants they no lesse refuse divine worship then did the Angel who forbade Iohn to worship him saying See thou doe it not for I am thy fellow servant Worship God But say they they pray for us therfore we may pray to them I answer were this true yet it would not follow The reason is because there is a great difference betwixt praying for others and to be prayed unto To pray one for an other is a dutie of charity and common unto all the faithfull But to be religiouslie invocated upon is a worship due to God alone according unto the commandement Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God Mat. 4.10 him onely shalt thou serve And the reason is because God alone is omniscient omnipotēt present in al places hearing understanding onely able to fulfil the desires of his people But now the heavely Angels glorified spirits are neyther omniscient to behold all our actions nor omnipotent as able to helpe us nor can they be present with us in all places Besides it is uncertaine The intercession of saintes is here not proved but condemned yea false that the saintes doe at al intercede for us neyther can any such thing be proved from this place For the soules of these martyrs pray not for their fellow servants but to have their owne blood avenged nay they knew not who they were for else they would not have desired a hastening of divine wrath neyther at the instant was their request granted but deferred to the time appointed of God To all which we may adde that from visions allegories no doctrines can or ought to be drawen repugnant to the word of God as this is concerning praying to the saintes 1 Tim. 26. 1 Ioh. 2.2 Rom. 8.34 for it is derogatory unto the honour of Christ who according to the scriptures is our onely advocate in heaven There is one mediatour betwixt God Man the Man Christ Jesus And we have an advocate with the Father Iesus Christ the Iust And he maketh request for us Now if the saintes were also our advocates then should not Christ be the onelie mediatour betwixt God Man In deed we doubt not but the soules of the saintes in a general way doe know the afflicted condition of the Church here and desire her deliverance But in speciall to know our affaires they doe not nor cannot They see say they in God as in a glasse or by a reflection all our affaires here but this is a mere fiction Isai 63.16 contrarie to the scriptures Abraham knowes us not Israel is ignorant of us But thou Jehovah art our God and Father But they further object They love us therefore they pray for us I answer It is true yet they love Christ more then us and therfore they will not intercede for us to derogate from Christ as if his intercession were insufficient or that he were asleep while he is called upon But say they the saints in praying for us derogate not frō Christ seeing the prayer of the saintes each for other on earth is no way derogatorie unto him I answer the reason is not alike for the glorified saints cannot intercede in Christs presence without great dishonour to him but the others beeing yet in the bodie are bound having a commandement to pray one for an other Iam. 5.16 which the saintes in heaven have not yea say they they have for Paul bids the Hebrewes to pray for him Heb. 12.28 I answer The Hebrewes of whom this duty of love is required were not in heaven but here in an earthly warfare Besides if this commandement did tie the saintes in heaven then also are they bound to pray each for other which is absurd and false To be short who doth not understand that those whom the Pope canonizeth for saintes are as they say spokesmen before God for others and howsoever they may not be worshipped as Gods yet as Advocates that is with a lesse kinde of worship Now who I say doth not see that all this is taken from Apuleius and the followers of Plato who fained that their daemons whom they called Gods were Lib. 8. de civit Dei cap. 22. Ibid. cap. 23. as it were messengers between the upper Gods and men carying up their petitions to them and bringing downe aide and succour from them to men So that they pretended not to worship them as Gods which subtilty of theirs Augustine thus refuteth Apuleius saith he denies them to be Gods But in
yeere after his decease beeing declared in the yeere 606. by Phocas the intruder universall Pope chiefe Priest and Bishop of Bishops And therefore it must needs be that he was this starre here said to be fallen Neverthelesse it may not be understood of Boniface alone but of all his successors in that sea even as before the great falling star typed out not onely Sylvester but also his successours untill Gregorie It is true Boniface himself sate scarsly one yeere on the chair of universall pestilence notwithstanding the rest who succeeded him were so far from repairing the ruin beeing once made as on the contrary they continually proceeded from evill to worse I am not ignorant that some learned men doe think that Mahumet is here to be understood Mahumet cannot be here meant who about this time caused an open apostasie from the faith of Christ in most of the Eastern parts beeing esteemed by his followers a great Prophet and so is unto this day But I see no reason why in scripture he should be called a coelestiall star seeing it is certaine that from the very first he was a most wicked deceiver and a cruel murtherer setting up his owne dreames by magical art power of the sword Wherefore I judge that here is most plainely typed out the Romish Antichrist with his clergie but Mahumet in the following trumpet The sum of all is this that we may interpret the Revelation by it selfe the falling of this starre is that great earthquake which arose at the opening of the sixt seale of which you may see what we have observed on Chap. 6. v. 12. And to him was given the key of the bottomlesse pit The principall thing here shewed unto Iohn is the giving of the key of the bottomlesse pit unto this apostaticall starre And hence hee is called the Angel of the bottomlesse pit and Abaddon the king of the locusts v. 11. Al which may most fitly be applied unto the Popes of Rome who after their apostasie received this key Now we are briefly to consider what is meant by this bottomlesse deep what by the gulfe the key thereof as also when and by whom the same was given unto the Pope It is called in Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beeing derived from α 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a bottom as it were without bottom or from α and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to cover for the deep is covered with waters The word in scripture is used first for the Chaos or disordered forme at the first creation darkenesse beeing upon the face of the deep Gen. 1.2 Secondly for the depth of the sea or waters Gen. 7.11 And the fountains of the great deep were opened Psal 42.7 deep calleth unto deep at the noyse of thy water spouts Thirdly for hell as Luk. 8.31 where the devils beseech Christ that he would not command them to goe out into the deep Rom. 10.7 Who shall descend into the deep so here and in many other places of this booke The bottomlesse pit This is not meant of the whole gulfe but as it were the deepest and narrowest receptacle filthie sinck of hell The key of the bottomlesse pit That is power to open and shut the same thrusting into and delivering out of it whomsoever he pleaseth For keyes doe signifie power Now who besides the Pope doth usurpe this power unto himselfe which plainely shewes that he is this apostaticall starre Was given to him by whom by Phocas who appointed by a solemne decree that the Pope as being universall Priest should have absolute and full power over all Bishops and Churches to call and dissolve Synods to confirme or abolish their decrees that nothing should be ratified but by the sole Authority of the sea of Rome And hence it is that the Pope hath power both in heaven and earth and hell in token whereof he weares on his head a triple crowne thus hath writen in one of his decrees if the Pope should send many thousands of men into hell no man may say unto him what doest thou hence he imposeth lawes on the consciences makes new articles of faith canoniseth bookes saintes images celebrates Iubilees sends forth innumerable indulgences or pardons for sinne emptieth purgatorie the which latter may not unfittly be applyed to this bottomlesse pit But in truth this key was given unto him by Satan that old serpent according to that of the Apostle The comming of Antichrist shall be after the working of Satan with all power c. 2 Thess 2.9 I confesse indeed that the first Bishop or pastor of the Christian Church at Rome received the key of the kingdom of heaven from Christ that is power to binde and loose the consciences of men according to the Law and Gospell But Satan contrarie hereunto gave unto the Pope this hellish key by which he hath thrust aside and made voyd Christs key And hence it is that the Pope hath two keyes crosswise in his ensignes Neverthelesse this came not to passe without Gods secret and unsearcheable judgement as the Apostle witnesseth 2 Thess 2. saying that the comming indeed of Antichrist is with all deceiveablenesse of unrighteousnesse Yet God shall send them strong delusion that they should beleeve a ly because they received not the love of the truth Now this we must not understand onelie of a bare permission as if God did nothing but looke upon that which Satan Phocas Antichrist should doe but hee willingly granted this power unto him by his secret and righteous judgement that so both hee himself and all they might bee damned who beleeved not the truth Thus it is said also in v. 3. that power was given to the locusts to hurt men as the scorpions of the earth have power that is from their king the devill yet so as not without the ordering hand of God who wisely disposeth all things whither don by men or devils And thus in Chap. 13. v. 5.7.15 it is said that it was given to the beast to make warre with the Saintes to give life to the image of the beast c. Whence we may see how God righteously punisheth sinne with sinne in Antichrists kingdome And this thing we are to take notice of that so in the midst of these Antichristian confusions we may not look upon Antichrist and the devill onely but indeed cheifely consider and adore the presence and secret judgements of God But thou wilt say Rev. 1.18 20.1 how is the key of the bottomlesse pit which Christ hath given unto Antichrist I answer The difference how Christ and Antichrist are said to have the key of the bottomlesse pit Christ hath it one way Antichrist another Christ hath it truely and by right of his Godhead and mediation as beeing Lord of death and hell that he may redeem sinners out of the power thereof but Antichrist hath it falselie and by deceit as beeing
events of the Church For it was written within and without as we heard Chap. 1.7 and Ezech. 2.10 This little booke Christ both opened and held open teaching us that as Iohn so all the teachers of the word must ask of Christ and receive out of his hand the doctrine of salvation which they are to propound unto the Church but not from the hand of Satan or Antichrist Now he exhibiteth a booke open because the holy scriptures doe open and manifestly set forth the mysteries of our salvation Thus we see the decrees of the Romish Antichrist the traditions of Popes and Councils the humane Philosophie and subtilties of Sophisters are to be quite banished out of the Church It is expressely added Of the Angel that stood upon the earth and sea that we might confidently rest on the power of Christ and acknowledge him alone to be the revealer of the heavenly truth and so desire nothing as necessarie to salvation but what we take out of his hand 9. Take it and eat it up This is the other commandement Bookes of paper or parchment are not to be eaten properly as not beeing fit food for man but they are said to be eaten up metaphorically when they are so carefully read and throughly taken notice of that we are able promptly to rehearse and discourse of the contents thereof So a man is said to have devoured Virgil Cicero who is fullie acquainted with them and hath them as it were by heart So Cicero called M. Cato a devourer of bookes because he was an insatiable reader Thus as the Prophet in Ezech. 3. so John here is commanded to eat up the booke he received of Christ that is well to understand and as it were hide the same in the bowels of his heart that so he might deliver no other doctrine unto the Church but what hee had received from Christ Now whether this booke were eaten up trulie or in a vision onely makes little to the purpose the latter is most probable For all these things were don by a vision Here the ministers of the word are taught earnestly to devoure or eat up the doctrine of salvation divinely written received from Christ that is diligently to read understand search meditate as it were to turne it even into their verie moisture blood For such onely can faithfully instruct the Church in the knowledge of the truth who after this manner meditate in the law of the Lord day night On the contrary their sluggishnesse is condemned who though they love to be called Bishops Archbishops Patriarchs of the Church yet in the mean while are little or nothing acquainted with the scriptures of God And it shall make thy belly bitter He preadmonisheth Iohn of a double effect of the booke sweet in the mouth bitter in the belly Sweet things are delightfull to the palate bitter things provoke to vomit Hereby signifying that one effect thereof should be sweet the other troublesome the nature whereof is expounded in the following verse He fore shewes it should be sweet to stir him up the more earnestly to eat up the booke he tels him also that it should be bitter that he might not afterward bee offended thereat but know that this bitternesse should bee recompensed with much sweetnesse Then I tooke the booke He shewes his readinesse in eating the book for neither the difficulty of the command nor the bitternesse of the book dishartens him shewing us that we are readily to submitt unto the command of God not to be dismayed at any hardships or difficulties whatsoever Now he ate the booke not really but in vision onely as I said before signifying that he most readily accepted the worke imposed upon him of which it followeth And it was sweet in my mouth Here the foresaid effects follow This booke being eaten was sweet in the mouth and bitter in the belly the first signifies the sweetnesse of the word as Psal 119.103 How sweet are thy words unto my taste yea sweeter then hony to my mouth Ierem. 15.16 Thy words were found I did eat them thy word was unto mee the joy rejoycing of myne heart This is the proper effect of the word it brings joy to the heart comfort to the conscience yea by how much faithfull teachers doe feel this sweetnesse by so much the more they preach the Gospell chearfully But the effect thereof is bitter by accident because the preaching of the word occasioneth most painefull grypings of the belly as the hatred of the world persecutions banishments martyrdomes This effect Christ foretold unto his disciples They shall put you out of their synagogues Ioh. 16.2 whosoever killeth you will thinke that he doth God service But what use was there to reveale this in a type unto John seeing it was long before plainely foretold in the written word It was altogether needfull considering that this bitternesse doth not properly denote the calamities already past under the four trumpets but to come in the end of the fift sixt under the kingdome of Antichrist the which we shall heare in the following Chapter namely the combats of the third Act of this Vision He foretold them therefore unto Iohn that he might not bee offended for he had already experience hereof beeing sent into exile by Domitian notwithstanding Christ doth not properly intend this here but praefigures in his person the future calamities of the witnesses of the truth 11. And hee said unto me To wit the former voyce from heaven Thou must againe prophesie This commandement is taken diversly Lyra thou must write downe more prophesies to wit those which follow in this booke But to write more things is not againe to prophesie c. Thomas Rupertus and some others understand it historically of Iohns beeing restored unto his Church as if he had said Thou must after the death of Domitian returne from Patmos the place of thy exile unto Ephesus and preach againe the Gospell or as if it were a promise of writing his Gospell after the Revelation The which Ribera refuteth This saith he I approve not of for to put prophesying in stead of preaching the Gospell is new which reason is not solid he adds another that seeing John was gifted with the fulnesse of the holy Ghost therefore he needed not to eat up the booke eyther for to preach or to write the Gospell wherefore he saith the sense is thus that although Iohn hitherto had prophesied many things concerning the last times notwithstanding there remained as yet many things of the same nature which he was to prophesie of against the gentiles c. The which is one with the opinion of Lyra which Alcasar also with his subtilties doth at last come unto But hee needed not to eat up the booke in this respect seeing before he had received a commandement to write the whole Revelation allthough I grant that Lyras opinion touching the promise of Iohns restitution is
