one that hath originally erred for such are not lightly brought home by repentance and they are commonly most infest enemies to the truth and therefore as a relapse into a great sicknesse so their case is most dangerous CHAP. III. 2 PETER Chapter 3. Verse 5. They are willingly ignorant of this that the Heauens were of old and the earth set out of the water and by the water by the Word of God Vers 6. Whereby the world that then was being ouerwhelmed with water was destroyed Vers 7. But the heauens and the earth that now are are by the same word treasured vp being kept for the fire to the Day of Iudgement IN the History of the Creation it appeareth Oecumen in 2 Pet. 3. how the Heauens and the Earth were set out of the waters for God commanded that a Firmament should be in the midst of the waters that is a more firme existence of waters and this he called Heauen and when as the earth was ouerwhelmed with waters he likewise commanded the waters to gather together that it might appeare and thus the earth was set out of the waters the materiall cause being hereby designed and by the waters noting out the finall and as the earth came out of the waters at Gods command so likewise the Heauens For both are made out of the waters the aire called Heauen out of their exhalation and the earth out of their concretion The earth therefore is out of the water because made out of it and by the water because hereby as by a kinde of glue is as it were cemented and made to hang together which otherwise would dissolue and vanish into dust and aire And as the Heauens and Earth had their beginning at the first from waters so the force whereby vnder God commanding groweth the concretion of the one and the exhalation of the other is fire Wherefore as from these two all things had their beginning so for sinne they haue beene destroyed by water and shall againe be destroyed by fire as not only Christians teach but also Hyraclitus Ephesius and Empedocles Etneus The Heauens and the Earth c. that is such things as are vsefull for the sustentation of mans life as Corne Grasse Trees and Beasts c. and not the substance of the Heauens and Earth For man hauing grieuously sinned the world is said to haue beene destroyed therefore by water yet it was not consumed so hauing beene replenished againe and both by Law and Gospell men being dealt withall to walke in obedience to God but yet few profiting hereby it is kept to be destroyed by fire yet that as when a man purgeth things in the fire to fine them or buildeth his house anew by vsing still the former materials so when the Lord saith that he will make a new Heauen and a new Earth and that this world shall be burnt vp with fire it is meant only that the vtensils hereof which serue for a corporall life shall be consumed by fire of which there shall be no further vse seeing we shall all then be spirituall and thus a new face of all things shall appeare in which regard it is called a new Heauen and a new Earth because those growing things which would then be superfluous being taken away whatsoeuer auaileth to the adorning and beautifying of this world and is needfull to the incorruptible life to come shall be added That these outward things are corruptible and subiect to destruction appeareth by their daily increasing and dying againe The reason why the world made in an excellent manner at the first hath beene and shall bee againe destroyed is the sinne of man whereby the creatures become subiect vnto vanity Whereby the world that then was being ouerwhelmed with water perished 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is by which Heauen and Earth for the windowes of Heauen were opened and the fountaines of the deepe were broken vp and so the world was drowned Th. Aquinas in 2 Peter 3. By the Heauens here is to be vnderstood the aire for thus the Fowles are called the Fowles of Heauen they are said to haue beene of old because they were amongst the first of the creatures and in another manner then now that is calme and free from cold winds and tempests and so was the earth more plaine and fertill consisting out of the water that is by being discouered when at the Word of God the waters were gathered together and by the water that is as Beda hath it Beda because by the diuine disposition it is all full of veines of water euen as a mans body is full of bloud otherwise it could not stand but would be reduced into dust according to Philosophy in regard of the great drinesse thereof Or else the earth is said to be out of the waters as the matter thereof and by the waters because without water it could not be fruitfull By which that is in which parts of aire and earth the world that then was perished that is in respect of the inhabitants and the outward forme of the aire which by reason of the waters long occupying the place thereof was made grosser and the earth more muddy and the water thicker by reason of the long commixion of the earth and water together But the heauens and earth that now are that is not differing in substance from that those were before but in quality are reserued that is restored to their proper place and condition for the vse of the creatures And the aire is here still called the Heauens in the plurall number in respect of the diuers Regions and Hemispheres thereof These are to be purged by fire This they are willingly ignorant of that is Luther in 2 Pet. 3. though they cannot but know it yet they wilfully shut their eyes