but that the Preists as being proud prepared him an armie Vnto this I say that now the matter is past danger the Popish Preists cā not be proud I trow when Antichrist shal come the Preists then wil be either Popish or proud What Shal pride make a new order of Preists Or if this haughtines be required in Antichrists soldiers wil ther be anie natiō under the Sun prouder than Popish Preists Cardinals doo excel Kings Archbishops and Bishops are superiour to Barons and Earls al in their order doo goe before the civil honours neither is ther anie of the basest rowt of shavelings that wil be under the civil Magistrate Let Antichrist therfore seeke him soldjers otherwhere he shal finde none in this lowlie flock of Popish Preists Gregorie notwithstanding verie expressly biddeth that Antichrist be looked for as cheif Captain Emperour of the Preists And other Preists ther are none on earth by their own vaunting besides the Popish Preists By his iudgment therfore the Bishop of Rome should necessarilie be Antichrist and not farr from his time seing by his confession armies were then prepared for him Surely as Gaiphas prophesied that which himselfe knew not so Gregorie semeth unwares to have told the truth not by anie power of his seat but by the mercy of God so governing his tongue that men might take heed by this admonition the wicked world be made inexcusable as is observed Apoc. 8.13 Vayn therfore is that which is affirmed of Antichrist to sit in the temple of Ierusalem and so farr is it off that the Pope is not Antichrist because he continually tarieth at Rome as so much the more he may therupon be concluded to be Antichrist Chapt. 14. Of Antichrists doctrine THE doctrine of Antichrist we togither with the holy Ghost doe teach from the scriptures to be ful of hypocrisie fraud trecherie which may deceiv even the most prudent whom the Spirit inlightneth not with his truth For one had need of singular prudēcy to know this Beast which hath two horns like the Lamb and is a false Prophet seducing the earth Contrariweise the Papists wil have this same doctrine to be so openlie impious and blasphemous that none is so blockish but he may perceive it forthwith and detest it Which that you Bellarmine may make playn you reduce this all unto four heads First that he shal deny Jesus to be the Christ and therupon shal oppugn al our Saviours ordinances as Baptism Confirmation c. and shal teach that Circūcision the Sabbath and other ceremonies of the old law ar not yet ceased Secondly he shal affirme himselfe to be the true Christ promised in the Law and Prophets Thirdly he shal affirme himselfe to be God and wil be honoured as God Lastly he shal say that himselfe is the onely God and shal oppugn al other Gods that is both the true God and also false Gods and Idols And from hence you take four arguments that the Pope is not Antichrist because he denyeth not Iesus to be the Christ neither bringeth he in Circumcision or the Sabbath neither dooth he make himselfe Christ nor God and least of al the onely God but honoureth even Images and dead Saincts Which what force they have for this thing we shal afterwards see in the confirmation which you bring The first point therfor you confirm by this that Antichrist by nation and religion shal be a Jew be received of the Iewes for the Messias wherupon he shal openly oppugn our Christ I answer this foolish opinion of Antichrists stock we have sufficiently refuted before chap. 12. and 13. for he shal sit in the temple of God and not in Ierusalems Temple which Christ foretold should be demolished and never built again but in Christian assemblies as is declared at large and therfore that he shal not be by religion a Iew neither shal restore the ceremonies of the old Law which were tyed to the Temple and had no place out of it And how dooth it agree that Antichrist the general plague of the whole earth should be sent into the world for the syn of one natiō of the Iewes in not receiving the truth as ye would have it Surely it were meet that he which should come for the wickednes of one natiō should be restreyned within the limits of that one nation but ther is no need of new arguments for this matter Secondly you say it is proved from 1 John 2.22 Who is a lyar but he that denyeth Iesus to be the Christ From whence you gather that Antichrist shall surpasse al Heretiks and therfore he shal deny Christ al manner of wayes which is confirmed you say because by Heretiks the Divil is said to work the Mysterie of iniquitie because they privilie doo deny Christ But Antichrists coming is caled a Revelation because he shal openly deny Christ I answer as touching that of Iohn I have shewed before that this denyal which he speaketh of is not open but secret and trecherous to weet by men named Christians which had privily crept in and of whom the faithfull had need to be warned being otherweise in danger to be surprised by them unwares And though Antichrist surpasse al Heretiks yet is it not therfore necessarie that he should deal more openly than the rest seing the cheif reward of wickednes is not to be given to the outward work but to the power of doing hurt For otherweise men should surmount the Divil himselfe who are so foolish in respect of him as they doo that in the light which he dooth most covertly Moreover Antichrists coming is a Revelation but to the elect onely the others which beleev not the truth he shal beguile by his crafty shewes 2 Thes 2.11.12 The Angel requireth no common wisdome to know the Beast and the whores name is mystical as before wee have been taught Thirdly you prove it by the sentences of certain Fathers but no equal judge wil not confesse that they are rather to be heard anie where ells than in the matter of Antichrist Our Lord should consume him with the Spirit of his mouth and by his bright coming wherupon the neerer the Lord should approch the more was this man of syn to be discovered I proceed therfore ūto the ceasing of publik offices and divine sacrifices as you speak which you say shal be in Antichrists time for vehemencie of the persecution and that therfore he shal not deprave Christs doctrine under the name of Christianisme but openly shal oppugn Christs name and Sacraments and bring in Jewish ceremonies as you have shewed in chap. 7. I answer at the same chapter I have proved that all these are most false and that you hav not brought forth any thing which hath so much as any likelihood of truth And therfore that no other ceasing of publik religion is to be looked for thā such as hath been these manie ages to weet from Constantine the Great unto this day in al which time
the mysterie shall be finished the Turkes the Popes names being rased out then also the Church shall be settled in exceeding great felicitie as in the earth maie be expected The viales from 1558 even to the end Chap. 17. The execution of the fift viale on the throne of the beast by vvhich it shall be manifested by some one of no great name by most undenyable argumeÌ„ts that Rome is the seat of Antichrist that she hath bin made his seate from the time that the Heathenish Emperours vvere driven from thence Chap. 18. The second execution of the fift viale is the last overthrow of the citie of Rome by three Angels 1 descending from heaven 4 the second exhorting the Romanes to flight describing both the mourning of the ungodly also the joy of the godly 21 The thirde confirming her eternall destruction by casting a great milstone into the sea Chap. 19.1 There is dâ—scribed the joy of the saints for the perdition of Rome 5 The sixt viale is opened the calling of the Iewes is taught 12 Likewise a warlicke preparation partly in respect of Christ the câ—ptaine souldiers partly in respect of the enemies 20 The seaventh viale is declared by the destruction of the false Prophete of the Roman Pope of the Westerne enemie his baÌ„des Chap. 20.1 The vvhole history of the DragoÌ„ is repeated as it was in the GeÌ„tile Emperours before the imprisonemeÌ„t 2 Hovv it was in prison into which he was cast by Constantine bound for a thousaÌ„d yeares An interpretation of the three last viales in al which space the elect had a battel with the Romish Pope which being ended there is made at last the first resurrection many every where in the west aspiring unto the more syncere truth 7 Together with this resurrection the Devill is loosed theÌ„ ariseth the Turke vvith the Scithians Gog with Magog which now destroying the greatest part of the earth at length they turne their weapons against the holy citie that is the beleeving Iewes in which warfare the name of the Turke shall utterly be abolished 11 There is made the second resurrection by the second full calling of the Iewes Chap. 21.1 The last part of the seaventh viale describeth the felicity of the Church after the vanquishing of all enemies by the new Hierusalem descending from heaven of a most glorious building Chap. 22.1 It is shewed how this felicitie both by meat and drinke shall redounde to others and shall continue for ever 6 The conclusion confirmeth the whole Prophecy by manie most strong arguments CHAP. 1. A REVELATION OF THE APOCALYPSE THE Revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave unto him to shewe unto his servaÌ„ts things which must shortly be done which he sent shewed by his Angel unto his servant Iohn 2 Who bare record of the word of God and of the testimony of Jesus Christ and of all things that he saw 3 Blessed is he that readeth they that heare the wordes of this Prophesie keep those things which are written therein for the time is at hand 4 Iohn to the seaven Churches which are in Asia Grace be with you and peace from him which is and which was and which is to come and from the seaven Spirits which are before his throne 5 And from Iesus Christ which is that faithfull witnesse and the first begotten of the dead and Prince of the Kings of the earth unto him that loved us and washed us from our sinnes in his blood 6 And made us Kings and Priests unto God even his Father to him be glory and dominion for evermore Amen 7 Behold he cometh with clouds and every eye shall see him yea even they which perced him through and all kinreds of the earth shall waile before him even so Amen 8 I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the ending saith the Lord which is and which was and which is to come even the Almightie 9 I John even your brother and companion in tribulation and in the Kingdome and patience of Jesus Christ was in the Yle called Patmos for the word of God and for the witnessing of Jesus Christ 10 And I was ravished in spirit on the Lords day and heard behind me a great voice as it had bene of a trumpet 11 Saying I am Alpha and Omega the first and the last and that which thou seest write in a book and send it unto the seven Churches which are in Asia unto Ephesus and unto Smyrna and unto Pergamus and unto Thyatira and unto Sardi and unto Philadelphia and unto Laodicea 12 Then I turned backe to see the voyce that spake with me and when I was turned I saw seven golden Candlesticks 13 And in the mids of the seven Candlesticks one like unto the Sonne of man clothed with a garment downe to the feet and girded about the paps with a goldeÌ„ girdle 14 His head and haires were white as whitewooll as snow and his eyes wer as a flame of fire 15 And his feete like unto fine Brasse burning as in a fornace and his voice as the sound of many waters 16 And he had in his right hand seven starres and out of his mouth went a sharpe two edged sword and his face shone as the Sunne shineth in his strength 17 And when I saw him I fell at his feete as dead then he laid his right haÌ„d upon me saying unto me feare not I am the first and the last 18 And am alive but I was dead and behold I am alive for evermore AmeÌ„ and I have the keyes of hell and of death 19 Write the things which thou hast seene and the things which are and the things which shall come hereafter 20 The mysterie of the seven starres which thou sawest in my right hand and the seven golden candlesticks is this The seven starres are the Angels of the seven Churches and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven Churches The prayer I entring into a matter beyond the strength of man pray thee O Father of lights together with thy Sonne the Chiefe Prophete and the Holy Spirit the leader into truth make plaine to mortall men the way not as yet sufficiently knowen Our minde seeth not the thinges thar are before our feete How little or nothing perceiveth it high and hidden things And how great danger is there from hence eyther of preasing rashly into thy secrets or of passing by true things and faining things absurd contrary Neverthelesse thou who hast made thy word a light to our feet who callest the most simple to the searching out of thy hidden mysteries and who dost chuse for the most parte fisher men before the wise of the world Be thou I say present and helpe this my slendernes graunt me a prosperous voyage between these dangerous Ylands Cause that I no where runne upon the high rockes of pride nor sticke in the shalowe of blind ignorance but the next way by thy
first particle is properly of one affirming shewing the certaintie of a thing in which yet maie be understoode the wishing verbe Let it be done or some such like worde For so it is in the end of the booke Yea come Lord Iesus as if he should saie I beseech thee come so as thou hast promised chap. 22.20 It is like that both the particles are used in the same sence otherwise the diversitie both of tongue and signification woulde not note out any coniunction of all people to which end this twofolde proper forme of spech seemes to be used Amen not onely apperteines to one assevering but also supplicating and earnestly striving that the thing maie come to passe as in Ieremy chap. 28.6 Amen so doe it the last expunding the former 9 J am Alpha and Omega Hitherto hath bene the Inscription of the Epistle now he entreth into the narration it selfe where first for the authoritie of the writing undertaken there is set downe a threefold propertie of the person calling the excelling power of creating truth in his promises and exceeding power of governing The power is first declared metaphorically and afterwards in proper wordes For the beginning ending doe expounde what Alpha Omega meane of which that is the first and this the last letter of the Greeke Alphabet by a metaphore they are applyed to any beginning and ending whatsoever The wordes are plainely of a certeine order and relation to the creature In which respect they can not properly note out eternitie which thing is absolute nor in any regard is to be measured according to the creature Therefore I am Alpha and Omega have this meaning to wit the maker of all things and againe the end whereunto all things are to be referred who in the beginning have made all things and that for my owne glory It is the abridgement of that which the wise man saieth the Lord hath wrought all things for himself yea the wicked for the daie of evill Prov. 16.4 The constant veritie of God in his promises is declared by a distribution of a threefolde time as we have shewed out of ver 4. His Allmightines in the end of the verse seemes to appertaine to that excellent power of governing all things according to his will in which there shines no lesse his incomprehensible maiestie then in the first creation of things For this teacheth that his strength was not spent in his first worke but for ever is of force without any lessening which is not tired with any wearines nether oppressed with the weight of busines but remaines infinitely beyond all power of any created spirit in doing all things Such a one is he from whome the commaundement of writing proceedeth a most mightye creatour a most faithfull promiser and the chiefe hovernour of all things 9 I John The person also called hath great weight for credit I John an Apostle a brother and companion in affliction banished into Patmos for the word of God ravished from heaven in the spirit on the Lords day Why should not this man speake most certaine truth ¶ And the patience of Jesus Christ The comon translation hath and the patience in Christ Iesus So also Montanus the interpretour of Aretas by Chr. Iesus Therehy the sence is nothing at all or but litle changed whether any reade it according to the construction as Th. Beza or as these with a preposition All tende hereunto that the communion of the faithfull be it either of affliction or of a Kingdome leane on Christ the alone head as upon the grounde and foundation We must take heede lest with the Iesuite we doe interprete in Christ Jesus for the end for Christ Jesus for so the communion of the Kingdome amongest the faithfull should be established without Christ as if all shoulde not together grow up in him but shoulde as it were be ioined together betwene themselves into some outward thing a part from him Patmos an Iland of the sea Icarium thirtie miles in compasse at this daie it is called Palmosa as the latter Geographers would have it But in Strabo it hath nothing memorable except the name He is wont to mention carefully even the very woodes of Palme trees if there be any much more woulde he have mētioned so great plentie wherby the Iland should be worthie to be renowmed whereupon this name maye iustly be suspected unlesse perhaps the succeeding age caused it to be more happie in fruitfulnes Munster supposeth that Patmos is that Possidium of which Ptolemaeus speakes in his tables of Geography booke 5. chap. 2. but Possidium in the same place is a Promontorie of the Isle Chios not farre of from the city Chios from thence they saile about the Yland and leave it on the right hand Str. book 14. But Patmos lies together with Corasius towards the west of Icaria but this towards the west of Samos Strab. book 10. But thou must observe that Ihon doth not plainely mention his banishement but onely that he was in the Isle soberly bearing his misery not proudely augmenting it by vaine boasting ¶ For the word of God That is for having preacht it not for to preach it For Iohn of his accord went not thither to preach but because he had preached at Ephesus and elswhere in Asia Domitian the tyrant as Ireneus and others record banished him thither The same Isle seemeth to have bin almost desolate and voide of inhabitants considering especially that the neighbour Iland Icaria much more renowmed because of the scarcity of inhabitans as Strabo reportes did bestowe the use and commoditie of their pastures on the soraine Samians 10 And I was ravished in the Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I was in the Spirit that is I began to be moved in the spirit for to see and understand those things which doe farre surpasse mans capacity as of old the auncient Prophetes being led by the same spirit did pronunce of things to come with no lesse certainty then of things present or past After the same maner Marck speaketh of another kinde of spirit And there was in their Synagogue a man with an uncleane spirit chap. 1.23 And againe there met him a man out of the sepulchres in an uncleane spirit chap. 5.2 but altogether contrarie in the maner of operation not onely in respect of holines or unholines but also of the sweete and quiet motion seing that the agitations with which the most wicked spirits doe tormente men are violent and fearfull whence the Possessed are most comonly depryved either of all their senses or at the least of some of them but those who are filled with the holy Ghost they are more strenghtned in all the faculties of the soule Both have them obediēt to thē whō they doe possesse but the one by gracious inclining the other by cruell constraining as the exemples of the one and of the other doe make it plaine ¶ On a Lords day see of this Th. Bezam It is verie like that
place ¶ Holding the foure windes of the earth Wee have seene the Angels their standings their endevour is to take away the winde from the earth the foure saith Iohn windes of the earth which yet is one by nature but divers according to the countryes from whence it bloweth But this winde is not properly to be understood seeing such a calamity hath never befallen albeit many ages now are past since this Prophecy was accomplished For if it were proper howe should not the stopping up hurt as well the sealed as the reprobate who dwelt togither and one with an other I therefore understand the winde to be the force and faculty of the Holy Ghost whom Christ coÌ„pareth to the winde Iohn 3.8 the winde saith he bloweth whither it listed so is every one that is borne of the Spirit For as of olde that disordered Chaos and seed of this our world could not otherwise consist then as it was quickened of the Spirit who moved himselfe upon the waters Gen. 1.2 So neither doth this earth nor sea nor trees come to the feeling of any vitall strength unlesse that sanctifying winde doth lye upon them from whose breathing they doe as it were drawe their life It is not indeede in the power of any creature to restraine the force of the heaveÌ„ly Spirit yet the trueth being stopped which he used as his chariot not without cause the passages may be sayd to be stopped wherby he should blowe to our good ¶ That the winde should not blow upon the earth nor upon the sea c. Nowe the thinges are reckoned up from which they would had restrayned the winde to wit from the Earth the Sea the Trees The Earth before were the Heathen Nations as chap. 6.4.15 Afterward it seemeth to signify alway not men wholy repugnant to the name of Christ but the common sorte mixt company of the corrupt Church which hath succeeded in the place of the Gentiles as chap. 8.13 12.9.12.13.16 13.11 c. The Sea signifyeth the doctrine sometime true and then it is placed before the Throne within the coÌ„pas of the Elders where it is of glasse like to Chrystall most cleare most pure as chap. 4.6 More often it is brought to shew false doctrine in which sense it resteth and is quiet as in his channell in the bosome and embracing of this earth which it doth fasten togither with his humidity though grosse and brinish through secret passages least being by nature easy to be reduced in powder and not cleaving togither it should be dissolved through her atidity For unlesse there were some bande of consent amonge the counterfeit citizens even the wicked assemblyes could not stande The trees wee understaÌ„de to be meÌ„ froÌ„ ch 9.4 wher coÌ„maÌ„demeÌ„t is giveÌ„ to the Locusts that they should not hurt any tree but onely the meÌ„ that hav not the seale of God in their foreheads Now the exception is alway of the same kinde of which that is froÌ„ wheÌ„ce the exception is made therefore when as men are excepted it must needes be that the trees also are men not indeed of the basest sorte condition but who shewe theÌ„selves above others with their high dignityes and lift up their heades among the rest being more famous in the Christian Assemblyes But if the Angels would have hurt onely this earth sea and trees why was there not free leave graunted them Because in that vile heape many of the elect lay hidden who were to be provided for for their sakes the Angell from the East would have the confused multitude to be spared neither any hurt to be done to any untill order was taken for them for whom it was necessary The wicked gaine the deferring of punishment for those fewe good whom they have dwelling among theÌ„ ¶ And I sawe an other Angell which was come up from the East in greeke which did ascend some copyes doe reade coming up the Hebrewes figuratively doe take these wordes to ascende and descende for to departe to goe forth to goe to returne as he went up from Ierusalem that is he returned and left of to assault it 2. King 12.18 But it is well ioyned with the rysing of the Sunne because the Sunne seemeth to ascende from the East untill he be come to the middes of heaven The first occasion of sealing being declared there is now described by what Minister it was done Whom both the respect of the time and all circunstances doe proove to have ben Constantine the Great He succeeded in the Empire after that the Lambe had thrust out Diocletian and the other Jdolatrous Tyrants But he came up from the rising of the Sunne having come from the Easterne countryes to receive the Empyre For being a yong man he served in warre under Diocletian in Syria But after his vertu had procured him envy so as often through secret trecheries he was in perill of his life he was compelled to get himselfe out of the East as speedily as he could and to goe to his Father So Eusebius writeth he was provoked to flight for his safety in the life of Constantin orat 1. Zonaras saith that he was given of his father for an hostage to Galerius of whom when he sawe that he was hated through envy and that in the battell at Sarmatia he was cast forth of set purpose to danger and againe for the same intente commaunded to fight with a Lion both which battells he executed with good successe by flight at length he escaped away to his Father togither also by these meanes avoided the danger and obtayned his Fathers Empire the seate whereof afterward he placed at Bizantium Therefore whether wee respect his first returne from the East or minde the decrees which after the Empire was established touching the worshipping of the true God by Christ did fly often from thence into that part of the world that was under Rome the History agreeth very well with the Prophecy but that former seemeth to come nigher to the meaning of the Holy Ghost because of those thinges that follow ¶ Having the Seale of the living God Both himselfe instructed in the true knowledge of God and endued with very great authority to spread abroad the same unto others whom while by his owne exemple and zeale he provoked to embrace the trueth he is sayd to marke them with the seale of the living God and to take them for Gods chiefe treasure He cryed with a lowde voice promoting the trueth by Edicts published removing farre of to his power all that which might hinder the amplifying of it He did represse for a time according as it was appointed of God those foure Furies of Hâ—ll which were prepared to hurt whereof wee have heard at the first verse He restreined the Ambition of other men by his owne maiesty Howe great labour did he take to pull up by the rootes all contentions who esteemed nothing more excellent then to seate peace among the Bishops
seeing see not being by the iust iudgemēt of God altogither blinded 6 O Blessed and holy is he They are blessed who doo embrace from their heart the truth restored againe to the world For this is to have part in the first resurrection As Christ saith to Peter thou shalt have no part with mee Iohn 13.8 as though he should say unlesse thou suffers these things to be done which I will have thou art not indeed partaker of mee Therfore no man hath part in this resurrection which either embraceth the truth with a dissembling hart or hath obtained some certain knowledge therof but onely he in whose hart it taketh roote bringing forth fruit unto eternal life For al that is borne of God overcometh the world 1 Iohn 5.4 and Christ loveth his even to the end Iohn 13.1 suffering none of them to be lost Iohn 17.12 For who shall ravish them out of his hands Iohn 10.28 Which most certen salvation of the faithful sealed up to them in their harts by the Spirit being unknowen to the Iesuit he findeth this blessednes which the Spirit speaketh off no where but in heaven But he erreth as his manner is This blessednesse is of the life present necessarily to be published chiefly at the new appearing againe of the light of the Ghospel seing it should come to passe that they who should ioine themselves to the truth should both be striken with the lightning of excommunication of the Beast and also should be cōdemned of the world as most wicked men Who would not tremble to be banished from the onely holy Catholike Church as the Romish vaunteth her selfe to be unlesse the Spirit had confirmed those to be blessed and holy who should receive with a syncere affection the truth raising again◠and therewithall had taught that that Romish Church calling her selfe Catholique by a true name is a most impudent horlot This resurrection is onely of those who forsaking the Romish Synagogues doo become the true citizens of the reformed Churches they which still abide in the Popish corruptions have no part in the first resurrection neither shal have any in the second unlesse they repent ¶ He that hath part 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 melaq A metaphore taken from portions distributed once by lot to this ende that we might acknowledge Gods mercy and providence in every one converted without attributing any thing to chaunce and fortune ¶ On such the second death hath no power The second death is destruction in the lake of fire burning with brimstone before in chap. 19.20 But why doth he onely exempt them frō the second death because the partakers of this resurrection have not yet finished the first to weet the death of the body which being inflicted upon them by the Beast yet shal they be altogither free from the second which ought to be a comfort to them in their sufferings Surely ther is no need of this consolation in the last resurrection wher we shall no longer live by faith but shall behold the very inheritance hoped for Therfore this is the comfort of men warring on earth which are sure of the victory but have not yet got the crowne ¶ But they shal be the Preists of God and Christ chap. 1.6 and 5.10 It is said in the dative case Preists to God but this explaneth the other All the faithfull are Priests Kings in Christ that is partakers of these dignities and in some sorte also endued of the faculty and power of them but here some greater thing seemeth to be spoken after the manner of the Hebrewes who attribute the name of God to those things which are most excellent in their kinde as a Prince of God c. as was noted before After which sort they seem to be called Priests Kings of God for that which is most excellent Priests ¶ And they shal raigne with him a thousand yeeres These thousand yeeres doo beginne where the former ended to weet in the yeere 130. In which is promised a cōtinuing of the truth by the space of a thousand yeres frō that restoring of it wherof wee have spoken in these our nations of Europe to which also this first resurrection belongeth But whither then againe it shal cease security possessing men until Christ shal come as a thiefe in the night as it is foreshewed in the Ghospel he to whom all things are known knoweth We find nothing wherby to determine any certēty touching this matter Onely wee have seen three hundred yeeres now to have passed since this first resurrection and that every day thankes be to God the truth groweth mor in use We must also yet tary som short space before that our brethren the Iewes shal come to the faith But after that they are come and Christ shal have raigned some ages most gloriously on earth by his servants in advancing his Church to most high honour abov all Empire then also the Nations shal embrace true godlinesse according to that saying And the Gentils shal walke in the light therof and the Kings of the earth shal bring their glory and honour unto it the glory and the honour of the Gentils shal be brought unto it see chap. 21.24.26 For which cause it was promised to the Church of Philadelphia that shee should be a pillar in the temple of God and that shee should goe out no more chap. 3.12 that is that it should have a firme stable abiding in the new glorious Church VVhich Church of Philadelphia we have shewed in the same place to be of the Gentils From which it is proved that the truth shal remaine for a long time yet among the Gentiles For this is the Kingdome of Christ when by the Scepter of his word he ruleth among any people And this is the most true raign of any people when it is subiect to the government of Christ alone and is ruled by his onely disposition Now at length we perceive of what sort that millenarie raigne is of which we are a part thākes be to God concerning which almost al the Fathers Papias Irenaeus Iustin Tertullian Lactantius and Augustine also in some part spake so many things and so highly VVithout doubt they would have this Kingdom to be spiritual whose unmeasurable pleasantnes they expressed by corporall things after the manner of the Prophets Yet neverthelesse I wil not deny that perhaps some leaned too much in their opiniōs to the delights of the body but was it to this end to overfill themselves with them as men altogither lost in riots and given over to all dishonest pleasures It cannot be that any such thing should ever come into the minde of learned and holy men but because they knew that under this raign of Christ his Church should enioy very great felicity also of this life they made mētion of the abondance of such pleasures VVhich we shortly expect when the Romish Antichrist and the Turke shal be utterly abolished Vntill this victory be gotten the
