Notes vpon Chap. 4.

HEauen is the true Church, (so taken,Vers. 2. Esa. 65. 17. and 66. 22. Dan. 8. 10. Luk. 10. 18. chap. 9. 1.) in a heauenly state and condition here vpon earth, and the Church is called Heauen, first, because their names are written in heauen, which are truly of it, Hebr. 12. 23. Secondly, for that their consolation is in heauen, Philip. 3. 20. Thirdly, because it is a liuely image thereof, heere on earth. Fourthly, because it is the true home of the Church. And fifthly, because the true Church is from aboue, chap. 3. 12. and 21. 1. Here is a de­scription of the true Church militant, which shall get victory ouer her enemies, and raigne on earth, chap. 5. 10. Also such as bee typed out by the El­ders, and beasts, are continuall actors with the Church in euery estate, as appeareth out of chap. 6. and 14. 15. and 19. And this note, that through­out this prophecie, that Heauen, in opposition to the earth, is taken for the state of the true Church, as the earth is for the worldly sort.

Vers. 4. 24. Elders, type out the whole com­pany [Page 158] of the elect people, chapt. 5. 9. Kings and Priests to God, Exod. 19. 6. 1. Pet. 2. 5. being round about him, Psal. 76. 11. the allusion is to 1. Chr. 24.

Vers. 5. Lightenings, thunders and voices. An al­lusion to Exod. 19. 16. for the effects whereof in Moses, see Hebr. 12. 21. and the vse, Exod. 20. 20. these words are repeated in three other places of this prophesie, chap. 8. 5. and 11. 19. and 16. 18. which well considered doe shew, that these signifie Gods iudgements going forth from God, for the Churches safety, vpon her enemies; for heere they are said to come out from the throne, as being for the Churches good, Ier. 25. 30. Ioel 3. 16. and in the other places of this Reuelation, they be named with iudgements, as earthquakes, and haile, and doe come forth onely against the wicked, chap. 16. 18. for lightenings and thunder, see Psalm. 18. 13. 14. for voyce, Psal. 46. 6. His iudgements are swift as lightenings, terrible as thunder, and vnauoidable, also not without fearfull speaking to the conscien­ces of his enemies, as voyces to make them to tremble.

Vers. 6. A sea. Though waters in this booke be put for people, nations, and tongues, chap. 17. 15. yet the word Sea, is not here so to bee vnderstood; wee must take the words, as may agree with the scope of the chapter, and the rest of the circum­stances setting out the Church, and those things which are behoofefull for it; neither will the mat­ter, nor that whereto it is compared, admit that exposition. This is a Sea of glasse like vnto Chri­stal, which be words of praises to set out this sea by: [Page 159] it is also such a Sea, as on which the godly stand re­ioycing, and admitteth a mixture of sire, ch. 15. 2. It is also euer with the people of God, they and it neuer separated, so as it cannot be meant the sea properly, nor yet be put, as the word waters be, for multitudes of people of diuers nations; heere in this, as in the other words, is an allusion to the huge vessell called a Sea, 1. King. 7. 23. 2. Chron. 4. 3. the vse whereof was for the Priests to wash their hands and feet, when they went into the Ta­bernacle, and when they went to the Altar, Exod. 30. 18-21. It is therefore here put for the whole worship of God, being that which the Priests were first to goe vnto, before they came before God, and for that, water is put for doctrine, Esay 55. 1. 2. for Baptisme, 1. Cor. 10. 1. 2. for the Lords Supper, 1. Cor. 10. 4. for prayer, 1. Sam. 7. 5. By which sanctified means, we are (as it were) washed to draw nigh vnto God, as Dauid said, I will wash my hands in innocency, and so will I goe to thine Altar, Psal. 26. 6.

Vers. 6. & 7. Foure Beasts, an allusion to Ezra. 1. 5. and 10. 5. they are types of Ecclesiasticall persons, their place betweene God and the Elders shew it; also by this it may be knowne, that they be leaders of the publike actions of Gods worship, vers. 9. 10. chap. 5. 14. Types of men they are, because they be redeemed from among men by Christs blood, chap. 5. 9. therefore no Angels. They are also said to be redeemed out of euery kindred, tongue, people, and nation, chap. 5. 9. Yea they also doe type out such as liue after the destruction of Rome, reioy­cing [Page 160] with Gods people, chap. 19. 4. and there­fore cannot bee the foure Euangelists: and where doe we finde a man typed out to himselfe in a vi­sion, as Iohn needes must here see himselfe in a vi­sion? yea moreouer hee should be made to speake to himselfe, chap. 6. 1. 3. 5. 7, if by these beasts were signified the foure Euangelists; but Iohn heere, vers. 1, is shewed things not present, nor past, but that must bee after the reuealing of this Reuela­tion.

Notes vpon Chap. 5.

Vers. 1.—A book. This is this book of this Reue­lation, for the book in Gods hand, which Christ Ie­sus tooke of him, vers. 18. is that which is called the Reuelation of Iesus Christ, which God gaue vnto him, chap. 1. 1. Againe, the matter of that and this is one and the same; for the things which fell out vpon the opening of the seuerall seales, are the par­ticular matters contained in this booke; neither came Iohn to the knowledge of what here is writ­ten to vs, before this booke was opened, to shew vnto him things to be done afterwards. So as this now written booke, called the Reuelation, hath the full contents of this booke in Gods hand, and nei­ther more nor lesse, and so both bookes are one and the same. The opening also of the booke and opening of the seales is one, chap. 6. 1, and heere vers. 9, for the seales are the parts of the booke: nei­ther is there any thing contained in the booke, which is not within the seuen seales, for out of these [Page 161] come the trumpets, and out of the trumpets the vials, as before is noted.

Notes vpon Chap. 6.

Vers. 1. Seales are the first plagues vpon the world of heathen, called seales, as certaine and irreuocable iudgements, from Gods determined counsell, to re­uenge the wrongs of his Church vpon them, and as assurances to the godly to confirme their faith, in the truth of the rest which follow in this pro­phecie. Or, they may be called Seales, because they imprint Gods displeasure vpō the parties plagued, making certaine their damnation, except they doe repent: Or, for that the things contained vnder the seales were hidden, and the reason of them vn­knowne, till▪ the Lambe Christ Iesus did open them. For though other did sound the Trumpets, and poure out the vials; yet hee onely opens the seales, as containing the whole booke, which hee onely tooke out of his fathers hand, and was onely found worthie to open the same, chap. 5. 9.

Sixe seales are opened in this Chapter, and are so many types of ensuing euils to fall out, after Iohns receiuing of this Reuelation, vpon the hea­then persecutors of Christs Church.

Vers. 2. A type of a preuailing iudgement, theHabac. 3. 8. If these seales be­gin with Con­stantine the Emperour, then the first seale is his triumph ouer the heathen Em­perours conque­ring to conquer: the second seale the bloudy wars following. 3. the famine. 4 the mixture of all, an allusion to Ezech. 5. a type of peace granted for a space. 6. the furie of the Gothes & Van­dales: and so af­ter in the Chap­ters following, the arising vp of Antichrist, which may per­haps stand, if truth of storie will go with this order, which I doe leaue to the learned to exa­mine. Horse here and in the other are an allusion to Zach. 1. 8. and 6. 2. 3, to set out (as it were) the act and carriage thereof by the Horse, which is strong, Iob. 39. 19, swift, Iere. 4. 13, and carelesse of any op­posite, not turning backe, Iob. 39. 22, without the [Page 162] commaund of the Rider. White is a colour for tri­umph and peace, which as in this, so in all the rest, sheweth the qualitie of the plague, to be a destru­ction quiet, as in peace and triumph without resi­stance: for if it be marked, a colour is giuen to e­uery horse, according to the seuerall plagues. The Rider to guide this horse is not named, yet chap. 19. 11, Christ so rideth, and it is sure that the wic­ked tooke notice of the Lambes wrath, after these iudgements came out, vers. 16. The storie of this time in the latter end of Domitian, and after him would (perhaps) cleer this more to vs. A bow: an in­strument vsed in warre, Psal. 44. 6, it is put for some meanes, by which God vseth to destroy the wic­ked, Psal. 7. 12. Lam. 2. 4: but with the bow must be vnderstood Arrowes, Lam. 3. 12, which are called instruments of death, Psal. 7. 13. and by shooting of an arrow Gods heauie iudgement is noted, Psal. 64. 7. A Crowne: noting victorie; the words conquering and to conquer giue the reason there­of, and are added to this first plague, as the end why God doth punish, to bring men in subiection; which if it will not bee, then other and greater plagues shall follow, (so in Leuit. 26. 18. 24. 28.) as wee may note in euery one of these to bee greater degrees of plagues one after another. Whatsoeuer the plague here is, I cannot be induced to thinke it the power of the preaching of the Gospell, first, because the Gospels power was knowne to all Gods Church, but this not knowne till the seale was opened. Secondly, this is one of the things to bee done after the reuealing of this prophecie, [Page 163] chap. 4. 1. Thirdly, the Gospel cannot be counted, neither is noted any where, as a plague, in Gods word. Fourthly, because the other types follow­ing, as also the Trumpets and vials are plagues, therefore it seemeth to mee altogether an vtter mistaking, to make this type to differ in nature from them all; and to make that a plague among the rest, which is in deed and truth the first of all blessings, howsoeuer the wicked make it to them the sauour of death. Fifthly and lastly, this was such a plague, as the faithfull beleeuers need rou­sing vp, by the first beasts voyce as thunder, to take knowledge of the same. If I may giue my conie­cture, I suppose it (with learned Iunius) to be the pe­stilence; first, because the arrow and pestilence are together in Psal. 91. 5. 6. Secondly, it is the iudge­ment in which God of all other most triumpheth, as being his immediate hand, and acted of him, as in triumph, when such as bee so plagued doe lie dead before him, and hee riding ouer their heads. Thirdly, because of the degrees of these euils, one greater then another; as first pestilence here; the se­cond, sword, in vers. 4; the third, famine, in vers. 5. 6; the fourth, all these foure great plagues together, vers. 8.

Vers. 4. A type of warre: It is plaine and easie, on­ly note here as before in the other, the colour red, is answerable to the iudgement, bloudy warres.

Vers. 5. A type of famine: The horses colour, the ensignes and the voyce giue the explication, and shew what is hereby meant. The voyce in the middest of the foure beasts, is the voyce of Christ, [Page 164] for he is in the middest of them, chap. 5. 6.

Vers. 8. A type of deadly mortalitie. The colour of the horse, the name of the Rider, his power to kill by the sword, doe tell vs fully the meaning of this type; the allusion is to the foure great plagues in Ezech. 14. 21.

Vers. 9. 10. 11. A type of the bloudy slaughter of Christian Martyrs calling for vengeance against their cruell persecutors, as Abels bloud did for re­uenge vpon Caine, Gen. 4. 10; as also shewing Gods iustice ready to auenge the bloud of his Saints vpon the murtherers, so as here also is giuen a rea­son of the equitie of the great plague in the sixth seale. This is a great plague of God, to bee guil­tie of innocent bloud, which so loudly crieth in Gods eares, as in iustice he cannot, but as a Lord holy and true, iudge and auenge the same, verse 9. an allusion to Exod. 29. 12, where the bloud of the sacrifice was poured out, at the bottome of the Al­tar. Christ is our altar, at whose feete, he being now in the highest heauens, these faithfull martyrs haue their bloud shed and poured out, whose persons are as acceptable sacrifices to him; but their bloud call for vengeance, as Abels bloud, to which the allusion is. White robes noteth their iustification, and peace obtained. For their robes are only made white by Christs bloud, cap. 7. 13. The crying loud voyce, and answere thereto, must bee well noted, for they shew the scope and meaning of the type.

Vers. 12. 13. 14. A type of the wrath and fearefull vengeance of God comming vpō the wicked world, vers. 17, telleth vs, that all is to expresse the great [Page 165] day of Gods wrath, which none should be able to endure.

A great earthquake: that is, a great change, andEsa. 24. 19. 20. notable alteration of the present state in the world by Gods iudgements vpon the wicked, so it is taken, cap. 16. 18. and elsewhere, Heb. 12. 26. Psalm. 68. 9. because great alterations in high matters, either in the Church or common-weale, cannot be without great stirres, mouing euery man in his place and standing, to tremble, as by an earth-quake▪

The blacknesse of the Sunne, the turning of the Moone into blood, the falling of starres, and the de­parting away of the heauen, the mouing of mountaines and Ilands, are figuratiue and hyperbolicall kinde of speeches, framed according to the words of the Prophets, Esa. 13. 10. 13. and 50. 3. and 34. 4. Ier. 4. 23. Ezech. 32. 7. 8. Ioel 2. 31. and 3. 15. onely to expresse, as Esay speaketh, in chap. 13. 9. 11. the day of the Lords comming, cruell with wrath and fierce anger, to make a desolation, and to pu­nish the world for the euils and iniquities therof. The storme and tempest, whereof shall be so boy­sterous and terrible, as shall make all sorts to be as at their wits end, not knowing what to doe.

The 15. 16. 17. verses, with the allusions, shew the sense and scope, and that the words are not further to bee extended. They are not meant of the last iudgement, for this is [...] of the sixth seale, the seuenth remaineth [...] these to be opened, and the effects thereof [...] bee shewed in the trumpets, and after them the vials before [Page 166] the day of the Lord come. Neither can they bee meant of the decay of the visible Church, for that matter is handled in the opening of the seuenth seale, and the sixe trumpets which bee the parts thereof: also the deed and words of such as felt this plague, in vers. 15. and 16. shew, that it is not to bee vnderstood in any sort of the Church, for the plagued of all sorts acknowledge, this horri­ble vengeance to bee from him that sits on the throne, and from the wrathfull displeasure of the Lambe, the Churches Sauiour.

Notes vpon. Chap. 7.

Vers. 1. Foure Angels: These are ministers of indignation, and of the ensuing euils to come vp­on the world, vpon the opening of the seuenth seale, in chap. 8. which yet were prepared heere in some degree vnder the sixth seale, as the words imply, being ready standing to execute their po­wer; as also for that they bee named heere before the seuenth seale be opened, that they bee instru­ments of euill, is plaine in vers. 3.

Foure: A number according to the foure cor­nersIer. 49. 32. of the earth, and the foure windes, noting an vniuersality (Matth. 24. 31.) of the iudgement.

Holding the foure winds: Winds properly taken, when they be tempestuous are hurtfull, but mo­derate blowing is most necessary and profitable: and the restraint of them from blowing, causeth corruption, & so breedeth diseases, and bringeth destruction to the creatures; therfore in this figu­ratiue [Page 167] speaking, holding of the winds from blowing, is noted here a plague, which should bee hurtfull to the earth, sea, and trees.

Wind: Foure winds are named, because of the parts of the earth from whence they blow, yet in nature all but one, and therefore also hee heere speaketh singularly, that the wind should not blow. Wind is here taken figuratiuely, we cannot vnder­stand it after the letter, for wee reade not of euer any such plague, and if any such had been, the sea­led ones could not haue escaped it, being so vni­uersall, and being so notable a plague, it could not but haue been obserued of some in the world. Therefore by winds, we must conceiue some other thing then wind properly, euen an heauenly in­spiration, and spirituall breathing of truth; as it is taken in Cant. 4. 18. Ioh. 3. 8. Act. 2. 2. which these are said to hold, by hindering the faithfull and sincere preaching therof. A spirituall plague vpon the earthly Christians, is here to bee vnder­stood, which now followeth after all the former corporall plagues vpon the Heathen. For the pre­seruation signified by the sealing in the fore-head is spirituall, & such a preseruation as keepeth thē that are sealed, safe frō the hurt which the earth, sea, and trees were subiect vnto, vers. 3. And this calamity, though prepared vnder the 6. seale, yet hath his force and power felt vnder the seuenth seale; the euents whereof are spirituall plagues, contention, ambition, corruption of doctrine, fearfull Apostasie, and Antichrists getting into his throne, the false prophet deceiuing the world; [Page 168] all which follow vpon the blowing of the trum­pets, the proper effects of the seuenth seale, wher­of these withholders of the wind, are a part, and from whence the other mischiefes ensue, which yet so are spirituall, as there is also corporall ca­lamities often mixed therewith.

Earth: Is the place of the visible Church; and the earthly ones of it, among which the sealed ones are, and therefore need speciall protection. Sea: is the common worship, pure, or impure. Trees: are men, chap. 9. 4. to which vsually men are compared in the Scriptures, Psalm. 1. 3. Esa. 61. 3. Ezra. 47. 7. as the wind and withholding thereof, hath a spirituall interpretation, so must these also. For if they be taken literally, they are not capable of a spirituall plague. Of the Seale: see before in chap. 5. of this preparatiue.

Of all the tribes of the children of Israel: As the Is­raelites were together the visible Church of God, yet but a chosen number the true Israelites indeed, Rom. 9. 8. 27. for all were not Israel, which were of Israell, Rom. 9. 6. neither he a Iew which is one out­ward, but one inward, Rom. 2. 28. so here by an al­lusion to them, the Prophet sheweth, that among Christians, and in the visible Church of Christ, and in the ouerspreading of Antichrist, there are only a speciall chosen number, in comparison of world­ly Christians, a few the true Israelites of God, as they be called, Galath. 6. 16. For an Israelite and Iew, are now common names to Iewes and Israe­lites by nature, and to Gentiles, Israelites and Iewes by grace. For such as be of the faith of Abraham, [Page 169] are his children, Galath. 3. 7. and now the Israelites of God, are now Iewes inward, and circumcised in heart, Rom. 2. 29. These heere are not to bee taken for Israelites properly, and naturall Iewes, for the consideration of the time here to bee noted, when this number was taken, will not permit that they should be so vnderstood. Againe, this is a part of the things to be done after Iohns time, chap. 4. 1. Moreouer this number of 12. times 12. is the same with chap. 14. 1. that number of an 144000. which was in Antichrists time; these haue also the com­mon name of the seruants of God giuen them, in vers. 3. of this chapter, and which sung the new song, in chap. 14. 3. before the throne, and before the beast, and Elders, that is, in the true Christian Church. And what should perswade any man to thinke, that God respected only the Iewes, to seale them, and to let passe all other true and faith­full Christians, vnder this so great and vniuer­sall a plague, here foreshewed to be ouer all parts of the earth, from which these sealed ones were to be exempted? Therefore the sealed ones are all that chosen and secret number of true and faithfull seruants of Christ, following him, and redeemed from among men, being the first fruites vnto God, and to the Lambe, (chapt. 14. 4.) preserued in the generall defection and Apostasie of Antichrist, till the light should breake forth againe, and a great multitude without number be added to them, and so make an open profession of Christ, and sincerely worshipping of him, as is foreshewed here in this chap. 7. 9. 15.

Notes vpon Chap. 8.

Vers. 2. Seuen trumpets: these are the euents of the opening of the seuenth seale, these bee the se­cond euils vpon the worldly sort, as the 6. seales were the first. They are called trumpets, as soun­ding out Gods displeasure to the earthly minded, to awake them; as also to note, that these plagues should not bee without open hostility, a proclai­ming of open defiance, and prouoking to warre, gathering troopes together, to make assaults, and to encounter one another, as deadly enemies in battell. These seuen trumpets and alarmes, vpon the worldly-minded Christians, shall shake them, and the last sound shall bring down their strength, as at the sound of the seuen trumpets the walles of Iericho fell, Iosh. 6. 20. to which is the allusion.

Vers. 3. The Angell. Heere by all probable ar­guments is the same, that is in chap. 7. 2. there sea­ling the godly, here praying for their safety; it is an allusion to the ministery of the high Priest vn­derExod. 30. 1. 7. 8 the Law; noting that at the going forth of wrath, God remembreth mercy, and receiueth by Christ, an attonement for his people.

Vers. 5. For the fire of the Altar, it is an allu­sion to Leuit. 16. 12. 13. and the casting of it to Ezech. 10. 2. 7. a type of Gods wrath. It is heere cast into the earth, among the earthly Christians, whereupon follow voices, &c. of which in chap. 4.

Vers. 7. An allusion to the plague, in Exod. 9. [Page 171] 24. Psal. 105. and 18. 13. 14. as waters bee put for the graces of Gods spirit, and holy Scriptures, Psalm. 46. 4. Esa. 12. 5. and 55. 1. and 44. 3. Ier. 2. 13. and 17. 13. Zach. 14. 8. Ioh. 4. 10. 14. and 7. 38. 39. 1. Cor. 36. So haile, of a waterie nature, is cor­ruption of Scripture, and false doctrine, and may well be called haile. 1. because it is not of pure water, but of a vapour from the earth; so false do­ctrine cannot arise from the pure fountaine of Scriptures, but as a vapour from earthly minds. Secondly, haile is neither in extremity of heate, nor cold, but betweene both: so false doctrine commonly is hatched in a state of luke-warme­nesse. Thirdly, it is of droppes of raine con­gealed, and by staying aboue, and turning in the fall, becommeth round: so false doctrine is of par­cels of Scriptures abused, turned vp and downe in mans vaine heart, without the heate of Gods spirit, and becommeth hurtful hailestones, being not square and stable as truth, but round, vnsta­ble, resting grounded sollidly vpon no place of Scripture, but verie easie to bee tost too and fro. Fourthly, because haile is hurtfull to corne and fruit: so is false doctrine hurtfull to them vpon whom it falleth, destroying the graces and fruits of the spirit.

Fire mingled with blood: Thus is the heate of contention▪ like fire not without blood-shead. Trees are men, (Luk. 23. 31.) as before is noted. Greene grasse, young and tender plants in religion, weake and fading, as grasse; so weake persons are com­pared, Esa. 37. 27. This is the first plague, and [Page 172] step to the generall Apostasie of Antichrist.

Vers. 8. An allusion to Exod. 7. 20. 21. by earth before is noted the visible Church; now a moun­taine is that which is of height out of the earth; so it must be a proud aspiring aboue others, in am­bitious eminencie, shewing it selfe aloft an the visible Church, wherupon it is called great; which inflameth mens hearts, as fire burning with the heate thereof. For vnlawfull authority aboue o­thers, both in the getting and maintaining of the same, is not without burning and the fire of con­tention: men eagerly and hotly pursue their de­sires therein. Now that here is meant an vnlaw­full getting vp aboue others, is euident. First, be­cause this, as well as the former trumpet is a plague. Againe, it is (as it were) a great mountain, not one indeed truly arising out of the earth, as a true mountaine doth. Moreouer it is of an ill ef­fect, working destructiō, which lawfull authoritie doth not, but as it is abused. Lastly it keepeth not the proper place on the earth, but is cast into the sea, that is, into the ordinary worship of God, and so is where it should not be, vsurping power in spirituall things.

The third part: It is vsuall in the Prophets to speake of a third part, Ezech. 5. 11. Zach. 13. 8. 9. So heere Saint Iohn, vers. 7. 10. 11. 12. and cap. 12. 4. and 16. 19. which is to bee taken for a great part. Became blood: that is, deadly corrupted bring­ing death, as the next verse sheweth, the like phrase is, chap. 16. 3.

Vers. 9. Creatures in the sea: are the sort of [Page 173] Church-men, which exercised about the seruice of God. Ships are the principall and chiefe offices, in and about the publike worship. Of such ships mention is also made, cap. 18. 19.

Vers. 10. A great starre: Here is some one mi­nister of speciall note typed out, yet so, as other declining with him bee heerein also vnderstood. Starres, cap. 1. 20. are Angels of Churches. Heauen is the true Church: Burning as it were a lampe. Such a one was this starre in his fall, not shining with a cleere, gentle, and comfortable light, as a starre; but flaming as a torch, with great heate of spirit, making his falling most apparent. Fountaines and riuers, are the Scriptures and interpretation there­of.

Vers. 11. Wormewood, is a bitter herbe, Prou.Deut. 29. 18. 5. 4. the Lord expresseth a heauie plague by this, Ier. 8. 14. and 9. 15. and 23. 15. And heereby the afflicted Church of God setteth out her affliction and misery, Lam. 3. 15. 19. This starre hath the name from the effect vpon these spirituall waters, as the words of the text it selfe doe shew: and this is the plague, the lord giuing-ouer some to drinke of these bitter waters, to make them die.

Vers. 12. A type of great darknesse, for heere smiting of the Sunne, Moone, and starres, is plainly in­terpreted darkening of them. By Sunne, Moone, and starres, is noted all meanes of spirituall lights in the highest, middle, and lowest degree; all is to aggra­uate in these speeches, the grosse ignorance, dar­kening all true knowledge in euery degree.

Note heere, that in all these foure there bee de­grees, [Page 174] according to the letter, from the lowest to the highest, as first, earth, the Sea, then riuers and fountaines, then Sunne, Moone, and starres, spiritual­ly, giuing vs the degrees of euill, and corruptions in religion. First, corruption and decay of religi­on in mens hearts and liues, vers. 7. then in Gods worship, vers. 8. 9. after this the abuse, and corrup­ting of Scripture, vers. 10. And then lastly great ignorance: for that darknesse had come vpon the lights of truth, noted in this vers. 12. all in course of time, following one vpon another in order, as notable steps and degrees of that generall Aposta­sie, noted in the blowing of the next trumpet, cap. 9. 1. And as the other were corporall plagues, so these are for the most part, spirituall plagues, ther­fore need there trumpets to awake men to take notice of them, for spirituall plagues are more hardly taken notice of, then corporall.

Vers. 13. A type of godly learned men, among which, some of most speciall note, foreseeing the mischiefes ensuing vpon these former euils, giueth warning. Flying: noteth an exceeding forwadnesse, and earnest endeauour with all speedinesse to doe a thing. Through the middest of heauen, the like phrase is, chap. 14. 6. and 19. 17. which noteth a beeing in the open view and hearing among o­thers: Thus is (in the middest) taken. Act. 2. 22. Heb. 2. 12. Phil. 2. 15. It may imply some of special estee­me aboue the rest in the Church, whom God had qualified with excellent gifts, and endued with heauenly wisdome, to fore-warne the true people of God, of the things which should after fall out.

Notes vpon Chap. 9.

Ver. 1. A starre: is here a Pastor or Bishop, or great Clergie-man set out, for a starre is an Angell of the Church, chap. 1. 20. yet not to be taken for one man personally, but the generall type of such as be heere vnderstood. Fall: so it is an Apostaticall Churchman. Falling is to be taken in the worst part in this booke, it may bee an allusion to Esai. 14. 12. This falling or great apostasie, grew vp by the for­mer euils mentioned in the other Chap. as so ma­ny steps to this, which is the first of the three woes spoken of before. From heauē to the earth: that is, frō the heauenly state of the true Church, to a world­ly state among earthly Christians. This starre is not that mentioned in chap. 8. 20, for they are vn­der seueral Trumpets, and are also one before ano­ther: moreouer that falleth vpon riuers and foun­taines, this on the earth; that is limited to a third part, this is without limitation; the difference is great in other particulars, to shew they are not one and the same: for if they had, Iohn would not haue said a starre, but that starre; neither would hee haue said I saw, which is euer vpon some thing not men­tioned before, as may be obserued in all the places where the speech is vsed, chap. 6. 1. 2. 5. 8. 9. 12. chap. 7. 1. 2. 9. chap. 8. 2. 13. and so elsewhere.

Key: This is a signe of gouernment, Esai. 22. 22: so this Apostaticall Bishop, obtained to haue po­wer and authoritie in the earthly Church: but this key is the key of the bottomlesse pit; by this cannot be [Page 176] meant properly hell, for all the words are figura­tiue: Starre, Heauen, Earth, Key, and so the rest fol­lowing, in vers. 2. 3. &c. Againe, this booke being a propheticall historie of things here to be done on earth, wee must needes here finde things done by men, and among men; it were very absurd to take it then for hell it selfe, for it breeds no Locusts, that can come out thence to hurt men heere in this world; neither hath any earthly man power to o­pen or shut that place. Therefore these words of the bottomlesse pit are added to shew, that the po­wer which this Apostaticall Churchman hath, is a hellish and a destroying power and iurisdiction, according to his name Apollyon, in the height of this his dominion and rule, vers. 11, and is a mini­ster of the kingdome of the Diuell and darknes.

Vers. 2. The opening of the bottomlesse pit, is the v­sing of his key and authoritie to cause those ensu­ing euils to bee, which are of the diuell, and as it were from hell, for the depth of the impious mis­chiefes thereof, leading to vtter perdition. This starre falling to the earth, hath then his key heere in earth, to note an earthly condition; here is a pit, no­ting perill and mischiefe within this earth, vnto which this starre hath fallen; and it is bottomlesse, to set out the depth of the hellish policie of this ac­cursed power, not to bee sounded, nor the bottome thereof to bee found out of men, for Antichristia­nisme is a mysteria.

Smoake: This is of a moist and earthie matter very hurtfull to the eyes, and causing obscuritie, ta­king away the light, that wee cannot see, which is [Page 177] the effect of the smoake here; so hereby is meant spiritually, whatsoeuer, as smoake, darkeneth the light of truth, as errors, heresies, inuentions of men, humane traditions, will-worship, superstitious ob­seruations, Decrees and Canons, inhibiting the cleere shining foorth of the light, and such like. The smoake cannot be the darknes it selfe, but is the cause of it, the words of the text distinguish them.

Vers. 3. Locusts: These are, after the starre is fal­len, and after that his authoritie is obtained, and put in execution. The pit maketh the smoake, and the smoake breedeth these Locusts, who with the starre are vpō the earth, so as they haue their whole dependencie from the starre; which being the apo­staticall Bishop of Rome, these must needes be his Romane clergie. By Locusts cannot be vnderstood the Saracens; first, for that these Locusts arise vpon the fal of a great Churchman, are vnder his power, and are let out to the earth by him. What Church­man once in heauen, that is, in the true Church, were euer the Saracens vnder? Againe, these are bred of that ignorance and darknes, which came ouer the light of the Church, in which they were; but not so, the Saracens. Thirdly, these haue no power allowed to kill, but to torment people, and that only the cast-awaies; when the Saracens made horrible slaughters of all sorts. Lastly, these Lo­custs liuely paint out vnto vs the popish Clergie, by which description is foretold, what they should be, and what now the world haue found them to be, as the particulars doe shew.

Vers. 7. First these Locusts are like horses prepa­red [Page 178] vnto battell, that is, they goe out with strength, fierce courage, and ready bent to attempt whatso­euer they shall bee put vnto; such haue been the Romane Clergie, like lustie, fed, strong and fierce horses, ready to rush vpon all, that did but mutter against them and their authoritie. Secondly, on their heads were as it were Crownes of gold: This no­teth out both their immunities from Kings, (as be­ing subiects to none, except to their owne king, the Angell of the bottomlesse pit) as also their vsurped authoritie; for Crownes note authority, which they also got, commanding and ruling, euen as KingsBy Crowne some hold the round shauing of the crowne of the head: the anoin­ting of the head is a crowne. Leuit. 21. 12. for a time; yet their Crownes were but as it were of gold, they were not truly Crownes of gold, that is, their authoritie was but counterfeit, not true and lawfull indeed, onely like to gold, that is, which carried a shew of lawfull authoritie, but in very truth counterfeited and false. Such as was, in the shew therof, so like gold, as the blind world could not then, in the smoakie darknesse of those times, see & rightly iudge of, because they wanted Gods word, the true touchstone to trie gold by. It is here by the way worthie our noting, that the type of the true Church-men in the foure beasts are not crowned (chap. 4.) but these Locusts must domi­neere. Thirdly, Their faces were as the faces of men: Here is noted their hypocriticall shew of curtesie and humanitie; but they were nothing lesse then they pretended to bee, that is, they made shew to be gentle, louing, full of curtesie by bowing and becking, that by these means and fawning insinua­tions, they might allure the peoples harts vnto thē.