against it for hereby they could not but learne the power of God supporting the world which would otherwise bee ouerwhelmed with waters and the iustice of God against sinne destroying by water plainly intimating another most fearefull destruction to come at the last day seeing it is so plainly threatned as that was The Heauen and Earth that then were stood out of the water and by the water that is the Heauen out of the water because it was made of water and the earth by the water because it standeth in the waters by the Word and command of God or else it could not so doe but haue long agoe beene drowned yet neuerthelesse the world that then was perished Vers 6. and so vpon the sudden all things in Heauen and Earth shall perish by fire all being turned into a fiery flame and burnt to ashes as then all things were changed by the waters The exposition of this place is easie enough in all other things but onely for these words the Heauens were of old Mayer and the Earth set out of the waters and by the waters by the Word of God August de Ciuit Dei l. 20. c. 18.
thunders and voices lamps glassie sea and beasts thinke that hereby the seuerity and mercy of God are represented of each of which there are three signes Some by lightnings Tyconius Rupertus Rechard de Sancto Victore vnderstand miracles done by these Elders to conuert the world by thunders Sermons of Gods iudgements by voices other more milde and moderate teachings But if we looke backe to Ezech. 1.13 14. where the like vision is set forth this lightning will appeare to be the flashing out of the fire from amongst the foure beasts which are described immediatly after for they are said to run and to returne like a flash of lightning and the thunder the noise of their wings and so are the voices for vers 24. the mouing of their wings is said to make a great noise like many waters voyce of the Almighty and the voyce of speech c. So that the glory and greatnesse of God is hereby more set forth and how terrible he is that all may doe reuerence before him for thus his going forth is commonly described Exod. 19. with thunder and lightning Psal 50. A fire before him and a great tempest round about him I cannot see how these things can be referred to miracles and preachings the intention of this place being not to shew Iohn what was done vpon earth for that he saw without being taken vp but in what maiesty and terriblenesse God is in heauen reigning ouer this world that all might stand in awe of him As for the seuen lamps burning before the throne they are explained in the text to bee the seuen spirits of God of which see before Chap. 1.5 Quest 4. Vers 6. And before the throne there was a sea of glasse like vnto Crystall What is to be vnderstood by this sea Answ Some by the glassie sea vnderstand the word of God which is mentioned next vnto the holy Ghost because it is the outward meanes of sanctification Ioachim Forbs Brightman Grasser as the spirit is the inward for the word is often compared vnto water and is said to be glassie because still and vntroubled and cleare as crystall because it sheweth clearely those things which pertaine to saluation and now more especially vnder the Gospell whereas before the Sea in the Temple made by Salomon was brazen that is thicke and not so transparent Some vnderstand this world Bullinger Pareus Rupertus Tyconius Beda Pannonius Glossa ord c. which is as a glassie sea for fragility and is transparent as glasse in the eyes of the Lord. Some vnderstand the Sacrament of Baptisme wherewith wee are washed that wee may enter into heauen as the Priests washed themselues in the brazen sea that they might proceed to their office in the Temple and it is said to be glassie and cleare as crystall because they which are rightly baptized are enlightened in spirituall things they being now made cleare and euident vnto them Heb. 6. Wherefore the Apostle speaking of the baptized calleth them such as haue been once enlightned the Greek Fathers call Baptisme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Clem. Alex. lib. 1. paedag c. 6. Greg. Nazian Chrys c. For mine own part I am not satisfied in any of these expositions for why should the word of God or baptisme be represented in heauen where there is no further vse of either And for this fraile world it is so full of tempests stormes and darke clouds as that a cleare still crystalline sea can no way agree vnto it Moreouer this same sea being againe mentioned Chap. 15. the Saints in heauen triumphing for their victory are said to stand vpon it being mingled with fire If therfore amongst so many so learned I might put in my poore coniecture I thinke that it is here alluded to the brazen sea in the Temple of Solomon 1 King 7.23 Exod. 30.18 for as that was one part of the furniture of Gods house wherein water for the Priests to wash withall was so in the highest Temple of God which is heauen there is a sea of pure water as cleare as crystall glasse to set forth how pure and cleane all things are which be there no vncleane thing can approach before the throne of God as is set forth more at large Chap. 21. where also a riuer as cleare as crystall is said to proceed from the throne of God Chap. 22.1 And that glasse is not spoken of for the fragility but for the clearenesse and transparency is plaine Chap. 21.18 where the city of God is said to be of pure gold transparent as glasse Or else consider whether by this sea of glasse bee not meant that heauen