he borrowed out of Strabo in whoÌ„ are many things touching this stone in his 16. book Some from hence coniecture that it tooke the name from the Hebrew word Pazaz as though at the first it had bin to Paz or in greek to Pazion and at length by the ignorance of the printers to have grown togither and made one word topazion The Chrysoprâ—sus also as the name sheweth doth resemble a certaine kind of Gold but as it were be smeared with the iuice of leekes The eleventh twelfth foundation is the Iacynth Amethyst both of a purple colour but the first shining more brightly the second of a a more wanne and weake colour as Dionysius sheweth and the sweet Amethyst shining as asaied purple India and Aethiopia doo afford these two Therfore these last sixe belong to the East and South Our West part as it seemeth shal minister citizeÌ„s even as other countreys but shal give few or no Iewels for the building up of the wall It may be that God wil so set forth his power the more in raising up teachers from those places which are most repugnant to his truth The foure last gemmes are like gold and purple which colours are of a very great price and dignity which the Spirit seemeth to have put in the last places for a certain purpose and that by a course twice doubled as though he would teach by the same thing that those teachers shal never be loathed but shal alwayes flourish in very great authority At the first the truth is wont to be acceptable and the ministers of it are iudged worthy of al honour but in time the good wil of men waxeth cold theÌ„ the authority of the teachers decayeth after that men beginne to be full But here no such thing shal come to passe The end shal be answerable to the beginning The dispensers of the word shal be no lesse honourable after the truth through many ages hath waxed olde then when at the first it began And for this cause I thick was so great a plenty of golden and purple colour put to the last place I know that other doo seek out an agreement of other properties in these stones but seeing authours varie greatly about this what is the proper force of every one neither is the thing as yet sufficiently cleared I had rather follow things that are plain and of a known signification and also the congruency of the Prophecy then loose my labour in doubtful things So therfore that which Daniell hath comprehendeth briefly in one word they that instruct shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament and they that iustify many shall be as the starres for ever and ever chap. 12.3 the same we have here declared peculiarly and more at large by sundry kindes of Iewels 21 And the twelve gates are Hitherto hath bin the matter of the walls The gates are made of pearles which signify Christ who is the way doore to life if any shall enter in by him he shall be saved and he shall goe in and out and finde pasture Iohn 10.9 But how notably doo the pearles represente the Sonne of God conceived in the wombe of the virgin which are not bred of any earthly copulation but ingeÌ„dred of a celestial dew as of a husbaÌ„d For they report that the shell fishes at a certain time of the yeere with a certain gaping after that they have drunke up a dewing from heaven doo conceive and become great with yong and the more that they have bin tossed with great tempests after the dew received the more noble fruit doo they bring forth so the Holy Ghost came upoÌ„ Mary and the power of the most high overshadowed her and Christ scarce brought forth into the light was sought for to be put to death and by an horrible storme was driven into Aegypt After the same manner the first entrance into this city shal be very laborious but of so much the more aboundant praise account after they have entred There are twelve gates but every one of one pearle because there is but one Christ and but one onely name given under heaven by which we must be saved Act. 4.12 ¶ And the street of the city was pure golde In the last place he addeth the matter of the city which before he said was golde but there he made meÌ„tion of the whole city in general here in special of the streets These are the publik wayes wherin the citizens doo meete if one have ought to doo with an other Even as therfore the wayes of man are the actions in which man is occupied so the streetes of the city are those publike offices of life and buyings and sellings in which the citizens doo take paines The Spirit saith that al these things shal be holy pure cleane pretious For the place of assembling where these businesses are handled is pure gold and shining through as before ver 18. How holy and unblameable shal this city be where the common life then which nothing is wont to be more foule and polluted shal be free from al filth of wickednes Righteousnes now as a river shall run through the streetes and godlinesse shal shine in all affaires 22 Neither saw I any Temple in her Hitherto we have seen the inward essential glory of the city as farre as is given us who doo not behold froÌ„ a hie mountaine but a farre off from a low and pressed down valley wher hilles and trees doo much hinder our eyes that we caÌ„not yet see the thing cleerly Yet it delighteth mee as once Daniell to opeÌ„ his window twards Hierusalem so to looke from farr off into this holy city whose cloudie and blackish toppes to behold a farr off it much recreateth my soule Now the Spirit teacheth how great dignity shall come from things outward First God the Father and the Lambe his Sonne in stead of a Temple that is then shal the worship be most simple and most pure darkened with no legal ceremonies which once God ordained until the time of reformation much lesse with any humane inventions but such as shal exhibit Gods presence most simply and familiarly How then doth this agree with Ezechiel who in eight whole chapters from the fourtieth to the end of the Prophecy speaking of this very time describeth so exactly the temple the city and whole legal worship Very wel for that whole description tendeth to that ende not to teach that the old ceremonies are to be restored but that at lenght they being wholly abolished Christ shal be worshipped most purely and exactly according to his owne ordinances alone For what other thing mean the new measurings of the walles gates porches and the whole building the new distribution of the holy land and the new portions given to the tribes Priests Levites Prince then an abrogation of Moses and al the legal ceremonies But that time was not otherweise capable of any spiritual worship then under those shadowes Iohn speaketh
guidance arriving at the very truth I may holily and religiously reverence maintaine it being found out not conceale it through any shamefull fearfulnes corrupt it for any eyther hatred or favour but may bring it forth purely and syncerely into the viewe of every man to the glory of thy most great name and consolation of thy Church yet grievously mourning graunt this through our Lord Iesus Christ AmeÌ„ The Resolution THE Revelation after the Proheme is included whole in an Epistle The Proheme in the three first verses declareth the Argument Authours both principall and also Ministers and the Fruit. The Epistle is speÌ„t about an Inscription Propheticall narration and conclusion The InscriptioÌ„ is excellent for the person of the wrighter and of those to whom he writeth of him especially from whom salvation is wished the eternall verity of which one God the Father the manifold grace of the Holy Spirit vers 4. of the Sonne as the triple office vers 5. so especially his very great benefitâ— on the elect both present vers 6. to be expected in his glorious comming is celebrated which the kinreds of the earth shall receive with wailing and the saints in the meane time desyre most earnestly as is expressed in those wordes even so Amen vers 7. The Propheticall narration respecteth eyther the particular Churches or the whole Them partly jointly in the rest of this chapter partly severally in the two next The thinges which are declared ioyntly are to the end that the seaven Churches may knowe that Iohn undertooke not this wriring at his owne pleasure but was called and commanded of God Wherof the person calling may cause a full persuasion which cannot be of any other but of God himself vers 8. Lykewise the person called vers 9.10 Lastly the manner of calling him by hearing vers 11. theÌ„ by visioÌ„ The type wherof is shewed v. 12.13.14.15.16 certeyne things following therof are declared on Iohns parte a great feare and astonying on Christs part a consolation ver 17.18 then a commaunding to write ver 19. and the interpretation of the vision ver 20. A shorte exposition ver 1. Apocalyps The Argument of the booke signifying a Revelation made of God the coverings being taken away which before did hinder the eyes of mortall men Which sort of thinges were wont to be called in old time visions and prophesyes but in the writings of the Apostles the word of Revelation is more frequent I will come saith Paul to Visions and Revelations of the Lord 2 Cor. 12.1 And againe that J should not be lifted up above measure with excellency of Revelations ver 7. So whosoever of you hath a song hath doctrine hath a tongue hath a Revelation 1 Cor. 14.26 Furthermore the knowledge of the Gospell is attributed to Revelation of seeing which there is no greater power before it shall be revealed then of understanding future thinges I give thee thankes saith Christ O Father because thou hast hidden these thinges from the wise revealed them to babes Mat. 11.25 Whether is then this not the sense of this word that no new thing is published but as the Gospell is an open revealâ—d lawe so the coverings being removed that onely to be shewed which before lay hydde under the olde shadowes And so it might paradventure be thought unlesse this were also a word of the olâ—e testament The saying of him saith Balaam that heareth the wordes of the strong God which seeth the vision of the Almighty falling downe but having his eyes opened or revealed Num. 24.4 So the man of God spake unto Heli in the name of the Lord Did not I reveale my selfe playnâ—ly to the house of thy father 1 Sam. 2.27 Wherfore there is no argumeÌ„t from heÌ„ce to this purpose This may be without doubt that this kinde of speaking used as well here as there doth shewe that it neither was in the beginninge nor yet is proper to the witte of mortall men to finde out such mysteries by searching Neverthelesse that now all things are easy to be passed through by the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ so farre as is behoveable for his Church Doe thou therfore most high Day-starre open our eyes that we may behold thy wonderfull things ¶ Of Iesus Christ Who is one of the chiefe authours of the Revelation the Mediatour betweene God and men All the olde Prophecies flowed alwayes from the same Christ but in these last dayes God hath spoken unto us by his Sonne after a singular and speciall manner Heb. 1.1 Wherupon there is a difference betweene the auncient inscriptions of the the Prophecies and of this There the vision of Isaias the vision of Obadias the booke of the vision of Nahum The Prophecy which Habbakuke saw never before the vision or Revelation of Iesus Christ This Prophecy must needes be most full of maiesty which is notable before others for the title neither is it to be doubted but that according to the proportion of the light of the Gospell all things are delivered here more distinctly and more clearely then ever before ¶ Which God gave unto him To wit the Father the authour fountayne of all things And he gave these thinges to Jesus Christ in asmuch as he is Mediatour not as to his coessentiall Sonne For these thinges doe shewe rather the order in which God doth give knowledge to his Church then the originall of knowing in respect of his Sonne as Th. Beza declareth most learnedly He is the pipe by vvhom is derived unto us men from the unmeasurable depth of his goodnes whatsoever may be profitable for us Although the verbe to give ioyned with the infinitive mode signifyeth often to permitte as thou wilt not give thy holy one to see corruption that is thou wilt not suffer him to see Psal 16.10 And Edom râ—fused to give to passe through that is permitte Num. 21.21 After which manner Demosthenes speaketh the word of permitting being ioyned with it Give and permitte me to speake of these thinges unto you But it comes all to one whether we make it the beginning of knowledge or of power Therefore we must rest in the first answere ¶ That he might shewe to his servants Therefore the understanding of those thinges is peculiar to these You prophane be ye farre o be ye farre fâ—om hence Why o ye Iesuites doe ye touch this booke These mysteries are shutte and sealed to you whatsoever diligence in interpreting you may pretend Here is nothing for the sworne slaves of Antichrist Leave off to trouble your selves and to deceave others Yf yee desyre indeed to understande these thinges renounce the Lord whom yee serve to the end that he whose name ye counterfaite may impert these secrets to you returning againe into his family ¶ Which must shortly be done An explication of the thinges whereof it is a Râ—velation not of those which were past a good while since but which should be done afterward and shortly For he
nothing concerned thē Hereunto is added that the nomber of seaven is an universall nomber by whose revolution all times are made all times being winded upon this Pole even as the whole heavenlie frame is turned upon the seaven starres Wherefore as being full of mysterie it is used afterward the whole booke through in describing of all things Yet all Churches are not so to be considered as yf nothing indeede had bene sent to them which by name are afterward noted but togither with the signification of the misterie the truth of the historie is to be reteined Seing therefore these seaven Churches stretch further than their names declare whether in them the estate of all times even to Christes comming is to be considered No verily but onely of that time wherein the Church shal be among the Gentiles Which thing shal be manifest by those things that follow and also so plaine a desciphering of the Churches of Asia seemes to grant that the Synagogue of the Iewes is not to be mixt with them Which thing hath caused that in the resolution we have distinguished the whole Propheticall narration into that which is proper to particular Churches and into that which is common to all Churches ¶ Grace be to you and peace from which is He commeth to the praier wherby the third person of the Inscription is declared And he setteth downe the fountaine of grace and peace to be one true God three in person whos 's first person these words declare Arethas thinkes that these three times doe specially bolong to the three persons Because the Father saith he is otherwhere called which is Exod. 3.14 the Sonne which was Iohn 1.1 the Holy Ghost which cometh Iohn 16.8.13 Act. 2. But the distinction so cleare which forthwith followeth gainsaies it which challengeth this description of that J will be Exod. 3.14 common to the whole Deitie here to the alone person of the Father Wherby also we are given to understand that this threefolde difference of time belonges to the unchangeable and stedfast truth of God concerning his promises For there is the same force of this circumlocution as of that abreviation Exod. 3.4 which we know was used that he might teach Moses that the time was come that he woulde perfourme the promise once made to Abrahā of delivering his seed out of Egipt From whence is also that name of Iehova wherby God was not knowne to the Fathers Exod. 6.2 because they had not yet obteined that promise Certaine minde that this is a name of being no portion of which a created spirit can understand as yf God should take to himselfe such names onely for his owne sake and not for ours Wherefore these things are as yf he should say From God the Father most true and constant in all his things which presently giueth most plentifull experiments of his truth by sending at length his Sonne into the world who in former times never failed in any one of those things which he had promised who lastly so hath caused hope of things as yet to come that daily he endevoureth the performance of them and hasteneth the acomplishment of his whole truth For which cometh hath this force as a present future that I may so say For that which cometh is not yet present nor yet altogether absent Therefore it is much more significant then if he had said which will come or which is about to come as commonly it is turned For this which cometh declareth that he will no further deferre his promises but that now forthwith he is imploied in fulfilling of them an excellent confort for them which through wearines of delay doe fainte But thou wilt say is truth attributed to the Father onely Verilie it is common alike to all of them but seeing the partes of the Sonne and Spirit are chiefly imploied in executing the decrees it is mentioned as proper to him alone whome order of doing maketh to be the Authour of promising and the fountaine of goodnes Gentile impietie hath imitated this division with their tripos which they report that Apollo used for three commodities of things which he had very much tried 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which saw things to come to be before they were as in the Scholiaste of Aristophanes on Plut. ¶ And from the seauen spirites The second welspring of peace is the Holy Ghost most plentifully enriching replenishing his Church with every kinde of giftes for which cause such a circumlocution is used For he which togither with the Father the Sonne is the giver and causer of peace and grace cannot be counted amongst the creatures Of which matter see that most learned man Francis Iunius Neither proves it that this is a creature as the Iesuite will have it because he is saide to stand in the sight of the throne after the maner of those that rather serve God himselfe than that he is God himselfe Wheras by this reason neither the Sonne should be God which being a lambe came and tooke the booke out of the right hand of him that sate on the throne hereafter chap. 5.7 And more plainely in Daniell 7.13 and before him that is setting in his throne they presented him to wit the Sonne of man What then is the Sonne to be beteft of his Godhead Wherfore we must know that the words mentioned thorough this booke both here and else where both universally of God as the chiefe and highest Governour in which regard a throne is attributed to him and also of the Sonne Holy Ghost as ministers By whose more neare working all things are done Wherfore they are sayd to stand as in a readines before the throne and as it were expecting the commaundement and becke of the Chiefe Governour So was the Revelation given to the Sonne ver 1. and therefore the Spirit seemeth in this place to be noted more by his giftes by which he workes in his saints then by his proper name But the things onely of order are not to be drawne to destroy the natures 5 And from Jesus Christ which is that faithfull witnes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and from Jesus Christ that faithfull witnes that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is that faithfull witnes the want of the relative being supplied very often used in this booke after the manner of the Hebrewes These things apperteine to the thirde fountaine Christ which we call the thirde in regard of the place which here he susteines not in order of person Hitherto hath bin differred the describing of him because it was more at large to be insisted upon and frō him to be derived the thankesgiving by whose alone merite we are made partakers of all good things And first he mentioneth his Propheticall Office calling him the faithfull witnes that is which hath faithfully truly and fully taught the whole will of God as farre as appetaines to mans salvation For the whole doctrine of the Gospell is wont to be called a testimony as Iohn 3.11
say notion of things as is the disordered and confused noise of waters which storming with contrary waves rushing against the shoare rockes yeilde a certaine huge noise yet no maÌ„ distinctly perceaveth what all that noise meaneth Such should by Christs administration be the word of truth in the same Churches in which the feete should be like to burning lebanons brasse To the heathenish men that lived yea in most pure Ephesus the truth was a certaine unsavoury and untastable thing neither sounded it any other thing then barbarous and unpleasant Cornelius Tacitus calleth the doctrine of the Gospell a certeine deadly superstition shewing by his wicked blasphemy not so much his owne as the comon hatred of all the GeÌ„tiles book 15. Suetonius recite that the ChristiaÌ„s were afflicted by torments that they were a kinde of men of strong wicked superstitioÌ„ in Nâ—ron ch 16. Pline a very learned wise maÌ„ in a certaine Epistle to Traiane singes the same song he writes that when he had enquired of 2 mades which were said to be the servantes of certaine Chrestians by tormentes what was the truth he founde no other thing than wicked unreasonable superstition the infection whereof had not onely runne thorough the cities but also the villages couÌ„trey c. How doeth the sounde of the truth to such men seeme a certaine rude vaine beating of waves Their eares were filled with a sounde wherof they conceaved no sence And we shall see in the next chapter how these although Gentiles perteined to Ephesus But not alone of this kinde of men the wholesome truth was accounted barbarous but also of many of Christian profesâ—ion in the Church of Smyrna Pergamus and the neighbour Churches Errours perverse opinions so possessed many that they were altogither deafe to wholesome doctrine neither tasted any sweetenes of it as it will be more plaine in the next chapter And he had in his right hand seaven starres He did so defend with his mighty right hand the Teachers of the truth for these are the starres as beneath iâ— taught vers 20. afflicted with many evills that in all miseries they were conquerours Although this thing be common to all Churchches yet in those it is cheefly seene Where the feete doe burne in an oven and the truth either not heard or not understood Even there we shall see many delivered to death but for one many forthwith to arise neither onely doeth the power of his defending right hand so manifest it selfe but also in repelling the conspiracies which the wicked doe make to his Ambassadours ¶ And out of his mouth a two edged sworde This sworde is the most mightie word of God more percing than any two edged sworde It searcheth the reines and pronounced sentence against the wicked and unbeleevers Neither doth one iote or any note become voide and of no effect It wondeth and killeth bringing upon the wicked those calamities which it threatneth Now it cometh out of the mouth because in the Church of Pergamus Christ would approve his most holy severity to the world in punishing sinnes unlesse saith he they repent J will fight against them with the sworde of my mouth chah 2.16 as it shall more fully be spoken of there ¶ And his face shineth as the Sunne in his strength The face or counteance of Christ is his worship appointed from God in which he is seene of his as cleerly as we doe beholde thinges before us Wherto perteine those exhortations Seeke yee my face Psal 27.8 Seeke the Lord and his strength Seeke his face alwayes Psal 150.4 Asthough he should say trust alway in the Lord and apply your selves to the holy study of those thinges with which he hath taugh that he himselfe is to be worshiped As long as we bestowe our labour thus we are conversant in the sight of the Lord but as soone as the fucalty to be at his publike worship is taken away we are banished from his face as Cain complaineth being cast out of the Church for the murther of his brother that he was hidden from his face Gen. 4.14 Therefore the whole religion of Christ perteining either to doctrine or to prayers sacraments discipline should shine most purely in these Churches For the reason of order requireth that in the last place the shining face should signify that the last of the seaven Churches should be famous by the cleere vision of Christ And among these as we shall see Philadelphia obtaineth the chiefe praise the other so beholde the open face of Christ that they may rather perceive that Christ is angry with them then reioyce in any of his favorable beholding or countenance Therefore the whole type or figure hath this summe That the first of the seaven Churches is no table by the righteousnes of Christ thorough the faith and holines of the people and mervailous quicknes of understanding of the teachers by whose bright eyes the darknes of errours are driven far away that those Churches in the middes are on fyre through greate affliction yet that the truth was not altogether overwhelmed but did make a lowde noise as the fall of the river Nilus although to very many it was but as the unconstant dashing of the waves That the last Churches had their teachers whole sound kept the trueth mighty to subdue the enemies and a great purity of the whole religion For nowe it shal be sufficient to distinguish them in to three degrees for plainesse sake we will folow a more accurate distribution when we shall intreate of them severally 17 I fell at his feete as dead Thus was the type from the consequents First the great feare of John offers it selfe such as in the like matter hath befallen other holy men So great is the infirmity of our nature and conscience of depravation that it can in noe wise endure the least shewe of Gods maiesty Dan. 8.9 c. which is another argument for the credit of the heavenly vision ¶ Feare not A consolation very necessary coÌ„sidering that Ihon had not bin able to perceive the things either heard or seen unlesse he had first bin recreated and confirmed from his feare And so it is wont to come to passe in holy visions the evill spirits contrarywise doe increase feare asmuch as they can desiring to overwhelme men with feare and desperation The places of consolation are from his universall power over all things created in this verse by name from his victory and power over death in the verse following Those wordes first last have great power to confort for why may not John be of good courage when he biddeth not to feare who in the beginning created all things and is able to bring them to nothing againe at his pleasure unlesse peradventure the words first and last are to be referred to glory and humility then he is the first nowe among all things created or rather above all things in honour and maiesty who once
there was a certen Chiefe and famous woman an Idolatrice Sorceresse Harlot like the ancient Iezabell which was the wife of Ahab yet by thus much more furnished to destroy because this shewed her selfe openly an enemy and adversary to the truth that would be accounted for a Prophetisse From that which followeth appeareth that shee was taught to the naughtines in the schoole of the Nicolaitans of which shee became a schoole mistres teaching others the same rules For the Heretiques abused the labour of women to sparse abroad their poysons Simon Magus hath his Helena Carpocrates his Marcellinam Apelles his Philumenam Montanus after in the latter times in places nigh to this Thyatira his Priscilla Maximilla In the Antitype the thing is clearer For this Iezabell is Rome Queene Idolatrice Sorceresse Whore Killer of Martyrs Prophetisse the head of all Churches and the whole way of salvation which never yeelded to any heresyes and many such like with which wee shall see her adorned by the Holy Spirit partly in this book partly shee boastingly setteth forth her selfe impudently Lately we learned tha the Pope was signified by Balaam now we have the city shewed by Iezabell Both which perteine to the describing of the same Synagogue of Sathan see in the Bishop and City are things very neerly conioyned And how doth it fit the times that the Spirit doth set before our eyes now such a city How long time did the Pope deceive under a shew of godlines as the Hypocriticall Balaam in the former ages about the beginning of increasing honour and reputation but after he was groweÌ„ to an inmeasurable greatnes lifted up above Kings Emperours so as now all meÌ„ quaked at the very name of the Pope of Rome his Rome became the Queene Iezabell an impudent and painted whore Balaam therefore and Iezabell declare the same kinde of impiety onely they are distinguished by the increase an times Rome in her infancy as Balaam handled her matters more warily and secretly shee pretended that shee could not speake but that which the LORD should put in her mouth being grown to full age as the Prophetisse Iezabell preacheth openly that shee caÌ„not erre and that shee is the rule of faith and all godlines That abused the labour of Kings to bring in and set up Idolatry This by her owne authority commandeth to committe fornication and to eate thinges sacrificed to Idols in exacting the worshipping of Idols Images Who can admire enough the singular art of the Spirit who hath so lively set forth this matter This then is Iezabell the holy men of this time shaking too softly modestly this peste have therein so much the lesse approved themselves to Christ our head who would have no earnestnes spared in repressing so great impudency Learned men have dealt some what more boldly and freely then they had done in former times yet they used not that earnestnes that was meete in a cause of this sorte ¶ And I gave her time to repent In these words is shewed the stubburnes of Iezabell Christ dealt some while patiently with that impure Thyatiren woman so also with the city of Rome the stormy trouble of Barbarians being quieted and the Longobardes being overthrown Neverthelesse this peace brought noe amendement but increased rather the apostacy while they came to this height of impudent Jezabell For wee shall see that after those times all ungodlines did grow the Papists striving to oppresse the former dimnes with infernall darknes 22 Behold I will cast her in a bed The punishement of Iezabell The bed is sometime to delights and riot as in the Prophet sitting downe on beds of yvory and abounding upon their heds Amos 6.4 Sometime to sicknes and weaknes as The Lord will upholde bim on the bed of feeblenes and turne all his bed in his sickenes Psal 41.4 Of which in this place Not of delights although this be a great punishment to be given up to the occasion of sinning but of grief as appeareth from this that by and by after followeth where they that committe adultery with her shal be cast into great affliction Therefore the Thyatiâ—eÌ„ womaÌ„ hath languished Rome also hath bin sicke since the year 1300 coÌ„suming more every day as being sicke of a consumption For since that time palenes hath covered her face her stomake is grown weaker her soule is become heavy her flesh consumed yea her infirmity hath grown so farr that if thou beholde her at this day thou wilt say that shee is a dry carkase in respect of her former plight and good liking O the infinite wisdome of God which even in one worde hath given so lively image and picture of a time so farre of Could the languishing destruction of Rome be noted out more elegantly and evidently God would not have her perish on a swift or speedy disease that the peoples should not forget her but with a wasting consumption to be corrupted and waxe rotten both to the end that her lingering punishement should be an image of the eternall paine and also that shee might be a spectacle to many ages whom shee had led in errour so long a time Certenly unlesse Rome doe feele and acknowledg this her consumption shee must needs be sick not onely of a consumption but also of a Phrenesy ¶ And those that committe adultery with her The punishement of the adulterers who are the Kinges and Princes of the earth as is after in the 17. chap. 2. Vnlesse these shall forsake the whore they shall feele great affliction Have not yet the Kings learned this sufficiently by experience the most fierce and savage Turke on the one side vexing the Emperour the Spaniard on the other side Remember the ages past since the yeare one thou sand and three hundred in which Iezabell began to languish Who can attaine to declare the great evils which Transilvanie Polen Boheme the house of Austriche the Emperour The Venetians the Spaniards have suffered at the handes of this barbarous Turke Did not this your affliction begin at the same time wherein Iezabell Rome was cast into this her sicke bed Why doe ye not observe that your adultery which this whore hath brought forth and caused all these evills unto you But this calamity hitherto while Jezabell lyeth sicke in bed is nothing to that wherewith at length yee shal be punished unlesse yee renounce betime her ungodly commerce and society when shee shall yeeld her last breathing as wee shall shewe afterwardes Is it then now time o yee Princes and Peers to fly like cowards from the true God unto the whore of Rome They have noe pardon or excuse who bewitched with her beauty while shee flourished companied with her What torment awaiteth your wretched lust whoe doe nowe embrace a stinking carkasse For the love of Christ provide for your selves in forsaking with all speed this Harlot least suddenly at length yee be overwhelmed when your repentance shall be too late both with the most
