Temple of Heaven from the Throne saying It is done 18 And there were voices and thunders and lightnings and there was a great earthquake such as was not since men were upon the earth so mighty an earthquake and so great 19 And the great City was divided into three parts and the Cities of the nations fell and great Babylon came in remembrance before God to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fiercenesse of his wrath 20 And every Island fled away and the mountaines were not found 21 And there fell upon men a great haile out of Heaven every stone about the weight of a talent and men blasphemed God because of the Plague of the haile for the Plague thereof was exceeding great THE COMMENTARY ANd the seventh Angel poured out Now the Battle is expected but yet it is intercepted by the seventh Angell pouring out the seventh Viall and last plague the which respecteth the last judgement and the casting the Fighting Adversaries into eternall punishment It is so apparent that this is a true description of the last judgement that almost all Interpreters acknowledge the same Yet none of them give a sufficient reason why it is here again repeated seeing it hath so often before been described save onely they say it is done by way of anticipation But what cause is there that this Anticipation should be so often iterated certainely none at all except it be because this is the last Act of the fift Vision Now every of the Visions as hitherto wee have seene doe end with the last Judgement So that this part of the Vision is to be compared with the former Analogies of Chap. The latter Act of Vision 5. 7. towards the end of the second Vision and Chap. 11. towards the end of the third Vision and Chap. 14. towards the end of the fourth Vision Now in this they differ that in Chap. 7. the last judgement is onely described by the deliverance of the godly On the contrary in Chap. 11. 14. and here also it is only figured out by the destruction of the Antichristians This also is to be observed That the seventh Viall doth answer to the seventh Trumpet in Chap. 11. but not to the seventh Seale in Chap. 8. the opening whereof did not shut up the foregoing Vision but made way for the following Now to the words The last Viall is poured out into the Ayre which is the common receptacle of all living creatures The ayre therefore being smitten with the fury of Gods wrath and infected with pestilence what should follow but the common destruction of the creatures and end of other things of which that we might not doubt there came a great voyce saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is done It is a great voyce because with marveilous earnestnesse it proclaimeth the judgement of the last Day It came out of the Temple of heaven from the Throne that we might understand it was the voice of God or Christ the Iudge sitting on the Throne The voice It is done is as it were abrupt or suddenly broken off because in a moment it shall put an end to the fatall battle of the wicked against God The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is expounded It hath bin or It is done in both which senses is proclaimed the end of the world Beza limits it It hath bin to wit Babylon as it is in the Poet Troja fuit fuimus Troes But it is better to take it absolutely It is done that is now is the end of all wordly matters for it is a dramaticall clause As when the Comoedie is ended one cryeth out in dissmissing the Spectators Acta est fabula Plaudite So then the fashion of this world shall passe away and come to an end when it shall be proclaimed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is done as Christ dying on the Crosse cryed out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is finished signifying that the mysterie of our redemption was now accomplished by his death that we might not seeke or exspect any thing otherwhere as necessary to salvation In a word by this voyce we are sent backe to what was before spoken by the Angell sounding the seventh Trumpet Chap. 10.7 That the mysterie of God should be finished As before therefore at the sounding of the Trumpet so now at the pouring out of the seventh Viall the Angell cryeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is done or It is finished 18 And there were voyces and lightnings and thunders These horrible effects of the last Viall do figuratively signifie the comming of Christ the Iudge the end of the world and the destruction of the ungodly as Chap. 11.19 Now the effects are Four 1. Respects the Aire 2. The Earth 3. The Sea 4. Men. First there are voyces and lightnings and thunders in the Aire 1. Signes in the aire These are not such lightnings as came forth from the throne Chap. 4.5 Neither such as happened at the casting of the censer upon the earth Chap. 8.5 for they were effects of the preaching of the word but such as concluded the third Vision Chap. 11.19 Beeing Signes I say of Christs comming to judgement and taking vengeance in flaming fire on them that know not God who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power to wit 1 Thess 1.8 those shakings of the powers of Heaven the melting of the elements and horrible tempests spoken of by Christ and Peter Mat. 2429 Pet 3.10 with these things the Lord will at last come to judgement and take away the furious weapons out of the hands of all such as fight against God Secondly In the earth is an earthquake such as was not since men were upon the earth And no wonder for this shall be no naturall earthquake Signes in the earth but the earth being smitten with lightning from Heaven shall be shaken and rent into a thousand pieces and be burnt with fire with all the workes that are therein Now the Antichristian earthquake before mentioned in Chap. 6.12 and 8.5 differs from it 2. Pet 3.10 19. And the great City was divided Or rather broken c. Now he expoundeth what in this common destruction happened in particular to Antichrists Seat and Cities of other adversaries that is their kingdomes Forts Armies and Palaces The great City was broken that it rent asunder by the earthquake into three parts that is It fell being broken to pieces for here three parts denote the destruction and the threefold number the perfect full and utter ruine thereof for a Citie being divided by an earthquake into divers parts cannot remaine entire but must of necessity perish Thus I understand this rupture not of a light sha king or rent but of a totall subversion of the great City The which sense the following word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fell doth necessarily import for the Great City shall suffer no lesse overthrow then
hee shed his blood and gave his life for us a golden sentence containing the summe of the Gospel and a principall fruit of the death of Christ Besides it yeeldeth us an argument who was the writer of this booke Ioh. 5.8 for this is the phrase of Iohn the Euangelist the blood of Iesus Christ the son of God doth purge us from all sinne that which there he calleth purging here it is called washing by a like metaphor taken from water which purgeth away foulnesse Now Christ cleanseth us froÌ„ our sinnes two maner of waies First by his merit because by the shedding of his blood he hath taken away the guilt of our sins and justified us before the judgement seat of God Secondly by the efficacie of his sufferings for by the vertue of his merit he also giveth us the holy Ghost and regenerateth us to newnesse of life that being dead to sin we might live unto righteousnes So that Iohn in fewwords doth comprehend many great mysteries of the Gospel Christ hath washed us from our sinnes So then wee were defiled with sinnes we were guilty in tâ—e sight of God but hee hath washed us by his owne blood And therefore the shedding of his blood is a price fullie satisfying the justice of God for all our sinnes Contrarie to the blasphemous falshood of Socinus affirming that the blood and death of Christ is nothing but a martyrdom whereby he merited his owne exaltation He hath washed us from our sinnes so then wee are justified before God by the merit of his blood Therefore it is false that we are washed and justified by the merit of works To be short he hath washed us being therefore once purged let us not returne to the wallowing again in the myre but rather seriously indeavor to be righteous and acceptable to Christ our Saviour 6. And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his father in the Greeke there is a defect of the relative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who common to the Hebrewes and hath made is put for who hath made For the word kings the old interpreter rendreth it kingdom and the reason of it may be because two greeke copies have the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a kingdom but all other copies yea the kings bible reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is kings which also is repeated chap. 5 10. Alcasar defendeth the vulgar translation with many words but the generall agreement of all copies is against him and though the sence may be the same yet it is more probable that persons with persons rather then persons with things should be joyned together besides the one is a proper speech the other figurative This then is the third benefit we receive from Christ viz. that he hath made us priests and kings kings not onely in adopting us to be heirs of his kingdom but also through the power of the holy Ghost hath made us conquerors over sinne Rom. 8.37 Rom. 16 20. 1 Cor. 15 57. 1 Ioh. 5 4. death satan and all other enemies as it is written in all these things wee are more then conquerors through him that loved us And the God of peace shall bruise satan under your feet shortly Thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through Iesus Christ. And this is our victory that overcometh the world even our faith Lastly Christ hath made us kings hereby to shew that he will at length crowne all his members with glory and honor And priests to offer spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God through Christ and to consecrate our selves as a living sacrifice pleasing unto him Iohn heere hath reference to that in Exod. Exo. 19 6 1 Pet. 2.5.9 19 6 and yee shall bee unto mee a kingdom of priests and an holy nation Which words the Apostle Peter thus explaineth yee also as living stones are built up a spirituall house an holy Priesthood to offer up spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God through Iesus Christ And again yee are a royall Priesthood an holy nation a peculiar people that yee should shew forth the prayses of him who hath called you out of darknesse into his marveillous light To God and his father Whether we understand this of the trinitie or else as generally it is taken of the person of the father the sence is one that is that we being reconciled to God by Christ should therefore labour to give up our selves to him as an acceptable sacrifice Indeed this our reconciliation is a singular dignitie which God forbid we should stain with any spots of unthankfulnes The papists chalenge the Priesthood as proper to their clergie but Christ on the contrarie hath made it common to all the faithfull They confesse indeed that spiritually all may be said to be priests yet properly they onely who are anointed with the holy Christme but it may easily be proved that their hierarchie and order of Clarkes priests and monkes were not instituted by Christ or his Apostles but were brought into the Church by a preposterous imitation of Iewish and heathenish rites Ribera on the contrarie pleads that the Priesthood here spoken of is not to be taken properly but metaphorically Now who doth deny it therefore seeing himself striving herein with his owne shadow he changeth his stile and affirmeth that the Priesthood in this place is properly spoken of and pretendeth a rule that offentimes that which in holy writ seemeth to be spoken of all in generall is not to be applied to all in particular but onely to some of the number whom it concerneth And he alledgeth for this Exod. 19 6. yee shall bee to mee a kingdom of priests an holy nation Ioh. 3 16. 20 28. Exo. 19.6 c. The rule wee acknowledge yet doe denie that it appertaineth unto this place For the words of the text compared with the place of Peter cannot bee understood of some of the faithfull onely but of all in generall for as not a few of the faithfull but all are made kings to God by Christ so also not a few but all are made priests It is likewise plain that the speech in Exodus respected all the people for as they were an holy nation so they were a royall Priesthood though afterward by a special priviledge God granted the ceremonial Priesthood to one tribe alone which priviledge if it belong to the Romish clergie also let Ribera shew it from the holy scriptures To him be glorie the relative to him doth plainly cohere with the foregoing datives 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that loved and washed And therefore glorie and thanks is properly ascribed to Christ Luk. 23 3. Isay 2 19. for he giveth thanks and teacheth us to give immortall praise to him because he hath washed us and made us kings and priests to God and his father He giveth to Christ that which he already hath that we should acknowledge that he hath it and that it is his will we should ascribe the same to him and
the bosome of the Church by the indulgence of the Pastor so publickly maintained their wicked doctrine to the scandall of the faithful and danger of the whole Church For a little leaven leaveneth the whole lumpe Besides because of this 1 Cor. 5.6 the unbeleeving Gentiles spake evil of the Christians as if they committed fornication each with other Thus we see that their sinne was of a high nature and therfore great reason had Christ to require repentance for the same I wil come against thee shortly The like phrase of threatning is in v. 6. and the same kind of punishement is applied to the discription of Christ v. 12. as if he should say It is not in vain that I have a two edged sword in my mouth for therewith I wil strike and wound the unrepentant I wil fight against them Christ then fighteth against us with the sword of his mouth when he reproveth our evils threatneth punisheth obstinate sinners For Gods threatnings are never without effect But as it is written unlesse ye repent Luk 13.3 ye shall all likewise perish Christ fighteth with a sword to convince wound condemne and cast off the irrecoverable Against them To wit the Nicolaitans notwithstanding he includeth the Pastor also with the Church it self except they repented so that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with or against them is put in stead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against you 17. He which hath an eare He endeth the Epistle with his wonted Epiphonema or acclamatorie conclusion wherin though the promise differs in words yet the sence is the same with the former To him that overcommeth this is put by a change of the number for all that overcome that al in hope of a recompence might be incouraged to the good fight of faith For rewards much prevaile to harten us unto duties By them that overcome he meaneth such as stood fast in the faith were not polluted with the filthines of the Nicolaitans To these by an allegorie he promiseth a threefold benefit To eat of the hid Manna This is the first Manna was that heavenly bread sweet in tast with which God fed his people in the wildernes who being pressed with hunger found in the morning without the camp an heavenly dew like to Coriāder Exo. 16.15 1 Cor. 10.3 at which they wondring said man-hu what is this And hence it was called Manna It was a sacrament shadowing out Christ the true bread of life Of this Christ will give him that overcommeth to eat that is I wil feed him with the pleasant food of my owne bodie give unto him eternal salvation for he which eateth the Flesh of Christ Io. 6.54 drinketh his blood hath life eternal By hidden Manna he alludeth to the Omer of Manna which was laid up in a golden pot into the Arke for a remembrance according as God commanded Moses which signified that Christ indeed is hidde to the prophane of this world yet seene of the godly not with bodilie eyes but by the eye of their faith Ribera saith wel that it is called hidden Manna because eternall happines is not bestowed on all alike but is reserved onely for the elect in the world to come And wil give him a white stone This is the second benefit about which interpreters much differ in opinion Some understand by it the pretious bright shining Carbuncle Rupertus interpreteth it of the glorious bodies of such as doe overcome whom Christ wil rayse at the last day and make them shine like the Sun in his brightnes Others understand it of an allusion taken from runners in a race to whome was given a white stone in signe of victorie when they overcame the which thing if it were confirmed by historie it were then a cleare opening of the text Sixtus Senensis saith that the ancient heathens caused their festival dayes to be ingraved on their publick tables and noted with a white stone that they might the better discerne them from other dayes But they seem to come neerest to the litterall meaning who thinke that Christ in this respecteth the manner of judgments where there were two sorts of stones or counters white and blacke cast into a basen By the white the innocent was absolved by the black the guiltie condemned lib. 15. Metamor and hence they were named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 acquitting or condemning stones Of which the Poet speaketh Mos erat antiquis niveis atrisque lapillis His damnare reos illis absolvere culpa In ancient times with stones they did In Iudgment seat proceed By blacke the guiltie were condemnd The Iust by white were freed Thus Christ wil give to him that overcommeth a white stone that is absolve him in the day of Iudgement Io. 5.24 according to the promise he that heareth my words and beleeveth in him that sent me hath eternal life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death unto life And in the stone a new name written This is the third benefit and the phrase is taken from the forenamed custom where the names of such as were absolved were ingraven on white stones but on blacke the condemned A new name That is an excellent and honorable name for so much the scripture in many places doth set forth by the word New Psa 33. Reve. 3.12 14.3 as sing unto the Lord a new song I wil write upon him my new name They sung as it were a new song before the throne c. This undoubtedly is the name of Gods children whereof the Lord speaketh Isai 56.5 J wil give unto them a name better then of sonnes and daughters meaning the adoption of the sonnes of God which infinitely surpasseth the name of carnall sonnes and daughters For what is there more glorious then to be the sons of God surely such shall never be condemned But some may say how can he give them that Io. 1.12 which they have already for as many as received him to them he gave power to become the sons of God I Answer now we are sons and heires in hope but in the world to come we shall fully enioy the right of children and really then posses the promised inheritance and be like unto the angels of God Luk. 20.36 for they that shall be counted worthy to enioy that world neyther marrie wives nor are married for they can die no more forasmuch as they are equall unto the Angels and are the sons of God Thus we se that the third benefit promised to them that overcome is a full possession of the inheritance of Gods children Which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth is What this meaneth which is also spoken of Christ who hath a name that no man knoweth but himself I will shew in a word Reve. 19 12. namely it is a name which can not be uttered because the happines of Gods children can not be expressed for eye hath
that the lord is greatly offended with the defilements both of our soules and bodies for he is a pure and holy spirit and requireth the same in them that worship him Hebr. 12.14 And without this no man shall see him 2. The corrupters of the truth shall be grievously punished howsoever they may for a time by subtiltie cover their deceit and draw many into their snares 3. That God is ready to forgive most vile sinners if they truelie repent XVII Arg. of Chr. deity Lastly here we have the seventeenth argument of the deitie of Christ in that he threatneth to punish these wicked deceivers for none but God onelie is able to doe it and therfore it manifesteth his divine omnipotencie That which the hereticke objects concerning Moses striking the Aegyptians with plagues is of no waight neither of Peter his slaying of Ananias Nor Pauls striking Elymas with blindenesse For we know that the Prophets and Apostles wrought miracles not of themselves but by the power of God Wheras Christ threatens to doe this by his owne power Io. 5.19 Mat 10.1 16.17 For whatsoever things the Father doth these also doth the Son likewise Yea the Son giveth power unto others to doe the like things And all the Churches shall know The end and use of Gods vengeance on sinners is to declare both his omniscience of the hidde things of the hart as also his omnipotencie and Iustice in rendring to evry one according to his workes Even as God said to Pharoah Exo. 9.16 Rom. 9.17 And in very deed for this cause have I raysed thee up for to shew in thee my power and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth Thus the lord by threatning cals sinners to repentance by Iudgments punisheth the obstinate and hereby declareth his wisedome power and Iustice unto all Now it is not without cause that Christ attributes to himselfe the knowledge of hidden things for seeing this wicked woman beguiled many by couveringe her uncleane actions under a pretence of holinesse Christ therefore here declares that none of her wayes were hidden from his eyes Hence we observe in the first place that one principal end of Gods exemplarie punishing of the wicked is that all the Churches may acknowledge declare the wisedome power and Iustice of God Thus we se how profitable it is that publike examples are propounded before our eyes to the end we may take notice of the judgments of God beware least by the like wickednesse we stirre up his wrath against our owne soules XVIII Argu of Chr. deity Secondly here is offred unto us the eighteenth argument excellently proving the divinity of Christ For here Christ will be acknowledged to be the searcher of the heart and reynes which the scripture ascribeth unto God alone For the righteous God trieth the heart and reynes Psa 7.9 1. King 8.39 1 King 16 7. Give unto every man according to his wayes whose heart thou knowest Thou alone knowest the hearts of all the sonnes of men see also 1. Chro. 28. Iere. 11.20 and 17.10 and 20.12 Eniedinus the Samosatenian objecteth in the first place that the searching of the heart and reines doth not here signifie a knowledge of the thoughts But rather a most equal and just administration of judgment by Christ and so it proveth not that he is true God I answer The antecedent is a manifest and bold corrupting of the text For the divine attribute which elsewhere is ascribed to Jehova is here without any limitation and in the verie same words applied unto Christ not onely in regard of the administration of his righteous judgments but also as he is the searcher of the heart and therefore must necessarily be taken in one and the same sence But again he objecteth That Christ hath received all his knowledge judgment yea and himself too from the Father as he confesseth Io. 5. Rev. 5.11 here v. 27. as I have received from my Father so that he is not the same God with the Father I answer he deceiveth by an equivocation For Christ receiveth all things from the father two maner of wayes Io 1.14 Prov. 8.25 God the sonne hath received his divine essence from the Father by eternal generation for he is the onely begotten of the Father before the mountaines were setled So that with his divine essence he received his divine omniscience But as he is man he received all his power and glorie in time by his reall exaltation so far forth as consisted with the nature and perfection of his manhood in this latter respect we confesse he is not God notwithstanding it is false to affirme that he is not God in the former for howsoever in this respect he hath received all things from the Father yet whatsoever is divine the Sonne hath it by his owne essence even as the Father Because the Father hath given to the Sonne to have life in himself as the Father hath life in himself See Damascenus lib. 4. Orth. fid cap. 19. Thirdly he objecteth that many Prophets and Apostles knew the hearts of men also Io. 5.26 I answer Eyther this or that of Salomon is false Thou onely knowest the hearts of all men 1 King 8.39 God indeed did reveal some things not al things unto Elisha Peter and Paul but not the knowledge of the hearts To be short none of them did or could say that he was the searcher of the reynes and heart as Christ here saith And all the Churches shal know that I am the searcher of the reynes hearts 24. But unto you I say The fourth part of the narration is an exhortation and here he turnes aside from the Pastor before commended and reproved and from the deceivers threatned and speakes to the rest of the Church in Thyatira and exhorts such as were godly among them and had not harkened unto the false teachers to go foreward and continue in the Apostles doctrine And hence again it appeareth that these Epistles were written not to the officers alone but to all the Churches The Vulgar as also Andreas and Montanus read it without the copulative but to you the rest but the other Greeke copies have it to you and to the rest as if he had said to thee o Pastor and to thy fellow officers and to the resâ—â—f the Church But the sence is the same For the Pastor also was one of those which held not the doctrine of Jezabel although indeed he was to negligent in repressing of the same This doctrine To wit of Jezabel and the Nicolaitans concerning fornication and communicating with Idolaters And which have not knowen This is an Hebrue phrase and signifies who have not approved The depth of Satan So these deceivers called their blasphemies as being deep mysteries and hidden wisedome and things more excellent then ever the Apostles taught Now Christ graunteth they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 depths but such as had their original
