Notes, Reasons, and amplifications.

^a As God hitherto neuer left his Church destitute of doctrine, to instruct them, and of prophecies to forewarne them: So here hath his Majestie prouided, al the former bookes hitherto of the new Testament, to containe the Christian doctrine: and this book of Reuelation, to containe the whole Christian Prophecie to the worlds end. Apocalyps then is a Reuelation, and therefore, is this book so intituled; for, that by the will & ordinance of God, Christ hath reueiled the same, word by word, as it is written in the text, to his Disciple Iohn, and now doth daylie by his holy Spirit, reueile more and more the meaning thereof, to vs in this our age, for the which it hath bene chieflie instituted.

^b Here is this booke described to proceed from God, and come to the seuen Churches by foure degrees: Firste, God giueth the same to Christ: Secondlie, Christ sendeth his Angell, or Angelles bearing commission: Thirdlie, the Angel instructeth Iohn: Fourth­lie, Iohn wrireth the same to the seuen Churches. Not meaning hereby, that the Angelles onelie are appearers to Iohn: but some­time the Father, as chap. 4. sometime the Sonne, as in this chap­ter: sometime the holie Spirit, as chap. 14. 15. and other places: at which times, for confirmation of the smaller visions; the Trinitie in these great visions, sheweth his vnspeakable glorie, but in other smaller visions, concerning thinges to come, the Angels (as sayeth this text) are made reporters, shewers, and expositers, as chap. 17. 1. 7. and diuers other partes, as plainlie appeareth chap. 22. 8. 16. For, he saieth not here, the Angels are sent to shewe all the vi­sions, or visions of Gods glorie, for it was the Trinitie it selfe that shewed it selfe, and appeared in his owne visions, and not the An­gels, as hereafter [note ^l] shall be shewed: But he speaks here, of propheticall visions, which Christ saieth here, hee sent his Angels to shewe.

^c Some haue vnaduisedly impugned the authoritie of this book, by diuers friuolous conjectures: and among the rest, because Iohn hath so often herein named his name, thinking it not agreeable to the Apostolique grauitie, to caste vp so oft his owne name: and therefore, esteeme they rather this booke to bee sette out in his name by others than by himselfe, for that hee doeth not the [Page 76] like in his Euangell. But contrary to their opinion, in all the scrip­tures, the writers of doctrin, do not so often expresse their names, as the writers of prophecie doe: for the doctrine receiues the au­thoritie of the owne present veritie, and of the Spirite of God, but the Prophecy receiues the authority by the author, who is known to be a Prophet, wheras otherwise, the booke could not be known to be true before the perfourming thereof. Consider hereupon, Daniels prophecie, where ye shall finde his name more than three­score times repeated: yea, in the first person, ye shal find [I Daniel] repeated about nine times, in the 7.8.9. and 10. chapters: wheras Iohn repeateth his name but fiue times in all this booke. Hereby then no man can gather, but that this booke was written by that selfe same Iohn, who was both Christes beloued Disciple, and an Euangelist. And therefore, stileth hee himselfe here the seruant of Christ, who hath borne witnesse of Christ Iesus, of these thinges which he saw, as being one of the foure Euangelists that wrote the historie of Christ, which with his eies he sawe.

^d There is but one holie Spirite, whose chiefe functions & gra­ces are deuided into seuen: wherof read the note[^e] of the fourth chapter. For the better comfort therefore of the seuen Churches, to supplie their beleefe and weake faith, hee letteth them vnder­stand, that there is such a compleat perfection in Gods Spirit, that it hath as manie functions and graces to conserue them with, as are agreeable to their number of seuen.

^e For two causes is Christ called the first born of all that died: First, because in the Leuitical Law, the first borne, and first fruites, or primices, were consecrated and offered vp vnto the Lorde, and because of al men that euer took life and died, onlie Christ is that first fruite, that is offred vp an acceptable Sacrifice to God the Fa­ther, as Paule testifieth, 1. Cor. 15.20. Therfore, he is called the first borne, euen in his humanitie figuratiuelie, although reallie manie others were borne neere foure thousand yeares before him. Se­condlie, in consideration of his Deitie, euen of that worde, that is God, and long after took flesh: euen in consideration (I say) of the aeternitie thereof, because it was before all beginning: Therfore, is Christ (who is that word) called the first borne among the dead, Col. 1.15.17.18. Althogh not the worde or Deitie that took flesh, but the flesh it self died: and so in this sense, the being first begot­ten [Page 77] is imputed to Christs Deitie, and aeternall word; and to die, is imputed to his fleshlie humanitie; and so to Christ, as hee is fullie both God and man, both these properties of being the first born, and of dying, are justlie appropriate, according to the diuers re­spects aforesaid.

^f Euen in the clouds he ascended from hence into heauen, Act. 1.9.10.11. and that way shall he returne to judgment: read here­upon cap. 14. note ^m thereof.

^g Of the greeke A, B, C, (in which language this book was writ­ten) Alpha is the first letter, and Omega is the last: & so God stiling himselfe the first letter & the last of that A, B, C, hee both thereby meaneth, as also incontinentlie subjoyneth the meaning thereof, saying, I am the beginning and the ending.

^h Pathmos is one of the yles, that are called Sporades or Cyclades, lying in Mare Aegeo, by East the coast of Asia minor: Herein hid S. Iohn himself from the great tyrannie and persecution of Domitian, where he abode vntil Domitian died, and that yeare Anno Christi, 97. or 99. hee wrote this booke in that yle: as appeareth by Irenae­us and Eusebius.

ⁱ The day of rest and godlie exercises, while Christe his death was celebrated vpon the Saterday, which of olde was the Iewish Sabboth day, but in memorie of Christs resurrection, and victorie ouer death, the Apostolique Church transported the exercises of that day to the Sunday, which was the day of the week, that Christ arose vpon, & therfore is called the Lords day: the which day, the people (appearingly conuening to serue God) are desired by Paul 1. Cor. 16.2. to giue contributions to the poore, and there he cal­leth it the first day of the week: And so indeed, where the Saterday is the seuenth and last day of the week, the Sunday falles to be the first, and is vsed for our Christian Sabboth and day of the Lord.

^k That these seven Candlestickes doe meane these seuen Chur­ches of litle Asia, is plaine by the end of this same chapter. Fur­ther, how the olde Leuiticall Candlestick was also a figure hereof, is to be said in the fourth chapter, note ^ethereof.

^l Because the text calleth this midmost not the Son of man, but like vnto the Son of man: Therfore, some may think this not to be Christ, but an Angell bearing the type and figure of Christ, whom Christ had deputed vers. 1. to signifie and represent these thinges [Page 76] [...] [Page 77] [...] [Page 78] to Iohn, and so this Angell, not to be the Sonn of man, but like vn­to the Sonne of man: But (after mine opinion) God, who in his se­cond commandement, wil haue vs to represent him by no forme, wil also represent himselfe to vs by none other, but by himselfe, lest we otherwaies being abused, shuld giue the honour of God to Angels. And certain it is, that neither will God be the author, nor good Angels the instruments, so to illude mankind: And for con­firmation then, that this midmost is Christ, and no Angell, nor o­ther bearing the type of Christ: it is euident, that hereafter he cal­leth himself by the stiles of Christ, the first and the last, who liueth & vvas dead: and finallie (cap, 2.18) he calleth himselfe the Sonne of God: And these titles (I am sure) none in heauen will accept nor vsurpe, except Christ onelie, to whome they appertaine. But then may you demaund, why doeth not Christ call himselfe reallie the Sonne of man, but like vnto the Sonne of man? The answere here­of, making much against Transubstantiation, is therfore to be de­duced at lēgth. I say then, that so long as Christ was in this world, appearing corporallie to man, he stiled himself the Son of man, as hauing his flesh & humane body conuersant with vs: but contra­rily, both before his incarnation, as also since his ascension, when euer in all the Scriptures he did visibly appear to his Saints, his vi­sible shape & appearance, is not called the Son of man, but the lik­nes of the Son of man, quasi Filius hominis, or similis filio hominis, as in Dan. 7.13. & Dan. 10. Reu. 14.14. and in this place, or wheresoeuer els: and yet by the whole properties of these self same textes, that same that appeared in vision, is knowne to be Christ, as this same, who here is called the likenes of the Son of man, or like vnto the Son of man, is hereafter in expresse terms, called the Son of God: neither maketh this anie repugnance or cōtradiction, to the essen­tial nature of Christ, who is really both the Son of God, & the Son of man, being spokē of Christ, either before his incarnatiō, or since his ascēsion: for first, becaus his humanity could not be really seen of Daniel, before it was conceiued of the Virgin; therefore, Daniel saw Christs Godhead, euen that Word that is God, saw he transfi­gured (for his capacity) into the likenes of a man, or likenes of the Son of man, but not in a man, nor in the Son of man, till he tooke flesh of the Virgin. The like transfiguration is oft read to be also of Angels in the likenesse of men, but not in men. Also, secondlie, [Page 79] since Christ his ascension into heauen, his humanitie hauing resi­dence only ther, his Deitie being both there, & also euery where: that Deitie (I say) euen after Christs ascension, as before his incar­nation, is said here to appeare, not in his humanitie, as the Son of man, but in the likenes of the Son of man, for that his humanitie, whereby he is the Sonne of man, is not here, but in heauen, and his Godhead which is here, taketh not the flesh of the Sonne of man, but the visible likenesse of the flesh of man, by such a notable difference, either in the vision, or in the Spirit of the Prophet, that he knew it to be Christ in his Deitie, and not in his humanitie, but bearing the figure and likenes of his humanitie. Some vnaduised­lie will thinke this, to meane a separation of Christes Deitie from his humanitie: But contrarilie, we say, that Christ his Deitie, con­junct in heauen with his humanitie, doth both make his chiefe re­sidence with the same, and doeth also flowe therefrom ouer all the whole world infinitlie; as in comparison, the light beams and spirituall vertues of the Sun, are conjunct in heauen with the cor­porall and visible bodie of the Sun, wherein they haue their chiefe residence, & doe also flow from thence vnto euerie place: Also, the spiritual vertue & sight is in the body of the eie, as his chiefe seat, and doth likewise flow from thence toward all things visible: Can any man say, that the beame subsisteth it self alone, and is separate from the Sun, or that the sight subsists it selfe alone, and is separat from the eie, seeing the bodie of the Sunne is the verie locall seat of light, & the eie of the sight? No more mak we Christs Deity alone to be separate from his humanitie: the more that the Deitie is vniuersall and euerie where, and the humanitie locallie in hea­uen; for, the Deity (being euery where) is also in heauē with the hu­manitie, though it likewise from thence extendeth it selfe, & flow­eth ouer euery place. So that, for conclusiō, the Diuinitie of Christ, that here appeared to S. Iohn, brought not down his humanity frō heauen, for then hee had called that humanity that appeared, the Son of man, as (cap. 2.18) he calleth his Diuinitie the Son of God: but that Diuinitie took onlie, in presence of the Prophete, and for his instruction, a shape like a man, which therefore, he calleth not the Son of mā, but the likenes of the Son of man. Hereof thē fol­loweth, that seing christ cōmeth no otherwise into the world since his ascensiō, thā he cam before his incarnatiō, that is to say, by his [Page 78] [...] [Page 79] [...] [Page 80] Deitie, & that his Deitie sheweth not his humanity, here on earth to his Saints, but onlie the likenes thereof (as saith the text) and so brings not down his real & naturall bodie from heauen while the latter day; therefore, his real bodie can neuer be in the Hoste, nor transubstantiate therein. Further hereof, reade note ^s following, and note ^d of the second chapter.

^m Long garments or gowns were of old, & to this day ar worne of Doctors and Senators, to represent grauitie and wisedome, as may be seene, that euen in those daies the Scribes, Pharisies, and Doctors of the Law did vse, or rather abuse them: and therefore, are reproched of Christ, Mar. 12.38. But here by the right vse and wearing thereof, Christ doeth typicallie represent, his wisedome and perfect grauitie.

ⁿ Girding is a signe of readinesse: read Luke. 12.35. and Luke. 17.8. speciallie, readines in execution of justice, Esa. 11.5. Iustitia cingulum lumborum eius: Iustice shal be the girdle of his loynes, conjoined with power and strength, as Psal. 17.33.40. The girdle therfore, that representeth these excellent properties, is said to be of golde; that is to say, precious, and honorable, as likewise is to be saide, Reuel. 15.6. note ^e.

^o White haires importe also grauitie, wisedome, and age, wor­thie and due of all reuerence, as saieth the Poet,

And seeing these properties of grauitie, wisedome, and honour, as also of antiquitie, belong to Christ, he therefore, for our capacitie, is described with white haires.

^p Waters here may either bee literallie taken, or prophetical­lie, as Reuelat. 17.15. for people: alwaies meaning here the voice of God to be loude, open and publique.

^q These seuen starres are in the end of the chapter, interpreted to be seuen Angels or messengers, which are the Ministers of the seuen Churches.

^r As the tongue and euill speaking of the wicked, is called the sword of their mouth, Iob. 5.15. Psal. 56.5. & Psal. 58.8. and Prou. 5.4. whereby the Godlie are trapped, deceiued, and oftentimes destroyed: So also à contrariis, this two edged sworde of Christ, in his teachers mouthes, is the doctrine of trueth and true discipline [Page 81] whereby the wicked are confounded, and the godlie are conque­red, and brought in into Christs kingdome, Apoc. 19.15. And for further confirmation, that this two edged sworde is the true do­ctrine of God, read Paule to the Hebrewes, 4.12. saying, The vvord of God is liuelie & mightie in operation, & sharper than any two edgd sword and Psal. 148.6. And a two edged sword in the hands of the Saints.

^s This vision is agreeable in this, and almost in all points with the vision of the man that was seene by Daniel, cap. 10.5. & ther­fore, as this is Christ, so is also he whome there Daniel sawe: but where he calles him a man, according to the shape he did beare, he againe incontinently interpreteth him, neither to bee a man, neither the Sonne of man, but like to the similitude of the Sonne of man. ver. 16. and like to the vision or figure of a man. ver. 18. & this example of Daniel, confirmes our former note ^l, where wee prooued Christ, neither before his incarnation, nor after his ascension, to appeare in his humanitie to his Saints, but euer in his Dei­tie vnder a figure, like to his humanitie: his humane bodie since his ascension, abiding in heauen vntil the latter day: read herupon ^l aboue written, and the note ^d chap. 2. following.

^t Here may some, contrarie to the foresaide notes ^l and ^s, in­duce a sophisme, saying, hee who was dead, and reuiued aeternally appeared to Iohn: But Christ in his humanitie died, and reuiued a­gaine aeternallie: Therefore, Christ in his humanitie appeared vnto Iohn. For opening the deceit of this caption: the subiect of the as­sumption is Christ alone, his attributum is to die in his humanity, and to reuiue againe eternallie, and therefore neither this hu­manitie, nor any part of this attributum ought to be repeated in the conclusion, but onlie the subiectum Christ, with the attributum, propositions after this forme: He was dead and liueth aeter­nallie appeared vnto Iohn: But Christ died in his humanitie, and reuiued againe aeternallie: Therefore, Christ appeared vnto Iohn. And to the effect that the vulgar capacities may vnderstand these fraudes: This is (as one would say, in a familiar example) He who caried this booke to you, wrote the same: But on horseback I ca­ried this book to you: Therfore, on horsback I wrote this book: Wheras the right argument shuld be this waies disposed: He who caried this book to you wrote the same: But I caried this book to you on horseback; or rather only simply: But I caried this book to [Page 82] you: therefore, I wrote this book. Praying therfore, the simple to beware of these and the like sophismes, I thought good in this due place, to yeeld this one by way of example.

^u Hereby, & by the writing of the book within & without, men­tioned cap. 5.1. appeares plainlie, that not only there are prophe­cies of things to come, written in this Reuelation, but also histories of such things past, as may be a briefe introduction to the prophecie, as ye shal find (chap. 6.) of the seven seales, which were al per­fourmed, before they were written.

^x Seing in the greek, al messengers of God ar termed by Angels, therfore, must these Angels of the seuen Churches without al que­stion, mean these ministers or messengers, that God hath sent to teach them, as is prooued immediately by the next chap. where S. Iohn is commanded to write to the Angel of the Church of Ephe­sus, of Smyrna, &c. This necessarilie, is to the ministers of the Chur­ches, and not to the Angels that S. Iohn should write.

Notes, Reasons, and Amplifications.

^a Such is the mercie of God, that these good workes that wee acknowledge to be done by his holy Spirit, working in vs, hee im­putes them to be our workes. But contrarilie, let the presumptu­ous man assure himself, that if he esteeme these good works to be of himselfe, God in his judgment shall let him find, to his confusi­on, that only God is good (Mar. 10.18) and that no goodnes is in man. ibid. And that all flesh is subdewed to sin (Rom. 3.9.10) Woe therfore, to him who otherwise presumptuouslie judgeth.

^b Hereby learne, that a great number of good workes, are not sufficient, but God requireth at our hande, that wee preasse by all means possible, to attaine to a perfection in euerie good worke, as Christ testifieth, (Matth. 5.48.) saying, Be ye also perfect, as your Fa­ther in heauen is perfect.

^c The Nicolaitans were hereticks, affirming wiues, and al things to be common. Hereof read more amplie the note ^m following.

^d This Spirite that speaketh to Iohn, and to the Churches, is neither an Angel, neither the person of the holie Spirit, but Christ himselfe: for, this same Spirite that speaketh, calleth himselfe im­mediatelie the First and the Last, and he who died, & liued again, (ver. 8) and the Sonne of God (ver. 18.) Where note, that he ther­fore, being Christ, calleth here himselfe a Spirit, because he appea­red not to Iohn in his humanitie, but spirituallie in his Deitie, vn­der a shape, like to the Sonne of man (as saith the text, cap. 1.13) and not in his perfect shape of the Sonne of man: Of this read the notes ^l and ^s of the first chapter.

[Page 88] ^e Paradise literallie in the Scripture, is that part in the earth, wherein Adam was first placed: But there is a spiritual taking of Paradise, called the Paradise of God, taken for that joy in hea­uen, which the elect soules, and glorified bodies doe possesse: Read therupon Luk. 23.43. and 2. Cor. 12.4.

^f Christ, in the text of the former note^d, calling himselfe a Spi­rite, because he appeared not to Iohn, by his humanitie (as there is said) yet doeth Christ here speake of his humanitie, howe it died, and rose againe, although his Deitie vnder an humane shape, and not his humanitie it selfe, did then appeare to Iohn.

^g How gladlie worldlie pouertie is to bee imbraced for riches in heauen, Christ teacheth, Mat. 19.21. and Mat. 6.19.20.21.

^h How among the Prophets, daies do meane yeares, is prooved by our first proposition, and so these ten daies are ten yeares, euen the last ten yeares of Traianus raigne, wherein was great persecu­tion, beginning that yeare, that Ignatius, teacher of Antiochia, and this S. Iohn his Disciple was martyred, Anno Christi, 109. & conti­nuing vnto the yeare of Christ 119. that Adrian the Emperor be­gan his raigne.

ⁱ How this Spirite that speakes, is simply no Spirite, but Christ, who is both flesh and Spirite, consider the notes ^f & ^d aboue writ­ten, and ^l and ^s chap. 1.

^k Here, and Apoc. 20.6.14. and Apoc. 21.8. mention is made of the second death, meaning two deathes, to bee euen the death of the bodie, which oftētimes in the Scriptures is called a sleep: & the death of the soul, which is eternal dānation. This same destin­ction vpon the cōtrary part ye shal find in the scripture of the soul, or life, taking it in the first signification for the soul & life that li­ueth here: & in the second signification, for the soul & life, that li­ueth eternallie, as Mat. 10.38. & 16.25. Also two resurrectiōs you shal find mentioned in the Scriptures, the one in this world from sinnes and errours, the other at the latter day, when the flesh shall rise againe. Apoc. 20. Consider therefore, these three distinctions of death, life, and resurrection, when in the Scripture they occur.

^l Antipas (saith Aretas) was the pastour: & minister of this same Church of Pergamus, by whose example of martyrdome, Christe here exhorteth the rest of that Church to constancie.

^m By, and besides the common Ecclesiasticall histories, which [Page 89] do describe the heresie of the Nicolaitans, to be, in that they esteem wiues and all thinges common: Here S, Iohn doth also set out their confused opinion and double whoordome, by example and com­parison to the wicked Prophet Balaam, who deuised a way to entise the children of Israel to perish by offending God, both in corporal and spirituall whoordom. Num. 25.1. and Num. 31.16. So then doubtles, the Nicolaitans hath bene a sect, that vsed their wiues and women as common, and spared not to eat the offerings made to idoles, expreslie against Paule, 1. Cor. 7.8. and 10.

ⁿ That this hid Manna is Christ Iesus, who is our spiritual food, all Christians must confesse. So then, the bread and the wine in the Sacrament, being publique and visible signes, patent to our eies, cannot bee that invisible & hid Manna, which is Christ: & so con­sequentlie, by transubstantiation, the bread and wine doe not be­come Christs bodie and blood: but contrarilie, that visible Manna and corporal food of bread & wine, that is taken with our hands, and incorporate in our bodies, and nourisheth our bodies in this transitorie life, betokeneth onelie, and representeth in the Sacra­ment, that the glorified and inuisible Manna Christ Iesus, who is ascended and hid in heauen, apprehended of vs by faith, and ad­joyned to vs spirituallie, doeth nourish our soules to eternall life. And so, for conclusion, that patent Manna, is not this hid Manna by transubstantiation, as the Papists do judge: but contrarilie, the visible Manna doth represent the invisible, and assureth vs of the full fruit and fruition thereof.

^o Aretas reporteth, that the ancients were accustomed to giue a certain white stone to him, that did get the victory in their plaies and games: and therefore, justlie here may be taken for a signe of victory, that Christ doth giue vs ouer our temptations. Moreouer, among the ancients, they that cleansed or absolued an accused person, did cast in a white stone: and they that filed or convicted him, did cast in a blacke stone, as Ovid testifieth, lib. 15. Metamorph. in these words:

So, in that sense, this white stone may well be taken for the absolu­tion [Page 90] of our sins, which Christ giueth to al that victoriously perse­vere in his faith. In the third sense, himselfe is called the corner stone, Mat. 21.42. And therefore, saith the text, There is written thereon a new name, or rather (as cap. 3.12) my newe name: euen that corner stone representeth Christ Iesus. For as Iehova is the old name of the Father and Creator, in the old testament, so is Christ Iesus the newe name of our redeemer in the newe Testament, Where note in Prophecies, that it is no absurditie to take a pro­pheticall figure in diuers agreeable senses, as Apoc. 17.9. the se­uen heads are both taken for seuen hils, and for seuen kings and gouernments: read that text it selfe.

^p Whether by the former note, this white stone meaneth Christ himselfe, or that victorie and absolution, that proceedeth from him: sure it is, that by Christ onlie obtaine we Christ, and all his benefites: and the name of Christ and Christians receiue wee thereby, dwelling so inseparablie in him, and he in vs, that none doe perfectlie taste how joyful a thing it is to receiue him, and bee participant of his saluation, except those that receiue the same. This name (Apoc. 19.12) none is said to knowe but himselfe: mea­ning none to knowe Christ, but the whole bodie of Christe, who dwell in him, and he in them: for Christ and his members are cal­led Christ, 1. Cor. 12.12.

^q How this Sonne of God, who also suffered fleshlie death, vers. 8. is in the verses 7.11.17. and 29. called a Spirit, without any re­pugnance: read thereupon the notes ^d & ^f aboue written.

^r By this text and the conference hereof with the former 14. and 15. verses, it is euident, that this Iezabel was a false Nicolaitan Prophetesse, teaching the verie doctrin of Balaam and Nicolaus.