Vers. 8. Fourthly, They had haire as the haire of women: This noteth their effeminatenes, their lust, and wantonnes in themselues, and withall their carnall allurements to spirituall idolatrie, as wo­men doe by their haire intice to corporall filthi­nesse. Fifthly, And their teeth were as the teeth of li­ons. This sheweth their strong deuouring of their prey. Where they set their teeth, that could not be gotten from them. How they got lands and li­uings, and preyed vpon the estates of men, the world can witnesse, and the signes, where they set their teeth, yet remaine among vs? They are of a deuouring nature, Deut. 28. 38. 2. Chron. 7. 13. for Locusts are most belly, and therefore insatiable. Sixthly, They had breast-plates of iron: They were ofVers. 9. daring spirits, being hardned as iron in their harts, in their vnmercifull deuourings, and are armed strongly with their kings power, as with a corselet of iron, so as they were without feare of any; and what durst they not doe? and who durst resist them, or offer violence to any of them? for they were all alike, and all armed alike, how differing so euer in themselues. Seuenthly, They had wings, to passe with more speed, and to get vp aloft, the sound whereof was as the sound of chariots of many horses run­ning to battell: This setteth out the great feare they wrought in al places where they came, for the noise of chariots and horses is terrible, as appeareth 2. King. 7. 6. 7, which made the Syrians leaue al that they had, to the King of Israel and his people; and such effect this their sound wrought in mens harts, to make them to leaue all to them and their king, [Page 180] for safetie of their soules, as they foolishly and fear­fully imagined. Eightly, They had tailes like vnto Verse 10. Scorpions, and there were stings in their tailes: Tailes are ascribed to all the Locusts, without distinction, and also to haue stings all of them in their tailes; therefore by tailes cannot be meant any particular sort of them. Tailes sometime are put for the base and contemptible sort, as in Deut. 28. 13. 44. Esai. 9. 15, but then the Head is of one sort, and the Taile vnderstood of another, and not both attributed to the same things, as is here, and in vers. 19. Tailes are the hindermost part and furthest from the sight of those, which behold and look vpon the fore-parts; and therfore as the fore-parts of these Locusts haue been set out, and thereby their properties, so here is noted to vs by Tailes that, whereby they doe play the Scorpions, and sting men vnwitting to them at the first. This is the power they haue, and this is the end of their comming foorth, euen to play the Scorpions with their tailes, (vers. 3.) stinging men therewith, and so grieuously tormenting them, (vers. 5.) as they shall bee thereby weary of their liues, vers. 6. So the plague and mischiefe, which these Locusts bring, is chiefly by their tailes, that is, their last (but worst) act, which is their popish & Antichristian doctrine; for this is common to them all, and may bee called a taile, for the basenes and filthinesse therof. It hath also the nature of a Scor­pion, for as the Scorpion is first earthy, so is their doctrine, earthly mens inuentions: secondly, poy­sonfull, so is this doctrine, as poyson infecting their soule, with superstition, will-worship, idolatrie, ly­ing [Page 181] equiuocations, deceits and periuries, also with heathenish practises, yea hellish attempts, treche­ries, treasons, and rebellions. Thirdly, as some doe write, the Scorpions poyson is white; so this An­tichristian doctrine to the ignorant and besotted people is white, that is, seemeth pure and good, though it bee poyson indeede vnto the soule. Fourthly, the Scorpion when he would strike, tur­neth himselfe somewhat round before hee can doe it; so this doctrine of the beasts, before it can bee made to bee receiued, must come circularly about, by pretended antiquitie, conceited vniuersalitie, and fained consent, that it might enter more deep­ly into weake hearts. Lastly, a Scorpion hath a sting which woundeth deadly; but women (as one writeth) sooner then men, whom yet also theyBartho. Angl. lib. 18. cap. 96. greatly hurt, but especially when in the morning the Scorpions come out of their holes: so this An­tichristian doctrine, deadly woundeth weake wo­men, who sooner, as Eue, receiue the Serpents false perswasion, then Adam. As now our present daies shew vs by experience, so doth it some vnaduised men, at the first broaching, as it were the morning thereof, till they haue found out y^• poyson. To con­clude, it is a stinging doctrine tormenting the be­leeuers by an vncertaine hope of saluation, by fire of Purgatorie, by seeking heauen in their owne righteousnes, &c. Ninthly, And their power was to hurt men fiue moneths. The Romish Clergie is to do hurt, this is the end why they are, for they bee a plague of the fifth Trumpet. These Locusts had their time limited fiue moneths. Now this time is [Page 192] called fiue moneths, by a proportionable speech fitting to the Locusts, which liue the hottest mo­neth of the yeere; for a little cold either killeth them, or maketh them to lie as dead. Tenthly, They haue a king ouer them. Wherein though they differ from naturall Locusts, Prou. 30. 27, yet doth this agree well with our popish Locusts, who haue (Antichrist) this Angel of the bottomlesse pit ouer them, who as a Monarch and Soueraigne King, maketh lawes, prescribes rules, orders, and ordi­nances, to be without all exception obserued, vn­der that great penaltie, euen the perill of mens soules; for he doth and will sit, as God, in the Tem­ple of God. 2. Thess. 2.

Vers. 11. And they haue a king ouer them: This king is the same which before is called the starre, for he is the Angell of the bottomlesse pit: to the starre fallen was giuen the key thereof, the Locusts came out from vnder his authority, his vsing of the key brought them foorth; yea the pronoune de­monstratiue pointeth out that which was before, for the words are, That Angell, of the bottomlesse pit: now hitherto no mention hath been made of any one hauing to doe with the pit, but the starre. That starres authoritie was for destruction, as the execution of it sheweth, in opening the pit and letting out smoake to cause such darknesse, and there-out such Locusts to come to doe such mis­chiefe; and therefore may by his authoritie ouer the Locusts be their king, and by the euill thereof be well called Abaddon and Apollyon destroyer. If any stumble at the Angell, chap. 20. 1, who hath the [Page 193] key of the bottomlesse pit also, and shall thinke (perhaps) that he may be the king here. I answere, that that is a good Angel descending, not as this, falling from heauen: and he commeth to binde vp the Dragon from doing mischiefe; but this king is Abaddon, a bad one indeed, a very destroyer, Apol­lyon, euen as Apollo, the heathen Diuell of Del­phos.

This starre and king is the Pope of Rome, and none other, in all things they agree. The Bishop of Rome was a starre in heauen, it cannot be denied, but is the starre fallen, as before I haue proued, by his differing (yea contrary) doctrine to Saint Paul, writing to the Church of Rome in his time. This starre is become earthly, so the Pope; this got a key, so the Pope bragges of a key, though he would not haue it to be this key of the bottomlesse pit, as it is indeede: a King also hee will bee; for what Churchman euer wore a Crowne, but he? or euer tooke vpon him to vsurpe authoritie ouer Kings, but he? He is a murtherer of soules, a murtherer of bodies, a destroyer of the Church of Christ, and an ouerthrower of his true worship; for the things (for which the next woe vnder the sixth Trumpet came) noted in vers. 20. 21, arose from this Aposta­ticall starre, this hellish king, (who hath power to commaund, and to doe what he list) and from his smoakie Locusts.

Vers. 13. Heere is the next woe and terrible plague, from Christ, vpon the wicked idolatrous Antichristians. The iust cause of this great woe is set downe in vers. 20. 21. a corporall punishment, [Page 194] after the spirituall, which was vnder the fifth trum­pet; and those two verses shew against what kind of persons this sixth plague came out from Christ, for the good of his Church. This plague is the plague of Turcisme, following vpon the Antichri­stian Apostasie. The words shew this to bee a plague of warre, the armie infinite, euen a Turkish power, as stories tell vs, raised vp to scourge a wic­ked & idolatrous people, and such as did apostate from the true Church, by the wickednesse of the angell of the bottomlesse pit, and his Locusts.

Vers. 14. Loose: Therefore heere is necessarily implyed, that they were at liberty once, but restrai­ned till now, the word is so to be taken, chap. 20. 7. The story of the Saracens and the Turkes, will shew this first liberty, then the restraint or bin­ding, and now liberty againe. Foure Angels: not diuels and euill spirits, though (no doubt) di­uels may be in such instruments, but hereby men are to be vnderstood; for this is a propheticall nar­ration, of such things as are to bee done heere by men; howsoeuer also diuels may be among them, and in them. Againe, these Angels are heads and chiefetaines of the armie, which were raised vp to fight, and by warre to kill men; therefore these must be iudged to be of the same nature that the armie is of; that by Angels may bee vnderstood men, but such men as are sent out to execute Gods will, whether in good or in euill, is plaine in chap. 14. and 16. Foure: they are said to be, not for such a certaine number, either of chiefe heads, as some would haue them; for no such certaine number can [Page 195] be found out, or of so many nations, but for that it is a competent number (as in chap. 7. 1. chap. 4. 6.) for all occasions. The great riuer Euphrates: which was once the bounds of the Romane Empire that way, is that famous riuer that did runne nigh the City Babylon, in Chaldea, and here is mentioned, to shew from whence, and from what part of the world this great armie should arise, euen from a­bout Babylon, and the countries bordering vpon Euphrates; whence they got free scope, in Gods iust iudgement, to destroy a third, that is, a great part of men, in Asia, Africa, and some part of Europe, where God was dishonoured by all manner of im­pious and vnrighteous dealing, as the verses, 20. and 21. doe shew.

Vers. 16. Two hundred thousand thousand, it is almost an innumerable multitude, as such great numbers do imply, cap. 5. 11. Dan. 7. 10. The adding of Iohns hearing the number, is onely to shew that certainly, how incredible soeuer it seems to men, the armie should bee exceeding great. Horsemen: these are onely named, because they are the greatest strength of an armie; (not that the Turke commeth into the field onely with horse­men, as wee well know) as also to note the swift course of the Turkish power, in their hostile inua­sions, fierce and vnresistable.

Vers. 17. A description of the warlike expedi­tion of this furious, and (as I may say) infernall host. Horses cannot here bee properly meant in the type, such as wee call horses properly; for there were neuer any of so monstrous a shape as these, [Page 196] whose head should be Lions, and their tailes like Serpents, with heads at the end. These therefore type out not horses themselues, but by the horses, a part put for the whole, is to be vnderstood the car­ryage and managing of the whole Turkish armie, and all war-like instruments, and hurtfull meanes, from the head to the taile, from the beginning to the ending. This Turkish power and forces therof, is likened to horses, because of the properties of horses fitting thereunto (of which, in chap. 6. vers. 2. before); they are strong, Iob 39. 19. swift, Ier. 4. 13. carelesse of any opposite, taking pleasure in bat­tell, not turning backe without the riders com­mand, Iob 39. 22. And such is the Turkish armie, strong, swift, carelesse of any enemies, yea taking delight in warre, neuer returning without their masters command. The forefront thereof is like the heads of Lions, that is, fearfull and terrible to those whom they come against, and of vndaunt­able courages, roring vpon the prey before them, which they are ready to deuoure. Fire, smoke, and brimstone, proceeded out of their mouthes; this is called (vers. 19.) their power to kill; so this sheweth to vs their mercilesse rage, as fire; their furie, as smoke; their cruell disposition and readinesse to be inflamed, to make an vtter desolation, as brim­ston: poured vpon the places where they do come. For by fire, smoke, and brimstone, is noted fearfull destruction, Genes. 19. 24. Iob. 18. 15. Psalm. 18. 8. and 14. The middle of the hostile power differs nothing from the forepart; for such as sit vpon the horses, that is, which be managers of this furious [Page 197] raging and destroying host, are armed with breast­plates of fire, of Iacinct, and of brimstone. Iacinct is put for smoke, of which colour it is, omitting the name of smoke, as not so fit for the brest-plate: for it is meet to haue in allegoricall speeches, in euery part, a fit proportion of one thing with another: by naming only (of all the parts of armour) the breast-plate, which is before their breast and heart, it noteth their courage and prepared hearts, infla­med with rage to destroy all things before them, as with fire and brimstone, that the smoke thereof like Iacinct might ascend vp; as at the ouerthrow of Sodome. So as the fire, smoke, and brimstone, which came out of the horses mouthes, is no other thing, but that desolation, and mercilesse destru­ction by all warlike meanes, conceiued in the harts and breasts of the Turkish commanders, and ma­naged by them, to deuoure and consume vp all where they come: of, and among which may the great Ordinance be reckoned, out of which com­meth forth fire, smoke, and brimstone, (gun-pow­der being made of salt-peter, coles & brim-stone), which deuouring Artillerie, tooke almost the be­ginning (as some auouch) with these Turkes; as a means in Gods iustice, to further their hellish rage, in the destruction of men. For of all inuentions for murthering of men, and to make a speedy rid­dance of mens liues, the like was neuer found out; which instruments of death the Turkes doe vse with a more furious will to kill without mercy, and to get into their hands what places they assault, then any other nation; making them so huge and [Page 198] great, as is beyond credit to report, such as 70. oxen must draw one of them, and 2000. men at­tend vpon, as the Turkish history doth shew.

Vers. 19. They had power in their tailes, which were like serpents, and had heads, and with them they doe hurt. By tayles, is meant the things that follow after, as tailes, which here are said to haue power in them, which what else may it be, then the autho­rity and gouernment gotten ouer those places, where this hellish armie hath obtained victorie. It is base, therefore called tailes, for so the word is v­sed for base and vile, Deut. 28. 13. 44. It is yet not without order, and superiority, so heads are taken, Deut. 28. 13. 44. Esay 9. 14. And lastly, it is tyran­nicall, and therefore it is said, that with them they hurt.

These cannot be the popish clergie, which are vnder the fifth trumpet, noted by the locusts: first, because of the place Euphrates, whence these come, (vers. 14.) farre from Rome. Secondly, for that these are a type of bloody, furious, and mercilesse warriours, appointed to kill and slaughter men, vers. 16-18. Thirdly, these are a corporall plague, to punish Idolaters, and other wicked men, vers. 20. 21. whereas the Romish Clergie are a spiritu­all plague, and Idolaters, against whom this Tur­kish power came forth.

Notes vpon Chap. 10.

Vers. 1. Another mighty Angell: This is a type of Christ comming forth to comfort his Church; [Page 189] this appeareth to be so, from the place whence he came, by his clothing, crowne, face, feet, which are more glorious then can bee ascribed to any crea­ture. This comming now of Christ sheweth, how about this time he begun in more open manner to shew his care for his Churches safety. The rain­bow is here mentioned fitly, after a deluge of im­piety and miseries, set out in the two former trum­pets, as a generall destruction to the world. As Noahs flood was once, to shew that such a destru­ction should no more come vpon the world; for God by Christ was reconciled to his people, who now againe sent them meanes, to recouer them out of that darknesse of Antichristian Apostasie, into which men were plunged, and sure to bee drowned, except the Lord would call them out of the same.

Vers. 2. A little booke: The type of holy Scrip­tures, and words of God. For this is that which Christs Ministers must receiue, and preach vnto the people euery where, to gather them vnto him, vers. 10. 11. Open: to shew that the booke of God should now bee no more hidden, but bee made knowne vnto his people. And he set his right foot vp­on the sea, and his left foot vpon the earth: Christ here commeth as an opposite to Antichrist, to ouer­throw his kingdome, who arose out of the sea, cap. 13. 1. and out of the earth, chap. 13. vers. 11. There­fore Christ sets his feet of brasse on both, to note his inuincible power, treading vpon his enemies, and subduing them, and to take, by this his booke, possession of all places; for now would he raigne, [Page 190] and take to him the kingdomes of the world, as we may see in chap. 11. 15. in spite of Antichrist and all his power.

Vers. 3. And cried with a loud voice, as when a Li­on roreth: This sheweth how Christ will haue his truth published with a loud voice, and with ter­ror, as the roring of a Lion. He reuealeth (by this booke) his will, his voice is as the Lions roring, to worke feare; and thus speaking, who can but pro­phecie, Amos 3. 7. 8? Yea thus roring, sheweth how he commeth with terror against his enemies, for his Churches safety, Esa. 31. 4. for Christ heere is described according to his vertue working in his seruants, whose powerfull speaking wil make seuen thunders vtter their voices. These therfore are cau­sed by Christs voice, and are effects of it, in that place of Amos, chap. 3. (to which happily may be the allusion, for any other agreeing hereunto, in any sort, I find not) there is a reuealing of his will to his seruants, vers. 7. to which this opened booke answereth: then there is the roring of the Lion, vers. 8. so is there heere. Lastly, vpon that roring there is a prophecying, and heere the voices of thunders, or thunders vttering voices; which type out prophecying, and reuealing of those things written in this booke open in the Angels hand, which was to be receiued, to inable the Prophets to prophecie to peoples, nations, tongues, and Kings, as is said in vers. 11. The number of seuen, answerable to the seuen trumpets is noted, to shew, that now the Lord would begin to send out a plentifull meanes of instruction, to recouer a­gaine [Page 191] his people from vnder Antichrist; and the times from thence till now, shew vs, that hee hath so done. This ministery of the Gospell, published by his faithfull seruants, is compared to the voyce of thunder. First, for that it shall bee made to bee heard aboue all voices, as being the loudest, as the degrees of sound of voices set out, cap. 19. 6. shew. No voice of multitudes, no voice of many waters, is so loud as the voice of thunde. As such a voyce was needfull at the giuing of the Law, Exod. 19. to cast downe all humane reason, and to cause men to submit themselues to the Lords will: so was it now, to beat downe mans carnal reason, now pear­ked vp in the Antichristian state, prescribing rules of religion, and making a meere will-worship of seruice vnto God. Secondly, because of the power of Gods word, being powerfull as thunder, as Iob speakes, (chap. 26. 14.) to strike terror and feare in­to mens harts: hence Iohn and Iames were Boaner­ges, sonnes of thunder, Mark. 3. 17. So was Paul to Felix, when he made him to tremble, Act. 24. 26. as mans hart doth at the thunder, Iob 37. 1. Third­ly, because as the thunder of Gods power is not to be vnderstood, Iob 26. 14: so the power of Gods word passeth all mens vnderstanding, they cannot comprehend the reason of such a mighty and ter­rifying a power, as thunder, to bee in so weake meanes, in all outward appearance.

Vers. 4. Scale vp these things: The Church here is told of seuen thunders, of which we are to take notice, for these are made knowne to vs, but now what they vttered, that is not written; Iohn heard [Page 192] what was by them deliuered, for that he was about to write, as he receiued a commandement, chap. 1. 19. But here he was forbidden to write, and com­manded to seale vp these things, that is, not to re­ueale them. Now why such thunders should bee, and the things vttered by them, not written and made knowne, may be, for that peraduenture, as in Dan. 8. 26. and 12. 9. the things were not now to be done: or for that they were not necessary; or not fit for mans reason to be vttered; as S. Paul spea­keth of some things reuealed to him in the third heauen. 2. Cor. 12. 4: or to shew that the things vt­tered, were only to be knowne immediately by the voices of the thunders themselues; God reseruing the opening of mens hearts, and enlightening of mens minds by the word preached, vnto himselfe; euen to make the things vttered, then to bee knowne, when the thundering power of the word was to be sounded out, lest it should be despised: or for that here is set out the secrets of God, Amos 3. 7. and of his kingdome, Matth. 13. which is to be reuealed onely to them, to whom it is giuen to vnderstand the same; for albeit powerfull preach­ing, and the Preachers be as thunder, euen vnto al, yet the things vttered are sealed vp, except to those, whom God shal please to make them known vnto.

Vers. 6. There should be time no longer: that is, there shall be no more delay, or deferring off of time to finish the mysterie foretold by the Pro­phets; the next verse ioyned to this, plainly giueth this exposition. It is not said, that there shall be no [Page 193] more time (as if here he spake of the worlds end, as many doe suppose); but time shall be no longer, so speaking, rather of shortening some time, then of a consummation of all time. In the next place it is to be noted, how solemnly he sweareth, which had bin needlesse, if it were to be taken for the end of the world, which was both a knowne truth alrea­dy, and sufficiently confirmed in the hearts of all Gods people, for whose comfort hee taketh this oath. Thirdly, here is not a word of the last iudge­ment, but of the finishing the mystery of God, cap. 10. 7. for the fulfilling whereof the time shall no longer be deferred. Fourthly, in the time of the sounding of the seuenth Angell, great and mighty matters must come to passe before the worlds end, as a great part of this booke, from chap. 14. ver. 14. to the end of the prophesie, foresheweth.

Vers. 7. The mysterie of God: This mystery is ta­ken commonly for the day of iudgement, albeit we hardly find the last iudgement day to be called a mystery, though our change and alteration then so suddenly be so called, 1. Cor. 15. 51. But here is spoken of such a mysterie, as hath a beginning, a progresse, and a finishing: yea such a mystery, as by the meanes of this little booke, commeth to be finished. The mentioning of this mysterie is here inserted betweene the Angels bringing forth of this booke, and Iohns receiuing of it, vers. 10. and therefore may seeme not to be vnderstood of the last iudgement. It is taken by some for the conuer­sion of the Iewes, which is called a mystery, Rom. 11. 25. and may so well be, both for the hidden se­crecie [Page 194] thereof, and the vnlikelihood thereof in all mens reason, so obstinate are they. By it may bee vnderstood, all and euery thing concerning Christs Church here vpon earth, of which the Pro­phets haue spoken, Christ himselfe, and the Apo­stles taught, and this very propheticall history de­clareth vnto vs; which Church and state thereof is a mystery from the very beginning, to the per­fecting vp of the body of Christ, and so called, Ephes. 3. 3. 4. 6. which place well noted, will tell vs, that the calling of the Gentiles is a mystery, and so also the place in the Romans, chap. 11. vers. 21. that the calling of the Iewes againe is a mystery, so as Christ his Church and kingdome is nothing but a mystery in the calling of the Gentiles, and recal­ling of the Iewes.

Vers. 11. Thou must prophecie againe before many people, and nations, and tongues, and Kings: Iohn our Prophet here beareth vpon him the person of all faithfull Preachers of Gods word, sent out by Christ, to preach. For these words cannot bee vn­derstood to be performed in the very person of Iohn, but of such as should be raised vp by Christ, to prophecie, that is, to preach the holy word of God, To people, nations, tongues, and Kings: Which words shew, that the fallen Starre, chap. 9. 1. that Angell of the bottomlesse pit, (vers. 11.) and false prophet, (chap. 13. 11. 14.) and whore of Babylon, (chap. 17. 3. 15.) had now gotten these vnder his power, and hellish iurisdiction; from vnder which to recouer his owne, such as were ordained to life, Christ Iesus sendeth his seruants, and that only by [Page 195] preaching to regaine them; the effect and power whereof, wee haue found vpon people, nations, tongues, and Kings, who in Gods mercy haue im­braced the Gospell, and haue renounced that An­tichrist the Pope of Rome, with all his vsurped po­wer, blessed be God.

Notes vpon Chap. 11.

Vers. 1. Giuen mee a reed: The allusion is from Ezech. 40. 3. That Prophet, liuing in the captiuity of Babylon, after that the Temple and Ierusalem was destroyed, was foretold of the reedifying and building therof againe, by taking measure of all & euery part therof; so now the Church of Christ being in spirituall Babylon at this time (not when Iohn wrote, but when the Lord raised vp now his faithfull teachers, and commanded to measure the Temple), heere is prophecied and foretold how God would restore againe his people, and bring them out of Babylon, in which they were by the fall of the starre, and the power of that Angell of the bottomlesse pit, chap. 9. 1. 11.

A reede: It is the truth of Gods word, receiued and learned out of that little book, the holy Scrip­tures; for before Iohn had eaten it, hee could not measure this Temple, altar, and worshippers, nei­ther can there be either other rule or line but it, to measure heauenly things by. This Reede here, is also a line, in Ezech. 40. and that line is the faith­full and Apostolicall preaching of Gods word; so is a line taken (Psalm. 19. 4.) by Saint Pauls expo­sition, [Page 196] Rom. 10. 18. It is called a golden Reede, (chap. 21. 15.) vsed about the measuring of the Temple, Altar, worshippers and City of God, ca. 21. 15. which can be nothing else but Gods word, for onely by it know we Gods Church, his wor­ship and people. It is the onely Canon to walke by, Philip. 3. 15. 16. Galath. 6. 16. by it onely doe we truly know, the length, heighth, and breadth of these spirituall things, as Moses knew by God, his owne prescribed paterne, how to set vp the measure of the Tabernacle, Exod. 25. 9.

Like vnto a rod: Rod in Scripture, is a note of soueraignty, which is a scepter, Ester 4. 11. so is Christs word called a rod, Psal. 110. 2. and is his Scepter, Psal. 45. 6. noting that Christ will rule with this Reede, as with a Rod.

And measure: This is the vse to which the Reede is to be put; now measuring, in Ezech. 40. & Zach. 1. 16. and in Ierem. 31. 39. sheweth a re-edifying and building of that which was destroyed, in a sure and certaine proportion, Zach. 1. 16. where the stretching out of a line, and building, are put for one; and vpon the hauing of a measuring line, to goe to measure Ierusalem, the Lord doth pro­mise that Ierusalem shall be inhabited, Zach. 2. 1. 2. 4. So here is prophecied, that the true Church and people of God, captiuated in spirituall Baby­lon, shall certainly be restored to their liberty.

The Temple of God: Heere is not meant the Iewes Temple, now destroyed before this time, but here is set out the true Christian Church, allu­ding to the Temple of the Iewes, the place wherin [Page 197] the Lord is worshipped, cap. 7. 15. Into that place, where the Altar was in the Iewish Temple, came onely the Priests to doe their seruice, and to wor­ship God, Luk. 1. 9. Now all true Christians are the Lords Priests, chap. 1. 6. and his Temple, 1. Cor. 3. 2. Cor. 6. Ephes. 2. The Altar typeth out the worship of God, a part for the whole; for so it is taken for the worship exhibited there, 1. Cor. 10. 18. Matth. 5. 23. 24. This cannot type out Christ, for this is to bee measured as well as the Temple, by the Reed. Now in that Iohn hath the Reed giuen to measure the Temple, Altar, and them that worship therein, it is to fore-tell that God would raise vp Iohns, that is, faithfull Prea­chers, endued with knowledge of the heauenly truth of Gods word; to measure, that is, to de­scribe and set out thereby, as by the only true rule, the true Church of Christ, his true worship, and his sincere worshippers therein, whom the Lord tooke care of & sealed, (ch. 7.) and here measureth out for his owne peculiar people from all other.

Vers. 2. The Court: Esay 1. 12. This is the place, into which the multitude came to pray in the time of the Law; this is the place without the Temple, Luk. 1. 10. and Ezech. 44. 19. This is that which is called the great Court, 2. Chron. 4. 9. where Salomon and all the people were, 2. Chro. 6. 13. called Salomons porch, Act. 3. 11. and 5. 12. and the Temple, Matth. 21. 12. In this were the buyers and sellers, which were cast out by Christ. Hereby is typed out the visible Church of com­mon Christians, such as bore the name of Christi­ans, [Page 198] but were cast out as excommunicated of God, and not measured; the Lord would not take it for his owne Church, it was none of his building, the Reed of his word squared it not out, neither were the seruants of God to esteeme of it, by measuring to bring it into any holy account with (the Tem­ple) the true Church.

Giuen to the Gentiles: An allusion to the Babylo­nians treading downe the holy Citie for a certaine time, or to the place of Daniel, concerning Antio­chus Epiphanes, Dan. 7. 21. Gentiles are such Chri­stians, which become as Gentiles. Here cannot bee meant Gentiles properly: but as by Iewes and Ie­rusalem the holy Citie, are vnderstood true faith­full Christians and the Church of Christ: so by the out-Court, Babylon, and Gentiles, false Chri­stians or Antichristians. These Gentiles are not the persecuting Heathen, for Iohn speaketh here of things to come to passe after his time, chap. 4. 1, and after the fall of the starre, chap. 9. 1. Yea he spea­keth of such Gentiles, as heere haue the out-court giuen them, and such as liue the whole time of the beast, for he shall continue 42 moneths a blasphe­mous Enemie, and bloudie aduersarie to Gods Church, chap. 13. 5: and these Gentiles, as here we see, shall so long tread the holy Citie vnder foote. These Gentiles are therefore the worldly sort of Christians, mentioned in chap. 13. 5, following the beast, and reioycing at the killing of Christs ser­uants, as here is noted, vers. 9, being angrie at the successe of the Gospell. The word is in vers. 18, tran­slated Nations, but better Gentiles, for the word is [Page 199] in both places one. These then bee the Papists, (as the Beast is the Pope and Papacy) which are called Gentiles, by an allusion to the state of Gods ChurchRibera the Je­suite expoun­deth these of An­tichrist and his armie in his Comment▪ on this place. vnder the Law, in which the Lords people were called Iewes, and all other Gentiles, which were not Gods people; also for that they are like Gentiles in leading (like Babylonians) Gods people into Capti­uitie; in treading vnder foote (as wicked Antiochus did and his companie) the holy Citie certaine yeeres, so these the true Church for a certaine time; and because in their seruice, worship, and other their abominable waies they be as the Gentiles, of whom S. Paul speaketh, 1. Cor. 10. 20, and such are these Antichristian Gentiles, chap. 9. 20.

Fourtie and two moneths: Of the times in this Reuelation, see before in this book, 4. part, chap. 5, Consideration 7. This number is one & the same with 1260 daies, for so many moneths are somany daies, and so these 1260 daies make the number of the moneths. An allusion vnto Antiochus in Da­niel so long treading downe Ierusalem, Dan. 7. 25.

Vers. 3. Two witnesses: These be not Enoch and Eliah, (see this Popish opinion ouerthrowne by our most learned Soueraigne in his Highnesse Apol. pag. 62. 72) but the true Preachers of Gods word sent to preach throughout the kingdome of Anti­christ; for as he had power ouer kindreds, tongues and nations (chap. 13. 7, and 17. 3. 15.) which took part with him, (vers. 9.) so to thē must these preach, chap. 10. 11, and 14. 6.) to regaine Christs owne from among them. Here is set down the execution of the cōmandement giuen in the former cap. vers. [Page 200] 11. Two, is a certaine number put for an vncer­taine, so in 1. King. 17. 12, and is here an allusion to Zachary and Haggai the Prophets, prophecying when God raised vp Iehosus and Zorobabel, retur­ning with the Iewes to Ierusalem from Babylon, to comfort and encourage the people in the Lords worke, as also to set them forward to the same: or Two, because of the fewnesse of such faithfull Tea­chers at the first; or Two, because two witnesses are a competent number to iustifie a truth, Deut. 17. 6. Therefore the Lord sends two, Moses and Aaron to bring Israel out of Egypt; and Christ sends his Disciples out by two and by two, Mark. 6. 7. Here cannot bee meant properly two; for how could peoples, kindreds, tongues and nations see their bodies? By two then are all those, which God rai­sed vp to preach in all the Popes iurisdiction and dominion, as farre as the authoritie of that great Citie vnder Antichrist extended.