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
workes And this he doth to stirre them up to a cheerfull going foreward in wel dooing for the prayse of vertue increaseth it and honour provokes men to vertuous enterprises Ovid. li. 4. de pont As the Poet speaketh Secondly in special because he had kept his word and not denyed his name Thus as in the first he is commended for his sinceritie in doctrine so in the latter for his constant profession of the same before the adversarie These two things are required of all Christians but Especiallie of Gods ministers namely to keep the faith of Christ entire and not to corrupt the same by humane inventions and 2. not to forsake the profession thereof in any estate or condition Ro. 10.10 For with the hart man beleeveth unto righteousnesse and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation But least this holie teacher should be lifted up to thinke he did these things by his owne strengeth Christ therfore ascribes both the first constitution of this Church as also the constancie of Pastor and people therin to his grace alone behold I have set before thee an open doore that is It is not by thy own power that the congregation over which thou art embraceth the truth taught by thee or that thou thy self standest fast in the faith against all the threats of the adversaries who dayly labour to shut this open doore for thou hast little strength that is little or no outward help and assistance but it is I who have set an open doore before thee It is I who have opened it by my own power and hence the enemies neither have nor ever shall be able to shut the same Thus we se that which before was indefinitely spoken of Christs shutting and opening is here in perticular applyed to the Philadelphians J have set before thee an open doore I am not ignorant how these words for thou hast a little strength may be taken in another sence And some indeed doe expound them adversitivelie as if they deserved the greater commendation for their constancie in their affliction seing they had but a little strength that is destitute of humane protection But then the causal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for should bee a reason of the latter that is wherfore he had kept the word which is repugnant to the scope of the commendation for it is manifestly a reason of the former namely wherfore Christ had opened a doore unto him which no man should bee able to shut Others again understand it as spoken for his comfort as if Christ had said I have gathered unto my self a Church in this citie in the midst of many adversaries over which I have appointed thee a Pastor and howsoever thou hast but a little strength to resist them notwithstanding I will so protect both thee and thy congregation as that no man shall bee able to shut that is to subvert the same or expell the faithfull out of this place Which interpretation I confesse containes much excellent comfort both for the Pastor and people but considering that the Epistle as yet treates not of consolations I therfore allow rather the first exposition Now touching this manner of speech An open doore by a Metaphor is signified an occasion offered of wel dooing that is an opportunitie of preaching and propagating the Gospel for as a man goes into the house the doore being opened even so when the Lord gives passage to the Gospel Churches are planted propagated according to that of the Apostle When I came to Troas to preach the Gospel 2 Cor. 2 12 a doore was opened to mee of the Lord and 1. Cor. 16.12 a great door and effectuall is opened to me c. Hence chiefly we are taught two things First this again proves the divinitie of Christ for whereas he both knoweth the workes of the faithful and openeth a doore to his Church as also restraines the power of the adversaries that notwithstanding all their malice and rage yet can they not shut the same it clearelie shewes that he is God onely wise and omnipotent And therfore as Christ our Lord by his mightie workes XXII Arg. of Chr. deity proved against the blasphemous Jewes that he was God Joh. 10.38 so are we bound from his powrful gathering and preserving of this Church to beleeve the same The cavill of some hereticks is of no waight who pretend that Christ doth these workes by a power communicated unto him of the father I answer he doth it by his divine and essentiall omnipotencie which he hath received from the father by eternall generation for whatsoever the father hath is Christs Ioh. 16.15 Io. 5.9 and whatsoever things hee doeth these also doth the son likewise Not as if the power of the Father were uncreated Christs created but both the Father and the Son worke by the same divine and uncreated power For the Son doeth all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alike with the Father Secondly as Christ of old opened a doore for the passage of the Gospel and no power of malice of men nor Devils could any way hinder the same so considering at this day that among so manie enemies a doore is opened unto the Churches in Germanie England Poland Hungarie c. we ought to acknowledge that this happeneth not by chance nor ascribe it to the industrie of teachers prudencie of politicians or the power of princes but unto the grace efficacie presence and power of Christ alone for certainly the strength of Christians hath been little or nothing to resist the tyrannical persecution cruell edicts and horrible torments by which Antichrist hath laboured but in vain utterlie to deface our Christian faith but by how much they have sought to presse it downe by so much like unto the palme tree it hath flourished more and more because Christ by his divine power having opened this doore Antichrist was not able to shut the same And indeed it is a thing admirable in our eyes that some few Monkes and despised teachers should by the contemptible preaching of the Gospel so shake the kingdome of the Beast howbeit supported with the aid and power of the kings and Emperors of the earth on all sides as that whole nations of the Christian world should turne from Antichrist to Christ our Lord. Now this beeing come to passe we may not thinke that either teachers kings or princes have opened the doore but because Christ powerfullie reigning at the right hand of God hath so effected the same as that none was able to hinder it Let us therfore bee truelie thankful unto Christ for so great a mercie and divine miracle humbly beseeching him to keep this doore still open unto us not suffering it to be shut for our unthankfulnes or his sheep to be scattered by the enemies but that hee graciously preserve his Churches by dwelling among them 9. And I wil make them of the Synagogue of Satan Gr. I give them The second part is a
our obedience For no man can be said to merit in dooing that which he is bound to performe but we are injoyned to keep the word of Christ and besides when we have don the utmost that we can yet we are but unprofitable servants God doth onely of his free grace reward our obedience constancy So that the speech of Christ in this place is not an argument drawen from the meritorious cause of salvation but frō the condition onely without which we cannot exspect the same for Christ promiseth to deliver none but such as keep his word Why then doth he thus speak not that we should be lifted up with an opiniō of merit but by promising a reward hee sheweth how acceptable our obedience is unto him as also to the end that we may increase persevere in grace From the houre of temptation The third consolation is contained in these words temptation that is the cruel persecution of Trajane or some other tyrant in calling it an houre he noteth the brevity of this affliction that they might the more cheerfully undergoe it The crosse is compared to a womans sorrow in travel Joh. 16.20 because of the shortnesse of the paine and the joyfull effect thereof See also Rom. 8.18 2 Cor. 4.17 To try them that dwel upon the earth the fourth consolation is taken from the use of afflictions They are not sent as punishments from God for our destruction but for the trial of our faith and constancie And in this respect they are first just because God hath right to trie us and 2 necessarie Isa 28.19 Iam. 1.3 1 Pet. 1 7. least we should grow slack and dull as also very profitable for vexation causeth us to understand worketh patience shakes of the drowsines of sin makes our faith more pretious then Gold to be found to prayle and honour glory to be short it stirreth us up earnestly to call upon God Seeing therfore the Lord makes his trials so many wayes profitable unto us Ps 91.15 set us be patient constant under the same He useth this temptation to try them that are upon the earth for God tries hypocrites wicked men as wel as the saintes though the effect bee diverse For by it the ungodlinesse in constancy lightnesse of the former is made manifest God hereby separating hypocrites wicked men crept into the Church from the society of saintes for these remaine constant the other by their apostacie manifest the secret corruption of their hearts Moreover we are to take notice that these words them that dwell upon the earth are alwayes in this booke taken in a bad sence as signifying unfound men idolaters the followers of Antichrist as will appear in the following hystorie 11 Behold I come quickly This may be referred to the following exhortation I will come quickly hold fast therefore that treasure of faith which thou hast received But it seemes rather to agree with that which went before as a conclusion of the third consolation promising to come quickly to destroy the wicked to deliver his children least by delaying their deliverance they might seeme to be impatient Some referre this to his last coming If so then quickly notes not the time at hand but sooner then the world is aware of For although the Lord be not yet come 2 Pet. 3.9 yet he is not slack saith the Apostle concerning his promise but is long suffering to usward not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance He will therfore come quicklie that is sooner then many thinke For when the world shall say peace and safety then sudden destruction commeth See Chap. 1.1 Hold that fast which thou hast In this third part of the narration he exhorts them to sincerity and constancy in the faith that they loose not the reward And it is added to the foregoing consolation least by it we should become secure The sentence is brief but very emphatical Hold fast that which thou hast What had they faith and a good conscience as Paul expounds it 1 Tim. 1.18 And indeed these are the chief heads of all spirituall blessings the which whosoever hath and keepes in this life shall obtaine a crowne of glory in the life to come These two the Pastor and Church of Philadelphia had and with them all other graces For by faith they had righteousnes sanctification adoption and hope of glorie to come By a good conscience they increased in sincerity patience and constancie under the crosse as we have alreadie shewed These things saith he hold fast to wit unto the end The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here used notes the necessitie of our uttermost indeavour and strength considering the many lets and impediments which otherwise might cause us to make shipwrack of faith and a good conscience unlesse we strive with all our power Thus we see they are exhorted to perseverance in their integrity That no man take thy crowne The reason is drawen from the dangerous effect of slothfulnes for not they that fight remisly but onely such as hold out and overcome 2 Tim. 4.8 Iam. 1.12 1 Pet. 5.4 are crowned in signe of victorie Thy crowne so he calleth the reward of life eternall Paul termes it the crowne of righteousnes which shall be given to them that overcome by Christ the righteous judge Iames the crowne of life Peter the crowne of Glorie that fadeth not away the which all faithfull teachers shall receive when Christ the great shepherd of the sheepe shall appeare Thus this crowne is distinguished from those other crownes which in ancient times were given unto conquerours See our Commentarie on 1 Cor. 9.24 We may here observe manie things the which I will breifly touch First we are taught that the promises of God ought not to make us secure but rather to stirre up our indeavour to constancie for we cannot assuredly applie them unto our selves except we earnestly labour to performe our duty Christ promised indeed to this Church to keepe them from the houre of temptation yet he bids them hold fast what they had intimating that our faith and constancie ought not to be lessened by the promises but rather strengthened and increased Secondlie we are taught that they onely shall be crowned with the promised reward in heaven who hold fast what they have here receyved we shall be cloathed upon with our house which is from heaven 2 Cor. 5.3 if so bee that beeing cloathed we shall not bee found naked Thirdlie seeing it is called thy crowne it seems to denote that in heaven we shall have every one his owne crowne from whence it may be gathered that as there are degrees of punishment so there shall bee differences of reward yea undoubtedlie such faithfull teachers as have brought manie to righteousnes Dan. 12.3 shall shine as starres in the firmament Iovinian against whom Ierome disputeth seems to hold that all the faithfull shall have one and
Senens lib. 2. p. 87. and againe theirs by the Collossians The which place being doubtfully rendred in the Latine version hath occasioned some to thinke that Paul writ the Epistle which is now extant unto them of Laodicea but it is an Apocrypha writing compiled by som deceiver and taken from the Epistles to the Galatians Philippians and Colossians Theophilactus and some others understand it of the first Epistle to Timothie which was sent as they say to Laodicea a chiefe citie of Phrygia Pacatiana as the subscription also hath it But that cannot be for as it may be gathered from Coll. 2.2 Paul had never seen those of Laodicea Chrysostom therefore and others with more likelihood understand it of an Epistle which they of Laodicea wrot unto Paul in which without doubt they testified their faith and piety unto the Apostle Lib 5. cont Marc. Tertullian saith it was the opinion of Marcion that the Epistle to the Ephesians now extant was writen by Paul to them of Laodicea Now howsoever this Church in Iohns time was grievously corrupted yet questionlesse after this vehement reproofe which Iohn from Christ delivered unto them they repented of their evils For Eusibius commendeth this Church as flourishing in his time and mentioneth some of their Bishops and among others Anatolius a chiefe opposer of Paulus Samosatenus and after him one Stephanus who indeed in learning and eloquence was equall with the rest but not in vertue constancie for in the time of persecution he denyed the faith to the great scandal of the Church of Christ And hence it may probably be gathered that this Epistle to the Laodiceans wrought much good in them And also we are again here taught that pastors Churches may erre and fall away unlesse they be by the power of God preserved in the way of truth Now we come to the Epistle These things saith the Amen The preface as formerly proves the authority of the Epistle describing Christ the Author thereof by three glorious Epithâ—es namely that he is the Amen the true and faithfull witnesse and the beginning of the creation of God These things are taken from Chap. 1.5.6.7.8 Christ calleth himself the Amen from the Hebrew Aman veritie It is an affirmative particle and caries with it the nature of an oath confirming the truth and certainty of things it is in greeke nai yea in Latine certe profecto verely verely In this place it is put in stead of an adjective for him who is most true both in his promises and threatnings and is expounded by the following words the true and faithfull witnesse which we have spoken of on Chap. 1. v. 5. Christ therefore is the Amen the true and faithfull witnesse because as he is God so he is truth it self and the essentiall wisedome of the Father And as he is man he hath witnessed and brought forth the testimony of the gospell out of the bosome of his father and by divine miracles so confirmed the truth thereof as that none but with great impiety can question the same Now the reason why here he calleth himself thus seems to bee because he had to doe with hypocrites who beeing growen secure began to esteem of the faith of Christ as a thing indifferent that for the cause thereof they needed not to contend with the Pagans or suffer affliction for the same Now Christ to the end that he might more plainlie take them for their lukewarmenesse doth by these epithites declare his truth and faithfulnesse The reason wherefore Christ is called Amen is shewed by the Apostle 2 Cor. 1.19 where he saith that Jesus Christ preached among the Corinthians was not yea and nay that is variable and inconstant because in him all the promises of God even from the infancie of Church unto this day are Yea and Amen that is surely and certainely fulfilled unto the glory of God the Father The which as it the serves to refute their folly who eyther call in question or reject the faith of Christ as doe the Turks Jewes Epicures Hypocrites and others so it doth very much comfort and strengthen the faith of the godlie For seeing Christ is the Amen the faithfull and true witnesse he wil stand to his promises and never forsake them that trust in him Ioh. 14.18 Hebr. 13.15 according to that which is written I will not leave you Orphants I will not leave thee nor forsake thee c. The beginning of the creation of God As the two former titles declare the faithfulnesse of Christ so this shewes his excellencie and power Observe this ambiguous manner of speech The beginning of the creation of God this is ambiguously rendred For the word which is in the text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies not onely the beginning or original But also principallity and dominion Now in what sence soever it be taken it clearlie proveth the Godhead of Christ If we render it principallity that is prince of the creation or creatures it shewes that he is God If we render it the beginning of the creation it prooves the same thing For he as the Son did with the Father and holy Spirit Ioh. 1.3 give unto all creatures the beginning of their beeing for all things were made by him and without him was not any thing made that was made Arius contendeth that the Son is onely the beginning of the creation that is the first creature But he falsely corrupteth the text For Christ is said to be the beginning not passively but actively as appeareth Chap. 1.8 where he is absolutely called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the beginning and ending which can not be spoken of any creature Some interpret this of the new creation but that also doth no way derogate from his divinitie For a divine power is as much required to make a creature new as there was in the first creation So that these two interpretations are not to be separated but joyned togither Now Christ doth in this place call himself the beginning that these blinde and naked Laodiceans might the sooner returne unto him as to the fountaine of all good XXIII Argum. of Chr. deity This therfore is a XXIII argument proving the divinity of Christ our Lord. 15 I know thy workes that thou art neither cold The narration containes many particulars as reproofe commination confutation perswasion exhortation and promise unto v. 21. First in this verse he sharpely reproves the Laodiceans as not answering to the name by which they were called For Laodicea signifies as much as a people just sincere and wel reformed in manners faith and godlines being derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a people and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 just But thou saith Christ art neyther cold nor hote Interpreters are diversly minded about such as are said to be hot cold or lukewarine Alcasar brings in eleven opinions but he seeks a knot in a rush The thing it self plainely shewes that Christ by a proverbiall metaphor
Austine Jerome and Chrysostome had suckt in some of their dregs mingling with the pure Apostolicall doctrine many errours touching matrimonie single life grace freewill praying to and for the dead purgatorie about fasts difference of meâ—ts c. with which things as with black spots the white horse of Christ was much stained To be short in the following two hundred yeares till the time of Gregorie the first the heresies of the Pelagians Nestorians and Eutichinians succeeded the Arrians which had before overspread the whole Church By little and little also the rites of the heathens crept in a new worship was devised by the Bishops with many beastlie vanities and superstitions Then began hot disputations and contentions about holy orders and seats of Bishops about the primacie of the chaire of Rome about righteousnes of workes merits and humane satisfactions and the like by which the doctrine of faith and free grace was much oppressed and a way made for Antichrist who shortlie after came into the temple of God when Boniface the third obtained the primacie and dominion over all other Churches from Phocas the usurper Thus we have heard how at length the white horse became black Vpon which notwithstanding Christ sate with his ballance that is How Christ sate on hereticks with his ballanct Lib. 2. de bapt cont don cap. 6. as I also assent too the holy scripture for as the ballance is the triall of a just or unjust weight so the holie scripture is the rule of doctrine whether true or false As Augustine wel noteth Let us bring saith hee not deceitfull ballances wherein we may put what and how we will saying according to our owne pleasure this is waightie this is light But let us bring the divine ballance out of the holie Scripture as out of Gods treasurie And put into it that which is waightie nay let not us put in any thing our selves but onely acknowledge what is put in by the Lord. But thou wilt say how doth Christ sit on hereticks doe these beare him up or doe they not rather denie him and cast him off I answere both is true Now these though in truth they denie him by their blasphemies yet Christ is said to ride on them with his ballance in a twofold way First in profession and appearance for the worst and grossest hereticks professed Christ and accounted themselves his Church And would pretend to weigh their errours in the ballance of the scripture but by them abused and miserablie depraved For the truth is most of them drew their heresies out of adulterat and apocrypha bookes corrupting some places of holie writ for a cloake unto the same but rejecting such canonical bookes as refuted their heresies And thus we see how in this respect Christ rides on hereticks But secondlie he doth it also by his providence because even in the greatest confusion of heresies he was not wanting unto his Church Neyther have or doe heresies at any time come rashlie or unawares but by Gods wise ordering hand for the triall of the Church For there must be heresies saith Paul that those which be approved may be made manifest And therfore he hath caused such heresies as sprung up to bee continually examined confuted by the ballance of his word as histories abundantly testifie 6. And I heard a voyce in the midst We have heard what he saw at the opening of the third seale he addes that he heard a voyce in midst of the beasts saying the old version hath it As the voyce of foure beasts saying But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as is not in the Greek neyther is it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saying in the plural number but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the singular The voyce came forth out of the midst of the beasts as chap. 9.13 I heard a voyce from the foure hornes of the altar It is not said whose voice it was But without doubt it was the Lambs standing in the midst of the throne and foure beasts Chap. 5.6 He cryeth the price of food but whither at a deare or cheap rate it is uncertaine for the words following may be taken both wayes In that it is said A measure of wheat viz. shal be sould for a penny and three measures of barly for a penny that is shal be put into the ballance We will first consider the words afterward the sence A measure the Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was a measure of dry things containing a halfe peck or as some wil have it so much food as would suffice a man for the day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Suidas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Choenix is a measure of a dayes provision hence came the proverb of Pythagoras 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not to sit on the measure Choenix intimating though a man had gotten so much as was sufficient for the day yet should he not therfore give himselfe to idlenes but still goe forward in his labour calling A Choenix according to Bude containes two sextaries or foure pound a sextarie containes 24 ounces or two pound by which we see that the old interpreter did erre in rendring Choenix two pound wheras it coÌ„taines foure For a penny Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so called from the number beeing worth ten pence So much as was given for a dayes wages as appeares by the parable of the labourers in the vineyard Of wheat a more daintie and dearer corne then barly for that was for the poorer sort of men beasts other uses I doubt not but he alludes to the famine in Samaria which was besieged untill an asses head was sold for fourscore pieces of silver 2 Kin. 6.25 the fourth part of a cab of doves dung for five pieces of silver but soon after a measure of fine flour was sold for a shekel and two measures of barlie for a shekel Notwithstanding I take it that here not a cheapnesse but a dearth rather of food is foretold seeing the measure of a dayes allowance could hardly be obtained by a dayes wages which must needs cause scarsity both to man and beast But wherefore doth he prophesie of a famine under the black horse the same shadowing out as we have shewed the corrupt state of the Church under haereticks If we take it according to the letter it seems not to cohere For what need was there to foretell a dearth which we know comes ordinarily to passe Wherefore the prophesie seemes mystically to be understood He proclaimes a mysticall famine not a famine of bread but of the word of God threatned here to be sent upon the despisers therof according to that in the prophet they shall wander from sea to sea from the North even to the East and run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord but should not finde it Amos 8.11.12 Therefore in these words viz. by scarsitie of wheat barly the Church is threatned with a spirituall famine that is the Gospel