^s As the bed is the execution place of whoordom, so metapho­ricallie, to lay this false Prophetesse in her bed, is no other thing than to set her gloriouslie at her altar and sacrifices, among her i­dols, where is meaned, that if anie there, following her idolatries, doe commit spiritual whoordom, and eat of her idolothytes, they shall perish with her for euer: Where note, that in the Scripture whoordome is oft taken in a spirituall meaning for idolatrie: as Deut. 31.16. Iudg. 2.17. and infinit other places.

^t As the children of the true Church are those, who haue bene fostered vpon the word of life, and shall euer retaine the same, so [Page 91] they that without recouerie, are poysoned with hereticall do­ctrine, are here called the children of these heretikes that haue teached them.

^u Here doth our Sauiour expreslie note how sweete a yoak his yoak is, as Matth. 11.30. and how to adde vnto the pure & naked word of God, is so burthenous, that he himselfe will adde no far­ther traditions therunto, til his latter comming. Seeing Christ thē wil adde no more than his simple word, by what authoritie doeth men, vnder pretext of Catholikes & Christians, adde to the Chri­stian religion infinite traditions and ceremonies of mens inuenti­tions, against the which Christ speaketh both here, and in Mark. 7. and Luk. 11. and in other places.

^x Though to governe all Nations vvith a Scepter of yron &c. bee a propertie onlie assigned to Christ in all the Scriptures, yet in his mercie, he so is in vs, & we in him, that therby we are made heires and partakers with him in his kingdom & glory; & so consequētly also in this preheminence ouer the wicked nations. Of this vnion & communion promised to vs, read Ioh. 14.20. & Ioh. 17, 21. and Mat. 19.28. and 25.34. Rom. 8.17. & 1. Cor. 6.3. Apoc. 3.21. And therefore, in this text, to the same sentence immediatly ar subjoy­ned these words, Euen as I receiued of my father: meaning, that hee giues vs power to raign ouer the wicked, as he hath receiued that power of his father, &c. And so I allow not this lection: Euen as I receiued of my Father, so wil I giue him the morning starre.

Notes, Reasons, and Amplifications.

^a Hereby is to be noted, in what estate & danger of death stand all hypocrites, and these that in name onlie are called Christians, whereas God contrarilie, craueth of vs, that so far as we may, wee euer aspire to perfection in effect, and not in name.

^b Of this metaphore and comparison of Christ his suddaine comming, and the comming of a theefe, read his own words Mat. 24.43. Luk. 12.39. & 1 Thes. 5.2. & 2 Pet. 3.10. and Apoc. 16.15. thereby exhorting vs to continuall watching and attentiuenes.

[Page 96] ^c This is a comfortable spur to mooue vs publiklie, boldlie & with constancie to the death, to professe and confesse the name of so worthie a Lorde: seeing hee before God and his Angels doth not spare by name to confesse vs, although we be most vnworthie creatures. Where, note the vnseparable communion betwixte Christ and vs, he doth here confesse our name: and vers. 12. hee writes on vs his name: read ^k following.

^d Hereby plainlie doeth it appeare, that the Prophecie of Esay 22.20. of Eliakim, hath both a literall and spirituall meaning: A li­terall, whereby it is prophecied, that Eliakim the sonne of Hilkia, should beare the charge ouer the house of Dauid, as was perfor­med 4. Reg. 18.18. A spirituall meaning, prophecied and mea­ned of Christe the true Eliakim, that is to say, the God of the re­surrection, or God that rose againe (ex Hierom. de interpretatione no­minum) who descended of Eliakim, Luk. 3.31. Whose father Hilkia is here in Luke, called Melcha. Els were there two severall Eliakims descended of Dauid. In this sense, Christ the true Eliakim is spiritu­allie prophecied of in Esay, & here expounded in this text, to bear the keies of the house of Dauid, &c. meaning, that hee beares the spirituall gouernement and censure of his Church, to open and close, &c. as is before said in the paraphrase.

^e This litle strength or strongnesse in a part, being appearinglie no great strength, that God had giuen them for their talent: is ne­uertheles greatly commended of God, because they haue gained therewith, and neither haue lost it, nor the profite and gaine ther­of, but haue put it to profitable vses, according to the parable, Matth. 25. And therefore, most of all the seuen Churches, this Church is alwaies commended of God, and in nothing reproved.

^f These appearinglie were some counterfeit Christians, and al­ledged Iewes, mentioned before, cap. 2.2.9. who purposed with their heresies to haue seduced these Churches from the trueth.

^g This is a reuerence to be done by them to the Church of Phi­ladelphia, and an adoration and worshipping made at their feet of Philadelphia, not to them by way of idolatrie, but to God: & ther­fore, is it subjoyned in the text, and they shal knowe that I haue loued thee: meaning, that they vnderstanding that I loue thee, shal there­fore reuerence thee, and worship me at your feete, that I may also loue them: Otherwise it were idolatrie, and not onlie would not [Page 97] be caused by God, but also would be forbidden by him, and by his Angels, as is done Reuel. 19.10. and Reuel. 22.8.9.

^h This was (appearingly) that great and vniuersall persecution, during the last ten yeares of Traianus raigne, mentioned before, Apo. 2.10. and note ^h thereof.

ⁱ No rites, ceremonies, traditions of men, nor other bur­then, but my simple word and sweet yoke, as before (cap. 2.24.25 and note ^u thereof) is said at length.

^k This is an vnremooueable mark, a perpetual title, and constāt profession, whereby euen to the death we are marked, named, and stiled by the name of God, godlie men, & by the name of his true Church, true professors: yea, & finallie, by that name that our Sa­uiour (who was before al aeternitie) had but newlie receiued, when he was called Iesus, or Sauior, & the onlie Christ: we are therefore (after his name) called Christians, and made participant of that salvation signified by that new name, Iesus, in the newe Testament of his blood.

^l Amen most commōlie is taken for confirmation of a true and certain thing, but likewise it signifieth trueth & veritie it selfe, and in that sense it is here takē, & is put as an epithet & stile of Christ, who is the fountaine of all trueth, and trueth it selfe, as he testifi­eth, Ioh. 14.6. I am the vvay, the trutth, and the life: and this stile of Amen, or truth, is set before, being purposed in the following text to shew immediatly of his faithful and true testimony and witnes­sing.

^m Hereof read Coloss. 1.15.16.17. where ye shal find, that God by Christ created al things visible & invisible, and that Christ was before all things, euen before all aeternitie, and therefore, is here called the beginning and originall of all the creatures of God.

ⁿ Of men colde in true religion, or yet, exceeding hot and fer­vent in a wrong religion before their calling, there are infinite ex­āples, that God hath made thē after their calling notable instru­mentes in his Church, & zealous professors: But how dangerous the estate of these luke warm people is, who, after their calling, ar neither hot nor colde, but knowing the truth, do notwithstanding liue in a careles mediocrity & ydle securitie, Christ testifieth, Luk. 12.37. Matth. 11.20. Also of the terrible daunger of these, read Heb. 10.26.

[Page 98] ^o Gods word, wisdome and doctrin, is compared and preferred to gold or siluer, fined in the fornace: read Prou. 8.10.11. & Psal. 12.7. So, by this gold so fined, is meant the spirituall riches and treasure of these and all other godlie benefites.

^p These white garments, are not onlie our mortified flesh, and regenerate bodies, but euen vnder the termes of garmentes Synec­dochicè expressed, is meaned that vniuersal puritie, both of bodie and soule, that we obtaine, being washed by the innocent blood of Christ Iesus, as is proued by these, who (Apoc. 7) had long white robes, who (ibid. vers. 13. and 14.) are saide to haue washed their robes, and made the same white in the blood of the Lambe Christ Iesus: and we knowe by the Christian trueth, that not particularly our robes, yea, not our flesh onelie, but vniuersallie, both in bodie and soule, we are washed in that blood, and obtaine ful remissi­on of al our sinnes

^q Nakednes of it self is no villany, as before the fal, Adam had no shame, but a sinful nakednes is indeed vile and shameful, which as God corporallie hid to Adam with garmēts of skins after his fal: (Gen. 3.21) So Christ spirituallie hid the same, by his white gar­ments of innocencie in his death & passion, whereby our offences are remitted, hid, and washed cleane away.

^r This sight and eie-salue is spiritually taken (as in Christs para­ble, Mat. 7.34.5. and many other places) for the judgment & foresight of the mind, and helps thereof, such as studie, diligence, and exercise, which leads vs the right way of saluation: and can therfore, no waies be literallie imputed to the corporall sight.

^s Here is a comparison, whereof we, vile creatures, are not wor­thie; to him bee glorie, that glorifieth the vnworthie. Then as I (saith Christ) haue obtained victory ouer al temptations, & there­fore, raigne with my Father: so shal ye also (if ye obtein victorie o­uer your temptations) raigne with me aeternallie. The cause here­of, is because wee are vnited in him, & hee in vs, as the Father is in him, and he in the Father: read chap. 2.26. and note ^x thereof.

Notes, Reasons, and Amplifications.

^a Before any accesse to heauenlie knowledge, wee must firste leaue off all worldlie affections.

^b Howe and why this throne, that here is saide to appeare in heauen, is Gods heauenlie trueth and true religion, whereby he sits enthronized and authorised among his Saintes vpon earth, is prooued at length in our 17. proposition.

^c The Rain-bowe was shewed to Noah, as a couenant of Gods protection, that the world should no more be destroyed by water againe, Genes. 9.15. and so generallie in mysteries, it is taken for the couenant of protection.

^d Of these foure and twentie Elders, and how they meane the foure and twentie authentike bookes of the olde Testament, read the 18. proposition. These doeth S. Hierome in prologo Galea­to nominate this way, Genesis, 1. Exodus. 2. Leuiticus. 3. Numeri. 4. Deuteronom. 5. Ioshua. 6. Iudges. 7. Ruth. 8. Samuel. 9. Kings. 10. Chron. 11, Ezra. 12. Hester. 13. Iob, 14. Psalmes. 15. Prouerbs. 16. Ecclesiastes. 17. Song of Salomon. 18. Esay. 19. Ieremies prophecie. 20. Ieremies La­mentations. 21. Ezechiel. 22. Daniel. 23. the twelue small Prophets. 24.

^e These seuen Lampes, or seuen Spirites, illuminating Gods throne, are the seuen speciall and princincipall giftes, graces, and functions of Gods onlie Spirite, besides the innumerable smaller benefites thereof: of which read Roman. 12. and 1. Corinth. 12. And this septenarie partition hereof, to be receiued of old, is e­uident by the Hymne Ʋeni Creator Spiritus, where after it is saide, Tu septiformis munere, &c. In these seuen Lampes, or seuen Can­dlestickes, chap. 1. or seuen grained Candlesticke, specified in Ex­odus, chapt. 25. and chap. 37. is also a further symbole or figure contained, to wit, both of the seuen Churches of Asia to whome Saint Iohn wrote, as also of the seuen Churches that Paule wrote vnto. And of the one and twentie Epistles and remanent books of the new Testament, figured by the one and twentie cuppes of the graines, of that Leuiticall Candlesticke, with the remanent bowles and floures thereof: Which Churches, books, and Epi­stles are planted and framed, by the seuenfold grace of Gods on­lie Spirit, and being the first lights and lanternes of the primitiue [Page 103] Church, are therfore here called seuen lamps, whereby the throne of Gods word on earth, is illustrated and adorned.

^f That these foure beastes be the foure Euangelles, is prooued by our 19. proposition, including also metonymicè▪ the true profes­sours thereof: But how Ezechiel agrees thereto, and also with this Text is to be declared. Ezechiel therefore, cap. 1. seeth these beasts after a more ample maner, different from this Text in circum­stance, but not in effect: For first, in Ezech. they haue foure wings, meaning speed in their future cōming: here haue they everie one sixe wings, meaning much greater speed & diligence, in their pre­sent function. Secondlie, there euerie one of them, haue all their foure faces, and the wings of euery one joyned with others: meaning that euerie Euangelist agreeablie teacheth of Christ, borne as a man, sacrificed and slaine as a bullocke, victorious o­uer sin and death as a Lyon: and finallie, rising vp and ascending to heauē as a flying Eagle. And both these four patent faces, and chiefe heads of Christianisme, as also euerie smaller head & point of doctrine, of anie one Euangelist to be contained in the others, and so one to be all, and all foure to bee as one, as true witnesses should be, and therefore, are their wings joyned, that where one flewe, all flewe, tending all to one purpose and scope: But here in the Reuelation, though their faces are seperate, there is no repug­nance: for they are foure distinct witnesses indeed, but here also, are they agreeable with Ezechiel, in that by this text, they tend all one way, saying al in one voice, Holie, holie, holie, &c. Thirdlie, there they haue wheeles with thē, &c. that is, the armie and congrega­tions of Gods elect, going the waies they go, eschewing the waies they eschew, reposing on the groundes, whereon they repose, euē on Christ the ground stone, for that the Spirit is all one, that is in them, and in vs Gods congregation, euen that Spirit of God that indited those foure beastes and Evangelles, instructeth vs his Armie and Chariots, to fight out valiantlie our spirituall bat­tels. So on the other part, the Reuelation agreeth herewith, spea­king (chap. 5.11.12.13) of infinit number of Saints and creatures, that with these Euangelists praised God. For conclusion, these and al other appearing varieties, & supposed repugnance of scriptures in circumstance, are mere harmonies, and perfect agreementes in effect.

Notes, Reasons, and Amplifications.

^a That by a booke is meaned Prophecies, Reuelations, and ad­monitions, consider by the tenth chapter hereof: and Ezech. 3.1 [Page 107] But in that it was written without and within, it signifieth, that it contained patent histories of thinges in S. Iohns daies, and secrete prophecies of thinges to come after his daies, among the Christi­ans, as euidentlie appeareth, Reuel. 1.19. and note ^u thereof: the like ye shal finde in Ezech. 2.10.

^b That each of these seales doth containe seuen yeares, is proo­ued by our 9. proposition: but why, and in what respects they are called seals, appeareth to be these causes: First, becaus (as proposi­tion 9. is said) they are a part of Daniels weekes, which indeed, are mysticall and sealed weekes, as saith the Angell (Dan. 12.9.) These vvordes are closed and sealed. Therfore, justlie may both these weeks and these Seales be called sealed weekes, or weeklie seales. Se­condlie, because in the time of these Seales, containing the space of 42. yeares, the whole seales of our saluation were sufficientlie opened by the doctrine of Christ and his Apostles, preached in that time (as Paul testifieth Rom. 10.18) throughout al the whol world: & in that space the Iewes, & other enemies wer brought to confusion. Thirdlie, this space of these 42. years, is justly termed by seals, because that short space, in cōparison of the rest of the years vntil the latter day, which are cōtained in this book, is as the time of the opening of the seals of letters, in respect of the longer time in reading the same. Fourthly, as seals must first be opened, ere the letter be reade, so these accidents of these 42. firste yeares, being first in time, must first be performed before the rest follow.

^e Although this be Genesis, in the which this cōfortable promise of the Messias is first made to vs, yet al the rest of the 24. Ancients do also prophecie & forewarn the same, which moueth Iohn here not to say, only one Elder, but, one of the Elders, as if he wold say, the first of thē: & afterward, he repeates the same, for al the rest of the Elders, in the 8. & 9. verses: where they say al in one voice, Thou art worthy to tak the booke, & open the seals therof, &c. In which saying of this Elder ye shal not sturre, although ye find not these words mentioned word by word in Genesis, for Christ & his Apostles cite not their testimonies of the old Testament alwaies word by word, as ye shall find more ample in the note ^g Apoc. 7.

^d Among the prophets, commonlie hornes are taken for Kings, Kingdomes, and powers, as in Daniel. 8. and Psalm. 74.4.5. And eies are taken for wisedome, prouidence, and foresight, as in [Page 108] Esay. 35.5. and Mat. 7. meaning hereby the princelie powers and wise foresight, that is in Gods holie Spirit: but of their number of seuen, read ^e in the former chapter.

^e That this song is the song of our new redemption, is prooued by the words following, to wit: And thou hast redeemed vs, &c.

^f. ^ff That this, for this text and other causes, is a vision of Gods throne, not in heuē but on earth, is proued by our 17. propositiō.

Notes, Reasons, and Amplifications.

^a That this beast is Matthew, the order of time prooueth, for that in that time, he wrote the first Evangel in Hebrue: & therfore, is Matthew (vnder the term of a mans face) first in order by Ezechiel (as is said in our 19. proposition) and though he be third in Iohns former vision (Ap. 4) for that his Greek Evangel was third in or­der, yet here must the account be made by his first Ebrew Evāgel, because it was that work that first passed out vnto the Iewes, and Ebrew Church: and began that Christian victorie, wherof the text here speaketh. The rest read in the said 19. proposition.

^b That by this rider on the white horse, is meaned the word and testimonie of God, which his servantes doe beare and professe, is evident by the 19 chapter hereof.

^c That this red hewe meaneth bloodshed, read Esay 63.1. & how persecution must follow Christs doctrin, read Matth. 10.34.

^d This third beast agrees to be Luke two waies, both for that he wrot his Evangel that time, as also, for that he writes that historie in his book of the Acts. chap. 11. ver. 28.29.30.

^e This must needs be false doctrine and heresies, which (beside temporal punishments) procured both death and hell.

^f That these beasts be earthly kinges and tyrantes, read Ezech. 34. and Dan. 7. and Dan. 8.

^ff It were vnproper here, and chap. 8.5. and chap. 9.13. & chap. 14.18. to interprete this altar to be Christ, seeing Christ was the Sacrifice, that was offered vpon the altar of Gods justice, for full satisfaction of his wrath. Therefore, as the Arke and couerture thereof, doth represent Gods mercie seat, Exod. 25. So must the altar represent his justice seat, for that the altar was the place of fire and bloodshed.

^g This is a metaphore taken from them, that by the rash furie and ouerthrow of their enemies, haue bene ouertrode, and their garmentes pudled and defiled, & afterward knowne guiltles, are restored to cleane garments, betokening their innocencie: read thereupon, Apoc. 7.14.

^h The Sun for the most part is taken for the spiritual estat, be it pure or corrupt: as in Esa. 24.23. & Esa. 30.26. & here, & in diuers other places: And sometimes also, it is taken for those thinges [Page 115] good or evil, that are adjoyned to the spirituall▪ estate, as (Apoc. 12.1.) for the light of the Evangell, and (as in Mark. 4.6.17.) for persecution: whereof read the note ⁱ in the seuenth chapter follo­wing. As touching the Moone, she is somtime taken for the chan­geable world, as Apoc. 12.1. but oftest for the seculare estate ther­of, as here, and in Esay, in the verses aforesaid: and that both be­cause of the great mutabilitie, of that estate, as also, because al se­culare lawes and ciuil ordinances, are borrowed from the spiritu­all Lawe of God, and ministred to the people, as the Moone bor­rowed her light from the Sun, & reflexeth the same to the earth.

ⁱ That Starres betoken Gods Ministers, reade Dan. 12.3. and Apoc. 1. and notes ^q and ^x thereof. And that heauen betoke­neth Gods Church here on earth, consider by Apoc. 19. confer­red with the premisses.

^k Mountaines to meane kingdomes and kinges, is evident by Esay, chap. 2. where hee expresseth the kingdome of Christ, to be­come erected aboue al kingdomes, by terme of mountaines. Far­ther, the kingdomes of the Chaldaeans & Idumeans ar called moun­taines. Iere. 51.25. and Ezech. 35.3.

Notes, Reasons, and Amplifications.

^a Correspondent to the four quarters of the earth, the Prophet here by a prophetical phrase and conformitie of language, setteth downe foure Angels, and foure executers of Gods wrath, whereas they ar innumerable. The Iewes also haue books of antiquitie, de­viding the government of the earth among foure great Angels, & vnder them to be many inferiour Angels: But these assertiōs be­ing more curious thā certain, or pertinent to vs to know, we leaue this, and returning to the exposition of the text, what these foure Angels and winds be. We say, the four Angels appear by the text, to be good angels, bearing command ouer these winds, whom we esteeme to be euil Angels, executers of Gods wrath, at command of the other: for althogh these Angels (ver. 2) ar forbidden to hurt the earth, yet that inferres not thē to bee euil Angels, more than where the like is said to God, Lead vs not into temptation; but contra­rilie, in so far here as of thēselues, they stay these winds & blasts of Sathans tyranny, to hurt the earth, they must needs bee good An­gels, & the winds evill Angels. And wheras these first foure, are by the text, readie to hurt, or not to hurt the earth, according as [Page 119] they be commanded of Christ that great Angell. Yet for as much as that hurt seemeth to be executed not by them, but (ver. 1) by these winds, whom they haue power to loose or bind: Therfore, apparantlie, these foure Angels be the good Angels of God, and the foure windes, the Spirites of Sathan, and executers of vengeance.

^b This day spring or rising in the East, may two waies be vnder­stood, to wit, either as an epithet of Christes, as Zach. 3.8. and Luk. 1.78. called by Hieroms translation, Oriens ex alto, &c. Or then it may be vnderstood, that Christ arose vp, and abode Easterlie a­boue Ierusalem, to seale his elect-Israelites there, with his protecti­on: For Ierusalem lieth Easterlie, both from Pathmos, where Saint Iohn wrote, as also, from the Churches of Asia to whome he wrot.

^c This mark is a comparison from shepherds, who as they mark their sheepe, so Christ our Shepheard, marketh vs with the marke of his profession and protection, alluding here to the Symbole of the Passeouer. Exod. 12.22. The like hereof read in Ezech. 9.

^d Christ marketh vs with no secret marke, but patētlie in our foreheads, meaning thereby, that vowablie and with bolde faces, we must professe the marke of Christians. Saying with Saint Paul, I am not ashamed of the Gospel, &c. Rom. 1.16. For who denieth him here, he will denie them in heaven. Matth. 10.33. & 2. Tim. 2.12.

^e Among these Tribes Dan is left out, and in his stead is put in the Tribe of Ioseph, meaning Ephraim, Iosephs yongest sonne: For Manasses, Iosephs eldest sonne, is put in for himselfe. Why Dan is so left out, the reason appeareth to be, that that Tribe hath bene more accursed than the rest: for by the Spirit of God, it is called (Gen. 49.17) a Serpent, or an Adder, and is called a Lyons whelp, Deut. 33.22. and for their golden Calues and great idolatrie, ap­peareth by Amos 8.14. that they fel, and neuer rose againe, and so could not be participant of this Christian mark.

^f The Spirite of God here expresseth the number of an hundred fourtie & four thousand, to wit, twelue thousand of euerie Tribe, not that everie Tribe was aequall, or that the number was so in whole thousandes without oddes▪ as if there were neither more, nor fewer, as though we would addict the Spirite of God to re­solue and satisfie our curiosities▪ but the meaning of the Spirit of God hereinto, is to satisfie our comfort, and not our curious scru­pulositie, giuing to vs Gentiles and to the Christian Iewes, that [Page 120] comfort, that whereas we rashlie feare that we bee left alone to serue Christ, & that none mo than we of Israel are chosen, as Elias judged (3. Reg. 19.18. and Rom. 11.3.4.5.) God will let vs knowe, that he hath sealed about twelue thousand of everie Tribe: where note for certaintie, that in speaking to men, and in accompting of men, the Spirite of God speaks after the phrase of men, in reje­cting the ods, and in specifying the perfect or whole number, that is neerest the trueth, in steed of the trueth. And as to this number no maruell indeede it is, though in the long time of these seven plagues following, there be about 144000 of the Israelites elected Christians, of men, women, and children, seeing euen beside wo­men & children, & impotent men, there wer at once of Israelites, in the only daies of Dauid, thirteen hundred thousand fighting men. For here is neither meaned, that these were all at this one time, neither that they wer altogether marked at this time, but hereby he meaneth, this to be a time of the beginning of troubles, from the which, alwaies he signifieth hereby, that hee will exeme his own, not onlie by preseruing thē successiuelie, as they are borne in the worlde, but also by bringing their parentes for their sakes through these troubles, that of them they may be procreated. Of these read further. Apoc. 14.1. and note ^a thereof.