different yet the sense is al one After 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rod some bookes read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saying rise as if the reed it self had said it The old version seems to read after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for he renders it And it was said to mee to wit by the Angel We here and so our translation follow the reading of Montanus who after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Angel stood or stood by saying c. He is commanded therefore to measure the temple c. beeing a plaine allusion as before I shewed unto the prophesie of Ezech. Chap. 40. where the Angel is commanded to measure the new temple with a reed The prophesie of Ezech. touching the measuring of the temple is spirituall in which vision God promised the restauration of the temple destroyed by the Babylonians not indeed materially but spiritually under the Gospel For the outward temple built by Zerubbabel after their returne doth not at all answer to the dimensions of that vision neither shall any one be like unto it and therefore that measuring was a prophesie of the future reformation of the spirituall temple by Christ By the like metaphor the restoring of Ierusalem is promised in Zach. 1.16 My house shall be built in it saith the Lord of hostes a line shall be stretched forth upon Ierusalem So here by the like reason in that Iohn is bid to measure the temple is signified that the same should be so wasted rent and overthrowen as that of necessitie it must be measured that is reformed built againe This worke Iohn is commanded to set himself upon that is by this type to foretell what should come to passe viz. that after Antichrist had taken possession wasted oppressed the temple of God then Christ by giving the measuring reed unto his two witnesses would againe measure repaire wholy renew the same Thus we se that this commandment of measuring the Temple is a propheticall promise of the reformation of the Church wasted and ruinated by the Westerne Antichrist Hence the Papists fiction is refuted that the visible Church can never degenerate The visible Church could erre seeing it had need of measuring erre fal from her integrity But the thing it self shewes the vanity hereof The old Temple according to Ribera was a type of the Church Now we know that might be was laid wast destroyed yea the old Church it self very often degenerated The new Church also shal be possessed troden under foot by Antichrist so need a new measuring or reparation Wherefore it cannot be denied but that the Church may be destroyed degenerate from the faith of Christ unto Antichrist Furthermore it is manifest that the Church dissipated by Antichrist neither can be nor shal be measured by any other instrument then by the reed of the word contained in the holy Scriptures as being indeed the onely true infallible rule Psal 45 7. according to that of the Psalmist The scepter or rod of thy kingdome is a scepter of righteousnes Let us therfore wholy cast of all other adulterate false rules as humane traditions decrees of councils Popes unto which the foolish builders giving way have destroyed the Temple of God from whose corruptions it shal be restored as from death to life by the reed of Gods word Measure the Altar also For the understanding of this we must have recourse to the structure of the old Temple for the spirit of God is pleased in this prophesie to shadow out the state and worship of the new Church by the type and service of the Old not as if such types were to remaine under the Gospell but because the things signified by them are fitlie applied unto the new Church We have the description of the tabernacle in the latter part of Exodus of Solomons temple in some Chapters of 1 King from Chap. 4. unto 8. The Apostle also Hebr. 9. rehearseth the parts of the tabernacle To be short we have a worthy portraiture of the Temple in Ezech. Chap. 40.41.42 divided into foure parts I. There was an outmost court in which the people were conversant II. A more inward or middle court for the keeping of the Leviticall instruments making ready of the sacrifices III. The most inward or court of the Priests in which was the great brazen Altar for burnt-offerings IV. The Temple it self in the entrie wherof stood the golden Altar of perfumes with the golden candlestick table within behinde the vaile was the sanctuary in which was the Ark of the covenant This Temple was a type of the Church we have shewed wherfore he was commanded to measure the same He must also measure the Altar to wit the golden Altar from the foure corners whereof hee heard a voyce Cha. 9.13 This was a type of Christ But how Is he commanded to measure Christ yea verely For Christ under a pretence of his name was thrust out of his possession by Antichrist who suppressed the faith turned Christian libertie into miserable servitude The Altar therefore of Christ shal be measured when as the faith of Christ shal be freed from the perfidiousnes of Antichrist Christian liberty from his tyranny The Altar indeed by a synecdoche may be taken for the whole worship of God But we shal see by by why it is rather to be understood of the golden perfumatory then of the brazen Altar of burnt-offering The building of the old temple Thus also my Anonymus the Altar that is Christ And them that worship therein He meaneth the residue of sincere worshippers in the midst of Antichristian defilements These he is commanded to measure that is as Ribera wel expounds it to number and sever as chosen members of the true Church and not to be delivered unto Antichrist he therefore acknowledgeth that God will reserve some true worshippers of Christ in the midst of Babylon that is the Papacie So then these worshippers are the same who in Cha. 7. are said to be 144000 sealed in the foreheads out of every tribe and nation tongue Which serves for to comfort the godlie to refute that daylie irksome song of the Papists viz. if the Papacie were not the Church then Christ before Luther had neither body nor members Although true it is this measuring of the Temple and Altar leads us to a farther thing promising moreover a purging of doctrine discipline as we have seen the same accomplished in our times Therein No man did worship in the Temple properly so called except the high-priest alone all other worshippers stood in the court turning their faces onely towards the sanctuary Yet here the faithfull are said to worship in the verie temple of the sanctuarie because they are the true members of the temple yea the temple of God it self 1 Cor. 3.16 2 Cor. 6.6.16 as the Apostle saith Know yee
righteousnesse then after they have known it to turn from the holy commandement delivered unto them 2 Pet. 2. But that which followes doth expresse the thing more clearly The holie city shall they tread under foot fourty two moneths He declares by an auxesis or amplification how the court is given as if he should say The holy city troden under foot by the Gentiles is the Church the court shall not onely be given unto the Gentiles but all the holy citie also shall be troden under foot by them Ribera againe rightly understands the holy citie to be the Church typed out by Ierusalem of old Moreover we are to observe that the Angel that is Christ who speaketh these things doth allude to his own words Luk. 12.24 Jerusalem shal be troden down by the Gentiles untill the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled foreshewing the besieging taking overthrowing of the city temple by the Romans so that to tread under foot is to fal upon wast destroy in a hostile manner as was done unto Ierusalem not long before by Titus Vespasian Now like as Ierusalem was a type of the Christian Church so the treading down of Ierusalem by the Romans was a type that the Church also should be troden under foote by the same nation For Rome as it was of Ierusalem so shal it be the calamity destruction of the Church What cā be said more clearly then this that the Church shal be possessed troden down laid wast by the Romish Antichrist his adherents So then these words viz. the Romaine Gentiles shall tread the holy citie under foot agrees to that of the Apostle The man of sin Antichrist shall sit in the temple of God that is he shall suppresse the Romish Church by tyranny proudly boasting himself to bee as God the head universal monarch But when how long Fourty and two moneths here is wisdome It is manifest by the consent almost of all interpreters that the time of Antichrists persecution is hereby set forth But what time how long it is to continue or how to determine either of the beginning or ending thereof is obscure both unto mee other interpreters and happily it is beyond the reach of man For it pleaseth the spirit that we should rather still be searching into some things which concerne the times then certainly to know them as Christ intimated unto his disciples Act. 1.7 It is not for you to know the times and seasons which the father hath put in his own power However I will recite the chiefe opinions of learned men The first is of some Ancients brought in by the authority of the Pope which Caesariensis followeth so doe generally al the Papists to this day viz that fourty two moneths are astronomicall moneths making three Aegyptian yeeres and an halfe whence arose that received poopish opinion that Antichrist should onely reigne three yeeres and an halfe This they collected out of Daniel Chap. 7.25 And they shal be given into his hand untill a time and times the dividing of time And Chap. 12.7 where the Angel sweareth that all these thinges shall bee finished at a time times halfe a time The which division of time is also assigned unto the Church banished in the wildernesse Reve. 12.14 of which we will speake in its place Now they make the three yeeres an half to bee the time immediatelie going before the end of the world Lib. 3. de P. R. c. 17. because Antichrist as Bellarmin affirmeth shal be slaine by the Iewes before the fourth yeere be ended then fourty five dayes after Christ shal come to judgment Now hence they seeke to establish two things I. that Antichrist is not yet come into the world II. And so consequently the Pope of Rome is not he ibid. cap. 8. For Antichrist saith Bellarmin in his V demonstration shall onely reigne three yeeres and an halfe But the Pope hath already spiritually reigned in the Church above fifteen hundred yeeres and more then five hundred temporally neither can any one be noted or accounted to be Antichrist unlesse he hath precisely reigned three yeeres and an half Therefore the Pope is not Antichrist neither is he as yet come But to speak nothing of the most false assumption of this ridiculous demonstration it is certaine that the Romane Bishops before Constantines time were so far from raigning spiritually much lesse temporally in the Church as on the contrary they all suffered martyrdom for the sake of Christ True it is Sylvesters successours many times affected the primacy but were continually suppressed by their fellow Bishops untill that Boniface the third many labouring but in vaine to hinder it was by the authority of Phocas the Emperour set on the chaire of universall pestilence The fiction of the 42 astronomical moneths refuted To let these things I say passe for the present the proposition which is taken from this place of the Revelation is altogether false because that Popish opinion touching the 42 astronomicall moneths of Antichristian persecution is contradictorie both to it self and the holy scriptures It consists not with its self because the things which they faine that their Antichrist shall effect are as impossible to be don in the space of three yeeres and a halfe as for a snaile in three dayes to creep over the whole earth he must be acknowledged by the Iewish nation dispersed throughout the earth for the Messias he must sit in the temple of Ierusalem which for so many ages hath lyen wast under a horrible destruction moreover he must kill three kings of Egypt Lybia and Ethiopia and subdue seven other princes he must repaire the ruins of Rome burnt by those ten kings and chasing the Pope from thence sit there as Monarch persecute and blot Christian religion quite out of the world to be short bring the Church and the Empire of the whole world under him c. Who I pray you except he were a mad man would imagine that all these things should bee possibly accomplished in four whole yeeres What for messengers thinke ye shall Antichrist have to send abroad who so suddenly shall tell and perswade the Iewes dispersed over the face of the whole earth of the comming of their Messias The temple forsooth shall be built againe in three dayes the which Solomon having all manner of materials prepared to his hand could not finish in seven yeeres nor Zerubbabel scarsly rebuild in fourty six yeeres Yea this Antichrist hardly of four yeeres standing shall expell the Turk out of Syria the Persian out of the East C ham out of the South Prester John out of all the North. What can be imagined more frivolous shall the Emperours and Christian kings be fallen into such a dead sleep as altogether in a moment to be suppressed by one man Will the Pope with his Cardinals watch no better but suffer Catholick Rome to fall to Paganisme shall
all Christians so rashly yeeld assistance unto Antichrist so soon as he manifests himself O foolish vanities Thus we see this fiction is inconsistent It is also diverse wayes repugnant to the holie Scriptures For they teach us that Antichrist shall not come but by an universall apostasie from the faith 2 Thess 2.3 1 Tim. 4.1 the elect onely excepted who are sealed in their foreheads But who would say that al Christian Bishops with their highpriests could be led aside from the faith within lesse then four yeeres Besides the Scripture witnesseth that the day Mark 13.22 1 Thess 5.2 moneth and yeere of Christs last comming beeing hid from all creatures is onely knowen unto God and the Lord will come suddenly as a thiefe in the night when the world shall say Peace and safety But according to the opinion here laid down the day moneth and yeere of the last judgement should not bee unknown for from the rising of Antichrist unto his death there should remaine but three yeeres and an halfe and from his death unto the last judgement 45 dayes for so Bellarmin expresly writes Lib. 3. de P. R. c. 17. that after the death of Antichrist there shall be no more then 45 dayes unto the end of the world Seeing therefore that the opinion being granted there followes a falsity the opinion it self must needs be false This reason is so strong as that it forced Ribera to forsake that false opinion about the 45 dayes as we shall hear on Chap. 20. To be short this onely sufficeth that in Chap. 13.5 these 42 moneths are againe repeated touching the beast unto him power was given to continue fourty two moneths which cannot in any wise be understood of Astronomicall moneths or three yeeres and an halfe For that beast to Bellarmin Alcasar and others not a few is the Romane Empire the power whereof whither it be taken of the old or new continued far longer then three yeeres and an halfe For these causes therefore and many other absurdities this first opinion cannot possiblie stand And this errour is the rather to be excused in the Ancients who diverse wayes erred about Antichrist as Bellarmin himself confesseth because they saw not the histories of future ages Ibid. cap. 3. but is not in our dayes to be suffered in the least but banished out of the Church as a most pernitious errour For it hath brought both a securitie upon the world hitherto as also it keepeth the Papists to this day in their blindnes insomuch as they neither will nor can see and avoyd Antichrist raigning in the Church long agoe discovered by the light of the Gospell Concerning the divisions of the times in Dan we will speak in the following Chapter The other opinion understands these to be propheticall moneths The other opinion of fourty two propheticall moneths Ezech. 4 5 6. Num. 14.34 Cent. 1. lib. 2. c. 4. col 438. taking a moneth for thirtie dayes of yeeres or thirtie yeeres and so these 42 moneths make twelve hundred and sixtie yeeres like as Ezechiel was commanded to lie on his left side 390 dayes upon his right fourty dayes for fourty yeeres by taking a day for a yeere so the Israelites are commanded to wander in the wildernes fourty yeeres according to the dayes in which they searched the land counting a day for a yeere and so the Centurie writers of Magdeburg take it and our Junius on this place who begins the fourty two moneths or 1260 yeeres of this treading under foot from the passion of our Lord endeth it in Boniface the eight who was created Pope in the yeer 1294. from which the thirty foure yeeres of Christs life beeing deducted there remaine 1260 yeeres now concerning this determination I will speake afterward Bellarmins objections against this opinion are not solid He saith Ibid. cap. 8 that the scripture indeed speakes of weekes of yeeres Levit. 25. Dan. 9. but that we finde not dayes to be put for yeeres or moneths of yeeres Vnto which I answer it is not true that dayes are not put for yeeres for the two alledged places Num. 14.34 Ezech. 4.6 doe plainly shew the same That which he objects that yeeres are not taken for dayes according to the letter otherwise Ezechiel must have lien on his left side 390 yeeres is frivolous for dayes doe not signifie yeeres litterally but according to the pleasure of God so speaking fourty yeeres are imposed upon the Israelites for fourty dayes and on the contrarie for 390 yeeres 390 dayes are granted unto Ezech. so that it cannot bee denied but the scripture in a propheticall sense doth reciprocally put a day for a yeere and a yeere for a day Touching the moneths of yeeres he cavils in vaine For if the scripture allowes of dayes of yeeres weekes of yeeres why not also of moneths of yeeres seeing moneths are reduced into weekes and weekes into dayes The determination I leave to the authors notwithstanding it seems not to bee without some inconveniences For first as concerning the life of Christ In heresi 51 Alogian I rather thinke with Epiphanius that he lived 32 complete yeeres and 74 dayes then 34 yeeres of which I have spoken somthing otherwere So then the end of these yeeres would come short of Boniface VIII Secondlie it sufficiently appeareth by what we have spoken on Chap. 4.1 I will shew thee things which must bee hereafter that this account must not begin from Christs passion or any other time before this vision was exhibited unto John And therefore these yeeres are to begin after the Revelation so after the times of Domitian Thirdly although Boniface indeed most wickedlie trode under foot the holy city yet after him it ceased not for his successours no way inferiour to him in Antichristian tyrannie have gone foreward treading down the Church unto this day Now it is apparent that here is noted the time how long the holy city must be troden under foot by Antichristian Gentiles So that these XLII moneths shal not be ended untill the holie city be freed from this treading down And therefore this opinion also seems to have little soliditie in it The third The third opinion touching Sabbath-moneths is John Fox that excellent writer of the English booke of Martyrs in his conjectures on the Revelation who understands the XLII moneths of sabbaths weekes or yeeres of so many times seven yeeres which make 294. and so many yeeres he reckons from the death of Iohn Baptist unto Constantine the Emperour under whom the Christians first were freed from persecution as therefore saith he the times of the first persecution of Christians under the Jewes and Emperours increased unto 294 yeeres so likewise the last persecution treading down of the holie citie shall endure 294 yeeres beginning from the time that the power of the Turkes first began to increase viz. from the yeere of our Lord 1300. So these moneths should have been ended