Lord said unto my Ladie sit thou at my right-hand c. And unto other images thus S. Peter S. Paul S. Nicolas S. Magdalene have mercie on us save us c. Is not this in workes to deny God and Christ the onely Saviour albeit in the words of the Creed they doe professe him They teach that the remission of sins righteousnesse and eternal life is to be sought for in the merits of humane workes as penance satisfactions Iubilees indulgences masses exorcismes processions pilgrimages purgatorie c. Is not this whatsoever they professe a denying of the blood and merit of Iesus Christ The Pope boasteth to be the Vicar of Christ the Head and Monarch of the Church on earth But Christ neyther appointed nor gave any such office unto the Church Read 1 Cor. 12.8 and Ephes 4.11 where the distinct orders and office which Christ gave unto the bodie are all reckoned up Now if any man takes upon him to bee a Kings Vicar without his appointment is not such a one the kings enemie Ioh. 19.12 as they said in the Gospell whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar The Pope therefore arrogating to himself the title of Christs Vicar doth thereby plainely prove that he is Antichrist Christs adversarie The Pope will be adored as God In Donat. Constant dist 96. taking divine honour unto himself Steuchus saith Constantine adored the Pope as God Bloudus saith all the Princes of the earth adore and worship the Pope as the chiefe God Mantuan thus writeth concerning the pope Great Caesar with victorious kings Who golden crownes doe weare They doe adore his footsteps Who the double sword doth beare The Fathers of the Lateran Council gave this blasphemous applause to the Pope Thou art all things and above all things To thee is given all power in heaven and in earth And another Poet thus Oraculo vocis mundi moderaris habenas Et merito in terris diceris esse Deus By thy unerring word thou rulest over all And fitt it is a god on earth men should thee call The titles of some bookes lately dedicated unto the Pope are thus PAVLO V. VICE DEO To Paul the fift in place of God The letters of which title in Latine doe pecisely expresse the number of the BEASTS name 666. doth he not therefore deny God and shew himself to be the very Antichrist seeing he thus presumptuously takes a deity to himselfe Touching mariage meats fasting c. He binds where God unlooseth looseth where God binds Now is not this in pride to lift up himself both against and above the Lord He will not that the scriptures should bee beleeved no neither God himselfe otherwise then he approves off Enchi de script de authorit scriptu lib. 1. cap. 10. sect 3. The scripture is not authentick saith Eckius but by the authoritie of the Church And Stapleton neyther doe we beleeve God but for the Church How therefore can he himself eyther beleeve in or call on the name of God He hath made himself to bee the GREATEST high-priest of the Church whereas Christ is called the GREAT High-priest thereof Heb. 4. 12. By how much therefore greatest is more then great by so much the Pope hath lift himself up above Christ To be short he not onely weakens but labours wholy to take away all faith out of the harts of the Godly not onely in making the scriptures which is the rule of faith to depend on his will but also in denying and comdemning all certainty and confidence of grace mercie and salvation and on the contrarie he will have the conscience to be in perpetuall trouble fear and doubtings I forbear to speake more these things are sufficient to shew how in the Papacie the Sun was darkened by the smoake of hell And the aire by reason of the smoake of the pit The Sun being darkned the aire of necessitie must be so likewise What is meant by the darkening of the aire For the aire darke in it self is enlightned by the Sun Lyra well understands by the aire the Church because the Church receives her light from Christ as doth the aire from the Sun Now the Church vanished out of the sight of men when she lay hid and buried as it were under the smoke of this pit beeing changed into the chaire and kingdom of Antichrist At first the state of the Church was oeconomicall wherein Christ as the onely father of his houshold taking a far journy even to heaven appointed many servants over his familie the Church and howsoever he gave unto them diversitie of talents or gifts yet equall power in the dispensation thereof But Antichrist having possessed the chaire of VNIVERSAL pestilence altered this oeconomicall state into a Monarchie and was acknowledged in stead of Christ to be the priest and head of the Church But thou wilt say was Christ now without a Church had he quite forsaken and lost his spouse These indeed are the objections of the Romish Parasites but they are idle and frivolous For in the midst of the confusions of Antichrist Christ as we heard before preserved unto himself out of everie tribe and nation tongue 144000 sealed ones So that there was a Church even in the bowels of Popery although it were not in the least the Papall Hierarchie which caried the title thereof We may also interpret the aire to be the holy Scriptures or the ministry of the Church for as the aire instrumentally brings the light of the Sun unto us so by the holy Scriptures and the opening of them the light of the glorious Gospell of Christ doth brightly shine in our harts But now this aire was darkened viz. by a fatal eversion of the word and the whole ecclesiastical order But I rather approve the former sence For touching the ecclesiasticall order how it began the historie of the locusts will shew 3. And there came out of the smoake Locusts We have heard three effects of this Apostaticall Star viz. the opening of the bottomlesse pit the smoake of the pit the darkening of the sun and aire Now the fourth followes a monstrous brood of Locusts came out of the smoake of the pit Locusts are a small kinde of vermine having weak wings The description and nature of Locusts lifting up themselves by flight so little from the earth that they seem rather to leap then to fly In Africa Syria and the Indies they are bigger of bodie and stronger of wings they are verie hurtfull to the herbs fruites and trees upon which they feed and by touching infect them in sommer time they leap make a creaking with their wings Among the ten plagues of Egypt the Locusts were the eight beeing brought by an East-winde over the whole land Exod. 10.13 Ioel. 1.6 In Ioel also the Lord threatneth the Israelites with Locusts having teeth like Lions alluding allegorically unto the Babylonians Here also the whole description argues The Locusts
event manifested that they were to be taken in a proper sense as Daniel also teacheth Chap. 9.2 Bellarmin granteth that then a certaine number is put for an uncertaine Lib. 3. de ◠R. cap. 8. when the number set down is full and perfect as 10.100.1000 but not when diverse numbers great and small are propounded But this is infirme and false as appeares by Luk. 13.32 I doe cures to day and to morrow and the third day I shall be perfected which is indefinitely spoken And Matt. 18.22 Forgive thy brother seventy times seven indefinitely for verie many times And Revel 7.4 14.1 144000. are said to be sealed indefinitely Rev. 9.5.10 The Locusts shall hurt five moneth in this very Chapt. v. 11. the two wittnesses shall ryse againe after three dayes a halfe Reve. 14.20 Blood flowed out of the Lake by the space of a thousand six hundred furlongs all which foresaid places are indefinitely to be understood Yet if I durst speake any thing touching the certaine beginning of these 42. moneths I would as most doe by a propheticall mysterie applie them to 1260 yeeres beginning from the time that the holy city began to be troden under foot by the Romane Gentiles not the old but new that is by Antichristian Popes whom we have shewed to be here noted by the Gentiles They began to tread upon the Church after they were lifted up into the chaire of universall pestilence among whom Boniface was the first in the yeere 606. Then the star of the Church of Rome fallen from heaven upon the earth opening the bottomlesse pit brought forth out of the smoke those mortal Locusts spoken of Chap. 9. From the yeere of Christ therefore 606 untill this time the holy citie hath been troden under foot by the Romane Gentiles which is the space of 1073. yeeres and is yet to be troden down 223 yeeres more to wit untill the yeere of Christ 1866. But let this terme bee indefinite seeing the Lord hath reserved it to himselfe undoubtedly will shorten it for the elects sake Wherefore I will determine nothing of these fourty and two moneths 3. And I will give to my two witnesses I have expounded the generall prophesie touching the future reformation of the Church after that the Companie of priests were departed from the faith unto paganisme and Antichrist had troden downe the holy city by his tyranny Now followes the speciall prophesie touching the instruments manner successe and event of this reformation serving for the comfort of the faithfull for when in appearance Antichrist shall have wholy troden the holy city under foot and thrust Christ as it were out of all his possession then he will shew that he ruleth in the midst of Antichrists kingdome and will renew preserve unto himself a measured Tēple in the city troden under foot viz. by the prophesie of his two witnesses Now this part of the prophesie is also full of difficultie as who these two witnesses are after what manner they prophesied and to what times this history appertaines For here are almost as many opinions as expositours Yet these things will not be altogether obscure unto us if we give heed unto the scope laid down by us in the Argument and Analysis And I will give So Beza 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and adversatively yet it may well be read but I will give because it is as it were an exception as if he had said In outward appearance the whole city shall be troden down all prophesie extinct by Antichrists tyrannie but I will restore prophesie For the word power is not in the Greek but added by the translatours to make up the sense that the city of God may be rebuilded I will give to my two witnesses He neither names the witnesses nor expresseth what he will give them Some therefore gesse one thing and some another Beza here adds the same to wit the holie city which agrees well with the sense because Christ will truelie give that is recommend the same unto his witnesses that so it may be set free from oppression and purged from the filthy smoake of Antichrist Others I will give them to wit a mouth and wisedome which Antichrist shall not be able to resist according to that in Luke 21.15 I will give you a mouth and wisedome which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay or resist Which promise is made to all faithfull professours of the name of Christ Others I will give them to wit my spirit which is all one with the former but it seems rather that the two future verbes are coupled together as noting the end and effect I will give to them and they shall prophesie for I will give unto them that they may prophesie that is authoritie or power to prophesie and somuch such coupling often signifies as Gen. 34.30 They shall gather themselves together against me and smite me and I shall be destroyed For that they may smite me and I and my house shall be destroyed So Ierem. 9.1 Oh wo will give my head to bee waters and mine eye a fountaine of teares and I will bewaile night and day the slaine of my people For that I may bewaile as Pagninus expresseth it They shall prophesie therefore to wit againe according to the commandement Thou must againe prophesie But concerning these witnesses who they are and what time was determined for their prophesying is a difficult question I will briefly speak somewhat of it The Papists taking the whole literallie doe vainly dream The Papists fable about the two witnesses that when the Iewes with their leader Antichrist shall have recovered the citie of Jerusalem then these two witnesses shall be present who by prophesying shall oppose themselves against these perfidious Iewes and Antichrist 1260 dayes that is three yeeres and an halfe The witnesses they say are Enoch and Elias whom they affirme to be yet alive in paradise and there reserved to this end that returning into the world they may resist Antichrist But beeing slaine by him they shall againe be restored to life after three dayes and an half at the beholding of which miracle the Iewes as they faine shall turne to Christ and put Antichrist to death in mount Olivet and thenceforward prepare themselves for Christ who should now come fourty and five dayes after From this fable Bellarmin drew his third demonstration in defence of the Pope that he is not Antichrist neyther that Antichrist is yet come because saith he the two Prophets Henoch and Elias must come before Christ but these are not as yet come whereas the Pope of Rome hath now reigned for many ages Therfore he is not the Antichrist neither is Antichrist as yet come The major of this fable he laboureth to prove first by foure places of Scripture Malach. 4.5 Behold I will send the prophet Elias c. Ecclus 48.10 Elias is written in the judgements of times to pacific the wrath of the
them to death but also insult contumeliously over them after their death All sorts of injuries are here noted under this one which for the kind of it is the most inhumane namely to hinder their carkeises contrarie to the law of all nations from beeing buried but causing the same to be thrown forth unto the scorn of all in the streetes of the great city The carkeises of the witnesses are not onely their bodies What is meant by the carkeises of the witnesses unto which these things doe frequentlie happen according to the letter for the Beast wil not suffer any heretick to have Christian buriall as they call it but also their names cursed by him and bookes which he prohibits to be made use of read or sold but causeth them to be burnt to be short their families also which he seekes by all meanes to make infamous and to suppresse So that to lie in the streetes is to be exposed to the publick scorn of all men But where shall these things be done In the streets of the great citie It is questioned what this is Ierom takes it to be the world but Ribera refutes him Epist 17. ad Marcell and will have it to be Ierusalem the which thing Alcasar also pleadeth for But this the text refuteth by the word spiritually here added as doth the Angel also Chap. 17.18 The woman which thou sawest is that great city which reigneth over the kings of the earth now by that great citie Rome is understood as the Iesuites themselves confesse But certaine it is one the same great city is both there and here spoken of In the stretes of this great city the carkeises of the witnesses shal be exposed to the scorn of the multitude both properly and figurativelie First properly This great city is Rome see Chap. 14.8 17.18 How they carkeises shall lie in the streetes of Rome because they shall suffer the contumelies here described in the publick places courts palaces temples theaters streets of the Romish citie For the lightnings thunders of excommunications the martyrdomes punishments warres against the testimony of Iesus Christ are all forged in the shoppe of Rome from thence with great celerity sent abroad over the Christian world Now by a synecdoche the great city is put for the whole jurisdiction of the Pope which extendeth it self over all Italie France Spaine Germanie Poland Hungarie c. as if all were but one citie as the Poet sung of old touching the Romans Cuncti gens una sumus Wee are all one nation Claudianus in whose streets princely palaces courts market places ports theatres c. the martyrs of Christ are reproachfully defamed cursed condemned To be short least we should be ignorant of what citie these things are spoken Lipsius Stapleton have not long agoe published in print the former the greatnesse of the city the later of the Church of Rome Which spiritually is called By three titles this great city the seat of the Beast is marked out that so we may the better understand its shameful filthinesse horrible idolatrie blindnesse cruelty detestable impiety Sodom First Rome is called Sodom not literally for Sodom was now long agoe consumed by fire from heaven but spiritually or mystically that is allegoricallie and in a certain similitude for the word spiritually is not here put in a Theological but Rhetorical sense And this is plain because to speak Theologically there is nothing spirituall in this city except the bare name as beeing called the holie city Catholick Romane Church Spiritually therefore it is Sodom that is metaphorically because it is like unto Sodom But wherein stands the likenes In filthines Sodomiticall lust which horribly reigneth in this great city And hence it is called the mother of fornications Gen. 19.5 Ezech. 16.50 Rom. 1.17 ha 17.4 Chap. 17.5 The abominations of the Sodomites are known unto us by the holy Scripture and the like evils were practised by the Romanes in the Apostles times But thereunto Iohn here hath no reference For he prophesies of Rome which should be the seat of the Beast afterward called a woman of whoredomes Therfore she is called Sodom as most infamous by her Sodomitical beastlinesse Now let us but looke upon the great citie of papacy what is it but as an abominable warehouse of all spirituall corporal fornications In the city it self in which is the seat of the Beast filthy lusts not to be named are commonlie freely committed nourished commended gain made thereof If any doubt let him read histories or goe to Rome and he shall finde the truth of that which PETRARCHA complaines of viz. that deflowring ravishing incests and adulteries are now but as a sport to the Pontificall lasciviousnes He shall finde that of Mantuan true I pudor in villas si non patiantur easdem Et villae vomicas Roma est jam tota Lupanar Goe shame into the villages if they refuse Such lothsome beastlinesse whole Rome is now a stewes And again Roma vale vidi satis est vidisse revertar Cum Leno meretrix scurra Cynaedus ero Now farwel Rome I have thee seene it was enough to see I will come back when as I mean bawd harlot knave to be And what was answered to one inquiring about Rome Roma quid est Amor est quem dat praeposterus ordo Roma mares noli dicere plura scio But what is Rome she is that love which natures rule doth breake For it s at Rome ' mongst males I know much more but wil not speake There have been some as I have heard and glad I am I have not seen the same who have published bookes by the Popes authoritie in commendation of the unnaturall villany of Romish buggerers O WICKEDNESSE O SODOME And Aegypt Aegypt was not a citie but a kingdom by which we understand that this great citie is to be applied unto the whole kingdom of the Beast For allegorically it is Aegypt that is like unto Aegypt In what in idolatrie blindnesse cruelty Herodotus witnesseth that the Aegyptians were beyond measure superstitious worshipping oxen cowes doues onyons garlick other herbes Juvenal also Sat. 15. sheweth that the Aegyptians were so deprived of understanding as to worship the Crocodyle the bird Ibis munkies fishes dogges hogges and onyons Oh holie nations saith hee who have their Gods growing in gardens The great citie of the beast changing the name onely doth worship the same or the like thinges For there is nothing at all which the Priestes after the example of the Aegyptians doe not give religious adoration unto by their consecrations Yea the Beasts idolatrie is worse in honouring of wood stones brasse gold together with his breaden god wheras the Aegyptians for the most part worshipped things in which there was life Mantuan therefore Eclog. 9. taxeth the Romanists for viler idolatrie then was amongst the Aegyptians in these verses Fama