^g Let none doubt that the 24. Elders do signifie the 24. books of the olde Testament; although these words, here spoken by one of the 24. Elders, bee not found word by word, and altogether in anie of the bookes of the old Testament; for the Testimonies cited by Christ and his Apostles, are not all to be found word by word in the olde Testament: as the words cited in Math. 27.9. out of Ieremie, are not to bee founde togither in any one parte of Ieremie, and in Zach. 11.12. that sentence is found neerest, but not word by word. Also that Sōg, which in the Rev. 15.3. is called the Song of Moses, is not to be foūd word by word in Moses Song, neither in any of the fiue books of his Pentateuchon. The lik is to be seen in diuers other places of Scripture: For God (as is said in the former note) trauels to satisfie our comfort, but not our curio­sity. For, althogh not scrupulously in wordes, yet substantially in sentēces, al spokē here by this. Elder, is contained in Esay. For, first, in describing vvho is he that was clad in red garments, &c. (Esay 63.) It foloweth of necessity tacitely, that he sheweth what it is also to be [Page 121] clothed in white, seeing in this case they ar contraries: For wheras he interpreteth, that to be clothed in red, meaneth bloodshed, and slaughter: to be clothed in white garmentes, must meane puritie, innocencie, cleannes and holines: againe, yet more amplie (Esay. 1.18.) is expressed what is meant by cleane wool, white as snowe, & by red crimosin and skarlet, whereas hee saith, though thy sinnes vvere as crimosin and red as skarlet, they shall be made vvhite as snowe, & clean as wool. So then none can denie, but here Esay interpreteth sufficiently, that to be white as snowe, or to bee clothed in white garments, or in clean wool, is to be purged, and made cleane and holy from sin. And in like maner, as toward the rest of the senten­ces spoken here by this Elder, they are all expresly contained in Esay, as they are quoted in the Paraphrase, which seeing none of the other Elders or 24. books of the old Testament doe containe, Therefore without al doubt, Esay is this Elder here meant of.

^h This hunger & thirst cited by Iohn here out of Esay, meaneth the hunger and thirst of our souls for the word of God, as is plainly interpreted in Amos. 8.11.12.

ⁱ Though the Sonne for the most part, is taken for the light of the Gospell, and for the spirituall estate it selfe: yet, when the bur­ning heat thereof, is set opposite against the seede of the Gospel, and liuely springes of true doctrine (as here) then doth the Sunne mean the heat of persecutiō, this is plainly prooued by the fourth chapter and 6. verse of Mark, and by the 17. ver. thereof, that in­terpreteth the same. Read more hereof Apoc. 6. note. ^h. thereof.

Notes, Reasons and amplifications.

^a That at this year of Christ. 71. beginneth both the last of the seuen seales, and the first of the seuen trumpets, appears plainly [Page 127] by this text, and is prooued by our seuenth proposition, and how thereafter, euery trumpet containeth the space of 245. yeares, or fiue Iubiles, is also prooued by our fift proposition.

^b This other Angell must be Christ, for none standeth before the Altar of Gods justice, as high priest and mediatour, making intercession for vs, except onelie Christ, as in 1. Tim. 2. ver. 5. and Hebrues 7.8.9. chapters. We must not doubt hereof, though here he is simplie called but an Angell, for the like is founde in diuers scriptures, as in Malach. 3. ver. 1. Christ is called the Angel of the couenant, though hee was more than an Angel, as contrarilie, S. Iohn the Baptist, is there called the Angell that goeth before him, in Sanct Ieromes translation, although he be lesse than an Angell, as testifies Matthew. 11.11.

^c These Orisons and prayers, though generally they meane all our prayers, which indeede Christ offered vp before God his fa­ther, yet in this place is specially meant, the prayers made for re­uenge of the late martyrdomes specified. cap. 6. in the fift seale, which praiers, there ar delayed, & here taks effect, as by the text, paraphrase, and historie thereof doth evidently appear.

^d That the Sea is taken for sea coasts or peninsulls, reade Esay. 21.1. by the burthen of the desert Sea, meaning the burthen of the desert land of Arabia beside the sea: also Esay 23. ver. 4. by the sea, and strength of the sea, is meant the peninsull of Tyrus: and a­gain in Esay 66. ver. 19. Italie (called there Tubal) is named among the sea cuntries. Finally, a [...]ent the signification of Cethim, read Ie­rome de interpretatione nominum.

^c That shippes be taken for their marriners, it is certain also: wheras the sea is takē for the sea coast (as by the former note) it is probable that the shippes betoken the inhabitants of that coast and gouernors therof, as in Ezechiel 27. ver. 25. by Ieromes transla­tiō, Naves maris principes tui, &c. The ships of the sea are thy princes.

^f That starres be taken for ministers or professors of God his trueth, euen after their defection or apostasie, you may see both here by this Mahomet, and the Monk Sergius his colleague, as by the Turkes hereafter. Reve. 9. ver. 1. Of starres generally taken for true teachers, reade Dan. 12. ver. 3. & Reuel. 1. notes ^q. & ^xtherof. Reuel. 6.13. & noteⁱ. thereof, and other places.

^g What these floods and fountaines be, consider by the hun­ger [Page 128] and thirst spoken of before, Reuel. 7. ver. 16. & 17. And note ^h therof, and confer there with Ieremie. 2.18, speking of the drinking of the bitter floods of the Aegyptians and Assyrians, also Iohn 7.37.38. and Reuel. 21.6.

^h That this bitter wormewood meaneth the doctrine of false Prophets, how sweet soeuer it seemes, read Ieremie 23.15. & howe bitter and vile the Mahomets doctrine is, they may consider by his Alkaron.

ⁱ In these Churches of the Orientall and Occidental empyres, where God sometimes was trulie honoured (as David Psal. 113.3 prophetically foretelleth) at this time abounds Idolatrie, heresies and many vaine traditions: of which, reade the Ecclesiasticall hi­stories.

^k There is so small difference in the greek, betwixt the ortho­graphie of an Angell and of an Eagle, that some old coppies hath the one, and some hath the other, alwaies to them both, agreeth the interpretation of speedy warning or hastie message.

^l The whole visible face of the Oriental and Occidental Chur­ches, hauing now made defection: he notes by wo, wo, wo, as by an emphasis, how great & terrible shalbe the remanent three plagues that are to come vpon them therefore.

Notes, Reasons, and Amplifications.

^a Now doth the Spirite of God repeat here the fall of the Ma­homet, not that he now fell (for as is said, he fell in the time of the third trumpet) but meaning that his olde fal, his Alkaron and pro­fessours that he left behind him, haue made the way patent to the Turks, now at this time, to fall also from the trueth, and followe him. Conferre here with our third proposition, and note follow­ing, by the which, both these starres appeare to be one, and to meane the Mahomet, and his locusts to be the Turks, and for con­firmation that this star, is that same starre that before had fallen, the Greeke terme of falling, expressed in the text is [...] in the praeterit time, which had fallē, and not [...] in the pre­sent time, which falleth. Meaning therby expreslie, that Saint Iohn saw, that in this fift age, the Mahomet (who before had fallen from God in the third age) now by his successours, & doctrin doth open vp the gates of hell more manifestlie, in stirring vp these Turks by his heresie.

^b That these Locustes be the Turkes, it is plaine: for that as Lo­custs doe destroy and waste euery where, and are plagues appoin­ted by God to that effect. (Exod. 10.) So are the Turkes both in name and effect, wasters and spoilers, as shall bee shewed in the note ^f following.

^c That these, who with pleasant flatteries professe good, and yet in effect are rebels, and seducers from God, are compared to scor­pions, read Ezech. 2.6. and how evill women for their faire resem­blance and wickednes in effect, are called scorpions, read Ecclesia­sticus 26.7. So these Turkes are described here with mens faces, & womens haire, and Scorpions tailes, because they first entered in Europe humainlie, and proceeded since with all despite and op­pression. Also, for that the stinges of scorpions seem first nothing, and after become incurable, as the small companie of Turkes be­came almost a Monarchie.

^d In histories is more mention made of the Turks oppressions, and spoiles done against Christians in that age, than of anie con­quest or vtter destruction of Christians, as Iohn Baptista Egnatius, speaking de origine Turcarum; saith, Ʋagid spalatique quove cuique sors affuit latrocinantes magis quam bellig [...]rantes provincias vastârunt: [Page 135] These going in vaging and vvandering vvheresoeuer their chance vvas, they vvasted countries, as theeues rather than as Warriours. And as to their dominion, how from the first year of their first Dominator Zadok, in the year of Christ, 1051. to the time that the Tartarians subdewed them, in An. 1201. are just 150. yeares, diuers histories doe declare.

^e That these fiue propheticall moneths are an hundred and fif­tie years, read the first proposition, with the seconde reason of our third proposition.

^f. ^ff This flitting from Abaddon in Hebrew to Apollyon in Greek, signifieth, that his name is neither Abaddon nor Apollyon, but that we ought to descend from language to language, vntil we find the name of a Gouernor, that signifieth the same that Abaddon and A­pollyon doe in Hebrew and Greeke. And so it is, that Abaddon and Apollyon doe signifie a Destroyer or Waster (Ierome de interpretatione nominum) And againe, on the other part Mahometes signifieth (ex eod.) Delens, a Destroyer, or Nuncius a Messenger, agreable with both the stiles that this text giues him, to wit, both a destroyer, and also, the Angell or messenger of the bottomlesse pit. Moreouer, the like is to be said of their temporall kings name Turca, which (ex Carionis chronico, fol. 8. lib. 1. & lib. 5. fol. 107.) signifieth idem quod vastator, a Waster or destroyer.

^g That all messengers and executers of Gods affaires, either of favour or wrath be called Angels, it is common in all the Scrip­tures: for Angelus signifieth a Messenger: and for proofe that these foure of the sixt Trumpet be no spirituall Angels, the same in the sixt Viall (Apoc. 16.12) are called the kinges of the East, for so are these Mahometanes indeed.

^h Albeit this number of two hundred thousand thousand is not so expressed to satisfie our curiositie, as if there were no oddes (as I wrote, Apoc. 7. and note ^f thereof) Yet certainlie it hath bene neere this number, for that he subjoyneth for the more certaintie againe, And I heard the number of them, and saw the horses in a vision, &c Agreeable hereto, it is reported that the great Turk contemptu­ouslie sent to the Emperour of Romanes, a Camel or a Dromeda­rie laden with wheat, with this vowe by message, that he shoulde bring against him, as manie fighting men, as there were graines of wheat therein. This armie hereafter (Apoc. 20.8.) is compared [Page 136] to the sea sand in number.

ⁱ Of these three points of their profession, read their Alkaron, & confer therewith the histories, for of their yre against the name of Christians, euen from Mahomets first beginning, read Iohn Bap­tist. Egnatius vpon Heraclius Emperour, saying. Responderunt impii, (meaning Mahometists) non priùs Romanis pacem se daturos, quā Chri­stum abnegasset Imperator. These vvicked made answere, that they vvould giue no peace to the Romanes, till first their Emperour renounced Christ. The second, cōcerning their diligēce to spread their heresie is cer­taine. The third, concerning their auaritious claiming the title of the whole world, that is contained expresly in their law, that they being the sons of Abraham and of Sara (as they alledge) the land as promised to them by God, Gen. 13.16. and thereupon, Maho­met promiseth the kingdome of heauen to al them, that fights va­liantly in that quarrell. Yet these alleadged Saracens, are the chil­dren of Abraham and Hagar, that is to say, Hagarens or Ismaelites, and not of Abraham and Sara. But as to the Turks we find no cer­taintie that any waies they are the sonnes of Abraham, yet claime they that promise, as if they were the true sonnes of Abraham and Sara. And so in these three points of their heresie and vsurping of kingdomes, do they inuey against Christians.

^k These of the Romane Empire regarded not what euill and vi­tious works they did, seeing they wer perswaded, that for litle cost they would get indulgence, pardons, holy water, and light pen­nance, which would relieue and purge their sinnes.

^l Of earthly hypocrites, who dissembled their euil life, as som histories report, the Pope made his Saincts: And though some of these be deuills, condemned for their hypocrisie, yet hath the Pope and his Cleargie ordained all these, whome they canonized to be worshipped. Moreouer, they are said heare to woorship the Deuill, in that they woorship not God, as hee hath commaunded them, but after their own imaginations.

^m What crucifixes and other Idoles of golde, siluer, and other materials, were both priuately in their oratories, and publickly in Churches adored, the whole world knoweth. If they wil say, they worshipped them not, but vsed them as a remembrance: O Ana­niasses and Zaphirasses, lyars against their owne soules, came they not barefooted, barelegged, bareheaded, grouflings and kneeling [Page 137] with their hands holden vp to these Images, and with their faces and eies direct to them, making such prayers and supplications as in their very books are intituled, a prayer to the image of Christ, and a prayer to the crosse of Christ, and such others. Howe are they then able to deny, but that they prayed euen to these verie images, yea and for the greater deceite to simple soules, least it should be known, that Idolatrie any waies was sinne, their Clear­gie took away the second commandement out of their treatises, and deuided the last commandement into two, to make out ten. And likewise, they held the whole Bible in Latine vntranslated, lest it should be known to the people, that God in it forbad the wor­shipping of Images. Repyning thereby against their knowledge & conscience, without any repentance as yet, as saith the text.

ⁿ Amidst the greate inuasions that these Mahometans made at this time against the Papists. The Pope neuerthelesse spared not, euen then to murther the poore sancts of God, such as Iohn Husse, Ierome of Praga, Ierome Savonarola, and many moe that opponed against his indulgences, and others his wicked traditions.

^o What charmes euery common curate had for the fellone, the farsie, the worme, for bloodstemming, for lecherie, and for other horrible purposes, all their familiars, or that hath seene their workes and bookes, knowes. Also in Platina, and in other credible historiographers, ye shall finde the legend of 22. Popes or there­by, that wer most horrible Necromancers, like as there is one parte of their service that is called Exorcismus, conteining superstitious & magical enchantments and conjurations of oyl, of salt, of holy water, of belles, beads, Principiosis, Agnus Deis, and other such like. And further, euerie high altar is erected with joints, hair, clouts, cloths, threds and worseds of diuerse hewes, and diuers other re­liques of dead men, laide and builded behinde the saide altars, as they do testifie whose eies hath seen the same. And lest they shuld doubt thereof who hath not seene it, the collects of the Masse do beare record of the same, graunting these reliques to be there, as in the Masse book secundū usum Sarum, in servitio beatae Mariae, orati­onibus: Propitiare quaesumus Domine and Praesta quesumus omnipotens: And again, in festo reliquiarum oratione praesta quesumus omnipotens &c. and lectione prima, Hodie dilectissimi &c. ye shall finde these clauses contained Quorum reliquiae in hac continentur Ecclesia, that is to say, [Page 138] vvhose reliques are here contained in this Church.

^p What whordome and vile Sodomie is vsed both in Rome, and likewise euery where, among the Popes, Cardinals & whol Cler­gie, not onely their innumerable bastards testifies, but also their lawes priuely permitting Priestes to haue concubines, but not wiues, (Distinct. 34.) though some late glozers (excusing the mat­ter) define these concubines to be wiues, contrary vnto the text. Further hereof reade in Platina and others vnsuspected historio­graphers, the legend of licentious popes, whereof 13. were adulterers, 3. were common brothellers, 4. were incestuous harlots. 11. were impoysoned with vile Sodomie, 7. were whooremongers & erecters of brothel houses, wherof euerie whoore payeth weekly a Iulian pēny to the Pope, which diuers years wil extend to 40000 ducats by year. And all these, beside the shee Pope called Ioane, who was first called Gilberta an English woman borne in the town of Lyn, who being two yeares and an halfe Pope, at last dieth in deliuerie of a child openly vpon the high street of Rome, going in publike processiō by the way to the church of saint Iohn de Laterane, & so made her whordom and filthines of her seat, patent, In memo­rie whereof, all Popes euer since going in procession, escheweth and goeth about that Laterane way, where their she predecessor dyed.

^q It is more nor notorious what gret abbacies and bishopricks from simple princes, what landes and yearlie rentes from landed men, what money and goods from men of al estates, hath bin de­ceitfullie stolne for indulgences pardons, remissions of sinnes, tri­gintalls, soul-masses, dirigés, de-profundis, & other superstitiōs, stealing thereby not onely mens goods, but euen their soules, as hereafter Reuel. 18.13. and note ⁱ. thereof, and 2. Pet. 2.3. These be like the Scribes and Pharisies vvho deuour vp poore vviddowes houses vnder pretence of long prayers, as is said in Matth. 23.14.

Notes, Reasons and amplifications.

^a This Angell, who here appeareth to Iohn, is all one with him whome Daniel saw in the similitude of a man (Dan. 10.5. con­tinewing to Daniels 12. chap. ver. 6.7) is euident by their commō signes and tokens, and for the same cause, hee who appeareth in the middes of the seven Candlestickes (Apoc. 1.13) is also all one with them: For by Dan. 10.16.18. he is stiled, One like the similitude of the Sonne of man or like appearance of a man. So Apoc. 1.13. he is stiled. One like vnto the Sonne of man. In Daniel hee is girded with a golden girdle: So is hee also in Apoc. 1. In both places his face did shine, as here also it shineth: In all these places his feet wer as pillers of fire, and of fiery and burnished brasse, and his voice terrible, as of a multitude of people, or of manie waters, or of a [Page 142] roring lyon. Againe, both there in Daniel & Apoc. 1. his eies burn as a flame of fire, or as burning lampes: Both Daniel and Iohn fall downe at his feet through feare, and he againe doth comfort thē both: Further, both in Dan. 12.6.7. and here in this chapter, he, standing vpon the waters, holds vp his handes, and sweareth the end of times. So that without all doubt, that similitude of a man that there appeared to Daniel, and Apoc. 1.13. appeared to Iohn, and this Angell here mentioned, must all three be one. But seeing he, who (Apoc. 1.13.) appeared to Iohn, is prooued there, note ^l thereof, to be Christ, spirituallie appearing: Therefore, both he, who there in Daniel appeared, & this Angell, who here appeares, is also Christ. And for cōfirmation hereof, none hath this book in heauen or earth, or is worthie to open the same, except Christ our Lambe, Apoc. 5.2.3.6. Therfore, he who here hath the same open in his hand, must be Christ.

^b Of this booke of Reuelation (wherof Christ here beareth the type in his hand) onlie the historicall part, to wit, the seven seales thereof, is opened by Christ and his Apostles to the primitiue Church, in that that part was fulfilled in their daies. But the text doth neuer shew, that the booke within is opened vp, and offered patent to vs, till now in this our seventh age, wherein Christ here (vers. 2.) not onely opens all the propheticall mysteries thereof, but also (ver. 9.) offereth the same to the Church, vnder the per­son of the Prophet: as thirdly, ordaineth them to preach the same ouer againe, openlie and patentlie to the whole worlde, where­throw, without all question, this is the time of knowledge euen presentlie, of which saith Daniel chap. 12.4. Claude sermones, & signa librum vsque in tempus statutum. Close vp these speeches, and seal the book, vntill the time appointed.

^c Howe soone in the beginning of this seuenth age, (about the year of Christ, 1541.) the light of the Evangell, and of these pro­phecies against the Antichriste, begins to be reviued, and prea­ched out by Iesus Christ, in the mouthes of Luther, Caluin, and other his ministers, euen that verie year begin the seven thunders of the latter day, and reapers of Gods great haruest, to expresse their prophecies, euerie one of the first foure following other, by the space of fourtie and nine yeares, as at length is shewed in our 12. and 13. propositions.

[Page 143] ^d At the command and voice of God, the prophecie of these thunders, is so sealed and closed, that none could before the due time espie, either what they meaned, or where they were written: But the compleat time of Revelation and knowledge, spoken of by Daniel (chap. 12.4.9.13.) so seemeth by the dates contained both there in Daniel, and here in the Reuelation, to be come. And in this open booke, that Christ in this text proffereth to be so mani­fested, that we may certainly conclude nowe, that this, nor no o­ther mysterie hereof is vnsearcheable: what therefore, these thun­ders be, is declared in our 11. proposition; to wit, that they be the seuen reapers of God his great harvest, mentioned Apoc. 14. No maruell then, though so greate a mysterie be commaunded to be closed, at the least during the daies of the Antichristian tyran­nie, that these that raigne in iniquitie, might continue still there­in, till vnawares, they be ruined (Math. 13.13.14.15.) like as con­trariwise at length, and chieflie to the elect, the same is commaun­ded to be opened, & not sealed, Apoc. 22.10. And so, though euen vnto the wicked, I with manie mo, now write this patentlie, yet God hath prepared a vaile for their eies, that seeing they shal not see, till they goe into distruction.

^e This is a comparison and similitude, taken from the gesture of men, when they make a solemne oath: and not meaning, that God sweareth: for, the smallest woorde of his mouth is as sure as an oath, yea, so sure, that not one jot thereof shall perish, (Mat. 5.18) The same oath you shall finde in Dan. 12.7. Also the like Gen. 22.16. The mention of this oath is but put here for the greater Emphasis, to supplie our weake credit and beleefe.

^f Then let the Pope and all earthlie Princes, looke for no lon­ger delay, but that in this seventh age, alreadie begun in the yeare of Christ 1541. the corner stone Iesus Christ, shal becom a moun­taine, and shall destroy all temporal kingdomes, & raigne for euer Esay. 2.2.3. Dan. 2.44. Psal. 2.9. and before the 1786. yeare of Christ: yea, euen sooner, to wit, when we see the tokēs and plagues of this age spent and past, then shal immediately come, the day of Gods dreadfull judgment, as more in special is declared in our 10. 13. and 14. propositions, and in chap. 14. following. With this vow confer the like, mentioned in Dan. 12.7.

^gThe vulgar text saith here, Quum coeperit tuba canere consumma­bitur [Page 144] mysterium magnum, that is, When he beginneth to blow the trumpet, &c. But the originall Greek may rather import, After hee shal blow the trumpet: for the word [...] may more justlie be taken for After rather than for immediately or incontinently when, &c. as is to be seen in Mar. 4.32. where [...] is taken for a long time after, and not in­stantlie: for there it is not meaned, that the seed which is sowen, doeth instantlie rise vp, &c. and Ioh. 8.28. by the worde [...] hee meaned not, that instātlie after the crucifying of Christ they shuld know him truly, but rather after a certaine progresse of time from his passion. We therefore, here justlie disassent from the vulgare translation, which makes the beginning of the seuenth blast to be the end of the world; where contrarilie, Apoc. 11.19. and Apoc. 16.18.19.20.21. there is mention made of some worldly cōmoti­ons, betwixt the beginning of the seuenth blast or outpouring of the seuenth viall, and the latter day.

^h What this mysterie is, & how it is the mysterie of the day of judgment & general resurrection, read 1. Cor. 15. whol chap. spe­cially, vers. 51. Behold, I shewe vnto you a mysterie, &c.

ⁱ It is certain, that the knowledg of Gods mysteries, mortifieth in vs al worldly joy, & makes vs to conceiue horrible bitternes a­gainst worldly impietie, such is the vehement zeale that the Spirit of God worketh in our bowels, as ye shal find in Ezech. 3.14. This bitternes also may be taken for the danger that it is to Preachers; to conceal and hide vp Gods mysteries, & due admonitions with­in their bowels, and not to disburthen their conscience thereof, by preaching out the same, as may be seen of Ionah, chap. 1. & Paul testifieth the sam, 1. Cor. 9, 16. saying, Wo were vnto me if I preached not the Gospel. But contrariwise, vpon the other part, what sweet­nes and comfort commeth by preaching forth the same, read Psa. 118.103. The like ye shal find in Ezech. 3.3.