Vers. 4. Two Oliue trees, and the two Candlestickes: An allusion to Zach. 4. 3. 11. 14: Oliue trees affoord oyle out of themselues; oyle vnder the Law was to bee brought of the people to the Priests for the continuing of the lights, Exod. 27. 20: but now here is not oyle, but Oliue trees themselues, which haue oile (by Gods blessing) in themselues; to shew vnto vs, in this extraordinary time, the Lords gi­uing of the graces of his Spirit supernaturally: for Oyle is put for the holy Spirit and the gifts there­of, Psal. 45. 7, and 89. 20. Act. 10. 38. Oliue trees shew, how the Lord furnisheth these his Prophets and Teachers, not by the helpe of others, but by his [Page 201] owne hand, to be full of his spirit and graces ther­of, to cause light in the Temple of God to be euer shining, in the darknesse of the Antichristian state. In Zachary are but two branches emptying golden oyle out of themselues, chap. 4. 12; but heere bee whole trees; so much greater grace the Lord gi­ueth to restore the puritie of Religion, and his true worship from vnder Antichrist and spirituall Ba­bylon, then for the reedifying the Temple, and set­ting vp of the worship at Ierusalem, after the Iewes returne from Babylon. They be also Candlestickes, a name giuen to Churches, chap. 1. 20, Ministers are candles, Matth. 5. 25, and not Candlestickes, yet here so called, because they were as Candle­stickes bearing foorth the light; for in the begin­ning of reformation, the Candlestickes were to be found out by the lights; where the Lord raised vp faithfull Preachers, there was both the candles and the Candlesticke, by them were the Churches to bee discouered. So then they were Candlestickes by bearing foorth the light, as also that by them the Churches were to bee found, and the ioyning vnto them was an adioyning of mens selues vnto the Churches of God.

God of the earth: Thus the Lord himselfe is inti­tuled, Zach. 4. 14. and 6. 5, who is the God of hea­uen, and the God of the earth, Genes. 24. 3. And this title was most fit for the Churches comfort, to shew, that howsoeuer Antichrist swaied, and the world wondred after him on earth, chap. 13. 3: yet the Church should know, that God ruled the whole earth.

Vers. 5. Fire proceeded out of their mouth: In this and the next verse is an allusion vnto two Pro­phets, Moses and Elias; the one bringing the chil­dren of Israel out of bondage in Egypt, the other restoring the Law, and destroying the idolatrous priests; by both came great plagues & vengeance vpon their enemies. The words are not to bee ex­pounded after the letter, for such wonders were neuer done by any against Antichrist; but hereby is to bee vnderstood the great power of the Mini­strie, the contempt whereof the Lord would no more suffer, then hee did the contempt of the mi­nistrie of those former Prophets; but that venge­ance should be taken of the aduersaries of these, as was before of their enemies, as we may see Exod. 7 20. 2. King. 1. 10.

Vers. 7. The beast: Who this is, is before shew­ed in chap. 4.—of this preparatiue, and is one and the same with the beast in chap. 13. 1; an allusion to Dan. 7. 21.

Vers. 8. Great Citie: Chap. 17. 18. and 18. 2. 16. Hereby is meant not onely a Citie within walles, but the dominion thereof; this is Rome with her rule and dominion. It is called Babylon for capti­uating Gods people; Sodoma, for her filthinesse, Genes. 19. and Ezech. 16. 49, vexing the righteous hearts of holy. Lots; and Egypt for her crueltie, and desire to keepe in bondage Gods people; such is the whole kingdome of the Papists.

Where also our Lord was crucified: These words shew, that by great Citie, must be meant not a wal­led place, but the whole dominion thereof, for else [Page 203] Christ could not be said to be crucified there: this also sheweth plainly what Citie here is to bee vn­derstood, euen Rome: for vnder Pontius Pilate the Romane Deputie was Christ our Lord (for a Ro­mane quarrel pretended by Scribes and Pharisies, Ioh. 19. 12.) crucified; so here Rome is made guilty of the bloud of Christ, and of the bloud of all his seruants and Saints slaine vpon the earth, chap. 18. 24.

Vers. 9. Three daies and a halfe: The space and time of the Antichristian crueltie from the begin­ning of his open murthering of Christs seruants, vnto the time that God raised vp such, as he would take speciall protection of, to deliuer them from the bloudy hands of their enemies: for here the beast warreth and ouercommeth the Saints, which is, when hee hath gotten his great authoritie ouer people, nations and tongues. as this verse and cap. 13. 3. 7 doe shew. These Prophets lie dead till the spirit of life enter into them, that is, till God raise vp other to defend the truth; which is here called the space of three daies and a halfe, the whole time of bloudy persecution, till there came to be a vi­sible separation from Antichrist. For these three daies and a halfe, is not the time of their prophecy­ing; but of the furious rage of the beast, and the triumph of his subiects ouer the seruants of Christ, vntill God had stirred vp other like them, ascen­ding vp in the sight of their enemies, making a vi­sible separation from them, the words in the text from verse 7 to the 12, shew this.

Vers. 12. And they ascended vp to heauen in a [Page 204] cloud: That is, now these Prophets raised vp were by Gods power exempted from the power of Anti­christ. Now the Lord erecteth vp a visible Church, his true seruice and worship; but yet as in a cloud. This word is vsed either to set out the Prophets honour, or their imperfect knowledge (as yet) of those things which belonged to the heauenly con­gregation and Church of Christ. The words can­not be vnderstood literally of the same parties be­fore murthered, such a bodily rising is not till the last day; and for the ascending of their soules, the wicked could not see. Iohn speaketh of things to be done, chap. 4. 1. Heauen is heere the true Church, their ascending is Gods raising vp of others, (en­dued with the same spirit of life frō God) to bring his people from Babylon by preaching the truth, as wee see in chap. 14. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11; which the ene­mies tooke notice of with rage and sorrow, as the stories in Luthers time, and after doe shew.

Vers. 13. The effect of this their ascending, euen a great Earthquake: That is, a great commotion; for vpon a more cleere light of the truth, and some visible separation made by the Lords seruants, there was great stirres, troubles and warres, as hi­stories tell vs. And the tenth part of the Citie fell: By the Citie (as before) is meant the popish do­minion, which now (by the preaching of the Gos­pell, and the great troubles that rose thereabout) came to be diminished, and there was a decay of the same Antichristian iurisdiction; God begun now to ruine that state, which had so tyrannically ruled ouer the world. In a tenth part: That is, a [Page 205] great part. This number is mentioned to shew, wherein this raine was, to wit, in the meanes of their Churches maintenance. Because a tenth was appointed vnder the Law for the Priests seruice, which these claime for their seruice; or for that there is the number of Ten giuing their power to that Beast, (chap. 17. 12.) of which a tenth now fell away. Slaine 7000: A destruction of the aduersa­ries, a certain number for the vncertain, (as 1. King. 19. 18. Rom. 11. 4.) the Spirit being pleased to vse this number more often then any other, euen 37 times in this booke. The words are in the origi­nall, were slaine the names of men 7000: It may bee for that this destructiō lighted vpon men of note, losing their dignities, honours, and reuenewes, by which they did before liue.

Vers. 19. The Temple: Here is that which was called the Oracle, the most holy place, where the Arke was put, (1. King. 6. 19. & 8. 6.) into the which none went but the high Priest once a yeere. This noteth to vs, that at this time the mysteries of sal­uation (shut vp before by the Antichristian dark­nes) should now bee made knowne and become common to all Gods people, as they were before to the learned ecclesiasticall persons. And therfore the 24 Elders (without mētioning the foure beasts) a type of all faithfull Christians, doe praise God, (ver. 16.) as being now to be in riched with heauen­ly graces, to know the holy things of God hid be­fore. The allusion is to the Temple at Ierusalem. The Court, that is, the mixt multitude had now possessed a long time; the Prophets and faithfull [Page 206] witnesses had gotten the reed to measure the Temple; some of the Clergie-men God had raised vp to teach the people: the most holy place, that is, the more secret and hidden things of God, were little knowne; only as it were the high Priest was admitted to enter therein, that is, a few of chosen instruments made acquainted therewith, and had wisedome to see those heauenly mysteries; but now at this time were they to be laid open, and made knowne vnto all. Of Lightening, Voices, and Thunders, see chap. 4. 5. Earthquake and Haile, set out Gods terrible iudgements vnresistable, Esay 29. 6. Exod. 9. 25. Esay 28. 2. Haile, in chap. 16. 21. is called a plague.

Notes vpon. Chap. 12.

Vers. 1. A woman: The true Church of Christ is here set out by a woman; so also compa­red to a chast virgin, 2. Cor. 11. 2. espoused, Cant. 1. 8. and 4. 1. 10. to a bride, chap. 19. 7. and 21. 9. to a married wife, Esa. 54. 1. 5. 6. to a widow, Lam. 1. 1. The Church heere described, is not the Iewish Church, the last words in the 17. verse shew; nor the Church in the Apostles times, when they were on the earth, though the same in succession. For Iohn telleth vs of things to be done after his transe in Patmos; and the things heere prophecied of, bring vs downe to the times long after the Apo­stles dayes; to the times of the bloody rage of the Heathen Emperours, and the time of Antichrist, when the out-Court was giuen to the Gentiles, [Page 207] and when the two Prophets prophecied in sack­cloth, with whose doctrine this woman was fed in the wildernesse, vers. 6. where the time of her be­ing there, and the Prophets prophecying, chap. 11. 2. are all one; neither is here the Church trium­phant figured: for this woman is in trauell with paine, vers. 2. the Dragon makes her flie, she nee­deth foode, and is nourished in the wildernesse, vers. 6. 14. which cannot agree to the Church tri­umphant, but to the Church militant, of which only Iohn indeed here speaketh.

Clothed: The Church is set out here most glo­riously, in chap. 19. 8, there is she clothed after an­other fashion, though the Church bee found na­ked, yet the Lord puts vpon her clothing, Ezech. 16. and that most heauenly and glorious, as the particulars following doe shew. Her crowne of 12. starres sheweth her to haue obtained victory, and by what meanes, euen by her faithfull Pastors, which are called starres, chap. 1. 20. the number of twelue, is noted with a relation to the twelue A­postles, whose doctrine they did teach. The Sunne and Moone are lights, Genes. 1. 16. Esa. 60. 19. Ier. 31. 35. So are the starres to giue light, Gen. 1. 17. Ier. 31. 35. these are vpon her head, the Moone vnder her feet; and the Sunne, as in the middest betweene the starres and the Moone, is her clo­thing; all to set out her heauenly illumination, or glorious state shining bright, in euery part en­lightened, and bringing light as the Sunne, and treading likewise in lightsome pathes, in the very night of ignorance to others. By these shee raign­eth, [Page 208] and is crowned as a conquerour, hereby shee sheweth light to others, and doth tread downe al changeable and transitorie things of this life.

Vers. 2. And she being with child: What shee was with child with, is noted in vers. 5. for what she brought forth that was she with child with, in this place. This cannot be meant of the Churches generall trauell in this place, to bring forth peo­ple vnto Christ; for of these had she been fruitfull before, as vers. 17. sheweth; yea to an exceeding encrease almost all the world ouer, at this time, before the tyrannicall rage of the Heathen Emperours, & their last furie against the Church, of which he speaketh in this Chapter: but of some more speciall and particular child-birth, which now she was readie to bring forth, as the words taken from a woman in trauell shew; for shee is heere set downe to be in the very act of bringing forth. Cried: that is, made ardent prayers, as cries in the eares of the Lord. Trauelled in birth: That is, vsed all meanes for the effecting her desire, to haue that child which shee trauelled with: and pained to be deliuered: that is, feeling the want of this child, through cruell persecutions which she suffered, did in anguish of spirit seeke to bring forth.

Vers. 3. A great red Dragon: This is expoun­ded to be the old Serpent, the Diuell, and Satan, vers. 9. by an allusion to Genes. 3; but yet so vnder­standing him, as hereby bee vnderstood also the speciall Ministers of his furie, the Heathen perse­cuting Emperours of Rome; for this prophecie [Page 209] is of things to be done here on earth by men; al­so the woman noteth out a company here in this world; and so must the Dragon note out in like sort such here, as be her aduersaries. Againe, the description of this Dragon cannot agree proper­ly to the diuell himselfe, but is indeed the Armes of Rome when it was Heathen, and had Heathen Emperours ruling there, who worshipped the di­uell, 1. Cor. 10. 20. and were led by him, as all the wicked be, Ephes, 2. 2. he persecuting Christians for the very name of Christ, so as the battell was directly against Christ Iesus himselfe, as the bat­tell set out vers. 7. and 8. doe shew. No maruell then that they bee called the Dragon, that is, the Diuell, who is put for his instruments, chap. 2. 10. as here his instruments for him. The Heathen Em­perours are called a Dragon, as Pharaoh King of Egypt was, Ezech. 29. 3. Red, for the bloodinesse of those Emperours: great; for that they raigned in that great City, which raigned ouer the Kings of the earth, cap. 17. 18. and so the greatest in the world for rule and dominion. All set out by one Dragon, for that they all worshipped in their Ido­latry, the diuell; one in their cruell nature against Christians; one in place succeeding another; one in gouernment, and therfore are all but one head in chap. 17. 10. Seuen heads, expounded chap. 17. 9. 10. Ten hornes, chap. 17. 12. And seuen crownes vp­on his heads, for that Rome had the soueraigne au­thority, and that there were seuen kindes of go­uernment. For the heads either note out the Ci­ty with seuen hils, or the seuen kinds of their king­ly [Page 210] gouernments.

Vers. 4. His taile: Dragons haue more force in their tailes, then in their iawes, so this figuratiue speech is kept, fitting to the nature of a Dragon, for the signification of taile, and third part, see cap. 9. 18. 19. starres of heauen; that is, Ministers of the Church; and cast them downe to the earth; an allusi­on to Dan. 8. 10. that is, were made to leaue their standing, and to forsake their profession, by the rage of persecution, and weaknesse of their owne hearts, and to become earthly, like other men of the earth.

The Dragon stood before the woman, &c. This no­teth how the diuell, in, and by these Heathen Ro­mane Emperours diligently obserueth the Chur­ches trauell; (as Pharaoh, the Dragon of Egypt, Exod. 1. to which is the allusion) that albeit her conceiuing, her trauell, and bringing forth, could not be preuented by him, yet he hoped to deuoure that which should be borne.

Vers. 5. A man child: As Moses was borne in spite of Pharaoh, to deliuer Gods people out of E­gypt; so now the Christian Church got a deliue­rer, a man-child; the like phrase in Esa. 66. 7. This commonly is vnderstood of Christ; but we must remember, that Iohn writeth in this place a pro­pheticall history of that, which the Christian Church obtained for her outward helpe and suc­cour; and likewise of things to come to passe after his time, and not of any common thing before al­ready done. Further must bee obserued, that no­thing, whose originall Iohn saw, could be past, but [Page 211] was to come. But if this birth was either of Christ personally, or of Christ mystically, that is, of the begetting of him in mens hearts, by the preaching of the Gospell, then it was of that which was al­ready, and not of that which was to come to passe afterwards. Moreouer, we do not say the Church trauelleth with Christ to bring him forth, as a son to her, which is her head and Soueraigne. S. Paul indeed saith, Galath. 4. 19. that he (the Apo­stle) trauelled of the Galatians; but it is not said that he trauelled of Christ, but of them; to forme Christ in them by his ministery: and yet vnad­uisedly is this place fetched in hither, to make the Church to trauell of Christ. This man-child then is some potent Prince, as the next words follow­ing declare, who was to rule ouer all nations, with great power for the Churches good, whose sonne indeed he was.

Who was to rule all nations, &c. An allusion to Psalm. 2. 9. truly and most properly spoken of Christ; and therefore the reader heere most com­monly conceiueth Christ to be meant, not consi­dering that Christ bestoweth this his power vpon his chosen seruants, chap. 2. 27. And her child was caught vp vnto God, and to his throne: These words (which seeme to some, to make much to take this child for Christ) doe shew by circumstances well obserued, that it cannot be meant of him. For Iohn saw Christ Iesus before, chap. 1. and in the middest of the throne, chap. 5; hee had written in his Gospell of Christs ascension, and hee then had seene no wonder. Yea the so soone taking of him [Page 212] vp from the woman to God immediately vpon his birth, without mentioning of his deeds, will not admit the meaning to be of Christ, of whose birth and ascension Iohn speaketh not one word in his prophecie: the very words themselues are against it. Her sonne: Christ is no where called the Churches sonne, and so caught vp, an vnfit word to set out Christs ascension, who is said to goe vp Act. 1. 9. and to ascend, as doing it of his owne power, and not as we, to be caught vp, 1. Thes. 4. 17. Last­ly, heere is no naming of heauen, (vsually mentio­ned where Christs ascension is spoken of) but of God and his throne, which as they are in heauen, whereinto Christ ascended; so are they in this Re­uelation to bee vnderstood to bee heere in Gods Church, where, as in heauen, he setteth his throne, chap. 4. 2. Caught vp vnto God and his throne, may thus be interpreted, that now one of the sonnes of the Church, a Christian professing Christ, was maruellously preserued of God from the rage of Heathen tyrants, and exalted vnto Gods throne, that is, to be next the Lord in the highest place in his Church, the Prophets in the former chapter, chap. 11. 12. ascended vp to heauen; but this child is taken vp to the throne in heauen, to rule next vnder God himselfe, ouer the nations, that is, the enemies of the Church, with a rod of iron.

Vers. 6. The reason of her flying is vers. 13. an allusion to the Israelites in the wildernesse, who escaped from Pharaoh that Dragon. They should feed her; this relatiue they, hath relation to some persons before, and that is to the two Prophets, [Page 213] chap. 11. 3. their time and hers agree, where daies are put for yeeres.

Vers. 7. In heauen: That is, in the Church; for in heauen properly taken, there could bee no such fighting; neither was the diuell and his angels seene of Iohn in heauen, from whence they were cast out from the worlds beginning. This warre followed vpon the birth of this child in the Church, that is, where Christ was publikely pro­fessed; Michael, an allusion to Dan. 10. 13. and 12. 1. He is Iesus Christ, for hee is our Prince, as Daniel calleth him, chap. 10. 21. The child (as is before said) cannot be Christ; for heere wee see is Christ fighting for his Church. But as the Dragon (the diuell) is not to be taken properly and alone for himselfe, but by him must be vnderstood the chiefe aduersaries of the Church, the Romane Empire; and so by his angels, such as bee instruments at their command to fight against Christ: so by Mi­chael, must be so vnderstood Christ, as also such as be principal helpes for the Church; and by his An­gels, those that are with them in defence of religi­on, and enemies to the Dragon.

Vers. 8. Neither was their place any more in hea­uen: They did now beare no more sway in the Church.

Vers. 9. The reason is here giuen, because the Dragon and his angels were cast out; so as it was not want of will, but want of power to withstand Michael, and his seruants, that their place was no more in heauen.

Vers. 12. Earth and sea: The Dragon was cast [Page 214] from heauen; therefore earth and sea are here na­med, as places of his walking now without re­straint: heauen is the true Church; Earth and sea, the bounds out of the true Church. For earth and sea cannot be taken properly, for the godly are in­habiters thereof, as well as the wicked, and they are the workmanship of God: and now the hea­uen being taken for the Church, out of which the diuell is now said to be cast, the earth and sea must be the places not accounted the true Church; but the places where the diuell hath power, and bea­reth sway. The inhabiters of the earth and sea, are in opposition to the dwellers in heauen, which are true professors of Christ, and are his Church, of an heauenly conuersation; and therefore those which are not of the true Church, are said to bee of the earth and sea, being meere naturall men, sauoring nothing of heauenly things; whether they be Gen­tiles, or such as onely in name are Christians, but indeed and truth, earthly Antichristians.

Vers. 14. Two wings of a great Eagle: Hereby is meant means of protection to escape perill, Exod. 19. 4. and by a great Eagle, some mighty personage is designed, Ezech. 17. 3. 7. Wildernesse: this is op­posed to popularity, visibility, and outward glory; being a note of a retyred, hidden and poore con­dition, like to the state of the teachers clothed in sackcloth, chap. 11, 3. Into her place: so called, be­cause it was prepared for her of God. vers. 6. A time, and times, and halfe a time: an allusion to Dan. 7. 25. this is all one with 1260. daies, vers. 6. for here, and there, is spoken of one and the same per­son, [Page 215] and of one and the same time. From the face of the Serpent: This sheweth, that shee was hidden in the wildernesse, and by her flight lost her visibi­lity before her enemies, as the phrase sheweth, 1. Sam. 17. 24. and 19. 10.

Vers. 15. The Churches hidden condition made the Dragon, that hee could not now set vp­on her as before by persecution; therefore now he casteth out of his mouth water as a flood, this is his wrath spoken of, vers. 12. Waters: are peoples, mul­titudes, nations and tongues, chap. 17. 15. A floud of water, is the sudden out-breaking of such, and their violence mercilesly destroying all beforeEsa. 59. 19. Amos 8. 8. them, as a floud; so as howsoeuer this was inten­ded against the Church, yet the inhabiters of the earth felt the woe thereof. This deuou­ring people is said to be cast out of his mouth, as be­ing by his diuellish suggestion, words, and counsel from him forcibly sent forth.

Vers. 16. And the earth helped the woman: The Churches preseruation by the earth, vnto the which the diuell was cast, vers. 9. 12. his owne bounds a safety to Gods people. Opened her mouth and swallowed: an allusion to Numb. 16. 32. to shew, that there was a speedie riddance of this floud, within Satans owne dominion.

Vers. 17. And went to make warre with the rem­nant of her seede: What this seed is, is shewed in the next words, euen faithfull and obedient Chri­stians; which plainly declare that the woman was the Christian Church, whose children haue the testimonie of Iesus Christ. The remnant of her [Page 216] seede: Thus are all the godly called, in which a re­spect is had to that her man-child, vers. 5. the principall of her children at this time, the rest a remnant. Or here is a respect to the whole Church hidden, and these remnant such of the godly, as were seene heere and there, as a remnant left of her, against whom Satan, in, and by his instru­ments exercised his power. Whether this warre bee some other, or that which is mentioned in ca. 13. 7. I leaue to the godly learned to iudge of. It may seeme not to bee any warre of the Heathen against Christ and his Church, as the warre be­tween Michael and the Dragon was; but the warre of the beast, chap. 11. 7. & 13. 7. for this war is af­ter the woman is fled into the wildernesse, and so in the time of the two Prophets prophecying; in which time is the beast warring against, not the Church in name, (for he and his Gentiles had the out-court, chap. 11. 2. and so would bee reputed to bee of the Church themselues), but against those that heere are called the remnant of her seed, and in chap. 13. 7. the Saints, such as bee true Christians, heere described; and so in chap. 14. 12. whom the beast and his Gentiles, the coun­terfeit Christians, doe hate as deadly, as the Dra­gon did Christ and his Church. It may be noted, that it is said, hee went to make warre: as now ta­king this warre in hand, not against those that pro­fessed themselues Christians, which were at this present euery where at hand, to haue set vpon them, as hee did by Heathen tyrants, till hee was cast from Heauen; but against faithfull and true [Page 217] Christians (of which there was now no visible as­sembly) wheresoeuer he could finde them, by the beast his substitute; of which in the next chapter, where is shewed how hee went heere to warre a­gainst these the remnant, and against the Saints therein, vers. 7.

Notes vpon Chap. 13.

Vers. 1. And I stood vpon the sand of the sea: These words shew, that Iohn was in a conuenient place, and there stood prepared, to behold what was next to bee shewed vnto him. To stand on the sea sand, is to bee in a fit place, to see what com­meth out of the sea; places are giuen (as a conue­nient helpe) to see what is to be seene, chap. 17. 1. 3. and 21. 10.

A beast rise out of the sea: Allusion to Dan. 7. 3. Sea and earth, are in the former chapter the places granted to the diuell to walke in, (being cast out of heauen, chap. 12. 9. 12.) from whence this beast, and the other, vers. 11. doe arise, both from Sa­tan; though sea bee giuen to this, and earth to the other, which in Daniel are made the originall to the selfe same foure beasts. For in Dan. 7. they are said to arise out of the sea, vers. 3. and the same are said to arise also out of the earth, vers. 17. By which wee may see, one and the same may in one re­spect be said to come out of the sea, and in ano­ther respect to arise out of the earth; so it is in this place, keeping the allusion to Daniell.

A beast: A state and kingdome is so called, Dan. 7. and 8: what state I take this to be is largely before shewed. Rise vp: As by the helpe of others, so not without his owne endeuour, hee is not said to be raised, but to rise vp; for this beast sought su­premacie with might and maine. Out of the sea: This beast is the same that is mentioned, chap. 11. 7. and 17. 8, ascending out of the bottomlesse pit, as bred and brought vp of the diuell in a most se­cret and hidden manner, as out of a bottomlesse pit, past finding out his first conception: but now here ariseth out of the sea, which is also called a depth, Genes. 1. 1. Psal. 104. 6. Antichristianisme is a deep mystery in the conception, and in the grow­ing, both in depths; the one as in the bottomlesse pit, the other as in the deepe of the sea, not seene, nor discerned by mens eyes or vnderstanding: of the interpretation of the sea, see chap. 8. 9. Or per­haps by sea, here may bee meant a troubled or vn­quiet condition of people and nations, great com­motions and alterations, out of which, as out of a troubled sea, the Popedome arose; so the foure beasts in Dan. chap. 7. 2. 3. Hauing seuen heads, and ten hornes, as the Dragon had, chap. 12. 3: for the seate and dignitie is Romane, being hills & Kings, chap. 17. 9. And vpon his hornes ten Crownes: Here is a difference from the Dragon; the Crownes were vpon his heads; but here on the hornes, which are Kings at one houre with this state, chap. 17. 11: but not any with the Dragon. And vpon his heads Of blasphemie see M^r. Shel­don of Anti­christs miracles. pag. 171. the name of blasphemy. The Dragon had no crownes on his hornes, but crownes on his heads; this hath [Page 219] crowns on his hornes, and blasphemy on his heads, wherein he is worse then the Dragon; which shew­eth, that the Dragon made Rome great in Soue­raigntie, but this beast maketh it notable in impie­tie.Marke this ye Romanists. So much worse is the Popedom, then the Hea­then Empire.

Vers. 2. The beast, a very monster like diuers ter­rible beasts, of which also I haue before deliuered my minde. Hee is the Dragons substitute in three things, in power, seate, and great authoritie.

Ver. 3. One of his heads (as it were) wounded to death: This was by warre, as vers. 14 telleth vs. Though by heads be vnderstood hills or kings, chap. 17. 9; yet here cannot be vnderstood by this head a hill, but a king or kingly gouernment, for this is capable of a wound; which wound was giuen by the barba­rous Nations, Gothes, Vandals and Hunnes, by whom Rome came almost to vtter destruction, af­ter the rising of this beast out of the sea, which had receiued this wound, as some thinke, in the sixth head, that is the Caesars; others in the seuenth head, the Popes, or Bishops of Rome, and it may seeme to be that head, which maketh this beast to be that which it is; for in verse 14 this beast him­selfe is said to haue receiued this deadly wound, and in this verse it is called his deadly wound; as being so vpon the head, as the wound thereof was (as it were) deadly to y^e whole state, that is, to this beast himselfe, which is also called the eighth, and one of the seuen, chap. 17. 11. Was healed: That is, got his power, seate and great authoritie in the view of the world, which seemed before to be vt­terly [Page 220] lost; for so the words following may streng­then this exposition: first, by the worlds wondring at so rare a change and recouerie. Secondly, at their worshipping of the Dragon for his power, seate, and great authoritie giuen to the beast. And thirdly, by their worshipping of the beast, whom they now saw so powerfull after the healing of the wound. All the world: An vniuersall apostasie to Antichristianisme. Wondred: That is, followed wondring, so as they gaue themselues ouer wholly to bee led thereby, partly with admiration, saying, Who is like the beast? and partly with feare, say­ing, Who is able to warre with him? vers. 4.

Vers. 5. Allusion to Dan. 7. 25. Here is the beasts power, his blasphemie, his deedes and dominion, set downe from this verse to the end of vers. 8, well declaring, why this state is compared to a beast, and such a monstrous one too, as hath been noted, of which this and the verses following are a Com­mentarie.

Vers. 11. Here is the beast (the Pope) set out; or as the Papists themselues confesse, that very Anti­christ, though they would haue him to be another then the Pope. But I haue before shewed at large, that this is that Antichrist the Pope. Another in sort from the former, as is onely the head from the body, and the king from his kingdome; but in chap. 17. 11, they are made both one, and do both come out of Satans dominion, chap. 12. 12. This beast is the vpholder of the glorie and honour of the other, as is cleere from verses 14. 15. 16. 17. They practice together, chap. 16. 13, they dye together, [Page 221] chap. 19. 20; for this second beast, called also the false Prophet, and the first beast are so linked toge­ther, that indeede they doe make but one whole compleat and monarchical gouernment, to which the pontificians themselues agree: See Viega in Apo. cap. 13. sect. 6.

Comming vp out of the earth: He had an earthly orignall by earthly men, and earthly meanes to rule vpon the earth: for as hee fell from heauen, chap. 9. 1, to the earth, so hee ruleth ouer it, as the next verse sheweth. Two hornes: Hornes are power, Psal. 18. Dan. 8. Two hornes then are a double po­wer, ouer the sea, and ouer the earth, for the Dra­gon had power so, chap. 12. 12, which hee gaue to the first beast, vers. 2. and this beast tooke all that power, which the first receiued; for the Dragon, that beast, and this here, are all as one, chap. 16. 13: for the first beast receiueth power, seate, and great authoritie from the Dragon, and this speaketh as the Dragon. The Diuell and the Pope that Anti­christ are so like, as father and sonne may be; for his lusts doth he, Ioh. 8, as may bee seene by com­paring the Pope with the Diuell.

And thus wee see, how like the Diuell the Pope is; as in these, so in many other points, which only for breuitie sake I omit to set downe.

Vers. 12. Exerciseth all the power of the former beast: His power was the Dragons power, vers. 2. What therefore the Dragon had, the first beast ob­tained, and this putteth in execution; so as this beast acteth and doth all, whatsoeuer the other could doe, and so as much as the Dragon did be­fore. And full like are the Popes to the Heathen Emperours.

Thus we see also, how the Heathen Tyrants and these tyrannicall Popes agree in one, as led by the Diuell their father vnto all mischiefes against the Church of Christ. But as the one sort are vtterly perished from among men, so shall the other in [Page 226] time, and their destruction hasteneth. Now when Lord! how long Lord, holy and true! doest thou not iudge and auenge our bloud on them, that dwell vpon the earth? chap. 6. 10.