which we call Coelum Crystallinum which though it be betweene the throne of God and this world yet it hideth not but rather as a perspectiue glasse maketh all things here more manifest for this may well be called a sea seeing at the creation waters were placed there as well as below so that as ours is the earthly sea so that is the Lords heauenly Quest 5. And in the midst of the throne and round about Vers 6. foure animals full of eyes before and behinde c. What are these animals translated beasts and how are they both in the midst of the throne and round about it Answ They which by the sea vnderstand the word of God expound these animals of the ministers of the word in the foure parts of the world who are full of eyes Brightman Chitreus to shew their vigilancy and haue six wings to shew their readinesse and are like vnto a lion calfe man and eagle because with the lion they are couragious with the bullocke patient of labour and with man intelligent and with the eagle soaring aloft in heauenly meditations and contemning this world Now one is said to be like a Lion another like a calfe c. not because some haue one of these vertues onely but hauing all these as is necessary they excell more in one kinde than in another and so are figured out accordingly or else more particularly the holy Ghost would hereby expresse the diuers vertues of the holy ministery in diuers ages In the first age they were bold as Lions in preaching the Gospell in the second age they were slaughtered like oxen in the third as a wise man they discerned the beast and the number of his name in the fourth they mount higher and see more into heauenly mysteries and become more heauenly These meditations are very plausible but seeing the foure and twenty Elders doe rather set forth the principall ministers of God in all ages I cannot see how these beasts being distinct things from them and rather leaders in spirituall hymnes to the praise of God should be the rest of the whole company of ministers who are all doubtlesse as the rest of the faithfull in their place inuested with white robes and wearing crownes vpon their heads and not in any different forme Iren.
Many vnderstand the participle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 set out as equally belonging to the Heauen and the Earth and so expound out of the waters and by the waters of them both as you may see in the exposition of Oecumenius Erasin Beda and Luther and Erasmus alleageth Beda reading it thus The Heauens were constituted of old out of the water and by the water But Thomas Aquinas referreth these words Out of the water and by the water onely to the earth Beza and Beza making the distinction at these words The Heauens were of old and then adding and the Earth consisting out of the waters c. affirming that in the most ancient Copies consenting in one it is thus and our new Translation That by the Word of God the Heauens-were of old and then after a point of distinction and the Earth standing out of the waters Piscator c. Beza and Piscator for by the waters reade in the waters Gagneus as also 1 Pet. 3.20 Gagneus a iudicious though a Popish writer although he be altogether against that reading of Erasmus as being contrary to all Greeke Copies yet he saith That the Greekes generally vnderstood the matter out of which the Heauens were made to be here intimated and hee saith that he verily thinketh nothing else to be meant heare but that the Heauens and the Earth were made of water for saith he if his drift touching the Heauens should be onely to teach that they were of old Caietan who knoweth not that Caietan saith That the Heauens and the Earth are said to be out of the water because these creatures which are of the aire and they which liue vpon the earth also haue their beginning from water but this is forced I subscribe to Beza for the reading as indeed none can deny it but with Gagneus and the Greeks I hold that as the earth was set out of the waters and consisteth by the waters because at the first no earth appeared but all was couered with water but the waters being commanded to gather together the earth appeared and it is by the waters as it were cemented and conglutinated as Oecumenius speaketh which is in short here expressed so because in the History of Genesis to which this place hath reference the making of the Heauens is so set forth as that we may easily gather how they are out of the water and by the water I cannot hold this to be also intimated here For the Firmament betweene the waters and the waters is called Heauen this was out of the waters because before the diuision betwixt the waters aboue and the waters beneath it appeared not but after it came out betwixt them both it is by the waters because in the midst of them by being as much as in So that when he saith The heauens were of old it is to be vnderstood constituted out of the teaters by or in the waters quod enim subint elligitur non deest Whereas it is obiected by some that though by the Heauen the Aire bee vnderstood yet by Heauens in the plurall number it is neuer so taken I answer that it may well be set forth in the plurall number in respect of the diuers Regions neither is there any word in the Hebrew signifying Heauen but in the plurall number Touching the drift of the Apostle here thus mentioning the first originall of the Heauens and the Earth it is very aptly and pertinently done for as by the power of God and according to his Word the