in the yeere of Christ 1586. and the holy citie now delivered from beeing troden under foot by the Gentiles more then 50 yeeres Now howsoever I doe not at all derogate from this opinion as beeing indeed verie pithy and ingenious yet I scarslie dare follow it For first the hypothesis or argument propounded touching the Sabbath-moneths seems to be very uncertain neither can it easily be proved by any example of Scripture where a moneth is put for a weeke of yeeres The which also that excellent divine of great Brittaine Robert Abbad Bishop of Sarum whom I name for honours sake seems clearly to prove Demonstr cap. 8. pag. 111. in his demonstration of Antichrist against Bellarmin Secondlie it appeareth plainely that this prophesie is not to be understood of treading down the holie citie by the Turkes because two witnesses are brought in prophesying against that treading down whereas prophesies will little help against Turkish tyrannie courage force of armes rather must free the holy city from that oppression Thirdlie it is verie unlikely according to his opinion that the XLII 42 moneths should now be finished and the holie city cease to be troden down by the Gentiles For both in the East West a miserable desolation of the holy city is yet to bee seen For the Turkes power is so far from beeing broken as on the contrary it dayly increaseth and sets more more his feet upon the holy citie The Romish tyrannie also although it bee greatly weakned by the prophesie of the two witnesses not withstanding it is not as yet broken but still oppresseth the Church both in the Western and Northern kingdomes I therefore leave the conjecture of this most learned man in the same nature as he himself desireth I saith hee doe not at all assume this to my self to define here any thing on a certainty or that my opinion should be any way praejudicatorie unto others far better then my self this onely I desire that the same liberty which others take unto themselves may also bee granted to mee without offence In Alcasars opinion I finde nothing eyther probable or true Vestigat pag. 567. save that he rejects the common opinion of Antichrists reigning three yeeres and a halfe For my part saith he as yet I may freely say that if I take this exposition about Antichrists persecution as the chiefe thing in this eleventh Chapter then I know not how to draw the line of the REVELATION and knit things together in order And afterward Notwithstanding as the halfe houre in Chap. 8. the five moneths in Chap. 9. are not to be taken in a proper sense but mystically so for the more convenient connexion of the REVELATION these fourty two moneths are not to be taken in a proper but mystical sense for to take these numbers of dayes moneths yeeres as they sound it were not sutable unto an enigmatical stile In which two things are to be gathered First that this place serves not at all for to establish the common opinion of Antichrists reigning for three yeeres and a halfe whereas the Patrones thereof doe hence chiefly build upon Secondly that our interpreters who take not the numbers of dayes moneths or yeeres according to the letter but understand them eyther of Sabbath-moneths or propheticall dayes definite or indefinite The fourth opinion of fourty two indefinite moneths Act. 1 7. doe no way stray from the aenigmatical stile of the Revelation Bullinger therefore most of our interpreters considering that the method and drift of this prophesy is chiefly to enlighten us somewhat in the future events of the Church but not that we should dare define precisely the moments seasons which the father hath set in his owne power doe thinke that a certaine designed time indeed of Antichristian persecution is noted yet left unto us uncertaine so far as concernes the termes to wit all that which is reckoned from those fatall 666 yeeres mentioned Chap. 13. unto the last judgement For confirmation of which opinion two reasons are brought One that in Chapter 13.6 this self same number of 42 moneths is attributed unto the first beast that is to the Romane Empire of which we shall speak afterward The other because Daniel Christ our Lord Paul the Apostle doe joyntlie teach us that Antichrists persecution shall endure unto the day of judgement the yeere or day wherof no man can certainlie determine Demonstr p. 108. Abbat also before spoken of after many things at last assents to this opinion I saith he doe willinglie consent to them who suppose that by a defined number of moneths and yeeres a certaine time indeed is appointed of God but not so expressed by the very period of the numbers as to be discerned by the Church before hand but numbred and circumscribed by the counsell and providence of God alone and can not be knowen unto us but by the event accomplishment of them The which opinion seeing as yet I find no other more probable I also far the present will follow to wit that the time of treading down is defined by XLII moneths a finite number beeing put for an indefinite not as if it were not definite and certaine to God But because it remaines to us indefinite that is we cannot at the present determine of the certaine time It is circumscribed by a few moneths that the faithfull in their tribulations might bee encouraged unto patience knowing that their troubles shall not continue overlong but as it were onely for a few moneths Againe it is enlarged unto 1260 dayes to shew us that we are to prepare not for trials of some few dayes or yeeres onely but resolve to be constant unto the end I confesse there are many things by some alledged to the contrarie The difficulties against the fourth opinion answered Gen. 31.7 Prov. 24.16 Matt. 18.22 but with little ground They say that the scripture doth never put a finite number for an indefinite but the contrarie appeares by Iacobs speach to Laban Thou hast changed my wages ten times And Solomon The just man falleth seven times And Christ Thou shalt forgive thy brother not seven times onely but seventy times seven c. They say in other places of this booke an uncertaine number is not put for a certaine as Chap. 12.6 The woman shall be in the wildernes 1260 dayes And Chap. 13.5 The beast shall rage XLII moneths And Chap. 20. Satan shall be bound a 1000 yeeres So in Ieremie 29.10 After 70 yeeres ye shall returne out of Babylon Therfore also the number in this place is not uncertaine I answer in the first place that the number is not uncertaine to God although it be so to us for the present Secondly there is a dissimilitude of places now touching these severall numbers taken out of the Revelation we shall speake of them hereafter The seventie yeeres of the captivity are so circumscribed as that they could not bee uncertaine the
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
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
remain after the witnesses are slain But according to their supposition the Beast shal be no more but killed after three yeeres an half Now we have shewed that the 1260 dayes of their prophesie is put indefinitely by an allusion unto the historie of Elias who by prayer shut heaven from raining for so many dayes Therfore also the end of their testimonie is to be taken indefinitely for the time appointed by God therein to fulfill their ministerie And so the sence seemes thus The Beast indeed shal raise up war so soon as they begin to prophesie yet he shal not overcome them before they have finished their testimonie according to the will of God The which serves for the great comfort of the witnesses For as the high-priests could not hurt Christ before his houre was come although they never ceased to lay wait for his life so likewise Antichrist shall not be able to overcome Christs witnesses before the course of their ministery be finished Therfore the words when they have finished are not to be referred to Antichrists rage against them spoken of in the first place but to the two latter hee shal overcome kill them For he shall alwayes war against the witnesses but shal not kill and overcome them before they have finished their testimony This also serves to prove that Antichrist shall have power indeed to kill overcome the witnesses but not their testimony in the least for it is said they shall accomplish their testimonie And therfore the preaching of the Gospel shal endure unto the end Thus we see who the Beast is what time is to bee understood It remaines now to be handled what manner of warre it is what the effect therof shal be Touching the war it is said He shall make war against them Before he had sufficiently declared what the witnesses should doe and effect against the Beast now on the contrarie he shewes what the Beast shall doe and effect against the witnesses for Antichrist will not sit still and suffer his kingdome to be destroyed but with all his power wil fight for the same And therefore as soon as the witnesses shal begin to prophesie against his kingdom he wil prepare himself to war against them and by how much their prophesie is powerfull by so much the warr shall be the greater But what manner of war and victorie shall this bee Rupertus saith such as is usually betwixt truth and falshood The war shal be both ecclesiasticall and civill and therefore such also shall the victorie be His Ecclesiastical war shal be three manner of wayes The manner of the beasts war against the witnesses First by the seditious sermons of the Locusts their venemous writings and sophistical disputations in the behalfe of Apollyon against the witnesses of Christ branding them for most pestilent hereticks They shall preach with great applause to the multitude that the Beast is head of the Church Christs Vicar and armed as with the key of Peter so with the sword of Paul and Caesar crying out with full mouths that his kingdom is the Catholick Church Secondly through the Councils of Locusts by whose decrees the Beast shall establish his kingdom and anathematize as heretical the truth of Christ For it is true Aene. Syl. in histor concil Basil pag. 79. as Julian the Cardinal freely wrote from the Council of Basil unto Pope Eugenius that by the meanes of Councils the libertie and power of Ecclesiastical persons hath alwayes been strengthened and augmented To be short by the bulles and excommunications of the Romish court by which he shall condemne Christes witnesses with their testimony for heresie and delivering them over to the secular power destroy them by fire and sword to wit as unworthy to breath or live in the world Moreover the beast will raise up civill warres and by his subtiltie cause the kingdomes and provinces of the Christian world to fight against the Gospell that so the witnesses of Christ may bee overcom and killed Therfore it followeth The beast shall overcome them and kill them The latter declares the former This very thing doth sufficientlie shew that these witnesses cannot be literallie taken for Enoch and Elias For what godly man will beleeve that those holy prophets whome the scriptures testifie to have been tranflated from death to life eternal should again return into the earth to be cruelly killed by Antichrist Furthermore the Beast shall kill the witnesses in the like manner he overcame them partly by ecclesiastical censure partly by the secular sword so then not by the goodnesse of his cause nor by the holie scriptures for by these the witnesses shall overcome and consume Antichrist but he shall overcome them by outward force and tyranny by the authority of Councils by thundring out his bulles by cruel warre and his hangmen Thus I say he warreth against the Saintes overcoms kills them not by arguments scriptures but by sword fire excommunications So also my Anonymus 260 yeers past wrot concerning the Popes victorie He shall overcome them in reputation of his friendes kill them some corporally eyther by burning or murdering them with the sword other kinds of death others civilly by adjudging them to perpetuall imprisonment against these whom he cannot torment in this manner he will at least thunder out his excommunications insomuch as they shall not be accounted otherwise then dead men in the Church so far as concerneth a spiritual life What would not this author have written had he seen the histories of our time the foregoing age when the Beast anathematized the two witnesses of England John Wickleffe that excellent teacher and opposer of Poperie and his protectour John Earl of Leicestre whose carkeise not long after being taken up out of the grave he caused to be burnt When he overcame burnt contrarie to the publick faith of the Empire the two witnesses of Bohemia John Husse and Ierom of Prage prophesying that the Ecclesiasticall court of priests should he cast forth When by the bloodie inquisition he delivered unto death many thousand martyrs in Italie Spain France England Belgia when he enwrapt almost all the provinces of Europe in cruell warres to suppresse the Gospell when at length in Germanie God restored the slaine witnesses unto life The Iesuites I doubt not may find this litle commentarie of Anonymus in their publick libraries speaking 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 plainely impartially not respecting persons And thence let them judge whither the Pope of Rome were by us of late first accounted that Beast and Antichrist as Bellarmin falsly affirmeth Lib. 3. de P. R. cap. 21. And their carkeises The particle spirituallie here mentioned shewes that this also is not literallie to be understood as we shall further see by that which followes The cruelty therefore of the Beast against the witnesses falsly condemned for heresie is hereby noted forasmuch as they shall not be satiated by cursing and putting of
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
destroy the womans seed Who are the heads of the Dragon for whose cause almost as soon as he was borne hee wickedlie caused all the infants of Bethlehem to be murthered Next was Herod Antipas his son the murtherer of John The third Herod Agrippa who killed James and persecuted Peter After these the Romane tyrants persecuting Christians are to be numbred among the seven heads as Nero Domitian Trajan Hadrian Antoninus Verus Commodus Severus Decius Diocletian and other most cruell Serpents who wholy imbrued themselves in the blood of the saintes most miserable afflicted the Church until Constantines time Of the Dragons hornes Pilate the Romane Governour was chiefe Who are the Dragons hornes who with the Scribes and Pharisees crucified the Lord of life also his successours as Felix Lysias Festus with all such as afterwards were assistants unto the Romane heads in persecuting the saintes Thus of necessitie these things must bee interpreted onlesse we would grope in darkenesse for they altogether belong to demonstrate the calamities of the primitive Church 4. And his taile drew the third part of the stars Hitherto we have spoken of the Dragons form now followes what he did viz. his twofould crueltie is here noted the first against the Stars the second against the woman He drew the third part of the stars c. This Andreas but little to the purpose interprets of Lucifer drawing with him verie many Angels into destruction It is a Metaphoricall allusion unto that in Dan. 8.10 touching Epiphanes The stars cast down to the earth who in the type of Antichrist cast down the stars to the ground and stamped upon them The Stars in Chap. 1.10 signifie the teachers of Churches Their casting down from heaven to the earth signifies their falling away from the faith and heavenlie function unto humane traditions and the cares of this life as before we heard on Chap. 6.13 8.10 9.1 This the Dragon did by his taile The fail of the Dragon signifying as some thinke his fraudulent subtiltie for as dogs with their tailes faune upon their masters so Satan drew by flaterie and lying promises many teachers from seeking after heavenlie things and dasht them against the rocks of wordly honour Now this indeed he hath don and yet dayly doth to the destruction of many not withstanding this is not al for the Dragon begane his battel by open violence I therefore rather interpret the Dragons taile in which his chiefest strength consists of the crueltie and long continued persecutions by which many professours of the name of Christ who ought like stars to shine before others partlie through torments and partlie through feare have fallen from the faith and worshipped devils This happened under the cruel stormes of former persecutions as histories testifie principally under Domitian Diocletian Decius For Diocletian to alledge the words of Eusebius concerning his time onely by a tyrannicall edict commanded the meeting houses of Christians to be laid even with the ground then to burne the holy Scriptures Lib. 8. hist c. 3. that the leaders of Christians should be apprehended fettered and by torments constrained to sacrifice unto Idols Then many indeed beeing constant suffered Martyrdom but an infinite number of others saith he beeing overcom by fear soon after the first brunt gave over wholy the combat But what way soever we take it it is an anticipation that is the thinges are before related which the Dragon did afterward Primasius saith that the taile are the false prophets through whom the enemie fulfils his wickednes As in Isay 9.15 The prophet that teacheth lies is the taile namelie because of their smooth and flattering sermons Now the Dragon did both And therefore we may take both the senses making the summe to be thus The Devil both by the lies of deceivers as also by the cruelty of tyrants drew many away from the faith c. Of which seducement mention is made in vers 9. So then he casts from heaven to the earth because he seduceth from the faith unto perfidiousnes by the love of the earth some by lies others by torments Not withstanding when I compare the Visions I see that here the spirit pointes at the third fourth fift trumpet of the foregoing Vision to give us to understand that the great Star called wormwood Cha. 8.10 with the third part of the stars Ibid. v. 12. and that great Star fallen from heaven Chap. 9.1 were drawen and cast to the earth by the fall of this Dragon that is fell away from the sinceritie of the faith and Christian pietie to worldlie mindednes and Antichristianisme And the Dragon stood Another enterprise of the Dragon against the woman he stands before her to devoure her child like as an hungrie wolfe stands before the fowld 1. Pet. 5.8 to destroy the sheep that come forth Satans ravenous appetite is insatiable the which he desires to fill with our blood therfore Peter describes him under the type of a hungrie and roaring Lyon But this is generall Let us therfore applie it more nerely to the purpose First the dragon endeavoured what he could to devoure Christ in his owne person that is when Herod the first head of the Dragon beeing troubled at the hearing of Christ birth most wickedlie murthered all the children of two yeers that so he might not misse to devour the womans child Also when Pilate the first horn of the Dragon condemned and crucified the son of God Afterward he mightelie laboured to destroy him in his members when Herod Antipas beheaded the Baptist Herod Agrippa tooke away the life of James Againe when the other heades as Nero Domitian and the following tyrants by cruel edicts punishments rackings and persecutions throughout the whole empire indeavoured by all meanes to swallow up what ever the Church brought forth that so they might destroy all Christians and utterly blot out the faith of Christ Neither is Brightmans note to be disapproved viz. that the Dragon by tyrants did diligentlie watch that there might not be born any defender of the Christian religion And if any Emperour or Governour seemed but to favour Christians he was soon devoured by the Serpent The enterprise we have heard now let see the event The Second part of the Chapter The historie and event of both signes 5. And shee brought foorth a man childe who was to rule all the nations with a rod of iron and her childe was caught up unto God and to his throne 6. And the woman fled into the wildernes where she hath a place prepared of God that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore dayes 7. And there was warre in heaven Michael and his Angels fought against the dragon and the dragon fought and his Angels 8. And prevailed not neither was their place found any more in heaven 9. And the great dragon was cast out that old serpent called the devill and Satan which deceiveth the whole world