^k This prophecying ouer againe by the open booke, meaneth, that besides Iohns first prophecying & writing of this Revelation, in closed and darke language, it must be prophecied, preached, & opened ouer againe by the whole Church in the name of Iohn, in these our daies of the the seuenth age, according to the perfect sense, meaning, and interpretation thereof. The like is said of Da­niel chap. 12.13. That he must rise and stand vp againe after ma­nies yeares.

Notes, Reasons, and Amplifications.

^a The temple of Ierusalem contained three partes, to wit, the vtter part, where al men resorted, the inner place, called the holy place, and the innermost part, called the holiest of al. These two [Page 152] holy and holiest parts that are within, represents here the true la­tent and invisible Church, and the vttermost & most patent parte, represents the outward and visible pretended Church, this vtter court is without the temple, if yee call onely the holy and holiest places to be the temple: but if yee call the whole worke to be the temple, then is this vtter court within the temple as a parte of the whole: and therefore some reade, atrium quod est intra templum, and some reade, atrium quod est extra templum, &c. Alwaies in this visible and outwarde face of the Church, represented here by this outward court, Paul doth mean, that the Antichrist must sit. 2. Thes. 2.4. and therefore, it is commaunded here to be cast out, and no care, measure, nor account thereof to be taken of God.

^b The holy citie is not one only citie, but is spirituall Ierusalem, euen the true Church and Spouse of Christ Iesus, generally throgh the whole world, as Reuel. 21. appeareth.

^c That these 42. moneths, are 1260. yeares, is prooued by our 1. 15. & 16. Propositions, and that this account of 1260. years be­ginnes about the yeares of Christ 300. or 316. is prooued by our 36. proposition, and that this time, the Antichrist must sitte ouer the Church of God, read 2. Thes. 2. and that so doth the Pope professing himselfe the heade of the Church, read lib. 5. Sexti, Canone foelicis: in glossa, and lib. 3. Sexti Tit. 16. can periculoso, hereof read also the 2. synthesis of our 26. proposition.

^d That the old and new Testaments be these two witnesses that here testifies of God, is prooued by our 21. proposition.

^e That 1260. daies meanes here 1260. yeares, is prooued by our 1. 15. and 16. propositions: and that they begin anno Christi. 300. or 316. or thereby, is declared in our 36. proposition.

^f Call to minde, how in the daies of Papistrie, none durst vnder the paine of their liues haue the Bible in vulgar language, but all the scriptures wer hidden vp from the vulgar people in Latin lan­guage, and wer hidden vp from simple schollers, by wrong glosses and false interpretations, as who would hide vppe and disguise a prince in sackcloth. Of these wicked glosses and false translations, wrested by the original Hebrue and Greeke, there is diuers to be seene in that age, such as euen now, and latest of all the Rhemish Testament.

^g There is mention made of these in Zach. 4. where the Pro­phet [Page 153] speking of Zerubbabel, & of Iehoshua the son of Iehozadak, their repairing vp of the materiall Temple, introduceth in that vision a figure of these two Candlestickes, and of these two Oliues or Te­staments, that yeeld spirituall oyle, both to the Lampes of the se­ven primitiue Churches, as also now to vs, to kindle our Lampes againe anew, against our bridegroomes comming to judgement. Matth. 25.1.

^h How the enemies of God and his word, are confounded with the fire of godlie zeale, is testified Psal. 20.9.10. and Psal. 78.5.6. Also, how manie blasphemous heretikes haue bene confounded by the mouthes of Gods ministers, and afterward died most hor­rible deaths, in histories may be seene.

ⁱ That this beast is the Romane and Papisticall Empire, by the whole indices and tokens thereof, is most clearlie declared Apoc. 12. and 13. and 17. & euidently prooued by our 24. proposition.

^k This great citie and streets thereof (though chieflie it mea­neth the Antichristian citie, which, God willing, both hereafter shall be, and is heretofore, proposition 23. prooved to be Rome) meaneth no one citie, but all the landes, cities, and places of the world, subject to the Antichristian Empire: Euen like as contrari­lie, spiritual Ierusalem, meaned al those through the worlde, that were of the true Christian Empire, as is before saide in the note ^b hereof.

^l This citie being called here, not simplie Sodome nor Aegypt, but spirituallie, like as hereafter (Apoc. 17.5) the same is called not simplie Babylon, but mysticallie Babylon: meaneth thereby, that that citie is not named literallie Sodom, Aegypt: or Babylon, but that because it is polluted with their vices; and like to them it is: there­fore, spirituallie compared to them.

^m Christ is saide to bee crucified in this Antichristian citie of Rome, for four causes: First, for that as the Iewes did put Christ to death, who is Gods true incarnate Worde, and depriued him of this earthlie life: So the Antichrist here, hath slaine Gods holie Word and Scriptures, by depriuing thē of their true sense, which is their spirituall life, and the execution of this slaughter procee­deth from Rome. Secondlie, wheresoeuer Christ is truelie preached and afterward despised (as in Rome) he is said there to be crucified Gal. 3.1. Thirdlie, wheresoeuer Christs members ar crucified and [Page 154] afflicted, there Christ esteemeth himselfe to be crucified and af­flicted (Mat. 25.40.45) But in Rome manie martyres haue suffred death: Therefore, &c. Fourthlie, because (by the note ^k preceeding) the whol Antichristian and Roman Empire, is comprehended vn­der the name of this chief metropolitan city therof, which is Rome; But vnder the Romane Empire. and by Pontius Pilate, one of the ma­gistrates thereof, was Christ crucified: Therefore, in this citie, (which specially meaneth Rome) is Christ figuratiuelie said to bee crucified.

ⁿ That these three daies and an halfe, are 1260 years, is proo­ved by our 15. and 16. propositions: and that these yeares began betwixt the years of Christ 300. and 316. is declared in our 36. proposition.

^o In consideration of the ten dominions that were vnder the Romane and Papisticall Empire, it may wel be esteemed, that the Abbeyes, Monasteries, and Papistical places of England, and Scot­land, with the addition of manie in Germanie, and some in France, that were ruined and pulled down, about the time of the yeare of Christ 1560. were no lesse than the tenth part of al the Antichri­stian citie or Papisticall policie.

^p At this time, the tenth part of the Papistical Empire being re­fourmed, and the idolatrous policies destroyed, it is specified here that seuen thousand wer slain, that is, they wer degraded of their dignities & honors, and spoyled of their rents, wheron they liued: for (as hereafter, Apoc. 13.15) to giue life to the image of the beast, is nothing els but to confirme, authorize, & inaugurate it, wherby it may enjoy office, honor, and rent: So here, to slaie, is as much as to degrade and depriue them of their offices, honours, and rentes, whereon they did liue. As to the precise number of se­uen thousande, the like, and like number yee shall finde 3. Reg. 19.18. and Roman. 11.4. which wee must not thinke to bee so preciselie spoken, as if there were no oddes: for such rea­sons, as you shall reade Apoc. 7. note ^f thereof, and Apoc. 9. note ^hthereof.

^q That in this age (which began in the yeare of Christ, a thou­sand, fiue hundred, fourtie and one, and endeth, at the farthest, in the yeare of Christ, a thousande, seuen hundred, foure score and sixe,) the Romane and Papistical Empire, and al tyrannicall king­domes [Page 155] shall bee suppressed, and Christs kingdome onlie erected: and the last judgment, ending all prophecies shall come, is mani­fested by the oath and vowe, made Apoc. 10.6. of which, reade the notes ^e and ^f thereof.

^r How this true temple of God, was patent in the daies of the true primitiue Church, and then closed vp againe, to these dayes is said in the discourse of the 20. proposition, and shalbe confir­med hereafter, Reuel. 15.8. & note ^h thereof: Wherby they nota­blie erre, that think the Church of God euer to be patent, publik, and visible, seeing by the former verses 2.3.7. and 8. it must bee trod downe by the Antichrist. 1260. yeares, til at length here ver. 19. a little before the latter day, it be made publike, patent, and open to all men.

^s This cold haile of partialitie, iniquitie, selfe-loue, and lack of charitie, is not onely here the last token, that preceeds the day of judgment, but also it is the very cause why the day of judgement shalbe hastened before the said 1786 year come, as Matth. 24.12.22. testifieth. Of this selfe-loue and partialitie of the latter day testifies Paul 2. Tim. 3.2. The remanent and perfect historie of the latter day is here omitted, and remitted to the 14. chapter, as shal be discussed there at length, and was already noted Reuel. 10. note ^d thereof, and in our progresse vppon the 11. proposition is mentioned. And so endeth the orderlie parte of this Reue­lation, beginning at Christes baptisme, and continuing vntill the latter day.

Notes, Reasons, and Amplifications.

^a That this woman clad here with the Sunne, &c. is the true Church of God, is prooued by the 22. proposition.

^b How the true Church euer traueled to procreate more chil­dren to God, in whome Christ is continually conceiued, formed, and spiritually borne: ye shal read the Galathians. 4.19. where Paul calleth the Galathians his little children, of whome he trauelled a­gain [Page 163] in birth, that Christ may be formed and shapen in thē: where by it is evident, that the Church of God is this Woman, & Christs true word is the fruite and birth, that shee formes and produceth into the hartes and bowels of the elect.

^c That this Dragon is the Deuill, it appears plainly by the 9. verse hereof following: and that this shape and figure of his, of se­uen heades and ten hornes, and that the 1260. yeares of his raign are the proprieties and notes of the Latine or Roman empire, is prooued by the 24. proposition. Hereby then is meant, that the deuil, in this strife against Gods Church, vsed or clothed himselfe with the persone of the Romane or Latine empire.

^d This man-child that ruled al nations with a rod of yron, is called (Psal. 2.) Christ the sonne of God, and (Reuel. 19.13.) he is called the vvord of God, which ar both one, seeing that word tooke flesh, and was incarnate, Iohn 1.14. Gods Church then, and true spouse, is said to produce this birth of this man-childe, when they preach forth the true worde of God, and his sonne Christ Iesus, reade hereof Gal. 4.19. howe Christ must be formed and shapen in vs, &c.

^e Seeing by the opinion of Methodius and Primasius, and diuers old writers, these notes of this woman agree not with the Virgin Marie in particular, but with the whole Church of Christ in ge­nerall: Therefore, and by these wordes of this text, and by our 16. proposition, it is certaine, that the Church of Christ must lurke & abide invisible. 1260. yeares, vnder the Antichrist, where through they are deceiued, that think the true Church to be euer visible, patent, and publike, or yet the publik and visible Church to be e­uer Gods true Church.

^f That 1260. daies in prophecies, signifie 1260. years is proo­ued by our 1. and 16. propositions, and that these years beginne at Sylvester the first, about the year of Christ, 316. is proued in the 36. proposition.

^g That both in Daniel 10.13.21, and Daniel 12.1. and also in this place, Michael is taken for one of the persones of the Tri­nitie, euen either for the Sonne, or for the holy Spirite, it is cer­taine, by the properties conteined in these textes, for there is Mi­chael called one of the first Princes and our Prince, and so, is both Christ and the holy Spirit, the first Prince before all beginning, & [Page 164] the last after all ending, euen α. and ω. and is also prince ouer vs, yea, hee is a Prince for vs that are his elect, who (as saith Daniel there) stands for Daniels people, euen for the true and spirituall Israelites, and so standeth both Christ in heauen as our Mediator with God, and the holy Spirite on earth with vs, as our defender and gouerner: Againe, with the name of Michael, which is to say, vvho is like God, or otherwise, Deus percutiens, a beating or striking God, (ex Hieronymo de interpretatione nominum) doth both the persone of Christ and the holy Spirite agree, for both with the father are one God, and none is like to that God, whereof all the three per­sons beate and strike downe Sathans tyrannie, and fighte for vs. The question therefore is, which person of the Deitie doth Michael signifie, in these forenamed textes: though some think he meane Christe, for the properties aboue written, agreeing to Christ: yet in respect (as is said) the same also doeth agree with the holy Spirit, and in some points agreeth not to Christ. Ther­fore, (in my judgment) Michael meaneth the holy Spirit, and not the person of Christ: for seeing the man, or one like vnto the Son of man that appeared to Daniel. (10.) is prooued Apoc. 1. note ^s thereof, and Apoc. 10. note ^a thereof, to be vndoubtedlie Christ: How can it be, that Christ there (Dan. 10.13.21.) saith that Michael helped him, except that Michael be taken for the holie Spirit? For the Deitie distinguished in three persons (although essentiallie in­separable) euerie person is said in the Scriptures, to help one ano­ther, as the Father by the Sonne created the vvorld (Col. 1.16. & Iohn. 1.3.) The Sonne sent by the Father, redeemed the world. (Luk. 4.43.) The holie Spirit sent both from the Father and the Sonne cō ­forteth, defendeth, and regenerateth his elect of the worlde: And the Angels are not said to help, but to serue and minister to the Deitie. But contrarilie, to deuide one person of the Deitie in two names, & to make Christ named with the one name, to help christ named with the other name, seemeth altogether improper: Wher by, Michael that helped Christ, appeareth euidentlie, not to be Christ, but the holie Spirite: and this I speake of these forenamed Textes onelie, and not of Michael in the Epistle of Iude, where hee representeth an Archangell, who durst not himselfe, but referred it to God, to rebuke Sathan, neither of other parts of Scripture where Michael is the proper name of a man.

[Page 165] ^h These Eagles winges doe meane Gods mightie protection, because (Deu. 32, 11) As the Eagle flotereth ouer her yong, & stretcheth out her vvings, and carieth them on her shoulders: so the Lord hath also kept and preserued his owne. Furthermore, these two Eagles winges may be taken for the two Testamentes, the olde and the new, with the which Gods true inuisible Church clothes her selfe, and therewith flieth from the Antichristian synagogue and assem­blie, to her priuate meditations.

ⁱ That this time, times, and halfe a time meaneth a thousand, two hundred and three score yeares, is prooued by our 16. propositi­on, beginning that date about the yeare of Christ 316. by the 36. proposition.

^k That these Waters and floods mean doctrin, consider by the not ^g of the 8. chap. hereof.

^l Some read this Text to bee spoken of the Dragon, in these wordes, And it stood vpon the sea shore, and so it may bee interpreted to meane, that Sathan stands readie betwixt sea and lande (accor­ding to the 12. verse hereof) to oppresse them both: that is, to seduce all those, that fixe and repose their foelicitie on earth­lie pleasures and ease on the one part: and these on the other part who as the waltering waues of muddie seas, plaie the tyrants, re­ving to themselues the kingdomes of the world: But I rather as­sent to those other, who read, And I stood on the seashore, as if S. Iohn would signifie to vs, that he stood on the shore or sea coast of the Ile of Pathmos, while as he sawe the vision following of the beast a­rising out of the sea. The like is said in Dan. 10.4. that he stood on the banke of the riuer Tigris, where he saw his vision.

Notes, Reasons and Amplifications.

^a Seeing (Apoc. 17.15.) waters generally are interpreted to mean al people and nations: the sea whereout this kingdome, & the foure kingdomes in Dan. 7. ariseth, must needs be the tumul­tuous people and tyrants of the world, amongst the which, and of whome, the monarchies start vp, conforme to Esay 57.20. the vvic­ked are like the raging sea that cannot rest, &c. and Ezech. 26.3. I wil bring vp many nations against thee as the sea, &c.

^b That beasts be interpreted Kings, kingdomes, empires, and monarchies, read Daniel. 7.17. and Dan. 8.20.21. and that this beast is the Romane kingdome and empire in particular, is proo­ued by our 24. proposition.

^c That these seuen heades, are interpreted seauen hilles of the great citie, and seuen sorts of Kings or gouernors thereof, reade Apoc. 17.9.18. and howe Rome is that seuen hilled citie, go­uerned by seuen royall and princely gouernments, is prooued by the 23. proposition, and in our foresaid 24. proposition.

^d How this empire of Rome became deuided into ten King [...] or kingdomes, compared to hornes, read Apoc. 17.12. and the said 24. proposition.

^c Daniel (cap. 7.) describing the foure monarchies, compares the first (which was of the Babylonians) to a Lyon. The secōd (which was of the Medes and Persians) to a Bear. The thirde (which was of the Grecians) to a Leopard: but because to al these, fourthly suc­ceeded the greate Latin empire: Therefore Sanct Iohn composeth [Page 174] here the fourth beast, which represents the same of all the former three, signifying thereby, that this empire lacked no instrument of crueltie, that any of the former had.

^f What throne & seat can this be els, that the Deuil giues to the Romans, but that which he promiseth to giue to Christ (Mat. 4.29) to wit, euen the Empire of the worlde, as being the Prince of this world (Ioh 12.31. & Eph. 6.12. & Col. 2.15.) & so indeede it pleased God to permit the Romans by their deuilish auguries, oracles, sor­ceries & bloodshed, to obtain the whol monarchie of the earth, to the wrack of other godles people, and at length of them selues.

^g The heades (Apoc. 7.19.) being two waies interpreted; to wit, for seauen mountaines, and for seuen kings or royal gouern­mēts. The wounding of one of these seuen heades, must necessa­rily, rather meane the decay of one of the seuen princely gouern­mēts, thā any thing concerning any of the hils, specially, seeing experience of the event hath declared, that the most special of these seuen gouermēts, to wit, the Emperors, wer abolished by the war­fare of the Hunnes, Gothes, & Ʋandalles, & vaked from the daies of Augustulus, in the year of Christ 475. vntil the cōming of Charle­maign in the 806. year, in whose person and successors, that deadly woud of the empire was healed, & the estat of Emperors renued.

^h Who can deny but these Romanes, adorers of these Idols, in whome the deuil actually spake by oracle, in that doing, worship­ped the Deuil, seeing the most simple sorte of Idolatrie, is nothing els, but the worshipping of deuils, & are adjunct. Apoc. 9.20.

ⁱ This mouth of the Empire, euen the Pope, that Antichristian prophet, here receiues his beginning of the Latin empire, as a mē ­ber therof, but afterward (ver. 11.) he becomes a seueral king, & is particularly described: hereof read the 24. 25. & 26. Propositiōs.

^k That 42. moneths be 1260 yeares, and begin about the 300. or 316. yeare of God, read our 1.16. and 36. propositions.

^l This slaying of the Lambe from the beginning, meaneth the certaintie of Gods predestination, in that the decree of God, pre­ordinate from the beginning, shal as surelie take effect, as if it had bene alreadie performed from the beginning. Arethas, reads this wise, Whose names were not written from the beginning of the vvorld in the booke of life of the Lamb, who was slain. Agreeable with the like, con­tained Apoc. 17.8. Alwaies, seeing both the saued number, as also [Page 175] the form of redemption are from the beginning appointed and preordinate by God, therefore both these readings may stand.

^m After he hath described the Pope as a member, euen the mouth of the great Roman Empire: now describeth he him more particularlie & apart, as hauing obtained a particular kingdom of his own: Hereof read note ^l with the 24. 25 and 26. propositions.

ⁿ Hornes, to signifie, powers, & kingdoms, read the note ^d Apoc. 5

^o This deadlie wound, note ^g is declared to be the decay of the Imperial estat, which now being start vp again in Charlemaigne, the Pope proclames him Emperor, & willeth al men to reuerēce him.

^p Of these miracles and wonders, wrought partlie by sorcerie, partlie by jugling, & partlie but falslie alledged, ye shal find divers histories: Hereof read the tenth synthesis of our 26. proposition.

^q Of these fiery signes, we read two sorts, the one is by inchant­mēt, such as Pope Gregory the 7. did practise, who first was a Monk, & was called Hilde-brand, which is to say, a helth-brand, or rather a hel-brand, & being ashamed of that name, did change the same, but not the meaning therof, for (as Cardinal Benno writes in vita Hilde­brādi) Cùm vellet manicas suas discutiebat, &c, that is, Whē he list, he did shake down his sleeues & fire did flie out, in maner of sparks, and by these mi­racles, as by a sign of holines he deluded the eies of the simple people: And be­cause the deuil might not persecute Christ openly by Pagans, therfore by this false Monk vnder a Monks habit, & shew of religiō, he fraudfully preassed to subuert Christs name. The other sort, is by ceremonies of terrour, as when the Pope or his Cleargie doe cast downe fierie Torches, and Candels from on high, at the time of their cursing, as though they would meane, that the fire of Gods wrath wer likewise ready at their command, to bee shaken out of heauen (as out of Hilde­brands sleeue) against thē whom they curse. And by these horrible signs & terrours, they haue so terrified Princes, that they made thē to lose their kingdoms, & due obedience of their subjects, till they behoued to stoup vnder their feet, & craue pardon & absolution. What kingdomes thereby the Pope hath cowped, and what rents and dignities he hath conquered, is to be seene in histories.

^r The Pope politikelie for his ease, causeth these newe counter­fet Emperors to be made by princes Electors; that these Emperors of his own making, may not onlie augment his Ecclesiastial rents: but also, may be readie, as his slaues, to fight his battelles, and re­venge [Page 176] all his quarrels, as is to be seene in manie and diuerse histo­ries, els shall the the Pope depriue them, and create other Empe­rours in their place: And so hath he puissance indeede to doe, for that hee hath hitherto so pinched the empire, that hee hath the substance thereof; and they litle more than the bare name, i­mage, or shadow thereof: and therefore, are they called images of the beast, as being in a maner but counterfeit Emperours: Reade hereupon our 28. proposition.

^s The king of Romanes and apparant Emperour, chosen by the Princes Electors, is neuer the more Emperour, vnlesse, being sworn to maintaine the Papisticall seat, he be afterward inaugurate and crowned by the Pope: for manifestatiō of which supremacie, Pope Coelestine, crowning the Emperour Henrie with his hand, hee after­ward with his foote threw down the crown from his head, saying, he had authoritie both to make Emperours, and to depose them at his pleasure.

^t That these visible marks are the abused characters of χρ̄ς, & crosses of all kindes, such as ✝ ✚ ☓ [...] [...] & such other, & how these be rather derived from the beasts name, λατεινος, than from the name of Christ, read the 31. proposition.

^u That the name of the beast is χξς, or Latin Empire, & how that name resulteth of the number 666 or [...], read the 29 propo­sition, and how the beasts visible markes are deriued there-from, read the 31 proposition.

Notes, Reasons, and Amplifications.

^a Of these 144000 Israelites, which the Spirite of God signifi­ed to S. Iohn, in the beginning of the troubles of the seuen ages, that he would preserue and marke to himself, there lacks not one, but they ar all exhibited now, after these troubles, merrie and re­ioysing with Christ their redeemer, as Christ saith, Ioh. 6.30. & 17 12. Haec est enim voluntas eius qui misit me Patris, vt omne quod dedit mihi non perdam ex eo, sed resuscitem illud in nouissimo die. This is the Fathers vvil vvhich hath sent me, that of al vvhich he hath giuen me, I shuld loose nothing, but should raise it vp again at the last day: And Quos dedisti mihi, custodiui, & nemo ex iis periit, &c. Those that thou gauest me, haue I kept, and none of them is lost, &c.

^b As in the seuenth chapter he hath expressed and fore-warned the marking, preseruing and electing of these 144000. Israelites, and of the Gentiles of all nations, an innumerable people. So here for the Israelits, he repeats that self same number of 144000. and for the Gentiles he represents them vnder the sound of many wa­ters, and great thunders, for (Reuel. 17.15.) waters are interprete, people, nations, and tongues: and thunders are those preachers, of whatsoeuer nations, that boldly threaten out Gods judge­mēts against the wicked; for the which, Christ called Iohn & Iames the sonnes of thunders. Mark. 3.17. and the seuen Angels, that here threaten the destruction of this Babylon, and day of judge­ment, are therefore (Reuel. 10.3.4.) called the seuen thunders.