Before him▪ That is, as I conceiue it, in the chiefe seate of this his dominion, and now Popely Em­pire. For the face of a state and dominion (which this beast setteth out) is that place, where all the lawes and decrees are made, and from whence they come foorth into all parts of that dominion, as from Babylon, and Susan, the chiefe of these Em­perials, and so from Rome in this. And we doe see that Antichrist the Pope his acts and exercise of his authoritie and power is at Rome, which is (as it were) before and in the face of his Popedome. And causeth the earth: He came out of the earth, that is, out of such an earth, as hee can cause to worship him; euen the false and counterfeit Church, and those that dwell therein, of whom is spoken vers. 8. there it is said, that they worship him; here shewed by whom they are brought vnto it. To worship the first beast: This beast is all for that other beast, as is euident in all the words following; which shew­eth that this beasts honour stood in aduancing the honour of the other to the vtmost. Which there­fore cannot be the Heathen Romane Empire, but the Popedome, which the Antichrist the Pope see­keth by all meanes to vphold, as his glorie and kingdome, which was, as the words shew, after his wound receiued and healed, of which in vers. 3.

Vers. 13. Here is shewed how hee caused wor­ship to the beast, and honour thereby to himselfe, [Page 227] by playing the part of a seducer, and false prophet, as he is called, chap. 16. 13. and 19. [...]0. These won­ders are no true miracles; for by [...] bee deceiued the earth, vers. 14. and they are called, chap. 18. 23. sorceries, and by Saint Paul, lying wonders, the working of Satan, 2. Thes. 2. 9. 10. Hee maketh fire come downe: An instance of one miracle or won­der for all. This instance is giuen before any other, for that fire comming from heauen, was a miracu­lous act of God for confirmation of his true wor­ship, and of such as were true worshippers of him, Leuit. 9. 24. 1. King. 18. 38. 2. Chron. 7. 1. 2. King. 1. 10. 12. and therefore the diuell makes his vice­gerent to doe this, to make men beleeue hee is not inferiour to the Prophets, and that he hath power in the heauens. Howsoeuer the words may bee ta­ken figuratiuely, for the lightening of excommu­nication; yet heere it shall not bee amisse to take them after the letter, for here is mention of won­ders and miracles; and Saint Paul foretelleth that Antichrist by the diuell shall doe miracles, 2. Thes. 2. Saint Iohn also telleth vs in this prophecie, of sorceries, chap. 18. 23. Yea Papists doe bragge of their miracles to this day; and wee doe reade of their fained miracles, and that also in this kind of wonders, done by fire, whereof Eglinus giueth par­ticular instances from stories, in his commentarie vpon this place, and so some other; see Master Shel­don, that zealous conuert, his suruey of Popes my­racles, cap. 10. pag. 229. and. 163.

Vers. 14. Saying, that they should make an Image: Heere is shewed whereto the miracles of this false [Page 228] prophet tended. With his miracles hee teacheth cursed doctrine, to make an Image to the beast. This cannot be properly vnderstood of an Image or picture, as we commonly take the word Image; for this is an Image, which the inhabitants of the earth must make; this is then no caruers or ingra­uers worke: such an Image it must bee, as should liue and speake, and cause men to bee put to death that would not worship it. I haue before said of this somewhat, in the third chapter, of this prepa­ratiue. The Beast, vers. 1. is the Popedome, this o­ther beast is the Pope and head in this Popedome, to which, by false doctrine and miracles hee ob­taineth of them that dwell on the earth, an Image to be made, not an Image of him; for that beast be­ing aliue, and cured of the wound receiued, and this beast being in his presence, ver. 12. it was need­lesse to make an Image of him, whom all the world so beheld and followed after, vers. 3. but an Image to him, that is, some representation of high state to vphold this Popedome: which Image all should worship, in honour of the Popedome, hauing po­wer to make and ordaine lawes by the Popes au­thority, (for he must giue life and speech thereun­to, else it is to be a dumbe Idoll, and may neither moue nor speake without him, as the next verse sheweth) to all this new Roman state. Let here the wise and learned iudge of this Image, that are ac­quainted with the stories of the Popes, and Ro­mish Church. First, The Pope had not power to make it of himselfe, but hee must get others to make it. Secondly, hee must cause it to bee made, [Page 229] not by force, but by sorceries, and deceitfull mira­cles. Thirdly, this hee chiefly sought to bring to passe, as without which he could doe nothing, and this by his wonders, and by his words, as the text sheweth. Fourthly, hee obtained it at the hands of those earthly Christians. Fifthly, being made, it receiueth life and speech from him that could not make it, and they that made it, had yet no po­wer to make it breathe, or speake at all. Sixthly, this Image he vpheld, & the worship and honour thereof with all his might, causing it to speake, and to make as many as would not worship it, to be slaine. Seuenthly. This the faithfull oppose and preuaile against, chap. 15. 2. and 20. 4. which the wicked worldlings are ouercome with, and so pe­rish vnder Gods horrible plagues, cap. 14. 9-11.

Vers. 15. Caused as many as would not worship the Image of the beast, should be slaine: An allusion to Nabuchadnezzars tyrannie, Dan. 3. 6. 20. That which before was said to be the Image to the beast, (because it was for the honour of that state to vp­hold it, without which it could not haue been con­tinued) is here said to be the Image of the beast; for that the Popedome now by the making of it, and the power thereof was (as it were) represented to all, adored and worshipped, as Idolaters doe the Image of their God.

Vers. 16. The Pope hauing gotten this Image made, and thereby established strongly his Pope­dome, now hee vsurpeth authority ouer all, and brandeth them for his owne, as being their Lord and master: for it is said, that now hee causeth all [Page 230] both small and great, rich and poore, free and bond that is, all sorts, of all orders and degrees, from the Emperour to the pesant, (so large and ample a do­minion hath he gotten) to receiue a marke; which was by this beast, or his instruments put vpon them, and they made as his subiects to receiue, for to distinguish them from others, and to be known to belong vnto (the beast) the Popes kingdome. A marke: the word is taken for a carued or a grauen worke, Act. 17. 29. but cannot so bee here, for the Popes subiects receiue no visible or corporall im­printed marke vpon them. This marke is called the marke of the beast, chap. 16. 2. that is, the marke of the Popes, and Antichrists dominion, that Ro­mish state; it is also called the marke of his name, chap. 14. 11. so that this marke is such a thing, as maketh him that receiueth it, to bee one of that body and state, for it is the marke of the beast. And the same person also thereby is caused to carrie the name of that beast and state vpon him, for it is the marke of his name. So then this marke doth make him truly the Popes, in name & subiection; it is (wee may see from the text) a marke of the whole state; a marke bearing the name of that state; a marke so necessary, and so generally fit for all, as the Pope causeth all sorts to receiue it; a marke which Christs flocke escapeth, chap. 15. 2. and refuseth to receiue. chap. 20. 4; a marke which who so willingly and wittingly receiueth, and not casteth off, shall perish, ca. 14. 11. Now this being a marke of the whole state, and a marke of the name thereof; it is necessary before wee can know [Page 231] the marke, to know the beast and his name first. The beast is not this second beast, in vers. 11. which is the very Antichrist; but is the other first beast, vers. 1. which is the Romane state vnder the Pope, as is already declared: therefore this character is not the marke of the person of Antichrist, the second beast; but of his kingdome and state, the first beast: neither therefore is the name a mans name, but the name of this state; and not a name giuen of o­ther men, as they shall please to call it, but what Antichrist the Pope, this second beast, shall like and allow of; yea and so allow of, as they that re­fuse it, or the character of it, or the number of it, shall bee restrained of their liberty in common trafficke, vers. 16. Now then this beasts name, the Romish Antichristian dominion vnder the Pope, is (as they would haue it called and esteemed) the Apostolike Church, or the Romane Catholi [...]e Church. The Beasts name. This is the name of the Popedome, which the Pope (that Antichrist) of Rome would haue giuen to it, and chalengeth as proper to his hierarchicall iurisdiction, and to his emperiall state; thus I sup­pose we haue the name. Now the marke of that Romane Catholike Church, or the marke of the name of the beast, of which all sorts are capable, small and great, rich and poore, free and bond; and therefore a common marke to any of them, which is Saint Peters keyes, branching out it selfe in eueryThe Beasts marke. maine Antichristian doctrine, euery counterfeit sacrament, idolatrous practice, superstitious in­uention, canon, or decree, contrary to Gods word, made and confirmed by the generall consent and [Page 232] authority of that see, called Romane Catholicke Church; and receiued by that onely authority: for in al and euery of these is a marke of the name and authority of that beast, which his subiects doe re­ceiue in their right hand, when they doe practice the same in subiection to that state; and in their fore­heads, when they doe make open profession there­of. Let none except against this, for that here ma­ny particulars are noted, when in text a marke sin­gularly is mentioned; for they are all but bran­ches of Peters keyes, that one marke of that abso­lute and vnlimited power of the beast, and euery one a marke of that state, with these circumstan­ces concurring; that is, that it be a generall tenent of that Church; that it be contrary to Gods word; that it bee imposed by the authority of that Ro­mish Church; that in subiection to the same it bee receiued, professed, and practised. Hee that recei­ueth so any one of the particulars, following with­all the beast, and worshipping his Image; (for that is to be presupposed before he receiue the marke, as being imposed by Antichrist (as we here see) on­ly on such), he hath the marke of his name, is held by him one of his; and so wee also account euery such a one to be a Papist, Romanist, or Romane Catholike.

Vers. 17. No man might buy or sell: (Rome, or Romane dition, a trading place; all there, for mo­ney) saue hee that had the marke, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. The marke of his name is first, as being indeed the chiefe, and onely (as it were), maketh the proper subiects of that [Page 233] kingdome; therefore it is said, that hee causeth them to receiue the marke, but not so the name and number (though such as haue not these cannot trafficke amongst them) and they that receiue the marke are threatened with damnation, chap. 14. 9. 11. as being of those, whose names are not written in the Lambes booke of life, vers. 8. Yo haue the name of the beast, is to be accounted a Romane Ca­tholicke, after the name of the beast, as before is noted; which name is better esteemed then the name of a Christian, a louer of the Gospell, a child of God, a beleeuer in Christ: take all the names in Gods booke, and reiect this one, there is no buy­ing or selling with them; and this is a second ranke of Papists. The number of his name: Heere is the third sort of the Popes subiects, some haue the marke, some but the name, and not the marke; o­ther some onely the number of the name, and so seeme to bee the vtmost ranke or sort of Antichri­stians. This number of the beasts name, is such a number, as the Pope liketh well of; for whosoeuer hath this number, is admitted to be among them, as well as they that haue the marke, and name: of all which he is the inuentor, hee causeth the Image to be made, he inuenteth the marke, hee giueth the name, and findeth out a number for the name of the beast; which at least such as haue not the marke or name must needes haue, or else not to come where hee hath to doe. What this number is, is shewed in the next verse, for the number of the beast, and the number of his name is all one; as we see before the marke of the beast, and the marke of [Page 234] the name of the beast to be all one, cap. 14. 11. cap. 16. 2. both which (to wit, the marke and number) the faithfull escape from, chap. 15. 2. Therefore as in the Image and marke is impiety, so also in the number, though the perill be not so great to haue the number, as to worship the beast and his Image and to receiue his marke; because these onely are seuerely threatened with dreadfull vengeance, chap. 14. 9. 10. 11. and not the other; yet is there euill enough in it, seeing it is part of the praises of the faithfull, that they get victory ouer the num­ber of the beasts name, chap. 15. 2. and that the Pope can like them so well, that haue this num­ber; which therefore must also needs bee a thing knowne to him, and that which withall maketh those openly known to him that haue it, that they thereby may be admitted to buy and sell, as well as they that haue receiued the marke of the beast, and his name.

Vers. 17. Heere is wisedome: that is, heauenly wisedome, for this is the wisedome which the ho­ly spirit commendeth, and here is required to the vnfolding of this point in hand. Let him that hath vnderstanding count: Here men of vnderstanding and endued with wisedome, are stirred vp to rec­kon and count the number of the beast, or the number of his name, which is all one. The beast is the first beast, and therfore the number of the beast is the number of that Romane state vnder the Pope, or the number of the name of that state, that is, the number of the Romane Catholicke Church, if that may be the name of the beast. For it is the [Page 235] number of a man: that is, which a man may num­ber, comming within the vnderstanding of a man endued with wisedome; for these words may bee put for encouraging of him that hath vnderstan­ding, to fall to make the count: or, it is the number of a man, that is, of mans deuising, euen of Anti­christs, as also the Image and marke, and name of the beast were; and therefore there is great subtilty in the number, which needeth a wise man, and of vnderstanding to count and reckon the number. This being the exposition, the words are brought in as a reason why it should be said, that here is wis­dome, and why a man of vnderstanding is needful­ly required to count the number; euen because of Antichrist, that man of sinne, his subtelty, in deui­sing of the beasts number, or his names number, and this number of the beast, being the subtilly­inuented number of a man, is sixe hundred three­score and sixe; which being a bare propounded number to a state, and to the name thereof, with­out mentioning of times, persons, or things, which by this might be numbred, (as to say 666. dayes, monethes, or yeeres, as wee see in all the numbers noted, in chap. 11. 3. and 9. 5. and chap. 12. 6. and chap. 20. 3; Or to say 666. persons, as in cap. 5. 11. and [...] 16; Or to say 666. things, as in chap. 21. 14. 17.) declareth a full deepe mysterie heerein, from all other numbers mentioned in this prophecie.

Diuers are the minds of men concerning this number of the beast, which the subiects of Anti­christ must haue, as Iohn prophetically foretels in the former verse; and heere plainly telleth vs what [Page 236] that number is, if we had wisedome to count▪ it. There are to be read many and sundry interpre­tations; and of these, one saith, it is a military num­ber of the ancient Romane legion; so Doctor Si­monds, in his pisgah. euang. pag. 120. 121. Another, that it is the profound wisedome of the canon law, in the booke of Decretals, as Iunius vpon this place: a third maketh it the time of Antichrist, as Eglinus commenting on this verse; when one should take vpon him, first the title of vniuersal Bishop, which is the stile of Antichrist; and this was Boniface the third, as our learned Soueraigne sheweth in his Highnesse Apologie, pag. 93. which title was fully setled vpon the Pope, about the yere 666. A fourth, that hereby is pointed out a name in the old Testa­ment, setting out by it, Antichrist; for by a poste­rity of 666. we may finde Esdr. 2. 13. Adonikam, that is, a Lord standing vp; so Master Broughton, in both his short, and now also in his last and large Commentarie on this booke. A fifth, that it is a name of number, the letters, of which it is made be­ing numerall, containing in them this number, 666. Of this opinion are the most, yet differ euen to an astonishment in me. Some will haue an He­brew name, as Romagnosh, (Romanus, a Hee Pope) or Romiiith, (Romana, perhaps a shee Pope): some a Greeke name, and this one word, as [...], or two words, as [...], or three words, as [...], and such like, of which are many other in commentaries, both of Prote­stants and Papists to bee found, especially of the Iesuites, Ribera and Bla. Viegas. Some a Latine name, [Page 237] as Diclux, generalis dei vicarius in terris, all which words must containe by the letters of number in them 666. as for plainnesse sake, thus:

And so of all the rest, which men haue suppo­sed to be the beasts name, whether the names bee Hebrew, Greeke, or Latine, they containe letters expressing this number of 666. A sixth, that this number setteth out the comely proportion of the whole frame, structure and building of that beast the Popedome, the kingdome of that Antichrist, (the man of sinne his inuention) in all the parts well agreeing and compacted together, each part answering and fitly agreeing, as this number doth within it selfe.

Now which of all these come nighest vnto the truth of this point, and the meaning of the holy Ghost, I dare not set downe, all of them being the opinions of learned men; onely I will freely tel, to which of them all I encline, with my reasons, leauing euery man to Gods guiding to like, as hee shall be enlightened, by well weighing some cer­taine obseruations out of the text, most necessary to be prefixed, and for euery one to be acquainted [Page 238] with, for guiding of his iudgement, either to finde out some other thing, or rightly to discerne of these opinions already set downe. The obseruati­ons are th [...]se▪ I. That the number is the number of the [...] [...] of the second; and therefore is [...] number of the state, and nor of the person ruling [...] state. II. That the second beast greatly [...], for it getteth them that beare it▪ freedome to buy and sell within that state, and exem [...] [...]em from the displeasure of Antichrist. III. That this must be a knowne num­ber, both to Antichrist to discerne his fauourites by, to giue them leaue to buy and sell, (as well as they that haue the marke and name), as also to Christs seruants, who must striue against it, and get also the victory ouer it, cap. 15. 2. IV. That the beasts name, and the number of his name are plain­ly distinguished. So that, albeit the beasts number, and the number of his name bee one, yet not so his name, and the number of his name; for the text cleerly maketh the marke, tee name, and the number to differ; and therfore it is said the marke, or the name, or the number of the name; so as some may haue the marke of his name; some his name, and some onely the number of his name, as before is noted. V. That there is great wisedome required here. VI. That this wisedome and vnderstanding stand [...] counting the number of the beast, which is 666. and not in finding the first beast his name, or number, which many shall haue, vers. 17. nor in finding a mans name, that is (as some expound it) Antichrists name, and so this number of 666. in [Page 239] that name; for first, neither in this propheci [...], nor elsewhere in the Scriptures, hath Antichrist any proper name giuen vnto him. Secondly▪ the text here saith, that the number of the beast is the num­ber of a man; it saith not either a mans name, or a number in his name. Thirdly, by seeking out a mans name, viz. Antichrists name; such leaue the name of the first beast and state, of which onely the text speaketh, and seeke the name of the second beast, of which there is not one word in the text. Fourthly and lastly, wee may as well seeke a marke in his name, as a number in it, for that it is as well said, the marke of his name, chap. 14. 11. as heere in vers. 17. the number of his name▪ now none haue en­deauoured to seeke a marke in his name, and yet the ground is as good for it, as to seeke a number in his name. These are the obseruations to bee ta­ken for our direction in this point of wisedome; all, and euery of which, the words of the text, in the 17, and 18. verses do cleerly affoord vnto vs with­out any wresting.

Now touching mine owne mind, it leadeth me to approue of the sixth and last opinion set downe; not of any loue of no [...]eltie (though it be the opi­nion of one man, and the first that I read of, so ta­king this place, albeit (perhaps) occasioned from Iunius his words vpon this verse), but for that it is (in my poore apprehensi [...] [...] likeliest truth. It may bee, vpon these for [...]r [...] obseruations laid downe, that other shall concei [...] [...] what else; yet let none bee offended, that of all these, I make my choyce for the present of this vpon probable [Page 240] coniectures. The whole body and frame of Anti­christs kingdome is set out in this number 666. the beasts number. This number runneth all on sixe euery way; sixe in vnities, in tens, and in hun­dreds. Now this number of sixe, hath it perfection (of which Iunius hath written vpon this verse at large) and is the first perfect number, of which Bo­niface the eighth speaketh, in the preface of the sixth booke of the Decretals; which booke hee calleth the sixth, because it is a perfect number, and for that being added to the fiue other before, maketh the perfect volume, containing (as he saith) a perfect plat­forme for the gouernment of affaires, and a perfect dis­cipline, for the rule of good manners. Thus we see the Popes high account of this number of sixe, of which this number of 666. consisteth, notably set­ting out this Antichristian kingdome. I. This number is a number of perfection, so that state in their account, a most perfect structure and buil­ding. II. This number, though it differ in de­grees from 6. to 60. and from 60. to 600. yet it holdeth in the perfect vnity, keeping the number of sixe; so that state hath degrees one greater then another, as much as 60. is a greater number then 6. and 600. greater then 60; yet keepe they all the number of sixe, that is, as they call it, their vnitie both to their perfect head, their Pope, who, as they hold, cannot erre, and to his perfect decrees, with­out any sects or schismes among them. III. The decrees in this number arise without any dispro­portion, by a like fit proportion in euery part of the number, from one degree to another. For [Page 241] looke what is betweene 6. and 60. the same, in the rule of multiplication, is betweene 60. and 600. So (as they make the world beleeue) in that state in all the frame thereof, there is such a comely order, and faire proportion, as might allure all men thereunto; if the parts bee considered from the lowest to the highest, from their vnities to their tens, and from their tens to their hundreds. IV. This number in the degrees is raised by tens, from sixe of vnities, to sixe of hundreds, without which, this number so proportionally could not be raised. Ten is Gods number in giuing of his Lawes, Exod. 20. and Ten is his number, for the vpholding of his worship and seruice, performed by his seruants the Priests and Leuites, for their maintenance, Leuitic. 27. 30. 31. 32. So this Ro­mane state hath been raised vp from the sixe of v­nities, that is, from their smal beginnings, vnder pretence of perfection (euen their number of six) to their sixties, and sixe hundreds, by tenths clai­med on Gods behalfe (but most vniustly) for the seruice and worship, which those Antichristian Priests would seeme to performe vnto him. Thus wee see, how this number is the number of the beast, setting out the whole frame and body of that state; this is the number which that second beast (the Pope) liketh of; this is a knowne num­ber to all that haue any knowledge of that Ro­mane state; here also is wisedome required: and by this which is said, it may appeare, that this wise­dom standeth in the wel counting of this number, which is to finde it (for all this goodly accord, order, propor­tion, [Page 242] and pretence of pietie (all which are in this num­ber) to be onely the number of a man, that is, a plat­forme of a state deuised by man, euen that man of sinne. This is the number which the godly get vi­ctorie ouer, chap. 15. 2, and by counting the same, finde it a number without valuing of any thing; and so to be reiected as a number of nothing, alto­gether differing from Gods number set downe in the next chapter, which is 144000, which at the first view may not seeme so proportionable a number as 666, in which yet there is no comparison, this differing from that in three things. First in the fra­ming vp of the building, Gods number riseth on twelues, for this number 144000 is the number of twelue times twelue in chap. 7, to shew, that the Church and kingdome of Christ is raised vpon the doctrine of the twelue Apostles: therefore is euery part of the number at the first raised aboue twelue, declaring that nothing commeth into his Church to bee of account with God, till it come aboue twelue, that is, till it bee laid vpon the true foundation. The beasts number beginneth before it come at twelue, of which number it cannot bee raised; that kingdome hath not the doctrine of the twelue Apostles to begin it with, or to raise it vpon; but indeed the inuentions of men and hu­mane traditions. Yet here note, that twelue may be found in this number, but neither the number in the foundation which is but sixe, nor in the rai­sing vp of the number by tens, but only in the num­ber multiplied; as ten times sixe, and ten times six­tie, so is twelue to be often found, but this is secret [Page 243] and hidden; to shew, that albeit that state be nei­ther built nor raised vpon the twelue Apostles doctrine, yet is it hidden for the elect sake within that state for their edification; or else it may bee found in the number by addition, as 6 and 6 doe make 12; where 12 is outward so and apparent, and yet but so once neither, to bee found in the whole number, and that by breaking of the order through addition, when otherwise there is onely numeration and multiplication. Teaching hereby this, that as in three 666 is outwardly but 12 once, and that by addition too; so that state, though it haue within it often the number of twelue, that is, the doctrine of the Apostles hidden for the elect sake; yet outwardly it hath it but once, that is, that doctrine is the least part of the building of that state, and also not to be found, but vpon the disor­dering of the same, setting it out of the proper frame of it owne number and count. Secondly this number differeth from Gods number in the figure, for 144000 maketh by twelues a square number of equall sides, such is the figure of the new Ierusa­lem, chap. 21. 16, to shew the stable and vnmoue­able state of the Church of Christ, holding in the building, and also in the figure and whole frame thereof, the Apostles doctrine; the number of ten is Gods nūber for the maintenance of his Church, but only the number of 12 to found it, proportion the parts, and to reare it vp. Now the beasts num­ber cannot be made in full proportion square, it is but a tottering state, a kingdome that shall be sha­ken, and perish for euer. It is a state that howsoe­uer [Page 244] it hath a number, yet can it not endure the reed of Gods word to measure it by, as the Lords buil­ding will, chap. 11. 1. and 21. 15; for they wel know, that it hath not the Apostles doctrine written in holy Scriptures for the foundation thereof. I hird­ly, the beasts number differs in this, that Gods number beginneth the first figure of valuation in the fourth place, the square number, chap. 21. 16, and not at meere vnities, nor at tens, or hundreds; but at thousands, and multiplieth into thousands, shewing, that Gods Church beginneth in a solid communion and fellowship of many not to be di­minished; and so increaseth with the increasing of God into thousands of tens, and thousands of hun­dreds, though not into ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands (the Angels number, chap. 5. 11.) here in this life; for that is the perfection of their number with the Angels in the life to come. The Beasts number beginneth at meere vnities, and ascendeth to tens and hundreds; but neuer attaineth to the fourth place, the square number, nor to the number of a thousand, in this number here of 666, which is the figuratiue num­ber of that state, (though otherwise the world fol­low after the Beast), to shew, that the vnitie of that Church ariseth not from the communion of ma­ny primarily, but by simple vnities or ones, that is, by the vprising of the Popes one after another; not in the fourth place of thousands, a solid encrease, but by little and little to the certaine height, after which it shall also by little and little be diminish­ed, till it come downe againe vnto nothing. This [Page 245] is the wisedome giuen to count the beasts num­ber, which whosoeuer can rightly count, will not at all make any account of that Antichristian state, and Dragon-like dominion.

But here it may be asked, what reason there is of this, to set out this state by a meere number ap­plied to nothing that is numbred? This is not with­out reason, to all that haue the wisedome of God. It is set out first by a nūber, because one day God will number it, for he hath written Mene ouer it, as hee did ouer Balshazzars kingdome, and now hath begun to finish it, chap. 10. 7, and wil finish it, chap. 18; and it is (secondly) set out by a number without naming any thing that is numbred, to shew, that as such a number is to no vse, but to reckon, to see an order, to see a forme and a fashion of a num­ber, but without substance; so this Romish state is vnusefull to Christianitie, and standeth onely in a faire shew of order, in meere formes and fashions, without substance of pietie. And indeed who seeth not, how that Antichristian Hierarchie standeth more in forme and fashion; in number of daies, in number of prayers, in number of orders, in num­ber of yeeres, for their antiquitie; in number of Councels, Fathers and others, for their consent; in number of countries and kingdomes, people, na­tions and tongues subiecting themselues thereto, for their vniuersalitie; then in any solid substance of true religion, holy & sincere worship, and faith­full teaching of the Apostles doctrine? But here a­gaine may some demaund, why this number of 666 must be the Beasts number rather then any o­ther? [Page 246] Ans. The reasons may bee these: I. For that the Pope himselfe approueth of this number as perfect, as before is shewed. II. For that it excel­lently setteth out that state fully (as we see), yea so, as this number may be found in such names and tearmes, as doe rightly euery way set him out in diuers languages; for the countrey, in Hebrew, Ro­magnosh (Romanus) 666, in Greeke [...] (Latinus) 666: for his supremacie and glorie as the Sunne aboue other starres, [...] 666; for the name of his Popedome, [...], 666; for the title, that is, to be Christs Vicar, which he claimeth generalis Dei Vicarius in terris, 666, in English, By vertue of Peters seate Gods general Vic [...]r on the earth, 666; for his be­ing substituted in the roome of the Emperours, chap. 13. 3. in our tongue, according also to the truth of the text, The Pope by superioritie is the Diuels Leiftenant, which is 666: yea one of their own men Benedictus à Benedictis, in his booke De Antich. con­tra Whitacerum, giueth this to the Pope, Paulo quin­to vice Deo, which in numerall letters is 666: so as his owne chosen and approued number sets him out most liuely in his colours. III. To giue vs iudgement to discerne them, and to know what kinde of Christians they be, euen Christians by halfes; the true Church ariseth on 12, this false Church only on 6 throughout; some word of God, some word of their owne; some one Sacrament of God, some of their owne; some part of Christs discipline, the rest their owne; in some sort allow­ing the Scriptures, in some sort not; so in their prayers and ordinances partly of God, partly of [Page 247] men; their nighest accord to the truth, wherein they hold any truth, is but as 6 to 12, halfe way, further they come not: for their whole number standeth all of sixes, 666; which number the ser­uants of Christ by wise counting get victory ouer, but others embrace, approuing of that state for outward beautie, order, accord, shew of pietie, and I know not what, and so are friends to that beast; and stepping on a little further will receiue his name, and also take his marke vpon them, as our late Apostates do to their damnation, vnlesse they repent. Fourthly and lastly, for that heere is in a sort an allusion to Nebuchadnezzars Image, Dan. 3. 1, which was sixe cubites in breadth, and three score in height, which hee would haue to bee wor­shipped. This state is a framed Idoll of that proud Nebuchad. of mysticall Babylon, which the Princes and people on the earth fall downe and doe reue­rence vnto; but Shedrach, Meshach and Abednego will rather be burnt in the fire, for they haue wise­dome to count the number of the beast.

Notes vpon Chap. 14.

Vers. 1. Here the true Lambe Iesus Christ is set against the counterfeit Lamb, chap. 13. 12. that the Lambe heere is the Sonne of God, is cleere from these words his Father. A lambe so called by allu­sion to the Lambe, his type in the Law; also for that hee patiently endured hitherto the Dragons substitute the Beast, and false Prophets wickednes and rage. Stand, as now one readie prepared a­gainst [Page 248] his enemies. Or vnderstanding this of the time of the Churches hidden estate, it noteth, that Christ stood vp, and by him and with him his peo­ple, when all the rest of the world fell downe and worshipped the Beast. On mount Sion: An allusion to the place where the Temple was built, here meant, the Church of God, Heb. 12. 22. 23. 24, euen the same which was called before, the Temple, cap. 11. 1. and the Woman in the wildernesse, chap. 12. 6. 14. and 144000 the same in chap. 7. the number of twelue times twelue. Of which before in the se­uenth chapter, and in the former chapter. His fa­thers name, called also the name of his God, chap. 3. 12. This no doubt was the marke they were sea­led with in chap. 7: his fathers name is to bee their God, and to haue this written in their foreheads, (an allusion to Exod. 28. 38.) is either to make a con­stant outward profession of their faith in God tho­rough Christ, as that full notice might bee taken thereof: or it is their spiritual son-ship and adop­tion, which they had as certaine, as a thing writ­ten, and as euident testimonie thereof, as a marke in the foreheads, for children beare the fathers name: and this exposition seemeth the better, for the name written in their foreheads is rather the act of another on them, as is shewed by the sealing, chap. 7, then any act of their owne, as the former exposition implieth. In this verse, is the Lambe with his number also, and name and marke or seale, chap. 7. opposed to the Beasts number, name and marke.