adversaries who perished by the ruin of the tenth part of the city But how some understand it of the bloody warres commotions which Antichrist to his own hurt hath raysed up against the Gospel For many millions of his followers have been consumed by this meanes to the exceeding losse of the great city But perhaps not lesse but rather more blood of the Saintes hath been shed by Antichristians in the civil warrs of France Spaine England the Low countries and other where Others therfore do rather understand it of the spiritual destruction of the adversaries by the preaching of the Gospel for by it many of the Papists beeing the more blinded hardened and enraged have eternallie perished Brightman interprets it of the Popish Clergy who by the rising of the Gospel being spoiled of the revenues yeerly profits of their Monasteries Colleges were bereaved of their delight former luxuriousnes put to such an exigent as either to labour or starve for hunger But I rather allow the former because of that which followeth And the remnant were afrighted The last effect is good The conversion of many to the faith of the Gospel noting the conversion of the â—est of men from Popery unto the faith of Christ For the ruin of the tenth part of the great Antichristian eity shall be the building of Christs little city Many therfore in the forsaid provinces observing the wonderful work of God in preserving propagating the Gospel were afraid any loÌ„ger to resist the truth but gave glory to God by forsaking the lies idols of the Papacy Now touching these things we may behold them as in a table by which we have a plain description the very events partly in the histories of our times and partly by what we dayly see with our own eyes so that we need not have recourse unto ancient commeÌ„taries 14. The second woe is past This is a transition from the third Act unto the fourth Woe He notes the calamities by the effect for calamities cause woe unto the flesh In Chap. 8.23 an Angel flying through the midst of heaven proclaimed three woes to happen under the sounding of three trumpets The first woe under the fift trumpet were the calamities of the Godlie under the Western Antichrist even from the time of his rising until the Council of Constance The second woe of the sixt trumpet is yet to this day under both Antichrists viz. the Turke in the East and the Pope in the West The first did praefigure the calamities of the godly alone The second the calamities commoÌ„ both to the godly the wicked Now followes the third woe only belonging unto the wicked which shal come to passe under the last trumpet Is past Not in event seeing it was then to come but in vision description as if he should say hitherto I have described the second woe the third remaines to be described Commeth quickly For shall come This he opposeth to the security of the Antichristians as Chap. 1. v. 1.3 And if then they were not far off how much neerer are they now to us after so many ages the seventh Angel being at hand to summon men to judgment by the last trumpet The second part of the Chapter The scound of the seventh Trumpet at the last judgement Containing the fourth Act of this Vision 15. And the seventh Angel sounded there were great voyces in heaven saying the kingdomes of this world are become the kingdomes of our Lord of his Christ he shall reigne for ever and ever 16. And the foure twenty Elders which sate before God on their seates fell upon their faces and worshipped God 17. Saying we give thee thankes O Lord God Almighty which art and wast and art to come because thou hast taken to thee thy great power and hast reigned 18. And the nations were angry and thy wrath is come and the time of the dead that they should be judged and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the Prophets to the Saints and them that feare thy Name smal and great and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth 19. And the Temple of God was opened in heaven and there was seene in his Temple the Arke of his Testament and there were lightnings and voyces and thundrings and an earthquake and great hayle THE COMMENTARIE ANd the seventh Angel sounded Of this Angel interpreters write diversely The fiction of Lyra I passe by Gagnaeus understands thereby the seventh order of good men or preachers Who is this seventh Angel who after Antichrists death and neer about the last day shal preach the Gospel the which he takes from the common fiction that Antichrist shall die fourty five dayes before the last judgment But Antichrist shal be destroyed by none save by the brightnesse of the comming of Christ Alcasar speakes little of him but applies the trumpet to the obstinacie of the Iewes and election of the Gentiles Which thing is unworthy of any refutation For the nations here are not said to be elected but angrie besides the very matter it selfe sheweth that these things appertaine unto the last times Brightman takes this Angel to have sounded anno 1558. when there were great voyces in heaven that is much joy in the reformed Church for the restauration of Christs kingdome in Germanie at what time Q Elisabeth also began to reign restore the sincere preaching of the Gospel in England c. But it is plain the words are to be applyed unto the last day when both the living and the dead good and bad shall come to judgement and therefore cannot be restrained to such a sence More truly therefore Fox Alphonsus Bullinger Tossanus Marlorate The seventh truÌ„pet foretels the last judgement with the rest of our interpreters a few onely excepted acknowledge that the seventh trumpet is the messenger of the last day in which the kingdomes of the adversaries being overthrown and abolished Christ will immediately restore his kingdome casting the wicked into eternall punishment and receiving the elect into endlesse glorie And this exposition of the trumpet plainly appeares to be right from Chap. 10. v. 7. where Christ the strong Angel expresly sweareth that the seventh Angel when he shal begin to sound the mysterie of God should be finished It is also evident from the text For in the last judgement and not before all kingdoms of the earth become Gods and Christs that God may be all in all Then shall be the time of Gods wrath and of the dead that they may be judged that the Martyrs Prophets and servants of Christ may receive an eternall reward of their labours and the wicked who destroyed the earth perish for ever and ever Therefore many of the Ancients as Andreas Bede Aretas A fained anticipation justly reproved Primasius others follow this opinion Ribera also acknowledgeth the same but faineth that these things are here brought in by way of Anticipation
hornes but their likenesse in all other things is very obscure besides the fourth Beast in Daniel is diverse from all the other beasts but this here is as it were compounded of the three former Beasts in Daniel Adde to this that the Ancient Hebrewes with great shew of reason interpret the fourth Beast in Daniel not of the Romane Empire but of the kingdome of the Seleucides of which Antiochus Epiphanes that little blasphemous and cruell horne was chief notwithstanding I will not now dispute what solidity there may be in it As for their second reason we have shewed that the persecutions of the Romane Dragons are represented in Chap. 12. But this warr of the Beast farre more cruel shall endure unto the end of the world and not against the woman which afterward he sees riding on the scarlet coloured Beast but with the seed of the woman that is with them who are truly faithfull To be short that the whole earth is said to wonder and follow after the Beast v. 3. and to have power over all kinreds and tongues c. v. 7. this is restrained to the dwellers on the earth reprobate worshippers of the Beast in v. 8. Now not onely the reprobate gentiles were subject to the heathenish Romane Empire Apolog. c. 30 and ad Scapul Mat. 17.27 but the believing Christians also who as Tertullian recordeth worshippped not the Romane Emperours but God alone And Paul to escape the fury of the Iewes appealed to Caesar Our Lord himself also paid tribute to the Romane Empire And the Apostles taught Christians to be obedient unto the Magistrates therof In a word the worshipping of the Beast imports not onely civil subjection but religious worship as we shall see hereafter By all which it appeares that this Beast cannot be absolutely restrained to the Romane Empire howsoever we may perceive that the monarchicall power of the Romane Empire is in some sence taken up by the Beast as may be gathered from Chap. 17. The second opinion touching Mahumet weighed The other opinion principally urged by Viterbiensis is of those who understand this Beast of the Mahumetane or Turkish Empire These first consider his rising out of the sea that is the gathering and joyning together of diverse nations as Arabians Saracens Turkes Tartars c. Secondly his figure For hee is like a Leopard because he violently tooke into his hands the seat and power of the Graecian Monarchie which Daniel likens unto a Leopard He hath also the feet of a Beare in regard he holds the pillars or props of the Persian Monarchy the which is also there compared unto a Beare he hath moreover the mouth of a Lyon because he possesseth the spoiles of the first Assyrian Monarchie For the Mahumetane Empire is extended in religion and worship over all these peoples in regard both Persians and Babylonians are at this day Mahumetanes though under diverse kings It is also ful of blasphemies against the God of Israel and against the Son of God The Mahumetanes power is terrible and invincible and hath more then nine hundred yeeres most cruelly warred against the Saintes and worshippers of Christ and so overcome as that all Asia and almost Africa with a great part of Europe beeing wrung out of the hands of Christians is brought under the religion and power of Mahumet and Christian religion forced into the outmost corners of Europe Lastly the time of the fourty two moneths designed to the reigne and rage of the Beast may wel and fitly be applied to the violent rage of the Mahumetanes But now however indeed these things have a great shew of seeming truth yet they are not solid For first this rising out of the sea is rather to be understood of a coming forth out of the bottomlesse pit then of a gathering of Barbarous nations as by and by it shall appear Secondly the figure taken from the members of diverse Beasts doth also admit of a more fit interpretation So also the blasphemies and the large and terrible powr are more rightly to bee applied to the Romane Antichrist then to the Turke although he also doth in a verie hostile manner act the parts of the Easterne Antichrist against the Christian Church as appeared in the sixt trumpet Chap. 9. Lasily the time of the fourty two moneths doth altogether agree to the warre of the Romane Beast against the two witnesses as hath bin shewed on Chap. 11. Thus wee see that the foresaid reasons doe not sufficiently confirme this second opinion Moreover there are two things which doe plainely disprove the same One is in that it is often said this Beast was wondred at and worshipped by the inhabitants of the earth the which as I have shewed signifies not simply a subjection but a religious worship given unto the Beast now this doth not so wel agree to the Turkish Empire for although the Turkes worship Mahumet as the greatest prophet yet they attribute no religious worship unto their Emperours neither doe they subject themselves unto their Empire so much thorow admiration as for feare The other is taken from Chap. 17. where it is manifest that this same Beast appears againe unto John a woman sitting thereon Now there the seven heads of the Beast are the seven mountaines of Rome and the woman herself denotes Rome the which is so evident as it cannot be denied no not by some of the Iesuites themselves Therefore this Beast hath his seat at Rome But the Turke never had his seat there hence then it seemes that this Beast doth not belong unto the Turkish Empire unlesse perhaps it yet come to passe that Italie and Rome fall into the hands of the Turke the which thing God knoweth Indeed the horrible Idol-worship of Rome may justly procure such a judgement notwithstanding the holy Ghost threatens in Chap. 17.16 that the Romish harlot shall be destroyed and burnt with fire not by the Turke but by ten kings sometimes her lovers and frindes I come unto the third opinion The third opinion which is that this Beast is Antichrist The which not onely many ancient writers as Irenaeus Ambrose Prosper Methodius Arethas Andreas c. But also sundrie moderne both Papists and protestants have followed as Gagneus Bellarmin Ribera and of ours Alphonsus Morellus Tossanus with whom my Anonymus also consents Alcasar indeed likes it not because he sees that it cannot consist with the common fable touching Antichrist his three yeares reigne And because he feineth that after the destruction of the beast there shall be thousand years of peace and hence therefore he doth justly reprove and reprehend as well the old as latter Authours and maintainers of the said fable But he is deceived touching the thousand yeares of peace to follow after the destruction of the Beast as I shall manifest on chap. 20. But his caveat is good that it is not enough for the approving of an exposition as certaine and not to be doubted of
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whose height was sixty cubits and breadth six cubits proclaiming Dan. 3.4 The Babylonish Image that all should fall down and worship the golden image whosoever falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same houre be cast into the midst of the burning fierie furnace This was that Babylonish idolatry maintained by a furnace of fire in imitation whereof Antichrist hath set up a Golden Image to the Beast that is to his own wicked inventions commanding that all who will not worship the same shall be burnt in a furnace of fire By these two latter waies therefore far more effectuall then the former he universally seduceth the earth But both these waies seem to require a more full exposition That they should make an image to the Beast Both Alcasar and Ribera acknowledge that by an Enallage or change of number one image is put for many The Image of the beast what it is though they apply it to a different sence The holy Ghost calleth the whole Papisticall worship of images or Antichristian idolatry the image of the Beast That they should make to wit the inhabitants of the earth In the construction there is no ambiguity The Beast himself maketh not the image for he being covetous will not be at the cost but he saith to them that dwell on the earth that they should make it that is he teacheth and commandeth the nations in the honour of God and of the holy Trinity to make and set up in all consecrated places and temples the images of Christ crucified of Mary the mother of God the Queen of heaven of Peter the Prince of Apostles and of all the Saints in heaven Images I say of wood stone brasse gold and silver neither may they be set up naked and without attire but must be adorned and clothed in silke and purple have waxe-candles and lights set before them men must humbly and devoutly make requests and prayers unto them yea and contribute unto their worship yearely revenues for the salvation of soules This commandement the world being delighted with Babies and desirous of a glorious worship to the eye at length obeyed sparing no cost and hence the Papacie doth so much abound with Palaces temples consecrate places full of pictures altars waxe-candles lights purifying vessels c. as being a kingdome of images 15. He gives life to the beast makes it to speake and to be worshiped And he had power to give life to the Beast Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And it was given him to give life c. The first effect of his power he puts life into the Beasts image makes it to speake and to be worshipped upon paine of death It was given him by whom by the Dragon that is Satan the inventour and architect of all idolatry God permitting the same yea also in his most righteous judgement sending them that dwell on the earth strong delusion that they should beleeve a lie because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved Now it is very apparent unto all how in the Papacy the Image is made to live speak weep laugh and do other actions of the living through the fraud and devillish cunning of Monkes And hence followeth that mighty running after this and that Mary Crucifixes Peter c. Hence are al the pilgrimages wonders canonizations sacrifices for the dead and vows in so much as none of the inhabitants of the earth whither of the simple or wiser sort but have thought it necessary for the salvation of soules The Beasts image excelleth that of Nebuchadnezzar to offer bequeath and give unto this Image whatsoever they possessed Furthermore the Image of the Beast hath this as proper to it and above that of the Babylonish for we read not that Nebuchadnezzar made the same to live or speak In this great wonderment therefore Antichrists image was to excell the other that he might more prevalently seduce otherwise in idolatry and madnesse they are alike as it followeth And to cause that whosoever Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and should make to wit the image which speaketh for the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are both governed by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 image and this is the common reading But the sence sheweth that not the image but the Beast caused them that would not worship to be slaine therefore the Kings Bible seems more rightly to read it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and causeth or maketh that is the Beast doth it However it comes all to one purpose whither the Beast himself Dan. 3.6 or the Image by the Beast cause all that will not worship to be slaine the which we plainly see is taken out of Daniel Whosoever falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same houre be cast into the burning fierie furnace Thus the Beast besides his doctrine miracles and worship of Images addes outward force that so whosoever will not submit by the former may notwithstanding be compelled to worship through feare of punishments For such a spirituall madnesse possesseth idolaters that with fire and sword they punish the contempt of their idols hence Idol-worship is in Gr. called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it were a mad and befotted worshipping of Idols Now let us see whither the like hath not been hitherto practised in the Papacy This setting up of Images first did rend the East from the West with many tragicall tumults and uproares And afterward was the utter overthrow thereof by the Turkes For Constantine that furious Pope by sedition thrust Philippicus Emperour of the East out of his government because he prohibited the Image of the Beast to be worshipped also he caused John the Emperours Generall to be slaine at Ravenna Gregory II. deposed Leo the Emperour for the same cause commanding them of Ravenna to put to death Paulus the Emperours chiefe officer He also put out the eyes of Peter Governour of Rome and by that means made himself Lord thereof Behold the power of the Beasts image of which if any be desirous to know further let him read the Book of Martyrs Or let him go to Rome or Spain and see whither all men are not constrained to bow the knee and adore the Image of the Beast Babylons Law is universall Whosoever will not fall downe and worship the Image Let him the same houre as an heretick be cast into the fierie furnace 16. Impression of a Character The difference between Character and Charagma And he causeth all The sixt effect of his power he imprints a Marke in the right hand or in the forehead with a priviledge to buy and sell Marke Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Character as most render it A Character represents the expresse image of the Archetype or first pattern as for example a child being like his father in countenance is said to be the
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
Lord that is who lay downe their life for the glory of Christ But undoubtedly the consolation is more largely to be extended even unto all whosoever die godly who as they are said to be and abide in Christ so also they are said to die in the Lord that is To be and to die in Christ to depart out of this life in true faith and invocation on the Lord and so to goe unto him For to be in Christ is to cleave unto Christ by true faith Rom. 8.1 16.7 Who were before me in Christ To abide in Christ is to persevere in the faith of Christ unto the end Ioh. 15.4.7 Abide in me c. If yee abide in me c. So to die in Christ is to fall asleep in the faith 1 Cor. 15.18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished The consolation belongs as wel to professors as to martyrs that is in the faith of Christ and in the hope of the blessed resurrection unto eternall glory In this sence the consolation belongs not onely to the Martyrs but to all true professours also which exposition in my judgement doth best agree with the drift of the place For here he speakes not of those sad times of Antichrist when he raged in his full furie against the Saints but of the more happy age of reformation when the power of Antichrist shall in many places be broken neither shall the martyrdoms of the Saints be so frequent as before Hence therefore we are taught who after this life are translated from death into eternall happinesse Not such as die in the faith of the Beast Act. 4.12 Ioh. 14.6 Antichrist the Pope or Mahumet c. But that die in the Lord. For there is no salvation in any other neither is there given any other name whereby we must be saved c. He is the way truth and life no man commeth to the Father but by Christ. All that goe out of him are deprived of blessednesse and shall be tormented with the plagues beforeâ— described But when shall they be blessed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from henceforward This particle in all Greek copies save in that of Montanus closeth up the sentence But the old Latine makes it to cohere with the following words a modo jam dicit spiritus rendring the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also or yea viciously and sencelesly jam now as Ribera confesseth For what sence is it to say from this time now saith the spirit that they may rest Beza joynes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 henceforward with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 blessed henceforward But it matters not where it be put in the sentence so that it be not taken from it Commonly it is understood of the terme or beginning of happinesse and the question is what that terme is Some referre it to the time when this voice was heard What is the terme or beginning of happinesse as if he should say from the very instant of this revelation the dead in the Lord are blessed But the question will be whether the dead in the Lord were not blessed before the time of the revelation It is cleare that all the Apostles and many of the Saints were departed in the Lord before this time Now Christ extends blessednesse unto all the faithful Mat. 5.11 Ioh. 5.24 And seeing in this place is treated of the last times of the Church to be reformed by the three Angels I see not by what way he should goe back to those former times of John Others therefore referre henceforward to the houre of every ones death in a sence I confesse true and godly but scarcely native or proper It is true they that depart hence in the faith doe presently passe from death to life for so Christ teacheth Ioh. 5.24 This opinion also is pious and becomming charity not to deny that blessednesse to them that die in the Lord which is promised them in Gospell Ioh. 3.36 Ioh. 5.14 He that beleeveth in the Sonne of God hath everlasting life He that beleeveth in me comes not into judgement but is passed from death to life The which also the carrying of Lazarus soule into the bosome of Abraham doth plainely confirme Yet I know not whether henceforward can here properly be understood of the houre of every ones death And this indeed the Papists deny The Papists Glosse to confirme their fiction about Purgatory in which as they feine even they that die in the Lord are first to be tormented and purged both from the pollution of veniall sins as also from the guilt of temporall punishment in which they died before they can obtaine blessednesse in heaven And they will have henceforward to denote the time of the last judgement making the sence thus Blessed are the dead c. a modo jam from the time now that is from the end of the last judgement they shall eternally rest from their labours So Anselmus and Lyra Lâ—b 1. de purg c. 13. The Glosse refuted the which BELLARMIN confirmes because saith he this whole Chapter treats of the last judgement But first this last is false for the last judgement being the fourth Act of this vision is not handled through the whole Chapter but in the end onely viz. from the 14. verse for undoubtedly the three Angels publishing the everlasting Gospell with the ruine of Babylon future torments of idolaters go before the last judgement And therefore henceforward cannot be applyed to the time of judgement Secondly it is false that men dying in the Lord carry with them any pollution to be purged thereof Ioh. 3.36 Rom. 8.1 1 Ioh. 1.7 Act. 15.9 for this crosseth the Gospell He that beleeveth in the Sonne of God hath everlasting life There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus The blood of Christ purgeth us from all sinne Purifying their hearts by faith Therefore whosoever die in the Lord are without any mortall sinne cleaving unto them much lesse veniall and so being purged through faith in the blood of Christ from the guilt both of eternall and temporall punishment they are translated into everlasting happinesse Neither is this their wicked fiction confirmed by Austins authority he saith rightly Lib. 3. con duas epist. Pelag. c. 3. that the faithfull in this life are partly the children of God partly the children of this world for so the Apostle affirmeth Rom. 7.15 Gal. 5.17 for all of us are spirit and flesh in part But he saith not that we die such for before we depart by faith in the blood of Iesus Christ we are purged from all sin I know that the 110. Chap. of Austins Enchiridion is objected touching the threefold condition of the soules departing Augustine vinaicated that some goe hence very evill some very good but others betwixt both and so according to their merits are kept in hidden receptacles either in rest or paine unto the resurrection But I