her power and principallity This admiration encreasing by little and little and turned into superstition by giving unto the Pope right of Vniversall jurisdiction with divine honour they made him to be the Antichrist And so much is signified by the phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wondred after the Beast that is men being bewitched with the admiration of his power they worshipped him as god and subjected themselves by willing reverence under his feet adoring all his decrees and commandements as divine oracles for thus the Scripture usually speaks of divine worship Walke after the Lord your God Deut. 13.4 1 Sam. 7.2 for Worship God All the house of Israel rested after the Lord for persevered in his true worship So also of the false They committed fornication after strange gods for they worshipped idols Walk not after strange gods for Iudg. 1.17 Ier. 8.6.9 serve not the idols of the heathens with many the like places in Ieremie so that not a civill or forced but a religious and willing subjection is here signified Whence first we see that neither the old Romane Empire nor the Mahumetane kingdom is properly this Beast for they required and forced men to a civill obedience onely And hence Alcasars Glosse is frivolous and fabulous that persecution being renewed the nations of their own accord subjected themselves unto the Beast for no nation but by force of armes subjected its selfe unto the Romanes Secondly it appears that the throne which the Dragon gave to the Beast is not onely a secular Kingdome but also a sacred Monarchie and grounded on religion Thirdly it is cleare that this Beast is no other then the person whom the Apostle speaks of 2 Thess 2.4 Who opposeth and exalteth himselfe above all that is called God or that is worshipped that is the Romane Antichrist after whom the world hath wondred these thousand years ascribing unto him these verses of triumph By oracles of thine own voyce the world thou govern'st all And worthily a god on earth men think and do thee call And lately dedicated to PAVLO V. VICE DEO To Paul the fift being in Gods stead which letters in Latine doe expresly containe the number of the Beast 666. THE INVINCIBLE MONARCH OF THE CHRISTIAN COMMON-WEALTH AND MOST ZEALOUS PRESERVER OF THE PAPAL OMNIPOTENCIE And againe Thou art all in all and above all and to thee is given all power in heaven and in earth who saith My peace I give unto you my peace I leave with you And lastly who usurps all things unto himselfe which belong to God and to Christ he takes away the sins of the world rules from sea to sea is the Lion of the tribe of Judah the root of David the Saviour and light of the world c. Thus much touching the admiration But now who are these admirers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the whole earth in which we may observe two things first that this admiration is Catholike and universall Secondly that these CATHOLIKE ADMIRERS are said to be the earth that is all both great and smal bond and free given to earthly worship pomp wealth dignity and pleasure as it follows in ver 16. And therefore we must take heed not to be taken up with admiration of these admirers or follow them but rather mourn in regard of their stupidity and destruction 4 And they worshipped the Dragon this declares the former for whereas before he said they wondred after the Beast he now shews it to be the worshipping of the Dragon and attributing titles of divine majestie and power unto the Beast Religious admiration as the Scripture witnesseth is onely proper to God and Christ Deut 6.13 Mar. 4.10 Psal 97.7 Phil. 2.10 Psal 72.9 Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serve All the Angels of God adore him In the name of Jesus every knee shall bow before him the inhabitants of the desart shall fall down But these admirers adore the Dragon and the Beast and therefore attribute divine worship unto them And that we may not imagine it to be a civill worship the words and exclamations of these wondrers are added Who is like to the beast Who is able to make warre with him as making the Beast equall with God For by the first they extoll his majesty and by the latter the divine power of the Beast In imitation of the Scripture saying To whom will ye liken God What likenesse will ye make to him Who is like to me saith God As therefore the Saints and worshippers of God cry out Isa 40.18 Psal 113.7 Who is like the Lord our God O Lord who is like thee so the admirers of the Beast cry out Who is as the Beast Who is like him And as the Saints cry out to God Lord who shall resist thee Who shall withstand thy will so these idolaters cry out Who can fight with him So that by these expressions they liken the Beast to God and Christ yea if thou well observe it they make him greater for these exclamations are absolute negatives Who is like thee Who is able to fight with him as if they should say no man no not God nor Christ whereby they openly professe the Beast to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adversary to God Christ lifting himself above al that is called God This is one of the clearest argumēts proving the Beast to be Antichrist But how are they said to worship the Dragon Not by profession but in works For they religiously worship Saints and Angels in heaven who are not God They worship images of wood stone and brasse but all religious worship attributed to the creature is an honouring not of God but of the devill whatsoever the intention and profession of the worshippers be according to that of the Apostle That which the Gentiles sacrifice 1. Cor. 10.20 they sacrifice to devils and not to God And yet we know that the Gentiles as the Indians and Brasilians to this day did intentionally sacrito God As therefore they that worship Christ worship God so they that worship Antichrist worship the devil of whom he received his seat and power 5. And to him was givē a mouth speaking great things Thus much of the figure power worship of the Beast Now follows the declaration usurpatiō of that power received from the Dragon The which will be the lesse obscure because in part we have heard formerly the like in chap. 11. The declaration of the power is in this verse The usurpation in the two following This great powr is two fold 1. to blaspheme 2. Thes 2.9 2. to do Now this is said to be givē to the Beast But by whō by the Dragon the devil v. 2. for the cōming of Antichrist is after the efficacy of satan His mouth in figure is like a Lyons v. 2. but speaks like a man who is a blasphemer for metonymically the mouth is put for boldnes in evil speaking as a hard mouth is
an ill speaking mouth Great things blasphemies is put for great blasphemies which are rehearsed v. 6. Here observe that the little horn also Dan. 7. v. 8.20 hath a mouth speaking great things whence it is conjectured that by it Antichrist is shadowed out specially seeing the three following things are also attributed to him as blasphemies against the highest warre with the saints and the time of his rage to be XLII moneths vers 25. Historically indeed that horne seemes to be Antiochus the scourge of the Iewes but Mystically it figured Antichrist For as Antiochus afflicted the Iewish Church so doth Antichrist the Christian Thus we see that the old this new prophesie excellentlie agree both in phrases deeds and illustrate one the other And power was given him to do The first part of his power we have heard now follows the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 power of doing The OLD VERSION TO DO OR MAKE some copies adde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 warre which seems to be taken from v. 7. The sense is all one yet it is better to take it absolutely of making but is not making here put for sacrificing I wonder our Sophisters have not observed this that so they might make the beast a sacrificer or masse-priest But TO DO here is put for to rage and destroy according to his pleasure This is given him by the Dragon God permitting the same yet holding the bridle in the midst of the beasts rage And that we might not imagine the beasts fury to be absolute a term is prefixed unto him for the comfort of the godly Fourty two moneths his rage shall continue long but not alwaies What is meant by these moneths I have shewed on Chap 11. ver 2. The Gentiles shall tread down the holy city XLII moneths The time is the same because the History both there and here is all one so that the treading down of the city by the Gentiles is this very rage of the Beast here being to endure XLII moneths and it will clearly appeare by the sixt Vision treating of the destruction of the Whore and Beast that these moneths took their beginning at the Beasts ascention out of the bottomlesse pit and are now for the most part expired 6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemie The usurpation of his power followeth both by his mouth in this verse as also in action in the following He opened his mouth in blasphemie that is he began to blaspheme in a horrible manner These are the great things which were given to the Beast to vomit out with open mouth that is publikely and in the very height of pride and malapertnesse Now what are these but those great priviledges the Romish Beast boasteth of as that he is in Gods stead yea a god and Christs Vicar on earth Peters successour having alone the Keyes of Heaven that he is the invincible Monarch of the Christian world the Prince of Bishops the head and spouse of the Church the King of Kings the Lord of heaven earth and hell the alone interpreter of the holy Scriptures chiefe Judge of all religion having all laws and mysteries lockt up in his breast the chiefe decider of the Catholike faith judgeing all men but to be judged of none to whom none may say though he lead thousands of soules with him into hell My Lord the Pope why dost thou so to whom is given all power in heaven and in earth who opens and no man shuts shuts no man opens who loosing no man bindes and binding no man looseth forgiving iniquities taking away the sins of the world with many other blasphemies which proceed out of his lascivious mouth But distinctly or in particular the bent of his blasphemies are against God his name his tabernacle and them that dwell in heaven Now to shew again how he blasphemeth God and his name It is by doing that which the Apostle foretold of Antichrist and which we see the Pope of Rome to do even at this day viz. he opposeth and exalteth himselfe against all that is called God or that is worshipped so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God shewing himself that he is God for he arrogates to himself the name and honour of God suffereth his Clawbacks to cry out Who is like unto the Beast Who is able to make war with him he challengeth to himselfe all the rights and works of God that he can create God make some thing of nothing make the word of God that he cannot erre that his decrees are of like certainty and authority with the divine Scriptures that it is of necessity to salvation to be subject unto him that it belongs to him to give the kingdoms of the world to set up depose Kings as he lifteth c. All which things if the Pope doth what is left for God Is not this blasphemie against God his name The tabernacle of God is the Church in which God dwelleth this he also blasphemeth for he falsly affirmes himself to be the Head Bridegrom and Lord therof tyrannically oppresseth and infects her by the poison of wicked doctrine seduceth and as much as in him lies thrusteth her into eternall destruction by his lying signes and horrible idolatry Andreas understands this Tabernacle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be the flesh of Christ in which the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dwelt with us Ioh. 1.14 This tabernacle of God he also blasphemeth divers waies for what blasphemie is more horrid against the Son of God then that the Pope should boast daily by his Locusts to create Christ of a piece of bread in the Masse to sacrifice and to destroy him What blasphemie more odious against the office of Christ then that the Pope boasting himselfe to be the greatest high Priest proudly should exalt himselfe as above Christ the great high Priest he denies that the alone sacrifice of Christ is sufficient for the expiation of the sins of the Church unlesse it be again and againe iterated by his Masse-priests he denieth that the merits of Christ alone suffice to take away sins the punishment thereof unlesse through his indulgences he adde a supply from the treasure of the Church which is the merits of the Saints Other things I passe by And them which dwel in heaven I see not why we may not understand these heavenly inhabitants properly of the Angels blessed souls triumphing with the Lamb in heaven for against these the Pope also poures forth his blasphemies more waies then one for will they nill they for his own gain sake he obtrudes false honour upon them makes them gods and builds temples altars and images unto them and by this worship exerciseth a most filthy trade and the most of them he forceth to succeed in the places of Heathenish idols and doth weary them as if they were houshold and tutelar gods with diverse troublesome and sordid services setting one over Hogs another Horses another Asses one over
wicked common-wealth of old Rome Now the truth is nothing can be more vainely spoken And I wonder that the Iesuite when he wrote these things had not considered that he himselfe lived in Spaine where the ancient Moores formerly inhabited IV. He addes from Chap. 16.19 That Great Babylon came in remembrance before God 18.5 Babylons sins have reached unto heaven and God hath remembred her iniquities Therefore saith he towards the end of the world her old sins which hitherto for religion sake seemed to be forgotten shall againe be remembred and punished because of the new and like transgressions added to the former But first not onely things done long agoe are said to come in remembrance before God but also such things as are newly done by an Anthropopatheia for so in Act. 10. The prayers and almes of Cornelius which he daily performed are said to come up for a memoriall before God Secondly albeit his glosse were granted yet there were no need that new Rome should be punished for the sinnes of the old for as much as Popish Rome for these thousand years and more hath abounded in all manner of villanies for which the Lord most justly may take vengeance on her Lastly he flees unto the Oracles of the Sybills But they speak nothing touching the Popes ejection or apostacy of the Romanes from the faith of Christ unto Heathenisme but only touching the destruction of Rome therein agreeing with the prophesie of this booke By all which things it appeareth that whatsoever the Iesuite alledgeth for the upholding of the credit of the Pope it is nothing but a frivolous dotage of a dreaming writer The summe of the place is this That Babylon here threatned with destruction is Rome not of the Pagans which ceased in Constantines time Nor new heathenish Rome the which as the Iesuite feineth shall thrust out the Pope But Popish Rome which a long while hath boasted her selfe to be the Mother of Churches and from whose breasts all the nations and kings of the earth have sucked their errours superstition and idolatry Thus our insoluble argument is no way weakned by the Iesuite but stands firme against the Romish Antichrist But now when we speak of Rome we understand not simply the walled city or palaces towers and stately walkes thereof but chiefly the Pope himselfe with his whole kingdom and power over the Westerne Churches of which afterward in Chap. 17.18 Now why is Rome named Babylon Why Rome is called Babylon lib. 2. cap. 3. hist The cause may be the likenesse that is between them of which OROSIUS Behold saith he the rising of Babylon and Rome is alike their power is alike their greatnesse times good things and also evill But I rather thinke the reason is their likenesse in tyrannny and destruction The old Babylon afflicted the ancient Church Rome the new Babylon hath oppressed the new Church The Old is fallen The New shall fall Babylon is fallen is fallen The doubling of the threatning denotes the certainty and hastning of the destruction Therefore also it is said in the preterperfect tense hath that is is fallen because it shall certainely and suddenly fall like as we say of a dying man that he is dead or the like Neither did the Angell prophesie vainely For even during the preaching of this Angell while Luther I say yet taught a great part of Babylon fell both in Saxony Germany and other neighbouring Countries But touching the destruction of Babylon it followes in Chap. 18. Alcasar againe by his consequence is forced to make blacke white applying the ruine of Babylon to the conversion of heathenish Rome to the faith of Christ making the sence of the words Babylon is fallen is fallen that is is converted to Christ Now who ever heard so great an absurdity The whole context and consent of all interpreters evinceth that the ruine of Babylon signifies not mercy but punishment And therefore so impudent a depravation of holy Scripture is to be rebuked Because she made all nations drinke This reason evidently refutes Alcasars absurdity The cause of Babylons destruction shall be her fornication by which she hath most foully defiled her selfe with the Kings and Inhabitants of the earth for she is the Mother of all whoredomes This fornication as before was shewed is idolatry by a propheticall and metaphorical phrase for idolaters like harlots do by spirituall uncleannes perfidiously violate their faith to God prostrate themselves before their Idols and run headlong into utter destruction as we have largely expounded in our Commentary on Hosea Chap. 1.2 Of the wine of her fornication For the Pope obtrudes his idols on all nations who therefore are said to drinke of the wine of his wrath because idolatry through the corruptnesse of mans nature is more pleasing to all then the true worship of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a figure when with a little change of a word the sence is wholly altered In the Greeke is an elegant * parenomasia in the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For as Antichrist gave all to drinke of the wine of his fornication so shall all drinke of the wine of Gods wrath because they suffered themselves universally to be drawne aside to the worship of Idols by the pretended authority of the Catholick Church Idolatry is compared to wine because by its sweetnesse and outward lustre it is pleasing unto the flesh and much desired Also from the effect for it makes idolaters madde furious and blinde like as wine takes away the sence of a drunkard The wine of wrath so named from the effect because it stirres up Gods wrath and drawes downe his judgements As also from the efficient cause because God in his anger doth justly inflict blindnesse on the worshippers of Antichrist according to that of Paul 2 Thes 2.11 For this cause God shall send them strong delusion that they should beleeve a lie that they might be damned who received not the truth It might seem the words here should thus be read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the wine of her fornication as in Chap. 17.2 The inhabitants of the earth are said to have been made drunke with the wine of her fornication c. because the wine of fornication is opposed to the wine of Gods wrath vers 10. The same shall drinke of the wine of the wrath of God But all copies have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the wine of the wrath c. Not here onely but also in Chap. 16.19 18.23 The use of this preaching The use of this Angels preaching doth plainely respect both the godly and the wicked The godly are exhorted to the duty before published by the former Angell To feare God and not the Beast To give glory to God not to Antichrist And lastly to worship God the Creator of heaven and earth not the Beast or his Image Also in Chap. 18.4 he admonisheth all such as desire to be free of Babylons