^c This doubtlesse, is litterally spoken of Israell, of whome hee would mean, that, boast as they will, that they are the seede of A­braham, and chosen people of God, yet shall no more of them thā [Page 183] these 144000. be saued, that becomes Christians: whereas, of the Gentiles, the number that shall be saued (Reuel. 7.9.) shall be in­finite, and their sound shall be here (saith he, ver. 2) as the sounde of manie waters: But concerning the precisenes of this number, read Apoc. 7. note ^f thereof.

^d This is not so precisely meaned, but that both the whore­monger and idolater, whom God afterward hath indewed with repentance and amendement, hauing faith in Christ Iesus, shall be restored to puritie in his bloud: for, how oft so euer a sinner doeth repent him of his iniquities, the Lord will put his iniquitie out of his mind, Yea, though thy sinnes (saith God, Esay. 1.18) were as skarlet, yet shal I make thee vvhite as snow, and cleane as wool.

^e As the first fruites in the Leuiticall Law were offered to God, and the rest disponed vpon by the people: So ar the Elect onlie de­dicate and appointed for God, and therefore, they only are called his first fruites: and the great multitude reprobate, and reiecte.

^f That this Angell (although he calleth him another Angell, that is to say, another than the Lambe) is no second, but is the first of these, which (Apoc. 10.3.4.) are called the seuen thunders, ap­peares hereafter by verse 9. and note ⁱ following, and by the 11. and 12. propositions: and therefore, this Angels time falleth be­twixt the 1541. and the 1590. yeare of Christ.

^g That at this time the houre of Gods latter judgment drawes neere, euen within an hundred and ten years from the end of this first Angels time, is to be seene by our 13. and 14. propositions.

^h That vnder the name of figuratiue Babylon, is meaned Rome, read the 23. proposition. And as Rome it selfe is here comparable to Babylon, in that she succeeded to her Empire and impietie, so al­so here, and in the 18. chap. hereafter, doth the Prophet S. Iohn, in describing the fal of this Babylonical Rome, borrow the verie words of Esay and Ieremie, describing the fall of Babylon it selfe. Hereof read the note ^b of the 18. chapter. Further, how before the end of this Iubilie, ending in Anno 1639. Rome appearinglie is to bee de­stroyed, & the kingdom therof to fall, the merueilous beginning of this same Iubilie semeth to portend: for nere to the beginning hereof in the 88. 89. and 90. yeares of God, God hath by the tem­pest of his windes, miraculouslie destroyed the huge and mon­strous Antichristian flote, that came from Spaine, against the pro­fessors [Page 184] of God in this poore Iland: Again, God hath stirred vp one of the chiefe murderers of the Saints of God in Paris, euen the late king of France, to murther the Duke of Guize, and the Cardi­nall his brother, speciall deuisers of that cruel Massacre. Then far­ther, that mightie God hath stirred vp a desperat Papisticall Frier to cose liues with that bloodie king. So that by the sword, & mu­tual bloudshed of Papists among thēselues, the right of the crown of France is now fallen into the hands of the king of Nauar, a pro­testant Prince. And with these miraculous accidents hath this Iu­belie begun, hoping in God before the end thereof, to heare that whole Papisticall citie and kingdome of Rome vtterlie ruined: For these premises were as vnlikely before those three yeares.

ⁱ Because this text calleth this Angell the third Angell: there­fore, necessarily the Angel preceeding him in the 8. verse, must be the second: And againe, the Angel preceeding that seconde in the 6. verse, must be the first Angel, although the text adioines to that first Angell, the name of other, as being another than the Lambe, mentioned before, verse 1. For the Lambe is euer spirituallie pre­sent, and assistant with his Church: But that other was the firste messenger, that commeth in the last age: and this, contained in this 9. verse, is the third, and Christ himselfe by his bodilie com­ming to judgement, shall be the fourth. Read more hereof in our 13. proposition.

^k Whereas in other partes of this booke, this mark is but sim­plie called the beastes marke, as doubtfull what it is like, or from whence it is deriued: here saith hee plainelie, it is the marke of the beasts name: as if therby he wold plainlie let vs vnderstand, that that marke is some wayes deriued from the name of the beaste [...], to wit, euen from the three numerall letters thereof [...] assigned by the text, as more euidentlie doeth appeare by the next chapter, verse 2. and note ^c thereof, where that marke is ex­preslie called, the marke of the number of the beastes name: and therefore, these marks, are the markes of [...] and crosses of all kindes, as is prooved by our 31. proposition.

^l Some reade here, Blessed are they that incontinent hereafter die in the Lord, for that (saith the Spirit) they shall rest from their labours: but seeing certainlie, they are alwayes blessed that die in the Lord, bee it heretofore, or hereafter, I therefore assent rather to them that [Page 185] reade: Blessed are they that die in the Lorde, for that incontinent here­after (saith the spirit) they shal rest from their labours. and this varietie commeth by the placing of the point before the adverb of time, or after the same in the Greeke.

^m This cloude is meant literally, for in a cloude Christ past out of his disciples sight, and that same way (saith the Angels Act. 1.9.10.11.) shall he returne to judgement: hereof, read Math. 24.30. and Mat. 26.64. the like is spoken, Revel. 1.7. and note ^f thereof.

ⁿ This hooke or sickle mentioned here, and in Ioel. 3.13. and Mar. 4.29. can meane no other thing, nor that earnest and sharpe diligence, that Christ shall vse in gathering in his elect: by compa­rison, as shearers or reapers with their hookes gather in their corne, and not that Christ shal vse any material instrument in this work of the latter day: yea, no other than that, that God did vse at the first creation of all thinges, which was, Dixit & factum est, euen the vertue and puissance of his word.

^o The precise day and houre of Gods greate judgement, being both vnknowne to Christ, so far as he is man, and also to the An­gels of heauen, as Christ testifies in Mark. 13.32. Therefore, this Angell, that is the aduertiser of Christ, must needs be the holy spi­rit, the great Messenger of God, and God himself, by whom Christ is made foreseene, and priuie to al mysteries, as being coniunct & vnite persons in one Godhead.

^p This temple that is said here to be in heauen, is by the Reuel. 21.22. & by the 20. prop. nothing else, than the majestie of God: from whome the holy spirit going out figuratiuelie, as it were, af­ter the maner of men, beareth this message of the latter day to Christ, and so are expressed three seueral functions, correspondent to the three persons of the Godhead. The Father directs the mes­sage of his iudgement, the holy spirite beareth it vnto the sonne, the Son then executeth it. And this orderlie progresse is set down, but for supplie of our weake vnderstanding.

^q This Vine is the wicked people of the world, which the Lord hath planted to bring forth good fruite, but they haue brought forth euill and corrupt works, of whome saith Esay 5.2. I vvaited that they should produce good vines, & they brought foorth sowre grapes. That is to say, in the seuenth verse therof: I waited that they shuld giue iudgment, and behold, they wrought iniquitie: and I looked [Page 186] for iustice, and behold the complaint.

^r Seeing by the spirit of God, there is nothing idlely or in vain expressed. These whol premises being spokē of the later day, it ap­peares this date of 1600. to be the date of that great day, else ap­parantly, this greate precise number of 1600. would not haue bin put here more than any other number, and this doth cheiflie ap­peare, because this number agreeth so neere with other propheti­call dates of the latter day, falling about the yeare of Christ. 1699 as at more length is shewed in our 14. Proposition.

Notes, Reasons, and Amplifications.

^a This glassie sea, is the world, wherin, although the wicked be drowned sometime, with the stormie waues and troubles; some­time againe, with the pleasures and voluptuousnes thereof: yet doth God a litle quiet the rage thereof, and make it so firme and stable to his owne, that though they sometime slide thereon, and be grieued with the fire of persecution, yet shall neither the ra­ging stormes thereof, on the one part, nor the alluring pleasures thereof, vpon the other part, ouerwhelm or drowne them, hereof reade the Paraphrase of the Reuel. 4.6.

^b The text here speketh of victory, & ouercomming the beast, his image, and mark of the number of his name. Though the ouer­comming the beast, might import a battell or strife: yet it were vnproper to say, they stroue and ouercame the mark of the num­ber of the beasts name. This victory then, appeares to mean a spi­rituall strife by knowledge, to discerne the treuth and true mea­ning of these, from the wrong meaning, and so to ouercome the difficultie of these mysteries, that knowing their true meaning, we may victoriously follow the truth.

^c Many hauing mistaken this text, haue not followed the ori­ginall greek, but thinking to make the matter more sensible, haue turned it to the wrong sense: for some haue here interponed the conjunctiō, and, saying, of his mark, [and] of the nūber of his name: these, by interponing that coniunction and, woulde meane the [Page 189] beasts mark to be a seueral thing, no waies pertinent to the num­ber of the beasts name. Others, not finding there that coniuncti­on, and, which is [...] in the greeke, doeth apparantly iudge these words. [Of his marke of the number of his name] to bee put appositiué, as to say, Iohn an Apostle, and so doth iudg this mark and this num­ber to mean both one thing, and therefore leaues out the one; to wit, the mark, and this is done in the vulgar latine translation in these wordes. Et eos qui vicerunt bestiam et imaginem eius et numerum nominis eius &c. that is, and they who haue gotten victory of the beast, & of his image, and of the number of his name &c. but betwixt these ex­tremities, whereof the one addeth, & the other paireth the text, we hold the text it selfe as the true middest, which word by word according to the greek originall, & as both T. Beza in the Latine, and we here in the englishe haue expounded the same, doeth im­port not the victory of the beasts mark, and of the number of his name, but of the beasts mark of the nūber of his name: inferring expreslie thereby, that the beasts marke comes of the number of his name: and therefore, haue we cited this text in our 31. propo­sition, as a sure ground and authoritie to try this mark by, reade further hereof in the said proposition.

^d That this Temple means Gods holy Church and whol con­tents thereof, euen his very treuth and true religion amongst his holy and heauenly elect vpon earth, is shewed in our 20. proposi­tion. And here is to be noted, that euer the more patently that this temple is opened, and the more openly that Gods truth is published, the greater euer are the plagues that floweth out from thence, if it be not duly imbraced, and reuerently accepted, as ex­perience both here, after the daies of the primitiue Church, and also in al ages proueth, and shal, without al question, be also pro­ued vpon vs in this present age, except more speedy repentance come not, yet appeareth.

^e That fine linnen, is puritie, innocencie and iustification, read the Reuel. 19.8 and how this girding is a signe of readines, read Luke 12.35. and Luk. 17.8. and specially meaneth readines to ju­stice, as in Esay. 11.5. Iustitia cingulum lumborum eius, Iustice shall be the girdle of his loynes, &c. and that with greate power, as Psa. 17.33 40. So that the girdle of these proprieties, for their excellen­cie, is said here to be of gold: that is to say, precious and glorious [Page 190] as is said, Apoc. 1.13. note ⁿ thereof.

^f Where it is saide here, that this beast or Euangelist, gaue the seuen Vials to these seuen Angels, it is not literallie so to be taken, but after a propheticall and figuratiue maner of speach: as if hee would say, that that Euangelist Luke remitted, and gaue ouer the writing of the rest of his Ecclesiasticall historie and entred to, these seuen Angels to prophecie out, where he left off: The like phrase is commonlie vsed, in saying, Thou hast deliuered him thy penne: that is, Thou hast giuen place to him to write the rest. Here then note, that if either the foure beasts were wrong interpreted, to be the foure Euangelistes, or yet the seuen trumpets, or seuen vials were not both one, or at the leaste, began not about the yeare of God, 71. and so our 2. 6. and 19. propositions were impugned, then woulde there some repugnance appeare here: but in that there is no repugnance here (for the Actes of the Apostles end at the remaining of Paule captiue two yeares in Rome, in free warde, where shortlie after he suffered death, in the end of Nero his raign, which approcheth within a yeare or two to the said 71. yeare of Christ) Therfore, the said propositions are hereby confirmed and vndoubtedlie approoued.

^g Some doe translate this to bee the smoke and reeke of Gods majestie, and of his power, that hindreth vs to enter into his Tem­ple; which is not probable, but rather, as Ierome and other learned translate it, a smoke, not of Gods majestie, nor of his power, but from Gods majestie, and from his power, as being the smoke of Antichristian errours, which neuertheles floweth from the per­mission and power of Gods majestie, for the punishment of the contemners of his trueth. The like is saide in the Lordes prayer, Lord, lead vs not into temptation. and Amos. 3.6. Is there anie euill in the citie, which the Lord hath not done: not that the Lord tempteth vs, or doth anie euill in the citie directlie, but onelie, that that temp­tation and euill doing doth flowe from the permission and suffe­rance of his majestie, and his almightie power, as permitting, in his just wrath, his slaues, the deuil, the world, and the flesh, to stirre vp all euill in vs: And so, this smoke that hindereth vs from ente­ring into Gods Temple, is not his smoke, but the smoke of Anti­christian errours, which neuertheles floweth from the permission of Gods majestie and power.

[Page 191] ^h This abiding of Gods Temple so long latent and obscure, is most certaine: For, during the most part of the first age, by diuers heretikes, forerunners of the great Antichrist: and during the se­cond, third, fourth, fift, sixt, and beginning of the seuenth ages, by the Romane Antichrist himselfe; the true Temple of God, & light of the Gospell was obscured, til by the seuenth plague, in this se­uenth and last age, his kingdome began to fall; so that henceforth to the worldes end, shall Gods true Church and holie religion be patent, open, and publikelie knowne. Hereof read the paraphrase of chap 11. 19. and note ^r thereof, with the discourse of our 20. proposition.

Notes, Reasons, and Amplifications.

^a The earth, in al the Reuelation, is not onlie taken for the peo­ple of the earth in generall, but for the Antichristian and vniuersal Empire of the earth, euen the Romane Monarchie in speciall, as ap­peareth here plainlie by these seuen plagues, which here are saide to be powred foorth vpon the earth, and fell indeed against the Romane Empire; and chieflie, where he saith, the first Viall was pow­red [Page 199] foorth vpon the earth, he subjoyneth in continent, and there fell a noysome and grieuous plague on them that did beare the marke of that Antichristian beast or Empire: as meaning, by the falling of that plague on the earth, the falling therof on the empire of the earth, and consequentlie, the earth meaneth the Empire of the earth, or Romane Monarchie: and therefore earthquake doth euer meane commotions of the Empire, both actiuelie and passiuelie, as you shall find through all our Paraphrase, to agree with the historie.

^b Why justlie we interprete the sea to mean Italie, read the note ^d Apoc. 8.

^c That fountains & flouds mean doctrin, read the note ^g Apo. 8

^d This doctrine is justlie called bloudie, seeing the Mahomet preached and proclaimed warre against all men, and promised the kingdome of heauen to them, that fight valiantlie in his causes.

^e That the Sunne, for the most part, meaneth the spirituall e­state, read Apoc. 6. note ^h thereof.

^f This heat that the Cleargie, at this time, both chafed them­selues and others with, agrees verie wel, by histories of that time, to be both the contentious arguments, and opinions, conteined in our historicall application, whereby they troubled and vexed Christians, as also the pride and ire of the Pope and his Cleargie, which at this time rose so hie, that they, by the hand of Charlemain, bereft the Exarchat from the Emperour of the Orient, & the king­dome of Lombardie from the Lombardes, and doe brooke both to this day, and then, & euer since, haue stirred vp the world in strife.

^g This plague, that here makes against the Romane seate, in this fift Viall, prooueth the plague of the fift Trumpet, not to meane the Pope (as some beleeue) but rather the Turke, as in our 3. pro­position is prooued more at length.

^h These three vncleane Spirites, that here are saide to proceede foorth of the mouthes of the Deuill, of the Antichristian beast, and of the false Prophet, are called (Apoc. 9.17.18.) three plagues of fire, smoke, and brimstone, that proceeded out of the mouthes of the Mahometanes: wherethrowe of necessitie, they must meane such three common heads of doctrine, as both the Pope and the Mahomet do seduce their subjectes with. Such as, first, their ire and tyrannie: for, the Pope proclaimed hauocke of all Mahometicke blood. So doe the Mahometanes with Christians. Secondlie, heresie: [Page 200] For the Pope presseth by al meanes possible, to spread his Papisti­call heresie vniuersallie: so do the Mahometans their wicked here­sie of their Alkaron. Thirdly, bitter and sulphurious auarice: For either of them aspired to be Monarch of the whole worlde. The Pope charging the Empire, and his vnder kinges to fight his holy warres, (as he tearmeth them) for the augmenting of S. Peters pa­trimonie. The Mahomet charging his Saracens to take vp the whol kingdomes of the world, as promised to thē by God (Gen. 13.16) as being the sonnes of Abraham, euen Agarenes indeed, and Sara­cens (as they think) by adoption, and therfore, promising the king­dome of heauen to them that fight valiantlie in that quarrell: and so for conclusion, these deuilish plagues, and inspirations of ire, heresie, and auarice, do seeme to be the three plagues and deuilish intisements, that here both moueth Papisticall and Mahometicke kinges to this great bloudshed and warfare.

ⁱ As God is in the trueth, and the trueth in him, and he is the trueth (Ioh. 14.6) So (â contrariis) the deuill is in deceit, and deceit in him, and he is deceit, and that so inseperablie, that where the one is, there also is the other. Whereupon, these wicked and de­ceitfull intisements, and three inspirations of the deuil, are justlie called by the text, spirits of Deuils, because the deuill goeth with them, and they with him conjunctlie, in taking of the which his personall presence with them, hee confirmeth them oftentimes with lying wonders, and deceitfull miracles, as saith the Text. Of these false Papisticall miracles, and Mahometicall enthousiasmes, di­uers ar to be read in their histories.

^k That Armageddon signifieth the mountaine of the Euangel, or of the Elect fruit, read Hierome de interpretatione nominum. There is no reason here to read Geddon arma, as some doe, vnder pretēce of the Hebrew maner of reading backward: for if the Hebrew man­ner wer here to be obserued, not only would the last word be first read, but euen likewise the last letters first, and euery letter back­ward in his owne order, making Noddegamra, and not geddon arma

^l Of this consumation of all things, read the note ^q Apoc. 11.

^m There came neuer so greate a change among the wicked Mo­narchies of the earth: for euer as one was destroyed, another as wicked arose, but now shal al wicked kingdomes be dissolued, and shal giue place vnto the eternall kingdome of Christ.

[Page 201] ⁿ This great citie, hauing neither the epithet of Holie, nor con­trarilie, any Antichristian epithet ioyned to it, and yet apparantlie by the text, including no professed Gentilisme, must therefore, (as appeares) meane Christendome, which neither is altogether Gods holie citie and spirituall Hierusalem, neither yet altogether Anti­christian, but partlie of both: but hauing no publike Gentilisme professed in it: for there is no religion publikelie professed in it, but Christian: yet by the craft of the deuill, the same is rent in pe­ces, euen in three factions: one being Protestants, another Papists, the third, ignorant Neutrals, alike to both: who all cal themselues Christians: But of these three, the Papistical seat being the author both of their owne wilfull errours, as also of the ignorant peoples Neutralitie and doubtfulnes of faith, shal therefore (in the next verse) goe to ruine.

^o That this Babylon, that here is mentioned, is Rome, is prooued by our 23. proposition: by destruction of the which Romane seate, here prophecied, occasion of perseverance is ministred to the Pro­testants, penitence to the Papists, and of perfect certaintie to the doubtfull and wauering Neutral: which because these do not the more hereof acknowledge, and thākfullie accept, but for the most part, become al colde as haill (as in the next verse is said) therfore doth the Lord shorten the latter dayes, for final end of al iniquity.

^p Of this cold and tempestuous haill of self-loue, and lacke of zeale and charitie, read the note ^s Apoc. 11. Here note the profes­sed Christians, being of three sortes, Protestants, Papists, and Neu­trals: the Papists being the Authours, both of their owne wilfull errours, and of the Neutrals ignorant errours are therfore in the former verse, first punished: but because, neuertheles, these igno­rant Neutrals do encrease and augment daylie in self-loue, and their zeal and charitie euer freeseth colder & colder to the worlds end, therefore, shall the Lord shorten the latter day, as appeareth by the testimonies cited in the said note ^s Apoc. 11.

Notes, Reasons, and Amplifications.

^a This one of these seuen Angels, both mentioned here, and in the Apoc. 21.9. agreeth rathest to be the last, euen the Angell of the last age, as being he in whose time, both in this place that An­tichristian whore was destroyed, & in that place Gods holie Hie­rusalem & true Spouse and Church decored and d [...]cked: and there­fore, of all the seuen, he seemeth meetest to describe these thinges to Iohn, which God had appointed him in effect to execute.

^{b f} That an Idolatrous citie is called in the Scriptures a whore, it is common, For saith Esay 1.21. How is the holie Citie become a vvhore, &c. And how, more particularlie, this decked whore, and filthie woman, is interpreted to be that citie, that doeth impire ouer the Kinges of the earth, reade the last verse of this chapter, and so it must needes meane Rome, the onlie chief Metropolitane city of the Empire.

^c Waters are plainlie interpreted by the Angell, to bee people and nations, ver. 15.

^d Of potable liquors, wine and water, the cleare waters and welspringes, are euer taken in the Scriptures in the best parte, for the wholesome, pure, true, and most simple doctrine of the Evan­gell, which our soules continuallie thirste after: But contrarilie, wine, for that it is more alluring, delectable, and prouoketh drun­kennesse, therefore, in all the Scriptures, it is commonlie taken in an euill parte, for idolatrous, licentious, and voluptuous doctrins, provoking Gods ire and fierce wrath. Read Apoc. 14.8.10. The like is in diuers other places.

^e Except we be solitarilie, and as in a desert, distracted and withdrawne from worldlie societie and partiall affaires, it is hard to haue our Spirit and perfect judgement ripe and ready to discerne the trueth of spirituall matters.

^f Hereof reade the note ^b.

^g As al red coullours, betoken bloudshead in the Scriptures (as is said Apoc. 6.4. note ^c) and skarlet is a more glorious red than simple red. So betokeneth it, this Romane kingdom not onely sim­plie to be bloodthirstie, but euen to glorie in their bloodshead and murthers. And further, beside the spiritual meaning of these collours, the Princes of that Empire both first and last, euen both Emperours and Popes, were corporallie and really clothed in pur­ple [Page 210] and skarlet, in their Pontificals, as is to be read in the Decret. distinct. 96. where Constantine the Emperour giues his imperial gar­ments of purple and skarlet, called therein, Chlamidem purpuream, & tunicam coccineam, to Pope Syluester the first, and his successours, to be worne by them, as they doe to this day,

^h These names of blasphemie, that here are said, that the beaste is full of, are said (Apoc. 13.1) to bee vpon the seuen heads of the beast. The trueth is therefore, that these proud, glorious and pre­sumptuous stiles and superscriptions, are not only set vp in sundry monuments vpon diuers places of these seuen hilles, which are her seuen heades, but also through al the whole bodie of the beast, e­uen in euery part of that Empire, are there infinite of these Tem­ples, Idols, and other monuments erected, bearing such proude and blasphemous superscriptions and titles dedicatories, as Diis manibus, Fortunae, Plutoni, Ʋeneri, Priapo, and euen at Mussilburgh, a­mong our selues in Scotland, a foundation of a Romane monument lately found (now vtterlie demolished) bearing this inscription de­dicatorie, Apollini Granno Quintus Lucius Sabinianus Proconsul Aug. Also there is to be seene in their coines the like vniuersally, euen titles of the pride and vain-glorie of Rome, as in the daies of Con­stantius and Maximianus, a coine printed with this inscription, Romae aeternae prat. In the dayes of Licinius Iunior, a coine with this inscription, Romae aeternae, with the figure of Rome, sitting as a glori­ous ladie. In the dayes of Priscus Attalus, a coine with this inscrip­tion. Invicta Roma aeterna conob. Of which writeth Adolphus Occo, li­bro Numismatum Romanorū. Of this their blasphemous stile of eter­nity, read S. Ierome, lib. Epist. parte. 2. tract. 2. Epist. 18. question. 11. litera. Z. in these wordes, Vnde secundum Apocalypsim Ioannis, in fron­te purpuratae meretricis, scriptum est nomen blasphemiae, id est Romae aeternae; that is to say, Whereby, acccording to the Reuelation of S. Iohn, in the forehead of the skarlet vvhore, there is written a name of blasphemie, which is Eternal Rome.