Heauens and the Earth were made at the first and wonderfully separated from the waters being no lesse miraculously preserued in that estate so by waters all things were drowned againe and once more by the same diuine appointment shall all things be destroyed by fire for he that by his Word hath done these things already how shall it be doubted but hauing said it he will burne vp the world with fire also Touching the next words vers 6. whereby Vers 6. Beza readeth it wherefore Luther neuerthelesse Piscator followeth Beza But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth properly signifie whereby or by which things and that exposition pleaseth me best which referreth it to the Heauens and the Earth because from Heauen aboue and from the earth beneath the waters flowed and the world of creatures both terrestriall and aeriall were drowned and perished euen all that were out of the Arke For by the world cannot be meant the substance of the Earth and Aire seeing this remained still and so it shall after the next and last destruction by fire as Oecumenius hath well set it forth but reade more of this Rom. 8.19 For the words vsed are reserued for fire being treasured vp by the same word Vers 7. Tho. Aquin. Thomas Aquinas will haue them meant of the restitution of all things to their forme againe after that drowning by water till that they shall againe be destroyed by fire Th. Aquinas but others vnderstand them as wicked men are said to treasure vp vnto themselues wrath against the day of wrath Rom. 2.4 subiected vnto Gods power vntill this time of burning shall come which is the most probable Touching that fire destroying the wicked mention is made in some other places also as 2 Thes 1.7 8. Psal 50.3 Psal 96.3 but there is a question amongst Expositors whether it shall be at the time of the iudgement before or after If at the iudgement time it should seeme to bee an hinderance to the proceedings if before then the godly shall bee yet mixed together with the wicked and feele the paine of burning which is improbable and after it is not likely because the wicked are immediatly sent into hell fire Yet some of great note hold that it shall be after August Prosper Anselm as August lib. 20. de Ciuit. c. 16. Prosper in dimid temp c. 19 20. and Ansel in elucidat c. but the words imply that it shall be before reserued to the fire vnto the day of iudgement and 1 Cor. 3.11 it is set forth as the case of euery one that hee must passe thorow the fire and 2 Thes 1.7 the Lord is said to come in flaming fire so that the beginning of the iudgement is by fire hereby the wicked shall be first destroyed that is burnt and tormented but he that could cause a flame of fire to bee in the bush without burning it can and will prouide that the godly though in the midst of the fire shall feele no burning for they shall at that instant be changed becomming of naturall spirituall so that a materiall fire shall not affect them at all Then there being in all likelihood some cessation of this burning the iudgement shall succeed after which the wicked shall goe into euerlasting flames and therefore though they be said to be destroyed yet they are not so destroyed but they remaine still to endure further torment Martin
the rest of this Chapter it hath no great difficulty in it if by the innumerable multitude in white robes and palmes in their hands wee vnderstand the Saints already glorified who though compared with the rest of the world they be but a little flocke yet simply considered they are a great multitude they haue palmes in their hands in token of victory And whereas in speaking of the wicked Chap. 6 hee concludeth with their misery in respect of the wrath of the Lambe here answerably it is concluded with the felicity of the godly washed in the bloud of the Lambe and euerlastingly comforted by him the phrases of leading forth to waters and wiping away all teares being adaptated to set forth the same CHAP. VIII THE whole compasse of time from the beginning of the Gospell to the last end of the world hauing beene set forth with the most remarkable accidents in one kinde of vision Chap. 6 7. here followeth another vpon the opening of the seuenth seale which yet remained in this eighth and the ninth tenth and eleuenth Chapters Wherein after preparation to attention and a preludium of Gods gracious acceptance of the prayers of the Saints and of his terriblenesse to the wicked seuen Angels sound their trumpets to call on the hosts of Gods iudgements to waste both land and sea to infect their waters whereof they dranke and the aire wherein they breathed his hosts of hurtfull beasts comming out of the bottomlesse pit and of men brought from afarre vpon horses for their destruction the last of the seuen summoning all to iudgement and making the very dead to come forth for then the trumpet shall blow 1 Cor. 15. and the dead shall rise In the particular opening of the seuerall passages there is very great difficulty Quest 1. And when he had opened the seuenth seale Vers 1. there was silence in heauen as it were halfe an houre What is meant by this silence Answ Some that will haue these visions to set forth things done successiuely Brightman assigne the opening of this seale to Constantines time when the Church had peace and quietnesse for a short time being broken off againe by the Arrians Some referre it to the time after Antichrists destruction when they say the Church shall bee quiet fiue and forty