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
disputes after this manner As God is to be considered about the will in evil so also in good but in the evil will he only works permissively by suffering the same to rush on by its owne motion and desire but not by moving the same Otherwise he should be the Authour of sinne Therefore also he workes good in the will onely permissively suffering the same to act by its own strength but not by moving the same otherwise the liberty thereof should be taken away This was Pelagius Logicke the which very thing now a dayes the Patrons of bare permission and Preposterous Defenders of Gods righteousnesse do unwittingly maintain But Austin shews both the premisses of the Pelagian subtilty to be false The Proposition is false because God workes one way in the good will another way in the evill The former he makes good of evill whereas by nature he finds all to be evill none good but being made good by himselfe he moves them effectually yet so as their liberty remaineth as hath bin expounded The latter he makes not evill but finds them so The assumption is also false for he not onely forsakes and suffers the wicked will which he findeth to rush on whether it pleaseth but also delivers the same over to Satan and their own desires yea moving and inclining the same how he will that by doing the evill it wills it becomes subject unto his judgement secret indeed but never unrighteous in a manner whither explicable unto us or inexplicable as Austin speaketh and as in the fore-alledged examples we have seen Notwithstanding he is not the cause of sin Lib 5 Cont. Iulican cap. 3 for he useth the wicked will to execute his judgements most holily neither is he any more the cause of the sin which evill men commit by executing his judgements by them then the ungodly are the cause of the good which he worketh through them Luther against Erasmus doth perspicuously declare the matter by similies A Rider rideth well though he use a lame or halting horse De ser arb cap. 148 The Artificer formes of putrefied wood an artificious image Notwithstanding there is halting in the riding not by fault of the Rider but by the defect of the horse In the image is putrefaction not through fault of the Artificer but by defect of the wood So by the selling of Ioseph the betraying of Iudas God brought to passe unspeakable good yet in both wickednesse was committed not indeed on Gods part but by the perfidiousnesse of the brethren and of Iudas But thou wilt say the same sinnes are attributed as to the wicked so to God True if thou consider the words onely and not the meaning of the Scripture Now this is done with great difference They are ascribed unto Satan and wicked men in regard of themselves and as they are wicked actions committed by them against the Law But to God so far as by accident they serve unto his secret judgements which he useth to execute most righteously even by wicked men doing most wickedly The reason of the diversity comes partly from the divers end partly from the forme of actions The rule of final causes for a different end makes different actions according to the rule Finall and impulsive causes make the differences of actions Hence two doing the same thing yet do not the same though both do somewhat which is either good or indifferent when as they have divers ends differing in morall qualitie Gods end is allwayes good wicked mens evill in the selling of Ioseph his brethren fulfilled their hatred against the Law Thou shalt not kill In the oppression of the Iewes the Babylonians enlarged their Tyranny to the injuring of their neighbours against the Law Thou shalt not steale And therefore both these and the other did sinne But God to whom both these are attributed Gen. 45.8 Isa 10.7.19 had a most holy end in both viz. Iosephs exalting Gen. 50.20 and his peoples chastisement according to the Law Isa 10.6 Therefore he sinned not Read the tenth Chapter of Isaiah touching this diversity of ends in the same worke and thou shalt learne that what the Chaldeans did most evilly God by them did the same most righteously In the forme of actions the distinction is more evident for three things distinctly to be considered concurre in those actions of wicked men which God is said to do 1. The Motion 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the vitiousnesse of the motion and 3. the secret judgement of God Motion is a naturall good thing And therefore it is from God in whom also the wicked live move and have their beeing The secret judgements of God are morally good even workes of justice and mercy And therefore are of right attributed to God The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or pravitie of the motion prohibited by the Law makes the motion vitious and sinfull This therefore is not of God but remotely flowes from the devill and more nearly from the froward will and malice of men whensoever therefore the workes of evill men are in Scripture attributed unto God as affirming that God doth them or that they are from God This is not to be understood simply but with limitation that is not in respect of the disorder and pravity but first in respect of the motions so farre as they are naturall motions secondly and chiefly in regard of the secret Iudgements which God executes in and by the same But here thou wilt happily demand whether it may not rightly be said that God doth permit sins yea verily yet with a twofold limitation First that to permit and to grant is not the same thing as if God did permit men to sin without punishing the same like as some Magistrates permit Brothel-houses where fornication is committed without punishment Now God doth not so for his permitting of sin is not to hinder but suffer that they should be committed through the vitiousnesse of men and concur with his Iudgements Secondly we must not understand such a bare permission as is a cessation altogether of the divine providence in the workes of evill men which thing onely is in question betwixt us and the Pelagians but restrained unto the vitiousnesse of their workes being repugnant to the nature and Law of God For herein God himselfe doth something something he doeth not but permits it to be done by men He permits sins to be done as they are sins not hindering the doing of the same nor correcting sinners that they should not sin whereas he could do both But he doth two things I. The motions and naturall actions themselves of evill men by a generall influence as the Schools speak sometimes also by a speciall II. His Iudgements or events agreeing to his goodnesse and justice the which if he did not respect he would never permit sins to be committed and this he doth by moderating and effectually directing as the sins so other means also comming in between to make them
Therefore the time of joy is not yet come But the marriage shall be in the end of the world for then the Bridegroom shall returne and the Bride shal be prepared in her perfect beautie for the embracing of her bridegroom and then shal be the time of perfect joy Then all Gods servants and all his fearers both small and great shall sing together Let us be glad and rejoyce and give honourto him for the marriage of the Lamb is come and his wife hath made her selfe ready This marriage in one word denotes the full and finall redemption and glorification of the Churchof the Elect with Christ in heaven The marriage is come For is neer or at hand Therefore this voyce belongs to the Church of the last times in which we are and therfore we are stirred up to gladnesse that with joyfullnesse we may meet our bridegroom who is comming unto us They adde And his wife hath made her selfe ready This is spoken after the manner of men For the marriage day being come the bride prepareth and adorneth her selfe with nuptiall ornaments that in her full beautie she may be brought to the embracing of her bridegroom They call her wife for bride because of the neerenesse of marriage For now indeed so long as she remaines in the world she is but hetrothed How the espoused and wife differs but then she shall be the wife when she is brought unto the heavenly house of her bridegroom For the betrothed bride is one not yet delivered over to the bridegroome but remaining at her owne house but the wife is delivered and goeth into the house of the bridegroom Or the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a name of the Sex signifying a woman whether it be meant of an unmarried maiden or married wife as mat 1.20 Chap. 19. v. 3.5.8.9 22. v. 24.25 and Luk. 14.20 The which I note because of the place 1. Corin. 9.5 have we not power to lead about a sister 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a wife where some also of the fathers urge that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies any woman nor a wife that so they might maintaine the impure Coelibate of the clergie but it is without authority of scripture or historie Hath prepared her selfe This favours not the Palagian strength preparation of free-will For it presently followeth And it was given or granted her that shee should be arayed in fine linnen c. Therefore the ornament of the spouse is freely given by the bridegroome so that shee hath it not of her selfe Neither doth the Text speake of preparation to grace but to glory Now she prepares her selfe by grace prepared or granted her of Christ her bridegroom For the bride receiveth her ornament from the bridegroome as it is said Hee sanctifyed her with the washing of water by the word that he might present her to himself c. And Eph. 26. Ephe. 2.10 we are created unto good workes which God hath before prepared 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that we should walk in them Notwithstanding we also make our selves ready because by faith we put on the ornament of the bridegroome and in holinesse of life declare our faith The multitude therefore thus speake to teach the duty of the bride what shee ought to do and doth al the time of her espousall To wit she must doth make her selfe ready for her marriage at hand Like as the Apostle saith If a man purge himselfe from these he shall be a vessell unto honour And Let us cleanse our selves from all filthinesse of the flesh and Spirit 2. Tim. 2.21 2 Cor. 1. Before we goe forward Alcasars impudent fiction is to be refuted who would obtrude to us the Babylonish strumpet instead of Christs spouse eagerly contending that this wife of the Lambe can be no other save the Romane Church And why First this place alludes saith he unto the history of Hester who alone among many Virgins became wife to Ahasuerus Secondly she is the wife of the Lamb Alcasar Pag. 849. to whose manchild was given an iron rod to rule the nations But this rod is given to the Church of Rome alone above other Churches Thirdly Onely the Queen saith he married to Solomon Ps 45. and Cant. 6.7 unto which places is clearely alluded in this marriage is wife of the Lambe But onely the Romish Church is that Queen Therefore the Church of Rome onely is wife of the Lamb. Who can withhold laughter at such childish fopperies The first allusion is feined and were it granted yet the assumption is false viz. that the Romane Church is that which Hester was In the second he goes altogether from the matter For to rule the nations with a rod of iron is promised to every one that overcommeth Rev. 2.27 But the iron rod with which the Pope smiteth not the nations but all Churches he hath received from the dragon who gave his power and throne to the beast Rev. 13.2 In the third he againe feineth an allusion which is not and if it were yet could it not beare such a sence which this flatterer would hence draw by feined allusions Wherefore to his fopperies we oppose a true and solid demonstration which he hath framed against himselfe not being able to take away the difficultie thereof viz. The demonstration against Alcasars dream Shee is the wife and bride of the Lamb whom the Lamb hath redeemed to himself washed and sanctifyed in his own blood Ephe. 5.16 Rev. 1.5 and to whom he gives life eternall Iohn 10.28 But this onely is the whole Catholick Church of the first borne Act. 20.28 Hebr. 12.23 Therfore she only is the wife bride of the Lamb. Morover the bride wise of the Lamb is no harlot but the Romish Church that now is is the great whore siting on the beast as before we heard who daily commits whordome with her idols and graven images Therefore she is not the Lambs bride and wise but is groslie deceived by this Sycophant Now we goe forward 8 And to her was given that she should be arayed in fine linnen Now he sheweth how the bride hath made her selfe ready First by putting on nuptiall ornaments The old version renders the passive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that shee should be clothed actively that shee might cover her selfe the sense indeed being the same yet not so much the active as passive clothing of the bride is intimated although the active be not excluded For the metaphor is borrowed from an earthly bride who both is arayed by others and puts on ornaments her selfe also Secondly whence she hath her ornaments Not of her selfe For so she is destitute naked and uncovered Ezech. 16.7 But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is given her to wit by her bridegroome He persists in the metaphor of a bride unto whom if poore her rich bridegrome of his owne cost giveth wedding garments that she may become beautiful and adorned for marriage estate
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
he was not able to seduce the Nations any longer or uphold Paganisme But that was in the yeer of our Lord LXXIII This yeare therefore we make the beginning of the thousand yeers of Satans binding From hence unto the Yeer of our Lord 1073. The end of the thousand yeeres are a thousand yeers at which time Pope Gregory VII a Celtiberian Monke and diabolicall Iugler poysoning Alexander II. invaded the Papacy by most wicked arts who sitting on the Papall Chaire the devill began againe to be loosed and to rage tumultuously filling the Christian world in a horrible manner with wars and slaughters by the means of this his cursed instrument But thou wilt say Whether the Dragon were bound in the first thousand yeers Did not Satan in the first three hundred yeers after the descension of the Angell most cruelly afflict the Church by the Romane Tyrants and in the three hundred following yeers defiled the Christian world with most grosse heresies and in the four hundred succeeding yeers raised up the Romane Antichrist out of the bottomlesse Pit giving unto him his Throne and great power working with all manner of unrighteousnesse and cruelty in the very heart of the Church How then could Satan be said to be bound these thousand yeers in which he raged so outragiously I answer The binding of Satan as before I said may not be absolutely understood as if he then could not or did not hurt the Church at all but restrictively unto the cause expressed in the Text so farre as he was then restrained from seducing the Nations any longer that they should not embrace the Faith of Christ To this binding of Satan it is sufficient that then he could not by the Tyrants Iewes or Philosophers hinder any longer the propagation of the Gospell among all Nations And therefore howsoever in great number the Gentiles were converted to Christ and Paganisme every where decayed yet no marvaile though Satan did rage in his principall members and breathed out threatnings by the Tyrants of the Romane Empire and by Hereticks in the Church it selfe Hence arose so many persedutions of the Saints and such great conflicts of the Church with Hereticks during sixe hundred yeers neither is it strange that Antichrist was then raised up by Satan for seeing hee was bound himself he gave his throne and power to Antichrist that the Beast might be the Vicar of the Dragon while he was in bonds and the more furiously exercise all his power Hence the Dragon is said to have given his Throne to the Beast Revelat. 13.2 By which it plainely appeareth how far these thousand yeers do agree with The comparing of the thousand yeers with the 1260. dayes 42. months or differ from the 1260. dayes and the 42. moneths in which the Holy City is said to be troden vnder foot by the Gontiles Chapter 11.2 and the Beast was to rage Chap. 13.5 In some part they agree for in the last foure Ages of these thousand yeers those 1260. dayes and 42. moneths began to run on because in them the Beast began to tread the Church under foot But they differ in that these thousand yeers are referred to Satans binding the 1260. dayes and the 42. moneths to Antichrists tyrannicall reigne They are already ended more then five hundred yeeres these are not fully ended because the Beast hath as yet scarcely reigned a thousand yeers Now those things that are brought against this our opinion Objections taken away are easily taken away FIRST the Order of the Prophesie is objected viz. that the Dragon shall at length after the Beast is cast into the Lake of fire be bound a thousand yeers in the bottomlesse Pit but the casting of the Beast shall bee the ruine of the Papacy Therefore the thousand yeers shall not be begun till at length after the ruine of the Papacy But the major is denyed because the casting of the Beast into hell praecedes indeed the binding of the Dragon in order of the Vision but not in order of time Before I say Iohn saw the Beast to be cast into the lake in the foregoing sixt Vision being as it were the last Act of that Vision but not in this last Vision in which is now afterward related the binding of the Dragon the which notwithstanding praeceded the casting of the Beast or ruine of the Papacy many Ages being as it were the first Act of this last Vision The plaine and forcing reason hereof is that the Beast and False-prophet shall not be abolished but by the brightnesse of Christs comming to judgement But it is absurd to imagine that Satan should be bound a thousand yeers after the last Iudgement The cause therefore of the errour is that the diversitie of that and this Vision is not observed Secondly they object That if the thousand yeers must begin from the destruction of Jerusalem then that time in which Satan shall be again loosed cannot be called a SHORT SEASON because it containeth above five hundred yea about sixe hundred yeeres But the consequence is denyed for although the time of Satans loosing hath now bin for these five Ages and perhaps shall continue an Age or two more even untill the end of the 1260. dayes the which thing the Lord knoweth Notwithstanding we have a little before clearly demonstrated that it is rightly called a LITTLE SEASON both in respect of God as also in respect of the Dragon and of the Ages past and lastly and that indeed principally in respect of the thousand yeeres of Satans binding then which that time shall be shorter because God will shorten those dayes for the elects sake Thirdly they object that such as have not worshipped the Beast nor received his Character should not then reigne with Christ those thousand yeeres But this is denyed for the thousand yeers were ended in Gregory VII unto the time of which filthy Beast more then 460. yeeres of Antichrists reigne were run on during all which time very many Martyrs and Professours worshipped not the Beast and his Image All these therefore after death did according to their soules live By the figure called Synecdoche a part is taken for the whole and reigne with Christ in blessednesse those thousand yeeres by a Synecdoche because they lived with Christ in the last foure hundred yeers of the said thousand Now in verse 4 I will plainly shew that this Synecdoche is neither unusuall in common speech nor in Scripture or that it derogates any thing from the happinesse of the latter Martyrs As therefore the Martyrs lived not altogether or were all put to death at one time but successively so also they began not altogether to live and reigne with CHRIST in Heaven but successively during those thousand yeeres Lastly It is objected that the devill was not bound in those first thousand yeers because he seduced very many But this was resolved in the first Question for neither are we to imagine that Satan was so bound