ⁱ These seuē heads ar plainly interpreted by the Angel hereafter, v. 9. to be seuen mountains, & seuē governmēts, or princely estats.

^k Read these heads, taken for kings, and kings for any princely gouernours in vers. 9. following, and note ^s thereof.

^l Now haue we to trie, what these ten hornes doe meane: first by Daniell 7.24. and Reuel. 17.12. these be ten kinges. Second­lie, [Page 211] their kingdomes must be part of the Romane beast, and fourth Monarchy, as both appears, Dan. 7.7.23.24. Reu. 12.3. and 13.1 and 17.3.7. as also, because that whol ten horned beast, meaning the whole Romane Empire, by our 24. prop. what els can the parts of that beast signifie, than parts of that Empire, and consequently the ten crowned horns of the beast, ten kings & kingdoms out of the Empire? Thirdly, by ver. 12. hereof, & note ^u following, appears that these ten kings arose whē the Roman governmēt by Emperors decayed, and when the Pope began to claime temporal dignities, which al occurred betwixt the 300. and 450. year of Christ, by our 36. prop. and approued histories. Fourthly, by the 13. & 14. verses, appears, that these shal be of one religion, and shal therfore authorize, & giue their power & assistance to the beast, that next gouerned that Roman seat, euen to the Pope (the Emperours then being decayed) Fiftly, thogh (as is said) these ten horns cam at once with that Papistical beast, & litle Antichristian horn, yet they rose first to their kingdoms before this Papistical horn rose to his Monarchy, and then he suppressed three of them, which testifieth, Dan. 7.24. saying, Another (euen that Antichrist) shal rise vp after them (to wit af­ter these ten kings) & he shall subdue three kings, & so the Antichrist that commeth at one time with them, riseth not to an established Monarchy til after their rising, yea, til three of thē wer fallē: for the tearm in the original Hebrue or Chaldee doth not meane there of his first cōming or simple beginning to rise, but of his establishing or confirming of his rising: for the same tearm that here is put for this rising, is expresly put in Iob. 22.28. & 2. Chro. 7.18. & diuers other places, for establishing & confirming. So by these notes and tokēs, these ten appear to be the kings of Spain, France, Lōbardy, Eng­land, Scotland, Denmark, Swadē, of the Hunnes or Hungarians in Panno­nia, now called Hungarie, of the Gotths in Italy, & the Exarchat of Rauenna, al start vp with the Pope, betwixt the 300. and 450. yeare of God. As to the kingdoms of Arragon, Granad, Portugal, Castile, Legeon Tolet, Galice & Nauarre, they ar only inferior kingdoms, partly sub­ject to the Empire, partly pendicles of Spain, & ar not kingdoms of old. The other kingdom of Nauarre is also of late, & now is & shall be (God willing) all one with France▪ Sicil, Beheme, & Naples, for the most part are of the Empire, & are neither old nor free kingdoms: Burgundie is of France, & was only a smal kingdom, or rather duke­dome. [Page 212] Norway is but of late a deuided kingdom from Denmarke, & is now conjoyned again with Denmarke, Ireland is conjoyned with England. Polland is but of late erected in a kingdō. Cyprus is a king­dom both late, small, and seldome in Christians hands. As to the Vandals & Ʋisegoths, that people, as appeares, came from Swaden, & the Northren countries, & began their kingdom in Spain. An. Christ. 382. by Modogislaus their king: and therfore justly, of these Vandals & Goths whatsoeuer, we comprehend their goers out vnder Spaine, Italy, & Hungarie, wher they came, and their remainers at home, we comprehend vnder Swaden, whose king now stileth him self, king of Swaden, Gothes and Vandals, as in the circumscription of their coines is to be seen. And so apparātly, remain only the said ten kingdoms to be chiefly the beasts ten hornes, with which the Popes litle horn and smal kingdom comming at one time, was afterward cōfirmed & established by Pipin, Charlemaign, & Lodouicus Pius, and thē arose it greatest of all: and by his craft, and meanes of his confederates, suppressed the kingdoms of the Goths, Longobards & Exarchat, and brooketh their lands within Italy to this day: But the other seuen kings yet extant, with the people also of these three kingdomes, shall (God willing) one day repay that Antichristian seat, with fire, sword, and vtter destruction, as appeareth by the 16. verse hereof, and other places of this booke.

^m Of the great pomp & riches of this town, read Hierom, parte. 2 tract. 5. Epistola. 59. litera, G. where he concludeth, Aurata sua tecta magis velint aspicere quàm coelum, that is, they had rather behold their gilded silerings than the heauens: and what merueil is it that it be rich, seeing almost the whol world haue bene tributaries to it, about 2000. years, including the time of pardons, as being the most wel­thy tributes. And as in all things they are glorious, so also in their tributes they appointed that the same shuld be brought in earthē pots, & the pots broken in a certaine place of Rome, where, by the great quantity of broken pots, there is waxed a hil, called Monte testaceo. And this haue they done for their glorious name and o­stentation, which (confirming this text) beareth recorde of the great riches that hath bene brought to them from al the world.

ⁿ How and why Rome is stiled Babylon mysticallie or figuratiue­ly, is shewed at length in our 23. proposition.

^o Here saith Saint Iohn, hee wondered at the beast, and here­after [Page 213] (verse 8) he saith, that they, whose names were not written in the booke of life wondred at the beast, not making any repugnance, neither making himself to be of the wicked number: for ther is a distincti­on in wondering, according to the qualitie of the wonderer: the godlie seeing the pomp and glory of the world, wonder at the va­nitie and impietie thereof, with great griefe of mind, detesting the same: & so S. Iohn here wondred at the whorish citie: But the wic­ked contrarilie, seeing herefter (ver. 8.) the great pomp, wealth, & worldlie felicitie of the Romane Emperours, they wondered there­at, not detesting the same, but rather are rauished in admiration, with reuerence, obedience and feare of them, as if they wer gods; and therfore it is said (Apoc. 13.3.4) that the whole world wondred at the beast, and worshipped the beast, and the dragon that gaue her power.

^p It is so notable among the Prophets, that a beast, generallie meaneth a king, kingdom, Empire, or Monarchie (as may be proo­ued by Dan. 7. where he calleth his four beasts, the four kingdoms or Monarchies of the earth) That here S. Iohn superfluously inter­preteth not, this beast to mean a Monarchie in generall, but ente­reth to the particular description thereof, so plainely, that hee lets vs euidently see it, to be not onlie in generall a Monarchie, but e­uen in particular, that selfe same ten horned beast, which Daniel called the fourth kingdome or monarchie: and so consequently, to be the Roman Empire, as is proued in our 24. prop. at more length.

^q What maner of wondring this is, read before in the note ^o.

^r Some read here, The beast that was and is not, onely: but I rather approue those, that read, the beast that was, and is not, and yet is, for al­thogh this seem a repugnance, yet it is none: for the Empire or imperial estate, at that time that S. Iohn wrot, might justlie be said, not to be, seing the Emperour Domitian was dead, & the next Emperor Nerua Cocceius not yet receiued: and yet in a maner, the Empire or imperial estate that time was, becaus the gouernmēt of Emperors stood as yet that time vnabolished. And so in diuers maners, and in diuers respects, the imperial estate at that time, both was & was not, without repugnāce: wherof read the 5. reason of our 24. prop.

^s A king, in the scripture, is a general name for any supream go­uernour, be he king, Monarch, Emperor, or Pope, as in Daniel chap. 7. all the kings of one Monarchie, ar called but one king: wherby the four Monarchies are called foure kings: And again, Moses be­ing [Page 214] but a gouernour, is called a king. Deut. 33.5. and seing hereby, that not only a king, is taken for whatsoeuer supreame gouernor, but also, seeing how many soeuer supreame gouernors there be of one race or sort, they are al called but one king. Therfore, we justly esteeme these seuen kings, here mentioned, to be the seuen prince­lie, royal, and supreame gouernments of Rome, seing in all the rest of their circumstances, they agree so well with the text: Hereof is spoken in the fourth reason of our 24. proposition.

^t It were vnproper, to measure the breuity & length of this time that the seuenth Papistical & Antichristian gouernmēt doth stand, according to our fantasie, as to cal it long, that men think long, for so indeed, should that Antichristian raigne be counted long; but more properly the Spirit of God (in whose sight a thousand years ar but as one day) here, in comparison of the aeternity of the Chri­stian kingdom of Christ Iesus, accounteth the contrarie kingdom, euen the Antichristian kingdome, to be but short, for that trulie 1260. yeares are nothing in respect of aeternitie. Of a longer time called but short, read Apoc. 22.6.7.10.12.20.

^u Here doe we followe Ieromes vulgare translation, Post bestiam, that is, After the beast, agreing sufficientlie with the Greek, [...]; for verilie so came it to passe, that after the Empire of Rome decayed, & the imperiall gouerment was abolished by the Hunes, Gotthes Vandales, and such others: Then immediatelie, and at once, (betwixt the yeares of God, 300. and 450) start vp these ten kings. The other translation of T. Beza and others, who translate, vna hora cum bestia, At one houre with the beast, may also verie well stand with the word [...] which sometimes signifieth after, sometimes vvith. And so in that sense, although after the beast, euen after the fall of the Emperours (who in their time were that Roman beaste & Latine Empire) the ten kings came, and began to raign, yet also this comming of theirs, was at one houre (that is to say, immedi­atelie) with the beast: to wit, they came and arose immediatly with the Pope, who (since the fal of Emperors, hath euer bin that Roman beast, & possessed the Empire thereof: and therfore saith the text, in the next verse: These (to wit, ten kings) haue one counsell, and shall giue ouer their strength and power to the beast, meaning to the Pope, who since this decay of Emperors, haue broked for the most part, the stile, rent, honors and seat of this Latin Empire, & Roman beast.

[Page 215] ^x These be the warres (called the holie warres) which the Pope, his vnder kings and confederats, did raise against those kingdoms, princes, and particular professors, that following the trueth, wold any waies mean to repine against his Antichristian authoritie: But the Spirite of God here, discouereth their hypocritical tearmes of holy warres, affirming stedfastlie, them to fight against Christ, and that at length to their aeternall confusion.

^y Here doth the Angell declare to vs, by whome, and after what maner the Antichristian and Idolatrous Citie of Rome shall bee destroyed. The doers thereof shall be (saith he) the same tenne Christian kinges, who before had maintained her. The maner of this destruction of Rome, seemeth to be three-folde. First (saith the text) they shall hate her, and leaue her desolate: taht is to say, (as appeareth by Paule. 2. Thess. 2.8. and Apoc. 14.6.) The trueth of Gods worde and holie Euangell shall be first publickely preached, and by the Majestie of the comming thereof, and two edged sword of that holie Word, manie of these tenne Christian Princes, their kindreds, and people shall be conuerted from their Antichristian and Papisticall superstitions, and shall hate the Romane seat, turn backe from it, and leaue it destitute of their assistance; and this is her first wracke. Secondlie (saith the text) They shall eate her flesh: that is, these ten Christian kinges, who before had enriched her, and made her fat with great benefices, rents and dayly casualities, now hating her, shall eate vp these rentes and rich benefices, and liue thereon themselues: and both these two wrackes are already come, thought not as yet altogether perfected. Resteth yet the last, whereof, thirdlie (saith the text) they shall burne her vvith fire: which appeareth not to be figuratiuelie taken, but literallie, by the next chapter, verses 8.9.16.17.18.21. by which it appeareth, that at length, Princes shall make warre against the verie citie of Rome, take it captiue, spoyle it, and finallie, so burne it with fire, that it shall be waste for euer, as at more length in that chapter we shall nowe deduce.

Notes, Reasons, and Amplifications.

^a We interpret the Angel, that here pronounceth this decay of this spirituall Babylon, to be the seconde of the seauen thundering Angels, because that same Angell proclaimed that same decay to fall in his time. Apoc. 14.8. and so consequently, wee look (God willing) for the performance hereof, in this present Iubile begun already in anno 1590. and ending in anno 1639. or thereby.

^b This Babylon is not literally Babylon it self, for that Babylon was destroied by the Medes and Persians, according to the prophecies of Esay 13.17. and Ieremie 51.11. and Psal. 137. and that, long be fore saint Iohn wrote this, and neuer rose in authoritie againe, but this Babylon is figuratiue or mystical Babylon, so called (Apoc. 17.5) for that this Babylon succedeth to the monarchie of the former, as the eroy to her grandmother, and is certainly the citie of Rome as is prooued by our 23. proposition, and by the whol tokens of the 17. chapter hereof, read also hereupon, Apoc. 14. note ^h.

^c The spirit of God, describing the horrible decay of royal Ba­bylon. Esay. 13.21. for the greater agrauating of Gods justice, and to moue vs to conceiue the greater horrour, not onely saith simplie it shal be a desert, or such a desert or wildernes, as no tame beast or bird dare resort into, for rauenous beasts and fowles of reif, that a­bide there: but euen that it shall bee a place so vtterly elraich (as we tearme it) that also no man dare make residence there, for fear of deuills, fayries & spirits of illusions: and, as the Rabbins inter­pret that text, Ibi saltabūt Fauni, Satyri, seu daemones pilosi, &c. The like is said here of this mystical Babylon or Babylonicall Rome, that it shal become a dwelling of deuils, and a holde or residence of vncleane spirits, not that the deuils are as yet annexed to any certaine resi­dence, or that they like rather to go dwel in deserts, than to abide among men to seduce them, but that the spirit of God wold haue vs his faithfull to detest that citie as abhominable, wherein deuils shall dwell and possesse the same as their due patrimonie.

^d These marchants appeare hereafter plainly by their wares, to meane but seculare marchants, sellers of all delicate wares to the Romans, as also their ecclesiasticall merchants, priests, pardonars, & Legats, that sel their indulgences, pardones, and soule wares vnto the whole world: consider this by the 12. and 13. verses hereof.

[Page 222] ^e Now Princes, potentats, and mightie men on earth, go to, and execute Gods wrath against this godles citie, for here you haue a speciall warrant and earnest commande to reuenge that cause, that is, not onely your owne cause, but also it is the cause of the Almightie, by the which ye are certified here, that that work shall go wel with you, and shal prosper in your hands. Where note, that this doubling of reuenge is spoken by a Propheticall Emphasis, as meaning thereby, that we ought without pitie, ruth, and mercie to proceede with all possible extremitie against that deuillish seat, to the vtter extirpation thereof, and not meaning that any punishe­ment in this world that possiblie may be executed by men, can be so much as equivalent with the single, and farre les can be double to her wicked demerits: where through, in the ende of the next chapter, shee and hers ar cast into hell fire eternallie, as a full re­venge.

^f Here doth the spirit of God describe and paint Rome no other wise, then shee in her old monuments and coynings doth paint & set out her self: to wit, after the forme of a lusty Ladye, clad in no mourning weede, nor widdowes apparel, but gloriouslie and rich­lie deckt, and decored with all delectable and costly ornaments, and therewithal, sitting inthroned in her throne, as Lady and mi­stres ouer the whole world, with her glorious titles, and blasphe­mous inscriptions Roma aeterna, foelix, invicta, and such others, wher of reade the note ^h Apoc. 17.

^g Here haue we inserted certaine clauses gathered out of other parts of this book, opening the maner of the destruction of Rome, that the prophecie may be the more plaine. And first, where wee interpret her mourning to be for the slaughter of her inhabitants (beside also for the ruine of her kingdome) we do not coniecture it without a warrant, that ther shal be gret slaughter vpon her in­habitants, for which they shall mourn, because the former plague (expressed in this text) that should fall on them, is death. Againe, by the Apoc. 13.10. it is doubtlesse meant, that they shall be kil­led by the sword, because they haue killed others with the sword. Secondly, becaus the text specifies, that they shal be effamished & burnt with fire, it betokeneth a siege and inclosing of them, and that shee shall be taken captiue, and therefore haue wee also inser­ted these clauses agreeing with the said warrant. Apoc. 13.10. [Page 223] wherein it is likewise meant, that they shal be led captiue, because they haue led others captiue.

^h This [...], is the wood Thyia which Theophrastus reporteth to be a long lasting, and vncorruptible timber: hereof mentioneth Plinius lib. 13. cap. 16. And with this timber, Temples in old times were decored and replenished.

ⁱ After the spirite of God had reckoned out certaine bodilie wares which the Romane seat accustomed most to buy, nowe con­cludes he with these soule wares, which they and their marchants vsed chiefly to sel, wherby, they were so inriched, that thereby they were made able to buy al the former costly wares. These soulwares are pardons, indulgence, remissions of sinnes, trentalls, soule mas­ses, and diriges, with such godles jestes, whereby, they promise for mony, to deliuer vs from hell and purgatory, and to canonize vs saints in heauen, and make vs intercessors for our brethren on earth, and consequētly, Christs intercession to be needles. O blas­phemie intollerable that maketh riche men (whome Christ saith shall hardly come in the kingdome of heauen) to become saintes for money, and so tacitly to depriue our sauiour of his office of in­tercession and onely mediation: doeth not Peter speake trulie of these his false pretended successors. (2. Epist. cap. 2.) saying, they shall bring in damnable errors, denying the Lord that redeemed them, and through fained wordes shal they make marchandise of men, to wit, (as here is saide) by selling both their poore peoples soules, and their owne soules to the deuill for worldly lucre. Here­with confer the note ^d preceeding.

^k Of these golden & gilded silerings and great riches of Rome, read the note ^m in Apoc. 17. with diuers olde writers, describers of the Pompe of Rome.

^l These mightie marriners with their gret Galliasses, Venetiās, Spanishes, and other of that Antichristian flote, who hitherto, and latest of all in this 1588. yeare of God, haue bene so readie at eue­ry nod of their Apostatik step-mother, Rome, to haue ouerwhel­med vs poore and true christian professors. Seeing now and per­ceauing by daily experience, that God fights for vs, and daily ad­uanceth our causes more and more to their destruction, shall now shortly faint and fal back, from assisting that cause any more, on­ly standing a far and bewailing that irreparable destruction that [Page 224] God is sending vpon that godles citie, and in their hearts lamen­ting the decay of their owne prosperitie, without making any far­ther debate or encounter in defence of that Romish seat.

^m Let none beleeue, that this destruction, desolation, and bur­ning of Rome, is any of these destructions which are already per­formed by the Hunnes, Gotthes, Vandales, or others in time past, for these destructions were soone repared, but this destruction, (saith the spirit of God before, verse 14. and here verses 21.22.23.) shall be such, that neuer shalbe repared againe, that citie neuer founde nor founded againe, her dignities and rents neuer restored to her, and finally, no inhabitant to dwel there, or so muche as to light a candle in that execrable and accursed citie againe.

Notes, Reasons, and Amplifications.

^a That Hallelu-iah is interpreted, Praise the Lord, read Ierome de interpretatione nominum. This worde, as also Amen and Selah, and diuers other Hebrue woordes, as being Vocabula artis, euen no­table Theologicall tearmes, that in fewe sillables doe containe greate matter, are therefore in all translations left vninterpreted, for that S. Iohn himself writing in Greek, doth neuertheles retain them in Hebrew, yet in the Paraphrase wee thinke meete to leaue nothing vnexponed.

^b Waters to meane people, and Thunders to meane Preachers, read in the note ^b Apoc. 14.

^c Of this Spouse and spousage, read the note ^a Apoc. 12. and our 22. proposition.

^d The parable of this marriage banquet of Christ Iesus, is at length expressed in Matth. 22. Hereof the Supper of the Lorde is the perfite type and symbole.

^e Here is the certainty of these prophecies threefoldlie confir­med: first, in that they are revealed by an Angell. Secondlie, in that hee testifieth that they are of God. And thirdlie, for that in expresse tearmes he affirmeth them to be true and certaine.

^f O miserable Papists, why goe ye barefooted, and barelegged on pilgrimage, and doe fall kneeling and groueling before your Idolles, adoring either them, or yet at the best, those Saints whom they represent, seeing a more glorified Saint than anie of your Saints (whom for the most parte, your selues make and canonize) euen an holie Angell, who neuer was a sinfull man, neuer fell nor made defection at anie time from God, as men Saints a thousande thousand times haue done, but euer abode perfect and holie, here doeth abhorre and detest all kneeling and worshipping before him, greatlie rebuking Saint Iohn, for meaning and preasing ther­vnto, [Page 230] and in expresse tearmes, forbidding the same, and yeel­ding the godlie reason, that none should bee worshipped but God onlie. Away, away with your captious distinctions of [...] and [...], and all such visards as excuse idolatrie, for here the pure, naked and simple worde of God, spoken by the mouth, and vttered by the example of this holie Angell of God, and of Gods holie Prophet Saint Iohn, doeth detect all your hypocriticall so­phismes. The Lord open your eyes, for in this text among ma­nie moe, doeth the light clearelie shine. The same example for the more aggreging hereof, is repeated ouer againe in the Reuel. 22.8.9.

^g That this that rideth on the white horse, is the true and in­carnate worde of God euen Christ Iesus, appeareth plainelie by the 13. and 16. verses following, and by the whole harmonicall tokens of this text, and of Apoc. 6.2. conferred also with the note ^d of Apoc. 12.

^h Seeing Christ the incarnate word of God, treadeth the wine­presse of Gods wrath, in the 15. verse, therefore doeth this blood wherewith his garments are besprinkled, beare the type of the blood of his enemies, which he hath shead in the winepresse of Gods justice, as appeareth by Esay 63.3. beside also the figure of that blood, which he shed out of his body for our redemption.

ⁱ To treade the winepresse of Gods wrath, doeth here not onely meane, to execute God his latter judgement of aeternall damnation against the wicked, as it doeth particularlie meane in the end of the 14. chapter: but it doth meane generallie the ex­ecution of all Gods judgements against offenders. And in that ge­nerall sense, how Christ our righteous judge and reuenger doeth tread this presse, read Esay. 63. and Lament. 1.15.

^k This Angell certainelie beareth the type of all Gods Mini­sters in this age, who standing in the Sun, that is, standing and a­wayting on the Gospell and Ecclesiasticall affaires, openlie and patentlie proclaimed the destruction of Babylon, wherby those Ra­uens and rauenous foules, that flie by the middest of heauen, that is the rauenous and greedy people that dwell among them of the true Churche, shall be couragiouslie enanimated to put hande to worke, and spoyle that wicked Citie, and eate vp all their ri­ches. So that their greedie auarice in this case, shall aduance the [Page 231] worke of the Lorde in a part, although the applying therof to the vse of the true Church, were more the dutie of these temporall a­uarious persons.

^l Here is to be seen, what it is to worldlie Princes to maintaine and assist false teachers, for here is not onelie the Pope, that false illuder of those of the Empire, throwne downe headlong to hell, but also those Monarches and Emperours that assisted him, and such other false teachers in this world, in the world to come shall participate with them in aeternall torment. And that this false pro­phete here mentioned, is one with the two horned Antichristian beast, and consequentlie is the Pope, is prooued in our 25. and 26. propositions.