The scope and use of this vision For First it teacheth that after the beasts kingdom hath flourished and vexed the Saints a long time it shal be weakened by preaching of the Gospell Secondly It shall allwayes notwithstanding remaine in some power not ceasing to make War with the Saints untill the end Thirdly Howsoever it shall tyrannically rage against the Reformation of Evangelicall doctrine yet it shall never be able again to suppresse the same but there shal be many Angels to poure out the vials of Gods wrath on the throne thereof Lastly as the Gospell shal be pleasing and saving to the elect because by it they overcome the beast for which they shall celebrate God with perpetuall praises so to Antichristians it shall be grievous and mortall because being turned into rage in regard of the successe thereof they shall fret and grieve to see their kingdom which seemed immoveable to be weakened lessened and go to ruine untill being wasted with the last plagues they shal be cast according to the threatning of the third Angell Chap. 14.10 into everlasting torments of fire brimstone Now hence the spirit suggests a twofold comfort unto us The first from the often renewed plagues of the beast whose power wealth luxuriousnesse and oftentation was great as we heard Chap. 13. But we need not be offended at those shadowes for she shall receive and feel inward torments and gnawings by the preaching of the Gospell and in the middest of her delights be tormented by Gods wonderfull judgements and severe plagues The second from the finall fall of Babylon the Popes parasites affirm that the seat of Saint Peter shall endure for ever that the Catholick Romane Church being founded and strengthened by God shall stand c. That the Gates of Hell shall not prevaile against her but Babylon shall come in remembrance before God and in a moment be cast down by an earthquake so she shall cease to vexe the Church and persecute the Saints We have heard the Argument Scope and Vse of the Vision now it is partly dramaticall partly propheticall The Dramaticall part containes certaine preparatory apparatitions serving for the Order and preparation of the vision Chap. 15. The Propheticall part foretelleth the kinds and encreasing of the seven plagues on the worshippers of the Beast Chap. 16. CHAP. XV. The Argument Parts and Analysis This vvhole Chapter is a preparation to the follovving Vision for Iohn declares here vvhat vvhat manner of things he savv before the pouring out of the seven Vials The parts here are three I. THe seven Angells with so many plagues ver 1. II. A company of Harpers ver 2 3 4. III. The clothing of the Angells vers 5 c. In the First he expoundeth what he saw I. generally A great and marveilous signe in Heaven II. specially seven Angells with their Instruments having seven plagues The which he describeth by the Epythite Last with the reason hereof because in them is filled up the wrath of God verse 1. In the second he expoundeth I. The place of the harpers A sea of glasse II. The harpers themselves whom he describeth 1. by the effect They had gotten the Victory c. 2. By their station standing on the sea of glasse 3. By the Instrument having the harpes of God vers 2 4. By another effect And they sang verse 3. III. The Argument of the song generally from the Author and subject The Song of Moses and of the Lamb. And specially so far as concerneth the words and the sense consisting of a Preface Proposition and Reasons The Preface is laudatory figured out by an exclamation to God I. They declare his power and Majesty Lord Almighty King of Saints II. His workes by the adjuncts of quantity and quality They are great and marveilous III. His Iudgements by the adjunct qualitie of Iustice and Constancy Just and true are thy wayes ver 3. The Proposition The Lord is to be feared and glorified It is figured out by an Interogation Who shall not feare c. The reason is threefold 1. From the Property of God for thou onely art holy 2. From the worship due to him All nations shall come 3. From the moving cause Thy Iudgements are made manifest v. 4. In the third he rehearseth 1. The receptacle of those Angells The Temple of the Tabernacle opened in Heaven ver 5. 2. Their gesture They went out 3. Their habit having seven plagues 4. Their ornament clothed in white and pure linnen ver 6. 5. The Instruments given them he gave them golden Vialls which he describeth by the number seven And what they contained full of the wrath of God c. verse 7. 6. Two effects 1. The smoake of Gods Majesty filling the Temple 2. A shutting out of all persons from entring into the Temple during the time of the plagues verse 8. The first Part of the CHAPTER The Argument of the Vision seven ANGELS with so many PLAGUES 1 And I savv another signe in Heaven great and marveilous seven Angells having the seven last Plagues for in them is filled up the vvrath of God THE COMMENTARY I. Why the Visions are iterated AND I saw another Signe Iohn is not informed by one Vision but by many touching future things that so by comparing the obscurer types with the plainer the Revelation might the better be manifested The iteration therefore of the Visions is not in vaine Now it is to be observed The following things doe all belong to Antichrists judgement after that the Beast that is Antichrist was once mentioned his tyranny and pompe plainly described in the foregoing Vision the remainder of this whole Prophesie containes descriptions of the judgements by which God will restraine and destroy Antichrist but deliver the Saints from his Tyranny and bestow the rewards of Victory on them both to the end to meet with the scandall of desertion of the godly And to the terrour of the wicked and comfort of the godly least it should be thought that Christ neglects his under the Crosse or to be a sleep or want power to suppresse Antichrists rage as also that in hope of Victory and glory to come they might with the more alacrity resist Antichrist and persevere constant under their long during troubles To this end tend the seven last Plagues which God in the last times will poure out on the Throne and followers of the Beast Let us henceforward keep this use in memory Iohn therefore saw another signe What a signe is that is another Vision signifying events divers from the former for a signe is that which makes something divers from it selfe to come into the cogitation Austin lib. 2. de doctr Christi cap. besides the shape or forme it suggesteth to the senses But as signes are not the things themselves so the things themselves are not to bee sought in the signes as if they were included according to the common errour now adayes touching the Sacramentall signes which
and hornes greater wisedome is contained Now the words of the Angell consists either of one comma here is the minde which hath understanding to wit hid for herein is a mystieall sense that cannot be searched out by the mind of man Or of two commaes or clauses One being Here is wisedome the other he that hath wisedome that is let him understand And this latter seemes to be according to the mind of the Angell because of the article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that hath though the sense be all one viz. that the mystery of the beast is above mans wisedome except it be revealed And therefore the Angell offers himselfe to declare the same And he stirres up our desire by an exclamation lest we should be slothfull in taking notice and shunning of the beast The seven heads are seven Mountaines Now he opens the wisedome which he promised by expounding the mystery of the beast according to his severall parts Where first wee may observe the Metonymicall Phrase of the signe for the thing signified being ordinarily used in Sacraments and therefore are called Sacramentall kind of speeches The seven heads are seven Mountaines Gen 4 28 17.10 by a Metonymia of the signe and the thing signified for the seven heads signifie seven Mountaines so also The seven kine are seven yeeres that is signifie seven yeeres Ex 12 11 1 cor 10 4 Ioh. 1 32 Ma. 26 26 Circumcision is the Covenant for the signe of the Covenant as God himselfe interpreteth it The Lambe is the Passeover that is signifies the Passeover The Rocke was Christ for it signified Christ The Dove was the holy Ghost for it was a signe of the Holy Ghost And so The bread is the body of Christ broken for us for Aug dist 2 de consec c hoc est contra Adem cap 12 Luk 22 20 it signifies that the body of Christ was broken for us and is given unto us for food so Austin saith The bread is the body of Christ not in verity of the thing but by a significant mystery And againe The Lord doubted not to say This is my body when he gave the signe of his body So The Cup is the Now Testament for it is a holy signe of the New Testament c. Now this I doe the rather speake of because some inconsiderately do contend that neither in Scriptures nor good Authors any examples are to be found that the signe is put for the thing signified with the copulative Is betwixt But here they may see it The seven heads are seven Mountaines and a little after They are seven Kings Againe The ten hornes are ten Kings The waters are Peoples the woman is the Great City what will they have more Secondly that we might not seeke these Mountaines in the Moone as they say he addeth The seven heads are seven Mountaines on which the woman sitteth But the woman verse 18. is the great City that had dominion over the Kings of the earth in Iohns time that is Rome so then the sense is upon which Mountaine the woman fitteth that is upon which Mountaines Rome is built that rules the world hence Rome is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seven hal'd see Chap. 14.8 These Hills are called Capitolinus Palatinus Caelius Aventinus Aesquilinus Vnninalis Quirinalis in honour whereof was yeerely kept on the third of the Ides of December the Festivitie of the seven hills in memory of Romulus the builder or rather for the three Mountaines that were added by Servius Tullius that the Citie might stand upon seven for that which Romulus before built comprehended but foure Mountaines within the walles This â—â—ngell therefore doth plainly marke out Rome situated on seven hâ—â—ls as the seat of Antichrist Neither can the Iesuites any longer deay the same The Iesuits wrangling but onely by cavelling they would perswade us that Ancient or heathenesse Rome is here meant such as it was in Iohns time But themselves know it is a meere evasion for this Prophesie respecteth Rome that shall be in Antichrists time At last therefore they confesse it is meant of Popish Rome but here they seeke out another starting-hole viz. that this Rome shall not be the seat of Antichrist because it is to be burnt before Antichrist come But they well know that this is also false For why shall Rome be burnt Is it not because of her fornication with the Kings of the Earth and for being the seat of Antichrist They say that Rome shal apostate from the Christian faith unto Heathenisme See before chap 14 8 But what then shall the Pope doe in the meane time will he looke no better to his cure but a lyar had need have a good memory They say that Rome shall commit fornication with the ten Kings and for the same bee burnt And yet they say that those ten Kings or at least seven of them shall follow Antichrists Campe How then can it bee burnt before Antichrist come It is also observeable how diversly the seat of the woman is noted In verse 1. How the woman sits upon the waters upon the beast upon the mountains she sits upon many waters afterward verse 3. upon the beast and here upon the mountains the which are the heads of the beast All which things doe well agree ROME sits upon many waters as she beares rule over the Kings and Inhabitants of the Earth Rome sits upon the beast as she is born up of the beast and ruled by Antichrist Or if the beast be the Romane Empire Rome sits upon the beast as she swayeth the beast or Empire for by sitting dominion is noted Lastly Rome sits upon the heads of the beast which are the seven Mountains as sitting on them herself and giving them for a dwelling place to Antichrist Observe also the admirable union and mixture between the beast and woman and the mutuall metaneorphosis of the one as it were into the other so as the one is the other or a part and of the essence thereof yea both are one even the same Antichrist The seven Mountaines are the heads and strength of the beast and the seven Mountaines are the seat of the woman what doth hence follow but that the heads of the beast are the strength and seat of the woman that is of Antichrist Now the Mountaines of the woman are the mountaines of Rome And if the mountaines of Rome are the heads of Antichrist and the woman sit on the mountaines of Rome The woman then sits and reignes upon the heads of Antichrist Furthermore he that reigneth upon the heads of the Beast and the Mountaines of the woman is Antichrist The Pope of Rome reigneth on the heads of the beast and the mountaines of the woman therefore the Pope of Rome is Antichrist But Ribera contendeth that the beast is the devill not Antichrist yet he grants that the mountaines of the beast are the mountaines of Rome Now what will he gather hence
Harmageddon shall fight an unhappy Battell against Christ But the former and latter shal not be the same in the least as Ribera is forced to feine Chap. 18. Sect. 21. and Chap. 19. Sect. 34 because both these and the other shall never have one and the same mind therefore there shall others rule in the world beside them Thirdly that false Fiction hath often bin refuted viz. of Romes burning before Antichrists comming for Babylon shall not be burnt before Antichrist come But Papall Rome is Antichrist Therefore Papall Rome shall not be burnt before Antichrists comming The assumption is before proved neither can it be any longer denyed The most certain proofe of the major is this viz. Rome is to be burnt not before but after Antichrists comming Babylon shall be burnt because of her Antichristian fornication but Babylon shall not commit fornication before but after Antichrists comming because the Beast which is Antichrist whose hornes are the kings committing fornication with the whore carries her on his back yea on his seven heads being the Mountaines on which the woman sitteth The which carriage or bearing doth signifie the monstrous commixture of both Therefore Babylon shall be burnt not before but after Antichrists comming Lastly adde hereunto that the whore shall not be burnt before she shall sit upon the Beast But the Beast is Antichrist and so Ribera whether willing or not willing is forced to confesse Chap. 19.19 Sect. 31. and Chap. 20.10 Sect. 73. The Beast saith he that is Antichrist Therefore the Where Rome shall not be burnt before Antichrists comming There is yet one scruple Whether Rome being burnt Antichrist shal be abolished whether these Kings by burning the whore are to abolish Antichrist I answer they shall not for it should be contrary to that of the Apostle The LORD shall consume that wicked one with the spirit of his mouth and shall destory him with the brightnesse of his comming not therefore by the arme of flesh Besides it should be contrary to this Prophesie the which Chap. 19. affirmeth 2. Thes 2 that the Beast with the False Prophet and the kings of the Earth shall be cast into the lake burning with fire and brimstone after that the Beast with the false Prophet and kings of the Earth have fought their last battell against Christ So that the burning of the whore shall indeed be very great yet not the last or utter overthrow of Antichrist Antichrists Nest shall be burnt The shop of abominations fullminations tyranny Popish Idolatry and conclave of Cardinalls shall be destroyed The Pope himselfe and false Prophet shall flee out of Italy unto such kings which yet shall adhere unto him suppose the Spaniard Ribera confesseth the Pope shal be thrust out of Rome or some other by whom he may find shelter Neither doth Ribera deny this but often confesseth that after the destruction of Rome the Pope notwithstanding shall be the Romane Bishop although he sits not at Rome like as the Emperour of the Germanes is called Romane howbeit he have not Rome and as the Popes during the seventy years scisme were called Romanes though they sate at Avinion and not at Rome Thus we see the guilty confesseth the Fact Ribera Apocal 14 sect 48. Onely herein he staggers as not knowing where to turne himself for sometimes he feineth that these kings themselves other while that Antichrist by their assistance shall destroy Rome But his Fiction is frivolous for the Kings that are to destroy Rome shall not be Antichrists friends but his enemies because they shall hate the whore who as she is the Whore riding on the Beast is one with Antichrist yea Antichrist himself as before we shewed Therefore Antichrist shall then be neverthelesse he shall not destroy Rome by their helpe The Pope therefore or Antichrist shall remaine some while after Rome is burnt yet his strength shall be mightily weakned Now what he will further enterprize we shall hear Chap. 19. viz. that last battell unto which he shall gather by the three uncleane spirits the Armies of the Kings of the Earth in Harmageddon the which beeing unhappily fought hee shall bee cast into the Lake of fire 17 For God hath put in their hearts We have heard by whom and what the overthrow is that shall befall the Romish whore Now thirdly he addes who is the authour inflicting the same and here the Angell by a certaine Anticipation bids us to ascend higher even unto God For it might be thought a wonderfull thing how the Kings having been so long obsequious unto the whore should so suddenly change their mind and turn their love into hatred and ceasing to oppose Christ bend their sword against the whore Now this saith the Angell happened not at a venture but by the direction of God for God gave or put it into their hearts that is moved and bent their wills and counsells so to do For the kings heart is in the hand of the Lord as the Rivers of waters Pro 21 1 he turneth it whethersoever hee will But what did he put into their hearts he joyneth three acts of the Kings before mentioned as singular benefits of God To doe or full fill his will to wit of God as the Old Version rightly hath it to doe that which is pleasing unto him And so Beza in his former Edition but in his latter to execute his sentence or mind The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His is rather rendred relatively then reciprocally least in regard of the ambiguity thereof it might be applyed to the will not of God but of the Kings The sense is that they might execute on the whore the judgement decreed by God that is the hatred desertion making naked eating and burning of the whore described in verse 16. God therefore shall overthrow Rome and the Kings shall bee his Ministers To doe one minde namely their own that is to agree together with the Beast for to defend the woman as before ver 13. And to give their kingdome unto the Beast that is to lend all their power unto the Romane Antichrist fighting with all their might for his Hierarchicall Empire as in verse 13.14 Vntill the words of God shall be fulfilled This limitation is not of the finall consummation which is to happen at the sound of the seventh and last trumpet Cha. 10.9 for after the burning of Antichrists Seat and the alteration of the counsell of the Kings he shall notwithstanding remaine and rage some while but with very broken and weake attempts Now the terme prefixed by God is shewed that is how long this holy League of the Kings and Conspiracy of the Beast and so consequently their opposing of the Lambe shall endure which being finished God put into the hearts of the Kings that their love of the whore being turned into hatred they should execute his judgement upon her The sense therefore is The Kings have thus long conspired with the Beast and
committed fornication with the whore Vntill the words of God that is his decree touching the rising of Antichrist revealed in the words of the Prophets and Apostles be fulfilled After the fullfilling whereof God put into their hearts to hate the Romish Strumpet that is detest Popish Idolatry embrace the Gospell of Christ forsake yea and oppose the Whore Why therefore should we wonder that so many great Emperours so many religious Kings of Germany France Spaine England c. have with such zeale defended Popish Idolatry the Romish Church and Antichrist the Pope almost these 800. years in defence of whose magnificence and glory they have made so great wars and shed so much Christian blood We hear that God did put it into their hearts that they should do so and not otherwise so that the Angell wills us to rise from the events and secondary means unto the secret yet just judgement of God Here againe we have cause greatly to admire that after so long fornication some of the Kings as of England Scotland Denmarke Sweethland Many powerfull Princes also of Germany Bohemia France Poland and Hungary having laid down their armes against the Lambe and embraced the heavenly Doctrine of salvation brought to light by the Two Witnesses in the ages of our predecessours do at this day hate the Romish Adultresse and make her naked We have cause I say to admire the Fact and extoll Gods judgement to Heaven Certainly the Kings did not repent either rashly or by their own understanding God put it into their hearts that they should repent of their whoredome hate the whore and make her desolate The LORD is to be intreated that he will put the same into the hearts of the rest of the KINGS that is to take knowledge shun and hate the Whore and to give their power no longer unto the Beast but unto the Lambe Some Textuall scruples do here offer themselves which I shall explain after I have opened what yet remains in the Text. 18 The woman which thou sawest is the City The Angell openeth the whole mysterie of the whore This woman is popish Rome see chap. 11.8 14.8 16.19 that we might not think the woman sitting upon the waters to be an Asian or Vtopian Nymph It is saith he that great City before he often calls it Babylon Now he sets it forth by a more remarkeable note Having dominion over the Kings of the Earth Now what is this Is it the whole multitude of ungodly men in the world as some of the fathers wanting the experience which we have now have thought Nay it is Rome yea Popish Rome For the Writers saith Ribera In cha 17 sec 20.22 who have otherwise interpreted it are forced by the truth it selfe to yeeld unto us that Rome is that whorish City to be destroyed and overthrowne Again The foregoing words God put it into their hearts belong to the desolation and burning of Rome for they shew the cause of so great desolation effected by them who rather were thought should have proved friends With this sense which is certainly true c. Thus we have the interpretation of one sworn Iesuite Let us hear another Lib. de P. R. cap. 2 Babylon saith BELLARMIN that great City standing on Seven Mountaines and having dominion over the Kings of the Earth is ROME Neither was there any other City which in Johns time had dominion over the Kings of the Earth then ROME and it is most notorious that ROME is built upon seven Mountaines Let us hear a third Vest pag. 817 This Verse saith ALCASAR causeth no small difficulty to them who expound it otherwise then of ANGIENT ROME But in our exposition nothing is more cleare What can we desire more The great City is Rome both because the same is built upon seven Mountaines As also because it onely in Iohns time had dominion over the Kings of the Earth But now perhaps it hath not yea but it hath For whatsoever it possesseth not by force Quicquid non possidet armis Relligione tenet it holds by Religion Wherefore the two latter Iesuites do in vain seek an evasion that not Popish but Heathenish Rome is this City for they are confuted by Ribera their own companion ingeniously confessing that Heathenish Rome long agoe burnt to ashes by the Gothes and Vandalls hath no place here but that it is Popish Rome that now is yet notwithstanding he saith that it is to be burnt before Antichrists comming which latter refutes the former It remains therefore that the whore sitting on the Beast is Papast Rome O Rome hearken to Clemanges De corrup Eccle statu Cap 26 What saith he dost thou thinke of thy Prophesie to wit of John in the Revelation Dost thou not beleeve that it belongs at least in some measure unto thee Thou hast not so lost shame and sense to deny these things Wherefore looke on it and read the damnation of the great whore sitting upon many Waters and there contemplate thy worthy actions and what shall befall thee Again therefore we gather this argument Babylon that Great City standing on seven Mountaines is the Seat of Antichrist Popish Rome is Babylon that Great City standing on seven hills Therefore Popish Rome is the Seat of Antichrist Furthermore He which ruleth in the Seat of Antichrist is Antichrist The Pope of Rome ruleth in Antichrists Seat Therefore the Pope of Rome is ANTICHRIST There remains three scruples to be discussed from ver 17. I. How God puts into the hearts of Kings that is worketh in the hearts of men without impeachment of their liberty II. Seeing God is said to put three things into the hearts of the Kings One in its owne nature good viz. The hatred of the Whore Two things in themselves evill viz. Their agreement with the Beast and fight with the Lambe Whither he puts this after the same manner into their hearts and whither it will not hence follow that hee is the Authour of sinne III. In granting which thing some maintaine that these Kings were not converted how then are they said in spoiling of the whore to doe the will of God seeing they were ignorant of it Neither spoiled they her so much out of affection to piety as of desire to the prey Now first how God workes in the hearts of men the liberty of their will remaining Of this Question both in the Hypothesis and in the Thesis the explication is the same being not a little difficult For if God workes in the hearts of men he seemeth to determinate or limit their wills to one thing Now if God limit the wil then man seems not to act freely seeing that is said to be free which is unlimited in respect of a thing Furthermore God seems to move and bend the wills of men according to his own will or pleasure But that which is moved and bent by anothers will seems not to act freely Now the Scripture on the