wherat the world then not without cause was astonied at this the enemies doe at this day beholde with so heavie eyes It seemeth that there shal be the same suiftnes of the following rewards which a man shall see given before he shall heare that they were to be given and therfore in place they goe before the admonition which also noe lesse they shall goe before in time You therefore o Pastists you againe I speake unto if peradventure the Spirit hath given any of you eares that you may heare attend diligently those things which have bin spoken See what a one is your Rome which you embrace with so great reverence and whether you ran the last yeare to celebrate your wicked Iubiles shee is not a holy virgine as you are perswaded falsly but a most impudent Jezabell a most cruell murderesse of the saints from whom wee ought rather to fly into anie wildernes with Eliah then to runne to her by sea by land leaving at home the most chaste spouse of Christ Behold also that this sorceresse had lyensike now many yeares agone can you otherwise deny it which calleth the Turke to come upon the Christian world expelleth our brethren out of their places of abode turneth them out from their goods spoiled them of their children and wives and constrayneth them to be carried away into most cruell servitude and heapeth many calamityes upon us all which are farre of from that burning hatred And not onely these thinges at this present but which shall bring finally an horrible death upon you her children Can it be doubtfull to any who shall weigh diligently these things with himselfe but that wee ought to flee very soone very farr from this plague and mischiefe The Spirit give you eares to heare I will speake noe more to them of whom the trueth is esteemed a bare signification of the â—ill of God shal be sufficient let him be filthy still who shall contemne this I will turne my selfe to the unfoulding of those things that remayne Chap. 3. AND to the Angell of the Church which is at Sardis wrighte These things sayeth he that hath the seaven Spirits of God and the seaven starres I know thy workes to wit that thou art said to live but thou art dead 2 Be vigilant strengthen the things that remaine ready to dy for I have not found thy workes perfit before God 3 Remember therfore how thou hast receaved and heard and observe repent That if thou doest not watch J will come against thee as a thiefe neither shalt thou know what houre J will come against thee 4 Notwithstanding thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments and therfore they shall walke with me in white for they are worthy 5 He that overcometh shal be clothed with white garments neither will I ever put his name out of the booke of life but will professe his name before my father and before his Angels 6 Let him that hath an eare heare what the Spirit saith to the Churches 7 And to the Angell of the Church of Philadelphia write These things saith he that is holy and true which hath the key of David which openeth and noe man shutteth shutteth and noe man openeth 8 J know thy workes beholde I have set before thee an open dore neither is any man able to shut it because thou hast a little strength and hast kept my worde and hast not denyed my name 9 Beholde I will give those which are the Synagogue of Sathan that is of them which say they are Iewes and are not Beholde I say J will cause them to come and worship before thy feete and to know that I have loved thee 10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience I also will keepe thee from the time of tentation which shall come upon the whole world to try the inhabitans of the earth 11 Behold J come quickly holde that which thou hast that no man may take thy crowne 12 Him that overcometh I will make to be a pillar in the Temple of my God neither shall he goe forth any more and J will write upon him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God that is of the new Jerusalem which cometh downe from heaven from my God and my new name 13 Let him that hath an eare heare what the Spirit saith to the Churches 14 And to the Angell of the Church of the Laodiceans write These things saith Amen that faithfull and true witnesse the beginning of the worke of God 15 I know thy workes to wit that thou art neither cold nor whote I would thou wert eyther cold or whote 16 Therefore because thou art lukewarme neither cold nor whote it shall come to passe that I will spewe the out of my mouth 17 For thou sayst J am rich and increased with goods need nothing And knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable and poore and blind and naked 18 I counsell thee to buy of me Gold tryed in the fyre that thou mayest be rich and white garments that thou mayest be clothed and that the shame of thy nakednes may not appeare and that thou anointe thyne eyes with eye salve that thou mayest see 19 As many as I love J rebuke and chastice 20 Be hotte therfore and repente Beholde J stand at the dore and knocke if any shall heare my voyce and open the dore I will come into him and suppe with him he with mee 21 He that shall overcome J will give him that he may sit with me in my throne as I haue overcome and sit with my father in his throne 22 Let him that hath an eare heare what the Spirit saith to the Churches The Analysis THERE be three Epistles of this chapter One to the Sardenses an other to the Philadelpphienses the last to the Laodiceans Neither are they without cause included in one chapter seeing they are of nature somewhat divers from the former For the former were further distant one from an other so they had Antitypes of a longer time But these are both severed one from another with lesser distances and also wee shall find the Churchches directly answering unto them to be of a more conioined tyme. The Epistle to the Sardenses after the inscription to the Angell describeth the SeÌ„der from the seaven Spirits and seaven starres after it addeth the Narration Which reproveth him that he carrieth the name and some shewe of life wheÌ„ in very deede he was dead ver 1 but togither also he teacheth the remedy which is double the first consisteth in confirming the other things that are ready to dy For it should come to passe that by the iust iudgment of God many should dy who so should punish the neglect of lawfull and iust ameÌ„ndement ver 2. The second that he should remember what things he had received and should repent Which admonition lest he a should negligently regarde he is sharpened
by threatning of his unexpected coming ver 3. After he prayseth some for their pure garments Which prayse conteineth the reward both proper to them and also comon to all conquerers ver 5. Which is threefolde white clothing a permanent name in the booke of life and his professing of him before his father and the Angels All which are concluded with the usuall Epiphoneme ver 6. Scholions 1 To the Angell of the Church which is at Sardis Hyâ— caâ— Sardis is the seconde of the Churches rising againe going yet further in the South and growing in a more ample light of trueth The Antitype is the first reformed Churche begun of God by Martin Luther of Wittemberg a towne of Saxe upon the river Albe in the yeare 1517 when that holy man opposed himselfe against the Romane Questors selling for mony the forgivenes of sinnes to the people The trueth began to be revived under the Thyatiren state but noe reformation followed This was first undertaken at the time which I have said For which cause wee shall finde no mention in these three Churches of this Chapter eyther of Balaam or Jezabell For they were pure from the fault of this whore whose fellowship they renounced utterly But yet notwithstanding seeing the same should not be done of all after the same maner but a threefolde difference would be found in them in like maner they are shadowed out by three cityes according to the beginning and condition of every one The first after the impudency of Iezabell restreined is Sardis And the first after the Romane impudency weakened is the Germane Church of that time which even nowe I have set downe Onely the indifferent and good readers are to be intreated that they doe not thinke me to descende to this or that interpretation by any ill will but in good faithfulnes to follow that sense which the printed steppes of the Spirit going before seeme to me not darkely to point at I know how fearfull a thing it is even to hurt the estimation of any brother with wrongfull suspicions how much more heynous a sinne it should be to cast any blot rashly upon any whole Church And certenly as in all my life I desire to put farr away all virulency of tongue so especially I have thought alway that I must take heede that I make not the name of God a cloak for my lust Let not then the office of an Interpreter be any fraude to mee speaking either here or in other places of things preseÌ„t otherwise peradveÌ„ture theÌ„ many either would or expect It is an impious and detestable thing to play the hucksters with the word of God in speaking rather according to the pleasure of men then the trueth of the thing it selfe Therefore all as well hatred as favour set aside if wee shall see that that which is uttered agreeth with the trueth let us quake rather at the threatnings of the most iust God then be angry with him who to the end that wee may not be oppressed unwares with the evils hanging over our heades hath endevoured to his utmost power to reveale the hidden truth Which I hope I shall obtayne easily of all the godly so farr shall it be from them to reprehend myne industry with which hope supported I will proceed to my purpose through Gods helpe ¶ These things faith he that hath those seaven Spirits of God those seâ—ven starrs In the description of the sender of the Epistle of those Spirits which are rehearsed there was no mention made in the vision of the first chapter They are fetched from the comon inscription of the Epistle in the 1 chap. ver 4. They are seaven for the abondance of all gifts which that number usually signifyeth Christ hath in his owne power that being the keeper of the storehouse of the heavenly grace he bestoweth the Spirit on whom he shal thinke good Wherupon he saith that he will sende the Conforter from the Father Iohn 15.26 who should receive from Christ and shew unto us Io. 16.14 The Starres are in the right haÌ„d chap. 1.16 Likewise in the Ephesine Church wherein we have heard is declared the safety of the ministers whom Christ carrieth in his handes chap 2.1 To what end then is this repeated a fresh Was there wanting now any other honour spent wholy on the former in no wise but onely because the conveniency of things and not any vayne novelty is sought Because Sardis should finde the same safegarde of Christ in defending her Pastors which he had shewed in Ephesus not without cause doth he use the same similitude wherein there is so great coÌ„iunction of things But of Sardis the History speaketh not a word Which thing in her Antitype is most cleare For he that giveth the Spirit plentifully to whom and when he will shed out in those times so great plenty of all giftes as no where els in these last times Good learning had bin already as buryed being driven away for many ages by the rusticity of the Scholastiques untill at length after the wonderfull art of printing was found out which cunning flowed froÌ„ the same fountaine of the Spirit many excellent wits were raysed up to search out the truth Among which were Iohn Picus Mirandulanus Angelus Politianus Platina Trapezuntius Gaza Hermolaus Barbarus Marsilius Ficinus Pyrbachius Ioannes de monte Regio Aldus Manutius Rodolphus Agricola Ioannes Iovianus Pontanus Philippus Beroaldus Ioannes Reuchlinus and many other most learned men Whose chiefe labour was in setting forth the tongues arts and other humane learning but how great an entrance was made from heÌ„ce to finde out the mysteries of salvatiâ—â— the conioyned times have taught For by and by after came Martin Luther Philippe Melanthon Erasme of Roterodam Zuinglius Oecolampadius Capito Blaurerus Bucer Musculus Calvin and many other most learned men so many lights of the Christian world who being holpen by the studyes of those former brought forth againe the trueth covered with long filthines and uncleannes dissipated the Romish darknes and dispelled utterly as smoke hither and thither all the subtilities of the enemies Doth not Christ worthily take upon him selfe this ensigne of the seaven spirits enriching this time with so great plenty of gifts Neither was lesse famous his power grace in conserving safety to the Pastors Who would not have thought that Luther in so great hatred and envy of all men for whom almost the whole world layed waite even also he under whose feete the Emperours once were compelled to subiect their neckes that Luther I say should have dyed a thousand deathes But peradventure troubles being raised up he did scarce endure yes by the space almost of thirty yeeres he abode in the battell safe even from privy assaults with which the Pope is wont to make away those men whom he cannot conquer with open warr and force and at length lying sicke in his bed and giving up his soule to him that gave it he slept quietly
that repented forsooke their errours with which they were possessed before time Of which sorte were many in Germany before the booke of Concord was published when in most universityes the chiefe teachers understood the true doctrine of the supper of the Lord and the opinions of Vbiquitie corporall presence in the supper every where were contemned as witnesseth Georg. Sohnius in his exposition of the August Cōfes which appeareth more clearly from the Synode of Desdrense in the yeare above 1571 where it was ordained by the comon consent both of all the Superintendants of the Dukedome of Saxonie and also of the Doctours of the Vniversityes of Lypsia and Wittemberg That the Vbiquitie of the body of Christ was an horrible prophanation of all the articles of the Creed and a renewing of all Heresyes Gallobel in the yeare 1592. And since that time a perfitter light breaking forth every day many were raysed up from their drowsines and opened their eyes to the truth Whom also even as well as the other he adorneth with white garments who gave a penny to them that were hyred at the eleventh houre Mat. 20.9 Such then is the first reward two yet doe remayne ¶ And I will never put his name out of the booke of life The second reward applyed to the times For because very many in these tymes should fall from the trueth and many cityes peoples provinces regions should cōsent to errour as at this time it is evident how farre and wide the contagiō spread abroad flying also over the sea and infecting those Northern regiōs Gotia and Suetia by which their approving of errour they should blot their names out of the register of the saints and should cut of from themselves the hope of life unlesse they should repent least I say the falling away of so many should trouble the saints he biddeth his conquerours to be of good courage Christ himselfe would set them free from falling howsoever they should see infinite nūbers to rush downe violently on their right and left hand For it is he alone who first calleth us backe from errour then sanctifyeth confirmeth us in the trueth least at any time we should revolte from it Therefore howsoever this reward be full of confort yet it teacheth that the time should be lamētable through the fall of many For to betray and forsake the trueth is not a light matter as many suppose who easily are caried away with every winde of doctrine but it is an argument of a man of no reckonning with God But how wilt thou say can they be blotted out which once were written in the booke of life especially seeing that this booke is the booke of the Lambe as in the chap. 13. 8. that is wherein those that are written the Lambe acknowledgeth them for his counteth them heires of eternall life neither is there any of those that are given to Christ that can ever perish Ioh. 6.37.39 17.12 I answer that these things are spoken in respect of us For there is a twofolde booke of life one as I may say of vocation an other of election Into the first are put all who by the preaching of the Gospell are taken into the fellowship of the Church who rightly doe seeme unto us to be partakers of life and endued with the hope of eternall salvation For the scriptures are wont to speak so generally giving thankes to the Father who hath made us meete to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light Who hath delivered us from the power of darknes and translated us into the kingdome of his deare sonne in whom we have redemption by his blood the forgivenes of sinnes c. So the Apostle speaketh of the multitude of the Colossians without difference chap. 1.12 And after the same manner every where in other places Yet men may be put out of this booke For many are called but few chosen Mat. 22.14 And it is declared after in the 7. chap. by an exemple Dan and Ephraim being passed over in the rehearsing of the tribes as souldiers put out of wages and cassed out of the register For God of old as in a certen visible shadow of this booke cōmaunded the genealogies of each tribe among the people of Israell to be kept diligently Wherto also perteined that of raysing up seed to the dead that his name should not be put out from his people Deut. 25.6 In which respect also the Psalmist wisheth to certen reprobates who held a place in the Church like true citizens that God at length would separate them frō the congregation of the Saints and manifest them to be meere hypocrites Psal 69.29 Wherefore all are put out of this kooke of life who forsake the fellowship of the holy Church either through errour and heresy or wickednes or other cause whatsoever not that for this cause they are blotted out of the booke of Election but because by this way they make manifest that they were never written in this booke as Iohn saith they went out from us but they were not of us 1 Ioh. 2.19 But the other booke to wit of Election is never spotted with any blottes but the names once written in doe cōstantly remayne in the same without rasing out Although these bookes are not so open and evident that they can be read of all men without difference but it is declared to every one severalty by the Spirit that is found in this register in what estimation and account he is ¶ But J will confesse his name The third reward is of confessing their name Which sheweth not onely the falling away of many but also that others shal be compelled by force So as there is great neede of the power of the Spirit least any weakened by the iniuries and threats of adversaries doe forsake the trueth For the confession of their name before his father is for the confort of confessing Christ and his trueth boldly and without feare So sending his Apostles to preach furnisheth and instructeth them against the feare of affliction Mat. 10.32 And who knoweth not to what inhumanity cruelty proceeded the hatred of them who call themselves Lutherans against the professors of the truth In the yeare 1580. was obtruded upon the Ministers of the Churches and Schooles the booke of Concorde avouching the execrable errour of Vbiquity A subscriptiō was commaunded in the name of the Princes the refusers were proclaimed Sacramētaryes or put out of their places In the yeare 1591. Christiā Duke of Saxony being dead Paul Kreilius Chaunceler suspected of Calvinisme as they speake was cast into prison Vrbanus Pierius Professor of Wittēberg was lead captive into prisō Gundermānus of Lipsich cōmitted prisōner In the yeare following was appointed a newe visitation they went through all Saxony they that would not subscribe to the articles were removed from their offices What should I rehearse the broyle of Lipsich the yeare following when all the university men on every side assembled
togither to breake opeÌ„ violeÌ„tly the houses of the Calvinists Or the savage cruelty of the Dressenses against the dead body of Jac. Lassius to which they denyed a grave among the wicked because being alive he was a lover of the purer truth I recite these few against my wil I would be ashamed to meÌ„tioÌ„ them but that the brethreÌ„ were not ashamed to coÌ„mitte them But how much better is it for you to heare these things of your friends theÌ„ of your enemyes These as much as they caÌ„ doe exaggerate with words your evill acts unto your perpetuall shame of all religioÌ„ I doe onely shew the congruency of the Prophecy that seing in what account you are with God yee may thinke earnestly of reforming the errours making peace with the brethreÌ„ God give you to see that way wherby consenting to one truth you may turne away the iudgemeÌ„t froÌ„ your heads which otherwise will overtake you In the meane time yf I shall prevaile nothing with you which estimation I pray may be farre from you yet I shall be glad to admonish the brethren that they be of good courage who doe endure troubles and calamieyes among you Christ will not be ashamed of them before his Father if they shall abide coÌ„stantly in their profession Feare not therefore the stately looke and countenance of men but being grounded upon this hope that which ye have worshipped in darkenes professe now openly in the eyes of all 6 Let him that hath an eare heare Yee therfore brethren of Saxony for Jesus Christ sake give eare and hearken what action the Spirit chargeth you with Your prayse is great in respect of your first combate and breaking off the yoke of the Romish tyranny yea of you that in this were the first of all But the Cananites left in your lande are come to be thornes in your sides and eyes Those fewe errours neglected at first by the iust iugement of God have brought forth newe errours by the contagion whereof true godlines being driven away and togither with it true life lost there is left unto you a Church defyled with horrible death Neither is this the end of evills but some new great suddeÌ„ calamity shall come upoÌ„ you uÌ„lesse you shall obey forthwith the Spirit giving you warning Therefore let that unhappy obstinacy depart and be packing and take those counsells which may promote the truth recall againe the banished life and may procure the salvation and safety of every one of you And doe not onely give eare but let all hearkeÌ„ learne by your evill how great danger it is to cherish the least errour in the matter of religion Analysis SO is the Epistle to the Sardi this to the Philadelphians is inscribed like wise to the Angell He that seÌ„deth is notable for Holines Trueth and the key of David which he carrieth not idle but with the same openeth shutteth the supreme power being in himselfe ver 7. The Narration reciteth first the good things both present of an open doore which is illustrated by his cause a little strength and the constant observing of his worde ver 8. and also to come both of subduing their enemies ver 9. and also of ministring help in the comon tâ—ntation of which also a reason is rendred from their patieÌ„ce in the profession of the Gospell ver 10. After he provoketh them unto a care of conserving that which is good because his coming is at hand and there may be danger of their crowne to be taken away ver 11. Then is there a greate reward when he shal be made a pillar and shall have written upon it the name both of God and of the newe Ierusalem and the newe name of a sonne ver 12. To all which is added in the end the comon conclusion Scholions 7 And to the Angell of the Church of Philadelphia We have shewed at the first chapter ver 11. that Philadelphia is situate in a dangerous place and therefore not so frequent of cityzens who did dwell scatteringly in the fieldes fearing the often quaking of the city But shee carrieth a sweet name and which alone conteineth within it all vertues Neither found out the Apostle Peter any thing when he would exhort to all godlines which might commend more fitly the same unto us then brotherly unfained love 1 Pet. 1.22 How well this name doe fit this Church which is reproved of no sinne openly But as it was truly godly because of brotherly love so is shee lowly and not famous both through a continuall feare of danger and also solitarines of the cityzens who dwelt here and there and in waste places where they could get safe dwelling Wherein shee is altogither contrary to Pergamus a towred and proude city as before Sardis to Smyrna and Thyatira to Ephesus And so there is made 3. payre of contraries It lyeth from Sardis toward the South having an increase of greater light as becometh a reformed Church Shee is set in the second place after Sardis for this is the first after Iesabell overcome wher by is shewed that her Antitype is the second reformed Church which should arise after the Germane and this is the Church of the Helvetians Suevia Geneva France Holland Scotland I ioyne all these into one because they live almost after one and the same kind of lawes and ordinaÌ„ces as touching the things that are of any moment Neither doth the distaÌ„ce of place breake of that society which the coniunction of mindes and will doth couple Yea this dispersioÌ„ doth agree chiefly to the Philadelphians whom we have shewed to dwell thicker and more frequent in the fieldes then in the city Wherby it commeth to passe that this thinnes of â—he citizens taketh up much place though the citizens are not so many Wee shall finde that this Church which I speake of arose a little while after the Germane when Vlricus Zvinglius began to teach at Tigur in Helvetia in the yeare 1519 and the reformation was begun the fourth yeare after to wit in the yeare 1523 at which time no Papist durst enter into combate against Zuinglius who did deferre the iudgement of all controversyes to the arbitrement of the sacred scriptures They of Constance Basill Strasbourg Geneva and others followed their steppes Where it is to be observed that the former Antitypes were distinguished by longer intervalles these three last as they have types lesse distant one from another by space of place so they are ioyned one with an other with a nearer coniunction of times neither are they devided so much by ages and limites of yeares as by lawes and customes For after the first receiving which happened to some later then to others wee shall see that they did all flourish togither ¶ These things sayth that holy one that true one who hath c. A description of him that sent the Epistle whose two first properties are taken out from the nature of the sonne of God which yet
restored Philadelphia finde it to be longe before all these things be performed Within two hundred yeares after shee was borne againe shee shall see the issue end of all these things as the Prophesy following shall declare with God his helpe ¶ Holde that which thou hast that no man may take away thy crowne Goe on couragiously in the rase wherein thou hast begunne keepe thy sanctity of manners purity of wholesome doctrine severity of heavenly discipline least if thou shalt beginne to relent any thing in this matter an other take thy crowne from thee But what crowne is this The honour which shee shall receive from the enemyes brought under her and worshipping before her feete ver 9. Which manners of rewards doe depende on the dutyes of godlines unto which they are propounded and are taken away some time from the saints for a correction of their cowardlinesse Wherefore they doe unskilfully who transferre these things unto eternall life as though that could had ben taken away from the elect or at the least wise as though they should alwayes waver as for an uncerten and doubtfull thing of which they could have no sure hope as long as they dwell on earth It may come to passe and allwayes it cometh to passe that the wicked may deceave themselves with a false persuasion But the elect have the Spirit who witnesseth that they are the children of God neither can he the authour of all trueth either deceave or be deceaved Rom. 8.16 Although if any thinke that there is the same reason of the earthly and heavenly reward of which they will have that to be at least a type the same thing may be answered truly and rightly which wee have sayd before touching the booke of life ver 5. That many are called but fewe chosen Now the crowne may be taken away from them that are called not persevering the which for a time they did hope for in which respect it is called not without cause their crowne But how doe they tryfle who wrest unto the elect that which perteineth to the called onely because they invy that others should have that certenty or asseurance of salvation which themselves feele not As touching the wordes take it is here the same with that of Mat. 5.40 and take thy coate that is take away 12 Him that shall overcome I will make a pillar word for word in the greek He that shall overcome I will make him for the overcomer I will make or as touching the overcomer J will make him an Hebraisme of the nominative case absolute such as we have observed in the chap. 2.26 The reward is that he shal be like a pillar in the Temple of God that is he shall abyde firme stable in the Church of God neither shall he feare any ruine or fall in what manner soever the rayne shall fall the flouds shall come and the windes shall blowe all things at one brunt shall fall upon it He alludeth unto those two brasen Pillars placed in the Temple by Salomon which did figure out the stability of the children of God 1 King 7.15 And so is this Church by the grace of God not defiled with schisme and fowle apostasy as lately wee have seen the Sarden Church which taking noe care of a full reformation by the iust iudgement of God lost many cityzens losing them as a figge tree her unripe figges so farre of is it that they should be a Pillar Philadâ—lphia should be free of this sorowe not because shee should see some Apostates who should fayne godlines for a time but because those fewe should more commende her faythfullnes in trying and casting out of Hypocrites then cast upon her any blot of schisme and defection ¶ Neither shall he goe out any more The pillar is declared by a double property one of continuance an other of a name written upon the first is signifyed in these wordes and he shall goe out noe more the force of which seemeth to be this that they may meet with a secret doubt which peradventure might trouble some bodyes minde because when the city was takeÌ„ by Nebuchadnezzar those pillars were broken and the brasse of them was carryed to Babylon Ier. 52.17 Least any should feare that the same should befall him namely that although for a time he shall be placed in the Temple yet at length he should be banished away he biddeth them to be of good courage For he promiseth that this pillar shal be such as no Nebuchadnezzar shall ever breake in peaces neyther ever carry away by any force The Sonne abideth in the house for ever Ioh. 8.35 The bond woman with her soÌ„ne ist cast out but the heire shall live allwayes in the sight of his father Gal. 4.30 and c. ¶ And I will write upon him the name of my God The name written is three fould of God of the newe Ierusalem and a new name of sonne All which are spoken according to the manner of the Pillars in the Temple the figure wherof the Spirit here declareth pointing unto it as with the finger by the same thing teaching by the way that nothing was ordained there in vaine although it might seeme to be of never so small moment Salomon adorned the two erected pillars with two names The one on the right hand he calld IACIN that is he shall stablish That on the left hande BOAZ that is in him is Strength 1 King 7.21 not onely shewing by the matter it selfe of the pillars but also by the names in what firme estate the elect doe stand before God both present and future For the present the children of God have strength in themselves for the time to come God will so stablish them by his grace that they can never fall away from him altogither Although that I may put you in minde also of this further that they seeme to signify the two Churches by that on the right hand Jacin the Church of the Jewes which God at length in his time should stablish having not yet gotten stablenes because of their harneded heart wherby they should refuse Christ when he should come by that on the left hand Bohaz the Church of the Gentils because of the present strength which should be in it when shee should embrabce Christ at the first hearing So Christ would write names upon those Pillars better then those Jacin Bohaz For first he will imprint the name of his God that it may be manifested to all men that they have bin set at liberty to be Gods chiefe treasure and riches as it cometh to passe in things marked openly which doe shew by their titles to every one that looketh on them whose they are In which sense it was said in the 9. ver and they shall knowe that I have loved thee In which respect also holines to the Lord is written upon the belles of the horses in Zachary 14.20 The second name is of the newe Jerusalem of which in ch 21.2 to