^m This lake burning with fire and brimstone, where these im­periall beastes, and Pseudoprophetical Popes ar placed, are torments induring for euermore (as saith Saint Iohn, Apoc. 20.10.) and are the second death, euen the death of the soule (Apoc. 20.14. and Apoc. 21.8.) and therefore is it neither a temporall punishment, neither the fire of Purgatorie, but the aeternal flaming fire of Gehen­na, ont of the which there is no redemptiō. And here note against Purgatorie, that the Pope himselfe & his imperial princes, deuisers and maintainers thereof, haue, by this text, no leisure giuen them to resort thither, but straightway, while they are skarse dead, to hel must they goe the neerest way, and therefore saith the text here, And these two were aliue cast into that lake, &c. as if he woulde say, skarse is their soule and life gone foorth of their bodies, but it is as soone in hell, without anie intermission or mediate place. So that they and their sect hereafter in experience shall finde no other Purgatorie to them, but the aeternall flamming fire of hell, nor to the elect, but the bloud of Christ, although now they de­bate Purgatorie by fire and sword.

Notes, Reasons, and Amplifications.

^a The former parte of the history of this Dragon Sathan, is to be found in the twelfth chapter hereof: to the which, this chapter is to be subjoined.

^b To wit, a thousand yeares of the 1260. years, that the church abode latent and invisible, as at more length is opened in our 34. Proposition.

^c This deepe wherein Sathan is nowe closed, is not as yet the deepe pit, and endles paine of Gehenna, for as yet, he is but retai­ned in the chaines of darknes, till the latter day, when he shall be damned aeternally to the deepe of hell (2. Pet. 2.) But this hell or deepe, called in Greeke [...], and in Latine abyssus is sometime taken for the depth of the earth, or of waters locallie: as Psal. 105. [...] Sometime for lowe estate and base degree, as both here, and [...]oc. 17.8. where the imperial beast riseth out of this hel or deep, [...]d goeth thereafter to decay, but out of hell there is none that riseth, specially, no Emperour or mankinde: wherefore in this text (abyssus meaning but a lowe degree and base estate) the Deuill is but thirled and restrained from his vttermost tyrannie, and not at this time bound in Gehenna: for as all the scriptures testifie, he [Page 238] hath euer had and shall haue to the worlds end that freedome & libertie to go tēpting mankind, seeking as a rageing Lyon whome he may deuoure: read further hereupon in our 35. proposition.

^d It is said in the Apoc. 12. (wher the former part of this histo­rie is set out) that the Church of God shal be persecuted and cha­sed into the desert by this Dragon, & made invisible 1260. yeares: and therefore now alluding to that, hee saith here, that Sathan is bound, that he shall not sedu e anie farther: to wit, anie farther than is said already in that 12. chapter: and so in this chapter hee is not restrained simplie from persecution, and from all manner of seduction, such, as particular warres, and martyrdomes, and sowing of heresies, but from stirring vp of vniuersall warres, as is prooued in the said 35. proposition.

^e Sence Christs daies to this day, the Churche of God wanted neuer either schismes or persecution: therefore, this bondage of Sathan for a 1000. yeares, is only (as is said) from stirring vp of v­niuersall warres, as is prooued in the said 35. proposition.

^f Because the iudgement seat, and judiciall throne of Christ fol­loweth shortly, verse 11. and that with him his elect shal sit (Apoc. 2.26.27. and note ^x thereof, and Apoc. 3. verse 21. and note ^f thereof.) Therefore this throne and authoritie that here is ere­cted, appears not to be of the elect soules, but rather vpon the cō ­trary part to be the throne of the Antichristian beast, who here doth martyr these Saints of God, that raigned against antichristianisme these thousand years professing Christ in this world, & shal therfore eternally reign with Christ in his throne herafter ver. 11.

^g Although during these 1000. years & more, the true Church lurked in the wildernesse (as Apoc. 12.6.14. is saide) yet was not that Church so invisible, but the Dragon in the Antichrists persō in all ages, espied some of the children of the true latent Church, and martyred them: as both here, and Apoc. 12.17. is mentioned. So this confirmes our former assertion, where wee say, the Deuill here is not simply bound, but in a maner, as we prooue in our sa [...] 35. proposition. Moreouer hereof is gathered, that seeing (by this text) they that worshipped not the Antichristian beast, his image, or marke was persecuted a 1000. yeares, therefore necessarilie the Antichrist raigned a 1000. years at the least: & consequently, these who supposeth him to raign but three years and an half, ar decei­ued, [Page 239] as is prooued in our 16. Proposition.

^h The former martyrs and professors being the inward and in­visible Church (Apoc. 11.1.) These whole remanent here spoken off, are the vtter court and visible pretended Church called in that chapter Gentiles, that is Idolatrous Ethnickes, and Iohn there ve. 2. is forbidden to account or regard them: for here saith he, they ly all deade and drunken in Antichristian errors, for the space of a 1000. yeares: and so indeed from the daies of Pope Syluester the first, to the daies of Pope Boniface the eight: that 1000. yeares the seat of Rome hauing no match nor encounter, suffred neuer any to be seen vouchable or visible of the true Church: but there about, and from thence foorth such hote warres fell betwixt the empyre of Rome and the Mahumeticke empyre, that vnawares, diuers true professors openly and vowably did arise and start vp, such as Iohn de rupe scissa ann. 1240. Gulielmus de Sancto amore anno 1260. Arnoldus de villa noua & Petrus Cassiodorus Italian anno 1302. Dantes Aligheri­us and Gulielmus Occham anno 1321. Franciscus Petrarcha 1374. Ioan­nes Wicklevus anno, 1390. Ioannes Husse & Hieronymus de Praga Bohemi­ans and martyrs anno 1415. And then did arise by their doctrin a visible reformed Church in Bohemia, and thereafter be Luther in Germanie, and so euer moe and moe visible Churches and pub­like teachers ar risen from Papisticall and Antichristian errors, e­uen to this day: and all these were sometime dead in these former Antichristian errors, but (praised be God) are now reuiued by the spirit of God in this first resurrection.

ⁱ That there be two resurrections, and two deaths, and what they be is plaine in the scriptures. The first resurrection, is the ri­sing from errors, of which saith Salomon. Prou. 24.16. Seuen times in a day falleth the iust man, and yet riseth againe: and this first re­surrection is cheifly meant, from antichristian errors, as here, and in Daniel 12.2. wherein saith he, many shall rise, &c. whereas the second resurrection is the general resurrection of the dead where­ [...] [...]ot onely many, but euen all, shall arise againe: as to the two deathes they are also plaine. The first, is the death of our fleshlie bodies here, which the scriptures call oft a sleep: the second death, is the endles dying of body and soule in hell fire eternallie, reade hereof, Apoc. 2. ver. 11. and note ^k thereof.

^k After our exemption (here spoken of) from the second death, [Page 240] and after our aeternall kingdome and priesthood with Christ, this reigne of 1000. yeares in this place, cannot be temporall or de­finite: for by the grounds of Christian religion, that reigne is aeternall, how then here a thousande yeares is taken for aeternitie, yee may consider by the comparison of the six daies of labour, & the Sabboths rest with the six thousand yeares, that we must labor in this world, and thereafter haue eternall rest, whereof we haue spoken in our 14. proposition, and yee shall finde, that although eue­ry day of weeklie worke daies meaneth (according to 2. Pet. 3.8.) 1000. yeares definitely: yet the Sabboths 1000. yeares represents aeternitie. And such like doubtles though the other 1000. yeares of this chapter ar definitly to be taken for a 1000. common years: yet these 1000. yeares of our reigning with Christ, after wee are freed from the second death, must infinitely be taken for aeternity and for the eternall Sabboth. Where note, that by this text literal­ly and definitely taken, resulted the great errour of Cerinthus, and his secte of Chiliasts or Millenaries, who thought our raign with Christ to be on earth, and temporal for a 1000. yeares, and wee then againe to die, and ly dead another 1000. yeares, and so about by vicissitudes, as did of old the Platonicks, and of new in a maner the Origenists. Further, some also by the mistaking of this text, su­spected the authoritie of this whole Reuelation: but to the true Christian conceiuer hereof, both is the authoritie of this booke confirmed, and the heresie of the Millenaries refelled.

^l Though in the former verses by the last note 1000. yeares, is there prooued to meane aeternitie: yet these thousand yeares here spoken of, are the same 1000. yeares literally & definitely spoken of in the verses, 2.3.4. and 5. for al these 1000. yeares are spoken of thinges temporall, while we are yet in this worlde, and agreeth historically with these same 1000. yeares that begins about the yeare of Christ 300. and ends in the yeare of Christ 1300. as is prooued in our 34. proposition, but yeares, times, and numbers specified of the world to come (as verse 6.) must meane aeternitie, seeing after the latter day, there shall be no day, yea no year, time nor numerall distinction thereof, but aeternitie without measure, Apoc. 10.6. And therfore be sure this present text here, is the pro­gresse & large deduction of that loosing of Sathan, which was but summarly touched, and forewarned in the end of the third verse, [Page 241] and so this loosing is all one with that loosing.

^m This text doth confirme our former assertion, whereby wee affirme Sathans bondage these thousand yeares, to be only from raising of vniuersall tyrannie and warres: for proofe now whereof when here he is loosed, he raised now vniuersal warres, by enani­mating of Gods publike enemie Magog, with his Princes of the Orient, against Gods latent enemy, & Antichrist Gog, with his whol Princes of the Occident: and so came it to passe that very last yeare of these thousand, euen the year of God, 1300. that Pope Boniface the 8. chalenged to himselfe in his triumphant Iubelie, the dou­ble Monarchie, both spirituall and temporall, ouer the whole worlde. And contrarilie, that same yeare, Ottoman the great, was crowned the first Emperour of the Mahometans: & so from thence forth betwixt these, and their successours, there followed out continuall and vniuersall warres of the whole Orient, against the whol Occident, by armies of innumerable people.

ⁿ That Gog is the Roman and Papistick Empire, and Magog the Mahometicke Empire, read and consider the 32. Proposition.

^o The Mahometick horsmen onlie of this armie, being (Apoc. 9.16) reckoned to two hūdred thousand thousand horsmen, no maruell though here both the Armies, Mahometicke & Papistick, yea, both horsemen and footmen thereof, be more comparable to the sea sand, than to any definite number: further concerning this matter, read Apoc. 9.16. and note ^h thereof.

^p Consider the progresse of Ottomans warres, and his successors Emperors of Mahometanes, and ye shall find the greatest part of all their battels, both intestine, and also against the Popes forces, to haue bene fought among Christians, and Gods holy Citizens. For Ottoman fought, and did win Bithynia, and much of the coaste side at Pontus Euxinus in the country of Asia minor, where these seuen Churches lay, that Saint Iohn writeth to. Then Ottomans sonne Or­ [...]s fought amongst the Graecians, and in diuers Christian partes [...] Europe, and conquered Prusia. Then Amurathes their thirde Emperor, made great conquest in Europe about Constantinople, and fought many battels thereabout: and so foorth, with their succes­sours, who neuer rested, making all their battels among the Chri­stians in Asia minor, Bulgaria, Walachia, Seruia, Bosna, Croatia, Illyria, Hungaria, Epirus, Peloponnesus, and at length, in Spaine and Italie, [Page 242] with marueilous successe, in so much that Mahomet, their ninth Emperour subuerted the two Christian Empires of Constantinople and Trapezo [...]da, and wan twelue Christian kingdomes, with two hundred Christian Cities, beside diuers Ilandes, as yee shall finde lib. 3. Romanorum Principum Ioan. Baptistae Egnatii, and in other histories.

^q Of this dissolution of the heauen, the earth, and all the ele­ments, read 2. Pet. 3.10. and next chapter hereof: So that by the Scriptures, apparantly heauen and earth shall be one habitacle of Gods Saints and holie seruantes.

^r The booke of life and predestinate saluation, is effectuallie registred with God in his mercie, whereof, although by faith the Spirite of God giueth our Spirit a feeling, yet the same is not effe­ctuallie registred in our conscience, I meane our conscience bea­reth no testimonie that we haue anie merite of life in vs. But the other bookes of Gods just judgement, are indeed effectuallie re­gistred in our conscience, which beareth the fearful record of all our iniquities, whereby the consciences of the wicked doe testifie their owne damnation. Wis. 17.10.11. while as contrarilie, the register book of Gods mercy exemeth the godly from their deser­ued damnation, and promoteth them free lie to life euerlasting.

^s By workes here are we judged and justified, and not by faith onlie, as also Iames 2.24. testifieth, meaning hereby that of liue­lie faith, and of the good workes that followeth therevpon man is justified, and not of that dead faith, that is by it selfe alone, with out any good workes: otherwise were the wordes of Paule (Rom. 3.28) expresse contrarie to this text, and to Iames, for saith Paule, We are iustified by faith, without the works of the Law, that is to say, not without good workes whatsoeuer, but meaning, that we are ju­stified by liuelie faith, with such small good workes, as our weake nature will suffer that faith to produce, although it be without the precise workes that the Law requireth: and for confirmati­on of this interpretation, and vnion of these textes, yee [...] find both Iames and Paule agree in diuers places; that faith with­out workes is a dead faith, and serueth nothing to justification. And againe, they agree both, that all workes (howe good so euer they seeme) that proceed not from faith, are euill. And so it is all one to say with Saint Paule, We are justified by fruitfull faith, or [Page 243] faith that produceth good workes, although not the workes that the Law requireth, or to say with Iames, and here with Saint Iohn, we are justified by faithfull workes, seeing a working faith and faithfull workes are inseparable, and none can haue the one without the other. So for conclusion, these workes, by the which here wee are judged, are to bee esteemed good or euill, not in themselues, or in so farre as they satisfie the Lawe (for so were all workes euill and imperfect) but in so farre foorth, as they haue or want faith adioyned with them, they are accounted good or evill onlie.

^t To cast death or hel, or such vnliuelie thinges into this aeter­nall fire, cannot bee meaned here: But for as much as death and hell by Sathans procurement is brought vpon mankinde, and so Sathan is authour thereof: Therefore metonymicé death and hell are taken for the Deuill and all damned Spirites. The like is men­tioned in diuers places of the Scriptur, as in Esay. 28.15.18. where by their league and band made with death and hell, is doubtles­lie meant, the giuing of themselues ouer vnto the Deuill and all inquitie, and in Esay. 38.18, where, in saying, that hell and death shall not praise God; is meaned, that the Deuil and damned Spi­rites shall not praise God: and so in Osee. 13.14. O death, I vvill be thy death, and O hell, I vvill be thy destruction, What els is this than the victorie of Christ ouer death and hell, by treading downe the head of Sathan, and casting him into the eternal torment of death and hell, who hath bene the intiser and onelie authour of death and hell. So then here (verse 13.) the Deuill and his instruments vnder the tearmes of death and hell, doeth exhibite to iudgment all those whome hee hath destroyed by his temptations, as the world is saide before (vnder the termes of sea) to haue exhibited all that haue died by it, including betwixt them all that euer died, for all men either die by corporall griefe of bodie, or spirituall griefe of minde. So then here (verse 14.) this death and hell, that [...] aeternallie cast into the lake of fire, can bee no other than the deuill and damned Spirites, who intised man to death and hell, and therefore are casten into that aeternall and vnquencheable fire of Gehenna, agreeing with verse 10. preceeding.

Notes, Reasons, and Amplifications.

^a This renewing of the heauen and earth, is without all doubt literally meant: for seeing this is the time of eternall rest, all hea­uenly motions and earthly vicissitudes must haue an ende: yea, seeing the motions of the Spheares, Planets, and starres were made for distinction of times. Genes. 1.14. as also forth from this day shalbe no time Apo. 10.6. Therfore shal their estate with­out all question be renewed: yea, and the estate of euery creature, for saith Paule Romans. 8.21.22. The Creature also shall be deliuered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious libertie of the sons of God: for vvee knowe that every Creature groneth vvith vs also, and traue­leth in paine togither vnto that present. Of this renovation reade. 2. Pet. 3.10. and Esay. 65.17. and Esay 66.22. and Apoc. 20.11. and note ^q thereof.

^b Because this destruction of the world shal be with fire, (as te­stifieth 2. Pet. 3.10.) It may be that the Sea shal be vtterly dried vp, and so the Sea here to be literally taken: but alwaies in the figura­tiue sense, we are sure that all tumultuous troubles, shall cease at [Page 251] that day foreuer, and that the sea doth signifie tumults and tumultuous people, is said in our note ^a Apoc. 13.

^c This Ierusalem called new Ierusalem, & the spouse of the Lamb, must therefore be the renewed Church, euen both the glorified Church, and the felicitie thereof: for that to both the glorified Church who are the inhabitants, and to that felicitie in which they dwell, doth the whole subsequent proprieties of this Ierusa­lem agreee: euen as the name of a citie is not onely taken for the towne, but also metonymicè, for the inhabitants thereof.

^d For that God is the supreame height, all that proceedeth frō him is said to descend, and so this descending of spirituall Ierusa­lem, is not meant locally, but figuratiuelie, that both the godlie their selues, and their eternall felicitie hath their originall, & flow­ing from the maiestie of God, and so descendeth from him.

^e Seeing by the Apoc. 12.1. and note ^a thereof, and by our 22. proposition, the Church militant is Christes spouse, far rather is shee now his spouse, when she is become triumphant: yea, before was shee in a part diuorceable for her offences, but nowe for her cōfirmed puritie & established chastitie, all whollie indiuorceable.

^f For this end hath Christ taken on him our nature, and is be­come Emmanuel (Esay. 7.14.) that is to say, God with vs, that wee might now be with God, & so by this text God shal be with man, and man shall be with God in this holie habitation and aeternall felicitie.

^g This end of all miseries yeeldeth comfortable occasion to all Gods seruants, to endure patientlie temporall and definite trou­bles, knowing hereby, that now shall follow the rewarde of infinit and eternall felicitie.

^h Here saith the text, he who sate in the throne spake, to wit, that same Deitie and diuine essence. But for asmuch as both the per­son of the Father, and also of the Sonne, are meaned to sit in this throne, in the next chap. ver. 1.3. therfore it is to be reasoned whe­ [...]r this be the person of the Father or of the Son, that here spea­keth to S. Iohn. Concerning this wee say, that although it was the person of Christ, who sitting in this throne, lately, in the end of the former chapter, judgeth the world, as both our beleef, and Apoc. 14.14. do testifie, yet here is there a translation made of persons, and it is the Father that now speaketh. For not onelie nowe hath [Page 252] that judgment seat (attributed in the Scriptures to Christ) taken full effect, but also Christ hitherto hauing perfected his functions of incarnation, teaching, redemption, mediation, and of damning and throwing down the wicked, doeth nowe deliuer vp the king­dome vnto God the Father, that he may be all in all, as testifieth Paule, 1. Cor. 15.24.25.28. And againe on the other parte, nowe are here introduced the offices and functions of God the Father, and Creator, in new creating and renewing the world. So that here the functions of the Sonne ending, and the functions of the Father of new againe beginning, this must needs be the Father, that here sheweth, that he is to renew the world, seeing that is his function and office. And to confounde the persons, or yet their offices, is contrarie to the godlie Symbole of Athanasius, saying, neque confun­dentes Personas, neque Substantiam separantes, as who wold say, the ho­lie Spirite had redeemed vs, or that Christ either first created, or now at last reneweth the world simplie, and altogether in his own person: Indeed Christ is meaned with the Father, and the Father by Christ (but not Christ simplie) to create the world. Heb. 1.2.9. conferred with Psal. 102.26. & Col. 1.16. & the first article of our beleefe: and so this must not bee the persone of Christ, but of the Father, that speaketh this: and for more proof that this is the Fa­ther, he calleth vs afterward, vers. 7. his sonnes, whereas Christ cal­leth vs not so, yea, not servantes, but friendes, Ioh. 15.15. for both Christ and we are called Sonnes to God the Father, hee naturall, and we adopted.

ⁱ It is said by Paul (2. Cor. 11.14.) that Sathan may take the si­militude of an Angell of light, but that he may professe himselfe God, by taking his similitude, we read not, neither possiblie dare he, least so the most godlie Prophetes (meaning nothing but god­lines) should be abused, and worship Sathan. Then followeth, that this being verily God, that here appeareth, & testifieth the words of this book to be true and faithfull, there can therefore bee no doubt of the authoritie thereof. But if any will say, that though Sathan dare not faine the similitude of God, yet durst Cerinthus or other heretikes, Chiliasts, faine Gods visions. In contrarie of that conceiued suspition, the heauenlie stile, the precise performance, the harmonie with other Scriptures, the infallible notes, names, numbers, and dates of times confirm the veritie of this Book, and [Page 253] diuine certaintie thereof. The same veritie hereof, that here is ap­prooued by God, was before intimate by the Angell Apoc. 19.9. note ^e and is hereafter repeated. Apoc. 22.6.

^k This is the same thing that is meant, by the latter sounde of the seuenth trumpet. Apoc. 11.15. and outpowring of the seuenth Vial. Apoc. 16.17. and these are the performances of the Angells oath and vow made in Daniell. 12.7. and Reuel. 10.6. of which, our 14. proposition reckoneth the dates.

^l That this is God the Father that saith this, is said at length, note ^h preceding.

^m The first death, being the bodily death; the second deth, must be the eternall death of soule and body, as is said, Apoc. 20. note ⁱ and Apoc. 2. note ^k.

ⁿ This one of these seuen Angels, both here, and Reuel. 17.1. mentioned, appears to be the last of these seuen Angels, for such reasons as are contained there, Reuel. 17. note ^a thereof.

^o What this Hierusalem and descending thereof meaneth, reade the former notes hereof ^c and ^d.

^p The Apostolicall doctrine, being indeed a strong wal against all errors is therefore iustlie here meant by this wall, which here­after verse 27. debarreth out all vncleane and abhominable crea­tures and lyers: Further, that bold and constant Preachers and their doctrine, is called a brasen wall: reade Ieremie 1.18. And for the more euident token, that this wall can meane no other thing, nor the Apostolike doctrine, the same hath twelue foundations, which are entituled by the names of the twelue Apostles: ver. 14. and 19. following: and so it being a solide wall to debarre out the wicked, hath not the lesse threefold portes in it, by the knowledge of the Trinitie, to receiue in the elect at all quarters as followeth. verse 12. and note ^f hereof, pointing out so by number, names & circumstances, that it doth meane the Apostolike doctrine.

^q Seeing ministers and Pastors euen before their glorification, [...] called angels, as is shewed. Reuel. 1. note ^x thereof: how much more then may the twelue Apostles now after their glorification be meant by these Angels, the number of twelue, and other cir­cumstances following, so well agreeing.

^r Vnder the number of twelue tribes of Israell, (because they sometime were the onelie peculiar people of God,) are nowe fi­guratiuelie [Page 254] included the whole elect tribes of all the people and nations of the world, who now also are become Gods people. So that as testifieth Paul, Gal. 3.7. al the faithful ar the sons of Abra­ham, and consequently, all the faithful are accounted the twelue tribes, in these figuratiue and propheticall speeches.

^s This description of this spiritual Hierusalem and heauenly ha­bitation, by three portes in each of the foure airthes, making in the whole twelue, hath in it a perfect harmonie and representatiō of our absolute and eternall felicitie, whereof the entries & ports is the knowledge of the Trinitie, written and testified by the foure Evangelistes, and patently preached, made open, and dispersed through all the world, by the twelue Apostles.

^t What this wall is, reade before in the note ^p preceeding.