dayes before the dry of iudgement Rupertus Beda Anfelm Richard de Sancto Victore Pannonius c. grounding vpon that of Daniel 12.11 where 1290. dayes hauing beene spoken of for the censing of the daily sacrifice hee is pronounced blessed that attaineth to 1335. Some referre it to the time of Iulians persecution which was not by fire and sword but by other subtill meanes Blas Viegas nameth thiâ— exposition yet they were debarred from all publike seruice of God and so there was silence in the Church but it was a very short time he reignâ—ng but two yeeres Others vnderstand this silence of attention Bullinger Pareus Forbs Viegas Fâ—x c. or a kinde of stupour making all silent for a time at the appearing of the seuen Angels with their trumpets the iudgements to come when they should blow being so great and strange as that the beholders were in some sort a stonied hereby and interrupted in their heauenly harmony as it is wont to be with vs when any strange thing happeneth and as it was with Iobs friends comming to visit him they sate downe in silence by him seuen dayes Lastly one addeth further Fox that the generall peace when Christ is borne is hereby signified To this of admiration and attention do I subscribe but I doe not thinke any other signification to bee in this silence The peace of the Chureh cannot be hereby meant for a time because the future troubles are not of the Church but of the wicked as is plainly expressed vnder the fift trumpet the Locusts hurt onely such as had not the marke of God in their forehead much lesse can it bee vnderstood of the quiet after Antichrist destroyed for then the day of iudgement should immediatly haue succeeded as it doth not but six trumpets first As for Iulians time it were too great a leape to come to that at the first of this vision all the time preceding being omitted Augustine Primasius Marlorat and whereas some expound it of the rest to come that being euerlasting it cannot be so taken Note that the iudgements against wicked persecutors of the Church and people of God are so stupendious that the very Saints and Angels in heauen stand amazed at them being but in figures represented vnto them Quest 2. And I saw the seuen Angels which stand before God Vers 2. Who are these Angels Answ There may seeme to be such an analogy betwixt this and that Chap. 1.4 Seuen spirits before the throne that these Angels and those spirits may seeme to be all one and that in the apocryphall book of Tobit soundeth likewise Tobit 12.15 I am Raphael one of the seuen Angels which present the prayers of the Saints c. But as I shewed there those seuen spirits are not Angels but them anifold gifts of the spirit and here by the seuen Angels wee are not to vnderstand such a number onely standing before God for thousand thousands stand before him and minister vnto him but seuen of them appointed now to this ministery and therefore they haue trumpets giuen vnto them It is contrary to plaine Scripture and derogatory from the Lord Iesus to hold that there are some Angels which haue an office as it were to receiue and present our prayers before God for Christ onely is our intercessour in heauen if the Angels and Saints doe any thing for vs it is out of their generall loue and affection to the Church a solliciting of the Lord for the good of vs all in common that aduersaries may be confounded the Gospell may enioy a free passage and the chosen of God may be gathered together till their number be made vp Quest 3. And another Angell came and stood by the Altar Vers 3. hauing a golden censer c. What Angell is this who is said so particularly to offer odours with the prayers of the Saints and what is meant by the thunders lightnings and voices following vpon his casting of fire vpon the earth from off the same Altar Answ Most Expositours agree that Christ is figured out by this Angell for he is called the Angell of the Testament Malac. 3. neither can it agree to any Angell as an high Priest thus alone to goe to the Altar and offer there for all the Saints the Altar some will haue also to be Christ as Bullinger and Pareus and Forbs Bullingers Pareus Forbs Beda Primasius Haimo some the Church of God well called an Altar because a spirituall sacrifice is herein daily offered to God as Beda Primasius Haimo c. The golden Censer some will haue to bee his humane nature wherein he offereth as both the same
after this they shall be cast into the Wine-presse of Gods wrath there to be crushed and squeesed in infinite multitudes an infinite long time set forth by the bloud running out in so great abundance arguing both many grapes and a long time of pressing There is no ground by the reaping of the haruest to vnderstand the gathering in of the godly as some would haue it taken for Tares are amongst the Corne and this similitude howsoeuer it doth sometime set forth the putting of an end to this temporall life in all men yet sometime with a particular respect vnto the wicked only as here and Ioel 3.13 and then it is only to be so farre forth applied as it setteth forth a cutting off or destroying from off the face of the earth and if wee shall goe a little further in applying it it must be in that which is vnderstood but in other places further added viz. in respect of that part of the haruest which is to be burnt with fire the tares and the chaffe which it may be is also intimated here by the Angell which is said to be ouer the fire whose office haply it was when the other