all their labour in imperting to his people the whole will of God and that pure and uncorrupte from all leaven of falshood Although not without cause in deede one may mervayle howe in so disorderly custome licence to doe all things that they will excepting the diffaming of the dignityes the doctrine hath continued so long whole and sounde But he that is a faithfull and true witnesse sanctifyeth the Pastours with the truth beyonde all hope in whose lippes he dwelleth even hitherto allthough by many not obscure tokens he threatneth that shortly he will go away unlesse betime he be met with ¶ The beginning of the creature of God The last property which is of power For whether we interprete the greeke worde for t begâ—â—ning or for dominion it cometh to the same end seeing it is necessary that all things be subiect to his gouvernement who in the beginning made them In which respect Christ hath shewed himselfe wonderfull also among us What hath not the Pope of Rome endevoured and undertaken that he might trouble our peace partly by execrations excommunications and bulles sounding an alarme to open rebellion partly attempting privily Iesuites being sent by stelth and other privy murtherers who should kill the sacred Princesse with sword poyson torments divelish artes or any other way Wee knouwe that not long agoe the Prince of Orenge was set upon with desire to kill him by a popish cut throate and was killed Late is the memory of Henry King of France whose murther Iacobus Clemens a monke attempted accomplished And Henry the fourth who nowe enioyeth the soveraignty escaped hardly the bloody handes of Iohn Castell the Iesuite being stricken through the iawe bone with a knife and two of his teeth dashed out But our Queene assailed of many at many times with sundry treasons hath ben kept whole and sounde from the least harme From whence was this I pray Was oportunity wanting to these wicked men The alone Prince of the creature to whose becke all things obey hath laughed to scorne deluded the counsells of the wickel repressed the endevours of the ungodly and made frustrate their subtill devising and restrained them least they should touch his annointed nor hurt the nurce of his Prophets His power is noe lesse famous in briddling the Spaniard with whom wee make warre nowe so many yeares What is ther that he doth not thinke to effect by his riches who alone procureth trouble almost to all Europe and other parts of the world The invincible navie of the yeare 1588 swallowed up in hope our whole country our lives and goods But good God howe was he disapointed without any labour of ours through all the seas cost asunder scatered here and there and broken in pieces He came out one way against us and fled seaven wayes from before our face This is thy prayse alone o most mighty Governour whom the windes the waves the harts and hands of men will they nill they doe obey O ye Kings why doe ye not regard Why doe you not learne ye that iudge the earth Will ye fight yet still against the Prince of the creatures to your owne destruction Yf yee shall goe on to be so made wee in the meane time will betake us under his winges by whose defense alone wee stande safe against all your assaults Such is then the threefoulde property wherby Christ sheweth him self to be seene in this our Laodicea to wit constancy in promising syncerity in teachting then an invincible power in defending 15 I knowe thy workes that thou art neither colde nor hotte In declaring the greatnes of their sinne he maketh no mention of any good thing contrary to that of the other Churches none of which was of so desperate estate noe not Pergamus neither Sardis as to be voyde of all prayse But this evill as though it could not endure the fellowship of any good thing heareth nothing but reprehension without confirmation of any honesty Not but that there were many singular men whose faithfulnes and diligence the Spirit might approve for it can not be but that where Christ is a faithfull and true witnesse there some should take singular paines but because he respecteth the comon forme and outward face of the Church namely of what quality it is not so much for her owne sake as for the administration of the Angels which was such as he that considered the matter but with indifferent eyes he shall iudge her worthyly to be voyde and empty of all vertue It is an horrible evill which refuseth all fellowship with goodnes And althoug by this silence wee may be able to coniecture how grievous the disease is neverthelesse afterward it is described more plainly of what quality it is and first for more perspicuity and clearnes by a denyall of contraries I know saith he that thou art neither colde nor hotte but some thing compact and ioyned togither of both Whereupon this evill consisteth of a temperature and mixture of certen contraryes Now he called him colde who with a quiet minde can endure that the dutyes of godlines should be neglected and despised little or nothing at all regarding what manner of worshipping eyther he himselfe or other doe holde him hotte who doe boyle with a right affection and desire through vehement heate and fervency as scalding water seething in the potte with a certen restlesse motion for so the Greeke worde zestos doe signify of which sorte are they which can by no meanes suffer superstitions and ungodly religions but doe try all lawfull meanes that there may be an amending For hotte is not here sinnefull as is a rash zeale as it cometh to passe in habites in which both extreames doe swerve from the right but it is of prayse As Apollos being fervent in Spirit Act. 18.25 And Paul exhorteth that they be fervent in Spirit Rom. 12.11 Yf by excesse he should degenerate from the trueth lukewarmnes holding the middes there were some consideration of honesty But fervency or Zeale is an affection following the love of holines with a great and earnest affection of minde whose defect whether that more removed of coldnes or this nigher of lukewarmnes is blamed And lukewarmnes placed in the middes of these extremes in that wherby a man staying himselfe from committing grievous sinnes embraceth godlines so farre as may be enough to maintayne the reputation of an honest prudent and civile man The College then of the Laodicean Pastors was as it were a Senat of prudent and moderate men in the matter of religion Even as at this day the lukewarme have the report comonly in every place Yet it is not playnly mentioned from what mixture of thinges this lukewarmnes did arise Before these times of Iohn Paul biddeth the Collossians that they should say to Archippus who then was the Pastor of the Laodicean Church that he would looke to fulfill in the Lord the ministery which he hath received Col. 4.17 From which things appeareth
is not my purpose to pleade their cause thy beggerlines o Angell is to be reproved of mee which wilt thou nilt thou thou canst not but acknowledge if thou wey the thing with thy selfe in earnest Thou dost aboūde indeede in riches but nothing is more filthy then the way of getting them Shall the begger after he hath filled his purse with asking almes cast away his patched cloake and in silke vaunt him selfe to be rich wealthy What other thing is thy boasting then the bragging of riches which thou hast gathered most dishonestly by begging And yet I doe not speak these things to that end as though the stipend of the godly Pastors who holily both enter into and execute their office should be meere almes For the labourer is worthy of his wages neither can this distribution be sayd to be freely bestowed any more then is any made to one which liveth of his publike office God which made the earth hath so given it to the children of men that he reserveth a portion to himselfe which he hath bestowed on them who earnestly bend themselves to holy things Therefore the Patrones doe not give of their owne when they doe appointe the yearly rents to the Pastours of the Churches for their paines but deliver them to those to whom they are due and of which they have ben the keepers onely Wee speake not I say of such speciall persons but generally of the state of the Clergy the manner of which is so ordained that the Angell manifestly groweth rich by almes and in deede is noe other thing then a Lord Begger There is added to beggery blindenes wherby the evill becometh farre more grievous For what is more pittifull then a blind begger whom necessity constreineth to seeke his living abroade and the want of sight suffereth him not to seeke But this is a blindnes of minde wherby a man being deprived of a witty and prudent minde cannot provide for himself touching things profitable and honest before God and men The Angell then being voide of this wisdome sinneth even so in administring his office as of late he sinned by beggery in the manner of getting And this is the worst kinde of blindnes which for the most part neither acknowledgeth his owne darknes neither can suffer patiently admonition yea doth use the staffe wherby he ought to have tryed the way against him that sheweth him of the danger Yet thou art to be admonished o miserable Angell howe froward and angry soever thou shalt be it may come to passe that at length thou mayst see and be wise if not at least wise I may be without danger of setting a stumbling blocke before the blinde if I have seen the pitte and not shewed it him And that I may deale with thee more favourably I will make thy selfe iudge whether thou be better sighted then I accuse thee although this be unreasonable in on s owne cause wherein thou must needes be twice blinde Call therfore to remembrāce with mee your last constitutions which are wont to be wisest handled in the Convocation at London and published in the yeare 1597. what medecine dost thou make for the Church being sicke First thou decreest that fitte men be admitted unto Ecclesiasticall holy orders and benefices as they call them The title in deede recreated many and very many did iudge thee nowe at length to use thine eyes This kinde of men hath made the Church sad a great while There was hope of remedy when thou shouldst see and acknowledge the disease For of evell manners doe aryse good lawes But howe wisely hast thou met with this evill and satisfyed mens expectation wey well with thy selfe after give sentence Thou knowest that it was ordained in a statute of the Realme that none should be admitted unto holy orders but he that should be foure and twenty yeere olde at least and have brought before the Diocesan the testimony of such men as the Bishop knoweth to be of sounde religion both of his honest life and also of his professing the doctrine of our Church yea have ben able to render a reason of his faith in the latine tongue or at the least hath ben endued with some speciall gifte of preaching Although this were long agoe enacted the Church hath ben greatly troubled with a newe rable of most unworthy men With what cautions then hast thou helped the imbecility of the lawe For wise and quick sighted men are wont when they have perceived the weaknes of the lawe to helpe with more sharpe lawes for that point wherby they see the impudency of men to breake through Thou in deede hast established manie things but I pray what serveth for the worthynes of Ministers That noe man be received to holy orders unlesse at the same time he shall exhibite the presentation of himselfe to some benefice then void or who shall not bring a certificate from some Church wherein he may serve the cure of soules that is where he may play the Curate under some one in reading of prayers or who hath not ben appointed in some College or at least who is not to be admitted of the same Bishop unto some Benefice or to a Cure To what Idiote or any the worst man may not these thinges perteine But thou proceedest and addest other thinges as vayne as these Moreover if he shall be sayest thou of an other Dioces unlesse he shall bring dimissory letters be full foure and twenty yeeres olde and hath taken some degree in the Vniversity which last is required onely in men of another Dioces finally that holy orders be not given except on the Lords day or holy dayes Excellent ordinances in deede for which the reformed Churches may be ashamed What doe these thinges profit at all that a fit man be admitted What that after should be ordayned ministers either more learned or more honest Wilt thou on the H. Spirit crying by Paul who is fit for these thinges obtrude a man with a presentation with a Certificate with Dimissorye letters or who hath ben licenced on the Lords dayes But I will not debate the matter harder onely I appeale to thy conscience What I pray have you provided in this matter who hast covered the wall ready to fall with such foolish plastring What touching plurality of Benefices Thou decreest that it is to be restrayned And well in deede for it is an hainous thinge that one should be a sheapheard of sheepe which he feedeth not or at least should receive any fruite from them which take noe profit from him It were meete therfore that here thou shouldest bring forth whatsoever skill thou hast to cure this evill which not onely the divine oracles but also comon sense cōdemneth of sacrilege What remedy then doest thou apply Namely Let no man enioy this faculty unlesse he be at least a Master of Arts and a publike and fitte preacher of Gods worde A notable Physician in deede What have Maisters of Arts deserved so ill
Tertullian I say sent a most learned Apologie written against the Gentiles to the Nobles of Rome by which at least secretly as writeth Franciscus Zephyrus they might have knowledge of the common cause of Christians seeing that openly they might not Neither did he thinke that onely the Princes of the Romane Empire were to be called upon of him generally but also by name Scapula the President of Cartage if peradventure he might tame by these meanes his cruell minde He sheweth him the true cause of the publike calamityes to wit that the wicked world by persecuting the trueth did bring upon themselves those sterilities that after sowing time the harvests were lost that deluges arysing from showers of raine and fearfull tempests marred all thinges For so he speaketh Yet wee must needes be grieved because noe city shall carry away scotfree the shedding of our blood and also as under Hilarianus the President when concerning the floores of our burials thy cried togither they shall not be treshing floores they were not their floores For they have not done their harvests Which wordes shew plainly that there was great barrennes in those times when as there were noe harvests and therefore as it seemeth those floores were given to the Christians wherin they might bury their dead when through the great barrennes they were to noe use for to lay up corne And why should wee not acknowledge here the blacke horse seeing the Sunne in the assembly at Vtica had almost quite lost his light and that not by an extraordinary eclipse but being placed in his high and exaltation as witnesseth the same Tertullian to Scapula Neither did this want of sustenance torment onely the wicked Gentiles but also did troble the Christians for God will have wordly goods to be common to the prophane and afflictions to his owne children that all of like fellowship might proove both his lenity and severity Tertul. in his Apol. So then the event doth agree with the Prophecy punishing the world with an other scourge even famine which could not be raysed from their drowsines with that great sword and destruction of warres The Iesuite will have the blacke horse to be understood of Heretiques although according to his wonted errour he hath noe regard of the time For he referreth these thinges to the fortieth yeere of the Lord when Mathewe wrote the Ghospell wherein he passeth over the boundes set of the Angell I will shewe thee the thinges which must be done hereafter chap. 4.1 Many Heretiques indeede arose in the time of that respit which the Church enioyed under Commodus as Montanus and others of that sorte but seeing the former Horse that which followeth doe note bodily calamityes inflicted upon the world for iniuryes and violence offerred to the trueth it were unmeete to transferre this which is placed between them into an other kinde especially seeing there is a manifest consent of the History Neither must wee thinke that a famine belonging to the common people is a lighter matter then that it should be meete that men should be forewarned of it For it was the purpose of the Spirit to appointe these first calamities as pledges of the following Prophecy from whence they are called Seales as it were confirmations of the other thinges which are to be delivered that the trueth of these predictions being perceived which should follow in the next times the faithfull might be noe lesse without doubt touching those thinges which are to be expected in the last ages Therefore these Seales are as the three kiddes three loaves of bread a bottell of wine Likewise a Viole a Tymbrell a Pype and a Harpe with which men meeting Saule made a more undoubted persuasion in him touching the promised Kingdome 7 And when he had opened the fourth seale I heard the voice of the fourth Beast The fourth Beast is an Eagle flowing on high and little esteeming the thinges that are on earth chap. 4.7 He standeth in equall degree with the last former Beasts and doe not attaine that power of the first whose roaring sounded out like thunder Yet neverthelesse by his Eagles cry he instructeth the faithfull touching the evill to come whom he biddeth come and see howe great destruction should come upon the world by and by 8 And beholde a pale horse The fourth type is a pale Horse the Sitter on whō is described by his Name Follower and the busines committed to him The colour of the Horse is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which properly signifyeth being greene a thing so greene as grasse Some time it is taken for the deformity of herbes waxing dry which have lost their colour from whence it is taken for palenes which is the colour of a thing withered as pale feare because feare maketh men pale and Constance the Father of Constantin the great was called Chlorus for his palenes as saith Zonaras in Diocletian That sickly colour doth very well become the Horse on whose backe sitteth Death himselfe where he that sate is used for to him that sate Which kinde of speaking is according to the Hebrewes as was observed chap. 2.26 Although least any should thinke it to be against the rule of Grammar and through his owne ignorance impute barbarisme to the holy writer wee have also examples in other tongues of most eloquent authours Livius speaketh thus The learned saith he in religions and common lawe when duo ordinarij Consules two ordinary Cōsuls of that yeere one perished by the sword the other by sicknes denyed that the substituted CONSVLL could have an assembly of people to chuse officers Where duo ordinarij Consules is put for duorum ordinariorum Consulum that is of two ordinary cōsuls So Salust Therefore in the beginning Kings for that was the first name of Governement on the earth being diverse part exercised their wit part their body Many thinges of this sort are noted of learned men of whom also it is observed that this manner of speaking is very usuall with the Grecians First to the rider the name Death is given From the proportion whereof names also be given to the former so as he that sitteth on the white horse may be called trueth on the red horse warre on the blacke horse famine Which I doe mentione because I see that some little to the purpose doe faine here the Devill and I knowe not what others to be the Sitters Nowe the Sitter is named Death for excellency sake both because the plague of this seale should bring more swifte destruction and also because it should annoy with moe kindes of killing The third scourge of God is wonte to be the Pestilence as in Ezechiel That they shall fall by the sword by famine and pestilence chap. 6.11 The which notwithstanding is not here made the captayne of the ranke but onely mustered into the place of an ordinary souldiour as wee shall see by and by The cōpanion or rather waiting made of Death is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in latine
of the cruell enemyes wherewith the sixt chapter was concluded For the common type of which sorte was the whole seaventh chapter doth not interrupt the order of things And indeede such quiet dayes followed by and by after those trumpets For Maxentius being overcome at Rome by Constantine and Maxentius in the East by Licinius howe glad a day appeared to the Church through the whole world Howe great delectation howe great ioy howe great triumphe was ther of all degrees How pleasant was it that the prisons were opened that men were called backe from the mines that their feete were loosed from boundes that their neckes were delivered from the axe Neither onely to have these thinges but also an Emperour of which never any man before did so much as dreame who endevoured exceedingly to adorne by all meanes that he could every one of the meanest that was named a Christian Eusebius triumphed not without cause singing with the wordes of the Psalmist Goe to see yee the workes of Iehova how he maketh desolatioÌ„s in the earth causing warres to cease unto the ende of the earth howe he breaketh the bow and cutteth in peeces the speare he burneth the chariots with fire booke 10. 1. Nowe both the Augustes as well Licinius as Constantinus with one minde did procure diligently not onely the peace of the Church but also the ornaments of peace as it is apparaÌ„t from the Decrees published in the name of them both Euseb booke 10. chap. 5. c. But this was a short peace and in very deede but of halfe an houre continuance For first the Augustes themselves were at concorde scarse one three yeeres space afterward when they were reconciled Licinius assaileth openly the Christians and attempteth a generall slaughter There came more over civill warre which waxed fierce among the rulers of the Church the Bishops themselves who being voide of all feare of the coÌ„mon enemy did fall one upon an other with the weapons of wordes as if they had ben weary of peace even assoone as they had tasted the sweetnes of it with the top of their lippes See Aurelius Victor of Cesar part 2. Euseb booke 10. 8. 9. and upon the life of Constantine booke 1. to the ende beginning of the second Furthermore those thinges which wee have noted before at the first verse of the seaventh chapter 2 And I saw those seaven Angels Such hath ben the Silence from which at length proceedeth the second periode distinguished from the former because the entrance into this began not but at the ende of the seales For shall the TruÌ„pets be aunswerable to the Seales which are brought to their last ende before the Trumpets be prepared to sound More over take away the TRVMPETS from this seaven Seale that which wee leave unto it beside and above the Silence of halfe an houre is a certen small thing and more slender and baren then beseemeth the dignity of it I see that such an opinion hath pleased some learned and Godly men but he that shall marke and observe the thing diligently shall perceave that the same is quite coÌ„trary to the methode of the REVELATION The Heralds of this Periode are the seaven Angels Trumpeters The words themselves doe not shewe playnely whether these Angels were good or noe They are sayd to stande before GOD but this is a doubtfull kinde of speaking in so much as it may be attributed as to the evill so to the good Angels and therefore it is sayd that SATAN presented himselfe togither with the Sonnes of GOD before the Lord as wee reade in the Booke of Iob first chap. ver 6. But the proportion of the BEASTS in the Seales and of the seaven ANGELS Ministers of the Viols every one of which was clothed with Pure Linnen as wee shall see in the fifteenth chapter of this booke and at the sixt verse may cause us to esteeme and iudge these Trumpeters in the same number of Holy ones especially seeing that the article those seaven ANGELS hath also the force of nothing some that were knowne of which wee had none before unlesse the finger be pointed unto those seaven SPIRITS of God sent forth into all the world of which wee have seen in the fift Chapter and at the sixt verse Wee sayd that the foure ANGELS of the seaventh Chapter are the foure first Trmmpets but wee meane not the TRVMPETERS themselves but the events which followed when they blew those their Trumpets But the parts of this Periode are distinguished by Trumpets because these events should be more notable more famous and manifest to all men and as it were sung with the publike and lowde voice of a Trumpet In receaving of which there is a certen preparation before they beginne the worke it selfe because by and by after the silence made there should be given some token of the troubles to come before the rage should waxe hotte and be kindled To which is to be referred that Schime betweene Cecilianus and Donatus of Afrike of which wee made mention before the Apostasy of Licinius and his wicked entreprise against the Church The Contention in the East touching the Lords Supper or Passeover But especially the infection of the Arian Heresy the which assoone as it sprung up began to spred quickly farre and neare and to kindle so great close and secrete hatreds that neither the scorning of the enemyes on the theatres nor the most earnest desire of the EMPEROVR himselfe testifyed both by his letters and teares and also by the Embassage of Holsius Cordubensis a most famous old man could not avayle any thing at all to quench the flame for this see the second book of Eusebius upon the lyfe of Constantine in his letters to ALEXANDER and Arius All these thinges as Trumpets were given in the sight of all men as bâ—ing indeede sorrowfull presagies of the future blowing of the Trumpets 3 Then an other Angell came Hitherto the preparation of the seaven ANGELS Nowe followeth what manner of entrance was made to the events following in one ANGEL Whom wee may not suppose to be any Spirituall substance such as are the ANGELS properly so called that is to say GABRIEL or any of that sorte as the Iesuite would have it but a Man according as this Booke of the Revelation is wont to speak in the which there is nothing more common and ordinary then to give attribute the name of an Angel unto Men. Furthermore this heaven is the Holy Church on earth the Altar the more inward holy place of the same the Ministery of the High Priest which the Angels properly so called doe never execute but the trueth of which belongeth onely to Christ the type unto men onely who have a nature fit for sacrifice about which thing the office of the Priest is chiefly occupied of which nature seeing the Angels are voide neither can they represente the Priest Neither any where in the scriptures are these dutyes attributed to them Furthermore the ministery
the doore and doe knocke chap. 3.20 Of which sorte are many in other places It fell from heaven unto the earth by revolting from the holy Church to a degenerating company of ungodly men But this fall nowe first began to be marked after the sounding out of the fift trūpet For that which is done leisurely and privily is not perceaved to be a doing before that it be manifestly come to passe The key of the bottomelesse pit given is a power granted over infernall darkenes which was shutte up in the bottome of the pit of hell for that is the bottomelesse pit Now first this power was granted to sende forth the smoke howsoever the fall from heaven was before that the trumpet sounded Nowe that wee may finde out who this starre is the thing is not to be measured by one or two circūstances for so wee shall finde very many to have fallen from heaven but all things are to be taken togither which surely whomsoever they shall fitte he doubtlesse is that very man whom this Prophecy painteth out unto us it cannot be that the holy descriptions should be generall and common so as they may be applyed to divers things contrary to the meaning of the Spirit But it is to be observed that this trumpet is not limited within any certaine boundes of the third part as the former but to have free liberty to spread farre abroad in what place soever it will as in the common proheme the Angell cryed out in the ende of the former chapter woe to the inhabitans of the earth as though the calamity should be contained within noe other limits then of the whole earth from whence it cometh to passe that the latter trumpets exccede the former not onely in the very kinde and continuāce of the evils but also in the space and largenes of the countries thēselves to which they should bring dammage These thinges being thus layd wee shall finde that this trumpet sounded immediately within three yeeres after that Gregory died whom evē nowe wee shewed to be the Angell flying from the middes of heaven about the yeere from the birth of Christ sixe hundreth and seaven At which time Boniface the third obtained of Phocas the parricide that the Bishop of Rome should be universall then also Mahumet in the East whom Robertus Cetenensis and Bibliander refer unto the same time in the eleven table albeit I thinke that others more truly doe reffer him to a fewe yeeres after as touching the summe of the thing there is noe difference was beleeved of his owne people to be a greate Prophet Both starres fell from heaven before this time The Romane defection is manifest in the Idolatrous worshipping of reliques in attributing that to the Saincts which is proper to God alone that I may not recite many other wicked superstitions when as it would aske a longe time even for to number them Gregory that middle Angell whom by right thou mayest call holy in comparison of many other that were to come in howe plaine words doth he bewray the impiety of this seate herein The holy Martyrs sayth he our defenders are present they will be asked and they require to be sought Therefore in your prayers seeke yee these helpes finde yee out these defenders of your guiltines in his Homilies on the Gosp Againe Which Holy Peter of late could be your helper in all things and more over he is able to forgive your sinnes booke 4. Epist 34. Againe let him put his trust in the grace of the omnipotent God and in the helpe of the blessed Apostle Peter in the booke 4. chap. 39. Moreover from the crosse in which is the wood of the Lords crosse and the haires of John Baptist wee have alwayes confort of our Saviour through the intercession of his fore runner booke 7. Epist 126. Neither was he the first authour of this Idolatry neither did they which followed indevour to overthrowe it but rather increased it with all their power And not without cause indeede the fall of this starre became thē first knowen when the Bishop began to be called universall then yet the eares of all men might ring with the late crying out of Gregory He is Antichrist who chalengeth to himselfe the name of universall Bishop Frō which also it is manifest howe both they deceive and are deceived who require instantly the testimonies of Ambrose Hierome Chrysostome Augustine or of any other Father by which expresly it may be proved that the Pope of Rome is Antichrist seeing his fall could not be so plainly discerned before the blowing of the fift trumpet which doubtlesse sounded not before these holy men ceased to be among the living The fall also of Mahomet from heaven is evident The Saracenes had received the true faith of Christ by the instruction of Moses a certaine Bishop of that people when Mavia the Queene reigned as in Socrates booke 4.36 or Mania as Sozemene calleth her booke 6. 38 At which time Valens governed the Empire of Rome in the East From this beginning or peradventure from Zacomus the Prince who flourished a fewe yeeres before the trueth seemesh to have ben spred among them unto the times of HERACLIVS corrupt without all doubt with much filth and corruption as is wont to come to passe in processe of time yet not quite abolished as it is cleare frō Mahumet himselfe who acknowledged the Scriptures and tooke to himselfe companions or rather had for maisters Sergius of Constantinople a Nestorian Monke and Iohn of Antiochean Arian Wherefore it is plaine that both of them had fallen The key was given to the Bishop of Rome in that manner which I have said For an ordinance of the Emperour being established that the Bishops of Rome should have full power to assemble generall Councills and to disolve them to confirme and disanull the thinges which should be decreed in the Councills and that the City of Rome should be the heade of all holesome life when before Constantinople was so esteemed because of the seate of the Emperour as writeth Pomponius on Phocas what could not this key open Doth not the Pope worthyly boast of the Keyes and carrieth them an ensigne for his armes least perhaps any should be ignorant that he is the same whom Iohn sawe should come And this is that difference betweene the other superstitious men and the Pope of Rome Many others did give more to the Saincts departed then was meete and defiled themselves with the most grievous sinne of Idolatry yet to noe other was given the key to open the pit but to this universall Bishop Let noe man therefore to hide the Antichrist call forth the defense and fellowshippe of others that erred but let him ioyne togither all the properties nor iudge of him for one alone But as touching Mahomet what could not he obtaine of the simple multitude being counted of all a great Prophet Whose sowning from a disease the rude multitude beleeved to have bin