Vers. 2. From heauen: That is, the true Church [Page 249] of God, the same in chap. 4. as appeareth here by the mentioning of the foure Beasts, and foure and twentie Elders, which are said to bee in heauen, that is, the true Church here vpon earth, chap. 4. 3. A voyce: This is the sound of Gods word, for the voyce from the true Church is no other but Gods voice, for the true Church soundeth out only Gods word, as Christ commanded, Matth. 28. 18, and as the historie in the Acts doth shew, and S. Paul in his Epistles: now how commeth this voyce and word of God from the Church, but by the Mini­sters of Christ? Therfore here is the sound of Gods word preached by the messengers of Christ going out into the earth, set out in a three-fold degree thereof in the hearts of the hearers. The first is as the sound of many waters, which is a mightie great voyce, but being a confused voyce teacheth no­thing distinctly to the mindes of the hearers; it only worketh a wonder and admiration at the pre­sent, as Christs preaching did in many, Mar. 1. 22. 27. Matth. 7. 28. Luk. 4. 32. Ioh. 7. 46; but for want of distinct apprehension, it is only as a noise of ma­ny waters to them, they doe learne nothing, yea the eares of such become deafe many times with hearing at the length. Some expound these words (many waters) for the sundrie sorts of people, as in chap. 17. 15, but they consider not the plaine diffe­rence: Here it is said, the womā sitt [...]th vpō many wa­ters, vers. 1, without any word of similitude, which here is with a word of similitude, as the voyce of many waters; and therefore waters must be here ta­ken properly as the word thunder after, else it were [Page 250] not a plainly expressed similitude to illustrate the voyce by. Let the speech of a plaine similitude, and without such a similitude, be well obserued in this booke of the Reader. The second degree is, as the voyce of a great thunder, which is strong and loud in the hearts of men, like the terror of Gods voyce in giuing of his Law; which in the consciences of vn­regenerate men is so fearfull, as it maketh them to tremble as Felix, (Act. 24.) and to flie from the word, as not being able to heare the same. The third and last is, the voyce of harpers harping with their harpes, an allusion to the sweete melodie in the Temple at Ierusalem. This is the effect of the word in the godly, which maketh them to take as it were harpes, instruments of praises, to become Harpers, spirituall Musitians filled with sweete peace and ioy of the holy Ghost, by the word of the Gospell; in which the Saints accord, and with full concord of heart-strings, as harp-strings, from the comfortable promises of God, doe praise him melodiously.

Vers. 3. And they sung as it were a new song: These words doe shew, that the former verse is not to be vnderstood of the voyce of the Church hidden in the Temple, and fled into the wildernesse; for the state thereof affoorded not this new song, neither in that state is the Church called Heauen, but when it commeth foorth to bee, in some sort at least, visi­ble; so is heauen taken, chap. 12. 7. It is therefore to be vnderstood of the Church breaking out, whē the two Prophets before slaine did ascend vp, cap. 11. 12. Then sang this Church this new song; for [Page 251] in Dauids Psalmes a new song, is of new occasions offered, and new matter of reioycing. Before the throne, &c. See for this the Elders and beasts, in the fourth chapter. And no man could learne that songue but the 144000. that is, none but the chosen number sealed of God, and were his people, cap. 7. Which were redeemed from the earth: that is, from the false Church, and earthly state of Antichrist.

Vers. 4. Defiled with women: This speech can­not be meant of marriage, as Papists would haue it; for marriage is honourable among all, and the bed vndefiled, Heb. 13. 4. and no where by Gods word called a defilement. If it were so, how could it be a Sacrament, as our enemies would haue it? The words may bee an allusion to the Israelites, whereof many were inticed by the Midianitish women to Idolatry, Numb. 25. but many were kept from them, and from that sinne against God: so this 144000; that is, all the faithfull and elect of Christ, when the Locusts with womens haire, (ca. 9. 8.) those effeminate instruments and spirituall adulteresses for Antichrist, enticed the world to worship the beast, and his Image, these were not defiled by them. These women then are these Lo­custs of Antichrist, and to be defiled with them, is to be corrupted by their doctrine, and idolatrous seruice, that which is plagued by the Turkes ar­mie, chap. 9. 20. for the text saith, these were not de­filed with women: as speaking of that now which they had escaped, and were before in danger of; neither is it noted of one, or some of them, but that they all had escaped the pollution of these [Page 252] women of the earthly Church, from which they were redeemed, when the foure Angels stood vp­on the foure corners thereof, holding the winds from blowing thereupon, chap. 7. 1. These be wo­men of that earthly state, from which was with­held the inspiration of Gods spirit, and to which the starre fell, chap. 9. 1. The king of these woma­nish Locusts, with whom these 144000. haue not been defiled, in the words (cap. 7.) is to be vnder­stood a spirituall preseruation; and so here ver. 3. a spirituall redemption from the earth; for other­wise the 144000. were liuing vpon the earth, but in a spirituall safety in the Temple, chap. 11. 1. in the wildernesse, chap. 12. and on mount Sion here with Christ, vers. 1. Therefore also here must bee vnderstood a preseruation from spirituall defile­ment. For if women be here taken in the proper sense, then must they be either honest women, or dishonest; but to say that they were not defiled with honest women, is to imply an absurdety and falshood, that by honest womē they might be de­filed; and that either they inticed honest women to vncleannesse, or honest women them, which cannot be, if these be holy, and the women honest. To say they were not defiled by dishonest wo­men, is too meane a praise for these holy Saints with Christ on mount Sion; for here must be vn­derstood a singular praise of them in this particu­lar, but it were no rare praise in this, so vnder­stood; for that many Heathen, and meere ciuill men among Christians, who neuer ascended vp­on mount Sion, neither were sealed for Gods e­lect [Page 253] by the spirit of adoption, may haue this praise, that they were neuer defiled with dishonest wo­men, whores and harlots. Lastly, note that this is the praise of the whole 144000. euen all the people of God, women as well as men; vnlesse wee will say, that Gods number consisteth onely of men, and these also of the Clergie only, as they must needs be, if the Papists foolish conceit were true; and so all the laity excluded out of Christs flocke, which to thinke is most false, and a mercilesse con­ceit, to bee abhorred. For they are virgins: Pure worshippers of God, and not hauing committed Idolatrie, or declined to crooked pathes, to bee corrupted in mind by Antichrist or his instru­ments, but haue stucke vnto Christ in the simpli­city of the Gospell of truth, in the generall Apo­stasie. In this case the Church is a chast virgin to Christ, 2.▪ Cor. 11. 2. and the whole company of the faithfull are called virgins, Psal. 45. 14. These are they which follow the Lambe, &c. The world fol­loweth after the beast, and worshippeth him, ac­knowledgeth none but him for their head and guide. These are redeemed from among men: before from the earth, now from among men. This ex­poundeth the former; earth, being men in an earth­ly state, from which Christ tooke out his, and from which he yet calleth them, chap. 18. 4. The first fruits, &c. An allusion to the words of the Law; Deut. 18. 4. the high Priests due, so are these his e­lect, the Lords portion.

Vers. 5. No guile: So like Nathanael true Isra­elites, not like the equiuocating Antichristian Lo­custs, [Page 254] Priests, Iesuites, and our Church-papists, in whose mouthes guile enough is found. Without fault: They being accepted in Christ, and walking as Zacharie and Elizabeth, in all the Lords waies blamelesly, Luk. 1. 6.

Vers. 6. Here is the breaking out of the light of the truth set out, in three degrees, in three An­gels; three seuerall types of so many sorts in the Ministery at that time, contesting against the Ro­mane beast. Another, in respect of that in cap. 8. 13. this being the next following, and not the same, though both flie in the middest of heauen, chap. 8. 13. that foretelling the euils to come vpon the earth, and this the comforts now to the Church. Angel, the type of the first sort of Prea­chers, messengers of Christ called Angels, Mal. 4. chap. 1. 20. and 2. 1. One representeth all of the same sort. Fly, noting the readinesse and earnest­nesse of the teachers, and the speed they made in setting forth the truth, after God raised them vp, for it went abroad very swiftly at the first brea­king forth of the light. In the middest of heauen, see chap. 8. 13. Here also noting, that now it was not to be hindred by humane power vpon the earth; hauing the euerlasting Gospell: This sheweth that the Angell was Christs Ministers, for they preach the Gospell, called euerlasting, because it was said, cap. 11. 15. that Christ now was to raigne and to sub­due his enemies, and that by his word, which now shall for euer preuaile more and more against that man of sinne, consuming his kingdome, and en­creasing the power and kingdome of Christ. The [Page 255] Gospell (in the time of Antichristian darknesse) did seeme to bee lost, but now againe preached, should be no more eclipsed. The euerlasting Go­spell, not an euerlasting Gospell, as shewing it to be no new Gospell, but the same that was before, the enduring word for euer, 1. Pet. 1. 25. That dwell on the earth, and to euery nation▪ &c. Here beginneth that which was giuen Iohn in charge, chap. 10. 11. not to performe the charge in his person, as heere wee may see, but as a type of the Ministers of the Gospell, receiuing the charge which they heere now put in execution. This so large a commission to preach, sheweth the Gospell was to bee againe spread ouer the dominion of Antichrist, who had brought vnder him nations, &c. chap. 13. 7. and 17. 1. 15. and the people of God, by the onely prea­ching of the Gospel to bee recouered from vnder his power.

Vers. 7. The Sermon which hee preached, or the summe of that which was taught by these faith­full men, raised vp at the first to vndermine the beasts kingdome; they onely sought to bring the people to the true knowledge of God, and his wor­ship, which was almost cleane put out by Anti­christ. The true knowledge of God then, while he wholly raigned, was blotted out of mens minds al­most, and his true worship troden vtterly vnder foote. These two things are these first Ministers sent to repaire in the first place, as the only meanes indeed to vndermine Babylon, and to make it fall. The words are plaine and easie, as the common truthes in other Scriptures; onely note this in [Page 256] them, that what here men are exhorted vnto, that had been neglected, and the contrary done; no feare of God, but of men; no glory to God, but to the works and merits of men; no worship to him, but to stockes, stones, Angels, men departed, and so to diuels, chap. 9. 20.

Vers. 8. Another Angell: A type of a second sort following vpon the rest, by whose ministery (the summe whereof is here set downe) it appea­reth, that they saw the Popes kingdome by the o­ther Angels ministery, sore shaken, and to begin to totter; therfore these plainly and certainly, by the doubling of the words, foretell the fall thereof. Babylon is heere spoken of, as a knowne thing by these Preachers, and yet no mention before, but of the beast, chap. 11. 7. and 13. 1. 7. It seemeth, that by the truth taught by the other Angell, Rome was discouered to bee no more the Church of Christ, but Babylon, which in chap. 17. 1. 2. &c. is fully de­scribed; the words here following, giuing the rea­son of her fall, leade vs thither, see that 17. chapt. vers. 2.

Vers. 9. The third Angell: The third type of Christs Ministers setting themselues against the Romane Beast, and his miserable subiects. Saying with a loud voice: The degrees in proceeding is worthie noting; and withall, the manner of hand­ling the busines. The first teach plaine doctrine, and most necessary truthes, vndeniable of either side; and therefore doe it with a loud voice. The se­cond sort (after the truth taught) begin to speake directly and plainly against the state of the beast, [Page 257] calling it Babylon, and foretelling the destruction thereof; but here is no mention of any loud voice, they doe their dutie faithfully, but yet more wari­ly, for awaking too much the bloody beast. This third (as the first sort) dare bee stout with a loud voice, to denounce plagues against the subiects of Antichrist for following of him. The denunciati­on is most terrible, as the words sufficiently de­clare, in the 10. and 11. verses: but yet note, that e­ternall vengeance is so seuerely threatened onely against them that worship the beast, and his I­mage, and receiue his marke, omitting them that haue his name, and the number of his name; not that they are not in danger, (ca. 18. 4.) but for that these are not so imbowelled (as I may say) in that state as the other be, which know the deepnesse of Satan, and are Antichrists darlings. The iudge­ments threatned are after, and according to the sinne of that state. They made others to drinke, so shall they bee made to drinke; others haue they burnt, so shall they be; others haue found no mer­cy at their hands, no more shall they at Gods hand.

Vers. 12. There be heere two sentences in this verse, which are vttered vpon the consideration of the troubles and great persecutions, which (vpon the forenamed Angels ministery) the beast shall raise vp against the Saints, set out in chap. 11. 7. and 17. 7. For these words heere, and in the next verse, are to be referred to the troubles of those times. Here is the patience of the Saints (vnderstood) to be tried: as if he had said, so furiously shall the [Page 258] beast rage, as it will trie the faith and patience of all the true seruants of Christ. Heere are they that keepe the commandements of God, and the faith of Ie­sus (vnderstand) to be knowne, for by such fiery per­secution the chaffe and wheat shall be seuered, the drosse from the pure gold.

Vers. 13. A consolation to such as shall be kil­led and ouercome of the beast, as it is said, chap. 11. 7. and 13. 7. They shall be blessed. Henceforth, that is, as well in dying in this quarrell of Christs against the beast, as formerly they were blessed in dying against the Dragon; this is the meaning of henceforth. And this sentence of comfort now was more necessary to be vttered then before; for men were put to death vnder the Dragon for professing Christs name by the Heathen Tyrants, and there­fore was there no doubt to be made of their hap­pie and iust suffering and blessednesse after death: but now vnder the beast, though men die for the truth, yet should they be condemned generally as Heretickes, by such as should beare the name of Christians; yea and would also bee held the best Christians too, the onely Apostolicke, the onely Catholicke Christians, which might shake the faith of many, and make them forsake their place and standing.

Vers. 14. At the sound of the seuenth trumpet, chap. 11. 15. great ioy was foretold to bee in the Church, for that Christ tooke vpon him then so to rule, and to subdue the beast and his subiects in that manner, as they should thereat be wroth, vers. 18. and therefore here in this verse, which is to bee [Page 259] annexed to that there, is Christ set out trium­phantly, through whose soueraigne power, is brought to passe by his instruments that which the second Angell, vers. 8. proclaimed, to wit, the ru­ine of Babylon, of the destruction whereof, and the vengeance now ready to bee executed, is a briefe summe laid downe from the beginning of this present verse, to the end of this chapter. A white cloud: the speech is from Esa. 19. 1. In the chap. 20. and 11. verse of this Prophecie, is a white throne; white, noteth cleernesse and purity, cloud, eminency and maiesty, as a throne, on which sate, as Iudge, or rather as a kingly Soueraigne, one like the sonne of man, which is Iesus Christ, chap. 1. 13. on his head a golden crowne: this sheweth, how hee was now installed, and did take vpon him to rule, as in chap. 11. 15. is foreshewed; for hitherto was he not set out with a crowne, whilest hee suffered others to rule and raigne. And in his hand a sharpe sickle. A sickle among the Iewes (to whose customes in this prophecie euery where the spirit alludeth) was an instrument to cut downe corne, Deut. 16. 9. and 23. 25. and the branches of the grapes, Esa. 18. 5. The Hebrew word there, is the same that is translated sickle here. It is heere figuratiuely put for the meanes of ready and sharpe vengeance, which Christ will vse to cut off the wicked with, as the reapers doe the corne, off from the earth with a sickle.

Vers. 15. Christ being ready prepared to take vengeance, which he had (chap. 6. 11.) hitherto de­ferred, but now the time being come, here another [Page 260] Angell, besides the three former in vers. 6. 8. 9.—Com­meth out of the Temple, of which in chap. 11. 1, those in the Temple were the true Saints and seruants of Christ, as appeareth chap. 7. 15. and those also that were the hidden sealed number with the Lambe on Mount Sion in vers. 1 of this Chapter. Therefore this Angel is a type of the faithful ones, renewing the suite of the soules vnder the Altar, (chap. 16. 11.) that God would execute vengeance vpon the earth. And is said to come out of the Temple, as being now by the ministerie of the o­ther Angels imboldened to come abroad, and o­penly to make prayers and earnest request vnto Christ to proceed against that Antichristian state. Thrust in thy sickle: The words are from Ioel. 3. 13. Reaping, is here put for cutting off the wicked. The haruest of the earth is ripe: The haruest ripe, is the fit time of vengeance not to be deferred, Ier. 51. 33. Of the earth: That is, of the false Church or Anti­christian state; for of this here is spoken, as all that before from the beginning of the 13 chapt. hither­to, and the chapters following shew. The Earth is the place where the beast ruleth, chap. 13. 8, out of which the counterfeit Lambe commeth, in the same chap. 13. vers. 11: and they that dwell on the earth now to be reaped, are the Antichristians, the worshippers of the beast and makers of his image, vers. 14. of that 13. chapter.

Vers. 16. The request granted, and by the thing successiuely executed, a riddance was made of the false Church.

Vers. 17. The words in this chapter from vers. 14 [Page 261] to the end, setting foorth summarily the iudge­ment executed vpon the false Church, the Spirit doth it by a double similitude▪ the one, by reaping of the haruest; the other, by the gathering of the Vintage. In the former, Christ himselfe at the ear­nest supplication and prayers of the Church is made the Actor, shewing (as I conceiue) that there shall be two degrees of this vengeance; the one (like the reaping of y^e haruest) more easily done by men, yea the destruction shal come vpon the beast and his state with so little violence and force on mans behalfe, as all may behold the immediate hand of Christ himselfe, obtained by the prayers of his people. And indeed so hath it been hitherto in the downfall of the Popedome by the power of Christ, and almost no power of man at al, but done as easily as a sickle cuts downe corne. And there­fore we see the plagues and iudgements vpon the beast to bee ascribed vnto the Lord, chap. 16. 5. 7. and the enemies took it to be his very hand (ver. 9) in the first sorts of plagues. In the latter set out by the vintage. Another Angell, that is, a type of the in­struments of Christs comming from among the faithfull out of the Temple in heauen, that is, from those of the hidden number constantly faithfull now in the visible assembly, hauing also a sharp sickle, that is, being appointed in Christs stead to auenge his quarrell, into whose hands he had put the sickle, that is, effectuall meanes, to execute his wrath vpon the Antichristian state; so as now he will work the destruction thereof by men in a more apparent and forcible manner, then afore had been done, [Page 262] that is, by sword, warre, and bloud, typed out by the figuratiue speeches heere drawne from the Wine-presse, this is the second degree of his ven­geance. The first of the haruest being set out in the fiue first vials, chap. 16. 1. 11. and this of warre and bloudshed, set out in the sixth and seuenth viall, chap. 16. 12. 17. and 17. 16. and chap. 18. & chap. 19. In all which what is meant by this wine-presse, and by this bloud running out thereof, is fully expla­ned.

Vers. 18. The former Angell is a type of those instruments, which the Lord will prepare to this his businesse, which shall performe the same, as vers. 19—sheweth; but yet must first some be mo­ued by the Lord to encourage them thereunto. Another Angell, a type of faithfull Pastors, who is said to come out from the Altar, for that they were stirred vp in the cause of the Saints slaine and ly­ing vnder the Altar, (chap. 6. 9.) to stirre vp others to auenge their quarrell; as also to shew that they came with authoritie from Christ, who had obtai­ned by his sacrifice vpon the Altar peace with God for his elected ones, and that now their cause might be reuenged. Which had power ouer fire: To haue power ouer any thing what is it els, but to be able to restraine that thing, and to haue it at com­maund? Fire is put for vehement contention, Iudg. 9. 20. Ouer this had this Angell great power, that is, God by his ministerie wrought so, as peace was among Protestant Princes, and such as were to rise vp against the beast; God was reconciled to them, and they among themselues. This Angell is the [Page 263] type of those faithfull Pastors, who now therefore cried with a loud crie, that is, with all vehemencie of spirit and boldly without feare; and exhorted the Angell with the sharp sickle, that is, those that they saw made fit instruments by Christ, to fall to the execution, which is the thrusting in of the sickle or hooke. Vine is a Church: of the earth, the false Church: Clusters, the distinct orders, societies, and brotherhoods of the same: to gather them, is to take them away: grapes, the fruites of that Church; fully ripe, is (as it was said of the Amorites) their sinnes come to the height, and may now no longer be forborne and passed ouer.

Vers. 19. The execution, according to the word of exhortation and prosperous successe thereof; gathered the vine, not onely the clusters and bran­ches, but Babylon her selfe is destroyed, chap. 18. Cast into the great wine-presse of the wrath of God. The words taken from the Iewes custome, who had a wine-presse readie, when they had gathered the grapes to cast them into. These words shew this Angell to be the type of the instrument of Gods wrath against the Antichristians.

Vers. 20. The similitude is followed; for when grapes are cast into the wine-presse, then are they troden, Iudg. 9. 27, and the iuyce of them runneth out of the same, Nehem. 13. 15. Esai. 63. 3. 4: The wine-presse is the place, where the Antichristians are troden downe: without the Citie, as did the Iewes tread their wine-presses without Ierusalem. This noteth the true Church to bee without danger, when this slaughter shall be made of the enemies. [Page 264] And bloud came out of the wine-presse euen vnto the horse-bridles: These words and the other following, are to expresse the greatnes of the slaughter of an exceeding multitude of enemies, as chap. 16. 14, and 19. 18 shew: for I suppose heere to be vnder­stood that battell, which should make such a slaughter of them, as that Christ is said to weare a garment, after the ouerthrow of these enemies, dipt in bloud, chap. 19. 13. By a thousand and sixe hun­dred furlongs, Thus farre the bloud must runne: as the vine, the wine-presse, and manner of treading out the grapes, is an allusion to the custome of the Iewes, and the Citie to Ierusalem; so these words are an allusion to the length of the land of Ca­naan, which, as some write, is 1600 furlongs; which was, as it were spread ouer with bloud, being made the Lords wine-presse of his wrath once by the hand of the enemie, whether we vnderstand the de­struction of that nation by the Chaldeans, or after by the Romans.

Notes vpon Chap. 15.

Vers. 1. Another signe, besides that mentioned in chap. 12. 1. Signe, so this representation of future things to Iohn is called. In heauen, so chap. 12. 1. Great and marueilous, in respect of the effects there­of, so great and wonderfull a change brought to passe thereby, in vers. 3. The whole Church ac­knowledgeth this to be such a worke of God, great and marueilous. Seuen Angels: So are the instru­ments appointed by God to execute his will called [Page 265] before, chap. 8. 7. 8. 10. 12. and 9. 1. 14. and 11. 15. Hauing the seuen last plagues: Of whom they had these, and what they were, is expounded vers. 7, cal­led here the last, for that by them shall be filled vp the wrath of God, and so the thing done, (as is said, cap. 16. 17.) which God hath decreed, vpon the Anti­christiā state, as before he sware for the fulfilling of the mysterie of God, (chap. 10. 7.) when the seuenth trumpet should blow, of which these seuen plagues are the distinct parts.

Vers. 2. These words shew, in what state the Church was now at this present come vnto, before the pouring out of those vials, vpon the preaching of the three Angels, in chap. 14. 6. 8. 9. The word had wrought effectually, so as many had gotten the victorie ouer Antichrist and his power, and preuailed, and were now standing on the sea of glasse. For this, see chap. 4. 6. But this is at this time ming­led with fire, euen the fire, which Christ desirerh to be kindled, Luk. 12. 49. for now it inflameth with heate and feruencie all godly professors, which at this time were growne to be many, hauing shaken off the yoke of Antichrist, now standing as vpon safe shore, on the sea of glasse, as the Israelites on the sea shore when they escaped from the Egyp­tians; to which here is the allusion, Exod. 14. 30. 31. Hauing the harps of God: That is, most excellent harps, or rather which are of Gods gift. Harps or musicall instruments for praises; so then figura­tiuely it is this; they had gifts and graces from God to set out his praises, which they with con­ioynt affections and well tuned hearts perfor­med, [Page 266] as the two next verses shew.

Vers. 5. After this shewing of the Churches state, hee beginneth to goe on with that which was be­gun in vers. 1: but withall calleth vs backe to re­member where hee left off, to prosecute the matter and parts of the seuenth trumpet, chap. 11. 19. For by considering what is there said, and here repea­ted againe after so long an interruption, all may see, that here is a falling-in vnto the same matter there left to bee spoken of, till this place. By which will appeare most plainly, how the seuenth seale hath the seuen trumpets, and the seuenth trumpet these seuen vials. The Temple of the tabernacle of the testimonie: Words of allusion vsuall and common to the time of the Law. The Temple, the inmost place of the tabernacle, as hath been shewed, chap. 11. 19, where (as there is declared) was the Arke, 1. King. 8. 6, and in it the two tables of stone, which are the testimonie; because of the Law written in them, which testified the will of God: so the two tables are called the testimonie, Exod. 25. 21: and be­cause they were put in the Arke, it is called the Arke of the testimonie, vers. 22, and for that the Arke was in the inmost part of the tabernacle, that part is called the tabernacle of witnesse, Numb. 17. 7. Af­ter the two Prophets were ascended vp, chap. 11. 12, and that now the Church became visible, the Temple, that is, the hidden things of God formerly vnknowne, became now to bee manifest by those Angels, (cap. 14. 6. 8. 9.) who taught what this true testimonie of God was vnto the people. In heauen, that is, in the true visible Church of Christ.

Vers. 6. The seuen Angels (mentioned before in vers. 1.) came out of the Temple; the Temple, that is, that part of it where the Arke was, the place where God gaue answere to Moses and Aaron of all things hee would haue done, Exod. 25. 22. Leuit. 7. 89. Numb. 17. 4. This sheweth, that these had their au­thoritie and commaund from God to come forth, and were of his chosen ones raised vp to execute vengeance vpon the Pope, vpon the Papists, and vpon their Romish state, as chap. 16. vers. 1. shew­eth plainly. Hauing the seuen plagues: How they had them, the next verse telleth vs. Clothed in pure and white liuen, and hauing their breasts girded with a gol­den girdle, as Christ was, chap. 1. 13. An allusion to the Priests habit ministring in the Tabernacle, Ex­odus 28. 40. 42. Leuit. 16. 2. This is to shew, what manner of persons they were, and how qualified, whom God thus appointed to execute his will. They were of those that were of the true societie and temple of the holy Ghost, Priests by Christ, hauing pure and white linen, the righteousnesse of the Saints, (chap. 19. 8.) ready prepared to do their office: girding noteth care and diligence bent to performe what is imposed, and they resolued to doe without impediment, Exod. 12. 11. 1. King. 18. 46. Luk. 12. 35. A girdle of gold, (which was also a­bout Christ) is righteousnes and faithfulnes, Esai. 11. 5. By the way then (for this one time) heere note, that they which are lewd and vicious, though neuer so wise, politique, rich, and valiant, shall not be Gods instruments to plague Antichrist and his kingdome. This their Priestly apparell sheweth [Page 268] also how that these Angels come forth in the Churches cause, and for her sake, without any o­ther by and sinister respect.

Vers. 7. Here is shewed, by whom they were furnished with these seuen last plagues, that is, the seuen vials, and of whom they did receiue them: And one of the foure beasts: What the beasts bee, is shewed (chap. 4. 6.) euen Ecclesiasticall persons, which of the foure it is, is not here noted, as being a conioynt act of them all, the deed of one, as well as of another. Gaue vnto the seuen Angels, seuen gol­den vials. The instruments containing the plagues are here compared to cups, or bowles, holy vessels of the Tabernacle made of pure gold, Exod. 25. 29. and 37. 16. Ier. 52. 19. A viall is a cup with a big bellie, and a narrow mouth, so as that which it containeth, is poured out by leisure, and not all (as it were) at once, as out of cuppes with wide mouthes. That which is in them is Gods wrath, of which they are full; for as the grapes were full ripe, (chap. 14. 18.) so heere bee the cups full of wrath. Which is said to be in vials; first, for that Gods iudgments are prepared, vnseene to the Antichri­stian state, and not discerned till they fall vpon them: also, because these plagues are executed by the seruants of Christ vpon the enemies with no difficulty, euen as easily as licour is poured out of a vessell, and that without noise, tumultuous stirs, and hurli-burlies on their part. Of gold they bee, for that Gods wrath is iust, pure, and vncorrupt. And giuen of one of the beasts: To shew, that these An­gels, that is, men, appointed by God, were furni­shed [Page 269] hereunto from the Ministers of Christ, by doctrine and instruction, for other vials haue they none to giue. God himselfe calleth out these An­gels; that is, qualifieth them with gifts, power, and place to execute his will. The Ministers of God they teach the truth of religion, the doctrine and discipline of Christ, the vnsufferable state of Antichrist, his Idolatrie, false worship, hereticall doctrine, tyrannicall gouernment, his proud vsur­ped power ouer Kings, his trecheries and treasons to vphold the same; and so doe vrge these Angels by the word of exhortation, the commande­ment of God, the safety of his Church, and welfare to themselues and all Gods people, to set them­selues for the Lord, and against that Antichristian state: which ministery the Lord blessing, and put­ting thereby into the hearts of these Angels to do such things, as may annoy, and at length ruinate that state, they hereby may bee said to giue these vials of Gods wrath into their hands. This is my guesse of this, how true this interpretation is, I leaue it to be iudged; the ground of my conie­cture is, that these words cannot bee taken literal­ly: Ministers haue not any materiall cups full of Gods wrath, and the effects of pouring out the vials, shew, that the plagues are not any way to be vnderstood after the letter; for we reade not of any such thing done in any story in the Christi­an world. When men giue any thing, wee know it is that which they haue, and termes of such things must be interpreted according to the nature, con­dition, and place of the giuer, as it may bee most [Page 270] likely to that which such a one can giue.

Vers. 8. And the Temple was filled with smoke: An allusion to Exod. 40. 34. 35. 1. King. 8. 10.Numb. 9. 15. shewing, the Lords approbation and sanctifying of the Tabernacle finished; so heere now at this time the Lord hauing erected vp againe a visible assembly, a temple of true Christians, from among the Antichristians, he sheweth his glory and po­wer, approuing and sanctifying it with his pre­sence, both for comfort to his people, as also for terrour, as then vnder the law, to the wicked and rebellious, Numb. 16. 19. 42. No man was able, &c. This is the following of the allusion in Exodus be­fore mentioned, and is onely to shew, what a hin­derance to the encrcase of true Christians the Ro­mish Antichristian state is, which therefore the Lord will see destroyed, and then shall euery cloud of darknesse be remoued, and the most holy things of God bee reuealed, yea the gate Ierusalem shall then stand open for all to enter in, cap. 21. 25.

Notes vpon Chap. 16.

Vers. 1. Heere Iohn sheweth, how the Angels prepared, were now commanded to execute their charge. A great voice out of the Temple: Either the Lords voice, as chap. 9. 13. or the important vr­ging of the faithful, who being now inflamed with the zeale of God, desired the destruction of that Antichristian kingdome; for in, and from the Temple, neither is, nor commeth any voice, but the Lords voice, and the voice of his faithfull ser­uants. [Page 271] Saying to the seuen Angels: those before in chap. 15. 1. 6. The vials of the wrath of God: of which in chap. 15. 7. they are also called the plagues of God, chap. 15. 1. being the tokens and effects of Gods wrath: herein is an allusion from the plagues in Egypt, as in the former chap. vers. 3. was an al­lusion of the Churches deliuerance from Egypt. Vpon the earth: that is, vpon the false Church, the Antichristian kingdome, as the words following tell vs. For the plagues fall vpon the marked ones, vers. 2. and vpon the beasts throne, vers. 10. also the Dragon, beast, and false prophet take it grieuously, vers. 13. 14. and seeke to reuenge their wrongs by warre. The word Earth, here comprehendeth the whole state of Antichrist, and containeth vnder the same, all those particulars following, because all the seuen Angels are commanded to poure out their vials vpon the earth, and yet onely the first poureth his viall vpon the earth, the other vpon the other things; which must therfore needs belong vnto this earthly kingdome of Antichrist, as the particulars of that state. The plagues of these vials by degrees doe answere the trumpets, that looke how Antichrist by his rising, was a plague to the Christian world; so in like manner these plagues light vpon him, from the lowest to the highest, as in the following verses shall bee shewed.