whom it is commonly said Vendit Alexander cruces Altaria Christum Vendere jure potest emerat ipse prius Allexander sels Crucifixes Christ and Altars high And reason good he should do so for first he did them buy Of such kind of Merchandizing MANTUAN Venalia nobis Templa Sacerdotes altaria sacra coronae Ignis thura preces Coelum est Venale Deusque Temples Priests Altars Sacred things and Crownes renowned too Fire Frankincense Prayers Heaven and God here sell we do Who now will wonder that this merchandize shall hasten Romes destruction Hitherto the first Angell The second comes forth The second Part of the Chapter An Exhortation to the Godly to go out of BABYLON The lamentation of Kings Merchants Shipmasters and the rejoycing of the Heavenly Inhabitants 4 And I heard another voyce from Heaven saying Come out of her my people that yee be not partakers of her sinnes and that ye receive not of her plagues 5 For her sinnes have reached unto Heaven and God hath remembered her iniquities 6 Reward her even as shee rewarded you and double unto her double according to her workes in the Cup which shee hath filled fill to her double 7 How much she hath glorified her selfe and lived deliciously so much torment and sorrow give her for she saith in her heart I sit a Queen and am no Widow and shall see no sorrow 8 Therefore shall her plagues come in one day death and mourning and famine and shee shall bee utterly burnt with fire for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her 9 And the Kings of the Earth who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her shall bewaile her and lament for her when they shall see the smoake of her burning 10 Standing afarre off for feare of her torment saying Alas alas that great City Babylon that mighty City for in one houre it thy judgement come 11 And the Merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her for no man buyeth their merchandize any more 12 The Merchandize of gold and silver and precious stones and of pearles and fine linnen and purple and silke and scarlet and all thin wood and all manner vessells of Ivory and all manner vessels of most precious wood and of brasse and iron and marble 13 And Cynamon and Odours and oyntments and frankincense and wine and oile and fine flour and wheat and beasts and sheep and horses and chariots and slaves and soules of men 14 And the fruits that thy soule lusted after are departed from thee all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee and thou shalt find them no more at all 15 The Merchants of these things which were made rich by her shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment weeping and wailing 16 And saying Alas alas that great City that was clothed in fine linnen and purple and scarlet and decked with gold and precious stones and pearles 17 For in one houre so great riches is come to nought And every Shipmaster and all the company in ships and Sailers and as many as trade by sea stood afar off 18 And cried when they saw the smoake of her burning saying What City is like unto this great City 19 And they cast dust on their heads and cryed weeping and wailing saying Alas alas that great city wherein were made rich al that had Ships in the Sea by reason of her costlinesse for in one houre is she made desolate 20 Rejoyce over her thou heaven and yee holy Apostles and Prophets for God hath avenged you on her THE COMMENTARY ANd I heard another voyce from Heaven This Angell is only heard but appeares not on the Theater Therefore Brightman calls him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Namelesse Now wherefore he is not named nor comes forth we need not enquire after it perhaps it might be because he treats of things displeasing but the former also was no lesse odious to the Romanes Therefore we leave this to the wisedome of God We know that in Interludes sometime a voice and words are uttered by persons that are hid that the Assembly may be the more astonished Let therefore this unknowne voyce stir up our attention unlesse perhaps it were the voyce of God or Christ because he calleth the people His. Now the First part as we shewed in the Analysis is an exhortation to the Godly Afterward the lamentation of Kings and Romish Chapmen Lastly the joy of the heavenly inhabitants In the Exhortation the people of God are commanded First to goe out of ROME least they pertake of her sinnes and plagues Secondly to render unto her double Come out of her my people This in Ieremy 51.45 was the voyce of God unto the Israelitish people Goe yee out of the midst of her and deliver yee every man his soule from the fierce anger of Jehovah Therefore here also it seems to be Gods voyce because as I said he calls the people His. The words do a little differ yet the sense is the same and are directed unto all the Godly whomsoever that either have bin are or shall be at Rome not onely within her wals but the limits of the Romish Iurisdiction We see therefore that as there was in Babylon of old the very stocke of abominations a people of God but captive so in the new Babylon although it be the Seat of Antichrist yet there alwayes hath bin is and shall be some Godly and Elect God hath some of his in Babylon but Captives For by this people Rupertus well understands the Elect onely according to the counsell of God Therefore as often as the Papists demand If the Papacy were not the Church where then was it before Luthers time Let us also aske them if Babylon were not where then was the Church in the time of the Babylonish Captivity The church before Luther was in Babylon wherfore as the Old Church was in Babylon but oppressed thorow captivity So the Christian was under the Papacy captivated and oppressed Goe out of her The Israelites were commanded to goe out of Babylon first in heart by shunning her Idols and abominations After Seventy yeers bodily also by returning into Iudea under Cyrus Both goings out of the new Babylon are commanded unto us viz. with our hearts to flee and detest her Idols and abominations and corporally also as much as may be to depart from Rome and shake off the yoake of Babylonish Tyranny by vertue of the commandement Goe out of her By which first we may readily justifie our separating from Popery They indeed accuse us to be Schismaticks Hereticks who are fallen off from the Church But we have not left the Church of Christ but the Babylon of Antichrist God so commanding us Secondly the stupidity or madnesse of some is here reproved who by an unhappy desire to see Rome the Pope Cardinals and Romish Idolatry run to Italy to the great danger of their health Life Estates Conscience Salvation Such also who enjoying
of them was broken long ago by the rooting out of Paganisme Adde to this that the guilt thereof was long since expiated by the worship of Christian Religion as also by the punishments inflicted through the Gothes Vandalls Hunni before Antichrists rising at Rome Besides God would not impute to Christian Rome the wickednesse of others for the soule that sinneth it shall die Ezec. 18.4 It remains therefore that this chain or heape of sins is of Papall Rome Furthermore these sins shall be either of Popish Rome or else of Rome invaded by Antichrist who as they seine is to reigne three yeeres and an halfe Of this feined Antichrist they cannot be both because Ribera gloseth Chap. 16.11.14 that Rome before the comming of Antichrist should utterly be destroyed by the Ten Kings As also because in the space of three yeers the sins of their feined Antichrist cannot in any probability encrease to so great an height if we seriously consider what is here spoken of his whoredomes wares merchandize and great wealth so that whithersoever the Iesuites turne themselves this heap of abominations reaching to heaven is meant of none save Popish Rome now extant Thus the Papists themselves except they be altogether brutish may understand what is to be determined of the worship superstitions Idols and universall politie of the Romish Church 6. REWARD Gr. render HER EVEN AS SHEE REWARDED rendred YOV The second Part of the Exhortation that the godly should repay double to Babylon Which God inculcates by divers figurative words 1. That they should render for reward her to wit judgement 2. Double unto her double according to her workes for afflict her twice as much as she hath afflicted the Saints 3. Fill to her double the cup of wrath the sense being one with the former 4. That by how much through pride and luxuriousnesse she had lift up herselfe above all Churches Bishops Kings Princes by so much they should not onely bring down but also afflict her with torment and sorrow In the latter of which he alludes unto that in Daniel Dan. 11.36 Thess 2.4 And hee shall exalt himselfe And to that of Paul And exalteth himselfe above all that is called God By this diversity of Phrases her sins are so much aggravated as no punishment or torment seems to be great enough for them Withall the godly are stirred up in taking vengeance on her to exercise all manner of severity and punishment not out of their own affection but by the commandement of God But here two doubts are to be cleared First how this stirring up of the godly to revengement stands with charity piety and the commandement of Christ Render not evill for evill For the godly are rather to be dehorted from cruelty then to be edged on therto The second how it agrees with equity and justice to render double that is to inflict a heavier punishment then the nature of the fault seems to require Vnto which two a Third may be added seeing he commands us to render to Antichrist according to his workes which were wicked and abominable sins whither then we are commanded to reward wickednes with wickednes theft with theft murder with murder perjury with perjury Thus God should command that which is abominable Now that which God commands is right and just and so it should be no sin to steale commit adultery forsweare kill Christianus Gottlieb c. Which thing of late a Masqued Sycophant did hence labour to maintain But to the first it is answered that the godly are not commanded to take vengeance but to rejoyce because of the same that is they themselves are not bid to burne Babylon but to rejoyce that God by the Kings had brought so heavy a judgement on her as if they should say take vengeance on her with God and gladly subscribe unto his righteous judgement by how much she hath rejoyced in doing injury unto you by so much rejoyce ye over her just punishments In this sense it is said that the Saints shall judge the world and Angels 1. Cor. 6 2.3 and the Twelve Tribes of Israel Mat. 19.28 to wit as approoving of the judgement to be executed by Christ the Iudge This opinion many of ours follow Ribera also holds the same If we take it thus then it is not contradictory to Christs commandement touching shunning of revenge Neither are the Saints bid to rejoyce over evill or the torments of Babylon but the righteous judgements of God But thou wilt say they are not only commanded to rejoyce over her judgement but to take vengeance on her themselves for as by the words Goe out they themselues are commanded to go out so by the words Render unto her they themselves are commanded to do it which seems to contradict the commandement of Christ in the Gospell I Answer This must be understood by a Synecdoche part being put for the whole Therefore my Anonymus refers the command unto Preachers RENDER VNTO HER that is Preach yee that so much be done unto her Thus there is no difficulty Neither is there any though it be referred to the whole Company of the Godly which consists not only of private men unto whom indeed private revenge is prohibited by Christs Commandement But of godly Princes and Kings also Anonymus a true prophet for some of them saith the said ANONYMVS speaking of the ten hornes or Kings who now hold with Antichrist shall at the preaching of the Gospell be turned against him the which thing we have before spoken of So that here is commanded no private revenge to private men but publick to godly Kings and Princes into whose hearts the Lord will put this using them as instruments for the overthrow of Babylon Vnto them therefore and their military forces this part of the Exhortation doth principally belong and the manner is declared how God put that into their hearts namely because by an expresse commandement he stir'd them up to this revengement Vnto the second the Answer is more easie he commands not to render double punishment for a single sin or to afflict Babylon more grievously then she deserved the which should bee contrary to justice but commands them to inflict the double of those afflictions with which she had tormented the Saints and so much her sins did require for he saith expresly Double unto her double according to her workes as if he should say because her sins deserve double punishment For no punishment can be double in respect of sin in the judgement of God that is more grievous then the fault forasmuch as all sin deserves eternall punishment Or we may understand double not Arethmetically but Geometrically that is of a most fearfull punishment agreable unto her deserts And the word Double is thus taken in the Prophets Isa 40.2 God promiseth to the people deliverance out of their Captivity for saith he shee hath received of the Lords hand double for all her sinnes that is she hath grievously
by the Kings a long time or many years but be suddenly taken because of her security like as in one night Cyrus suddenly tooke carelesse Babylon being forsaken of her friends and driven to despair having no power to defend her self The grievousnesse of the punishment is aggravated by enumeration of four Plagues Death Mourning Famine Fire every one of which shall answer to her sins she promised her self perpetuall happinesse but Death shall cut her off she delighted in all kind of pleasures therefore sorrow shall overthrow her She continually gave her self to gluttony riot c. Therefore Famine shall kill her she burnt the godly Martyrs as Heretickes therefore with Fire shall she be utterly consumed by the Kings sometimes her lovers who shall fall from her and turne their swords which they formerly imployed for her against the Godly into her own bowels See Chap. 17. ver 17. For strong is the Lord He prooves that her lot and portion shall be irrecoverable from the omnipotencie of the Iudge the which he opposeth to the Romane power that we might not think the thing foretold impossible the which immagination hath beguilded many even to this day Stapleton hath writ a Booke of the admirable greatnesse of the Romane Church which he saith shall so remaine for ever Lipsius also had no other end then to flatter Rome in his Book which he published about the same time touching the admirable greatnesse of the Romane City Iohan. Paul Windek About this time also a certaine Parasite of the Romish Seat spread abroad a Prognostication about the future state of the Church wherein he affirmed that the Evangelicall Doctrine and Christian Churches should shortly perish The Romane Seat remaine stable and constant so is this opinion settled in the mindes of Papists that it is impossible the Romane Power should be overcome through any Plots or devices or the Romish Hierarchy linked and fastned together with iron bonds as it were should ever be overthrown by any But 2. Strong is the Lord which judgeth her Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Judging in the present tence Andreas and Montanus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who hath judged because in his unchangeable decree he hath devoted her to condemnation some thinke because this shall happen in one day and suddenly that like Sodom she shall be burnt with fire from Heaven but because it was said before that the Kings should burne her it seems rather to be meant of fire suddenly thrown into the City by the Victorious army Hitherto the Exhortation the Lamentation followes 9. And the Kings of the Earth shall bewaile her The wicked lament the wretched condition of Rome First Kings then Merchants Lastly Shipmasters Now what and how great their mourning shall be and the cause thereof common to them all is shewed to be the losse of their former riot and gaine And therefore there is the lesse difficulty and reason to insist upon it This generally is to be noted from the lamentation that a temporall judgement on Rome is here described not the last judgement in the end of the World for wicked Kings Merchants and Shipmasters shall see and bewaile the same In the first place the Kings of the Earth are brought in mourning as being more worthy and powerfull who were chiefe in committing filthines with the Romish Strumpet They shall bewaile and lament for her That is because of her sudden and miserable destruction who these are is noted by two Epithites they are Kings of the Earth committing fornication and living deliciously with her By both we may understand that they shall be enemies of the Gospell Vassalls Sonnes Spirituall Lovers of the Romish Seat For the first Epithite 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Earth is allwayes in this Prophesie taken in an evill sense for Kings Nations and worldly men given to earthlie worship By the latter Epithite the cause also of their mourning is shewed they shall lament excessively because they are deprived of their sweet converse with the whore by means of her unexcepted destruction What that converse was we have opened on verse 3. and divers times before It may be demanded who these Kings of the Earth shall be Ribera feineth that they shall be the same Ten Kings who burned her with fire who these Kings of the Earth are repenting and bewailing the destruction of the most renowned City like as Titus is said to have mourned for the burning of Ierusalem and the Temple But it is a vaine Fiction for those Kings shall be converted unto the faith These shall be Kings of the Earth Enemies of the Gospell Ioseph lib 7 de bell Iud. c. 24. The cause also of the mourning is different These shall lament because they can no longer commit fornication and riot with her But the former Kings after they had once by the divine mercie of God repented of their sinne refused any longer to commit fornication with her for it is said They shall hate the Whore and make her desolate Therefore we affirme that these Kings of the Earth shall be such of the Ten as still remaine with the Pope 10. Standing a farre off for feare The gesture and voice of these Mourners is noted standing a farre off and crying Alas alas In which he prevents an objection Why shall they not rather take up Armes and succour the distressed Citie Feare and trembling shall hinder them signifying that the Lord will so astonish them as that they shall not so much as thinke upon armes or succour for the feare of the divine judgement will make them to seeke shelter for themselves For in one houre Before In one day Her judgement shall be so sudden that before the report of her Siege be far spread the Citie shall lie in ashes Thus high things are on a sudden brought to nothing Trees of great height are long in growing but rooted up in one houre They call it judgement to wit of God the just Iudge whose vengeance shall be so manifest that the very enemies shall be forced to confesse that so great a Citie was thus suddenly overthrowne not by humane force but by the judgement of God being angry 11. And the Merchants of the Earth shall weepe Merchants succeed the Kings in mourning the Merchants I say of the Earth whom we have shewed to be spirituall Traders Treasurers of the Popish Court Paenitentiaries and Granters of Pardons c. The which plainely appeares by the adjunct cause of their sorrow and kind of Merchandize Because no man buyeth her merchandize any more But gold silver and pretious stones shall not be out of esteem because of the destruction of one Citie For by the overthrow of one Mart-Towne trading is not taken away from other places but the fall of one is rather the rising of another as not long ago in the low Countries Antwerpe sometime a noble Mart-Towne decaying was the flourishing of Amsterdam Therefore it is manifest that here properlie merchandable wares are not
forbidden in Scripture The Third Part of the Chapter The Voyce of the third Angell figuring the destruction of Babylon under the Similitude of a Milstone cast into the SEA 21 And a mighty Angel took up a stone like a great milstone and cast it into the Sea saying Thus with violence shal that great City Babylon be throwne downe and be found no more at all 22 And the voice of harpers and musicians and of Pipers and Trumpeters shal be heard no more at all in thee and no Craftsman of whatsoever craft he be shal be found any more in thee and the sound of a milstone shal be heard no more at all in thee 23 And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee and the voice of the Bridegrome and of the Bride shal be heard no more at all in thee for thy Merchants were the great men of the Earth for by thy sorceries were all Nations deceived 24 And in her was found the blood of Prophets and of Saints and of all that were slaine upon the Earth THE COMMENTARY AND a mighty Angell The second voyce leaves speaking And another Angell comes forth on the Scene Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 One Angell indefinitely that is One of the companie of the ANGELS who was to seale up the whole action of Babylons judgement by an externall Symbole 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Strong Hee is said to be mighty because of the Symbole which did require more then humane strength For he takes up as if it were but a straw a stone like a great Milstone which ten strong men can hardly move and casteth it with force into the Sea Therefore in Scripture the Angells are worthily commended for their strength to comfort the Godlie and terrifie the wicked But what is meant by this throwing It would have seemed frivolous had not the signification thereof bin added Tract 81. in Iohan. for signes without the word are dead Ceremonies Therefore our Sacramentall signes which we call Sacraments have the word annexed touching the things signified according to that of AUSTIN Let the word be joyned to the Element and it becomes a Sacrament The word therefore is the soule of the Sacrament The soul of signs is the word because it expoundeth what the signe in every Sacrament doth signifie Whence it is certain that signes testifie the same thing to the eye that words sound to the eare and that Sacraments signifie the same benefits of Christ which are taught in the Word or Gospell hence also Austin often calls them Visible words De catal Chap. 3. Cantr faust Cap. 16. Tract 18. in Iohan. because as I said they represent the same thing to the eye which the word sounds to the eare But to the matter Thus with violence shall the great City Babylon be cast downe and shal be found no more at all Hence it appeares that signes represent the same thing that the word doth but much more effectually because they work upon two Sences together stir up to faith viz. The eyes by the Symbole The eares by the word For the same judgement which hitherto we have received or heard by the voice of the Angels and the Iamentation of the wicked we now also as it were behold with our eyes under the Type of a Milstone throwne into the Sea So that the thing which before was certaine to the eare is now made far more certaine the Sence of the Eyes confirming the same The Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so denotes the force and analogie of the Type The Analogie between a milstone and Babylon For as a great Milstone cannot be easily moved so the great Citie Babylon is hardlie to be conquered As a Milstone is thrown down so Babylon shall be cut off As a stone is throwne with force So Rome shall suddenly and with force be overwhelmed As a stone is swallowed up by the Sea So fire a contrarie Element shall devour Babylon As a Milstone thrown into the Sea remaines covered in the bottome thereof and can no more be drawn out So Rome being once burnt with fire shal not be found or repaired any more but remain in ashes This is the analogie of the type and antitype We are to know Ier. 51.63 that the same Type was of old used about the destruction of Ancient Babylon for Ieremie is commanded to bind the Booke of his Prophesie not indeed to a Milstone but another stone and cast it in the midst of Euphrates saying So shall Babylon sincke and shall not rise from the evill that I will bring upon her and they shall bee weary Thus Old and New Babylon go borh one way in Gods judgement The Great Citie BABYLON This is so often reiterated in this Prophesie as it confounds with shame the boasting of Papists touching the greatnesse of the Romish Citie and Church 22. And the Voyce of Harpers The Angell aggravates the most sad desolation which shall there appeare where now lofty Rome doth pride it by propheticall phrases threatning the privation of such good things which are requisite for the pleasure and necessitie of a flourishing Common-wealth To the pleasure of a Citie belong musicall Instruments Harpes Fluites Trumpets and Artists that have skill to use them By Harpes men are occasioned to rejoyce at Feasts At the sound of the Fluite they use to dance By Trumpets the people are called to holy and civill meetings and Souldiers stir'd up to war whither for exercise or in earnest Nothing saith he of these things shall bee heard in thee any more Therefore there shall bee nothing but meere desolation and sadnesse To the necessitie of a Citie are required all kinde of Artists Arist in Eth and Handicrafts men For a City consists not of a Physitian alone but of a Physitian and the husbandman But no Craftsmâ—â— shall be found in thee any more so that in stead of the deliciousâ—â—sse and abundance of these pretious wares shal be misery and desolation To the upholding of mans life Corne also and Millers are requisite by whom the seed is grinded and the meale prepared for bread and necessary food The voyce saith he of a Milstone shal be heard no more in thee In stead of abundance of fine floure and delicacies shall be povertie and want Also burning lights are requisite for the night season without which wee should beforced to passe the halfe of our Life in darkenesse These also saith he shall shine no more in thee Therefore there shal be datknesse and desolation Lastly to the preservation of Cities there must of necessity be procreation of children in lawfull Matrimonie for without Weddings and Marriage a Citie must needs perish either by death of her Citizens or bee full of Bastards Also there shall bee no more Weddings in thee For the voice of the Bride and of the Bridegrome shall bee no more heard in thee Thus thy delosation shall bee consummated Behold in what a horrible