placed in equall dignity with the Holy Scriptures Here the Interpretation of the Scriptures was taken away from the Scriptures and made subiect to mens pleasure but chiefly to the Popes Ever since the world began the Holy and Sacred Scriptures were not so much abused both openly and by publique authority ANTIOCHVS in deede a good while since inflicted a grievous wounde in commaunding the Holy Bookes to be burnt in the fire Likewise DIOCLETIAN and other Tyrants But the iniurie of these TRIDENTINE FATHERS is farre more grievous For they were Ethniques enemies stricken with a certen fury and madnes wholly repugnant to all the trueth These alone wil be counted CATHOLIQVES very great and chiefe friends the thing a long time and much consulted of guided by mature and ripe iudgement the very PILLARS and upholders of the TRVETH and upon whom noe spotte of errour can be cast How must it needs be that their act was of no authority and these men of very great neither is there cause why any should obiect Marcion the Eucratites Cataphrygians and such monsters of which some reiected one part of the sacred Scriptures and some another at their pleasure There is very great difference as touching the greatnes of the hurt betweene the dotages of obscure Heretiques and the deliberat actes and Decrees of an gathered Councell especially which chalengeth to it selfe to be credited with out exception It is therefore a thing especially worthy remembrance and worthy that the Church should be put in minde of by so notable a Prophecy The event and time doe consent so wonderfully that every equall arbitratour will easily acknowledge that I have not willfully sought this interpretation but that I have ben lead as it were by the hande to the same by the very order and disposition of the matters As touching the assemblyes of the faithfull which in these last times did first appeare in Germany they were assailed with a most cruell warre the same yeere The same Beast made this warre likewise by the help of the Emperour Charles the fift otherwise a noble man greatly to be cōmāded but obeying the Pope too much through the common errour of the Princes From whence not without cause that is attributed to one which being proceeded from two or more yet notwithstanding is done by one ioint endevour The overthrowe in this warre was received about the two and twentieth day of Aprill in the yeere following to wit 1547 when the armies of the Protestans were put to flight Iohn Frederike Duke of Saxonie himselfe Ernestus of Brunswick the Lātgraves sonne and not very long after the Lantgrave himselfe were taken Which calamity stayed not in these fewe but also afflicted many others both Governours and Cityes which partly yeelded themselves of their owne accord partly were wonne by force In one moment sayth Beza bewayling the misery of that time seemed to be overthrowne whatsoever had ben builded up in so many yeeres and with so great labours and they onely were counted happy of the most part whom sudden death had taken away from these hurlie burlies such are his wordes The remembrance of that time is sorrowfull to all the godly when the holy and wise Princes inflamed with a desire onely to defende the trueth not themselves alone but the Churches togither with them which as newly borne did lament among the weapons came miserably into the power of the enemies But now was the time of darkenesse in which these two Prophets must be killed and made a mocking stock Although wee must reioice in the same adversities which ar a calling to remembrance of the divine Prophecies confirming certenly the confidence and faith of our hope as saith Tertullian in his Apologie 8 And their corpses shall lie There is this difference betweene Antiochus the Romish Beast He in burning up the bookes of the Lawe would not have so much as the karkeises to remaine This sufferred the dead corpses but onely for a mocking stocke and for a greater ignominie The cruell Beast is not satisfyed with blood but desireth some more grievous tormēt For their pierced corpses are cast forth into the streetes of the great city that they might be a spectacle to all men and an ornament to the triumphe of the Romish Beast And what other thing of these Scriptures now remained then a very karkeise wholly without all authoritie power and life when all interpretation was brought to the Apostolique Chaire neither might they mutter any thing at all which the Bishop of Rome should not breath into them The Spirit speaketh so exactly that he may leave them noe tergiversatiō He knew that the Pope of Rome whatsoever he should doe against the truth would boast neverthelesse that to him nothing is better of more account and more inviolable then the Scriptures themselves But that noe man may be deceived with a bare name the Spirit speaketh evidently that after the Tridentine Councill noe Scriptures should be in the possessiō of the Romanes but a dead carkeise of noe strenght and power ¶ In the streetes of the great citie which spiritually is called Sodome and Egypt This great City is that whole dominion of which Rome is the mother City in which sense the tenth part of the city falleth after in the 13 verse A street is some part of the Romane dition wherein this spectacle is exhibited to be seene the ioy whereof spreadeth it selfe through the whole Empire But the great citie it selfe togither with her chiefe citie is described in the rest of the verse and that by two expresse names a notable marke also being added least any perhaps should mistake the city And also for a greater assurance wee are admonished that these names are not to be takē properly but spiritually that is aenigmatically figuratively allegorically The first name is Sodom a city once very famous for her filthines nowe for her punishement a most fit exemple of the tower and chiefe habitation of this great citie For is not the city Rome become famous for her horrible lusts above all the whole world In the iudgement of all the Poete Mantuan hath truly songe of her in these wordes Shame get thee to the country townes if they al 's ' doo not use The same corrupted filthines Rome now is all a Stewes Which is no lesse declared by an other taking his leave of Rome thus Rome farre well nowe I have thee seen ynough it is to see I le come againe when bawd I meane knave brothel beast to be But that you may the better acknowledge Sodome heare what a certē man answered to one asking a question touching Rome Say what is Roma Amor Love if backward you it spell Rome loves the male kind Say no more J know thy meaning well Hath not Hieronymus Zeged Mutius declared this plainely in his Cynedicall bookes defending this horrible villany and approved by the Bulles and lettres patents of Iulius the third him selfe With whom Iohannes Casa associated himselfe being
falsly bragged of wherein the Bishop of Rome glorieth almost in every word and which the auncient holy men Tertullian Cyprian and the rest knowing not for what impiety they prepared a way extolled with excessive praises But then chiefly the Sea was visible and the rising out of water might appeare to mens eyes wheÌ„ the Nicene Fathers cast the burning mountaine into the Sea as hath ben said in the 8. chap. ver 8. that is when they confirmed by their Decree that whatsoever preeminence there was should be given to Rome over the neighbour Bishops For the Sea noteth togither with the Doctrine the Clergie whose office is to take paine in ministring the Doctrine Those holy men were farre from bringing in the Tyranny which was after stablished yet they unwares gave a notable increase to it by this their constitution Before the Nicene Councill every one lived to himselfe and little regard was had to the Church of Rome as Aeneas Silvius confesseth This then especially was the rising of the Beast not that he began not to rise up before but because now first he could be seen and marked of men ¶ Which had seven heads Such was his rising His integrall partes are first his Heads which are as many and the same which the Dragon had in ch 12.3 For there is the same seate dignitie of them both For these heads are Hilles and Kings as in chap. 17.9 17 He hath also ten hornes as the Dragon and ten crownes set on his hornes Which ten crownes are ten Kings chap. 17.11 Yet neverthelesse differing in two sorts from the hornes of the Dragon First in the crownes with which these are adorned as which doe note out Kings not to be subject to the Empire of an other man but who should have a free and supreme menaging of things The Hornes of the Dragon had no such adorning but this honour did belong onely to the heads as in chap. 12.3 Whence commeth the difference Because the Heathen Emperours placed the seat of the Empyre at Rome whereof they are the seaven heads establishing her the Empresse and Queene of all And therefore the crownes being taken away from all other Kings and Provinces they have imposed them upon the seven heads or hills of this But nowe there should be an other face of things Antichrist at length shewing himselfe For the maiesty of the Empire should not remaine at Rome but should have her seate in some other country for which cause the crownes which before did belong to the heads now for a newe respect are tranferred to the hornes Secondly they differ in time For the hornes of the Beast were not yet bred when John wrote chap. 17.12 The hornes of the Dragon even before Iohn was borne were lifted up on high spread with many branches as wee have seen in chap. 12.3 Therefore although they agree in nuÌ„ber yet they are not the same in all things neither should one doe well if he should apply to the head of that things that belong to this But finally what are these hornes All things being diligently coÌ„sidered I thinke that they were the ten first Christian Emperours Of counting whom there may be a double way one of every severall by himselfe and of them onely in whose power was either the universall Empire or that of the West Into which Catalogue doe come Constantine the Great Constantine Coâ—stans Constantine his sonnes IVLIANVS Iovianus Valentinianus Gratianus Valentinianus the second Theodosius And so there is a great conseÌ„t of the things done and of the Prophecy For while these ten did raigne the Beast was defended excellently his dignity much increased Which at length being taken away the hornes being as it were broken for a time the succeeding Emperours were not able to maintaine the same authority of the Romish Beast which those predecessours had gotteÌ„ Honorius the soÌ„ne of that Theodosius sufferred Rome to be taken and spoiled of the Gothes And although for the space of two yeeres it was beseeged by Alaricus he abiding at RaveÌ„na either was not able or durst not succour it the streÌ„gth of the Hornes was so much abated VVhere was his Fathers valiantnesse which killed and put to flight enemies in so great numbers even in the furthest boundes of Rome But neither from the East was there now any aide but the hornes being as it were broken wherby the former Emperours removed so farre of the Barbarous people the Beast with his Rome was a pray to the most contemptible nations But there seemeth to be a more full accord and in every part more agreable from a conjoyned reckening of the Emperours both of the west and of the East after the usuall manner of all the Chronicle writers Thus they are numbred 1 Constantine the Great 2 Constantine Constans Constantius his sonnes 3 Iulianus 4 Iovinianus 5 Valentianus and Valens 6 Gratianus Valentinianus the second and Theodosius the first 7 Theodosius the first with Arcadius and Honorius his sonnes 8 Archadius and Honorius alone 9 Honorius and Theodosius the second 10 Theodosius the second and Valentinian the third Concerning whom there shal be a more large declaration in the 17. chap. 12. ver In the meane time let no man trouble us with words out of season and cry out that it is a thing haynous wicked and unheard that I make those first Christian VVorthies the Hornes of Antichrist Shall he now at length become a member and maintainer of Antichrist who of late came forth with the Seale of the living God who stood at the Altar with the Golden censer who was the man childe of the Church and that Michaell who drove the DragoÌ„ out of Heaven But that the malitious detractour may holde his peace it is one thing advisedly and of set purpose to doe a thing an other unwittingly and through ignorance Constantine advanced the state of Christians to his power neither was it in his minde to further Antichrist even the least that might be but rather wholly to stop up all the passage against him yet neverthelesse by adorning advauncing defending the Bishop of Rome he made a more ready way for him ignorantly and contrary to his meaning Is this any strange thing that a man not knowing what he cherished in his bosome should lend him his help VVere not his first beginnings hidden even from the most sharpsighted Certenly seeing most holy men have offended some time most grievously and that deliberately it shall not I thinke be strange that both he and other men have uÌ„warres bestowed their labour ill I desire not to detract the least that may be from any most excellent men that deserved well But I am not mine owne but the Spirits Interpreter who bendeth the whole description of the hornes to this point as it shall appeare in his places I will follow him gladly who can finde out to whom they may agree more fitly I seeke the trueth and not slaundering But I doubt not but whosoever shall view
citizens And that I may not rehearse these many blasphemies Could not Antichrist in his chiefe pride having a desperate mouth raile against the humble and despised Church when hee being now without Spirit and almost halfe dead stayeth himselfe from no reproches against the same shee being by the grace of God restored and florishing Thirdly hee blasphemeth them that dwell in Heaven These are Citizens meÌ„bers of the true Church on earth His opened mouth barked at the Tabernacle against the whole congregation of the faithfull But the blasphemy is intended chiefly at those which dwell in Heaven against particular holy men His foule mouth revileth them with all manner of reproches Are not all that set themselves against the Romish impietie defamed as if they were Schismatiques Heretiques Rebells most wicked men unworthy to enjoy the light in common with other Read that one Bulla of Leo the x. agaâ—n t Luther and thou shalt have a most oboundant proofe of these blasphemies But all Papisticall bookes are full of them yea their tongues doe scarce talke of any other thinge 7 And it was given him to make warre with c. This is that warre which was made in the 11. chap. ver 7.8 To wit the Tridentine Councill and that lamâ—ntable battell of the Pope and Emperour against the ProtestaÌ„ts in Germany This is also that victory wherby he triumphed over the two Prophets that were slaine For the Beast warreth his whole fourty two moneths as before in the 5. ver but at the ende of that time this warre should be the most memorable of all whereof he maketh here mention Therefore this Beast is the Angell of the bottomelesse pit in chap. 9. ver 11. and 11.7 There remaineth yet another warre but in that the Beast shall not overcome but be overcomed ¶ And power was given unto him over every Tribe and tongue nation The third part of his power as wee have distinguished in the Analysis which consisteth in the largenesse of his dominion This should spread it selfe farre and neere as before time the Empire of the Dragon For there is the same Throne of both the same Kingdome also and Empire see before in verse 3. upon those wordes the whole world 8 Therefore all that dwell on the earth shall worship him whose names c. A setting forth of the large jurisdiction from a description of the subiects Of which sorte are all whom God hath not accounted in the nuÌ„ber of those that shal be saved Which words have prevented that doubt whereby one peradventure might thinke that it were past remedy as concerning the salvation of all seeing all almost did seeme to be servaÌ„ts of the Beast Feare not saith the Spirit none of the elect shall perish I have all these written with mee by name onely they shall be permitted to worship the Beast who are not written in this Catalogue But thou wilt say it is as hurtfull a thing to worship the Heathen Emperours But hat is not the matter how daungerous it is to worship either him or those but onely the Beast is described by the multitude of the reprobate whom he hath for his worshippers as though he should say this Beast is he whom all the reprobate of the earth shall worship that is to whom they shall give Divine honours To which propositioÌ„ if thou shalt adde But the Pope of Rome is he whoÌ„ all the reprobate of the earth have worshipped giving unto him divine honours it will followe that he is this Beast Some Heathen Emperours arrogated to themselves a Godhead but eveÌ„ the Heathen men derided this madnes so farre off were they from approoving thereof by worshipping Suetonius reporteth how great a mocking stock the Dodecatheos that is the secret supper of Augustus was in which twelve ghests sat downe in the habite of Gods and Goddesses but Augustus himselfe in the apparell of Apollo The hoasen the golden beard and lightening the ensigne of the Gods which he bare were despised But assoone as the Pope had taken to himselfe the name of God his worshippers by and by consented unto it Wee heard in the thirteenth verse of the Adoration which the Ambassadours and Bishops performed in their generall Councills With whom the Canonists accord as in a certaine Glosse printed at Lions in the yeere a thousande five hundreth fiftie five in Extravag Ioann 22. VVhâ—n it was counted an Hereticall thing to beleeve that our Lord God the Pope had not ben able to ordaine as he hath ordained In Sixtus of Election and the foundâ—tions of Elect. In the Glosse The Pope is not a man Clement in the Proheme in the Glosse Neither art thou God nor man thou art as it were neither bâ—tween both Finally when they preach that the Pope is all and above all that his power exteÌ„deth it selfe to thinges in Heaven in Earth and Hell That he can commande the Angels that he hath such power in Purgatorie and â—lso in Hell that he can deliver by his Indulgences as great a number as he will of soules which are tormeâ—ted in those places and set them by and by in Heaven and in the seates of the blessed VVhen I say they attribute these and many such blasphemous thinges unto him who seeth not whom the reprobate of the earth doe worship and adore with divine honours Not that all who some time have adored the Beast are reprobates for it may be that they did repent and were converted to God but because all the reprobate doe worshipe him Neither let any prate foolishly that there are many countries in the world in which even the name of the Romane Pope hath not ben heard I doe not otherwise take the whole world and all the reprobate then the Holy Spirit himselfe if the Papists have any thing wherby they may cut the throate of this Vniversality let them strike at it Seeing therefore that these thingâ—s are so now let the Pope cry out that it is altogither of necessity to salvation to be subiect to the Romane Pope The Spirit contrariwise saith that to be undâ—r the Romane Bishop is to be ioined wholly with the losse of salvation if any doe so diâ— without repentance VVhether of these two must thou beleeve He will haâ—e it that he cannot erre but how foolish is it to bring the tryall of the same thing thither where if thou shalt erre in beleeving there shal be given thee noâ— leave to correct the errour This Beast is worshipped of all the reprobate whom as long as thou conspireâ—t with in worship who will secluâ—e thee from the condition of the reprobate He therefore breaketh not â—nitie who departeth from the Romish Synagogue but he procured unâ—voidable destruction to himselfe whosoever is ioyned to her and repented not O yee most wretched recoÌ„cilers who seeke to bring back againe the people to Rome Is it not enough for your sâ—lves to perish uâ—lesse you increase your condemnation by drawing others with you into the same
destruction But let no godly man be offended if hee see the reprobate to returne to their Beast the Spirit hath foreshewed that this loade stone shall draw unto it this refuse that hereafter they may not marvaile Why all of ungâ—dly and dissolute life are more prone to the Pope thâ—n to the trueth ¶ Of that Lambe which was slâ—ine from the beginning of the world VVithout cause Aretas will have a transposition of the wordes to be here so that this should be the sense Whose names are not written from the beginning of the world in the booke of life of the Lambe which was slaine He will have the names to be written from the beginning of the world but not the Lambe to have ben killed from thence But the things are not well devided which the Spirit ioyneth togither For if the Lambe be from the beginning of the world it must needes be also that he was slaine from the beginning of the world But CHRIST is not a Lambe but for sacrifice neither can he be a sacrifice otherwise then by death As therefore by the eternall Decree of God he was the Lambe appointed for to save the Elect so by the same Decree he was slaine from before the foundations of the world VVose force was noe lesse available to deliver the Elect before his death was accomplished in the flesh then after he had endured and sufferred the same in the crosse and in the grave 9 Let him that hath an eare heare An acclamation the sense whereof is That this Beast is to be knowne with all diligence howsoever there shall be many who will not hearken and will deny a thing so perverse are they more cleare then the Sunne at noonetide But all yee elect give eare and with as great diligence as you can flie from this plague Which by these markes is so proposed before your eyes as that you may see her not as by the nayles but by the whole frame of her body 10 Yf any leade into captivity These things pertaine to the consolation of the godly who were to fight with this monster the first confirmation is taken from a certeÌ„ punishment which shall come in his time that is to say although they shall see the Beast mighty for a longe time and carying many by companies into bondage yet they should be of good courage For at length they should see him also ledde into captivity He shall perish with the sword although now he kill with the sword whom he will The confort is like to that in Esay Woe to thee that spoilest who thy selfe is not spoiled and to thee traiterous man against whom they dealt not traiterously when thou shalt cease to be a spoiler thou shalt be spoiled c. chap. 33.1 ¶ Here is the patience and faith of the Saincts A second consolation All those thinges serve for the Saincts for the exercise of their faith and constancy And surely a great courage is required in so great daungers but by how much the dangers shal be greater so much the more shall the praise of the godly be brighter therefore let no man quake for feare of the danger but let him minde that this Beast is the occasion for him to get glory by 11 Afterward I saw an other Beast Thus farre of the first Beast the second followeth an other indeede in beginning and originall but in nature and disposition altogither the same Whereupon the seventeenth chapter maketh mention of one onely under one comprehending both as was observed at the fift verse of this chap. For which cause also the Spirit doth not make a particular description of every member but rehearseth those thinges onely which are proper to the new rising other things as farre as it seemeth being common to this with the former First he ascendeth out of the earth both augmented by the authority of earthly men and those of the laity as they call them whom chiefly the earth signifyeth and also exceeding in honours those very men by whom he was advanced For that which commeth up from the earth is lifted up above the earth having it put under his feete by whose weight he was lately oppressed So the former Beast rose out of the Sea having sea men put under him out of whose company he came and plunged up This ascending fell out upon the times of Gregory second about the yeere 726 when the Pope trusting in the aide of the Longobardes smote with the lighâ—ning of excommunication Leo Isaurus the Emperour and withdrewe Rome it selfe and Italy and all Hesperia from hiâ— obedience For now indeede the Beast began upon the earth who not onely exercised a powre over the Ecclesiasticall route but also bridled the lay men by his authority their chiefe head the Emperour who although before time he had given a great power to the Pope over the Clergie yet he pressed downe the same even till now by his maiesty as it were by a certen weight more heavie theÌ„ the Hill Aetna that he should not lift up his crests above the Emperour But now the earthly dignity yeeldeth to the Beast to be troden under foote of him at length who grew up so farre onely by the favour of the Emperours Therefore Zacharias the next that it might be manifest to all men that the Popes were now loosed from the prison of eartly dignity deposed Childericke the King of France and commaunded Pipine the Father of Charles the Great to be created King in his stead But yet it was more cleare in Leo the third who translated the Empire froÌ„ the Grecians to the Germanes and annointed Charles the Great for Emperour VVhat a more great proofe can there be of the supreme power on earth then to take away the Empire from whom he will and to bestowe the same againe upon whom he shall thinke good The Popes following persisted in the same steppes esteeming the Emperours as it were balles in reiecting the same from their office and appointing other in their roome at their pleasure VVhereby Bellarmine being moved wrote indeede truly and agreable to this Prophecy All the Emperours who have ben since Charles the Great are bound to the Pope for their Empire in his 5. booke of the Pope of Rome chap. 8. For ever since that time the Beast rose up from the earth being higher then all earthly power to which are added earthly dominioÌ„s and possessions of landes ioyned with this originall which the Pope before time either wanted altogither or at least enioyed but small fewe as great as were sufficient to maintaine a Bishop not which should make any shew of a Kingdome For in former ages Italy was tributary to the Emperours which at length the Gothes possessing made it to pay tribute to them when they were slaine under Iustinian it returned againe to the Empire administred by Captaines The Romane Pope had yet noe Provinces untill this earthly rising up had given him landes sufficiently For is it likely that the Pope by
defiled with women VVell hath Aretas observed that these thinges are not spoken against marriage For what defiling can be there where the bed is undefiled Heb 13.14 VVas this company unmaried and onely of Priests Nay mariage in time past was not forbiÌ„dden even unto the Levites neither is this number made of the Tribe of Levi alone chap. 7.4 c. Certenly neither were the Christian Elders without wives untill Hildebrand who to the ende that his Clergie might not be defiled with chast mariages opened a way to Sodomitry But peradventure there was none in this multitude defiled either by the spottes of unlawfull company or by the infirmity of the flesh Shall wee thinke that repentance is waxen so fraile since Christ came which before he tooke upon him flesh had such power to cleanse Wherefore it cannot be that women should be taken properly in this place but to be defiled with women is as much as to worship Idols whereunto wee knowe that to commit fornication is referred every where in the scriptures as they goe a whoring after their Gods Exod. 34.14 And in Ezechiell thou hast played the whore with the SoÌ„nes of Aegypte that is thou hast worshipped the Gods of the Aegyptians and so in many other places According to which rule not to be defiled with women is the same as not to worship the Gods of women Who then are these women the Locusts the people of the Angell of the bottomelesse pit the army of the Româ—ne Pope which had haire as the haire of women chap 9.8 These bought from the earth consented not to the same Idolatry with the Locusts women neither worshipped their King adoring either the Beast or his Image or in receiving his marke in their forehead or hand or if peradventure for a time they were carryed away with the common errour yet at length they renounced the same by repentance which doth so wipe away all sinnes as if they had never ben defiled with them ¶ They followeth the Lambe whither soever he shall goe Obeying their Captaine Christ in all thinges and hearkening to his commandements onely Montanus inserteth for thus for whither soever he shall goe c. ¶ These are bought from men By the merit of Christs blood saved from the generall contagion and chosen out of the multitude of those that perished least any should attribute salvation to them from that integritie which was mentioned even now That purity was not sufficient to salvation so farre as it is inherent in themselves but the price payed by Christ ¶ The first fruites to God In respect of the exceeding great multitude which at length should embrace the trueth darkenesse being put away chap. 20.5.6 c. 5 For they are without blasme God seeth noe uncleannesse in them upon whom he putteth the most pure robe of his Sonne in him doth he behold the elect in the imputatioÌ„ of whose righteousnes consisteth this most pure integritie of theirs not in the perfection of their owne vertue Aretas omitted before the throne of God and putteth in the place of it that which is taken from the former wordes these are they that follow the lambe 6 Afterward I saw an other Angel Hitherto the generall constitution of the whole Church in as much as it pitched the tentes with the Lambe now followeth the battell begun by a few citizens and first by those who doe set upon the Beast by the word For about the ende of a thousande yeeres after the first flight of the woman into the wildernes as shal be clearly manifest from the twentieth chapter the Lambe sent foorth some light harnessed souldiers who riding about the campe of Antichtist should provoke him to battell and should endure his first assault These three ar Angels the first of which were those famous men who rose about the yeere 1300 Ockanus Marsilius Patavinus Iohannes de Ganduno Arnoldâ—s de Villa Nova Dante 's Petrarcha and especially Iohn Wicklefe an Englishman whose doctrine was more fruitfull then of the rest did sinke in more deeply and tooke such rootes that it could never be rooted out since that time one Angel onely is here rehearsed the type of whom I doe apply to many learned men because in such signes of future things the agreement rather of the thinges is regarded then the unity of the persons he flyeth through the middes of heaven because the trueth now at length after a long time being revived drew with it yet much filth of the earth by which burden being pressed downe it could not straightway fly up into heaven that is it could not attaine at the first to the celestiall purity but shaking the winges it abode in the middes betweene both see chap 8.13 Hence it was that that holy man although he knewe assuredly the trueth in many thinges by whose swift winges he flying up aloft left the common sort of men farre beneath on the earth yet he was blinde in some thinges and much deceived so as he sate in the lowest seates of the Saincts hitherto Therefore the first beginnings of the Church rising againe seteth this Angel in the same place where Gregory the Great was set about the time almost of her greatest ruine as wee have shewed at the 8. chap. ver 13. Having an everlasting Ghospell That is the doctrine of salvation by faith in Christ onely as God hath ordained by his eternall decree It is called eternall as though purposely the Spirit would meete with the offeÌ„se of those times that the trueth restored should in every place be condemned of novelty but he declareth that it is eternall whatsoever men prate which should now shine upon the world by their labour togither also he signifyeth by the same that the eternall trueth had ben banished froÌ„ the earth before thrust out by humane inventioÌ„s Let men therefore see how much they are deceived who doe traduce as newe sprunge up that which was before all ages but doe often vaunt that their owne dreames which the Kingdome of darkenes brought forth but yesterday are as it were of very great aÌ„tiquity This Angel hath the Ghospell to the ende that he should preach it to the inhabitans of the earth that is to the earthly citizens and before this light was brought of that whorish Church To whom now power should be given to open their eyes and to harken to the Heavenly trueth ¶ Saying with a loude voice Now he commeth unto the sermon of the Angel so much the more to be observed because it is the first of the voices which the seaven thunders uttered in chap. 10.4 for it belongeth to the same time Those Tunders followed the Turkish tyranny to which they are added in the tenth chapter or rather began with it and are contained within the compasse of the second woe as appeareth from the eleventh chap. ver 14. This combate of the Angels began at the same time as wee shall make more plaine at the 20. chap. ver 4.5 But in this very