Vers. 2. All commanded to poure out their vi­als, but yet doe execute the same by degrees. For the first went and poured his viall vpon the earth. By this first Angell is meant all instruments raised vp [Page 272] of God to execute this plague, and so vnderstand by the 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Angell, not one onely instru­ment, but all and euery one vsed and employed to bring that plague vpon the Antichristian state, in the seuerall particulars, in order here set downe. Earth was before taken generally for Antichrists earthly state; heere earth is put for one part and degree thereof, and answereth to the commodi­ties of that state, by which it rose and was vpheld, and now begun to decay. For after the Gospell became to be published, and the wickednesse of that state discouered, the earthly profits and the wealth thereof began to be lessened; this is the vi­all poured out vpon the earth; this is the euill which befell their wealth, riches, and earthly pos­sessions, euen gotten from Princes and people, on­ly to waxe proud, to lord it, and to tyrannize ouer them, and to liue after their owne lusts, in all plea­surable fulnesse of earthly things. And there fell a noysome and grieuous sore: The effect of this euill: It is an allusion to one of the plagues vpon the E­gyptians, Exod. 9. 10. heere a noysome and grie­uous sore in the mind of the men, which had the marke of the beast. It vexed these marked men, and them that worship the Image, at the very heart, as a sore plague, and as a painfull boyle vp­on them, to see this mischiefe to befall them; their conscience also accusing them for their deuouring and vnsatiable auarice. The words cannot bee ta­ken after the letter; for who euer heard yet of any taking a cup, hauing such licour in it, as the same poured out on the very earth, should fill mens bo­dies [Page 273] with grieuous sores? And when hath any man read and seene the prime seruants of Antichrist to be full of scabs & sores? Neither haue the 4. beasts ca. 4. 7. any such cups, with any such licour, to giue to any, as they do these vials, ca. 15. 7. Such instru­ments we reade not of, nor of such marked mēbers of the Romane Clergie, and prime persons of that state to be so, all of them plagued with botches. To auoid therfore absurdities & falshood, the text en­forceth a taking of the words figuratiuely, and to vnderstand hereby a spirituall sore of the mind, for their earthly losses. And as this is spirituall, so vn­derstand the rest, which the very text will make vs of necessity to grant.

Ver. 3. The 2. Angell: that is, the 2. sort of instru­ments raised vp of God, hauing their vial from one of the beasts, ca. 16. 3. They poure it vpon the sea: This 2. degree of the Popes downfall, answereth to the 2. degree of his rising, in ca. 8. 8. wher the word sea, & turning into blood, are expounded. An allusion to Exo. 7. 20. 21. Here frō the instruments of the true Church, a mischiefe befalleth their common wor­ship and seruice; it is made to bee abhorred, and as lothsome as the blood of a dead man, and becom­meth mortal and deadly. The words cannot be vn­derstood of the sea properly, that it became blood, and that euery fish died in it; as the Iesuite Ribera will haue. This literall exposition is full of absur­dities; for here the ouerthrow of the Antichristian state is foretold, and that by the true Christians: now what great harme had that state particularly receiued by this viall more, then all the world be­sides, [Page 274] if it were after the letter? And how can this bee a reuenge from God for his Churches sake, (which is in all these plagues intended) if it be ta­ken litterally? How should not this also be a mis­chiefe to the Church? Here must be a plague vpon the Roman and Antichristian kingdome, effected by such as the Lord raiseth, comming out of the Temple, and it must be an answerable reuenge for the euill, which y^• Antichrist in his rising brought vpon the Christian world, noted in cap. 8. 8. Now what euil hath y^e sea (taken litterally) done to Gods people, by the Popes means, in his creeping vp? & what reuenge is it in y^e Churches behalfe to plague the sea? It is a most absurd apprehension to take it litterally, & most false. For neuer such a thing euer was: who euer heard that the sea hath bin as the blood of a dead mā, & that all the fishes died ther­in? Or who can imagine euer any such thing here foretold to come to passe hereafter? Neither can it be vnderstood of battels fought by sea. This is a sea, which must become as the blood of a dead man, thicke, blacke, and lothsome; and here is no speaking of men dead vpon the sea, but of euery liuing thing in the sea; that is, euen euery soule maintained by the sea to liue, as the fishes natural­ly be in the waters of the sea. To take vp the true sense and meaning of this plague, three things are to be well weighed. I. What is meant heere by the sea? II. How by any of the true Church of Christ, (such as come out of the Temple) it can be made like the blood of a dead man? III. How euery liuing thing hereupon dyeth in that Sea? [Page 275] My coniecture is this, that as earth sets out the wealth, riches, reuenewes, and possessions of that state, vpon which the first viall was poured; so by Sea, (another thing of that state, and the next vnto the earth to be considered of) is meant the Popes ecclesiasticall lawes, Church-seruice, and com­mon worship; a sea of euils, of a salt and brinish tast to all Gods people, in which none can liue, which haue drunke soundly of the sweet and liue­ly waters of life. A sea, more for trade and trafficke to these ecclesiasticall merchants, then to bee drunke of any, to quench the thirst of the soule▪ It became as the blood of a dead man: by such as are of the Temple receiuing true doctrine and instru­ction frō the faithfull messengers of Christ, when they that come out of the Temple, being potent persons, do iustly (by wholsome lawes) condemne the same for Antichristian, Idolatrous and He­reticall; and when such liuing soules, that is, such Ecclesiasticall persons, and others, as do stand for the same, (seducing Christian subiects from their true allegiance), be by their lawes made worthy of death, and by due execution thereof are made to die in this their sea; else how are they made to drinke blood, vers. 6? And this they doe in the righteous and iust iudgement of God, vers. 5. 7. for the blood of the Saints which they shead: by which words we may se [...], what by liuing soules in this third verse is meant; such liuing soules, as could shead the blood of the Saints; these bee the fishes [...] should haue seene, and himselfe a­mong them; but they will not see themselues by [Page 276] any meanes in this prophecie.

Vers. 4. The third Ang [...]ll: that is, the third sort of instruments raised vp of God, for his Church against the Romane state: Poured [...]ut his viall: that is, did execute that vengeance by the power giuen them of God: Vpon the riuers and fountaines of waters: This is the third degree of Romes ruine, and Antichrists destruction, answe­ring to the plague of his rising, in chap. 8. 10. 11. and it is an allusion to Exod. 7. 20. Riuers and foun­taines come from the sea, and returne thither a­gaine, so the Antichristian, idolatrous, hereticall traitors, and rebellious doctrines doe flow from that sea, and are put in practice to returne to the vpholding of that sea againe; which iustly being condemned by true Christian Princes, (these An­gels pouring out the vials) and such likewise as do bring them, and the receiuers also of them being iudged to bee worthie of death, they so become blood to them.

Vers. 5. And I heard the Angel of the waters say: That is, the Angell before mentioned; for the word the Angell, and not an Angell, sheweth it a knowne Angell before; now before was no other Angell of waters, but onely this, that had the viall to poure it on the riuers and fountaines; who in the execution of the iudgement, and the effect thereof approueth of Gods righteous iudgement, as did Iehu, the auenger of Gods quarrell vpon [...] [...] house, at the destruction of [...], [...] 9. 36.

Vers. 6. For they haue shea [...], &c. This sheweth still plainly, that these plagues concerne the Anti­christian [Page 277] christian state of Rome; for the beast & his Image is mentioned in the second vers. and here his mur­thering of the Saints, before shewed in chap. 13. 7. and 11. 7. and 17. 6. and 18. 24. And againe in this chapter is spoken of his seate, vers. 10. and of Anti­christ that false prophet, vers. 13. The degrees shew the downfall of the Pope and his kingdome, by step and step, and that agreeable to his rising vp; which, according to the former expositiōs in these three, may appeare to euery one to bee fulfilled; and vnto vs particularly in this nation, who before all other haue giuen them blood to drinke, by wholesome lawes enacted against their traiterous Priests and Iesuites, and the receiuers of them.

Vers. 7. The consent of another, affirming the Lord herein to be iust and true in his iudgements poured out of the vials of these Angels, vpon the Antichristian state, in the forenamed degrees ther­of, but especially in giuing them blood for blood.

Vers. 8. The 4. Angell: That is, the 4. sort of Gods instrumēts types out in this one, poured out his vial wee haue heard, in chap. 15. 7. was full of Gods wrath, which is poured here vpō the Sun. This is the 4. degree of the destructiō of Antichrist, answering to the like degree in rising, set downe in cap. 8. 12. This Sun is a part of the Antichristian Kingdome, as the rest before were. This point must be well marked, that here the Antichristian state is ouer­throwne by degrees, in the parts therof beginning with the earth of it, then with the sea of it, next with the Riuers and fountaines of it, and now with the Sun of it, that is, with that part or portion of it, which [Page 278] is as the sunne in that state. This cannot bee the sunne properly, as some would haue it; for what man can smite the sunne, or poure a viall vpon it? And againe, how can the Church (if any one ther­of could doe it) make the sunne in the firmament hurtfull to the Papists, and not also to themselues? It cannot bee the light of the Gospell, and holy Scriptures, as other conceiue it; for they are no part of the Antichristian Kingdome, as this sunne is. And it is too grosse to say, that the viall, that is, the plague of God is poured by the friends of the Gospell, vpon the light of the Gospell, or vpon the holy Scriptures, therewith to plague the enemies of the Gospell, as this viall poured vpon this sunne must. Here the true Church of God, in the instru­ments thereof appointed by God, is to poure out a viall, (not throw vp a viall, as it should haue bin said, if it were the sunne properly) vpon the sunne of that state; such a sunne, as the appointed instru­ments for the Church may reach vnto, and in some sort be ouer, to poure the viall vpon it. Now in that state, what is so like the sunne for glory and for brightnesse, to cause that false Church so to shine, (as the sunne in the firmament lighteneth the world) but only the Popes supremacie? which in that earthly orbe supplieth the office of the sun, to that state, as the glorious light of heauen doth to this earth wee tread vpon. The pouring of the viall receiued from one of the beasts, (chap. 15. 7.) vpon this sunne, what can it bee else, but Princes receiuing this doctrine of truth, that that supre­macie is an Antichristian vsurpation, and so ther­upon [Page 279] begin to enact lawes vpon extreame perill against it; and also to set vp the lawfull suprema­cie of Kings, Gods vicegerents in their owne do­minions, to make men to sweare thereunto; and in detestation of that Antichristian pride of the Pope (lifting vp himselfe aboue al that is called God) to proclaime him openly to bee heerein that Anti­christ? By which this Angell, that is, these Princes and Potentates haue scorched the Pope and his men with fire; that is, made them burne with the rage of impatiencie so, as they blaspheme euen God himselfe, as the next words in the verse fol­lowing doe shew.

Vers. 9. And they were scorched with great heate: That is, they were inraged in their harts with ran­cour and malice, as with a burning fire. And blas­phemed the name of God: euen as the beast doth, ca. 13. 6. For that state of Rome now vnder Anti­christ and his subiects, are blasphemers of God. And doe not we here in England find this true in their writings and speeches? They spare not the workes of God, his immediate hand for vs, (in de­stroying their Spanish Armado, in discouering their Gun-powder plot, and ouerthrowing them in all their trecherous, treasonable, and rebellious attempts) saying, that it is by the helpe of the di­uell; a hellish blasphemie! they spare not to blas­pheme his holy word, his worship, doctrine, and sacraments with vs; so inflamed with furie are they, when their Pope is challenged for that Anti­christ, in his proud and tyrannicall supremacie. Behold their heart scorched with heate, in their [Page 280] fierie malice against our Soueraigne, for his most rare and admirable Apologie; sent out to the Em­perours, Kings, Princes, and States of all Chri­stendome, touching this particular point. Thus farre I suppose the Lord hath executed his wrath in all these foure degrees, vpon the present Anti­christian Romish state; the euents seeme fully to prooue the same.

Vers. 10. The fifth Angell: That is, the fifth sort of chosen instruments typed out by this, poured out his viall vpon the seat of the beast. This is the fifth degree of his ruine, answering the fifth trumpet, and to the Popes earthly vprising, in his falling from heauen, and becomming the king of the Lo­custs; for there is he called a king, chap. 9. 11. and heere is attributed to him a kingdome; and as there was darknesse, so heere; and as the Locusts did torment men, so heere now are they againe tormented. His seate is Rome, chapt. 13. 2. vpon this must wrath come by the Angels out of the Temple, and then that Popedome shall bee full of darknesse, that is, full of miserie; whereupon shall follow their desperate sorrow, expressed in these termes, they shall gnaw their tongues for paine; and yet continue obstinate, blaspheming without re­pentance, vers. 11. This viall is not yet poured forth, but is next in order, and not long to; let Rome see to it, and Gods people come out of her.

Vers. 12. And the sixth Angell poured out his viall vpon the great riuer Euphrates: This answereth to the sixth trumpet, chap. 9. 14, where out of the riuer [Page 281] came foure Angels to plague the world; this is now here to be dried vp for a plague to Antichrist, and is an allusion to the drying vp of the riuer, before the winning and destruction of Babylon, of which Ieremy speaketh, chap. 51. 32. From this verse to the end of the chapter, it is of things to come; and prophecies are best knowne when they are fulfilled. I will therefore intreate the Reader, if he be desirous to know what men coniecture here, to looke vpon the labours of others, especially those that haue written the very latest, who declare their minde to the full, and perhaps truly too; the euent which wee must expect will shew it in time; I for my part will onely set downe, according as in the text is deliuered, what we are to obserue and looke for to come to passe. By Euphrates, an allusion to the riuer of Babylon, is meant lets withholding to come at that mystical Babylon, mentioned in vers. 19, vpon which, the viall, that is, a iudgement, is poured; which is here called the drying vp of the waters thereof, that is, the remouing of the impe­diment, and so making a way for the Kings of the East.

Vers. 13. The bestirring of the instruments of the Romish Church foretell vs, that the drying of Euphrates, and the prepared way for the Kings, is a­gainst that state, & for the good of Gods Church. The Dragon not spoken of, hitherto, but in chap. 12, is now one with his substitute the Beast, and with the false prophet; they all ioyne in one, and send out their messengers.

Vers. 14. Here is shewed, what these frogges be, [Page 282] what they doe, to whom they goe, and wherefore. Though they be likened to frogges, and are called vncleane spirits, and spirits of Diuels, yet are they men, as wicked as Diuels, stirring vp to battell the Kings of the earth, that is, all their fauourits gene­rally from al parts of the world.

Vers. 15. The certaintie of these things is heere set downe, and a watchfulnes commanded in god­ly puritie vpon a consideration of these daies, so full of calamitie. The inserting of the words here, and interrupting of the course of the prophecie (as in Genes. 49. 18.) shew the greatnes of the danger, and the necessitie of this admonition to take heed before hand, as in a desperate perill.

Vers. 16. Mention is made in vers. 14 of God Almightie, and here is said (alluding to Esai. 24. 21. 22.) hee gathered them, whom the three vn­cleane spirits went to gather; so as the whole mat­ter is at the Lords guiding, his prouidence ruleth, and his counsell shall stand. The place of this great battell is called Armageddon in Hebrew; not that there is such a place, but so according to the inter­pretation of the word, har, being a mountaine, and Megaddo the place of Bar [...]c his victorie; that is, a place as a mountaine of defence to the godly, but to the enemies destruction: as it came to passe, at the waters of Megeddo, when the Lord gathered the Armie of Sisera together to ouerthrow them, for his Churches full deliuerance, Iudg. 5. 19, to which here is the allusion.

Vers. 17. And the seuenth Angell poured out his viall on the aire: The last degree of destruction [Page 283] bringing an end to all the attempts of the aduer­sarie, as chap. 15. 1: and also the last words (it is done) doth shew. The words, it is done, (alluding to Ezech. 39. 8.) haue reference to chap. 10. 7, by which is noted, that a finall end shal be made of the ene­mies, (of which in chap. 19. 20. and 20. 10.) and also the Church of God shall be gloriously exalted to a most gracefull and peaceable estate for euer, chap. 21. 6.

Vers. 18. Heere is foretold the iudgement of God, and of a great Earthquake, such a commo­tion and alteration, and as it were a shaking of all things, the like was neuer before; such a speech in Dan. 12. 1. Of the words in particular, see chap. 4. 5. and 11. 13. 19.

Vers. 19. The effect of these iudgements and this Earthquake vpon whom it shall fall, and who shall feele the same. The great Citie and Babylon here is one, for these words, and great Babylon came in remembrance, &c. is put expositiuely, shewing what is meant by the great Citie, (of which see chap. 17. 18.) and why such a destruction now be­fell the same, which had so long continued in great pompe and glorie. And the cities of the Nations: What is meant by nations, see chap. 11. 2, for the same there and here is all one. There is summarily set downe, what shall come to passe vnder the se­uenth trumpet; of which here this, & the rest of the seuen vials are the parts, fully explaining what is there briefly noted. So then the cities of the nations, are all the places depending vpon, and containing the subiects of the great Citie; the destruction [Page 284] whereof is their ouerthrow; it was diuided and they fell therwith, through that great Earthquake; these Nations and Antichristian Gentiles tread vnder foote the holy Citie, chap. 11. 2, but now are they themselues troden downe, and rewarded for their wickednes.

Vers. 20. And euery Iland fled away, and the moun­taines were not found: In the destruction of the Hea­then Empire, they are said to be moued out of their places, in chap. 6. 14: but here, to be no more at all. Hereby no other thing is meant, but as the great Citie perisheth, and the Cities of the nations; so also the Iles and mountaines, that is, the most de­fenced places, and the strongest places; in a word, all the whole dominion of Antichrist shall vtterly perish. There shall no where be any more footing vpon earth for the same; there shal not be an Iland to receiue it, nor mountaine to defend it. Thus shall the whole earth be purged cleane (one day) of this Pope and Papacie, and no where be found.

Vers. 21. Hauing spoken of the places, now hee sheweth what shall become of the men. And there fell vpon men a great haile, an allusion to Iosua 10. 11, out of heauen; shewing hereby, that it is the Lord himselfe that shall destroy these men, and fight for his people, as hee did for Iosua and the Is­raelites: Euery stone about the weight of a talent. In Iosua, chap. 10, they are called great stones; but here is noted an incredible weight, only to shew, that, most deadly vengeance in a most incredible man­ner (yet as certaine as Iohn telleth the weight of these stones) shall light vpon these men to destroy [Page 285] them. This plague, saith the text, shall be excee­ding great; yet wil obdurate hearts still blaspheme. The Popish generation are so bewitched in their way, as they become obdurat and obstinatly hard­hearted against all Gods plagues, continuing in rage and blasphemie.

Notes vpon Chap. 17.

This Chapter, so likewise doe the 18, and 19, and 20 Chapters shew more at large, the things foretold to come to passe vnder the sixth and se­uenth vials. For in the sixth vial is mentioned a ga­thering together to battell; but Iohn breaketh off the discourse, not shewing there fully the issue: And in the seuenth viall is laid downe such hor­rible destruction, as may worke an astonishment in mens hearts; except a larger explanation were made thereof, to shew how it shall come about and why that Citie and these men should so strangely bee plagued of God, and yet remaine so hellishly obstinate.

Vers. 1. And there came one of the [...] Angels, [...]. Which of the [...] it was is not named but here­by is [...]o [...]ed that, [...]ow in the [...] of these vials [...] [...], Rome should be knowne to be Baby­lon, and that Romane Catholike Church to be a common [...]; and that not onely of the [...], [...] Bishops and faithfull Pastors of the Church, (which gaue the seuen vials into the hāds of the Angels), but also of these Angels them­selues, who shall well vnderstand why they poure [Page 286] out their vials vpon that state, euen for that it is a damned whore, which they should be desirous and ready to make knowne; which is noted by this, that this Angell informeth Iohn hereof. The iudge­ment, that is, this plague and vtter destruction, which is briefly foretold to be executed in the pou­ring out the last viall, and at large shewed to come to passe in chap. 18. and in chap. 19. vers. 2. Of the great whore: This is not named in this tearme be­fore, and yet is spoken to Iohn as a knowne thing. which must needs be that great Citie in chap. 16. 19. That sitteth, that is, which reigneth (vers. 18) vpon many waters, that is, ouer peoples and multitudes, and nations, and tongues, vers. 15, this is the power also and dominion of the Beast, chap. 13. 7.

Vers. 2. Committed fornication: That is, enter­tained her false worship and idolatrous seruice, which is spirituall adulterie, as appeareth by the words of the Prophets euery where, Iudg. 8. Esai. 1. Iere. 2. and 3. Ezech. 16. Osea. 1. and 2. and 3. made drunke, as Esai. chap. 29. 9. and 51. 21, speaketh, which is a spirituall drunkennesse. With the wine, that is, with the doctrine, which as wine they haue drunk downe, to vphold her spirituall fornication: or by wine may bee vnderstood all meanes, which that Church vseth to bewitch and deceiue the mindes of people with; to draw them vnto her false worship and seruice, and to bee in loue with her, called in the next verse abominations and fil­thinesse of her fornication.

Vers. 3. Into the wildernesse: A solitarie place, there was the true Church, chap. 12. of which they [Page 287] must bee, that can learne to know the Romish Church to be a whore, condemned of God. A wo­man, that is, the great Citie, vers. 18. Sit: But note, without holding bit or bridle, euen shewing, how that state will be lawlesse, and she therewith con­tented; the Beast is expounded vers. 8. Scarlet colou­red, of the Dragons colour, chap. 12. 3. but of a dee­per die; this colour the Beast got by murthering the Saints, chap. 13. 7. Full of names of blasphemie: The Beast and Popedome was now (the Whore sitting thereupon) full, all ouer bespotted, with the names of blasphemie. Of the seuen heads and ten hornes see chap. 13. 1.

Vers. 4. The outward glorious state of that Church, is here set out by apparell and rich orna­ments, as a Queene; for so also she esteemeth of her selfe, chap. 18. 7. Hauing a golden cup in her hand: Before was mention made of wine, here is the cup to drinke it out of. This cup in her hand is all the meanes, which by her power she can deuise to con­uey into their mindes this her wine; which is here called abominations and filthinesse of her fornica­tion, of which her cup is full.

Vers. 5. And vpon her forehead: That is, openly was a name written Mysterie. This word is in the Popes Myter. Brocard, a Venetian, commenting vpon this place auoucheth it; who was at Trent at one of the Sessions of that damnable Councell there, as himselfe affirmeth vpon the first verse of this Chapter. His relation of the proceedings of the Pope in that Councell, would make that Anti­christ to be abhorred, and his Councell too, with [Page 288] all the hellish, I cannot say holy, fathers thereof: concerning this word mystery, written in the Popes Myter, many besides haue been at Rome, and professe to haue seene it: see for this, D. Iames, the keeper of the Library in Oxford, his dedicato­rie Epistle, in his treatise of the corruption of the Scriptures, &c. The Church may be said to haue it, when the Pope the head thereof weareth it. By this word mysterie, the Prophet would haue vs to know, that Rome by a mysterie is Babylon the great, the mother of harlots, &c. This name shee her selfe boasteth not of, but the spirit of God tea­cheth vs to take her so; what other goodly title soeuer she assumeth to her selfe.

Vers. 6. She made other drunke with her for­nication, but she her selfe is drunke with the blood of Saints and Martyrs.

Vers. 7. Heere the Angell promiseth to giue Iohn (representing in this the common type of the faithfull) satisfaction touching that, which hee so greatly wondreth at.

Vers. 8. The beast: This he beginneth with first, and after, vers. 18. telleth what the woman is; this is the beast (the Popedome) in chap. 13. 1. To vn­derstand the words following, was, is not, and yet is, we must not conceiue them as spoken of the beast, either before Iohns time, or in his dayes: this visi­on seene of Iohn, was not as yet when Iohn wrote, nor in the time of the Heathen Emperors, which is that one (when he liued) mentioned in vers. 10. but should be afterwards; and being come, should continue but a short space, by reason of the deadly [Page 289] wound receiued, by which being as dead, yet li­uing and recouering againe, then should these words, was, is not, and yet is, be spoken of him; was, to wit, in the gouernment Ecclesiasticall, by Bi­shops vpon the translation of the Empire from Rome to Constantinople: and is not, by comming in of the Gothes and Vandals, bereauing Rome of inhabitants, ouerthrowing for a time, that ecclesi­asticall gouernment of Bishops at Rome: And yet is, not being vtterly by the Gothes furie extin­guished, the wound being finely healed by the se­cond beast, (cap. 13. 11. 13. 14.) who cunningly crept vp from Episcopall iurisdiction, into a mo­narchicall state and Empire, by his obtained su­premacie; and so obtaining great power and au­thority, was wondred at of them that dwelt on the earth, by beholding him, the beast that was, and is not, and yet is: And shall ascend out of the bottomlesse pit: This is the beast, chap. 11. 7. which beginning is giuen vnto him, as he is in his recouered estate, and now exalted to the height, to an Antichristi­an gouernment; for so considered is hee said to as­cend out of the bottomlesse pit: and shall goe into perdition: that is, it shall not be a permanent state euer, but bee destroyed and vtterly come to no­thing with him, as we see chap. 19. 20. and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, as is also said in chap. 13. 3. whose names, &c. These are the reprobates, which so shall wonder and worship the beast, cap. 13. 8. When they behold the beast that was, to wit, substituted by the Dragon; Rome being left by the Emperours, chap. 13. 3. and is not: being woun­ded [Page 290] to death, chap. 13. 3. and yet is, to wit, the beast ascended vp, (cap. 11. 7.) that is so mighty, as none is like him, none able to warre with him, hauing power ouer kindreds, tongues, and nations, chap. 13. 4. 7.

Vers. 9. Hauing expounded the beast, shewing what he is; here he telleth vs, what is meant by the seuen heads which this beast hath: and of these heads he giueth a double interpretation; the one is heere, that they signifie seuen hilles, on which Rome stood, as I haue before shewed at large.

Vers. 10. The other interpretation is, and there are seuen Kings, so the beast is the whole state, and the heads are the Prime gouernours of it, cal­led heree Kings, for their soueraignty and king­ly regencie in that Citie; they are not the seuen ages of the world, as the Iesuite Ribera dreameth. fiue are fallen, that is, the fiue heads that had alrea­dy been. 1. Kings, 2. Consuls, 3. Dictators, 4. De­cemuiri, 5. Tribuni militum: for the heads are so many differing kinds of gouernors in the Roman gouernment, and not so many singular persons go­uerning; for then had this beast perished long a­goe, and not now haue been troublesome to the Christian world. Andone is, that is, the sixth head, the Heathen Romane Emperors. And the other: that is, the seuenth, called an other, for his so much differing from all the rest before him, when he shal come. Neither is it said an other, as if the Apostle spake of one vncertaine, who he should be; but the other (as it is well translated), as if he said, the beast already seene in the vision, and shewed vnto mee, [Page 291] in vers. 3. Is not yet come: Iohn saw not this other the seuenth, but onely in vision. And when hee commeth, he must continue a short space. It is not said by way of limitation, he must continue but a short space, as if the time of this other the seuenth, should be onely for a short space, and so perish vtterly; which hath made some (so conceiuing of the words) to vnder­stand hereby the rule of the Gothes and Vandals at Rome, who had but a short raigne, and perished vtterly. But there is a great difference of these spee­ches, he must continue but a short space, and hee must continue a short space; the former implyeth necessarily a cutting off, after a short space, and to be no more; the latter not so, but sheweth that hee hath a grant to bee, and that hee must haue a short space allotted vnto him to be; but not there­fore inforcing vs to thinke, that therfore after that short time, hee should haue no being at all. It is therefore, as if the Angell had said vnto Iohn, the o­ther, this seuenth head, which maketh the beast, which thou seest, which yet is not come, but certain­ly will come in his time; and when hee is come in the succeeding Ecclesiasticall gouernment, vpon the translation of the Empire from Rome, to Constantinople, (as our Soueraigne in his most learned Apologie speaketh) he must continue a short space so, till hee receiue the deadly wound; and bee then as it were not, till the same againe be healed by the beast rising out of the earth, and exercising all the power of the first beast before him, cap. 13. 11. 12.

Vers. 11. And (So vpon this recouerie and se­cond [Page 292] beasts great power) the beast that was, and is not, by this his so strange rising from Episcopall gouernment, by which hee was the seuenth head, into so high and supreme power, as altogether va­rying from it, he seemed to become an other then before he was seene to be: euen he, (now in mans account) is the eighth King; for so the word eighth agreeth in gender with the word King, and not with the word beast. And is, (yet in deed and truth) of the seuen, that is, the seuenth; of which before more at large in the first part of this preparatiue, chap. 3. in the answere to the third obiection. And goeth into perdition, as is before said, vers. 8. this is his end, chap. 19. 20. Note heere, that the seuenth head, and eighth King in account, is that very An­tichrist, chapt. 13. 11. obtaining onely of all the heads, to be called the beast, and so the first and se­cond beast, chap. 13. 1. 11. doe heere become both one. So then the Popedome (the first beast) beareth vp Rome; the woman and the Pope that Anti­christ (the second beast) maketh the Popedome, whose destruction shall bee the vtter ruine of all the Romane state.

Vers. 12. The Angell hauing shewed, what the beast is and his heads; now hee commeth to his hornes, and telleth vs that they are ten Kings, but such as in Iohns daies had receiued no kingdome: but afterwards when this Beast should come, they then should receiue power as Kings, that is, haue so­ueraigne and kingly regencie. For the hornes were crowned, chapt. 13. 1. Heereby therefore is meant absolute and free Princes, and not subordi­nate [Page 293] powers, and Leiftenants, or Presidents of Prouinces, as were vnder the sixth heade, the Dra­gon, who would weare the crowns vpon his owne head, and not admit the hornes (as heere) to haue crowns, One houre, that is, in the space of an houre, that is, in a very little short time. With the beast, that is, with the state of Rome vnder Antichrist.

Vers. 13, Whereupon these Kings shall be so vnited to the Beast, as all they can do, they will do for the same, and that with full consent.

Vers. 14. Of the beasts warre with the Saints, we haue heard before, chap. 11. 7. and 13. 7. Heere we see by whom he doth it, euen by these hornes, but (blessed be God) they lose the victorie.

Vers. 15. The waters: on which it is said, vers. 1. that the woman sitteth, are expounded to be peo­ples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues; for Antichrists dominion shall largely extend it selfe, cap. 13. 7. and 11. 9.

Vers. 16. As the rising vp, and prosperity of the Beast hath bin noted; so now the ruine and down­fall. And the ten hornes: the very same which be­fore, with one mind gaue their power and strength to the Beast, and which hornes Iohn saw vpon the Beast. These shall hate the whore: that is, the woman sitting vpon the Beast (vers. 3.) and the whore sit­ting vpon many waters, (vers. 1.) with whom these Kings committed fornication, which made also o­thers drunke with the wine of her fornication, vers. 2. but her selfe became drunke with the blood of Saints. vers. 6. Their hate at length, conceiued iustly against her, shall bring Rome to vtter ruine.