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
of that spirituall Resurrection But this cannot bee for it would follow that none did spiritually live againe that is were converted in the thousand yeeres but the Martyrs alone Secondly this absurditie would also follow that the thousand yeeres being finished all which Spiritually dyed did or shall spiritually rise againe the which thing is contrary to manifest experience I answer 1. Again they take up a false Antecedent viz. that in the former member a spirituall Resurrection ought to be understood for the former clause speaketh of no Resurrection whither Spirituall or Corporall but of the happy living of the blessed Soules with Christ for he saith not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And they lived again but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And they lived with Christ which two we deny to be of like force and signification Now from a false Hypothesis or supposition the consequences which are thence drawn are also false Hence 2. the whole conclusion is false because the diverse words lived and lived again make both members or clauses to be of a diverse sense neither are they truely Opposites as was shewed in opening of the Text. III. The Assumption is also denyed that the latter member cannot be understood of a Spirituall Resurrection for a little before we shewed that it ought so to be taken IV. The former absurditie followes not both because to the Martyrs are added the Professours also which received not the Character of the Beast that is who refused to embrace and professe the Papists Religion verse 4. Hence Ecclesiasticall Histories testifie that besides the Martyrs there were alwayes some other professing Christians As also because the Speech is indefinite and usuall in Scripture The rest of the dead were not converted not as if none at all were converted but very few as appeares from a like place Chap. 9.18.20 where at the sounding of the sixt trumpet it is said that the third part of men being slaine the rest repented not the which unlesse it bee indefinitely understood a greater absurditie then this should follow viz. that not one man in the whole world did then repent LASTLY the latter absurditie that the thousand yeeres beeing ended all Spiritually dead should also spiritually rise againe which were much to be wished doth no more follow then that the said yeers being ended the soules of Martyrs and Professours should neither live nor reign any longer with Christ Objec IV. From the same Antithesis If the latter member ver 5. speaketh of the Resurrection of bodies then the former in ver 4. speaketh of a Resurrection of bodies also where it s said of the Soules of the Martyrs And they lived that is lived againe The reason of the consequence is because in every lawfull distribution as this is for who should taxe the Holy Ghost of absurditie members are set downe under the same Genus or generall word Now the Genus here is the Resurrection of the dead I answer The falsitie both of the Antecedent and Consequent of this Objection hath already bin so fully demonstrated that there needs no more be added The reason of the consequence is not solid neither can hence the Holy Ghost be taxed of absurdity both because often a Genus of one and the same name is taken in a diverse signification so the living againe of the dead in this place As also because it were wickednes to deny that to the Spirit especially in this aenigmaticall Prophesie which Philosophers Poets and Orators frequently take to themselves viz. in distributions to oppose things metaphoricall to things proper or proper to figurative for the thing it self Now in v. 4. was shewed that this Antithesis is such Objec V. They who so live againe or rise as they begin to reigne with Christ that is by Christ in Heaven they certainely rise in their bodies But the Soules of the Martyrs are so to live againe or rise in the beginning of those thousand yeeres as that they begin to reigne with that is by Christ in Heaven for John saith They lived and reigned with Christ Therefore c. Answer I. The major is denyed a non causa for to the end that the Soules of Martyrs and Confessours should live blessedly and reigne with Christ in Heaven before the last day a corporall Resurrection is not necessary But at the last day it shall be necessary to the end that the Martyrs both in body and in soule may gloriously live and reigne with CHRIST for ever according to the promise of the Gospell II. The assumption is refuted by the proofe it selfe or by Iohns owne words for he saith not that the Soules lived againe or were raised but they lived 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The difference whereof children in schooles do understand and hath bin demonstrated ver 4. Therefore the first falsehood so often repeated is a continuall begging of the Question They insist To live and reigne with Christ is to live and reigne after the similitude of Christ or so to live and reigne as Christ now reigneth in Heaven But Christ liveth and reigneth in soule and bodie Therefore the Martyrs not onely lived and reigned with him in soule but in body also I answer I. This glosse overthrows the former for if to live with Christ be to live after the likenesse of Christ in Heaven then it is false that it is to live againe or be raised from the dead on Earth II. The major shall be true after the Resurrection of the dead at the last day when all the Martyrs Professours and Beleevers being raised from death shall in soule and body be allwayes with the Lord 1. Thes 4.17 1. Ioh. ◠2 and see him as he is But before the Resurrection of the dead this is false Otherwise the Soules of such as die in the Lord should not goe unto Christ nor live with him but the Apostle testifies the contrary touching himselfe Philip. 1.23 and of all the faithfull 2. Cor. 5 8 c. Ob. VI. It is agreeable to the justice of God that such as suffered more grievously then others for the confession of Christ should also enjoy longer delight and glory Therfore the Martyrs are to be raised from the dead before the rest of the Faithfull to enjoy the Kingdom of Heaven all those THOVSAND YEERS before the other Answ The major not being universall is false for God doth not all what is agreeable to his justice now or before the Day of Iudgement but will doe the same at that Day See 2. Thess 1.6.7.8.10 Neither is every thing agreeable to divine justice which seemes so to us but whatsoever is revealed in the Scripture otherwise indeed it might seeme to us to bee more agreeable to the justice of God that the Martyrs should presently be raised after their sufferings and be carried with their bodies into Heaven that so they might longer and before others enjoy the Kingdom of glory Objec VII The two Martyrs Rev. 11.11 were
When the thousand yeers of Satans imprisonment began and when they ended that the fatall thousand yeeres of Satans Imprisonment are finished and when They tooke their beginning at the destruction of Ierusalem by the Romanes when the Iewes who furiously blasphemed the Gospell of Christ and sought by all meanes to hinder the Gentiles from embracing the same were dispersed through the whole world and the fulnesse of the Gentiles began to enter into the Church for then it chiefly appeared that Satan was thrust into Hell and bound with the chains of darkenes that he might no longer keep the Gentiles from the faith of Christ 2. Pet. 2.4 Besides before we shewed that these bonds continued untill the times of Gregory VII Wherefore the thousand yeers were finished more then five hundred yeeres agoe and Satan loosed from his imprisonment When Satan was agoin loosed which sufficiently appeared by the fatall tumults that were raised up both in the East and West by that raging enemy For chiefly in these five hundred yeers the Westerne Antichrist by the impulsion and efficacie of the Dragon violently laid hold on the Monarchicall power of both swords miserably oppressing and enslaving all Christendome in the West which Bellarmine himselfe denyeth not And on the other side Lib. 3. de P. R. cap. 9. that Thracian adversary of Christ having brought almost all the East and South under his power doth with so great fury encompasse the Campe of the Saints as it seemes impossible he should be stopped but by fire descending from Heaven 8. And shall goe out to deceive the Nations By the word going out is signified Satans free raging and outragious endeavour to turne all things upside downe In the same sense it was before said of the three Frogs the spirits of devils Rev. 16.14 They goe forth unto the Kings of the Earth And indeed there and here is treated of one and the same attempt of Satan being the same third Act there of the Fift here of the seventh Vision Satan therefore being let loose out of prison shall rove about going to and fro through the Earth and with great fury setting all things every where in a flame both in the world and Church not as if he shall no longer bee kept in by the bridle of providence but because God will let loose the reines unto him more then before for reasons expounded ver 3. Now his enterprises shall principally be two One to seduce the nations in the four corners of the earth The second to stir up Gog and Magog to battell Thus these things are to be distinguished for the Verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deceive is both to be referred to the Nations and also to Gog and Magog because he shall deceive both the one and the other yet so as in a diverse manner and end The Nations he shall seduce from the Faith unto new Paganisme The Pagans Gog and Magog he shall seduce Satans twofold attempt after his loosing Vestigat pag. 896. that is stirre them up to war in hope of Victory against the Campe of the Saints The former attempt shall bee Ecclesiasticall and so more neerely tending to the destruction of the Church The latter civill and tending to the overthrow of the state and policie of Christians Which Alcasar also seeing It shall not saith he properly be a war for Religion to speake generally but for the Empire By the nations as before Ch. 11.3 I understand false Christians who having embraced the Faith of Christ did again degenerate from the sincerity thereof in the times of Antichrist These nations I say he shall deceive that is under the name of Christ they shall return unto Paganisme How the nations were deceived as to their old vomit worshipping God after the manner of the heathens and living more heathenishly and enormous then before This Pest saith he shall rage not in one corner but in the four corners of the earth By a Phrase repeated from Chap. 7.1 that is in all parts of Christendom throughout the whole earth for no corner shall be free from his seducement but apostacy shal every where get the upper hand yet chiefly in the East and West where the Crownes of the Empire shal be and where ambition and carnality of Priests shall chiefly reigne and withall corrupt the other corners of the Earth For Gregory VII Gregory the VII an exquisite Instrument of Satan loosed sitting at Rome in the Chaire of universall pestilence to the end it might appeare that Satan was loosed from the yeer 1073. the devill began to rage farre more cruelly by him then ever he had done by Romulus Tarquinius the proud Tiberius Nero Domitian Heliogabalus Diocletian Decius or by the Persians Scythians or Saracens the cruellest of all which Tyrants being compared with the said Pope Gregory according to what the Cardinall Benno and others have published of him would seeme to be a Saint in respect of this filthy instrument of Satan It s true he was not the first Antichrist neither did the seduction of Christians from the faith begin with him for the Romish Antichristianisme had bin growing and greatly encreasing above three hundred yeers before But because Satan was as yet bound for the Dragon being bound the Beast was to ascend out of the Pit and possesse his throne and power as his Vicar so as the former times might seem more tolerable in respect of the times which followed for at the end of the thousand yeers Satan being loosed out of his prison began to puffe up the Romane Popes with such swelling pride as they feared not to tread upon and oppresse the most powerfull Princes Kings and Emperours of Christendom After much contention Hildebrand called Gregory under a false pretence of simonie wrang out of the hands of Henry that valiant Emperour and his Sonne Henry V. the Episcopall Investures as they terme it which till then were belonging to the Right and Crowne of the Empire yea also thrust Henry himselfe from the Empire through his wicked sonne Priests also that were married he cast out of the Church as Nicolaitans as if the Apostle 1. Tim. 3.2 Tit. 1.6 had instituted Nicolaitans moreover he published two Cannons which ever since have bin and yet are to this day the sinews of the Popes Tyranny 1. If any man receive Priest-hood at the hand of any Lay person let both the Giver and Receiver be accursed 2. If any Communicate with a married Priest or if a Priest having a wife doth not put her away let him be accursed By this compendious way hee exempted at once all Bishops Clerks Churches and all that thereunto belonged from the power of Emperours and brought them under his owne Empire 1. Tim. 3.2 Tit. 1.6 1. Cor. 7.2 withall taking unto himselfe the right of all Ecclesiastical goods condemning also marriage estate not only granted unto Bishops by Paul but also commanded to shun fornication as the wickednesse of the
unto the words and Histories of the Prophets another warre not unlike unto that of Gog and Magog is here foretold and the victory promised The sense is thus Like as of old Gog and Magog invaded the Holy Land with very great Armies miserably afflicting the people of God So Satan being loosed at the end of the thousand fatall yeers shall raise up against the Church a new Gog and Magog that is most cruell adversaries who with most numerous Armies over-spreading all parts of Christendom shall cruelly make spoil of all things And as God did often by wonderfull overthrowes suppresse Gog and Magog of old that is those Asian Syrian and Egyptian Tyrants in the middest of their fury that they might not utterly destroy the Holy-City so he will with fire from Heaven devoure the new Gog and Magog that is the adversaries of the last times in the midst of their fury that they shall not be able to accomplish their designe to blot out the Church of Christ Now who should these Adversaries Gog and Magog be but those foure Angels bound at the River Euphrates Rev. 9.14 who after they were let loose by Gods Commandment invaded the Christian world most horribly corrupted through Antichristian Idolatry with an Army of two hundred thousand thousand horse-men Gog and Magog are the foure Angels of Euphrates cruelly murdering the third part of men which Angels we interpreted of foure Peoples most cruell adversaries of the Christian name viz. the Arabians Saracens Scythians or Tartars and Turkes for undoubtedly the same Adversaries the same battell and the same overthrow at the sounding of the sixt Trumpet in Vision third and in this Oracle of the seventh Vision is signified by way of parallel for after Satan was loosed the Armies of the Saracens Tartars and Turkes began in a speciall manner to over-run Christendom and by horrible slaughters to weaken the state of Christians as Histories and dayly experience do manifest Wee have heard who the adversaries are Whose number is as the sand of the Sea He amplifies their multitude by a simile usuall to the Scriptures For it is no Hyperbole by which is spoken more then truth but a metaphor by which a thing is aggravated For as the sand of the Sea is unto us innumerable so these barbarous Nations use to fight with innumerable Armies 9. And they ascended He foretels the forceable attempt of the Adversary by a Verbe in the Praeter Tense in stead of a Future beeing a Propheticall Enallage or change of Tenses usuall to Iohn By the word Ascend he notes their obscure rise or originall intimating that these barbarous Nations did suddenly from a low condition grow to the greatest height of power or that being raised up by Satan they ascended as it were out of Hell On the breadth of the Earth That is they shall not remaine in one place but spread themselves far and neer to wast and destroy all And compassed the Campe of the Saints about By this Camp BRIGHTMAN understands Europe in which almost all Christendom is included But five or sixe hundred yeers agoe Christianisme was larger by farre The Christian world is the camp of the saints when there were yet flourishing Churches in all the coasts of Asia and Europe Wherefore he calleth the Christian world the Campe of the Saints or the Church in which the godly do fight against Satan and the world as it were in a Campe. But however Christianisme was every where most corrupt yet it is called the Camp of Saints viz. Mat. 4.5 Luk. 19.46 The beloved city is the Church of right and profession although not of Fact Like as Jerusalem is called the Holy-City DE IVRE of Right because she ought to have bin holy whereas DE FACTO In deed she was A denne of thieves In the same sense he calleth the Church the Beloved-City because notwithstanding her great corruption yet God had and still hath many beloved ones and Elect in her It is a Metaphor taken from IERVSALEM which of old was Gods Beloved-City and the Type of the New Church as appeares by the following Allegory By the word compassing-about he intimates the treacherous attempts enterprises and divers irruptions of the adversaries as if he should say They shall not once or in one place onely vexe and trouble the Christian world but often and in divers places one while in Asia another while in Africa and in Europe He notes their subtilty also and earnestnesse in mannaging their affaires and occasions for while Christian Princes did weaken themselves by continuall discord hatred and intestine warres at home the Turkes and Tartars were alwayes in readinesse with their Forces to devour one Province after another The holy war was the occasion of the Gogish war called Sacrum quasi minime sacrum The first occasion of this Gogish battle was that warre in Palestina against the Saracens raised by the Popes of Rome after the expiration of the thousand fatall yeers called Holy as it were most unholy the first Author whereof was that Hildebrand called Gregory VII who began to solicite Christian Emperours Kings and Princes to recover the holy Land by force of Armes After him Vrbanus II. for his turbulent counsells called Turbanus obtained that many great Armies wearing the signe of the Crosse should be sent into Syria under divers Captaines And indeed at that time Ierusalem and all Syria was recovered out of the hands of the Turkes and Saracens by the prowesse of Godfrey Duke of Bullen but was scarce kept LXXVIII Yeers by the Christians For Saladine a Turkish King Calyph of Damascus and Egypt being drawne on through the intestine discord of Christian Princes and by the treachery of the Tripolitan Earle overthrew al the Christian Forces in one day bringing their Princes with King Gwido himselfe and all Palestina under his power This was the beginning of the Gogish battell The beginning of the Gogish war for the Saracens taking this occasion and seeing that the Christians whose power before they much feared were not unconquereable they began to thirst after whole Christendome and by degrees brought under subjection by their cruell Armies all the Maritime Africa all the East and Babylon even unto Bersia at last also the lesser Asia both Countries of Armenia Thracia Pontus Bulgaria Greece Sclavonia even unto Hungarie and the borders of Germany driving Christianisme into the uttermost corner of Europe This is that Gogish warre which Satan after the thousand fatall yeers hath with great successe waged above five hundred yeeres against the Christians by Gog and Magog that is by the Eastern Antichrist Against this opinion it 's objected FIRST that these adversaries shall compasse about or besiege the Campe of the Saints and the Beloved-City that is the Church But neither the Christians that undertooke that warre can be understood by the name NATIONS Neither can these Easterne Nations against whom the warre was undertaken be understood by the name of