^u Nothing is more common amongst the Prophets, and in pro­pheticall visions, nor to represent their figuratiue matters by an outward and externall action, as is to be seene in Ieremies jockes. chap. 27. and 28. and Ezechiels gesture▪ cap. 4. and cap. 5. and in the Angels meeting, Ezech. 40.3. and diuers other places. And this is done for our weake capacitie, which imprinteth no verbal document so deeplie in minde, as we doe an actuall gesture: So here the Angell by this externall gesture of metting, willeth vs deeply to imprint in minde, all the subsequent symmetrie of this holie habitacle, as containing in it an holie harmonie, with the chiefe groundes of Christian trueth.

^x Proceeding here further to the description of that eternal fe­licitie, in which we are to dwel for euer: for our capacitie, the Spi­rite of God setteth downe the same in such forme and shape, as most liuelie pointeth out the doctrine of the Godhead, and tea­chers thereof in this world, by whome this heauenly felicity hath bene squared and founded in vs in this life, that afterwarde wee might be citizens in the joyful habitacle of euerlasting life. Now therefore saith he here, this citie is set in square or four cornered: meaning, no doubt, hereby, that this our heauenly habitacle a [...] eternall felicitie, wherein now we are to dwell, and the whole do­ctrine pertinent thereunto, was squared and fourfoldly described by the foure Euangels of Matthew, Marke, Luke, & Iohn: for where before, note ^p the twelue Apostles by their short and present do­ctrine, are made the first layers of the twelue foundations of this [Page 255] work, doth it not verie harmonically agree, that the foure Evang. by their long lasting and written testimonies, haue builded out the squares and four corners of that worke, to the finall perfection thereof. If this were not the cause, why this raised square, and Cu­bique figure, were rathest here of al other figures chosen: then had either the Spirit of God chosen the round figure, as of all solide bodies the most perfect figure: or then had he chosen the Pyra­mid Triangulare, which is the most simple, firme, and constant fi­gure: but these, partlie not agreeing with the conuenient forme of a citie, and partlie, not bearing the symbole of the vnite and aequall Trinitie, and of the foure Euangelistes, and other sym­metries needfull are therefore here refused, and the raysed square or Cubique figure chosen.

^y The whole elect Israelites being reckoned to 144000. to wit, 12000. of euerie Tribe, and the elect Gentiles to be innumerable, (Apoc. 7.4.9. note ^f thereof. and Apoc. 14.1. notes ^a and ^b there­of.) here setteth he downe a citie almost of infinite roome, to containe them into, according to Christes saying, Ioh. 14.2. In domo Patris mei mansiones sunt multae. In my Fathers house are manie dwelling places, for the length of this Citie being 12000. stadges, the bredth 12000. stadges, and the height 12000, stadges, as here the texte meaneth, the whole citie must containe 12000. times 12000. stadges, multiplied by 12000. which is, 1728000000000. Cu­bique stadges: whereas one cubique stadge, (that is, a stadge in length, a stadge in breadth, and a stadge in height) were sufficient to holde one whole region of people. Hereby then is meaned, that this heauenly habitacle and eternall foelicity is infinit, and aboun­dantlie capable of all the elect number. Of the precisenes of numbers in such like accomptes, wee haue said ynough Apoc. 7. note ^f and Apo. 14. notes ^a & ^b thereof and other places. And as for this number in particular, it hath his originall from 12. for the 12. Apostles, & then frō 1000. answering to the subdisciples of every Apostle: & then again, these ar multiplied cubiquelie to represent the great increase of Gods servants to the worlds end, and conse­quently, of the agreable mansions, prouided in heauen for them.

^z Seeing the whole bodie of this citie, representeth most pro­perlie that whole felicitie, that we are eternallie to enjoy in the whole vnite Godhead, the three seueral dimensions of longitude, [Page 256] & altitude of that citie must represent these seueral mea­sures and portions of ioy, which wee haue in the Father, in the Sonne, and in the holie Spirite, and consequentlie, the being of the longitude, of the latitude, and of the altitude of that holie habi­tation al equal by this text, doeth represent that portion of joy, that we haue in the Father, that portion of joy that we haue in the Sonne, and that felicity that we enjoy in the holie Spirit, to be ae­quall and alike. So that although euerie one of vs inioy not alike felicitie with other, yet, as God in his three persons is aequall, and alike in himselfe, so of al his three persons giueth he alike presence and fruition: The Father shal not be absented from vs more than the Sonne, nor the Sonne no more than the holie Ghost: we shall see all three in one, we shal worship all three in one, and finallie, of all the three persons of that vnite Godhead, shal we haue ful joy, comfort and fruition, and that alike of the one as of the other, euen as the persons are alike in Godhead, and one in substance.

^tuxyz Of all these textes and former notes thereof is gathe­red the marucilous harmonie and accord in all pointes, betwixt God and this his holie Hierusalem. For God, who created man ac­cording to his own image, here also describeth his glorified Chur­ches symmetrie, to his owne similitude. God is one, so here by one onlie spirituall Hierusalem, he representeth his Church. There be three equall persons of the Deitie, Father, Sonne, and holie Ghost, so be there here of this Hierusalem three equall dimensions of lon­gitude, latitude, and altitude: None of the three persons of the Deitie is separable from other, so none of these three dimensions of a citie, or of any solid bodie, can be separable one frō another, for then should it become a superfice, and no solide bodie. The three persons of the Deitie and their functions, cannot be con­founded: so are not these three dimensions confounded, for the length is not the breadth, nor the breadth is not the height: Like as in Athanasius Creede, the person of the Fat [...] is not the person of the Son. Neither is the person of the So [...] the person of the holy Ghost, and yet the Father, Sonne, and holy Ghost, are one onely God: as here the length, bredth, and height, maketh one onely Citie. Further, the doctrine of the deitie is wit­nessed and fourfoldly set downe by the four Euangelists: So here is this Hierusalem set downe in quadrat, or foursquare. Twelue A­postles [Page 257] dispersed in al airths, hath founded this doctrine, & there­by enter we to the knowledge of God: So on twelue foundations standeth this Ierusalem, and twelue entries there be thereunto in seuerall airthes. Finally, the Deitie is vniuersall, infinite, and infi­nitely extended ouer all his workes. So in this Ierusalem, is there infinit foelicitie, and aboundant roome for stowing of all her inha­bitants.

^aa The Apostolike doctrine, amongst these of the Church mi­litant, being by worldly impediments holden low, is now amongst these of the triumphant Church, raised to the full and perfecte height, signified here by the full increase of 12. multiplied by 12. quadratly, making 144. courses of height.

^bb Of all that hereafter followeth, and is spoken of these preci­ous stones, wherewith are founded the 12. foundations of this strong wal of the Apostolical doctrine, this one thing is the summe and summar meaning, that as a diligent master of worke, will send his quarriors, masons, and builders in all partes, to search, dresse, forme and hew stones proper and meet for their building, and glorious for the decorement thereof. So hath our God in this world, sent his holy Apostles through Inde, through Arabie, through Ae­gypte, through Armenie; & throughout al the cuntries of the world, to gather in, teach, and instruct these holy and precious people, some Prophets, some Martyrs, some teachers, some interpreters, some hauing one gifte and vertue, and some another, of whome God had decreed to build vp this holy and eternal habitacle, and first to lay by them the twelue foundations, of the Apostolical and Militant Church in this world, which thereafter in the worlde to come, euen in this triumphant Church and holy Ierusalem, should shine aeternally and vtter all their glistering vertues: as saith Dan. 12.3. Qui autem doctifuerint, fulgebunt sicut splendor firmamenti, & qui ad iustitiam erudiu [...]t multos, quafi stellae in perpetuas aeternitates. And they that be vvise shal shine as the brightnes of the firmament, & they that [...] [...]e many to righteousnes, shal shine as the starres, for euer and euer. In the separate hewes, natures and qualities of these stones, in the Paraphrase, I haue followed the receiued opinion of writers, lean­ning alwaies more to this their summar effect and meaning.

^cc By these streets and passages, is signified libertie (amongst o­ther felicities) so that we haue no maner of thirlage, as tyed or ad­dicted [Page 258] to any one place: yea, go where we will, wee go alwaies in God, and our waies and streets are beautifull and glorious, and importeth to vs full felicitie.

^dd Of this temple, and how here and some other places, it mea­neth the majestie of God, we haue shewed in the discourse of our 20. Proposition.

^ee How the Sunne is taken for the spiritualitie, and the Moone for the temporalitie, read the note ^h Apoc. 6.

^ff This is no worldly glory that they shal bring thither, for that heauenly habitacle that hath no neede of the glorious light of the Sunne, and Moone, verse 23. hath farre lesse neede of worldlie glory. It is therefore hereby meant, that these, who were godly Princes in this world, shall lift vp all their felicitie, glory, and esti­mation from the pleasures of the worlde, and fixe the same whollie vpon that felicitie and glory, which there they shall haue in God.

^gg This night that shall not be founde, agreeth there both lite­rallie, and figuratiuelie: for literally there shall be no night after the latter day, seeing distinctions of time by night and day, and by Sommer and winter shal cease, as is lately saide in the note ^a hereof, and Apoc. 10.6. Againe, figuratiuelie, there shall be no obscuritie of errours there, for that no vncleane thing, no lyar, nor abhominable persone abides there, as hereafter verse 27. is testified, of no night to bee here, reade also Reuel. 22. verse 5.

Notes, Reasons, and Amplifications.

^a This pure and christalline riuer of liuely waters, is taken in the scriptures for the spirit of God and graces thereof, which our soules euer thirste and drinke, as is plainly expounded in Iohn 7.38.39. saying, Flumina de ventre eius fluent aquae viua: hoc au­tem [Page 263] dicebat de spiritu quem accepturi erant credentes in eum, &c. Out of his bellie shal flower riuers of water of life: This spake he of the spirite, which they that beleeued in him should receiue. And for confirmation, that this reiuer is the holy spirit, he saith here, that it proceedes of the throne of God the Father, and of God the Son, vsing the proper tearm of proceeding, for that the holy Spirit is said to proceed from the person of the Father and of the Son, as saith the godly Atha­nasius in his Symbole: Spiritus sanctus à Patre & Filio, non factus, nec creatus, nec genitus, sed procedens: The holy Ghost, not made, nor created, nor begotten of the Father and of the sonne, but proceeding from them.

^b This tree of life that groweth in the middest of this glorified congregatiō, and among these flowing waters of Gods spirit, and yeeldeth continuall fruite, where vpon the godly feedeth to life ae­ternall, must needes be Christ Iesus the author of our life and sal­uation, of whome the tree of life in earthly Paradise, did bear the type: and who hath his residence among his elect, and is conjoy­ned with the holy spirit in Deitie, and yeeldeth to these his elect, continuall benefites, and spirituall graces and vertues, whereon, they spiritually do feede and aeternally liue.

^c Because the Citie by the number of ports, foundatiōs, roomes and symmetries thereof, hath bene before accommodate to the number of twelue, correspondent to the twelue tribes of spiritu­al Israelites, and twelue Apostles: Therfore agreeable to that same number of twelue, he here also describes their spirituall food, ma­king thereby the citie, and the inhabitants, & their spiritual food, and furniture, all correspondent and conformablie agreeing togi­ther in one, with the twelue Apostles, of whome they haue recei­ued their comparison, and of whome in truth, both is that heauenly habitacle and proprieties thereof: to wit, our resurrection, justi­fication, immortalitie, and aeternall foelicitie described: as also, the number of all faithfull, are by them and their successors collected and gathered in: As thirdly, these spirituall vertues flowing here [...]m Christ, are distributed to euery faithfull, according as they are more or lesse of the number of the twelue tribes of spirituall Israelits, or hath imbraced more or lesse the doctrin of the twelue Apostles: and therefore, not onely first the symmetrie of the citie, and secondly, the roome and inhabitants thereof, but also third­ly, the furniture, euen these fruites, benefites and graces that here [Page 264] flowes from Christ vnto them, are all reckoned after the number of twelue: and so their monethly increases, meaneth noe other thing, but first this allusion to the number of the twelue Apostles, And secondly, that these fruites and benefites are euer continual, fresh, and recent: for (as we haue saide note ^a of the former chap­ter, and in other partes) there is no distinction of times by yeares, moneths or daies, neither in heauen, neither after the latter day any waies.

^d Here he (as also verse 1.) speaketh onely of two persons of the Godhead: to wit, the Father and the Sonne sitting in this throne, although inseperablie the whol Deitie in Trinitie and Vnitie here sitteth: but these two persons, the Father and the Son are onelie here mentioned, because the judiciall matters of this throne, and the present functions belonging thereto, at this time concerned cheiflie the offices of God the Father, and of God the Sonne. Of God the Son, in that here he sitteth, now lately judging the whole world generally, which cheifly appertaineth to him, as saith our Beleefe, inde venturus est iudicare vivos & mortuos, from thence hee shall come to iudge the quick and the dead. Of God the Father, in that hee here sitteth reforming and renewing the worlde, as he testifieth in the text saying, ecce, noua facio omnia, behold, I make all thinges newe, which belongs to his office, as being Creator of all, as testifieth our beleefe, calling him, Creatorem coeli & terrae, maker of heauen and earth, This approueth the note ^h of the former chapter.

^e This name of God was promised before (Apoc. 3.12.) to bee written vpon the elect, where the first mention is made of this new Hierusalem: and now at this time since they are come to that Hie­rusalem that promise here taketh effect. This (contrary all way­faring and worldly professions) meaneth so constant and vnchan­geable a profession of the name of God, that it shall neuer be de­leted nor forgotten out of their hearts, mindes, and continuall thoughts, but euer shall abide so rooted in them, that with cor [...] courage and bold faces, shal they professe that name for euer, [...] therefore is that name of God said here to be in their foreheads.

^f Read of this night before, Apoc. 21.25. and note ^ff thereof.

^g For three causes, are times which appeare long to men, cal­led short in the scriptures. First, to moue the elect to patience. Se­condly, in respect of the contrair purposes and matter, as here the [Page 265] definite time of Christs, bodily absence in this world, in respect of the infinite time of his eternall presence in that euerlasting world, is called but short. Thirdly, in respect of God who speaketh this, in whose sight a 1000. years are but as one day (2. Pet. 3.8.) this definite time is but short: conferre herewith Apoc. 17.10. & note ^t thereof.

^h Maruelous is the forcible temptations of Idolatrie, & wrong worshipping. Sundrie times hath saint Iohn seene the persons of the Deitie in these visions: and although we reade, that hee hath then fallen and bene prostrated with that glorious majestie of Gods presence (Apoc. 1.17.) yet finde we not, that hee prostrated himselfe voluntarilie to worship God, but contrarilie, this is the second time, that voluntarilie he prostrates and bowes down him­self to commit wrong worshipping: and that euen although hee was before forbidden of the Angels selfe, according to the pro­uerb, Nitimur in vetitum semper cupimusque negata. Forbidden thinges of men are choosed, and most we sue that is refused. The diuine Prophet, Apostle and Euangelist Iohn, makes notable here to vs by his own twofold example, the greate infirmitie in mankinde on the one parte, and the terrible force of Idolatrous temptations on the o­ther part. To the effect wee wretched sinners neither truste ouer much in our own strength, neither yet be ouer slacke and slothfull against such temptations: Seeing this holy and beloued seruant of God so farre ouercome, read more hereof, Reuel. 19.10. and note ^s thereof.

ⁱ In that here the Prophet is forbidden to seale and close vppe these mysteries, it is not simplie meant, that he should write all so plaine, that no part thereof were in any wise sealed or kept secret: for contrarilie of the seuen thunders (Reuel. 10.4.) it is comman­ded to seale them, and not to write them plainly. The meaning therefore of this text, is not simplie, but in comparison of other [...]ophets: to wit, that saint Iohn who was neerer to the time of [...] performance, should not seal vp these thinges so obscurely as other Prophets did, who were further from that time of perfor­mance: and therefore saith this text here, ne signaueris, &c. tempus enim prope est, Seale not these vvords, &c. for the time is at hand. And contrarilie is saide in Dan. 8.26. Tu ergo visionem signa, quia post multos dies erit. Seale you vp the vision, for it shalbe after many daies. and Daniel [Page 266] 12.4.9. Claude sermones & signa librum, vsque ad tempus statutum, Shut vp the vvordes and seale the booke till the end of the time. And so is Iohn here indeede a great deal more plaine, ample, and order­ly nor is Daniel: Daniel hauing sealed his booke for a long time, & Iohn hauing onely concealed this booke from Antichristians, du­ring the Antichrists raigne, which time he calles but short. Apoc. 17.10. saying, Oportet cum breue tempus manere, Hee must continue a short space, agreeable with these wordes here spoken, of the revea­ling of this book, which are, tempus enim prope est, for the time is at hand, and so in the end of the Antichrists reign (which ends in our daies) shoulde these mysteries be throughly revealed. This texte maketh expreslie against them, that esteemes this booke to be so closed, that it shall neuer be vnderstood till Christ come, and con­sequently, it should be superfluous.

^k This is spoken Ironicallie in mockage of the wicked, & there after speaks he exhortingly to the godly to confirm them. This I­ronical speech is vsed oft in the scriptur, for the more eshaming of vs from sinne, as (besides many other examples) the like is to bee found in Eccles. 11.9. where the spirit of God by Salomon mockes the licentious youth, in bidding them tauntinglie followe their lustes and harts desire, but know saith he certainly, that of al these thinges God shal craue accompt in iudgement. The like is saide e­uen here in the next verse, For behold (saith he) I shal come shortly, and my rewarde vvith me, to giue to every man according to his vvorkes. So this threatning conclusion inferres, that the former bidding of the wicked continue wicked, is altogether Ironicall, and con­trarilie, that the bidding of the godly continue godly, is altoge­ther allowablie and exhortingly spoken to them.

^l How these workes are not simply meant of onely works, but of workes that proceede of Faith, or liuely Faith that produceth good workes, and so Faith to be the ground of Iustification, reade Apoc. 20. note ^s thereof.

^m The vulgare translation, containeth here these wordes, Be qui lauant stolas suas in sanguine Agni, Blessed are they that washe their garments in the blood of the Lambe. The most allowable translation bearing Beati qui seruant eius mandata, Blessed are they that keepe his commandements, as the literall difference hereof is small in the ori­ginall greeke, so is the meaning of both alike in substance, for [Page 267] these that do keepe the commandements of Christ Iesus, ar these selfe same, that figuratiuely are said, Apoc. 7.14. to wash their gar­ments in the blood of Christ, and therefore set we the plainest in the paraphrase, as an interpretation to both.

ⁿ To dogges for filthines in lust, insatiable gluttonie, vomiting and returning to their vomit, are compared al such filthie persons as how oft soeuer the spirit of God striueth to purge thē of their sinnes, yet will they euer revolt and returne to them againe, till at length the spirit of God-renounce them, and leaue them in their owne filth. Of these saith Salomon, Prouerb. 26.11. Sicut canis qui re­uertitur ad vomitum, sic imprudens qui iterat stultitiam suam, As a dogge vvho turneth againe to his vomit, so is the foolish man vvho turneth to his foolishnes, and in 2. Peter. 2.22. It is saide of these reuolters and backturners to their sinnes. Canis reversus ad vomitum suum, & sus lota in volutabro luti. The dogge is returned to his vomit, and the sow that was washed to the vvallowing in the myre. This generall doggish pro­pertie of backturning, and continual reuolting to sinne, without amendement, is here set formost, & is to be vnderstood, common to the enchanters, whoremongers, murtherers, Idolaters, & lyers after specified, where through, here they are debarred from God: otherwise, if they repented their sins, & returned not euer there­unto, as dogs to their vomit, they might be receiued among the faithfull number, as Apoc. 14. note ^d is declared.

^o In simple tearmes Christ here, & Apo. 5.5. setteth out his two natures very liuely, I am (saith he) the root & the generation of David. This apparant contrarietie making Christ the roote whereof Da­uid is sprung, and againe Christ to be a branche, who is sprung of Dauid, is doubtleslie to be vnderstood diuersly. The first of Christs deitie, in respect whereof, he was before Dauid, as he testifieth say­ing, (Iohn 8.58.) antequam Abraham fieret, ego sum, Before Abraham vvas I am: yea, seeing God by Christ created the whole worlde, (Colos. 1.16. and Iohn 1.3.) therefore, Christ in his Deitie, is the [...] roote and originall, whereof all thinges, cheiflie godly men, as Abraham and David hath their beginning and being. The second of Christes humanitie, in respecte whereof, Christ contrarilie is sprung of Abraham and of David, Matthew, 1.1. and so is Christe perfitely both Dauids roote, and also his branche.

[Page 268] ^p For many causes is Christ called the morning star: for as the morning star endeth the nights darknes, and beginneth the day light. So doth Christ at his comming put end to all errours. And doth begin and yeeld to vs that aeternall light and day, which ne­uer decaieth: of which is said before, verse 5. et nox vltra non erit il­lic, & non egebunt lumine lucernae, neque lumine Solis, quoniam Dominus Deus illuminabit illos. and there shall be no night there, and they neede no candle, neither the light of the sunne, for the Lord God giueth them light. For that same cause, is hee likewise called, Sol Iustitiae, the sunne of iustice, that riseth to the world, Malach. 4.2. Also Christ is called this morning star, to shew thereby, that the starre that should rise of Iacob (Nomb, 24.17.) was performed in his person. Moreouer, because Christs natiuitie and comming was represented by an extraordinary star, seene in the East Orientall. And it is frequent in the scriptures, to call the thing signified, after the name and the style of the signe it selfe: as where Christ is called the Lambe, &c. Therefore is Christ, called here the beautifull, orientall, rising, or morning starre.

^q This spirit that craueth Christs latter comming, is nether the damned spirits, for that they therby are to receiue no gaines, but p [...]ne and eternall torment. Neither yet is it simplie and in it self the spirit of God, for that holy spirit in himself, hath no yearning, not other passions, but hath the present estate of all things agree­able to his wil and ordinance, lacking nothing longer nor he cra­ueth it or yearneth after the same. This therefore is the spirite of the holy elect and chosen number, or the spirite of God in them, that craueth here Christes comming and yearneth for the same. For seeing all the good creatures of God long for that day, that they may haue libertie, freedome, & rest in God, as saith Paul Rom. 8.21.22. Therefore, farre rathest of all do these godly spirites that God hath created and breathed in man, yearne and desire Christs comming, thar from henceforth they may be conjoined with God their original, and haue the ful fruition of his presen [...] as saith also S. Paul, (Phil. 1.23.) of himselfe and his godly spirite, desiderium habens dissolui, & esse cum Christo, by this desire that Pauls spirit had to be with Christ before the latter day, and without the body, importeth he a farre greater desire that our spirites haue in yearning for the latter daye, that body and soule altogether may [Page 269] be with Christ our Lorde and Sauiour.

^r Although the greeke worde may here seeme to meane alike. These men that are vvritten, or, These thinges that are vvritten: and also that this booke may either meane indifferently here the booke of life, or this present book of Apocalyps: yet be reason of the like wordes contained in the former verses, speaking directly of the plagues written in this booke of Apocalyps, It must needs be, that contrarily these spoken of here, are the benefites and good things written also in this same booke of Apocalyps.

^s Here endeth Saint Iohn, this holy Prophecie of Apocalyps: im­ploring the grace of Gods spirit through Iesus Christ, to abide with al the faithfull. Here end we also that interpretation therof, which God by that selfe same grace hath made the faithfull of these our latter daies to vnderstād, in discouerse of Gods enemies & revealing of his trueth, that his Church being purged from An­tichristianisme, may from henceforth abide pure, and holy, and readie decked as a comely bride, waiting the sudden comming of her Lorde and bridegrome Christ Iesus: To this God in Trinitie and Vnitie, who here giues these graces to vs, do we therefore render aeternal praise, honour, and glory, for euer and euer. Amen.