as that he could not seduce or hurt none at all neither by his Emissary Angels or by other his instruments as Tyrants Hereticks Antichrist but onely as it is expressed in the Text that he should not deceive the Nations any longer that is uphold Paganisme and hinder the course of the Gospell among the Gentiles Thus I have laid downe my judgement agreeing with other most learned Interpreters before me as Bullinger Junius c. not that I do tye any man unto it but leave it to consideration but they who begin the thousand yeeres from Christs nativity as Aretius or from his Resurrection as Chytraeus or from the time of universall Christianisme under Constantine the Great as Brightman Napier c. although they differ a little in the termes yet all have this common with us that the first thousand yeers from Christs birth is to be ascribed to Satans imprisonment and that the Dragon is now long agoe loosed out of prison There are two other opinions of them who referre the thousand yeeres unto the last times as if they were not yet begun One of the old Chiliasts of which I will speak afterward in verse 5. The other new of certaine learned brethren that these thousand yeeres are not to begin till after the casting of the Beast into the Lake of fire that is after the overthrow of the Papacy Then they thinke that he shall be bound a thousand yeers in the bottomlesse Pit and that the Martyrs which have beene slaine by Tyrants and Romish Popes shall then corporally live again and reigne with Christ in Heaven those thousand yeeres and then at the end of these thousand yeeres shall be the Resurrection of all the rest of the dead and the last Iudgement Now what I thinke in this opinion to be wanting I will here touch onely in a generall way reserving the rest to its place First I cannot approve that these thousand yeeres are not as yet begun nor past because two false Hypotheses are supposed One that Satan hath not as yet bin bound that he should seduce the Nations no longer in Paganisme the which is repugnant to the History The other that the world should yet continue a thousand yeers after the overthrow of Papacy which is repugnant to the divine oracles touching the abolishing of ANTICHRIST by the brightnesse of Christs coming after which to expect a thousand yeers in this world to me feemes very absurd They object that the Oracles of the Prophets are not yet fulfilled Ierem. 30. and 31. Mich. 4.3 unto 8. Mich. 5.9.15 the answer of Christ Act. 1.6.7 Mat. 23.28 Rom. 11.25 But in all these not to be tedious I would first desire them to seeke their thousand yeers Secondly that they diligently consider whether those Oracles spoken of in verse fourth are Prophesies touching the Kingdome of the Martyrs in Heaven or not rather of Christs Spirituall Kingdome and State of the Church of the Gospell on Earth partly already fulfilled and partly not but in time to bee accomplished Secondly that opinion contradicts it selfe For it propoundeth that the Pope before these thousand yeeres shall be cast into the Lake of fire and that Popery shall be abolished and withall that the Pope during the thousand yeeres shall by little and little gather his strength and at the end of the said yeeres joyne himselfe with Pagan Kings to make warre against the Saints But how shall the Pope doe this being in the Lake of fire They answer that the same Pope indeed that is cast into the Lake shall not reassume strength but there may bee some other after him who shall not bee abolished till the brightnesse of Christs comming But this is to dally in a serious matter The ruine of the Papacy in which they fixe the beginning of the thousand yeers we understand not to be the casting of one or two of the Popes into the Lake for many are already cast away but the overthrow of the whole Papacy Here then let them explaine themselves whether they understand it of the overthrow of Papacy in part or totally If they understand it onely in part they must say that Satan hath bin bound above an hundred yeers because since that time Papacy hath gone to decay in Germany and some other Kingdomes which thing Bellarmin also confesseth for saith he Bell. Lib. 3. de P.R. Cap. 21. from that time since you affirmed the Pope to be Antichrist his Empire hath beene so farre from encreasing that it hath alwayes more and more decreased If of an universall or totall overthrow how then shall the Beast gather strength by little and little especially while he is in the lake of fire Thirdly they take up another absurdity against the Text viz. that in the beginning of the thousand yeeres the Martyrs shall corporally live againe and reigne with Christ a thousand yeers whereas the Text expressely speaketh of their soules not of the bodies of the Martyrs neither saith it that they lived again or were raised up from death but that they lived of which in ver 4. Fourthly they frame another absurdity in pretending a two-fold resurrection of the dead One of the Martyrs after the overthrow of the Papacy the other of the rest of the dead after the thousand yeers reigne of the Martyrs the which is contrary to an Article of our Faith I beleeve the resurrection of the flesh that is of all the dead at the last day and it is refuted by experience Again if they understand the overthrow of the Papacy in part seeing this hath bin accomplished more then an hundred yeeres agoe they must shew that the first bodily Resurrection of the Martyrs is also past If totall seeing this shall not bee but by the brightnesse of Christs coming to Iudgement they cannot deny that then the Martyrs also shall be raised with the rest of the dead Fiftly I know not how they can make their opinions hang together for they say that Christ shall come to Iudgement a thousand yeers after the overthrow of Papacy and that after those thousand yeers Gog and Magog shall make warre against the Christians What shall this warre be taken in hand after Christs last comming to Iudgement Lastly this opinion doth fully agree with the errour of the Chiliasts long agoe condemned by Christians of which I will speake by and by viz. in this that the world shall remaine a thousand yeers after the abolishing of Antichrist directly contrary to the Apostle 2. Thess 2.8 affirming that Antichrist shall bee overthrowne by the brightnesse of Christs comming And in that it imports two particular Resurrections contrary to the Scripture touching the resurrection of all the dead together at the last day Onely herein it differs Lib. 20. de C.D.C. 7. that it makes not the thousand yeeres reigne as they Earthly but Heavenly although Augustine confesseth that there were also among the Chiliasts some who beleeved that the spirituall delights in that Sabbath should come
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.
how they lived and reigned with Christ and how long But the matter is not obscure if the words be rightly considered and not wrested against the Scope and mind of the Spirit as the Chiliasts did rendring 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they lived 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they lived againe that is How the Chiliasts corrupted the text they rose up out of their Sepuichres and what the Spirit speaketh of the soules of the Martyrs they wrested to their bodies and so feined a corporall Resurrection of the Martyrs a thousand yeers before the last day This first Falshood was the ground of the Millenaries errour against which we must firmely hold too and urge the simple word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lived in stead whereof The ground of the Chiliasts error they evilly suborned the compound 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lived againe For here is spoken of the soules of Martyrs living in Heaven which as being immortall Spirits could not die with their bodies or be slain on Earth therefore cannot bee said to live againe but as it is in the Text they lived with Christ They object to the contrary that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lived is put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lived again as before in Chap. 2. ver 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But both is denyed because these two words doe much differ in sound and in sense and therefore may not be confounded neither here nor in the place alledged Not here because this confusion imports two absurdities ONE Physicall or naturall that the soules of the Martyrs were flaine The OTHER Theologicall that a Corporall Resurrection of an infinite number of the dead shall be before the last Day contrary to the Faith of all Christians taught by Christ himselfe The houre is comming Ioh. 5.28 in the which all that are in the Graves shall heare his voyce and shall come forth They which have done good unto the Resurrection of Life and they which have done evill unto the Resurrection of death Neither before in Chap 2. because Christ in saying which was dead and lived gives us to understand not onely that he was dead and raised againe but also that he lived even while he was dead in the flesh or that he was living in his Divinity to demonstrate his two-fold nature as before we shewed Chap. 1.18 and Chap. 2.8 Adde to this that although it ought there so to bee taken yet here it cannot because of the Arguments following which admit not the same Moreover they urge the Antithesis of the following Verse But the rest of the dead lived not againe By which say they it seemes to bee plaine that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but thence the contrary doth plainely follow viz. that the Holy Ghost by a different word noteth a diverse sense for the Antithesis is not of a contradiction in Synonymaes but of a metaphoricall contrarietie both in the subject and attribute because the same thing is not denyed touching the Remnant of the dead which was affirmed touching the soules of the Martyrs properly that they lived and reigned with Christ But another thing contrary to a happy life Metaphorically that they lived not againe in the first Resurrection for that they repented not which as by and by I shall clearely shew is the proper and genuine fense To returne to the Question The soules of the Martyrs live with Christ How the soules lived and reigned with Christ not onely a Naturall Life for this after death is common to the soules of the Godly and ungodly being immortall Spirits neither onely a Spirituall Life of Regeneration which the Martyrs had before they were slaine on Earth but a blessed and glorious Life which Iohn saw them enjoying with Christ in Heaven They reigned also with Christ not in the Kingdome of Grace which is in this Life but in the Kingdome of Glory which is in Heaven according to the promise I appoint unto you a Kingdome as my Father hath appointed unto me And To him that overcometh Luk. 22.29 Rev. 3.21 will I grant to sit with mee in my Throne even as I overcame and sit with my Father in his Throne But they do wholly erre who suppose that we interpret this clause of the life of Regeneration and of the Kingdome of Grace and thence draw Sophismes for the Chiliasts opinion which shall be treated of in the following Verse Iohn therefore saw the Soules of the Martyrs that were beheaded here on Earth living blessedly and reigning gloriously with Christ in Heaven But how long Those thousand yeers viz. How al the Martyrs lived a thousand yeeres with Christ in which Satan was kept bound in the bottomlesse Pit not that the Martyrs were all slaine together about the beginning of the thousand yeeres and so all of them lived the whole thousand yeers with Christ But he speaketh of a continuall succession that none during the said yeeres in which they were slaine for the Testimony of Iesus or for refusing to worship the Beast did miserably perish but lived blessedly and reigned with Christ in heaven Wherefore in the thousand yeers is a Synecdoche familiarly used in our ordinary speech and in Scripture as before I said For example A man is said to come to day though hee come not in the Morning but at Noone or Evening or A man is said to live or die in this yeer not onely if he live or die at the beginning but also towards the middle or end of the yeer so the Martyrs are said to live and reigne with Christ a thousand yeeres although all of them were not slaine at the beginning but some towards the middle others towards the end thereof Mat. 12.39 Ioh. 2.19 By a like Synecdoche the Son of man was three dayes and three nights in the heart of the Earth and in three dayes raised up the Temple of his body although hee lay not much longer then one day and two nights in the Sepulchre The Iewes were Lxx. Iere. 29.9 yeers in the Captivity of Babylon although Daniel was longer Zerubbabel and they that were born in the Captivity were Captives fewer yeers Gen. 6.3 So God granted from the five hundreth yeere of Noah unto the flood an hundred and twenty yeers unto men although all they that were born within the 120. yeers had a shorter time of repentance c. Away therefore with their scoff of 400. The Martyrs shall also reigne after the thousand yeers Crownes in stead of a thousand Neither is this Synecdoche any way derogatorie to the happinesse of the latter Martyrs slaine by Antichrist for we are not to thinke that they ceased to live and reigne with Christ after the thousand yeeres were ended for they shall reigne with him for ever and ever as wee are taught Revelat. Chapter 22.5 It was enough for Iohn to shew what condition the blessed Spirits should be in those
refuted as Eusebius writeth Lib. 7. Hist C. 10. TERTVLLIAN Lib. 3. Cont marcion Lactantius lib. 7. instit Cap. 23. disputes at large of this Fable VICTORINVS PICTAVIENSIS in his Commentary on the Revelat. How uncertain the antiquity of tradition and the authority of the fathers is Austin also himselfe in the aforesaid place confesseth that hee sometime held the same Hence all men may see how little is to be ascribed to antiquitie of TRADITIONS and the authority of the FATHERS For antiquity without truth What is it but the oldnesse of errour Who more ancient then Irenaeus Hee writeth that he was the hearer or Disciple of Papias and Papias of the Apostles Papias on the contrary denyes that he heard or ever saw the Apostles with his eyes Behold antiquity without truth The said Papias received the Chiliasts Fable by tradition of the Elders and drew many to embrace this errour by his authority The fable of Antichrists four yeeres reigne And without doubt from the said Author Irenaeus sucked another fable which by this means was generally received touching Antichrist that hee should reigne not fully foure yeeres in the end of the world for the most ancient Writers were ignorant thereof IVSTIN the oldest Writer extant affirmeth that Antichrist the man of sinne was already at the doore Dialogo cum Tryphone CLEMENT who wrote next to IVSTIN hath not one word of Antichrists three yeers reigne Tertullian who lived at the same time affirmed that Antichrist was neare at hand Cyprian also next to the former writeth Lib. 5. Epist 7. yee ought to know hold Libro Defuga persecut and certainly beleeve that the day of triall is begun already and that the decay of the world and the time of Antichrist draweth on Ibid Antichrist commeth Wherefore the Fables of Papias were not taken on till at length in latter Ages Furthermore the Chiliasts Fable occasioned many which dis-approved the same but were not able to refute it to fall into another errour worse then the former affirming that the Revelation was to bee rejected as written by the Hereticke CERINTHVS Among these were Cajus and others touching whom in EVSEBIVS DIONISIVS ALFXANDRINVS speaketh who opposed NEPOS the Egyptian Others on the contrary to keep up the authority of the Revelation laboured to divide the opinion of Cerinthus and the Fathers as if Cerinthus indeed maintained a voluptuous Millenary kingdom full of lust and riot But the Fathers the spirituall delights of the Saints But Ribera affirmeth Comm in Apoc. 20. N. 26. that there was no difference betwixt the opinion of Cerinthus and the Fathers because Irenaeus Tertullian Lactantius c. wrote the same things about the Millenary Kingdome which are contained in the opinion of Cerinthus And this Dionysius and Caius also an old Writer affirmeth Euseb Lib. 3. Hist Cap. 28. however it be the Chiliasts opinion was by the Christians condemned for ascribing to Christ contrary