chapter of that threefold voice whereby is noted the proceeding forward of the Church the second is like a thunder ver 2. Which second voice is begun by this battell undertaken of the Angels as hath ben observed before and so reioyceth in the name of thunder whereof mentioÌ„ was made in the 10. chap. ver 4. The Spirit would not have these wordes to be related before thereby shewing the deafenes of those ages to which these voices belongeth which in hearing heard not which yet at the sound of the seventh trumper when they were past should be knowne most plainely for which cause they are reserved to this time 7 Feare God c. The argument of the sermon was most fit when all reverence toward God lay wholly quenched in comparison of that which the commaundemâ—nts of mâ—n did teach according to that of Isaiah This people draweth neare to mee with their mouth and honoureth mee with their lippes but they have remooved thâ—ir hâ—rt fâ—rre from mee and their feare toward mee is that which they have ben taughâ— by the commaundement of men chap. 29.13 So when VVicklefe came forth into the middest they trembled in every place at the commaundements of men but the commaundements of God were despised with out feare Yf any had not ben present at the sacrilegious Masse had not numbred certaine prayers upon beades nor abstained froÌ„ meates forbidden on set dayes and had not performed other such foolish and ungodly ceremonies he thought he had committed some hainous wickednes but if the same man knewe not God and his sacred trueth had no trust in his mercy through Christ went to Saincts for refuge and after as he was in any distresse defiled the holy name of God almost at everie word and violated other duties of true godlinesse he fell no sting of conscience From hence therefore for iust cause the holy Angel began his preaching that he might revoke meÌ„ from a false feare to the knowledge of the true God Consider the doctrine of Iohn VVickliefe condemned in the Councill of Constance thou shalt see how greatly he laboured to overthrow humane toyes and to teach necessarie godlines ¶ For the houre of his iudgement is come So the Angel in chap. 10.7 avoucheth that the finishing of the mystery was at hande from which wee see how this Angel souÌ„deth againe as an Echo to the very great crying out of him as in the same place ver 3. And it could not be but that he should vehemently admonish men of the most grievous iudgement of God hanging over their heads when he saw horrible impiety to beare sway every where VVhich iudgement began to be shewed in that same houre in that first resurrection of which in chap. 20.5 At which the Papists for iust cause might have trembled unlesse they had hardened their harts seeing they might have acknowledged from that slipping away of men to the trueth which they sawe to be every day more and more both their olde impietie and also that most iust punishmeÌ„ts wer prepared for theÌ„ uÌ„lesse they repeÌ„t betime ¶ And worship him that made heaven An other chiefe point of the sermoÌ„ that men forsaking Idolatry would convert unto the true God Whom he describeth by the workes of creatioÌ„ who at that time should finde the world the Creatour being despised giving divine honour to Gods made with handes to wood stone painted Images as chap. 9.20 And many harkened to the Angell For from that monstrous Idolatry meÌ„ perceived the foulenes of that whole corrupt religion But when the rest would not be amended God sent the Turkes into the world as wee have shewed at that place even now spoken of Yet see his exceeding great mercy who before he would let loose the raines unto them sent this Angel who by wordes should turne men if it might be from their ungodlines to the ende that by their repentance he also might turne away his scourge Should he yet after so long patience deale by admonishing rather then by striking But such is the incomprehensible goodnes of our God that he punisheth not before extreame necessity doth plainely compell him He bridled therefore the Turkes which then began to be dreadfull that they should bring no great dammage to our Europe untill the Angel had executed his office Which when it was in vaine with the most part what should stay the rodde any longer ¶ And an other Angel followed The Complut edition and the Kinges bible have and another second Angel followed The second Angel prophecieth of the fall of Babylon that is of the city of Rome and Romish power as is manifest froÌ„ ch 17.5.9.18 He speaketh of futur things as of those that wer past after the maÌ„ner of the Prophets because it is no lesse certeÌ„ which is foreshewed to be hereafter theÌ„ if it had bin already effected Though he doth not only give knowledge of a future thing but also sheweth a thing beguÌ„ at this sermon This Angel are those Ministers of the following age The chiefe among which were Iohn Husse and Hierome of Prage who fought valiantly against the Primacy of the Pope as we may see in the Articles condemned in the Councill of Constance Him they desired to thrust out of his Antichristian throne togither with whom Babylon Rome must needs fall downe Neither could it be that the Pope should longe escape whose beginning was wicked his increase worse and his ripenesse no longer to be borne with as these two holy men made apparant They preached about the yeere 1414 and did shake the Romish tyranny somewhat more forcibly then Wickliefe which also the Spirit did signify should be making every Angel following a more fierce enemy then the former Worthily did they cry out that Babylon was fallen when Bohemia being inlightened by their sermons forsooke straightway the Pope of Rome and destroyed every where the Monasteries the habitations of the Romish superstitions Which beginning was a famous proofe of the whole ruine at length which they saw would be shortly whereof they should receive a most sure pledge in this first beginning Because of the wine of the wrath That is the wine of fornication whereby shee hath provoked God to wrath This wine is Idolâ—try which superstitious men drinke up no lesse sweetely then most pleasant liquor Rome gave this wine to all nations VVho knoweth not that Rome vaunteth that shee is the mother of all Churches VVhich thing is most true if wee regard superstitions errour Idolatry and all the other corruption all which in generall the whole VVest part sucked from Rome as it were from the mothers brestes But shee shall be punished shortly for her wickednes which thought it not inough to corrupt her selfe uÌ„lesse shee poysoned all the rest of the nations with the contagion of her impiety The Complutent edit and the Kings Bible doe omit the coniunction causall for eveÌ„ as also the word city in those that goe next before with which agreeth the common translation but that
it hath the relative in stead of the coniunction Aretas readeth as our copies but this diversity chaungeth not the meaning 9 And the third Angel and an other third Angel as some copies have it The third should be the strongest of all He should not onely nippe Antichrist with most grievous wordes but also most severely threaten destruction to all who will not depart from the humble service of him This Angel was Martin Luther that began openly to traduce Antichrist about the yeere 1517 who detested this infection more bitterly by how much through the revelation of the Spirit of God he had more sure knowledge of the filthinesse of the Romish Beast The Spirit here attributeth to him a troublous sermon and full of tumult And indeede there is no man who hath tasted the workes of that holy man to whom they seeme not to cast a savour of the heavenly trueth they are in every place so hot and earnest and doe flame with a certen fiery heate yea he came some time to that fervency that he could not stay himselfe from foule and unchast similitudes Many desired a greater moderation and modestie but from hence we may see with what inward motion he was carried The world was sicke of a great drowsie disease which could not be shaken of unlesse he had spoken vehemently dealt roughly and stung them Of which labour he received happie fruit Men were wakened out of sleepe by his warnings and seeing in what great daunger they were by worshipping the Beast they delivered themselves from his snares assoone as they could Therfore they forsooke the authour of their evill and fled unto the salutary trueth A matter of a great troble and sturre But a wheele is not turned about without noise the Spirit in some part doth manifest the trouble that followed by this very great earnestnes of the sermon ¶ Yf any shall worship the Beast He dealeth in earnest and cutteth to the quicke The summe of the sermon is contained in this conditionall proposition if any shall worship the Beast he procureth to himselfe eternall destruction The antecedent parte is found in this verse the consequent is declared by the two sequents As touching the worship it is set foorth first by a double subject the Beast his Image The Beast simple and unskilfull men doe worship who are carried with the present glory of thinges His Jmage the more learned and skilfull who see further and worship the present Beast for the reverend antiquity of succession and that auncient image renewed in this that is present Both are in the same state unlesse they repent Before the worshipping of the Image was common to all chap. 13.15 but where in some respect it is distinguished from the adoration of the Beast it seemeth to consist in this diffeâ—eÌ„ce of learned and unlearned Afterward the manner of worshipping is declared which is done two wayes by receiving the marke either in the forehead or in the hande In the forehead are marked the coÌ„mon sorte of men who by a naked profession doe acknowledge their humble service In the hande the Princes Peeres the whole route of Ecclesiasticall men and the rest of that sorte whose dutie is to maintaine the Beast to their power Why then is the order changed the first place given to the marke in the forehead to which the second was before as which place belongeth to men of lesse reckenning chap. 13.16 Surely that the greater condemnation of those defenders may be shewed as though he should say Every one shal be tormented with fire and brymstone who hath but received the marke in the forehead much more they which have received it in their hand But why is noe mention made of the number of his name Because this token is proper to the Grecians who should worship the Beast by their consenting with the Latine Church chap. 13.17 But this Angell was appointed for the people of the West part especially Greece also being destroyed by the desolation of the Turkes But thou must observe that this worshipping is performed not by falling downe on the ground but by acâ—nowledging a soveraigntie in which maÌ„ner they may worship who never sawe the Beast 10 He shall drinke also of the wine of the wrath of God The consequent part of the conditionall proposition describeth the destruction of them who worship both by the kinde of punishement in this verse and also by the eternity thereof in the verse following That first is set foorth allegorically in the beginning of the verse after it is declared by proper wordes in the other parte To drinke of the wine of the wrath seemeth to be a metaphore made by antanaclasis or reciprocation unto the wine of fornication wherby idolatry is signifyed wherewith men are delighted no lesse then with the pleasantnes of wine As therefore men reioyce in their sinnes so God shall reioice no lesse in punishing them for he shall mixe for them the wine of his wrath according to that in Deut. 28.63 Or the reason may be taken from them that doe kill wicked men by poisonned drinkes as once the Athenians other people and at this day the Turkes But what is this pure wine mixt These thinges seeme to be contrary a thing is said to be mixed which is powred in for him that shall drinke although it be not allayed with water but that exposition seemeth to mee to be more probable which will have divers pure wines to be mixed togither which mixture doth much sooner cause drunkenesse and maketh a greater disturbance of the body Water being mingled alayeth the strength of pure wine which tempering is not fit to signify the very great severity of punishement Let therfore the mixt pure wine be iudgement without mercy to the unrepentant ¶ He shal be tormented in fire and brymstone These thinges more properly doe note that the punishement shal be like that which of olde was of Sodome A sorrowfull spectacle whereof is yet at this day to be seen in the world in the ashy earth and in the stinking lake A visible marke doubtlesse of an eternall punishement This punishement shal be taken before the Angels and the Lambe that the torment may be the more grievous by how much it is more known to their enemâ—â—s ¶ And the smoke of their torment These thinges doe declare the eternity of the punishement for the smoke of the torment shal be eternall But the smoke is taken for fire of which it is a token Here it is used for to teach that the worshippers of the Beast shal not only be tormeÌ„ted for ever but also that their torment shall never be hidde from the Saincts who at least shall see alwayes the smoke thereof As touching that he saith they shall hav no rest day nor night by the same he sheweth that their torment shal be continuall also beside that it shal be eternall The repeating againe of the antecedent of the conditionall proposition belongeth to the earnestnesse
cast into the sea by Luther himselfe but quenched agayn both by his own modesty and godlines and by Melanchtons others that have wel deserved of the Church Til afterwards Iohn Brentius and Iames Andrewes about the year 1561. did again with much payns as with bellowes styrr up the flame Neyther was the contention about these cheif points onely but about Gods grace Predestination Baptisme and other things also as errour for the most part never goeth alone without some company The Churches which are further off from the brenn of this fyre doo burn with an other no lesse fervent flame of ambition wherupon have arisen very sharp contention for dignities and honours as for necessary ornaments of the Church though purer times doe sufficiently teach that nothing ever brought more certayn destruction therunto Neither doth ambition suffer so free a preaching of the word as should be nor manners to be restreyned with that bridle which being taken away a liberty foloweth to al manner wickednes or such at least as abolisheth Christian pietie This kinde of fyre raungeth throughout the whole renewed Church and eyther consumeth many or molesteth the rest whiles they labour to quench it Neither is ther sound quietnes in any place this wild-fyre living even in midds of the waters Which thing the Spirit diligently here dooth intimate least any man for the contentions should reject the truth For thanks be to our God who although fyre be mingled with our sea dooth yet vouchsafe it to be glassy still that is transparent and clear through which we may beholde the most sweet grace of salvation obteyned for us by Christ We ar farr from the Christian purity that should be yet let us be glad for this good we doo injoy and earnestly begg of God that he would give us that which is wanting But it is to be feared he wil take away that which we have such be our sinns as we have shewed in the particular Churches chap. 3. ¶ And them that had gotten victory of the Beast Hitherto of the things the Persons are the victours in the latter part of this verse and the Harpers ver 3. The Greeke phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is from the Hebrew Goberim mechajah for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 answereth to the Hebrew min which is often joyned with gaber and noteth out a comparison as mearajoth gaberu they were stronger then Lions 2 Sam. 1.23 so wicked deeds got victory of me that is prevayled against me Psal 65.4 In like manner they that get victorie of the Beast are such as prevayl against him his image mark and number of his name These al are set downe severally for that the victory should be ful and absolute though the Beast remayn yet a litle while For they should not onely reject Antichrist himselfe but abhorre also al his mark yea and not suffer themselves to be called by the number of his name VVe have shewed that the number of his name which is to be called a Latine is the least bond of society wherewith men are tyed to Antichrist which was proper to the Greeks who by admitting this symbol obteyned mutual trafique But the inhabitans of the VVest which long agoe easily sufferred themselves to be made his marked soldjers and to be called Papists and of the Popes religion doo now detest the very name Latine which the Greeks so hardly lately received This victory therfore is full as is signifyed by this particular rehersal of Image mark number of name But thou wilt say when fell out this victory At the sound of the seventh trompet when the Protestant Princes in Germany which had wrong out from Charles to have their proffession of religion free did soon after his death get it to be confirmed stablished by th'Emperour Ferdinandus in the yere 1558. at which time our gracious Queen Elizabeth being also crowned did manifest to the world that the Beast was overcome in England who a few yeres afore had begun to reign a fresh and was never before fully vanquished but reserved of God unto this time for to honour the charrot and triumph of our good Queen The yere next after they trode down the Beast in Scotland Before these times the truth did fight but in doubtfull battel now it did plainly beat down and overthrow the enemies Vnto these many other are to be added as in France Sweveland Denmark Suecia Prussia al which being joyned togither doo make up this company that stand at the glassy sea ¶ Standing at the glassy sea Holding the true and syncere doctrine to the voice whereof they stand and hearken continually He alludeth to the Israelites which stood on the sea shore beholding the marvelous salvatiō which God had given them their enemies being destroyed Seing therfore wee all whom God hath freed from Antichrists tyranny doo yet stand on the brink newly escaped out of danger what evil fury vexeth us that wee should rave brethren against brethren with al kinde of reproches raylings and contumelies How shamefull yea how wicked a thing would it have bin if the Israelites for whose sake the waters were cleft asunder and whiles they escaped by a passage unheard off through the midds of the sea so soon as they came safe to the shore their enemies were drowned if they I say should have stuck and killed one an other Yet this ungodly prank doo we play at this day VVhich seing it is most unworthy them that are adorned with so notable and singular a good I intreat by God our avenger and saviour that we may seriously weigh the thing and letting passe our brawles and contentions may get us harps with one consent to sing prayses unto God rather then to strike up terrible drumms for to move intestine warr VVe stand on the shore but the enemy is not yet altogither drowned and if he were overwhelmed yet should they be no place for this bitternes But unawares I have strayed from my purpose how be it I trust not without reason ¶ Having harpes of God That is divine sweet and excellent harps according to the manner of the Hebrewes who call al that of God which is in it kind most cheif and excellent as a Prince of God Gen. 23.6 Mounteyns of God Psal 36.7 trees of God c. for most excellent men high moūtayns noble trees See the observations of the learned Ian Drusius Or be they not caled harpes of God because God gives the joy of his Spirit into their harts wherby they give God meet thankes for this his notable mercy Perhaps this is the righter But both of them doe signify alike the great pleasure that is felt by this victory such as we have shewed was in the Tigurines who wrote upon a pillar with letters of Golde the year and day when reformation began among them With what precious stone should this day be graven of much fuller victory and triumph But we are in special to respect the Confessions set forth
that AlexaÌ„der himselfe never boasted of any such wonder in his Epistles Arianus writeth that usually ther is no way to passe through the sea neer Phaselis but when the North winds blow which blew vehemently when Alexander went that way that they seemed not without Gods power to have yeilded them an easy passage But Strabo book 14 writeth most playnly that the soldiers traveiled al the day even up to the navel in the waters So then Alexander passed through the waters that were shollow and not quite dryed up Neyther doo I think can it be found in any record that such a thing did ever happen to any other people then the Iewes The vanity of writers may feign many things but the Scriptures doo challenge this as peculiar to this nation onely I will say sayth God to the deep be dry and I wil dry up thy flouds Isa 44.27 And againe Art not thou the same which dryed up the sea even the waters of the great deep making the deeps of the Sea to be a way for the redeemed to passe over Isa 51.10 And least some should thinke this miracle was onely for the time passt and not such to be looked for ever after he addeth in the next verse So the redeemed of the Lord shal returne and come with joy into Sion c. And in Isa 63.11 where should he be that brought these up out of the sea with the shepheard of his flock which cleft the waters for thâ—se to make himselfe an everlasting name which led these through the deepe as an horse in the wildernes so that they stumbled not It is no marvel therfore if the peculiar note ensigne of this nation onely be putt for the men themselves But what need there a way to be prepared for them Shal they returne agayn to IerusaleÌ„ Ther is nothing more sure the Prophets playnly confirme it and beat often upon it Yet not to the end that the ceremonial worship should be restored but that the mercy of God may shine unto al the world in giving to a nation now scatered over al the face of the earth dwelling no where but by leave their fathers habitations wherin they shal serve Christ purely and sincerely according to his owne ordinance onely A thing of old commonly spoken of by the ancient Iewes which they understood by the Prophets although but narrowly and through the lattisse Wherupon it was berayed with old wives fables both in ages past and so is now at this day The feighned Esdras saw some sparkles of this truth which he overwhelmed with so many and great fictions that he had need be a wary and attentive reader and one of no mean judgement that would gather gold out of that confused heap They entred in saith he speaking of the ten tribes that were led captives at the narrow passages of the river Euphrates for the most high then shewed them signes and stayed the springs of the river til they were passed over 4. Esdras 13.43.44 A Iewish fable but neerer to the truth is that which there foloweth ver 47. The most high shal hold stil the springs of the river agayn that they may goe through c. which agreeth with this place may both of them be understood metaphorically though nothing letteth why it may not please God agayn to shew his ancient power of drying waters up extraordinarily Seing therfore it is certayn that this nation shal earnestly flock unto the Gospel and that in the last times as Paul teacheth Rom. 11.25 and the last period of things is of the vials it is not likely that such a wonderful matter should have no mention at al in this clear Prophesie unto which also here is added the proper ensigne of this nation for whose onely sake both sea river as we read were dried up I am not altogither unadvised in supposing that this is the onely matter here in hand which must eyther be fouÌ„d in this place or be wholly omitted in this book VVherfore after Rome is overthrown and cut off there shal be a common bruit of this new Christian people at the hearing wherof the Gentiles shal be astonished But what are the Iewes Kings why not seing al Christians are Kings Rev. 1.6 and the fowr and twenty Elders which represente the whole company of the faithful doe all wear crownes chap. 4.4 And this magnificent name doth the Spirit give them because it shal be very honourable after so many ages and so stiff stubbornes of that nation for them to come againe as it were by recovery of law unto the truth and religiously and holily with al observance to honour the same having their incredulous and obstinate harts subdued But besides this the whole East shal obey them that not without cause ar this people caled Kings in respect of their long and large dominion Empire But they seem to be called playnly Kings in Isay 24.21 if we diligently mark the words and meaning of the place And it shal be saith he in that day the Lord wil visit the host of the high in the high place and the Kings of the earth upon the earth And they shal be gathered with a gathering as a prisoner into a pit and shal be closed up in the close-place and after many dayes shal they be visited And the Moon shal be abashed and the Sun ashamed when the Lord of hosts shall reign in mount Sion and in Ierusalem and shal be glorious before his Ancients the Kings of the earth are al one who after are gathered into the pit after many dayes are visited and at whose deliverance the Moon is abashed c. VVhich last words are certenly meant of the ful restoring of the Iewes wherfore the first words intend also the same VVhom God in heavy indignation because they refused his Son did thrust into the pit or dungeon for many ages togither and kept them closed up in a very hard prison But at length after many dayes he will visit these prisoners and bring them out of the gayl for whose ferveÌ„t zele and singular study of true godlines the Churchches of the Gentiles as the Moon Sun shal be abashed at this greater brightnes They ar caled the host of the high in the high because the Iewes were the peculiar people of the high God and of his Church which is heavenly wherupon they ar often caled in Daniel qaddische hheljonin the Saincts of the high Dan. 7.22 c. But this is inough to find out the meaning of this place I may not now stand longer upon it I have handled it the more at large for to give occasion unto our men to mind these things more diligently These Kings come from the East because the greatest multitude of Iewes is in those countries and these first of all shal see the truth and embrace the study of it But thou wilt say The Temple is shut until the seven plagues be fufilled which we shewed to be
this warning seem superfluous or importune unto any The greatnes of the peril may deterr even the strongest man But least any should hitt against this rock and make shipwrak Christ biddeth him be of good courage and not through any fear to forsake the righteousnes of faith which here he calleth garments and which the adversaries will most seek to bereav us of promising that he wil come as a theef unwares and doo vengeance on the enemies above al expectation and defend his Church A like comfort ther was chap. 13.10 14.13 that we may know such hortatorie voices must needs be new and are not fruitlesse but seasonable very necessary Neither are these words brought in abruptly but wheras in the words next before mention was made of God almighty these ar for more force related in his person ¶ His garments The hope of forgivenes of sinns through Iesus Christ alone wherby our sinns are covered Rom. 4.6.7 Neyther be there any other garments wherwith al our nakednes can be covered The purity of the Saincts or of our selves wil not so much as cover our shoulders so farr is it from hiding our more deformed parts These garments are in deed caled afterward 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the justifications of the saincts chap. 19.8 wher we shal see what is the force of these words 16 And he gathered them togither into a place Here is the third branch of the second event But who is this that gathered them Christ verily and therfore he speaketh not as of many they gathered to weet those three spirits Whatsoever the Kings shal purpose Gods secret providence shall so governe them that themselves shall feel the same destruction that they intend to others Vnlesse perhaps that which this verb answereth unto be the Spirits in the 14. verse which there are sayd in the singular number according to the property of the Greek tongue to goe forth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto which these words may be joyned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and they gathered them togither for the 15. verse is interposed by a parenthesis But by whose means soever they be gathered governed they are by the secret providence of Christ For being led by the hand of God they come togither of their own accord into that place from whence there shal be no way to escape Which place is caled in Hebrew Armagedon as Montanus and Plantins edition readeth it with a single d as also doth Aretas save with difference of a letter Ermagedon And perhaps these had doon right if they had kept the aspiration Harmagedon for so I suppose this word shoul be written as if I be not deceived wil appear by that which foloweth Th. Beza wil have d to be doubled thus Harmageddon as also the vulgar Latin as if it were made of Har and Megiddo which is the place where Iosias was slaine 2 Chron. 35.22 But this place was pernicious to the Church prosperous to the wicked but Armagedon here seems the contrary Iohn Fox our countryman of blessed memorie bringeth a fitter application as me thinketh for he saith this place hath not respect unto Josias but unto that notable victory which Debora and Barak with a smal company got over the huge host of Sisera at the town of Megiddo situate on a mountayn Iud. 5.10 c. Notwithstanding whiles I consider the thing attentively with my self ther seemeth no such matter here to be meant but that an allusioÌ„ rather is made unto that of Daniel chap. 11.45 And he shal fix the tents of Aphadnon between the seas Lehar tsebi qodesâ—h in the mountayn of holy beautie By many arguments it may be shewed that this prophesie of Daniel and that of Iohn doo perteyn to the same times namely to this sixt vial as at some other time if God permit we wil manifest The difference onely is that there particularly it is spoken of the Turk the enemy of the ChristiaÌ„ Iewes here jointly it is meaÌ„t of the enemies of the whole Church as wel of Gentiles as of Iewes And the place is designed by name where the Iewes enemy shal camp namely lehar tsebi qodhesch in the mount of beauty of holines that is in the holy land between the Siriak sea and Euphrates which is also caled a sea in the Scriptures But in this Prophesie wher the Spirit universally doth describe the place of that warr he could not use that name which is proper to the Iewes Therfore he made a new word which should be common to ech people and come very neer unto that in signification For Harmagedon is made of Har a Mountayn meghadhim of delites or with an affix in the singular number maghdo of his delite The very same that Har tsebhi is the mount of the Roe For tsebhi a Roe signifieth also pleasantnes or delite A word of paramours when they would speake to their loves most amiably as in Salomons song my beloved is like a Roe c chap. 2.9 By these things then it doth appeare that the place is foretold by name in Daniel where the Turk shal fight with the Iewes but here where the Beast shall combat with the Church of the Gentiles the same is onely intimated generally As if ArmagedoÌ„ wer the common name of both distinguished into har tsebhi qodhesch the mount of holy bewty the western place without name save the name of the whole Which notwithstaÌ„ding teacheth that this warr shal there be made where the Church flourished with greatest purity For this is the mount of delites unto Christ which place we shal see somewhat more distinctly manifested in the explication of this time chap. 19. But let us observ to our confort that the holy Church among us Gentiles is no lesse a mount of pleasures unto God thaÌ„ that which is to come of the Iewes God respecteth not persons in every nation they are dear unto him that truly honour him in Christ 17 And the seventh Angel powred out his vial upon the aier This vial shall have a common event aâ— being powred into the aier which compasseth the earth seas round about Which yet is not this clementish aier wherin we breath but some other thing signifyed by this manner after the maÌ„ner of the other vials And we know that the Divil is caled in the Scriptures the Prince that ruleth in the ayre Ephes 2.2 wherto perteyn those chaines of darknes which Peter speaketh of 2 Pet. 2.4 and Iude in his Epistle ver 6. Seing then the Aier is the place of his dominioÌ„ this last vial shall import most greivous calamitie upon al the Divils Kingdome The former vials nipped some parts therof severally this shal undoo the whole body of the impious with a common destruction ¶ And there come a great voice out of the Temple of heaven The first event is a great voice which is described by the place whence it cometh and the thing that it speaketh The place is not onely the Temple of