expresly forbid us to injurie or hurt others or to give our selves to filthinesse and pollutions Wherefore it is a prevention of a secret objection against the Commandement of publishing this Prophesie Thou commandest the Prophesie to be published but the world will abuse the publishing thereof For some hereby will do hurt that is be occasioned to do injurie to Christians as Tyrants and Antichrist applying to themselves the Visions touching the Dragon and Beast the fall of Babylon the judgement of the whore and her casting into the Lake of sire Others shal be filthy that is will turne all things unto laciviousnesse of the flesh and in hope of going unpunished will commit all foule iniquities because they shall see their judgement to be deferred wherefore it seemeth far better that the Prophesie should be sealed then published Vnto this care of Iohn the Angell answereth first by a comminatory concession or grant He that will hurt let him hurt still Hee that will bee filthy let him be filthy still as if hee should say It is true indeed some from this Booke will take occasion to hurt and do injury others to be filthy But what of that Let them hurt let them be filthy to themselves the mysteries of God are not therefore to be kept secret These shal be accidentary effects of the Booke hurtfull to none but to hurtfull and filthy persons For they shall doe injury and be filthy to their owne destruction So Dan. 12.10 The wicked shall doe wickedly unto which words our Prophet seemes to allude Therefore they are not words of permission or approving of injustice and silthinesse but of threatning a secret judgement because the adversaries of the Church and impure swine being delivered up of God unto a reprobate sense shall by their wickednesse most of all hurt themselves This is the first cause of not sealing the Prophesie Secondly he answereth by a comfortable promise He that is righteous let him bee righteous still He that is holy let him be holy still The imperatives 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let him be righteous or justified for which the Kings Copy hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let him do righteousnesse and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let him be holy or sanctified with the Hebrewes have the force of futures for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they shal be justifiyed and sanctified still This is the other reason of not sealing the Prophesie because properly it worketh saving effects in righteous and holy persons as if he should say although the wicked shall wrest this Scripture to their destruction yet therefore it is not to be kept secret from the Elect who by the promises exhortations and consolations thereof shal be more confirmed in righteousnesse piety and holinesse This I take to bee the naturall meaning of the place Here first we may see the two-fold and contrary effect of the Scripture and Doctrines The two-fold effect of Holy Scripture For some thereby grow worse and worse to their owne hurt but others are furthered thereby to Salvation That indeed by accident because the wicked understanding the Scripture corruptly pervert the same to their destruction 2. Pet. 3.16 Rom. 1.17 But this by it selfe because the Gospell is the doctrine of Salvation to every one that beleeveth Wherefore although all are not reformed by our Doctrine but that some abuse the Gospell unto laciviousnesse neither ought we to be offended nor yet the wicked to accuse the Gospell as the cause of wickednesse For so the Doctrine of Christ and the Apostles was saving unto beleevers but to the offence and destruction of the dis-obedient by their owne default 2. Cor. 2.15 We are saith Paul unto God a sweet savour of Christ in them that are saved and in them that perish To the one we are the savour of death unto death but to the other the savour of life unto life Secondly we learne The Doctrine of justification by faith not to bee kept close because of the abuse thereof that the doctrine of the Gospell touching free justification by faith is not to be past by in silence because some abuse the same unto licentiousnesse of life For he that is filthy let him be filthy still Neither is the doctrine of Praedestination therefore to be past over because some abuse the same unto carnall security others to despaire by saying If I am praedestinated I shall bee saved although I defile my selfe with all manner of filthinesse If I am a reprobate although I labour after holinesse yet I shall be damned This is the devils most false and unsavoury Logicke or rather calumnie of old objected against Augustine and Orthodoxe Teachers by the Pelagians For they joyne repugnant Tom. 7. Aug. lib. 5. hypognost in prooemio yea impossible things together for Praedestination cannot stand with the purpose of filthinesse because it is made not onely to Salvation but also unto the antecedents of Salvation viz. Faith Repentance and Holinesse as the Apostle teacheth Ephe. 1.3 He hath electe◠us in Christ that we should be holy c. Reprobation on the contrary cannot cohere with holinesse or a purpose thereunto because Reprobates by their owne malice neither will nor can labour after holinesse Now in whom there is a serious desire of holinesse they have a sure Testimonie in themselves not of reprobation but of their election Thirdly this place teacheth Iustification Sanctification distinct benefits of Christ. 1. Cor. 1.30 1. Cor. 6.11 that the benefits of Iustification and Sanctification are distinct which the Papists do corruptibly confound For Iustification consists in the free pardon of sinne and imputation of Christs righteousnesse Sanctification in regeneration and newnesse of life The former is in relation the latter in action So the Scripture distinguisheth these two where it saith that Christ is made unto us Righteousnesse and Sanctification And againe Ye are justifyed ye are sanctifyed Fourthly Papists do vily abuse this place to establish their second justification which they say is actuall and meritorious through good workes For the words let him be justifyed still they expound let him be justifyed yet more or let him being righteous become more righteous Therefore they say they that are justified can bee made more righteous or more just through charity and good workes ANSWER First although the Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 still might signifie increase of Righteousnesse yet the inference would not follow touching increase of righteousnesse through Charity For we are no where said to be justified by Charity but alwayes through or in Faith Secondly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth rather signifie perseverance then increase For as hee said The Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stil noteth continuation of time Let him be unjust still let him be filthy still for let him goe on to doe injuriously and to be filthy so he saith Let him be righteous still sanctifyed still for let him persevere in righteousnesse and holinesse for the Particle
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 still doth in this Prophesie rather signifie continuation of time then the encrease of a thing as in ver 3. There shal be no more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 curse or henceforward and Chap. 10.6 The Angel sweareth that there shal be no longer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 time and Chap. 3.12 He shall goe no more out where RIBERA himselfe noteth that the Adverbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more doth onely with the negative respect the future not the time past Thirdly though we should wholly grant it to be understood of the encrease of justification neverthelesse it would not make for their second meritorious justification through workes For it will not follow Let him bee justifyed yet more Rom. 8.1 Therefore through workes meritoriously for he may also be more and more justified by Faith through the grace of God For although we that are justified by faith have the forgivenesse of all our sinnes Lam 3.23 and so are perfectly justified by Faith before God so as there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus yet this Iustification may be said to admit encrease two manner of wayes FIRST in respect of Continuation For seeing we sinne daily wee have need continually of pardon and so Iustification which consists in the remission of sins is daily continued unto the Faithfull being as it were renewed and augmented for the mercies of Iehovah are new every morning therefore Gods children doe daily pray forgive us our sinnes that is quit us and justifie us from our sinnes How farre justification of Faith doth admit encrease Some therefore of our Writers say well that justification is effected in an instant because it comes not by a successive motion as Sanctification but it is to bee understood of an instant flowing or daily renewed through the mercy of God Secondly in respect of our sense for we have indeed Iustification with God by Faith but wee feele it in our hearts through the effects viz. Peace of Conscience Newnesse of Life and desire of New obedience By how much therefore thâ—se do encrease in us by so much also the feeling of our Iustification hath its greater encrease LASTLY this place cannot be understood of actuall Iustification by works for such a Iustification through workes is Sanctification it selfe as the Papists confesse Now of Sanctification it distinctly here followeth And hee that is holy let him be sanctifyed still Wherefore they either accuse John of vaine Tautologiâ— by repeating the same thing twice ore else they must confesse that Iustification here is no actuall Iustification so to speake or Sanctification 12. Behold I come quickly and my reward is with me These are the words of our Lord Iesus unto the midst of the twentieth verse BEZA supposeth that these two verses are transplaced and should come after ver 16. But we shewed in the Analysis that after the manner of Dramaticall Representiations three persons the Angell John and the Lord Iesus speaâ— by course so that an exact coherence is not to be required but the alteration or variation observed Once already the Lord Iesus had promised his sudden comming ver 7. Behold I come quickly to confirme the words of the Angell which must shortly bee done Here again he promiseth the same to confirme the next words of the Angell He that is unjust let him bee unjust still c. And the sense is the Prophesie is not to be sealed neither in respect of the wicked nor of the godly because the former shall goe forward to hurt and to be filthy to their harme the latter shall further be confirmed in their desire after righteousnesse and holinesse to their owne good For behold I come quickly and my reward is with me to give to every one c. The reason is taken from the righteous judgement neer at hand in which every one shall receive of him his reward The righteous and holy keeping the Commandements of this Prophesie blessednesse in the New Ierusalem The unjust and filthy dogs sorcerers fornicatours murderers liars c. torments in the lake of fire and brimstone This is the coherence and sense of the foure following verses My reward Not passively which should be given unto me but actively which I will give as appeares by the Infinitive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to give for that I may give With mee That is in my power and right for the Father hath given to the Sonne all judgement Ioh. 17.2 that is power to judge all men That his judgement shall be righteous he sheweth in that he will reward every one both the unjust and impure as also the righteous and holy as their worke shall be In other places it is said he shall judge men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to workes here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as his worke shall be The reward of good workes shall be good of evill evill because in order of justice good things appertaine to the good to evill men evill things Wherefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 According and As do not signifie the meritorious cause of reward but the rule of righteous judgement For although evill workes shall truely be the meritorious cause of damnation yet the Scripture saith no where except perhaps in some particular that the wicked shall be damned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for their workes Rom. 6.23 Eph. 2.8 but alwayes circumspectly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to workes least on the contrary good workes should bee thought the meritorious cause of Salvation The gift of God is eternall life By grace wee are saved through Faith not of our selves it is the gift of God not of workes least any man should boast Wherefore the reward of evill workes shall properly be called reward that is a due damnation de jure But the reward of good workes shal not bee called a reward properly Reward due not due that is not due of right but blessednesse gratis Now wherefore the Lord will rather judge men according to their workes then faith XLVI Argument of Christs deity hath been declared above Chap. 20.13 Futhermore this place doth also most clearly prove the eternal deity of Christ who attributes here unto himselfe that which Isaias ascribeth unto Iehovah Behold the Lord Iehovah will come with a strong hand and his arme shall rule for him Ch. 40.10 his reward is with him and his worke before him And Chap. 62.11 Say yee to the daughter of Sion behold thy salvation commeth behold his reward is with him Psal 9.9 and his worke before him It is proper to Iehovah to judge the world in righteousnesse and the people in uprightnesse For none but God can render to the Righteous life and eternall blessednesse none but God can inflict eternall punishment on the ungodly But the Lord Iesus will doe both for he shall render both to the one and to the other a just reward sutable to their workes
as it is said Ioh. 10.78 Ioh 11.25 Mat 25.34 I will give unto my sheep eternall life I am the Resurrection and Life He will say unto the righteous Come ye blessed inherit the Kingdom prepared for you And to the unrighteous Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the devill and his angels c. Therefore he is truely God-Jehovah 13. XLVII Argument of Christs Deity confirmed I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end Hee confirmes and illustrates what he said touching his righteous judgement He confirmeth it from his eternity and constancy I am Alpha that is the beginning the First from whom all things had their first existence I hold the primacy of justice and power in all things I am Omega that is the end for which all things do exist and the last unto whom all things are directed in the last place And therefore why should I not render to every man righteous rewards according to his worke The same hee said of himselfe a little before in Chap. 21.6 and in Chap. 1.8 the which hereticks indeed Question whither they are the words of God or of Christ saying I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the ending saith the Lord which is which was and which is to come But here they cannot question but that he who saith I am Alpha and Omega and a little after I Iesus have sent my Angell is one and the same Notwithstanding Eniedinus the Samosatenian that he might put a samous conclusion of blasphemies unto his Explications that is Explicat locor p. 400 depravations bendeth all his wits in this place besides what formerly Chap. 1.8 he had disputed against this attribute of Christ to overthrow the Deity of the Sonne of God helping himselfe with most frivolous cavillations taken out of prophane Authors as Plinie Martiall and Homer Wherefore I thought it worth the labour diligently to examine all his particulars least the heretickes wickednesse might deceive the more simple Reader First These things saith he are spoken either by Christ himselfe or by an Angell representing the person of Christ yea he denyeth that Christ spake them but a representative Angell But why and how Christ should bee and is called the First and the Last he saith that he hath explicated Chap. 2. Answer That these things are spoken by Christ himself the foregoing verse doth evidently shew But if an Angell representing Christs person should say I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end the first and the last certainly he should lie like as an Ambassadour representing the person of God or Caesar if he should say I am God I am Caesar verily he should bee as great a liar as was Boniface VIII in saying I am Caesar For Ambassadours indeed speake or treat in the Name of God or of Caesar but cannot without treason assume unto themselves the names or titles of their Lord. But how well the Hereticke hath above declared or indeed deceitfully handled why and after what manner Christ is said to be the first and the last we have there made knowne unto the Reader Secondly he saith that this kinde of speech I am Alpha and Omega is proverbiall by which the first and the last yet not absolutely may be signifyed forasmuch as Alpha and Omega are not absolutely the first and the last but only of the letters and Greek Elements neither alwayes and every where but onely in that order or course in which the Letters of the Alphabet are now set downe Lib. 7. c. 56 the which notwithstanding that it was not alwayes the same we may learn out of Plinie for Omega hath not alwayes bin the last Letter of the Alphabet and that therefore this forme of speech signifies neither an absolute nor naturall prioritie and finality but rather temporarie and arbitrarie ANSVVER 1. Whatsoever might be said touching the Phrase I am Alpha and Omega yet the explication annexed stands firme I am the beginning and the end the first and the last the which Christ speaketh absolutely of himselfe nor can it be applied to any save unto God alone as not signifying an arbitrarie or temporarie prioritie and finallitie but that which is absolute simple and naturall This alone sufficeth to confirme our faith and refute the heretick II. What concernes the order of the Greeke Letters Plinie indeed writeth that Omega was added unto the Greek Alphabet by one Simonides Melicus after the Trojane Warre notwithstanding the said Author affirmeth out of Aristotle that Alpha with the Ancients was alwayes the first or beginning of the Letters whatsoever therefore may be said touching Omega yet if Christ be Alpha the beginning not of the Letters but absolutely of all things then verily he is God Eternall But neither shall the Hereticke thus shift it off touching Omega Lib. 19 c. 14. For Gellius affirmeth out of P. Nigidius a most ancient Writer that A. and O. were alwayes the principle Letters Besides it is sufficient that Alpha and Omega were the first and the last Letters of the Greek Alphabet in Johns time Therefore the reasoning of the hereticke taken from the Greeke Letters is vaine being grounded upon a most false hypothesis or supposition viz. that Christ is called and is Alpha and Omega the first and the last no otherwise then as Alpha and Omega are the first and last Letters of the Alphabet Thirdly he objecteth Lib. 11. hist cap. 30. that these words Alpha and Omega doe sometime signifie time as in Nicephorus the Emperours Valentinian and Gratian write in their Epistle We indeed have used patience from Alpha it selfe unto Omega that is from the beginning unto the end But that this signification is not agreeable to Iesus Christ because many things are more ancient and later in age then he ANSWER First Epiphanius Scholasticus who translated the Historie called Tripartita Trip. hist. lib. 7 cap. 9 following another reading as the most learned Langus Interpreter of Nicephorus hath observed hath rendred the words of the Emperours otherwise viz. We indeed are subject to him who is the first and the last that is unto God the which sense the antithesis there following but ye do arrogate to your selves c. doth altogether require For the Emperours by their humilitie in submitting themselves to God reproved the arrogancy and high-mindednesse of the Bishops who by their continuall brawlings and contentions abused their Imperiall majesties Let the place be looked into Wherefore these words A. and O. doe signifie not time but Eternall God or Eternitie II. Whatsoever may be said touching the place of Nicephorus the Emperors say not We are Alpha and Omega the first and the last so as Christ said I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the ending the first and the last Therefore that place makes nothing against the words of Christ III. Although those words in the place alledged might signifie time and continuance yet the reason for which the adversarie
denyeth that this signification is agreeable to Christ is absolutely false and hereticall viz. that many things are more ancient and later in age then Christ For according to his Deity Christ pronounceth himselfe to be Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end the first and the last as beeing the onely begotten of the Father before the Mountaines were setled Nothing therefore is more ancient and later Christo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then Christ God-Man Fourthly he thus Syllogiseth Relatives are together by nature The son is a Relative having a correlative Father Therefore the Son cannot be before the Father and so neither the first and the last ANSWER I. It was never affirmed that the Sonne was before the Father II. The adversarie overthrowes himselfe with his Sophistrie for if Relatives are together by nature as indeed they are then verily God the Father and God the Sonne are together by nature But the Father by nature is the first and last that is eternall Therefore also the Sonne by nature is the first and last For the Father was never without the Son FIFTLY he dallieth out of Martiall that these words signifie the esteem or worth which men put upon a thing so that which is most excellent is called First and Alpha that which is most vile is called Last and Omega in which signification Martiall should have said Lib. 2 Epigr 57. Lib. 5. Epigr 27. Ioh. 14.28 Ioh. 01.29 Non ipse Codrus Alpha penulatorum And againe Quod Alpha dixi Codre penulatorum te nuper But yet that this signification cannot be applied to Christ both because the Father is more worthy then he himselfe confessing it My Father is greater then I as also because it should follow if Christ bee called Omega that he is the vilest and most abject of all things ANSWER 1. Martiall calleth Codrus Alpha Penulatorum by a poeticall taunt or scoffe not as being the most excellent but the chiefe or first of beggers that is poorest according to the Proverbe CODRO PAUPERIOR poorer then Codrus But whatsoever he may say touching Alpha where hath the Hereticke ever read that Omega is put for that which is most vile And though hee had read it will hee interpret the Divine Revelation by Martiall a scurrilous Poet II. Howsoever this signification is taken it is false that it is no way to be applied unto Christ For Christ is Alpha because according to his Deity hee is most excellent the beginning and the first of all things And Omega not as the vilest but because he is the end and last of all things for so he himselfe interpreteth the same That the Father is more worthy then Christ in respect of the assumption of the flesh it is true according to which hee himselfe said Ioh. 10.30 Ioh. 14.10 Ioh. 5.23 The Father is greater then I in respect of his Deity it is false for in this respect hee saith I and the Father are one I am in the Father and the Father in me The Father hath given all judgement to the Son that all men should honour the Son even as they honour the Father Wherefore as the Father and the Son are one by nature so in honour and dignity for which cause above Chapter 4.11 5.11 the Church-Triumphant ascribes to God and unto the Lambe the same honour glory and power Sixtly he reasoneth from the Metaphysickes That these words the FIRST and the LAST signifye the cause But Christ as the Trinitaries confesse thus the Hereticke termeth Orthodoxe Writers hath a cause Therefore he cannot be called the FIRST in this sense ANSWER 1. Nothing is more frivolous then this kinde of Logicke for there are foure termes in the Syllogisme to signifye the cause and to have a cause being put for one which are not one in the least and from two affirmatives in the second figure he inferres a negative then which nothing is more vaine II. The major is not true but of God being absolutely the first and the last the beginning and the ending and therefore he is truely the first and last cause of all things and so likewise of Christ saying absolutely of himselfe I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end the first and the last and therefore the first and last cause of all things but of all others it is false For of what are Alpha and Omega the cause Is it of the Letters that are betwixt them And suppose that the first man may in some sort be said to bee the cause of others of whom shall the last man be the cause III. The assumption unlesse it be understood with limitation is false also for we confesse that Christ hath a cause not absolutely but according to his humanitie beeing according to his Deity the creating cause of all things with the Father For all things were made by him and without him was not any thing made Ioh. 1.3 that was made Neither hath he any cause unlesse improperly by understanding the cause of the beginning of eternall generation from the Father otherwise the Son should be the effect of the Father which is false For God created all his effects or works in the kind of substance in the beginning of time Ioh. 1.1 Prov 8.25 Mich. 5.2 But the Son he created not in the beginning of time for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was in this beginning but begate him from eternity I was brought forth saith the wisedom of God before the mountains were setled Because his goings forth were from of old from everlasting Thus therefore let the Hereticke learne to correct his Paralogism or deceitfull arguing least he faile in the forme Hee that hath a cause is not the first and the last as the cause Christ hath a cause Therefore he is not the first and the last as the cause Thus the whole is granted touching Christ in respect of his humanity But in respect of his divinity in regard whereof he saith of himselfe I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end the first and the last the consequence is denyed because of the aequivocation of the word Cause or the assumption is false Furthermore he saith a thing is said to be first which is by nature before the rest Christ is not before the Father because correlatives are together by nature Therefore Christ is not the first after this manner ANSWER This we willingly grant of Christ according to the flesh but according to the Deity the adversarie dallieth by foure termes because before other things and before the Father are two termes or the major universally taken is false for in this signification he is not the first who is before God else God also should not bee the first by nature because God is not before himselfe But he which is by nature before others in whose respect he is said to be the first to wit before all creatures Besides wee may as before retort the adversaries weapon upon himselfe Correlatives are by
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