Vers. 17. A reason heere is giuen, both of the strange alteration of the minds of these Kings a­gainst the whore; as also how it was, and where­fore they affected so much the beast before. A hand of God was in both, vntill that which he had spo­ken should be fulfilled.

Vers. 18. The Angell interpreteth the mysterie of the woman, and plainly sheweth who shee is. The woman is the great City: mystically called Ba­bylon vers. 5. but in deed and truth, Rome; which in Iohns dayes raigned ouer the Kings of the earth, as as I haue before proued out of the Euangelists and Acts of the Apostles in part, 1. chap. 3. and in the answere to the first obiection.

Notes vpon Chap. 18.

Vers. 1. And after these things: These words shew the order of the vision, one thing after ano­ther. I saw another Angell: that is, another from the seuen before mentioned; came downe from heauen: to shew, that hee commeth with the truth of God, and no dreame of his owne: hauing great power: to shew, his furnishing with strength to effect what is here spoken, touching the fall of Babylon. And the earth was lightened with his glory: to shew, that now the acts of this Angell shall make him glori­ous and apparent euery where.

Vers. 2. And he cried mightily with a strong voice: hereby shewing, that now by this Angel all should be made to take knowledge of that, which heere is spoken. Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen: The [Page 295] doubling noteth certainty; the words be the same with the words of the Angell, chap. 14. 8. which was a foretelling of this long before it should fall out, but here, vpon a present accomplishment, or very nigh at hand to bee fulfilled, as the words in vers. 4. imply; euen as Moses warned the Israelites to depart from the tents of the wicked men, im­mediately before their destruction, Numb. 16. 26. Here is an allusion to Esa. 21. 9. Ier. 51. 8. Babylon here is Rome, (whereof that other old Babylon in Chaldea was a type) which is the woman, that great City, vers. 10. chap. 17. 18. and 19. 2. And is become the habitation of diuels, &c. An allusion to Esa. 13. 21. 22. and 34. 11. 13. 14. 15. Ier. 51. 37. to note her vtter desolation, and a place not to be in­habited any more, as the 21. verse of this chapter doth plainly tell vs. Viegas the Iesuite, vnderstan­deth the words of the Idolatry, and execrable wic­kednesses of that City, only he thinkes it shal here­after so come to bee; but it is true in his sense at this present, if he and his like had eyes to see it, and grace to come out from it.

Vers. 3. The reason of her destruction, partly mentioned before, chap. 17. 2. The wine of the wrath of her fornication: that is, which hath procured this wrath against her by her idolatrous doctrine, which the Kings of the earth: that is, those of her false Church haue drunke vp with her. And the merchants of the earth: Here by Merchants, cannot be properly meant such as we account to bee mer­chants; for these mourning merchants are not a­mong the Saints, who as they are commanded, so [Page 296] doe they reioyce at Babylons destruction, chap. 19. 1-6. These be such Merchants, as after her destru­ction haue no more trafficke for their merchan­dize, vers. 11. and yet gold, siluer, and the other things mentioned in vers. 12. 13.. will not cease to be in vse among Merchants, as we call them; nei­ther can her fall stay the common vse of such things. These Merchants bee Merchants of mens soules, vers. 13. such be spoken of, 2. Pet. 2. 3. What is meant by Merchants, is expounded, vers. 23. The great men of the earth: That is, of the earthly Anti­christian state, such as trade in the sea of that state, of which in chap. 16. 3. of these Merchants and their merchandizes speaketh, Mantuan, Saint Ber­nard, serm. 1. de conuers. Pauli, Budaeus in his Pan­dects, Lodo [...]icus Viues, vpon St. Aug. booke, called the City of God, lib. 18. cap. 22.

Vers. 4. A charge to all Gods, people to get out of that Antichristian state, and from that Babylo­nish Citie; the exhortation is from Ier. 51. 6. 46. and 50. 8. & Esa. 52. 11.

Vers. 5. The greatnesse of her wickednesse, al­luding to Ier. 51. 9. and to the sinnes of Sodome, Gen. 18. 20. 21. and 19. 13. Ion. 1. 2. the time of her iudgement being at hand, God now remem­breth her iniquities to plague her, as is also shew­ed in cap. 16. 19.

Vers. 6. An exhortation stirring vp to reuenge the cause of God vpon her: the words are from Ier. 50. 15. 29.

Vers. 7. I sit a Queene, &c. An allusion to Esay, 47-7-8.

Vers. 8. In one day: That is, speedily, for her de­struction is said to bee in one houre, in vers. 10. 17. 19. The plagues which shall be vpon this City are death, sorrow, famine (which argueth a besieging of it before it be taken), then the vtter consuming of it by fire, as is shewed before, chap. 17. 16, where they that shall doe this, are foretold vs. The reason is like to that in Ierem. 50. 34, The worke is Gods, and his power only shall bring this to passe.

Vers. 9. The Kings of the earth: These are they in chap. 17. 2, as the next words following do shew; and not the tenne hornes in chap. 17. 16.

Vers. 12. The merchandise are reckoned vp; An allusion to that rich Citie Tyrus, Ezech. 27: these are said in the former verse, not to be bought any more, vpon Romes destruction. Therefore by these things must be figuratiuely meant al precious and pleasant spirituall things of esteeme in that state: for it is not like that these things, taken after the letter in their proper signification, shall lose their estimation by Romes fall, which are of great ac­count among those, that both haue shaken off Rome, and with others, which neuer had to doe with it.

Vers. 17. The other sort of Mourners for Baby­lon, after the Kings and Merchants here, are, Euery ship-master, and all the companie in ships, and sailers, and as many as trade by sea. An allusion still to the destruction of Tyrus, Ezech. 27. 29. 30. 31. 32. As the Merchants haue a figuratiue meaning, so must these bee vnderstood figuratiuely. A ship-master is one that hath an ecclesiasticall office, which is his [Page 298] ship, with which he doth traffike for the great men the Merchants: The companie in ships, all that de­pend vpon such offices at the commaund of the ship-master. As many as trade by sea, that is, which get their liuing by the Church seruice.

Vers. 18. The like complaint for Tyrus, Ezech. 37. 32, so for Babylon, Iere. 50. 46. The smoake of her burning: An allusion to Esai. 34. 10.

Vers. 19. Cast dust: The like is said in Ezech. 27. 30. The manner of heauie and downe-cast spirits, Iob. 2. 12, and the crying, weeping and wailing shew deepe and most passionate sorrow of heart. All that had ships in the sea: That is, offices and dig­nities in that ecclesiasticall state.

Vers. 20. The dutie of the godly (Psal. 58. 11) is here vrged vpon them, that they should reioyce, as the other did mourne. Heauen is put for the faith­full people and Saints on earth, that is, the true vi­sible Church, as may appeare in chap. 19. verses 1. 6, where this exhortation is performed by the Saints of God in heauen. Holy Apostles and Prophets: In these are to bee vnderstood all true Ministers of Christ, the Apostles successors, who are termed A­postles, because they were ordained by them, doe succeed them, and teach their doctrine: we see be­fore, how the ordinarie Ministers are called wit­nesses, and their ministerie prophecying, chap. 11. 3, and themselues Prophets, heere in vers. 24, so 1. Cor. 14. 32. Or, the words may bee taken, as spo­ken figuratiuely, after a propheticall manner, as in Esai. 1. 2, and in Deut. 32. 1, and as it is foretold of the ioy ouer the destruction of Babylon, Iere. 51. [Page 299] 48, to set out a cause of exceeding ioy to the whole Church of God in heauen and in earth.

Vers. 21. In this verse and the rest is foreshewed the finall and vtter ruine of Rome, neuer to bee in­habited againe, which is here expressed by an act of a strong Angell. An allusion to Iere. 51. 63. 64. Found no more: That is, shall neuer bee any more inhabited, as is said of typical Babylon, Esai. 13. 20. Iere. 50. 40, and as the next verses, 22. 23, plainlie declare by particulars, and as doe the words of the Prophet, to which these doe allude, Iere. 7. 34. and 25. 10. 11.

Vers. 22. There shall be no more pleasurable delights, no more men of trade to liue there, no sound of a milstone, that is, no vse thereof for food, for that there shall bee none dwelling in that place.

Vers. 23. Hee still sheweth by particulars, that all inhabitants shall thence be remoued, and no more there the increase of posteritie, nor solemni­zing of any mariages. For thy Merchants, &c. These be one cause of Romes finall destruction, and ther­fore cannot bee (as before is said) vnderstood of Merchants properly, such as liue vpon honest tra­fique and trading, which (though they become rich) yet are not the great men of the earth, as these be. Sorseries: Another cause of her destruction, hereby is to be vnderstood that wine of her forni­cation, chap. 17. 2. 4, and the deceitfull miracles of the second beast, chap. 13. 14, and false Prophet, chap. 19. 20.

Vers. 24. The third cause of her ruine, her mur­thering [Page 298] and shedding the bloud of the Prophets and Saints, that is, the bloud of the Ministers and people of God. And of all that were slaine vpon the earth: To the like effect speaketh Christ of the bloudy Scribes and Pharisies, Matth. 23. 35: for the last murtherers of the Saints fill vp the mea­sure of the bloudshed of all before them, as Christ there saith (vers. 32), and so become guiltie of all the bloud shed before them.

Notes vpon Chap. 19.

Vers. 1. After these things: To wit, before in the former chapter of Babylons vtter ruine, which first must bee, ere this ioy heere expressed befall the Church of Christ. I heard a great voyce of much peo­ple in heauen: The true Church here reioyceth now at the destruction of Babylon, growne into a great multitude, as is said vers. 6, of which also in chap. 7. 9, who there, as these here, giue praise vnto God, vers. 12.

Vers. 2. The reason of their ioy here expressed, for he hath iudged. These words shew what, is meant by iudgement in chap. 17. 1, euen Babylons de­structions, set out in cap. 18. The great whore: Thus he calleth Babylon so iudged, as is shewed, in the former chapter. And it is euident by this, that the great Citie Rome is the woman, chap. 17. 18, the woman is the whore, chap. 17. 1. 4, this whore is Babylon, for vpon Babylons destruction the whore here is said to be iudged.

Vers. 3. A doubling of their ioy againe, crying, [Page 301] Halleluiah, praise God. And her smoake rose vp for euer and euer: Her eternall vengeance. The like words are in Esai. 34. 10. An allusion to the destru­ction of Zodome and Gomorrhe, Gen. 19.

Vers. 4. The former reioycing may seeme to be of all true Christians, heere and there dispersed abroad, when they shall heare of this destruction of Rome; but this verse is of the publique assem­blie lauding and worshipping God. Of the foure and twentie Elders and foure beasts, see chap. 4.

Vers. 5. And a voyce came out of the throne: The throne is Gods seate, here vers. 4. and chap. 4. 2. The voyce is therefore from God, yet vttered by some of the Church, because hee saith, Praise our God, &c. It may bee some one of the beasts (who are in the middest of the throne, chap. 4. 6.) which exhor­teth all of all sorts to praise God.

Vers. 6. The effect of this exhortation, God was praised. And Iohn heard (as it were) the voyce of a great multitude, and as the voyce of many waters: because this, great multitude was of people, nations, and tongues, chap. 17. 1. 15. chap. 7. 9. and as the voyce of a mightie thunder: Because as thunder it was heard a farre of, and men made to attend thereunto.

Vers. 7. The Godly exhort one another to ioy, and to giue honour to God, for the now glad­some state of the Church after the destruction of the Whore; For the marriage of the Lambe is come, and his wife hath made her selfe readie▪ Christ is heere set out as an husband; and the Church as a wife; the time after the burning of that com­mon whore, to be the mariage day of Christ with [Page 302] his Church, which was all the time before, as only espoused, but now is solemnely, as it were, to bee married; which ioyfull time the cursed Pope and Papists in their Antichristian glorie at Rome yet doe hinder. It is hence cleere, that there shall be as great difference between the state of Gods Church now, and that which is to come after Romes ruine, as betweene the time of honourable persons only betrothed, and the high ioyfull and glorious day of their publike marrying; and as betweene the time of a King comming on to his kingdome, and his actual and powerfull reigning as King in deed.

Vers. 8. The Brides raiment fit for her pure and holy husband, the apparell is named, and the signi­fication giuen.

Vers. 9. The Angell who receiued these things from Christ to shew vnto Iohn, chap. 1. 1, and whō in the next verse Iohn would haue worshipped, here willeth him to write; so was he also comman­ded, chap. 14. 13. This is for the certaintie of the things which are to be written, as the last words of this verse shew, being added as a reason of the commandement to write; not that there is any mistaking of any other thing of all the rest, either done or said to Iohn before; or, that there is any more or greater truth in this here commanded to bee written, then in all the rest: but for the incre­diblenes of the so glorious and most ioyfull estate of the Church, and their happinesse also which shall be partakers thereof.

Vers. 10. Iohns readinesse to fall downe to wor­ship this Angel (which he ought not to haue done) [Page 303] at these words, more then at all the rest, doth im­plie necessarily, that hee was exceedingly lifted vp with some sudden ioy of some strange and happie matter foretold here vnto him; which moued his hart to an extraordinary gladnesse, & himself thus to fall downe, as Abraham did vpon his ioy concei­ued of that, which was foretold him touching the birth of Isaac, Gen. 17. 17. Now what matter could so greatly rauish the heart of Iohn, as to heare of the calling of the Iewes? which in all probabilitie is the thing foretold; whose obstinacie made S. Paul to haue great heauinesse and continuall sorrow of heart; and that he could haue wished himselfe ac­cursed from Christ for their sakes, Rom. 9. 2. 3. That haue the testimonie of Iesus: That is, which be prea­chers and witnesses of Christ hauing the spirit, that is, the gift of the spirit to prophecie and to beare witnesse of Christ; for here the hauing of the testimonie of Iesus is (in chap. 22. 9.) expounded by the word Prophets.

Vers. 11. And I saw heauen opened. Before the A­postle can follow on, to tell vs further of this Bride thus arraied, and of the Churches happie estate, he must first shew vs the maine lets yet hindring, and wholly to be taken out of the way; the lets are two, Antichrist and the Dragon, both which are vtterly to bee confounded, before the perfection of the Churches gracefull state. Of the first and his vtter damnation he speaketh in this chapter; of the o­ther in the next. For wee must know, that when Rome is destroyed, the Pope and his aiders shall liue for a while after, vntill the great battell spoken [Page 304] of, chap. 16. 16, and the euent here (in verses 18. 19. 20.) be ended: of this hee hath a most perfect vi­sion, therefore it is said, he saw Heauen opened, as did Stephen, Act. 7. 55, not a doore only, as in chap. 4. 1. Or, by Heauen opened, may be meant the open accesse vnto the Church euery where, and euery way, as being now apparent to all; in which Christ and his armies were readie to breake out vpon their deadly foes, gathering themselues together against them, as is shewed, chap. 16. 14. 16, and here in ver. 19. Here is shewed, in what state the Church shall be in, vpon the ruine of Rome; euen as a peo­ple standing in armes vnder their Generall Christ Iesus for a time, till the last battell be fought, and the enemies destroyed. And behold: Spoken both for certaintie and also for matter needing atten­tion, and our carefull consideration of so great troubles, as then shall be in the world, by open ho­stilitie and bloudie battels, betweene true Chri­stians and the Antichristians. A white horse: A horse is a beast for warre; by this is to bee vnder­stood the meanes to encounter the enemies. White noteth his righteousnesse in proceeding to warre, and in the triumph. And he that sate vpon him was called faithfull and true, and in righteousnesse hee doth iudge and make warre: These last words tell vs, why he hath a white horse. This Rider is Iesus Christ, as all the words here and after shew: faithfull, chap. 1. 5. and true, chap. 3. 7. 14: for his righteousnes in iudgement, see Psal. 9. 8. and 96. 10. 13.

Vers. 12. His eyes were as a flame of fire, so is Christ set out, chap. 1. 14. and 2. 18. And on his head [Page 305] were many crownes: in cap. 1. 14. no mention of any crownes, then vpon his head, while his Church was to liue vnder crosses and persecutions, he was then bare headed: when she crept from vnder An­tichrist he put on one crowne, cap. 14. 14. but now many crownes. A crowne, noteth out victorie, many crownes, many victories, either gotten, or to be got­ten, now ouer all his enemies. Many crownes hee weareth, because he taketh the crowns from Kings now, whom he conquereth, vers. 19. and therefore is called King of kings. The Beast (the Pope) now shall weare no longer his triple crowne; for hee, and also his Kings shall perish together: all nations: shall now doe worship to this King of Saints, cap. 15. 4. And he had a name written: to shew, that it was sure and permanent. That no man knew but him­selfe: such a name as Iehouah, not knowne to the Israelites, till Moses came to deliuer them, Exod. 6. 3. but with his deedes hee declared his name; euen so here, Christ, while his people were in Egyptian bondage, his name written King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, vers. 16. was actually vn­knowne; but in this his maruellous worke of deli­uering his people, in so strange an ouerthrow of all his and their enemies, was made now manifest.

Vers. 13. And he was clothed in a vesture dipt in blood: A garment expressing the exceeding great slaughter of his enemies, and the abundance of blood-shead, in which (as it were) his vesture is dipped. The allusion is to the words of Esa. chap. 63. 2. 3. And his name is called the word of God. Of this title we may reade, Ioh. 1. 1. and Ioh. 5. 7. but I [Page 306] take it, that here hee is so called, for that hee doth make good his fathers word, euery way fulfilling it; and obtaining grace from God to haue it fulfil­ed, euen in euery thing whatsoeuer was threatned against the enemies of the Church, for the Chur­ches sake. By him are the promises to Gods peo­ple accomplished, the mysterie of God, chap. 10. 7. finished; by him iust vengeance passeth vpon the Churches enemies, that so he may well bee called the word of God; as also that by him (now Anti­christ being destroyed) the word of God at this time chiefly shall take place, by which he shall bee knowne, as by a name.

Vers. 14. Here are his souldiers, the armies in hea­uen, that is, of the true Church: followed him vpon white horses; clothed in fine linnen, white and cleane: This their rayment is expounded in vers. 8. The spirit of God setteth them out, not as going to battell, but as in triumph hauing obtained the vi­ctorie; euen as also their captaine is set out. Here­by rather setting the end of the battell before vs, that in consideration thereof wee (the Church) might be comforted; then the warlike proceeding and bloody encounter, which without the certain knowledge of the issue, would worke nothing but feare and terrour in mens harts, which here is pre­uented.

Vers. 15. Here is shewed, how the righteous and stout warrior obtaineth the victory: Out of his mouth goeth a sharpe sword: of this there is mention, ca. 1. 16. & 2. 12. 16. which is Gods word. that with it he should smite the nations: That is, those Antichri­stians, [Page 307] against whom he goeth to warre. An allusi­on to the words of Esa. chap. 11. 4. And he shall rule them with a rod of iron. An allusion to Psalm. 2. 9. nothing his strong power to keepe them vnder, and to force them to obedience, which will bee obsti­nate. And he treadeth the wine-presse of the fiercenesse and wrath of Almightie God. An allusion to Esa. 63. 2. of the wine-presse, see cap. 14. 20. here is the par­tie treading it; whence it is that his raiment is so bloody, as in vers. 13. The Grapes are the Antichri­stians or nations here so called, the winepresse the place Armageddon, chap. 16. 16. where the great battell, mentioned in the 19. verse of this chapter, shall be fought. The treader of the wine-presse is Iesus Christ with his armies, victoriously destroy­ing their enemies, till the blood come vp to the horses bridles, cap. 14. 20. by which the fiercenesse and wrath of Almighty God, here mentioned shal be made manifest; for it is called the battell of the great day of God Almighty, cap. 16. 14.

Vers. 16. And he hath on his vesture, and on his thing a name written: This is the name before vn­knowne, but now certainly known to all, as written on his vesture, to wit, that which was dipt in blood, shewing it to be his title gottē victoriously in the destruction of his enemies: and on his thigh, be­cause now all the world should acknowledge him to be such a one, and doe homage vnto him. The word is taken from the ancient custome of the He­brewes, the thigh being put for strength and po­wer; and the putting of the hand vnder the thigh for a token of subiection and seruitude, Gen. 24. 2. [Page 380] 9. and 47. 29. Or, it is to shew, that as hee had got­ten it vpon his garment by victorie, so was hee a­ble by power and strength to maintaine, it, for the name is written where the sword was wont to bee girded, Psal. 45. 3. Iud. 3. 16. Cant. 3. 8. King of Kings, and Lord of Lords; the honour of his victo­rie, chap. 17. 14. now hee raigneth, vers. 6. and the kingdomes of the world are Christs, and that for euer, cap. 11. 15. This is the time foretold by Dani­el, cap. 2. 44.

Vers. 17. And I saw an Angell standing in the sun. After the description of Christ and his glorious title, here commeth forth before him his Herald, making an open and a loud proclamation to the foules of heauen, to come and feede vpon the bo­dies of the slaine. He is said to stand in the sunne, that there may be an answerablenesse of one part of this propheticall speech with another. For here he is brought in, to make proclamation to all the foules vnder heauen; therefore is the sunne made his standing place, as fittest to make his voice to be heard abroad. The drift is, to set out the euident and cleere certainty of the victory, of which the Church shall be so assured, as if in the sunne one stood to make proclamation thereof vnto vs. This Angell may type out such, as by cleere light of truth shall make knowne the certaine destruction of the enemies, before the battell bee fought: the words in this 17. verse, and in the next, vers. 18. are an allusion to Ezech. 39. 4. 17. 20. noting out the exceeding great slaughter, which shall be made of those Antichristians of all sorts.

Vers. 19. This is the beast in cap. 13. 1. and 17. 8. 11. which is noted to make war with the Saints, in chap. 11. 7. and 13. 7. and his kings with the Lambe, cap. 17. 14. but here is the last battell, and his vtter ouerthrow for euer, as the next verse sheweth. Kings of the earth; these are mentioned in cap. 17. 2. and 18. 3. 9.

Vers. 20. The false prophet: There is onely a briefe mentioning of this prophet, in chap. 16. 13. but heere is plainly shewed who this is, euen the beast, in chap. 13. 12. 13. 14. that very Antichrist. These both were cast aliue: An allusion to Numb. 16. 31. 32. to shew, that their destruction shall be more then ordinary, to the terrour of al beholders, a ven­geance for notorious wickednesse, Psal. 55. 15. Into a lake of fire burning with brimstone: of this lake spea­keth Iohn, in ca. 20. 14. and 21. 8. and of this plague, in ca. 14. 10. noting out fearfull and most exquisite torments, Ezech. 38. 22. as in the destruction of So­dome, Genes. 19. thus shall perish the chiefe ene­mies of Christ and his Gospell. Thus (as is said, cap. 17. 8.) shall the beast goe into destruction.

Vers. 21. And the Remnant: that is, the Kings of the earth, and their armies, vers. 18. 19. for they are the rest or remnant left after the beast and false prophet: were slaine: These also perish, though not after that manner, as did the Beast and false pro­phet. With the sword of him that sate vpon the horse: vers. 11. which sword proceeded out of his mouth: vers. 15. that is, they perished, as the Lord had threa­tened in his word. For the word is said to slay them, when the Lord maketh that to come vpon [Page 310] them which he denounceth against them; so is his word as fire, deuouring the people as wood, as Ie­remie speaketh, cap. 5. 14. And all the foules were fil­led with their flesh. These words are added to shew, that that shall be fulfilled, which the Angell in the sunne proclaimed in vers. 18. and withall it giueth vs to know, what is meant by the remnant, whose flesh is heere said to be eaten by the foules, which are there called to the Supper.

Notes vpon chap. 20.

It is not said, as in the beginning of the former chapter, after these things I saw; but onely barely, I saw, because Iohn heere calleth vs backe to the Dragon, of whom before, chap. 12. mention was made, but hitherto passed ouer silently, except in chap. 16. 13. Heere is declared, what became of him all the time, that the beast bare a sway; and what hee did vpon the beasts destruction, whom hee did so much fauour, chap. 13. 3. and so en­deauour to helpe and vphold, as is shewed in cap. 16. 13. To this place is the matter reserued to bee spoken of, as most fit to giue vs in one view, his whole story. For after the spirit had spoken in can. 12. of his casting out of heauen; and in ca. 13. of his substitute the Beast, there could bee no con­uenient place before this time, to make againe full mention of him, till all things concerning the said beast were fully ended, but now the beasts fi­nall destruction being shewed, here commeth in this last enemie, & his last attempts to be spokē of.

Vers. 1. An Angell: Not that in the ninth chapter, vers. 1. as is shewed there in vers. 11. for as in this one thing, to wit, that both haue the key of the bottomlesse pit, they doe agree; so in many o­ther things, the circumstances compared toge­ther, they doe greatly disagree. This Angell is a type of some one or moe, (such) instruments, as Christ did vse to curbe the open rage of Satan and his instruments murthering the Saints. Came down from heauen: This telleth vs of what sort this An­gell is, receiuing his power and authority from out of heauen aboue, for, and in the behalfe of the heauen, the Church of God beneath. Hauing the key: Key is a signe of gouernment, power and au­thoritie, Esay 22. 22. which this Angell bringeth from heauen with him; but the starre, chap. 9. 1. brought it not from heauen (from which hee fell) to the earth, but it was giuen to him. Of the bot­tomlesse pit: I thinke this bottomlesse pit, is that which in cap. 12. 13. is called the earth, into which the Dragon was cast out of heauen. For of that time is this matter which is here handled, and the same Dragon spoken of. Of this pit see before, cap. 9. 1. 2. And a great chaine in his hand: A chaine is that, with which are bound such as be kept in bon­dage. Iudg. 16. 21. 2. King. 25. 7. hereby is noted the meanes of restraining this Dragon within this bottomlesse pit, and it is said to be great, for to set out the strength of the means to hold in the great red Dragon; as hee is called in chap. 12. A great chaine for a great Dragon.

Vers. 2. And hee laid hold on the Dragon: The [Page 312] words imply a forcible strength in apprehending of him, as in the battell between Michaell and him, chap. 12. 7. 9. The Dragon, the Serpent, the diuell and Satan, foure names, to set out the head of all the power of darknesse; so in chap. 12. 9. and hee sheweth himselfe powerful, to be such a one agree­able to all these in his instruments. And bound him a thousand yeeres: The chaine is vsed, and therwith is he bound; that is, the Lords meanes are of force holding in (as it were) bound in a chaine, this great enemie within the pit; so as hee could not openly rage in bloody persecutions, by his Ethnicke and Pagan instruments, as before hee had done: from this is he bound, in this respect is his restraint, for the space of a thousand yeeres. The beginning wher­of is (as some thinke) in the yeere 300. or there­about, when Constantine the great began to beare rule, and became the Christian Emperour; and the ending was about the 1300. yeere, in the time of Pope Boniface the eighth. This binding implyeth a liberty before, from which he is now restrained; now his liberty before was open rage and bloodie persecution, as is shewed in chap. 6. and 12. and as may appeare by his practice, when hee getteth loose againe, here in vers. 8. 9. returning to his for­mer bloody rage, and murtherous disposition to­wards the Saints: therefore his binding this space of a thousand yeers, is a restraining of him so long from the open slaughtering of the Saints, (for else he is not bound simply one houre, Iob 1. 1. Pet. 5. 8.) but this was not before Constantine his dayes. Againe, Iohn seeth the beginning of his binding [Page 313] in vision; therefore (according to a rule giuen in this preparatiue from cap, 4. 1. That, nothing, where­of the original is shewed vnto Iohn, is to haue beginning before the time of this Reuelation) this binding be­longeth not to the time of the beginning of the preaching of the Gospell; nor to take beginning in the time of Heathen Emperours, who bloodily in open furie raged against Christians, from which onely here he is now shewed to bee bound and re­strained. The very act of this his binding, that is, of the restraint of his open and bloody slaughter­ing of the Saints was begun, when he was cast, cap. 12. 9. out of heauen, (that is) when his instru­ments (the Heathen tyrants) were by Constantine throwne from the Empire of Rome, the City then raigning ouer all, cap. 17. 18.

Vers. 3. And cast him into the bottomlesse pit: that is, into the earth, ca. 12. 9. where, and vpon which, he must onely exercise his furie: and therefore is it said, cap. 12. 12. woe to the inhabitants of the earth; but with the Church in open rage, as be­fore, he now was not to meddle; and therefore al­so in the same place the heauens are exhorted to reioyce. The Earth is the state of the worldly sort, to which the starre fell, cap. 9. 1. and where he, be­comming the beast, got by the Dragons helpe, do­minion, cap. 13. 8. so as all the world did follow af­ter him, chap. 13. 3. This earth is the bottomlesse pit, out of which the beast commeth, chap. 13. 11. and 17. 8. and 11. 7. when this Dragon was cast in­to it, cap. 12. 9. for he (in the Heathen Emperours) no sooner was cast out of heauen into the earth, [Page 314] (being then not able longer openly to persecute the Church) but began to worke for his grand­child that Antichrist, to raise him out of the earth, in which among the earthly sort, hee was chained vp, as in a prison, as it is called heere in this chap­ter, vers. 7. for it is a prison for Satan to be restrai­ned from publicke and violent rage, yea from any degree of mischiefe against the Church. And shut him vp: that is, he was not suffered to goe beyond his limitts, but was kept within his bounds, as in a close prison-house: the phrase is in Genes. 7. 16. but to another end and purpose. And sealed, (to wit, the doore or stone) vpon him: An allusion to Dan. 6. 17. to signifie, as there, so here, that the pur­pose was not to be changed. That he should deceiue the nations no more: These words shew the end of his restraint. By nations here is not meant the na­tions and Gentiles, in chap. 11. 2. 18. for these hee had liberty to deceiue, making the Beast speake like him, chap. 13. 11. by which hee seduced the earth, vers. 14. and did helpe to send out frogs, (those vnclean spirits) from out of his own mouth, and out of the mouth of the Beast and false pro­phet, chap. 16. 13. 14. But nations here must bee ta­ken, as in vers. 8. here following, for the open ene­mies of Christ; such as was formerly the fierce ty­rants of Rome, and all such as professe not Christ. His deceiuing of them, was to moue them to bloody outrages, and open hostility against the Church, as appeareth in the said 8. verse. For his deceiuing heere, in this time of his binding, must bee vnder­stood, as his deceiuing is to be takē, at his loosing [Page 315] againe, from which here he is bound. So then the meaning is, that Satan should not haue for his in­struments the open enemies of Christ (in all this space of a thousand yeeres) to kill, murther, and to make warre vpon the Saints, the true worshippers of God; though the earthly sort should neuerthe­lesse bee plagued, and that with bloudshed and slaughter: for albeit he was cast out of heauen, yet with great wrath hee came vnto the inhabiters of the earth, (chap. 12. 12.) and the Turkish furie (in Gods iust iudgement) spared not the Antichri­stians, chap. 9. 18, from whom hee was not at all bound. Till the thousand yeeres were fulfilled, and after that, he must be loosed a little season, as is againe deli­uered in verse 7.