the Inhabitans of the earth shall wonder In giving all honour and service to him being astonied with the renowne of his false dignity which before was sayd to wonder after the Beast chap. 13.3 Yet notwithstanding least wee should thinke that all men should be caryed away into this destruction he numbreth among this cōpany the inhabitans onely of the earth to weet the citizens of the false Church whose names are not written in the book of life O good God how much concerneth it you ô yee Papists to deliver your Pope from all likenesse to this Beast If he be found covered with his hide which this chapter will make more cleare then the light at noone tide you are utterly lost unlesse you shall flee very quickly all fellowshippe with him I pray you as you regarde your owne salvation that lying aside all hatred preiudice and bitternesse of mindes you weigh the matter with mee in equal ballances A great matter is in hande either the vantage or losse of eternall life See you not that the Pope and the Beast did tread in the same steppes alwayes even hitherto Attend to those things which follow wee finde both of them to walke in the same path which the Spirit hath marked out with equall pases and hand in hand But you will cry out that this is a new interpretation yet appointe not the Spirit at your pleasure he stistributeth most wisely according to his pleasure a measure of knowledge to every time Rather regard the consent of the whole Prophecy which will yeeld a most cleare proofe of the truth and esteeme that most auncient which you shall finde true VVhy doo yee suffer your selves to be deceived with the names of them whom the most certen event declareth to have bene verie greatly deceived in very many things of this Revelation This is the notable craft of the Iesuites to call foorth cheifly those witnesses and Interpreters by whose reverend ignorance they may cover and hid the impiety of the Pope there was not so much danger from him to those auncient Fathers living eyther before Antichrist or by and by after his beginning They understood sufficiently that which perteined unto them other things God would have to be wrapped in darkenesse while the fore appointed time should come that the reprobat seing might not see a way so be made opē for his decree awake yee therfor at lēgth opē your eyes to the shining truth which if yee shall behold glistering more clearly then that it can be obscured by false remote calumnies remember that those are not written in the booke of life which have the Beast in great admiration then take advise according to the greatnesse of the thing You also my brethrē for so I esteeme you as long as any hope remayneth I would admonish in a few wordes who through lightnesse of minde desire of novelty within two or three dayes space become Papists It seemeth a pastime to you casting away the truth to fall to the Pope but take heed that in your sport yee perish not in earnest And willingly wipe your names out of the book of life You pretēd that you will be Catholikes but cōsider that whom you hold for Catholiks are reprobates unlesse they shall escape at length frō these tents into which yee fly for salvation But these pretenses of salvation are toies I know what grieveth you eyther want or dishonour at home or a greater reputation of other men But what gaine shal be even the most ample stipend if yee shall loose your soules What dishonour can be greater then to be added in the company of cast awayes Or who hath not honour inough which is counted the childe of God Minde I pray you these things such like and think it not a light matter forsaking the true God to associate your selves with the Divill Behold also what mischievous persons yee doo nourish in your bosome who gladly doo intertaine the Iesuits He which ioyneth you to the friendship of the Pope procureth unto you certen and undoubted destruction How miserable a thing is it with the hazzard of this life to seeke an undoubted losse of eternall life Doo not iudge any longer a thing of so great moment rather by the painted lies of those men then by the very manifest truth Neither doo yee despise my admonition I am ad adversary onely to your errours I desire from my hart that your selves shoul be saved by Jesus Christ Try the things that I say I require not otherwise to be beleeved and when the things are throughly knowen by searching acknowledge the fraud of the Iesuits thrust them out of doores detest these pestiferous men perceive your owne danger and if you have any regard of salvation now at length be yee wise ¶ From the foundation of the world So before was shewed the eternall Decree touching the death of Christ and the force and efficacy thereof in chap. 13.8 Now the same kind of speaking noteth out the eternall election of them that shal be saved Which two things are most neerely coupled togither ¶ Beholding the Beast which was and which is not and yet is Those last words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and yet is seeme that they are thus to be read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and is present The difference is that those signify that the Beast remaineth alive in the very destruction as though he should say although in mens opinion he is not yet he is and so both members are referred to the same time as before Iohn saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death which yet was not wholly killed in chap. 13. The other reading noteth out more plainely the third time in which after the hurt endured the Beast should recover which thing Aretas the Complutent edition and other copies distinguish plainely which reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and shall be present and as Primasius translated shall come Yet that former reading of Theod. Beza may cary the same sence albeit in mens opiniō the Beast of late was not yet now he is In which sense they are to be taken that they may have respect to the Beast comming forth from calamity not continuing in the same For they are answerable to the third distinct time in the beginning of the verse and shall ascend out of the bottomlesse pit as is cleare from the men admiring the Beast who admire not the same contemned and afflicted which should be necessary if the words respected the same time with the member going next before but recovering his dignity contrary to mens expectation and the same greater then he had before as it came to passe in his third change after he was recovered of his wound chap. 13.3 Wherfore the vulgar Latine reading corruptly passeth over this third member making men to wonder at the Beast when he is not which is contrary to the truth of the thing Furthermore it is certaine that it is not to be read in
2.18 Yee have heard that the Antichrist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shal come and even now are there many Antichrists wher the article you say is set before Antichrist properly so caled but none before him as he is cōmonly taken and therfore that the first is one certayn person but this later in general is al heretiks I answer the greatest succour of this cause seemeth to consist in this new feigned force of the article and therfore have wee the coleworts twise sodden set againe before us But we have sufficiently refuted this your eyther ignorance or craftynes in the argument nex before with which this is altogither one and the same Yet least you should complayn that you have no answer Be it that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Antichrist with an article is some diverse thing from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Antichrists without an article must it therfor by and by be one certayn persō I deny such an ill coherent cōsequence It may note out a singular kind of Antichrists of whō the Apostles taught the Church so diligently even as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the wicked is often a kind of wicked mē 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the tempter and so in other In which the article respecteth not one singular but some thing common egregious in his kinde This might have bin manifest to you by Iohn himself whiles he warneth that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Antichrist was in his time For manie deceivers are entred in the world saith he which confesse not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh he that is such a one is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the deceiver the Antichrist 2 Iohn 7. where yet he speaks not of that chief Antichrist which was to come but of some such like sorte By which it sufficiently appeareth that Antichrist with an article is not a singular person The fourth place is Daniel 7. and 11. and 12. Out of the 7. chapter you take those things which are spoken of the little horn ver 8. c. which you say are to be expounded of Antichrist and that for two reasons First from the authoritie of certain Fathers then from the words of Daniel himselfe I answer as touching the authority of the Fathers I know many learned men doo interprete these words of Antichrist but this Apocalypse dispelleth the darknes which taking away the sight before suffred not to behold the thing it selfe For it teacheth that that little horne differeth much frō this Antichrist whom Iohn describeth For Antichrist is one of the heads of the Beast which is of many formes both in Daniel and in Iohn but a little horn is onely some addition ioyned to the head Moreover this ariseth after the ten hornes but Antichrist riseth togither and at one houre with al his That subdueth three horns under it the other unsubdued are eyther foes of the same or at least freinds of equal power but Antichrist is over al the 10. horns which willingly serv him until the appointed time Finally that is caled little Antichrist is not litle who hath power over every tribe tongue and nation Apoc. 13.7 who also beareth the whore to whom peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues doo obey and which reigneth over the Kings of the earth Apoc. 17.15.18 But you wil say it may be it is caled litle in the beginning not in the full age I answer the chiefest heighth of dignity when he shal most flourish shal lift it self no higher then over the 3. horns which he shal depresse Doubtles the Spirit would have made mention of moe if he had had power over moe That horn therfore is not this Antichrist but if we wil rightly consider the thing it is that Dragon of the sixt vial of this Apocalypse chap. 16.13 namely the Turk for of him and the other enemies that should oppress the Iewes doth Daniel onely speak without any mention of the Western Antichrist as it may be occasion wil be given elswhere to declare more fully This disparitie therfore wil by no means suffer these two to convene in one Wherupon you may now see that we ar not so much to look either who or how many they be that say a thing as with what reasons they so perswade themselves Secondly you say from the words of Daniel chap. 7.24 that this Antichrist whom ancient writers wil have to be meant by the little horn is a singular person for he is not caled one Kingdome but one King who of ten Kings that he should find in the world should take three quite away and subdue the other seven under him I answer first these last words and shal subdue the other seven under him is a very bold comment seing no footstep of them appeareth in Daniel For he onely sayth ver 8. so that three of those former horns were rooted out from before him and againe ver 24. and three Kings shal he depresse but of the subduing of the other 7. he no where maketh mention And how I pray you should he be a little horn if he should destroy three and have cōmand over al the rest These things are unadvisedly brought in by some old writers but worse reteyned by you for to darken the truth But this is little to the purpose for the force of the argument Therfore secondly I say that it is false to affirme because he is caled one King he is one person for the Angel before speaketh thus These great Beasts which are fowr are fowr Kings that shal rise out of the earth ver 17. which yet are not fowr singular persons but so many Kingdomes as your self can not deny The other place of Daniel is from chap. 11 ver 21. 36. where literally is treated of Antiochus Epiphanes but allegorically as Calvin and Ciprian and Jerom you say doo interpret it of Antichrist whose figure Antiochus did bear Therfore seing he was one certayn and singular person Antichrist also must be one certayn person I answer great in deede is the agreement of the wicked and needs must many things in them be found alike who are governed by one and the same Spirit for which cause those learned men avouched him to be the type of Antichrist after a common sort but that the Spirit intended him for the type properly as he is wont in the other scriptures I see not how it can be rightly said It hath not such agreement with that which they make the truth therof as is wont to be found in other types For example this Antiochus is the litle horn of the Goat of whom it is said ch 8.14 that he should rage two thousand and three hundred dayes Shal this be the type of Antichrist Then shal he not reign onely three yeres and a halfe but six yeres and more then an halfe and so an other Antichrist is to be looked for then yee yet feighn Or if you wil have it that al things are not so exactly answerable in the type and antitype
chapter against your third Demonstration But because it skilleth nothing for the force of this argument what the names of these Prophets be we let that passe for the present and doo say that that which you tell us how they are to be killed in Jerusalem is false For the Spirit designeth not Ierusalem by name but onely by this circumlocution where our Lord was crucified which agreeth as wel unto Rome seing Christ was crucified by the sentēce of Pilate the Romā Deputie By which fact he made his Citie guilty of this bloud which was shed by this cities authoritie as we have shewed on chap. 11.8 This argument therfore is worthlesse and weak assuming that which cannot be proved yea the contrary wherof is plainly evident by the Scriptures Neither was ther anie cause why either Chytraeus should purposely passe by these words as you feyn where the Lord also was crucified or why you should so trouble your selfe to prove against Ierom that Ierusalem may be caled Sodome which we acknowledge to be so caled otherwhere Although in the Apocalypse your Rome onely is Sodom you should rather have streyned your sinewes to acquitt your selves of this than have spent your strength in a matter for which ther is no fight The second place is Apoc. 17. where Iohn saith that the ten Kings which shal divide the Roman Empire to themselves and in the time of whose reign Antichrist should come shal hate the purpled whore that is Rome and make her desolate and burn her cke with fire How then say you shall it be Antichrists seat if at the self same time it must be overthrown and burnt I answer the Apocalypse easily taketh from you this scruple You ask how Antichrists seate can be burnt he being alive and seing it The Apocalypse telleth that the fift vial shal be powred out on the Beasts throne and his kingdome shal be made dark so that they shal gnaw their tongues for so row chap. 16.10.11 which vial verily is no other thing than this burning wherby the ten Kings shal consume the whore to ashes For you see that this citie which is to be consumed with fire is Queen of the nations which agreeth not to Ierusalem that hath been laid even with the groūd now manie ages since And if you doubt how the ten Kings should be inflamed with such hatred who so dearly loved the whore before hear how the Angel saith that for a time they would yeild themselves wholly to the Beast but should at length be stirred up of God to destroy her whom they most honoured before ver 16.17 This hatred therfore wil afford your Rome no comfort The other things which you heap up to exaggerate this argument are of no weight at all For that Antichrist the Iewe we have chased away in the former disputation and those things that are mentioned of the Kingdome of Asia are some smal peeces of truth shining clearly in the fabulous heap of confuse earth Certayn it is that the Empire shal return thither again but which Antichrist shal not constitute but Christ himselfe shal build taking pitie on his people and declaring himselfe in his Church to be King of al nations The third place is in those words so that he sitteth in the Temple of God 2. Thess 2.4 wher you bring four expositions of the Temple The first is theirs that by the Temple understand the minds of the faithfull The second is Augustines who interpreteth the Temple to be Antichrist himselfe with his whole people which wil have himselfe and his to be thought the true spiritual Temple of God The third is Chrysostoms that takes the Temple for Christian Churches The fourth is theirs that understand it of Salomons Temple Of these four expositiōs you chose this last worst and furthest from the truth even as women when they ar troubled with the green sicknes doo long for coles lether more then for wholsome meats The Temple in this place must needs be that peoples whose the apostasie is for which Antichrist is sent and this we have shewed to be the Gentiles onely which came in deede unto Christ but served him not with such affection as was meet and that it can not by anie means agree to the Iewes who never would be writtē citizens of this Kingdome Moreover neither did Antichrist come while the old Temple stood neither shal he sit therin afterwards seing it was overthrown long since never to be reedified more as the Angel teacheth And the desolatiō shal continue even to the consummation and end Dan. 9.27 Besides how could the Apostle cal that Gods temple which God would detest and which shal not be founded by anie authoritie of his but by Antichrists commandement alone as you wil have it vaūting himselfe for the onely God These and many other things doo teach that it is least of al to be understood of Salomons Temple Yet you say this opinion is the more common probable and learned But by what reason I pray you Beeause say you in the Scripture of the New Testament by the Temple of God is never meant the Christian Churches but alwayes the temple of Jerusalem VVhich short sentence conteineth two notable falshoods The first is that you say by the temple of God is never meant in the Apostles writings the Christian Churches For Paul in Ephes 2.21.22 speaketh thus of the Christian Church Jn whom al the building fitly coupled togither groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord in whom ye also are built togither to be the habitation of God by the Spirit And what other thing dooth the Apocalypse mean by that so often name of the temple but the holy Christian assemblies Arise and measure the temple of God chap. 11.1 Then was the temple of God opened chap. 11.9 And they came out of the temple neither could any enter into temple chap. 15.6.8 The temple of Ierusalem was destroyed before this Revelation was made least perhaps yow should think that that is meant by these words This is the first falshood The second is wher you say the temple of God evermore signifieth the temple of Jerusalem in the new testament For what Are ther so manie Ierusalem temples as ther are faithful persons Vnto the Corinthians Paul speaketh in words commō to everie Christian Know you not that ye are the temple of God And if anie destroy the temple of God c. 1 Cor. 3.16.17 Know you not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 6.19 To let passe the things I mentioned a litle before You certes are a more speedy builder than Salomon which can build so manie temples in so short a space but what cā not you doo which make a Christ everie day of Bread But this is a smal matter you say that the Scriptures doo so speak Therfore you bring some greater thing namely that the ancient Fathers Latin and Greek for manie ages never caled the Churches of Christians temples but Oratories
the Kings-houses or howses of Martyrs I answer the ancient Fathers both Greek and Latine did speak so as the Scripture speaketh as ClemeÌ„s Alexand. Strom. lib. 7. One temple saith he is great as the Church an other litle as the man who reteyneth Abrahams seed And Cyprian in his first book against the Iewes chap. 15. that Christ was to be the house and temple of God and he had ended the old temple begun a new And lib. 5. Epist 8. Although love should no lesse enforce us to help our brethren yet it was to be considered in this place that they are the temples of God which are taken and that we ought not to suffer by long delay and neglect of sorow the temples of God to be holden captives long But you wil say that you mean not either Christian assemblies or particular faithful persons but howses and aedifices wherin they meet togither for publik worship I answer you dispute therfore bravely who now conclude not the question For thus you reason No howses of publik worship were caled temples among Christians for many ages but some teÌ„ple of God are howses of publik worship therfore some temple was not among Christians for many ages And what then I pray you For though some temple was not yet some temple was among Christians also in these ages you mention even such a temple as Antichrist afterward should sit in Vnlesse perhaps you think that holy howses onely are temples which if it be so then Antichrist shal be no longuer Antichrist than he shal sit in these material howses or if so he shal be out of the holy howses also the great Antichrist may also be out of the temple of God and thouh he doo not shew himself as if he were God For this sacrilegious vaunting of him selfe shal be onely whiles he sitteth in the temple of God as is evident by the Apostles words And so we shal have a new great Antichrist such as the Apostles never saw by the Spirit of Prophesie Great is the force of your argumentations which everie where bring forth such monsters but let us goe forward Wheras you say that the howses of prayer had not the name of temple given unto them til Ieroms time whom you cite you may understaÌ„d that Eusebius who was before Ieroms age absteyned not from this name lib. Hist 10. c. 2. whom Ruffinus maketh to speak thus lib. 9 Hist Eccl. cap. 10. Renewed places by building to rise up more high and excellent and high teÌ„ples to be lifted up for the low meeting howses And again Euseb lib. 10. cap. 13. by whose industrie a sumptuous temple was builded in Tyrus the most famous throughout al the nation of Phaenicia So also in a publick oration which one made of the building of Churches ascribed to Paulinus Bishop of the Tyrians And thou ô great praise of the new holy temple of God and afterwards againe he constituted this maiestical temple of the most high God And certainly the Spirit most wisely meeting with your fraud would have the name of temple about that time when Antichrist should appear to be given even to the holy Christian aedifices that every way it might be evident how he sitteth in the Temple of God Wheras therfore concluding this point you say it semeth certayn that the Apostle speaks of Jerusalems temple that writing how Antichrist should sit in the temple of God he would say somthing which he would have understood by them to whom he wrote and they then would understand and well perceive the name of the temple nothing but the temple of Ierusalem you may easily now see how false it is that I say no more though I speak truly The Thessalonians might understand that he should sit in the minds and conscience of men whom he should seduce by his guile and hypocrisie as Anselmus dooth interpret it or that he should reign in ChristiaÌ„ assemblies as Chrysostom Theodoret Theophilact Oecumenius doo expound it or that he should boast himselfe to be the temple Church as Augustine explaineth it But Ierusalems temple could not come into their mind which they knew by Christs words should utterly be destroyed Mat. 23.39 2. and never be builded agayn seing wrath was come upon the Jewes even to the utmost as 1 Thes 2.16 Vnto these you adjoin as you speak the common exposition of the Fathers but the contrarie iudgment of those before mentioned wil not suffer it to be common neither ought the ignorance of a few to hurt the clear truth Thus have we seen your arguments whose force I now leave to be iudged by the reader and in a word I wil consider those your answers wherby again you indevour to put away the reasons of some of our side First wher our men doo obiect from Apoc. 17. that the chief seat of Antichrist is Rome because this seat is the great citie which sitteth upon 7. hills and which hath reigne over the Kings of the earth al which ar found in Rome You answer three wayes First that by this citie is not meant Rome but the universal citie of the Divil But in this answer you rest not neither is it in deed of anie moment seing it is not the universal citie of the Divil which shal be burned by the ten Kings especially the wicked remaining alive which shal lament her fall Apoc. 18.9 For how shal the whole citie perish whose citizens shal afterwards remayn Leaving therfore this you betake you to an other and you grant that by the whore is meant Rome but hethenish Rome reigning worshiping Jdols persecuting Christians but not Christian Rome I answer you doo evil disjoin what the Spirit hath coupled For Rome is then the whore and seat of Antichrist when it is caried of the Beast and it was not caried of the Beast whiles the Hethens reigned For it is caried of the seventh head which was not yet come when Iohn received this Prophesie Apoc. 17.9.10 Moreover if Hethenish Rome reigning be the whore then Antichrist came during that Hethenish Empire For the Spirit would have thâ—se two to be undevided companions until the burning of the whore The Beast caried the whore sitteh neither of them hath vital life without the other Again if that be true now she hath plainly left to be the whore nor should she be found such when Antichrist should come because as afterward you tell us Peters chaire cannot be separated from Rome lib. 4. de Rom. Pon. cap. 4. And how agreeth this I pray you that Rome being Christian holy Catholik Peters chair as you wil have her should at last suffer the punishment of a whore which when she was Hethenish and according to your opinion played the whore most lavishly bare no punishment for it Apoc. 17.16 Surely Ierom seemeth not wel to have affirmed speaking to Rome I speak unto thee which by confessing of Christ hast wiped out the blasphemie written on thy forehead lib. 2. contra
despise hereby perhaps you might shew that the Pope is worse than Antichrist but it is also false that Antichrist shal despise Idols Whoredome in the Scriptures is Jdolatrie and the Citie of Rome the seat of Antichrist is that Queen Iezabel the chief whore the great Babylon the mother of al the whordoms and abominations of the earth Shal Idolatrie have dominion in his throne and yet himselfe not be an Idolater By whose authoritie dooth the whore worship Idols but by his on whose shoulders she sitteth and by the maiestie of whose name she is susteyned Shal not Achab folow the Gods of his Iezabel They which are killed by the four Angels loosed at Euphrates doo suffer those evils because of Idolatrie Apoc. 9.20.21 But the Angel of the bottomlesse pit King Abaddon with his subiects suffreth that slaughter by the Euphratean Angels whom he hath fast behind him Apoc 9.11.12 c. And therfore the Angel of the bottomlesse pit is an Idolater who is al one with this Beast as Apoc. 11.7 17.8 But most plainlie wher Antichrist biddeth an Jmage to be made and compelleth al the inhabitans of the earth to worship it Apoc. 13.14.15 Doo you think this mā wil be a breaker down of Images You are so farr from defending your Pope by this argument as this is one of the chiefest signes that he is the verie Antichrist These therfore be trifles and guegawes even as the other things which you have disputed of Antichrist If you would have more certainty of his doctrine remember the things which wee have often mentioned out of this Apocalypse Here first you shall see that Antichrist is Balaam and his seat Jezabel chap. 2.14.20 And he how crafty a knave was he She how Idolatrous a whore and Prophetesse not defacing al religious worship but onely promoting and stablishing false worship Then you may perceive that the Gentils occupying the utter court and holy city while the Saincts in the meane time lye hidd in the temple are Antichrist himselfe and his subiects chap. 11 1.2 And therfore that Antichrist is most neerly joynd in outward shew to Christ so as by his neernes he shal deceiv many Besides the great Antichrist hath two horns lik the Lambe chap. 13.11 Wherfore he shal not everie way be contrarie but shal put on his Image sit as his Vicar wheras he would reioice doubtlesse to be most unlike him if he should shew manifest hostilitie Finally seing he is also a false Prophet he wil not boast himself to be the onely God but shal doo more harm by lying than by force and not shew himself to be such as in deed he is These few things to keep me within the limits of the Apocalypse may teach you the true nature of Antichrist unlesse you have leifer willingly to be ignorant that you may the more confidentlie serve him Chapt. 15. Of Antichrists Miracles CONCERNING the Miracles of Antichrist three things you say are found in the Scriptures first that he shal doo many miracles secondly that they shal be lyes thirdly that ther are three examples set down al which I easilie grant unto you But why add you not somwhat to make it plain that the Pope is no kinn to Antichrist as that the Pope neither dooth many miracles nor lyes nor those three exemples which you mētion by name It seems you feared the triall but you must needs be brought unto it though against your will That he wel agrees with Antichrist in multitude of miracles neither can you neyther doubtlesse lyst you to deny seing this is one of the chief notes wherin your Church glorieth Of this first branch therfore ther is no controversie But whither those signes be lies which are doon by the Popes their Ministers since Antichrist first began to shew himselfe let us breifly consider that therby also may appear whither the crime be true or false which our men doo charge you with I wil not use that argument which the Spirit maketh to be a sure token of false miracles namely that whatsoever is doon for to confirm errour and superstition is to be counted for a fraudulent sign for you doo not acknowledge your errours although this should be a sufficient argumēt unto them that have learned the truth but I wil bring such as even your selves cannot deny Let us therfote examine a litle those famous miracles of Pope Sylvester to whom are attributed cheifly three One that by sacred Batpisme he cured Constantine the Great of a leprosie An other that he raised up agayn a bull that was killed by Zambri a Jewish sorcerer The third that he bound a Dragon after a marvelous manner As touching the Leprosie everie mā may easilie smel it to be but a stinking fiction by this that the ancient writers that lived eyther next after Constantine or togither with him speak not anie one word of the same Eusebius who so diligently wrote his life and heaped up solemly unto his prayse whatsoever could any where be gathered would not have conceled this singular benifit of God It must needs therfore bee that the later writers drew al this out of the third ditch namely from the Romish fables framed for this purpose onely to encrease the Popes authoritie Agayn seing the curing of this Leprosie depēdeth on Baptisme and it is certenly known that he was baptised not by Sylvester at Rome but by Eusebius at Nicomedia and that not in the beginning of his reign but in the latter end of his life who seeth not this cure to be altogither feighned and false Eusebius telleth that he was baptised at Nicomedia a litle before he departed this life Jn Vita Constant lib. 4. Wherto agree Socrates lib. 1. cap. 39. Theodoret lib. 1. cap. 32. Sozom lib. 2. cap. 34. Ambrose lib. De obitu Theodosij Hieron in Chronicis But you on the othet side obiect Isidorus Zonaras and Nicephorus who being but late writers in respect of those ancients what credit deserv they in this thing Could these later men know the truth more certaynly which were furder off from al means to find it out But let us see in a word what ground every of them doo rely upon Isidorus in his Chronicle because perhaps he knew that the Romans boasted of Constantines baptisme and knew withal what the ancient writers had said of this matter that both might be thought to be true he wil have him baptised at Rome but rebaptised by Eusebius of Nicomedia the Arrian But he marketh not wel the ancient Historie which with one consēt reporteth that he deferred his Baptisme unto that day because he desired to be baptised in Iordan How did he deferr it if he had received it before at Rome Moreover he rashly injuriously chargeth the godly Emperour with the greevous crime of violating his faith who neither Eusebius of Nicomedia nor any other Arrian could ever lead away from the truth seing while he lived he so restreyned them al by his authoritie