to the Scriptures a voluptuous and earthly Kingdome and for bringing in contrary to the Apostolicall Faith one and so making a two-fold Resurrection after another the which opinion how improbable it is hath I suppose bin sufficiently shewed so as I trust that such who think it ought again to be renewed as far as concernes the latter part thereof will after the due consideration of these things in the fear of God with Austin change their opinion Now for the refuting of this old Fiction of the Chiliasts which Jerome in the life of Papias calleth a Jewish tradition we may briefly observe that it consists neither with the present Vision nor with it selfe nor with other Scriptures nor Christian beliefe Now this besides what formerly hath bin spoken I will shew by foure clear Arguments First I have made it manifest already that the thousand yeers of Satans binding A refutation of the Chiliasts errour by experience and the Kingdom of the Martyrs with Christ in Heaven beginning from the overthrow of Ierusalem unto Gregory VII that Romish Beast are now past above 548. yeers And yet there hath not bin any corporall Resurrection of Martyrs or Golden Kingdom of Christ on earth The experience therefore which we now see but the fathers could not refuteth this Fiction Secondly 2. From the text That Millenarie Kingdom is expresly ascribed unto the soules of the Martyrs and Confessours when as Austin well observeth they were not restored to their bodies Then I say their soules sate upon thrones lived and reigned with Christ in those thousand yeeres this therefore is not to be applied unto the Resurrection of the body Thirdly This errour as arising from a false Chronologie is plainely refuted 3. From the erroneous chronologie For the Chiliasts following the erroneous computation of the Greekes affirmed that Christ was born in 5199. yeer of the world since which are past 1621. yeers which number being added unto the former would make 6820. yeers from the Creation But thus not onely the sixt Millenary or the thousand yeers which they ascribe to the binding of Satan should bee past but also there should but a few yeers of the seventh Millenary and their voluptuous Kingdome of the Saints with Christ should already have dured above eight hundred the which is refuted by History and experience so that if Irenaeus Tertullian Lactantius c. did now live they should bee necessitated to confesse that they much erred from the truth Lastly the whole Scripture holds forth IV. From the difficulties of the last times Ioh. 18.36 Ioh. 18.20 Mat. 24.21 Luk. 18.8 2. Tim 3.1 that the last times shall not be voluptuous in the least but difficult and sorrowfull unto the Church in this world Besides Christ did often foretell that his Kingdom should not be earthly My kingdome is not of this world The world shall rejoyce but yee shall mourne In the world yee shall have tribulation Then shal be great tribulation such as was not from the beginning of the world unto this time Watch therefore that ye may be found worthy to escape all these things When the sonne of man commeth shall he finde Faith on the earth Through manifold tribulations we must enter into the Kingdom of Heaven This know that in the last dayes perilous or difficult times shall come c. These and such like testimonies of Scripture which speake of the afflicted state of the last times doe abundantly refute the Millenaries Fiction Now wee goe forward with the Text. 6. Blessed and holy is hee that hath part By an Exclamation he extolleth and commendeth unto us the felicity and necessity of the first Resurrection or spirituall living againe by which of old those Rest of the dead in Paganisme and Antichristianisme obstinately refused to live againe by which all and they onely shall be blessed and holy Act. 8.21 Ioh. 13.8 What it is to have part in the first Resurrection The profitablenesse necessity of the first resurrection who have part in the first
see Chap. 1. ver 6. Chap. 5.10 The future 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall be denyeth not that now also the Faithfull are Priests of God but noteth the continuation and consummation of our Priestly dignity in the world to come Hence first it appeareth seeing the Scripture extendeth the Spirituall-Priesthood unto all the regenerate that are washed from their sinnes in the blood of Christ 1. Pet. 2.5.9 Rev. 1.5.6 that this priviledge doth so agree unto the blessed Martyrs as it derogates nothing from other Confessours and regenerate Secondly that for the same cause the First resurrection v. 5. is not to be understood corporally but spiritually because otherwise the Martyrs alone should become Priests of God and of Christ in case they alone should have part in the first Resurrection And shall reigne with him a thousand yeeres The third blessednesse and priviledge of them that live againe is to reigne with God and Christ a thousand yeeres 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with him saith he to denote the unity of both persons in the deity XLII Argument of Christs deity But who shall reigne The Martyrs onely or the other blessed also In my former Edition I restrained the same to the Martyrs from verse 4. But having more seriously weighed the whole Epiphonema or exclamatory conclusion I am forced to extend as the Priest-hood and blessed Life so the Kingdome generally unto all that have part in the first Resurrection that is unto all the regenerate And so much the words do demonstrate if well observed For seeing John had said before of the Martyrs in the Praeter Tense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They reigned with Christ of these he now saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They shall reign with him in the future Besides touching the Dragons binding and the Martyrs reigning he had before said thrice with the Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Those thousand yeeres Of these now hee saith indefinitely They shall reigne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a thousand yeeres Hence I observe this diversity both in the persons reigning and in the thousand yeeres that John for the comfort of the rest of the Saints and blessed ones doth in this verse extend the Kingdome of the Martyrs with Christ beyond the thousand yeers before defined as if he should say The soules indeed of the Martyrs lived and reigned with Christ those thousand yeers of Satans binding but with them afterwards others also having part in the first Resurrection shall as Priests of God and Christ reigne other thousand yeeres that is for ever and ever as is interpreted Rev. 22.5 Neither matters it that also in ver 2. he said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a thousand yeers without an Article and yet definitely for no man but understands that there it ought not to have bin said with the Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Those thousand yeers because no mention was before made of a thousand yeers But afterwards that we might not understand the thousand yeers both of Satans binding of the Martyrs reign with Christ in v. 3.4.5 to be divers but the same it is said rightly with the Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those thousand yeeres and for the same cause the Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is againe repeated ver 7. where he mentioneth the period or end of Satans binding The Second Part of the CHAPTER Touching the new attempt of the Dragon being loosed at the end of the Thousand yeers by the Gentiles and by Gog and Magog against the Church 7. And when the thousand yeeres are expired Satan shall be loosed out of his prison 8. And shall goe out to deceive the Nations which are in the four quarters of the Earth Gog and Magog to gather them together to battle the number of whom is as the sand of the Sea 9. And they went up on the breadth of the Earth and compassed the Campe of the Saints about and the Beloved-City and fire came downe from God out of Heaven and devoured them THE COMMENTARY 7. BVt when the thousand yeeres are expired Now followes the Second part of the Chapter of the loosing and new raging of the Dragon after the thousand fatall yeers were expired containing the THIRD ACT of the last Vision being an amplification of the Churches calamities and combats under both Antichrists of the East and West who shall againe grievously trouble the Christian World as we shewed in the PREFACE And thus at length we come to the explication of the fourth Question before propounded in ver 3. IV. What Satan shall doe after the thousand yeers are expired He had said that Satan being bound with a great chain should be thrust into the bottomlesse pit for a thousand yeers and afterward againe loosed ver 3. and shewing in the following verses what in the meane while was done in the Church and what was the state of the ungodly both without and within Now Kat ' anaphoran or in relation to what was before he saith that Satan was to be loosed after the thousand yeers and expoundeth what he attempted with the successe thereof yet aenigmatically so as this part of the Prophesie is very obscure neither may we scatcely so much as guesse what the meaning thereof is notwithstanding the most diligent Interpreters do thinke that somewhat about the same may bee observed from the Histories of former times whose steps seeing nothing more certain is revealed unto me I am willing to tread in When the thousand were finished In which Satan remained in chaines and in which in the mean while Christ enlarged his Kingdom among the Gentiles and the Martyrs had lived and reigned with him Satan shall be loosed out of his prison Hence it plainely appeareth as before I said that the thousand yeeres of Satans imprisonment and of Christ his kingdom are not diverse but the same for it is said with the Article When THESE thousand yeers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall be fulfilled Satan shall be loosed This very thing Austin well observeth saying Lib. 20. de C D. c. 13. The Chiliasts opinion cannot stand That the Scripture by the same thousand yeeres determinates both to wit Satans binding and the Saints reigning Which being observed it appeareth that the Chiliasts opinion cannot stand viz. that Satan should be bound in the sixt Millenary of the world in which they affirme Christ was borne and that in the seventh Millenary the Saints shall reigne with Christ on Earth Besides neither can the opinion of Brightman hold that Satan was bound a thousand yeers from Constantine untill the yeere of our Lord 1300. after which Christ should reigne another thousand yeeres by the Gospell on Earth with his Elect untill the yeer 2300. in which Millenary the Gogish or Turkish battles should be fought whence he gathereth that the truth of the gospell shall triumph among the Nations seven hundred yeers a thing indeed more to be wished then expected with any probability Thus by what hath been said before it is cleare
there shall be no such ministery in Heaven that the Apostles are said to lay the foundation of the wall of the the holy City whereas rather that belongs to Christ Lastly that the Kings of the Earth are said to bring their glory unto this Citie ver 24. and that in it shall be medicine for the Nations which things are not to be understood of Heaven but of the Earth But there is nothing here touching these things which may not easily be applied unto the state of the glorified Church if wee well minde the scope of the Allegoricall Vision and observe other things which doe not at all agree with the state of the Church here on Earth as we shall shew in its place Certainely the glory of the Church shall never be so great in this life as to bee altogether without tares that there should bee none in her but Elected Ones that she should be stained with no scandals and feined Christians in a word that there should be no Temple nor Sun shining in her c. He saith secondly that the vocation of the Iews unto the Church Whether this Resurrection of the dead be the calling of the Iews is in Scripture often called a Resurrection of the dead as Rom. 11.15 for if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world what shall the receiving of them be but life from the dead Isa 26.19 Thy dead men shall live my Carkasses shall rise againe c. Ezech. 37.12 I will open your graves O my People and cause you to come up out of your graves c. Dan. 12.2.3 And many of them that sleepe in the dust of the Earth shall awake some to everlasting Life and some to shame and everlasting torment Hosea 13.14 I will ransome them from the power of the grave I will redeeme them from death But verily it would bee a long worke for him to prove that these places of Scripture the first excepted doe at all belong to the calling of the Iews seeing Some doe manifestly speake of their deliverance out of Babylon Others of the Spirituall Redemption of the whole Church by Christ Others of the last Resurrection of the body Onely the Testimony of the Apostle is to the matter but proves nothing For neither doth it follow from the particular because there the conversion of the Iewes is called a Resurrection therefore here also There the thing is cleare here not so Nay here is no mention of a Resurrection but it is set forth under other figures And all the circumstances doe most evidently represent the Type of the last Iudgement AND I SAW A GREAT WHITE THRONE After these things saith AVGUSTINE Lib. 20. de C. D. c. 14 he briefly declareth the last Judgement it selfe and how it was revealed unto him which shall be at the second Resurrection of the dead viz. of their bodies First therefore he describes the Iudge with his preparation in this verse Secondly them that should be judged ver 12. Thirdly the processe and sentence ibid. Lastly the execution of the sentence viz. the casting of the adversaries into the Lake of fire vers 13.14.15 but the placing of the Elect in the Heavenly Jerusalem in Chap. 21. 22. This is the summe of the things remaining A Great Throne As set up for the Great that is Vniversall Iudgement of the whole world White bright with celestiall splendor and majesty And him that sate on it Namely the Iudge him undoubtedly of whom Christ himselfe speaketh Mat. 25.31 When the Sonne of man shall come in his glory and all his Holy Angels with him The white throne of christ his glory Ioh. 5.12 Act 17.31 then shall he sit upon the Throne of his glory Wherefore the white Throne is the Throne of his glory or glorious Throne neither are we to imagine it to be made of gold or Ivorie but thus the Iudicatory Power of Christ is called For the Father hath given all Judgement to the Sonne that by him the whole world should be judged Here therefore Christ the Iudge appeared unto Iohn sitting on his Throne in the Spirit that none should question but that the world shall at last be judged Why the last judgement is so often exhibited XL Argument of Christs deitie For this Iudgement to come is so often foretold in Scripture and exhibited to the sight of Iohn in this Revelation that the Godly indeed should wait with joy for that day of their deliverance but mockers be raised up from their security Furthermore without all doubt this Iudge sitting on the Throne is Christ because the whole Scripture agrees hereunto Now a little after in ver 12. he is called GOD before whom the dead shall stand to bee judged Therefore undoubtedly also he that sate on the Throne Chap. 4.2 was Christ gloriously reigning in Heaven That which followeth serves to signifie his unspeakable majesty From whose face the Earth and the Heaven fled away The splendor and majesty of the Iudge is such Husterosis is when a thing is before put down which should come after or contrariwise Lib. 20 de C. D. c. 14. as neither Heaven nor Earth is able to behold or abide the same How then shall the wicked stand before him Augustine understands it of the future renovation of Heaven and Earth and here also he acknowledgeth an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the Heaven and Earth fled not before but after the Iudgement to wit saith he the Iudgement being finished then shall this Heaven and Earth cease to bee when the new Heaven and Earth shall begin For this world shall passe away by a change of things not by an utter destruction the Heaven and Earth I say shall flee away that is this shape of Heaven and Earth shall passe away because they shall be changed from vanitie through fire that so they may be transformed into a much better and more beautifull state Of which innovation the Apostle Peter professedly writeth The Heaven shall passe way with a great noyse and the Elements melt with heat but we expect new Heavens and a new Earth wherein dwelleth righteousnesse And Paul saith 2. Pet. 3.12 1. Cor. 7.31 The figure or falshion of this world passeth away Of which AVGVSTINE The figure saith he of the world passeth not away in nature for we expect a new Heaven and a new Earth in which judgement and righteousnesse shall dwell Of which Iohn in the next Chapter I saw a new Heaven and a new Earth that is purged from all vanities Rev. 21. v. 1 Of which innovation not a totall destruction the words following must be understood And their place was found no more not as if it were no where but that it remained not such as it was before But whether Heaven and Earth shall so change their place as that the Earth should be moved out of the Centre of the universe the Heaven by its bending downe no longer inviron the Earth is not known either
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
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