Angell had destroyed the world temporally to cast the bundles of tares into vnquenchable fire and the grapes which were sharpe and sowre into the Wine-presse of Gods wrath for euermore And this Angell commeth from the Altar fitly because fire is vsually taken from thence for the destruction of the wicked as Chap. 8.5 from whence haply he may be thus described as afterwards hee that powreth out his Viall vpon the waters is said immediatly to be the Angell of the waters Chap. 16.5 so this the Angell of the fire or that had power ouer the fire If any man shall further demand but why doth not Christ appeare the second time like the Sonne of man but an Angell is said to appeare if both apparitions serue to expresse the same thing I answer that in the destruction of the world at the last day two things are to be considered the Iudge by whose power and authority it shall be acted and the instruments which shall be imployed herein the first is the Sonne of man the second the Angels spoken of as one here to shew their going about this ministery as one and according to this twofold consideration there are two diuers appearances of the Sonne of man sitting and crowned and of an Angell neither sitting nor crowned whereby wee are to vnderstand the Lord and Master of this great Haruest and Vintage is Christ Iesus hee onely giueth power to cut downe and a fruit of his iust wrath is the wickeds suffering of endlesse torments but hee doth instrumentally act both the one iudgement and the other by his holy Angels the sentence giuing is omitted here the iust manner of the whole proceeding at that day being sufficiently declared elsewhere He shall come in a Cloud hauing a sharpe sickle in his hand that is being ready to condemne the wicked world and to cut them off with the breath of his mouth as with a sharpe sickle then the Angels with all readinesse as his Ministers shall destroy the world and after sentence by him giuen leauing the godly who are inuited into the Kingdome of Heauen they shall cast the wicked into their place of torment in innumerable multitudes And thus I thinke that all hitherto is made most plaine There remaineth only the space of ground without the City where the Wine-presse is trodden being 1600. furlongs to be considered touching which I finde that most Exposiâ—ors content themselues with this generall that here is set forth the great abundance of those that shall be destroyed so that if men on horsebacke would looke out to it their bloud couereth the ground such a distance and so deepe as that it commeth vp to the horse bridles it being alluded vnto Esa 66.24 where somewhat a like phrase is vsed But one besides Brightman before spoken of Napier who applieth it to England expoundeth it particularly of the time when this great iudgement shall be viz. ann 1600. from the time of this vision that is about ann 1699. But here is nothing to intimate any time but the greatnesse of the place where this Wine-presse standeth Rabbi Menahen Rabbi Menahen vpon Gen. fol. 60. saith that the land of Canaan was 1600. furlongs in length now for so much as all things are carried here on in an Allegory to the Temple the Altar and the holy City which were of the Iewes I doubt not but in this space without the City it is also alluded vnto that Country such an innumerable multitude are destroyed as if such a slaughter of men were made as would ouerflow in this depth all the whole land of Canaan The valley of Iehoshaphat hath beene of old set forth to be the place of iudgement and Tophet Ioel 3. Esa 30. which is in that Country to be wide and large where there is wood enough and the breath of the Lord as a riuer of brimstone kindling it It is without the City of the Saints which is much greater euen 12000. furlongs square Chap. 21.16 not for that the number with shall be tormented together is lesse than the number of those that shall be saued but because to be streightened is an addition to paine to be inlarged an addition to ioy and comfort Touching the Angell of the fire I doe not thinke with some that either here or Chap. 16. where the Angell of the waters is spoken of it can be iustly gathered that diuers things are assigned to diuers Angels to rule ouer for they together are ministring Spirits to execute the will of God sometime in one kinde and sometime in another and because this Angell before Chap. 8.5 is said to take a Censer full of fiery coales from the Altar he may now be brought in by this Periphrasis tacitly implying what shall become of the haruest of the wicked before said to be reaped and hee that afterwards is called the Angell of the waters is plainly so called because he powred out his Viall vpon the waters Note Note that when the godly who haue suffered and beene toiled in this world shall rest most sweetly from all trauell and labour the wicked followers of the beast of Rome and all wicked persons come to burning and pressing with intolerable pangs neither can there be any auoiding of it because the Lord Iesus and his holy Angels from whom none can lie hid and not men who may be deceiued shall be actors in adiudging and compelling them into the Wine-presse CHAP. XV. ANd I saw another great wonder in Heauen Quest 1 Vers 1 2 c. seuen Angels hauing the seuen last plagues c. Vers 2. And I saw as it were a glassie sea mingled with fire c. To what time is this to be referred what is this glassie Sea whereupon the Harpers stand and what is the song of Moses which they