the Iewes shal be converted And other places seeme to confirme that their first calling shal be about the fiftieth yeere above one thousand sixe hundreth But how much Rome preventeth that time it is uncertain it is like but a very litle considering that the choosing of a new people followeth it at the heeles We have seen how farr the vials have proceeded The next is now to be powred out on the Sunne which is shortly to be expected by the heate wherof after Rome hath bin very hot a short space shee shall approch the flamme of fyre by the fift vial which shal burn her altogither then the throne shal be destroyed and this gratulation prepared for the godly Doest thou then ô Rome keepe now a yeere of Iubilé when thy funerall rather were to be provided for In very deed within the space of one Iubilé that is about fifty yeres hence thou shalt keepe Iubilé in truth not so much thy selfe by reioycing as by giving occasiō of exceeding great ioy to al the saincts by thy destruction Doest thou then with Balthassar abandon thy selfe to eatings and drinkings Cyrus compassing abou thy walls and being already entred into the chanell of Euphrates which is turned aside I know that the admonition of an Heretique as thou will have mee to be with thee is of no force but consider diligently the man or the thing it self if hatred wil suffer thee least peradventure whom thou countest an Heretique thou finde him too late a true Prophet yet if thou despise my voyce let the holy remnant here if any lie hid in thee Awake yee elect come yee out make hast to flee away yee have lyen too long in the bedds of Sodome a showre of brimstone will fall by and by unlesse yee depart quickly you cannot be safe Obey the Spirit who would have you to be warned by this sacred Revelation Why doo yee hange upon this purpled company whose eyes God hath blinded by his iust iudgmēt If my admonition shal have place with you yee shal refresh greatly the mindes of the brethren but the fruit shal be your owne to weet the salvation both of soules and bodyes 5 Then a voice came out from the throne Hitherto the fift vial now the sixt is handled For this exhortation belongeth to new praises not to the destruction of Babylon For to what end should ther be a commaundemēt againe touching this thing and a new triumph Therfore now it is declared how the waters of Euphrates shal be dryed up This folowed next the overthrow of the throne chap. 16.12 Because the great river shal be turned into drie ground from hence we learne that nothing should be a let to the guests or rather to the new bride as is plainly confirmed in verse 7. ¶ Because the marriage of the Lambe is come Which surely was the reason why wee hav interpreted that sixt vial cōcerning the calling of the Iewes First therfore the efficient cause of this calling is set forth a voice coming forth from the throne Which yet is not of the Father himselfe but of the Sonne as it is cleare from that which followeth praise yee our God It came out of the throne because the Sonne shal effect this wonderfull thing rather by his own power than by any aide of man He shal take to himself alone the duties of this thing and shal performe all wholly by himselfe VVhich way also otherweise should the Easterne Iewes beyōd Euphrates first embrace the faith which are furthest off from hearing of the Gospel Yet no sound thundring from heaven is to be expected but this voice is the efficacy of the Spirit whom God now shall send into the harts of his people that being turned to him with all their harts they may acknowledge praise and celebrate the one onely true God his Sonne Iesus and the H. Ghost Now God powreth upon the house of David and upon the inhabitans of Ierusalem the Spirit of grace and of prayer Zach. 12.10 Now he wil build the Virgin of Israel and shal adorne her selfe with her timbrels and shal goe before in the dance of them that praise now he shal say reioyce with gladnesse for Iacob showt for ioy openly before the very Gentils publish prayse and say save o Lord thy peo-people the remnant of Israel Iere. 31.4.7 But it is to be observed how this calling is ioyned togither with the destruction of Rome It is severed frō it by no other transition but as rising from thence forthwith from her fall becometh cleare to the world The Temple was full of smoke that no man could enter in untill God had satisfyed his anger upon the whore but after he hath punished her according to her deserts then as it were with a quiet minde he shal cōvert himselfe wholly to accomplish the salvation of all his elect and to receiv againe his people sent away from him by so longue a banishment VVherfore if we have kept a true account of this calling we shall not wander much from the last destruction of Rome ¶ Praise yee our God No man cā praise God but he that knoweth him neither al generally but the whole multitude of the elect on earth endued with the knowledge of God may consent to praise him Therfore this provocation declareth that calling and the same general when as al are bidden to praise both universally and particularly as well the smal of the Iewes who because of their new comming to the faith might seeme at that time to have bin scarce borne as also the great of the Gentils who being more growen in Christ have obtained a ful maturity by a long profession who shal praise God for their brethrens conversion when they shal see that which hath not bin told them and shal understand that which they hav not heard Isay 52.14 But the Iewes themselves then with ioyful glad minds shal heare that favour at length is shewed them that their eyes are opened for to know the truth that they are reduced againe built multiplyed stablished more then before time so as they shal satisfy themselves with no praises Then faith Ieremy shal proceed out of them voice of thankes giving and the voice of them that laugh then shal the virgin reioice in the dance the yong men and old men togither chap. 30 19. and 31.13 and many the like things perteining to the ioyfulnes of that most pleasant time 6 And I heard as it were a sound The voice of a new people converted to Christ and praising God for this unexpected bounteousnes This is an exceeding great voice by reason of the multitude of the people then also making a noise in the beginning by obscure reports and more easy to be understood what it meaneth then the noise of waters roaring confusedly which yet notwithstanding a while after shal be terrible and apaling like thunder It may be doubtful whither this be the voice of the Gentiles as it were the friends of the
mesembrian midde day which the Astronomers call the mids of heaven and that therfore the word belongeth to them who have escaped from grosse superstition through the acknowledging of the truth and yet have not attained that purity meet for the inhabitants of heaven The Angel of the Sunne calleth all these to take part of the spoile as being nourissons of the same truth howsoever it flourisheth not among all with the like purity From which wee understand that although one or some few congregations shal practize sincere godlines when this warre shal be moved yet that very many and those even of the reformed religion shal be found which eyther never have attained a ful reformation or by negligence and carelesnesse have fallen backe to that state that they lack much of the holinesse of a pure and undefiled spouse And who seeth not that mutation to come to passe every day more and more Obstinate mē will not acknowledge this difference at this time but they to whom it is grāted to measure every thing by the onely rule of the truth doo both see bewaile both many shamefully falling from heaven and also others as meteores hanging yet in the clouds ¶ Come and gather your selves togither He calleth them to a banker to mirth The most worthy destruction of the wicked men is to God as a sumptuous feast 18 That ye may eate the flesh of things It is like that the ten hornes which have hated and burnt the whore Rome shal also hate the very Beast once the sweet heart of the whore Therfore these Kings who shal ioyne their armies with the Beast are not in the number of those tenne Neither shal ther be onely a denary number of Kings in the times of Antichrist when as beside them others shal be founde who doo lend him their helpe VVhich manner of dreames how vaine they are may be understood frō those things which wee have spoken before These things then being omitted now the Angel being sure of the victory calleth to the pray and biddeth them to flye togither that they may be filled with the spoiles of the enemies And because variety in feasts doth very much delight men he proposeth sundry kinds of dainty dishes the flesh of Kings of High Captaines c. This supper shal be variable and very costly Ezechiel furnisheth the like table but with the flesh onely of Easterne enemies chap. 39.17.18 19 Afterward I saw the Beast Such is the preparation of the Saincts there followeth of the wicked and first those in the VVest part with whom the first conflict shal be The chiefe Captaines of these are the Beast and the Kings For the Pope of Rome after Rome is destroyed shal have his seat in an other place for a few yeeres as at Avenion the Popes city or Bononie or elsewhere But he shal not remaine alive long time after not abov five and fourty yeeres at the most as may be gathered by a diligent comparing of other Scriptures Neither indeed being spoiled of his principal Chaire shal he be destitute of al aide of Kings but some to weet of the earth followers of wicked superstition shal yet take his part who al their hosts being gathered and ioyned togither against Christ and his Saincts shall beginne this battel to try their last chance They wil assemble to Armagedon that holy city a hill of pretious fruits whose Angel standeth in the Sunne as in ver 17. From which it is manifest that that preparation which the Spirit hath described togither in chap. 16. and 14 c. belōgeth to divers enemies whose warre is to be made asunder first of the Beast and false Prophet afterward of the Dragon 20 But the Beast was taken Hitherto the declaration of the sixt vial that of the last followeth which first teacheth the destruction of the enemies and in the first place of the Beast and his armies The Beast is taken intraped as it were with snares upon a sudden as wild Beasts which unawares fall into the netts For so the word epiaste seemeth to note And we know that the Lord doth raine downe upon the wicked snares as in Psal 11.6 by which their feet are taken there where least of al they feared The false Prophet is takē togither with him which two ioyned togither shew that the Pope of Rome for he shal retaine this name perhaps after the city is destroyed shal at length utterly perish both in respect of the civil powr wherby he is the Beast and also of the spiritual wherby he is the False Prophet The Spirit speaketh as of two distinct persons because of that twofold wickednes wherby that man of sinne is famous but when I say the Pope of Rome I doe not onely meane that particular man who then shal sit in the Chaire but also the very state and order of Popes which now wholly shal come to naught in such sort that no remainders therof shal be left Onely a certen hated memory shal continue that his impiety hath bin the cause of the ruine of so many ¶ Who wrought miracles Before there was mention of the false Prophet in chap. 16.13 But because a bare name was there onely that it might be unknown to no man whom he speaketh of by this name he describeth the same here by certain tokens that all doubt may be taken away Who saith he wrought miracles wherby he deceaved them which receive the Beasts marke and worshipped his Image By which things he sheweth most plainly that this False Prophet is that second Beast of which in chap. 13.13 c. Therfore let the Papists now see to it who wil have Antichrist to raigne three yeeres and an halfe before Christ shal come to the last iudgement and he to be a singular person whither or no they doo not proclaime open warre against the truth All grant that eyther this second Beast or that first is Antichrist Both which flourished long before that the dignity and maiesty of Rome the whore began to be diminished And also both shal remaine for some few yeeres after the overthrow therof as appeareth manifestly from this place Should we limit al this time eyther with the space of three yeeres or with the boundes of one mortal man But concerning the time of Antichrist the things that have bin spoken at chap. 17. are so certain and evident that no man can now be in doubt ¶ And they were both cast alive As Coral◠Dathan Abiran the earth opening it selfe were swallowed up alive into Hell The destruction of the Popedome shal be horrible The Spirit putteth a manifest difference between his punishment and the rest of the multitude which shal warre for him It were better for him to perish by fyre as the whore perished but a more greevous example shal be shewed in him ¶ Into a lake offyre Into the second death to weet everlasting in chap. 21.8 But how can the Papacy be cast into the fire That which is proper
the glory to come which shal be revealed in us by which words saith he our good deserts ar not compared with the future blessednesse but the sufferings that is the labours which we suffer for Gods sake as though he should say our sorowes cannot be compared with the joyes of the blessed although the endurings of griefes in as much as they come from grace are worthy doubtlesse of eternal life Consider the fraude of the Iesuite who having nothing to answer to this place flyeth to an other from whence some shew of an answer might be taken But that I may not now examine that of the Romanes why telleth he us of sorowes and af lictions not to be compared with the ioyes of the blessed of which nothing at al is spoken in this place Here teares death sorow crying all labour is banished away before in ver 4. so as nothing is more unmeet as to dreame of such a comparison For in these words it is shewed that not onely the sorowes of this life are inferiour to the ioyes of the blessed but also that the thirst hunger and most fervent desire of godlinesse than which nothing can be of greater esteeme in a man doo not obtaine life by their merit but by the meere grace mercy of God Neither is that of the fained Ambrose lesse frivolous and also of Thomas and Rupert who wil have the word freely therfore to be said because although eternall life be due to the merits of the righteous condignly yet the merits themselves could not have bin merits without grace which was given freely For if they would rather have spoken with the Holy Ghost then from their owne perverse braines they would never have said that any grace is given to men by whose helpe they might doo workes worthy of eternal life when here it is said expressely that the reward of the most excellent workes is alto gither freely bestowed and not condignly 7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things For none shal attaine to this happinesse but he which shall behave himselfe valiantly in that battell with the Dragon of which in the former chapter Yee therfore ô Iewes shew your selves men It shal be a terrible warre if ever at any other time Dan. 12.1 Yet notwithstanding feare not neither fainte in your mindes The victory is sure and after the victory eternall ioy 8 But to the fearfull and unbeleeving The reward of the wicked which first are called fearfull fearing them which kill the body and denying Christ before mē Mat. 10.28.33 desiring to save their life but in very truth loosing it Mat. 16.25 Of which sort peradventure there shal be some in respect of the greatnesse of the danger when the Turk the Dragon shal threaten most cruell destruction to them that professe Christ Vnbeleevers are they which shall refuse the truth openly For every one shal not be converted but it seemeth that some by the iust iudgement of God shal remaine in their former stubburnesse as we have observed before out of Daniel Abominable are men of desperate naughtinesse and impudently wicked whom al mē every where detest Aretas and Montanus doo reade before abominable the word sinners as also the Cōplutent edition and the Kings Bible But these sinners are alone with abominable men notably wicked and desperate But why is ther mention of Idolaters when al the Iewes generally doo hate Idols It may be that some have turned away to the Romish impiety although this be a rare thing ioint also that Rome before this time shall be destroyed Therfore these things may be understood of the Gentiles as also al other kinds of sinnes which have bin reckoned hitherto who cleaving to their Idols shal have no part in this holy city of wich in the meane time al the godly shal be freedenizens whersoever they shal live Lyars also are excluded that is such as reioyce in lying as hypocrites dissemblers and they who make some shew of religion having no tast therof n their hart Observe how with those horrible sinnes he mixeth some lesser in the common opinion that no man should deceive himselfe by supposing that if he refraine himselfe from those greater he may followe the smaller without danger of punishment But the thing is nothing so he that continueth in the least without repentance must know that a place is prepared for him in the lake of fire hither shal be thrust al this company and they who are of the same condition Not because al the wicked shal descend presently at that time into hel but because they shal be convinced and condemned by the sentence of the holy Church which is as if God should pronounce it from heaven and should strait way drawe the condemned unto torment 9 Then came to mee one of the seaven Angels Hitherto the generall declaration the particular followeth And first by whose helpe this thing is to be manifested this is one of the seven Angels of which wee heard in the chap. 15. and as it seemeth the last who was to poure out his vial into the aire Frō which it is evident that this new Hierusalem is within that time wherin the vials are powred out for which cause there is so exact a repeating of his office that he is one of those seven Angels which have those seven vials full of the seven last plagues least any in wandring rashly should passe over the boundes that are set ¶ Come I will shew thee the bride Did not Iohn see it before ver 2. But there through a windowe and somewhat confusedly but now more distinctly and clearly The first shew of the newe descending Hierusalē shall seeme faire but after that it shal have abode on earth somewhile then it shal be seene farre more noble For we gather from the former thinges that these words doo shew the event as also that which the Angel inviteth for to behold whence we learne from the analogie of those things which hav bin said before that some holy man by published writing shal manifest to al the faithful rhe most divine maiesty celestial glory of this Church But we see these things yet a farr off and darkly the day at lēgth shal make this thing most cleare 10 And he tooke mee up by the Spirit into a great and hie mountaine He entreh into the description of the city more fully then before yet notwithstansting shorter in these two verses Therfore that Iohn might throughly knowe the bride he is taken up into a hie and lofty mountaine The first condemnation of the whore was seen in the wildernesse chap. 17.3 but the glory of the bride shal be revealed in a hie mountaine in the eyes and light of the whole world This mountaine seemeth to be that which Isaiah speaketh of In the last times the mountaine of the house of the Lord shal be set in the top of other mountaines and exalted above the hilles that all nations may flow unto it chap. 2.2 VVorthily is
be persuaded that they ar their enemyes For they hide their habergeoÌ„s corselets neither make shew of any hostile thing but lurke as ScorpioÌ„s uÌ„der a stone The lioÌ„s heads of the horses doe note great cruelty wherby the wicked nation was brought to notable infamy above all whoÌ„ wee ever heard of Moreover in this point they passe the Locusts who had lions teeth onely but these have the whole head that unto the hugenesse of their teeth maie be ioined the streÌ„gth of their iawes sternnesse of their coÌ„tenance That which cometh out of their mouth is threefold fire smoke brimstone which three seeme to note one thing to wit the ordinaÌ„ces of warre whose originall was not loÌ„g after the beginning of the Turkes which they use with a more furious affectioÌ„ theÌ„ other men The greatnesse of that gunne was almost incredible which Mâ—chmetes used in assaulting Constantinople to the drawing whereof were used seventy yoke of oxen and two thousande men as sayth Laonic. Chalcocond in his 8. booke of the Turkes affaires And those twelve thousand Ianizarites whom they have to their ordinary gard for the safegarde of their body are all gunners See also if any thing could be spoken more fit to declare the nature of the ordinance First here is mention made of fire but least a coÌ„mon fire should be understood there is adioyned a double differeÌ„ce of smoke brimstone For the fire of the ordinaÌ„ce is notable for an abuÌ„daÌ„ce of smoke which ariseth froÌ„ a suddeÌ„ kindling queÌ„ching as cometh to passe in the noise of discharging ordinaÌ„ce Where the fire burneth continually and with a shining flame there is very little smoke being swallowed up by the flame More over this fire is Brimstone Is not the gunpouder made of salt peter coale and Brimstone The Spirit therefore describeth this enemie to us by those weapons which should take their beginning almost togither with his tyranny But this fire cometh out of their mouth because they doe sende forth this fire as easily as a breath Yf onely that chiefe robber shall commande desolatioÌ„ to be brought upon any countrey most quicke handes are readie which forthwith doe his commande and bring all thinges into a wildernesse 18 Of these three Thus farre of what qualitie the Captaines Souldiers ar nowe he cometh to the event which first is the staying of the third part of men Wee heare o lamentable thing dayly massacres neither is any almost ignorant howe farre and neare their cruelty goeth on with rage But whereas he saith of these three it is to be understood of these three togither For smoke and brimstone asunder have no harme in them He reckeneth three as distinct because the former descriptioÌ„ of fire required such a reckening Although men shall not be consumed by gunnes alone but one kinde of warlike instruments is put for the whole 19 For their power The Complutent edition and the Kings Bible reade thus For their power is in their mouthes and in their tayles Aretas and the CoÌ„mon translation agreeth and so it seemeth that necessarily it ought to be read otherwise the reason which followeth agreeth not with those things that goe before For their tailes c. From hence therefore an other differeÌ„ce betweene these horse men and the Locusts cometh to minde For these did beare their stings in their tayle chieflie that is the dregges of the Saracenes who had noe proper places of their owne to dwell in and did flie about hither and thither seeking habitations and turning others out of all their goods when in the meane time the chiefe Calyphi Scriphes and Sultans followed their pleasure at home in Babylon Persia and in Egypt Soe the Begging Fryars the tailes of all the religious sorte did sting vehemently But here the head and the taile are even like the same destruction cometh from them both The chiefe Turke himselfe the Bassae the Begi and the other Ministers of their tyranny doe all breath forth and exercise the same cruelty More over these very Princes were the causers of the other to tyrannize ministred unto them weapons for their furie ¶ Having heades Wherewith they hurt The tayles also have heades and mouthes by which they sende out the same destruction They are all of them froÌ„ the highest Emperour to the lowest slave serpents with heads at both endes as the most learned Franc. Iunius hath writen very well 20 But the rest of men An other event is the obstinacie of the other men who are nothing moved with those miseries neither gave themselves to any amendement of life But who are those other Are they not Westerne meÌ„ the third part of men being killed loÌ„g since in the East Afrique being so gotten through the invasion of the Saracens that it would yeeld unto the dominion of the Turkes without any bloodshedding But the sinnes which sticke so fast to them are against the first table to wit Idolatry in this verse The exceeding naughtinesse whereof is declared first from the Authour in that it is an humane invention secondly because it is a worshippe done unto Devils thirdly from the wretched and doting affection which appeareth from so manifolde sortes of Idols of golde of silver of brasse of stone and of wood last of all from the notable folly of worshipping thinges void of all sense FroÌ„ all which it is more cleare theÌ„ the Sunne who amoÌ„g the Westerne people are the cause of this most grievous calamity froÌ„ the Turkes For where shall wee finde this Idolatry Surely the Protestants as they call them the reformed Churches have banished away unto hell from whence it first came all worshippe reverence and sacred honour of Images Wherefore shee that boasteth her selfe to be the Catholike Church whose head is the Bishop of Rome whose Temples glister with images of Golde Silver and Brasse yea which hath not refused the worshipping even of those that are of stone and wood shee I say is that other multitude which wresting the Scriptures corrupting the testimonies of the Fathers faining miracles and defending to this very day the Idolatrous worshipping of images by whatsoever force falshood fraude and subtill devises shee can will not be awaked with this most sharpe scourge Doth shee not impudently and stubbornly affirme that Images consecrated unto true names are by noe meanes to be counted amonge Idols But what other speaketh the Spirit of then such which after the third part of men slaine of the Turkes are defended stifly in the Christian world What other doth he call divelish What other worship of Devils The matter is plaine it can not be denied At length therefore o thou Rome cease to seeke out foolish crafty shifts Deceive not thy selfe Thy adoration before the image of the Virgin is as if thou shouldest supplicate unto Venus The worship which thou performest before the graven image of the Father is done to the Devill not to God himselfe The Spirit causeth mee to use this boldnes cry thou
out as much as thou wilt that these speaches ar blasphemous and after thy manner accuse the holy trueth of God of ungodlines But it is not to be expected that wordes should teach thee whom stripes can not teach Yet neverthelesse though thou shalt receive noe profit here of all the godly shall detest thee who by these abominations bringest a most cruell fiend upon the Christian world Art thou not ashamed to exhorte the Christian Princes unto warres against the Turke whom thou makest invincible by thy Idols To pretende a minde to fight against a cruell enemy but to minister privily unto him that aide wherby all our forces ar made a pray unto him Yf thou desirest from thy heart that this spoiler of the world should be repressed or rather extinguished cast away thy dung hill Gods forsake thy sacrilegious Primacy amende the rest of thy corruption according to the rule of true godlinesse then shalt thou see this mortall and cruell mōster covered indeede with all villanies to fall of his owne accord which could not stand surely one moment unlesse he were holden up by these thy sinnes But neither wilt thou be admonished neither can he be overcome before thou beest overcome as after shal be manifest 21 Neither repented they An other kinde of sinnes which are foure murders sorceries formcation thefts of which he that knoweth not Rome to be the shoppe he seeth but a little in the cleere sunne shine at noonetide CHAP. 10. THEN I sawe an other Angell comming downe from heaven clothed with a cloude the rainebowe upon his head his face was as the Sunne his feete as pillars of fire 2 And he had in his hande a little booke opened and he put his right foote upon the Sea and his left on the earth 3 And cried with a loude voice as a Lion roareth and when he had cryed sevē thunders uttered their voices 4 And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices I was about to write but I heard a voice from heaven saying unto mee seale up those thinges which the sevē thunders have spoken and write them not 5 And the Angell which J saw stande upon the sea and upon the earth lift up his hand to heaven 6 And sware by him that liveth for evermore which created heaven things that are therein the earth and the things that are therein the sea and the things hat are therein that time shal be noe more 7 But in the dayes of the voice of the seventh Angell when he shall beginne to blowe the trumpet even the mysterie of God shal be finished as he hath declared to his servants the Prophets 8 And the voice which J heard from heaven spake unto mee againe and said goe and take the little booke which is open in the hande of the Angell standing upon the sea and upon the earth 9 So J went unto the Angell saying unto him give mee the little booke and he said unto mee take it and eate it up and it shall make thy belly bitter but it shal be in thy mouth as sweete as honie 10 Then J tooke the little booke out of the Angels hande and ate it up and it was in my mouth as sweete as honie but when I had eaten it my belly was bitter 11 Then he said unto mee thou must prophecy againe among the people and nations and tongues and to many Kinges Analysis SVCH then is the first part of the sixt trumpet to wit the evill the comfort followeth consisting partly in the authority of the revealer partly in the thinges revealed His authority appeareth from the power of a certen Angell coming downe from heaven notable by his clothing ornament of his head shining of his face bright burning of his feete ver 1. Likewise knowledge which the booke open in his hande sheweth and his presence everie where declared by so great a pulling asunder of his feete ver 2. The thinges revealed are either to be Sealed up or to be communicated Those have their principall cause the voice of the Angell their instrumentall cause Seaven thunders ver 3. Likewise their consequent which conteineth both the endevour of Iohn in writing also the prohibition that he should not write ver 4. The things to be commumicated are either touching the finishing of the mystery of God in the times of the seventh trumpet confirmed by an othe ver 5.6.7 or of the gift of prophecy restored againe to the Church the preparation whereunto is set downe in the rest of the chapter Prophecy it selfe followeth in the eleventh chapter The Preparation is occupied either about the Signe or about the Interpretation that before the booke received hath a commaundement to take it in the eight verse and the obedience of Iohn in the ningth verse After the same delivered both a commaundement to eate it up and also an instruction touching the diverse tast of it in the ningth verse and the triall made by Iohn in the tenth verse Last of all is added the Interpretation in the eleventh verse Scholions Then I sawe an other Angell Wee referre these thinges in the Analysis 〈◊〉 the confort of the sixt trumpet which is fitly added For who would not almost faint through wearinesse of so long continuing trouble hearing noe other thing in the Church for a long rowe of yeeres then violent stormes of haile burning mountaines falling starres the Sunne darkened troupes of Locusts serpents with a head at both endes casting out flames of fire wherby an infinite number of men should burne miserably Nowe therefore to them that have ben as it were a long time and much tossed on the maine sea is the land pointed at and the haven shewed in which at length there might be rest from these troubles neither this onely but also in the meane time a prosperous winde is breathed forth which may cause a readier sayling For which purpose a most mighty Angell came downe from heaven divers frō those who blewe the trumpets or of whom mention was made long agoe elsewhere For they were servants this is the very Lord Christ as whose clothing countenance voice whole decking is more imperiall then can befall to any creature Neither doth so strange a forme and unlike to the true nature of man hinder considering that it hath ben manifest from the first chapter that he taketh upō him that outward shew especially which may serve most to the declaring and confirming of the things propounded Therefore as touching the description of him he is called strong because he hath strength sufficiēt to deliver the Church from those adversities wherwith it shal be oppressed He cometh downe from Heaven because nowe at length after a long distance of time he would visit his Church from which he seemed to have ben absent now a long time And about the blowing of the sixt Trumpet when the foure Angels were loosed in the yeere 1300 as was sayd before Christ began to give a more