VI. excommunicated Ludovick IV. 130. The Colour of the Beast and the woman is one 411. Purple colour proper to the Romane court ibid. Communion of the Saints in heaven with us on earth 122. Comfort of the faithfull under Antichrist 121. Of the Saints under the Altar 106. Of the professours and Martyrs 355. Conquerers are such as keep faith and a good conscience 52. Consent of Interpreters about the last judgement 358. Condition of the Godly under Antichrist 134. 135. Constant profession of the truth the cause of Johns banishment 17. The Constestation or protestation in the last chapter of the Revelation belongs to the whole body of the Scripture 596. Conversion of the Iewes described 67 conversion of the adversaries is the worke of grace ibid. Conversion of many unto the faith 245. Conversion why commanded and attributed to us 82. Council of constance caused wickleffe to be digged out of his graue and burnt 241. Condemned Iohn Husse and Iâ—rome of Prague to the fire 226. 241. Former councils for the most part condemned by the latter 273. Corporal resurrections in scripture 518. Corrupters of the trueth shal be grievouslie punished 50. Court within to be cast forth 214. Coveteousnesse in bishops abominable the root of all evill 33. Crowne crowne of life 41. promised not of merit but grace 42. It signifies life and eternal glory 72. A greater degree shall be given to such as have converted many 71. Crownes of gold why worne by the saints 90. Crown of life and righteousnesse ibid. Proposed unto all the faithfull 250. The crowne of Christ 108. Crowns of gold an ensigne of royall majesty 360. How far the crown may be taken from the elect and how it can not be taken 72. Cubit common and royall of what greatnesse 562. Cup of Gods wrath 352. Cyprians excellent simile declaring the word of God to be the onely rule of faith 57. D. THe Darkning of the sun 127. Death compared in scripture to sleep 56. Christs death a full satisfactorie price for sin 103. Death of the martyrs is Christ victorie 108. The first death why so called 519. 557. Death of the soule 519. The second death eternall 528. The dead shall all rise together 518. 519. To die in Christ 355. Dead faith uncapable to obtaine spirituall riches 77. Demonstration against Alcasars dream 481. The Description and nature of Locusts 175. Description of the new Ierusalem whither it agree to the church militant 549. The Desert or wildernesse is Rome and the Papacie 408. Description of the beast 290. denoteing the old Romane Empire 291. 292. Description of the heavenly Ierusalem 560. c. Description of the last Iudgement 488. Description of Gods maiesty and glory on the throne 87. Determination whither repugnant to the will 446. Dignitie proceeds not alwayes from vertue 59. Difficultie about the thousands years 506. Difference of a gemme and a pearl 566. Dionysius Alexandrinus refuted 18. Distribution of the second vision 84. The Dragon Beast and false Prophet authours of the Ambassage of the unclean spirits 394. Drying up of Euphrates 390. diverse opinions about it 391. Dutie of the Church and her officers to notorious sectaries 44. E. EArth Sea trees what they signifie 139. Earth swallowing down the flood of the Dragon 279. Earth-quakes proper and figurative 126. 127. A great earth-quake at the opening of the sixt seal 244. an earth-quake shaking the papacie after the councill of constance 245. Easterne people girded up their long garments in travelling 24. Eberhardus Salisburgensis invectives against the Pope 318. Effect of the word of God 207. Of the Gospel in the latter times 370. Egyptian Idolatry darkenesse and bondage 234. 235. The Elder comforting Iohn 99. The Emerauld a most pleasant gemme 87. 565. The End of Gods punishment 50. The Eight king not like unto the other 429. 430. Eniedinus the Samosatenian refuted 17. 21. 26 27. 28. 39. 50. 51. 437. 587. Who shall Enter into the Caelestial city 571. Ephesus the head citie of Ionia 21. Epiphanius refutes the Alogians 47. Epiphanius corrected touching Iohn 19. The Eternall Gospell cannot be suppressed 339. the Eternall Gospell of the Monster Cyrillus 340. Events contingent in themselves how changed 4. Event of the Gogish war 536 c. The Evils accompaning this life shall be no more in the life to come 553. Euphrates a great river 187. The Eyes of IEHOVAH signifie Angels 90. The eyes of the Lamb his all seeing providence â—00 Eye-salve what it is â—9â— Ezechiels Prophesie of the measuring of the Spirituall Temple 212. His and Iohns Prophesie of Gog and Magog 535. F. FAlse distinctions of worship 484. 485 The Fable of Enoch and Elias refuted 226. the Fable of Antichrists foure yeares reigne refuted 231. 240. Fable of Maries assumption 256. The False Prophet 394. He and the two horned Beasts are the same 495. Famine thirst and heat what they note by a Synecdoche 149. Famine of Samaria 114. Mysticall famine when proclaimed ibid. The Fathers why they termed not the Pope Antichrist 167. The Father how he judgeth no man 7. 8. The Feare and amazement of the Churches adversaries 244. The fearing of Antichrist hath troubled the whole world The First Vision not universall 361. 362. it belongs unto the last times ibid. Its scope and use of comfort ibid. Free-will not simply denied but in respect of spirituall good 68. Diverse interpretations of the same 444. 445. Figs signifie carnall Bishops 129. Figure of he city just four-square 562. Finall punishment of the wicked 131. Fine linnen how clothing both for the Bride and the Whore 482. how it is righteousnesse ibid. Fire proceeding out of the mouth of the witnesses 228. The fire on which the Angel had power 362. Fiery eyes signifie heroicall motions 24. Fire from heaven consuming Gog and Magog 539. First death 42. 519. Why so called ibid. First resurrection is not corporall but spirituall 518. It is opposed unto the first death 519. It s profitablenesse and necessitie 526. Objections about the same cleared 518. 520. First trumpet answereth to the first seale 158. What is meant by the hayle fire and blood that fell at the sounding thereof ibid. First viall chieflie poured out upon Germanie 380. Fight of the woman when it began and how long it dured 277. Floud of waters what it is 277. Foxe his opinion about it 278. Forme or shape of the beasts diverse and why 92. Forgetfullnesse and memory how said to be in God 460. Foundation of the Church how but one and twelve 561. 562. Fountaines what they denote in the Revelation 163. the fountaines of Waters are to be reckoned among the chief works of God 342. The fountain of true joy is in the Lord 480. The Four Beasts whither they type out the four Evangelists 91. They represent the Apostolicall Church 92. Why they are full of eyes ibid. The Four and twenty Elders are the first Chore 89. The Four periods of the Church of the Gospel 365. The Four Angels
understood 226. Their contemptible habit 227. Their dignity ibid. Their power to turn water into blood 230. Topaze a precious Gemme 565. Torments of Hell 353. To Tread under foot signifies to destroy and wast in hostile manner 215. The Tree of life 37. It is in the middest of the street 575. and on either side ibid. It is one onely viz. Christ ibid. What fruit it alwayes beareth ibid. Trees denote the Apostles and chief teachers 158. The Tribes of Israel not reckoned according to their naturall order 143. The Tribe of Dan why lest out 144. Turkes cruelty 188. Their horses are excellent 189. With what forces the Turks Emperors commonly do ride a hunting ibid. Their successe in Graecia Thracia Hungary 191. The Vetians gave them a great overthrow 190. They notwithstanding took Cyprus from the Venetians ibid. The Two witnesses whither the two Testaments 223. They are indefinitely taken 224. How they shall smite the earth 230. They lived not again Pythagorically 242. Vnder the two witnesses and olive trees are comprehended Godly Princes 228. Two Eagles wings given to the woman 274. The Twofold garments of the Saints 60. Two rancks of such as shal be judged 249 Tyrants can do no more then what is permitted them 111. Why God suffers them ibid. V. VBiquitie of Christs flesh refuted 15.23 It is a burden not imposed by Christ 52. Vials by a double trope are the prayers of the Saints 102. Vials in the Greeke whence derived 372. Victorie of the Saints fourfold 366. The Virginitie spoken of in Chap. 14. is not to be understood of carnall virginitie 334. Visions are threefold 19. Visions why so often iterated 364. Volumina 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were bookes written within and without 97. Voyces and thunders what they note 156. Voyces of great rejoycing 247. The Voyce of Christ the revealer of the Revelation 86. Voyce of the Herauld touching the opening of the book 98. Vrbs and Civitas how they differ 560. Vse of examples in punishments 50. Vse of the rejoycing over Babylons ruine in the Thesis and in the Hypothesis 475. The Vse of the Saints sealing 142. W. WAlles called moenia a muniendo 561. The Walles of Romish Babylon 392. VValking in the middest of the Candlesticks what 31. The Warre of Michael with the Dragon 266. The Waters east out after the woman by the Dragon are Heresies 278. Waters signifie peoples 130. Waters of Euphrates 392. The most deep Waters of the Romish Babylon 393. The Way to amend errours of Doctrine and corruption of manners 57. What things the Church may appoint 20. Which is which was and which is to come expounded 8. VVhite raiment of fine linnen belonging to whom 58. What White robes Iohn intendeth 79. How we are made White in the blood of the Lamb 148. VVhitenesse what it noteth 79. Whitenesse of the horse what it noteth 489. the VVhite horse whence it came forth 107. 108. It figureth out the first face and purity of the Primitive Church ibid. It hath Christ for his rider ibid. It was made black in the first 200. yeers 112. The White stone what it is 45. 46. Whither the Church built upon the Rock can be removed out of its place 35. Whither the Church may suffer for the sinne of her Governour ibid. VVho are blessed after death 355. Whoredome punished with filthy diseases 49. Whoredomes and luxuriousnesse of Popes 411. The Whore how she sitteth upon waters the beast and upon peoples 438. The VVhore hated forsaken made naked and burnt 439. VVho they were that lived and reigned with Christ 514. VVhy the 1260. yeeres are not reckoned from Constantines time 277. VVicked men abuse the long suffering and benignitie of God unto carnall securitie 49. VVindes withheld from blowing what it denoteth 139. The VVildernesse signifies Popish desolation 275. VVings of the 4. beasts why full of eyes 93. VVings of the locusts 183. VVine and oyl what they signifie 115. The VVine of fornication 407. The VVoman clothed with the sun 256. A difficult question about it ibid. The Woman is a tipe of the Church in its beginning ibid. an Historicall comparing of this type with Marie and Christ 256. 257. The VVoman sitting on the beast is Rome 409. This woman sitteth upon waters upon the beast and upon the mountaines 420. The VVomen of Susia beastlie strumpets 407. VVonderful copulation of the woman and the beast 420. VVonders litterallie to be understood 125 and allegorically ibid. The diverse kinds of wonders as particular universal Ominous c. 126. VVonders in the aire and in the earth 399. In the Sea and on men 401. The VVord of patience is the Doctrine of the Gospell 69. VVormwood not naturally but theologically taken 163. The VVorship of the Heavenly inhabitants what it is 478. VVorship due to God belongs not to Angels 486. VVorshippers in the temple who they are 213. A VVorthy observation of the Authour 276. All our VVorthinesse is from God 59. Y. YEares with a numerall Epithete are never indefinitely taken 507. Z. ZEale Or to be Zealous what it is 79. The end of the Table ERRATA PAge 17. Line 3. blot out Onely p. 21. l. 45. for perished read was reckoned among p. 44. l. 23. for comparitively read comparatively p 49. l. 38 for consequence read consequent p. 56. l. 28. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 59. l. 7. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 67. l. 32. for which sheweth read He addeth p. 62. l. 14. for more of this in its place read this conjecture we leave p. 80. l. 4. for philantropie read philanthropie p. 87. l. 13. for manificent read Magnificent Page 115. lines 20.21 Read He is bidden not to hurt the wine and the oyl That is not to overthrow certain fundamentall heads of the faith in which is founded the faith hope and consolation of the Church touching the person and office of Christ makeing the sence thus Howsoever Hereticks shall involve all things with their darknesse and shall also draw the Orthodox teachers either by force or deceit on their side yet they shall not be able to hurt the wine and oyl of the Catholick Faith but there shall be some to maintain the same that the whole be not obscured with Hereticall blacknesse And such c. p. 122. l. 8. for His read Antichrist p. 131. l. 31. After the words Diocletian persecution adde but as throughout in the Scriptures of the day of judgement p. 285. l. 20. for war read And the holy war p. 186. l. 40. for Cypresse read Cyprus p. 189. l. 21. for Vailachia read Walachia p. 145. l. 5. for behold read beheld p. 194. l. 17. for Mutters read Muttering p. 323. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and adde in the line following under the Gr. 1. the figure 5 which will make just 665. p. 324. l. 10. IS is left out p. 360. l. 14. for judicary read judicatory p. 363. l. 9. for apparations read apparitions p. 476. in the margent for Second vision read Sixt vision p. 490. l. 39. for despare read despaire p. 492. l. 48. for worship read worshipped Number of Folioes mistaken 17. for 19. 64. f. 62. 66. f. 68. 188. f. 196. 185. f. 285. 378. f. 379. After Page 408. 4 leaves and an half are amisse quoted Pages twice quoted 360. 361. 362. 363. These and other like defaults through the mistake of the Printer the Courteous Reader is intreated to correct FINIS
will I give the Morning-Star for if the Morning-Star be Christ the sense is To him that overcommeth I will give my selfe or communicate my selfe with all my benefits unto him viz. joy and glory in part in this life but perfectly in the life to come 17. And the Spirit and the Bride say Come These kinde of abrupt sentences full of affection serve to stir up like affections desires and wishes in us Here the Lord Iesus commends unto us the studie of this Prophesie by the example of the Spirit and of the Bride They say Come that is from this Prophesie they long for my comming and that I fulfill the same Therefore ye also that heare the Prophesie ought to have the like desire And the Spirit and the Bride By the Spirit and Bride may be meant the spirituall Bride sanctified by the Spirit of God By the Bride I understand the Church especially the Triumphant She desires me to come that is to fulfill the Prophesie and to return to judgement that she might at length be glorified through a finall redemption like as the Soules of the Martyrs under the Altar did desire the full deliverance of the Church from all the miseries of this life Or we may understand the Spirit properly of the Holy Ghost Metalepsis is a figure whereby a word is put from his proper signification who above spake to the Churches in the Epistles of Christ in which it is often repeated Hee that hath eares let him heare what the SPIRIT saith unto the Churches In this sense the Spirit is said to wish the comming of Christ by a Metalepsis because it is the Spirit that makes the Bride to desire Christs comming in which sense also it is said Rom. 8.26 that the Spirit maketh intercession for us that is stirreth us up to make our requests and to cry Abba Father Come Namely to the full glorification of thy Bride This is the reason of the wish for the coming of the Lord shall be the full redemption of the Church the which seeing wee all doe expect wee must also wish for the comming of the Lord for as the Apostle intimates it is a note of Gods children to love his comming 2. Tim. 4.8 And let him that heareth This is the consequent of the former as if he should say If the Spirit and the Bride long for my comming then also let him that heareth the words of the Prophesie say COME that is ardently desire my comming for his redemption Thus hee would have us continually to pray Let thy Kingdome come by which we daily desire that the Lord Iesus by his comming would wholly destroy the Kingdome of Satan and perfectly set up his owne in us in eternall glory And let him that is athirst come He teacheth us what we ought to doe untill we obtaine our desire by a most large promise comforting us against the temptation of delay Let him saith he that is athirst that is that desireth full redemption and glory through my comming Come To wit unto me or unto the studie and meditation of this Prophesie It is an Answer unto the Churches wish as if he should say ye desire that I should come to your deliverance Yee therefore come unto me through Faith What it is to come unto Christ Mat. 11.28 Obedience and true Sanctitie being alwayes as it were girded with the same For to come to Christ is to receive his doctrine trust obey serve and wholly to give ones selfe unto him This is meant in the Gospell where hee saith Come unto mee all yee that are heavy laden AND VVHOSOEVER VVIL According to the promise Chap. 21.6 To him that is athirst I will give of the Fountaine of the water of life freely So here to them that come unto him he promiseth the living water of the pure Chrystalline River of the Heavenly Ierusalem This water is Christ himselfe the Fountaine of Life Or the Holy Ghost filling the Saints with Heavenly consolation This water is drawne or obtained by Faith and Prayer Therefore he saith Let him take That is by prayer beg and by faith obtaine the same It is not thrust into the hands of unwilling slothfull and drowsie persons therefore hee saith Whosoever will Hee saith not that it is in the power of free will but requires the will to receive it The will is ours but the will of receiving is not in us it is the gift of grace 1. Cor. 4.7 For what hast thou that thou hast not received Therefore the will and desire of grace is required to be in us that wee might bee quickned with the water of life Freely The Fountaine of grace which is open to all that desire the same is not to bee bought with the price of any thing but is freely bestowed by the merit and efficacie of the Lord Iesus Away therefore with the merits of Hypocrites 18. For I testifie These also are the words of the Lord Iesus not Iohns as appeares from ver 20. Before he said Blessed are they that keepe the words of this Prophesie Now he threatens a terrible curse unto all such as presume any wayes to adulterate this Prophesie For he foresaw that some would despise question and falsifie the same by their Additions Hee was not ignorant also that Antichrist with his false Prophets Falsifiers of Holy Writ would take liberty to falsifie the Faith yea usurpe to themselves absolute power over the very Scriptures of God Therefore he thought it necessary to defend the Authority of the Revelation and the whole Booke of Canonicall Scripture by this threatning as it were with a Seale that it might bee preserved entire unto the end for the Churches unto whose profit it was dedicated For I testifie The causall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For seemes an over-plus to Ribera by a Graecisme but as we shewed in the Analysis it is a seventh Argument commending the worthinesse of this Prophesie taken from the inviolable authority thereof Andreas for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I also testifie for so it is in the Text simplie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I testifie And so the Kings Copie hath it But all other Copies have it I also testifie neither is it without ground for the Lord Iesus assenteth to his Angell whom he had sent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to testifie these things to his servants as if he should say My Angell hath testified unto you and I also testifie with him For properly Summarturesai signifies to affirme a thing by a religious testimony or to urge it with serious contestation and so oblidge the Hearers upon pain of vengeance to obey the same But let us briefly consider to whom Christ doth testifie what it is and after what manner Vnto every man that heareth the words This Protestation belongs unto all that heare and read the same not one excepted And therefore neither Pope nor Councell have any right to adde or