Vers. 4. The Apostle telleth vs, what he saw af­ter that Satan was cast into his prison and there bound vp. This vision is concerning the Church of Christ, that hidden number sealed (chap. 7.) and standing with Christ on Mount Sion, chap. 14. 1. And I saw: To wit, after the Dragons binding, thrones, that is, seates for Kings reigning with Christ. And they sate vpon them: who is meant by they may be vnderstood by considering the words following, and the last words of this verse, euen they that had iudgement giuen vnto them, that is, the spirit of discerning betweene Christianitie and Antichristianisme, they liued and reigned with Christ those thousand yeeres. And I saw the soules of them that were beheaded: Among this reigning companie, Iohn saw, that some of them should bee found out by the Dragons substitute, the Beast that Anti­christ, [Page 316] and by him be put to death. First, for main­taining the truth, for the witnesse of Iesus, and for the word of God. Secondly, for not worshipping him the Beast, neither his image, &c. By which words it is cleere, that the Beast in chap. 13, euen that Romane Antichrist, is of great power, ruling mightily with­in the space of these thousand yeeres; putting, as we here see, some of the faithfull to death, for vp­holding the truth of Christ and his word, against his vsurped Antichristian power and authoritie. And they (that is, those that sate on the thrones, not they that were beheaded) liued and reigned with Christ those thousand yeeres. It is said with Christ, shewing, that this was not seene to the world; their life and reigne here was not worldly and open to mens eyes, but spirituall and hidden. If those that were beheaded liued not againe, some may heere aske; why are these words (they liued) added after, as if they had risen from the dead to reigne with Christ here; for this life and reigne is to be vnder­stood to bee here on earth? I answere, for that in some sort, though not properly, those that were slaine may be said to liue and reigne; first, in respect that by their constant profession and suffering, they strengthened others in the faith to liue and reigne with Christ; and secondly, for that (when the ad­uersaries had slaine them, and so thought them­selues to be rid of them) the Lord raised vp others in their stead, to witnesse the same truth against those their enemies; in whom these slaine ones may be said to liue againe, as Eliah did in the person of Iohn Baptist, as Christ witnesseth: and as did also [Page 317] the two Prophets, of which before in chap. 11. 3. 7. 8. 11.

Vers. 5. But the rest of the dead: That is, such as were without the spirituall life of God, and so dead in the sinnes and trespasses of that Antichristian state, as Ephraim was dead in Baal, Hosea. 13. 1: and as the Church of Sardis was said to be dead, chap. 3. 1, so these left, according to the appointed time of God, to be seduced by worshipping of the Beast and his image, and by receiuing his marke also vpon their foreheads or hands, became dead to Godward; though as Sardis they were aliue in the iudgement of men. Liued not againe, till the thousand yeeres were finished: These words implie that first they once liued, then were dead, and after a thou­sand yeeres were to liue againe, which cannot bee vnderstood of the selfesame persons. But thus wee must conceiue of this speech, that Antichrist sedu­cing men from the true worship of God (in which respect men are said to be aliue) vnto a false wor­ship of Christ, (in which respect they are said to be dead) and therein holding them for the space of a thousand yeeres; God would at length, by his faith­full Ministers, call them out of this spirituall dark­nes, as out of the graue, to liue in the light of the truth, which formerly had been forsaken. And here the text seemeth to speake of the same persons, (which yet cannot be) onely for that thefe last doe (through Gods mercy, after so long time) enter in­to y^e profession of that truth & true worship, which the first sort did receiue, and the seduced did for­sake. This verse is a short repetition or remem­brance [Page 318] of that which is before spoken, concerning the power of the Gospell preached, regaining vnto Christ his people from vnder Antichrist, out of people, nations, and tongues, cap. 10. 11. and 14. 6. This is the first resurrection, to wit, so to be inlighte­ned with the truth, as they come from popish su­perstition and idolatrie, to the true and sincere worship of God, shewing foorth the powerfull ef­fect thereof in life and conuersation.

Vers. 6. As the spirit of God gaue before com­fort to such, as should die for the truth against An­tichrist, chap. 14. 13; so here he foretelleth such as haue been deceiued in that way, how happie and holy they shall be, when God giueth them grace to see the abomination of that whore, and vtterly to forsake her: Euery such a one shall be held holy and blessed, on whom the second death shall haue no po­wer, so as they shall not perish for euer; touching the second death, what it is, see chap. 21. 8. But they, to wit, such as before are mentioned to sit vpon the thrones, vers. 4, who (before the end of the thou­sand yeeres doe preuaile ouer the Beast, his image, and marke) shall be Priests of God and of Christ, and shall reigne with him a thousand yeeres: so here great comfort is offered to all and euery one, which at the length are called out from vnder Antichrist; but such are most happie, which are euer preserued from him.

Vers. 7. Here we are foretold, what shall happen at the end of a thousand yeeres. Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, the bottomlesse pit before named, vers. 3, that is, hee shall haue libertie to vse his for­mer [Page 319] power, and to rise vp in open rage against the open professors of the Gospell.

Vers. 8. This setteth foorth the Diuels last at­tempt being let loose. He shall goe out to deceiue, as he did before his binding, chap. 12. 9. the nations, that is, the open enemies of Christ, which are in the foure quarters of the earth, so it shall be the greatest power that he can make. Goe and Magog: So are the nations called, which Satan hath here the com­maund of. The words are an allusion to Ezech. chap. 38. 1. and 39. 1. 6, who speaks of these enemies of the ancient people of God, being their last ene­mies before the comming of the Messias, Christ our Sauiour, among them. So Iohn heere maketh mention of their names, to shew, that as they then were the last enemies of the Iewes before Christs first comming; so these nations deceiued by Sa­tan, shall be the last open enemies, that euer the Church shal haue, to interrupt her outward peace, till the second comming of Christ, as the finall doome of the Diuell in vers. 10; and next the re­membrance of the last iudgement, in verses 11. 15, plainly tell vs. Some here vnderstand by Gog the Pope and his strength, by Magog, the Turke and his power; for that the one is a couert enemie of Christ; the other an open: but they, that thus take the name Gog, doe not consider, that before this battell be, the Pope the Beast and false Prophet are vtterly destroyed, and sent packing vnto hell; as in the former chapter may be seene, vers. 20. To gather them together in battell: The end of deceiuing them, to make them to intend the vtter extirpation of [Page 320] the Church of God. The number of whom is as the sand of the sea: Noting hereby the innumerable multitude of them, as in Iudg. chap. 7. 12.

Vers. 9. After the gathering of the armie, the enterprise is here set downe, going and spreading themselues, as a floud vpon the face of the earth, farre and wide; words of allusion to Ezech. 38. 9. 16, and endeuouring that none of the faithfull should escape them, they therefore compassed a­bout the tents of the Saints, as the Aramites did Dothan, 2. King. 6. 14. 15, and the Chaldeans Ieru­salem, 2. King. 25. 1. And the beloued Citie, the hea­uenly new Ierusalem, cap. 21. 2. And fire came downe from God out of heauen and deuoured them: By this is meant some ineuitable deuouring destruction, as it were out of heauen, from Gods immediate po­wer vpon these enemies, who had compassed so a­bout the Church of God, without whose especiall helpe, they could not haue escaped the rage and bloudy intendment of their foes; fearefull destru­ction is set out by fire, Iob. 15. 34. and 20. 26. Psal. 21. 9. an allusion either to y^e destruction of Zodom, Gen. 19, or to the deuouring vp of the proud Cap­taines with their fifties by fire, 2. King. 1. 10. 12.

Vers. 10. The finall conclusion of the last enemy here is shewed, after the destruction of his armie, the Diuels endlesse damnation, with his grand­child Antichrist, chap. 19. 20.

Vers. 11. From this verse to the end of the chap­ter, is, as it were, a description of the last iudge­ment; first to shew, that from this last battell, in which the last enemies were ouerthrowne, and Sa­tan [Page 321] cast into hell, there should bee peace to Gods Church vnto the comming of Christ vnto iudge­ment; of which peaceable and gracefull state of the Church is spoken in the next chapter, from the be­ginning thereof vnto the end of the fifth verse of the 22 chapter. But secondly, to giue vs another consideration of the end of all sorts of enemies to Gods Church: for the Spirit hauing giuen vs knowledge of two battels, with the issue of both, and of the destruction of the grand Captaines, chap. 19. 20. and here in this chap. vers. 10; now for that it is not likely that all and euery one of their part were in the said Armies, but that there were also many other which came not to the battels, here we are giuen to know, how the Lord procee­ded against them; euen as a Iudge in a most holie and vpright course of iustice to reward them after their workes; and so to remoue from before his presence, whatsoeuer might hinder the making of a new heauen and a new earth, of which he speakes in the next chapter, and of the abolishing of an earth and an heauen in this verse of this chapter. And I saw a great white throne: An allusion to Dan. chap. 7. 9. 10. A throne is a seate of kingly maiestie; white noteth puritie, and so vprightnes of that seate of iustice: great, as fit for so glorious and high a potentate as Christ is, Tit. 2. 13. Luk. 1. 32. And him that sate on it▪ Christ the Iudge of quick and dead, (Act. 10. 41.) who was brought foorth heere in this booke first standing, in chap. 1, and in the time of the Churches troubles, chapter 8. 3, and 14. 1: but after the Church was somewhat recoue­red, [Page 322] and heere now victoriously preuailing, hee is shewed here sitting, and in chap. 14. 14. From whose face the earth and the heauen fled away: What this flying away is, the next words shew, and there was found no place for them, because they are corrupt be­fore him, and all shal become new, the 1. 2. 3. 4. and 5. verses of the next Chapter doe expound this verse.

Vers. 12. And I saw the dead: These be they that be brought before the Iudge, small and great, that is, all without exception, stand before God, making now their appearance. And the bookes were opened: An allusion to Dan. 7. 10. His proceeding is by cleere euidence in writing; the bookes here be the consciences of men, which as open books, when men come to be iudged, shall shew what euery man is; these be the common books of all men, in and out of the Church, not ordained to be saued; for there is another booke for the elect, which is the booke of life; of which mention is made chap. 3. 5, and 13. 8. Luk. 10. 10. Exod. 32. 32. Phil. 4. 3. This booke here is opened, that Gods elect may be seene & knowne. By the way note, that all things here thus set down are spoken according to men in iudiciall procee­dings, not that God either hath or needeth any such booke. And the dead were iudged out of these things, which were written in the bookes, that is, accor­ding to their workes. So these last words shew, what are those written things in the bookes, euen mens workes.

Vers. 13. Here is shewed, whence all these dead appearing before God are fetched; from the sea, [Page 323] the graue, or place where death hath seased vpon them.

Vers. 14. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire, where the diuell, the beast and false pro­phets are, vers. 10. The meaning I take to be onely this, that there should bee a full end of the Chur­ches enemies▪ and of all deadly meanes whatsoe­uer, that might hinder her gracefull and glorious state, described in the Chapter following.

Vers. 15. And, to wit, for to know a conclusion of all reprobates, all such inhabiters of the earth, that haue worshipped the beast, chap. 13. 8. and haue holpen him to tread downe the holy Citie, cap. 11. 2. and merrily reioyced at the murthering of the faithfull witnesses and Preachers of the truth, chap. 11. 10. Whosoeuer was not found written in the booke of life, was cast into the lake of fire. In this description of iudgement, mention is onely made of the dead, and of the reprobates, and of Christs proceeding to remoue them, as he did before their captaines and heads; which maketh me to thinke, that this heere is onely made mention of, to giue full comfort to the Church of her perfect deliue­rance, from all and euery enemie, small and great, and from all meanes of her future hurt and ruine, as is death and hell: that so, without any let or hindrance, she may be that holy and heauenly Ci­ty, that bride adorned for her husband, to liue with him for euer.

Notes on Chap. 21.

Vers. 1. Iohn hauing told of the vanishing of [Page 324] the earth and heauen, in the former chapter, vers. 11. heere hee sheweth what ensued thereupon, all became new; a new heauen and a new earth: as in Esa. chap. 65. 17. and 66. 22. for the first heauen, and the first earth were passed away, as in cap. 20. 11. is foretold. And there was no more sea: that is, no more vnquietnesse and troublesome state. The sea cannot rest, whose waters cast vp dirt and mire, Esa. 57. 20. therefore may an vnquiet state be com­pared to the sea.

Vers. 2. And Iohn saw the holy City: The same that was before troden vnder foot, chap. 11. 2. but now exalted on high from her former low state, and obtaineth a new name, and is called the new Ierusalem, the bride, and the Lambs wife, cap. 19. 7. and heereafter, vers. 6. So all the company of the faithfull are compared to the City Ierusalem; and to a bride to be a wife vnto Christ, comming downe from God out of heauen: This new Citie is the very hand of God, and his worke from aboue out of hea­uen, whence she hath her birth, and which she shal possesse for an euerlasting inheritance. Prepared as a bride adorned for her husband, whē she is of a most heauenly condition, shee is then prepared; and when she is arayed in fine linnen, cleane and white, cap. 19. 8. shee is adorned, and a wife ready for her husband, the Lambe Iesus Christ.

Vers. 3. And I heard a great voice out of heauen: as it were following this bride, this new Ierusalem from heauen; to shew, that the matter here spoken of, was so indeed, and not a dreame, how strange and incredible soeuer to mans reason; and there­fore [Page 325] a heauenly voice confirmeth it, saying, behold the Tabernacle of God is with men, &c. chap. 7. 15. all the words taken out of Ezech. 37. 27. 28.

Vers. 4. God his dwelling with his people ma­keth all things happie to them, and remooueth a­way all sorrow with the causes thereof; heere is shewed, when that was to come to passe, which in the generall view of the Churches state is set downe, in chap. 7. 16. 17. And God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes, (as he speaketh in Esa. 25. 8.) who before haue wailed and lamented, because now they see, that God is reconciled to them, and become their God, and also come vnto them, which might seeme before to haue been forsaken; and that it might appeare how effectually the Lord would wipe away teares, it is said, that there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, nei­ther shall there be any more paine. That is, no more such causes, meanes and instruments of death, sor­row, crying, and paine, as formerly had been: of which happinesse summarily before, in chap. 7. 16. 17. And the reason of all this is giuen, because the former things are passed away, that is, the first earth, and heauen, and sea, all the Dragons Empire, the Beasts dominion, power and practice, the deceits of the false prophet, and whatsoeuer was before a­ny annoyance to the Church, and hurtfull to the quiet peace thereof: for now it may be said of the Church, as in Esa. 54. 14. and 60. 18. and 61. 3. 7. reade the places.

Vers. 5. And for that these things here spoken seeme so impossible, and so hard to bee beleeued, [Page 326] he that sate vpon the throne, that is, God Almighty, chap. 20. 11. 12. and one that cannot lie, said, be­hold I make all things new: a new heauen, a new earth, all things new. And that what here he hath spoken might be taken for certaine truth, Iohn is commanded to write them, with this reason, that these words are true and faithfull; and therefore to be assuredly fulfilled in their time, though men should hold them false, and not worthie credit.

Vers. 6. And he said vnto me, it is done: So in E­zech. 39. 8. Behold it is come, it is done saith the Lord God, this is the day whereof I haue spoken. The mystery of God spoken of, in chap. 10. 7. now was finished, and that in two things, wherein the fulfil­ling did consist: The one in taking full vengeance vpon all the enemies of Christ and his Church, at the pouring out of the seuenth viall, the last of the last seuen plagues; and therefore it was there said, it is done, cap. 16. 17. The other, in bringing the Church into so glorious and happie estate, as is heere set downe; and therefore now also againe it is said, it is done. I am Alpha and Omega: that is, the beginning and the end; this here foretold and pro­mised, is of me; I begin it, I finish it: for of mee, by me, and for me, are all things, Rom. 11. 36. The Lord is the first and the last, Esa. 44. 6. & 48. 12. he hath wrought and done it, Esa. 41. 4. Now for that the Lord knew, that such happie and excellent things as here are spoken of, and so certainly to be fulfilled, would worke in the hearts of the faithfull, a vehement desire for the accomplishment there­of, he here promiseth in a figuratiue speech to sa­tisfie [Page 327] their thirst, to the full; to giue to such a one as is athirst, ardently inflamed in his affection after these things, of the fountaine of the water of life, chap. 7. 17. and that such a one shall partake of the gra­ces of his spirit, Ioh. 7. 38. 39. and that freely of his sole mercie and good fauour towards him.

Vers. 7. Here, lest men should thinke a feruent desire to be enough, to assure them of that which is heere foretold and promised, the Lord telleth them of a victorie which they must get, saying, hee that ouercommeth shall inherit all things. Concluding with the words of the Couenant made of old with his people, I will be his God, and he shall bee my sonne.

Vers. 8. But (as if he had said) what here I pro­mise concerneth nothing the vngodly, of which, for example sake, I will name some, the fearfull and vnbeleeuing and abominable, and murtherers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and lyars, they shall not enioy any part or portion of this new heauen and earth, but shall haue their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone, the place of the diuell, the beast and false prophet, chap. 19. 20. and 20. 10. which is the second death, separation from God for euer.

Vers. 9. Now that it might appeare, that no such filthie persons can come into this heauenly Citie, (as is noted also in vers. 27. of this chapter) and to shew the Lords seruants more at large what this new Ierusalem is, before mentioned, for whose sake he would make all things new, heere is a most full and perfect description giuen therof, which Iohn is made to behold, the same being [Page 326] [...] [Page 327] [...] [Page 328] shewed him by one of the seuen Angels, which had the seuen vials full of the last plagues, the same that shew­ed him the damnation of the great whore, chapt. 17. 1. which is (as I take it) the discouerer of the one, and of the other; because these Angels and in­struments of God were the meanes of the destru­ction of the one, and the furtherers of the Chur­ches happinesse and glory here spoken of.

Vers. 10. Iohn to see the whore, was carried in the spirit into the wildernesse, chap. 17. 3. for it was necessary to be set apart from the whorish pain­ting of that harlot, and with a spirituall vnderstan­ding to bee enlightened, that hee might truly dis­cerne her to bee the whore, though beloued of men, yet hated and condemned of God: but here Iohn is carried away in the spirit to a great and high mountaine: (an allusion to Ezech. 40. 2.) for the Ci­tie is on high; therefore must Iohn bee on high to see it; as Moses was vpon Pisgah, to behold the land of Canaan, Deut. 34. 1. This Citie for com­passe is great, many shall enter into it, vers. 24. For qualitie, holy, no vncleane thing shall come into it, vers. 27. Ierusalem it is called; for that, God, as there once, so now heere, will dwell in it for euer, Ezech. 48. 35. and it descended out of heauen from God, as in vers. 2.

Vers. 11. Hauing the glory of God: that is, such maiesty, beauty, and excellent brightnesse, as God himselfe did put vpon her; whereupon it is said, And her light was like vnto a stone most pretious, euen like a Iasper stone: such a one, as with which God himselfe is set out, cap. 4. 3. cleere as Chrystall, with­out [Page 329] any dimnesse at all; for Gods glory did ligh­ten it, vers. 23.

Vers. 12. And had a wall great and high: freed from perill of aduersaries, and now safe on euerie side: and had 12. gates; that is, passage into the same euery way; an allusion to Ezech. 48. 30. And at the gates twelue Angels, as Porters to let in, not now to keepe men out, as the Angell with the sha­king sword, Genes. 3. And they had names, (both for assurance and direction) written thereon, what these be is expounded, euen the names of the 12. tribes of the children of Israell.

Vers. 13. The placing of the gates, three to e­uery quarter, of which also Ezechiel speaketh, though not in the same order, chap. 48. 31. 34. The mysterie may be, in bringing these faithfull Israe­lites to God.

Vers. 14. And the wall of the Citie had 12. foun­dations. As the wall had twelue gates, and the names of the twelue tribes written vpon them: so had it twelue foundations, and in them the names of the Lambes twelue Apostles; Peters supremacie here is quite out of date. The Romish Synagogue layeth Peter for the foundation, or Peters person, (for that hee was at Rome, as they say, but can not certainly prooue it), rather then his true preaching, which they hate and abhor. The Pope loueth not Pauls doctrine, but hee loueth to bee wealding his sword; therefore hath neither hee, nor his, any part or portion in this new and holy City.

Vers. 15. And he that talked with me, had a golden [Page 330] reede to measure the City, and the gates thereof, and the walles thereof: An allusion to Ezech. 40. 3. 5. The Temple was onely measured before, cap. 11. 1. but here the City, gates and walles, euery thing must come exactly vnder rule and line now; a golden reed shall mete out euery thing to a fit and most certaine proportion. Of this reed see chap. 11. 1. which is here golden, a reed most fit to measure such a City with.

Vers. 16. And the City lieth foure square: because it is most firme and stable without any tottering and moueable state, and because it looketh euery way to the foure corners of the earth; by the gates to receiue in vnto it frō all parts of the earth. And the length is as large as the breadth: As this hath compasse and is spread abroad, so hath it like length and full continuance without alteration. And hee, that is, the Angell, vers. 9. 15. measured the Citie with a reed: as he had a reed for the purpose, so hee applieth it to the worke, and findeth it by true measure to he 12000. furlongs, eight furlongs being a mile, it is 1500. miles. Now the length and the breadth, and the heighth being equall, it maketh this to be wonderfull incredible; but all is to set out vnto vs, how abundantly capable this City is to entertaine the innumerable multitude, which shall come vnto it.

Vers. 17. And hee measured the wall thereof, 144. cubits: which is twelue times twelue, of which number it wholly consisteth, according to the 12. foundations of the twelue Apostles, vers. 14. This measure is of the walles breadth for the heighth; [Page 331] and length must bee iudged by the heighth and length of the Citie, else it could not compasse the Citie, nor be high enough for so high a City; and necessity requireth that there bee an answerable thicknesse to so long and high a wall, that it may be strong and defensible for the Citie; nothing a­ble to shake it or pierce it through. The length and spaciousnesse of the City is for capablenesse of in-commers, the height is for the manifold and goodly mansions, the thicknesse of the wall com­passing round the same with answerable height, giueth vs the inuincible strength of the City, and the security of the inhabitants. Iohn hauing told vs of the measuring of the wall, he in the last place sheweth, vnto vs, what kinde of measuring here is meant, the measure of a man; that is, (saith he) of an Angell, that is, so a mans measure, as it is also the Angels measure.

Vers. 18. After the forme and measure, heere we are shewed the matter of which the wall, City, foundation, and gates were made of, yea and what the very street of the City was paued with, vers. 19. 20. 21. all to point out to vs the vnspeakable glory of this heauenly Citie, as Esay likewise doth to comfort the afflicted, cap. 54. 11. 12.

Vers. 22. And I saw no Temple therein; no secret or hidden number, (as in chap. 11. 1.) no separated place, as in old Ierusalem to beautifie and to make glorious this City. For now the Lord God Almigh­ty, and the Lambe are the Temple of it. To whom all haue free accesse, and who doth make his Saints in this heauenly Ierusalem glorious, as the Tem­ple [Page 332] did afore time Ierusalem.

Vers. 23. And the Citie had no need of the Sun, neither of the Moone to shine in it. Words of allusion vnto Esa. ca. 60. 19. 20. and borrowed from thence. Now the Prophet meant not in comforting the Church then, that they should haue no more light of Sunne and Moone: for liuing in the world, they so should haue liued in perpetuall darknesse, and not haue enioyed the common blessings of this life; from which meaning the Prophet was farre, seeing the Lord created Sunne and Moone for mans vse, which therefore hee would not de­priue his owne people of. But the light of the Sun and Moone is put for earthly and fading comforts of this life, as the rest of the words of the Prophet in the same verses shew; for instead of the light of Sunne and Moone, which is not euer, he opposeth the Lord the euerlasting light, and so concludeth, that the dayes of mourning shall bee ended. Be­cause this their comfort by the Lord, shall not bee like the light of the Sunne and Moone, which ei­ther passeth away, or is often darkened: Therefore here by the not needing the light of Sunne and Moone, (the glory of God and the Lambe being the light of it) is meant, that such solace and ioy, such glad­nesse of heart and heauenly comfort this City ta­keth in the Lord, and in his glorious presence, as all earthly comfort, though it were as the light of the Sunne by day, and as the light of the Moone by night, should bee as superfluous and needlesse and of no respect in comparison of it.

Vers. 24. And the nations of them that are saued, [Page 333] shall walke in the light of it, and the Kings of the earth: that is, euen such as before were bewitched with the whore of Babylon, chap. 17. 2. and some (per­haps) of those that bewailed her ouerthrow, cap. 18. 9. doe bring their glory and honour to it, of this speaketh Esa. 60. 3.

Vers. 25. And the gates of it shall not bee shut at all by day: and the reason is giuen, for there shall bee no night there: the like saying is in Esa. chap. 60. 11.

Vers. 26. And they (that is, as I take it, the Kings, vers. 24.) shall bring the glory and honour of the nations vnto it.

Vers. 27. And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, &c. Here is the pure and vn­defiled state of this new Ierusalem, which is ther­fore called holy, vers. 2. of the inhabitants heere of speaketh also Esa. cap. 60. 21. Ioel 3. 17. Zach. 14. 21. Esa. 52. 1.

Notes vpon chap. 22.

Vers. 1. And he, that is, the Angell, chap. 21. 9. 10. shewed me: as before the excellent beautie of the Citie, so now the abundance of the meanes of life in the same, by which the inhabitants liue therein plentifully. A pure riuer of water of life. Wa­ter is the spirit and heauenly graces thereof, chap. 21. 6. Ioh. 7. 38. 39. Of life, for that it maketh such as drinke thereof to liue for euer, Ioh. 4. 14. Ezech. 47. 9. Riuer, for the plentie and continuance here­of. Pure, for the sanctity thereof in it selfe, and ma­king [Page 334] others pure also. Cleere as Crystall: the purity is without any mixture of vncleannesse. Of these waters speake the Prophets, Ezech. 47. 1. 8. Ioel 3. 18. and Zach. 14. 8. Psal. 45. 4. proceeding out of the throne, (that is, the head of the riuer) of God and of the Lambe: for the Lambe is in the middest of the throne, chapt. 5. 6. the waters flow out from the Temple and Altar, Ezech. 47. 1. but here being no Temple, chap. 21. 22. and so no Altar, but God and the Lambe in the roome thereof; therefore this water commeth from his throne, of which menti­on is made, as in many places of this prophecie, so in cap. 4. where it is set in heauen, vers. 2. but there proceeded out of it, lightenings, thunders, and voices, vers. 5. but here only water of life.

Vers. 2. And in the middest of the street of it: that is, of the Citie which is of pure gold, chap. 21. 21. and of either side of the riuer was there the tree of life: an allusion vnto Paradise, Gen. 2. 9. of which also in chap. 2. 7. of this prophecie. So it was in the o­pen place for euery one to come to, as a tree in the middest of the street, in which al the Citizens may walke, and so haue freedome to eate of the fruite. And it is euer greene and fruitfull, being planted so in the street, as also the riuer passed on both sides of it. Which bare twelue manner of fruits: The number of twelue the spirit keepeth constantly, in this and the former Chapter; but here because of the faithfull, comprehended vnder the twelue tribes, chap. 21. 12. whom it shall bee sufficient to feed with fulnesse, and yet without lothing, as bringing forth variety, twelue kinds of fruits, and [Page 335] that euery moneth, so as heere should be no want at any time, Ezech. 47. 12: and the leaues of the tree were for the healing of the nations, Ezech. 47. 12. The fruite was for life, and here are leaues for health, so as this tree of life maketh them not onely to liue, but to liue healthfully.

Vers. 3. And there shall be no more curse: An allu­sion to Zach. 14. 11. Men (saith he) shall dwell in it, and there shall be no more vtter destruction; and the reason is giuen, because God and the Lambe shall continue in it, and his seruants shal serue him; the curse is for transgressors, and not for the obe­dient.

Vers. 4. And they shall see his face: They shal haue comfortable and familiar knowledge of him; for hee shall challenge them to himselfe, and they shall be sufficiently knowne to be his people; ha­uing his name in their foreheads, as those in chap. 14. 1.

Vers. 5. And there shall be no night there: No darknesse of aduersitie, or discomfort, that they should either need lesser or greater earthly means of comfort; either deuised of themselues, as the light of a candle; or otherwise affoorded them, as the Sunnes light: for that the Lord himselfe gi­ueth them light, as is noted before (chap. 21. 23). And they shall reigne for euer and euer: Vnspeakable is the happinesse of the Saints in this new Ieru­salem, which here is made vp to the full, that it shall be without end. Hitherto is the description of the most gracefull and glorious estate of the Church of Christ, which may rauish the hearts of [Page 336] all that reade it, to say with the Lords people, verse 20, Come Lord Iesus.

Now concerning this so holie a Citie and bles­full state of the Church, I finde two opinions: the one, that here is set out the Church triumphant in hea­uen, after the resurrection at the last day: the other, that here so is to be vnderstood the Church triumphant, as yet neuerthelesse withall, is foreshewed such a most happie condition, as in some sort to befall the Church of Christ here on earth, after the happie conuersion of the Iewes; whose embracing of the Gospell, shall be as life and riches to the Christian world, Rom. 11. 12. 15; and in comparison of which time wee are yet, but as in a kinde of liuelesse state and poore condi­tion. The reasons for the opinion fetched from the text are these: I. Because this Citie is said to come downe from God, cap. 21. vers. 2; and not to ascend vp, or to be taken vp vnto God, as the Church tri­umphant, at the last day shall be, 1. Thess. 4. 17. Christ will come to take the Church vp to him­selfe, Ioh. 14. 3. it shall not come downe after the last iudgement to remaine here. II. Because she is said to bee prepared as a Bride adorned for her husband, vers. 2. Now the Church triumphant of all the elect gathered together, is not a Bride pre­pared, but a wife in mariage fully accomplished. III. Because it is called a Tabernacle, a remouing state, and God also said to be with men, and to dwell, as in a Tabernacle, with them. Concerning the Church triumphant, the manner of speaking is to say, that it is with God. IV. Because the holy Ghost so strongly confirmeth this renouatiō of al things, [Page 337] auouching it againe and againe, vers. 1. 5, com­manding to write it, and affirming the words to be faithfull and true: which needed not in so ge­nerall approued and beleeued truth, touching the state of the Church triumphant. V. Because Iohn is made to ascend high vp, to see this new City be­low him descending out of heauen from God. VI. Because it is said to bee measured, and that with the measure of a man, ver. 16. 17; which shew­eth it to bee the Church militant, which is onely measurable, and to be measured, chap. 11. 1. Zach. 1. 16, but not the triumphant. VII. Because here is said, that nations shall walke in the light of it; and Kings of the earth bring their glorie and honour vnto it, vers. 24, yea, the glorie and honour of the Nations to it, vers. 26. But can any bring earthly glorie and honour (for of such glorie and honour hee speaketh) vnto heauen aboue, to beautifie it withall? VIII. This opinion seemeth not altoge­ther vnreasonable, albeit some things spoken after the letter, carrie our thoughts to a state of full per­fection, chap. 21. 4. and 22. 3. 4. 5; for that the like speeches are vttered by the holy Prophets afore­time, to set out the gracefull and peaceable state of the Church, Esai. 65. 17. 18. 19. 25. and 60. 18. 20. and 25. 8. and 60. 21. IX. Because some such like thing is promised to the Iewes, in the books of the Prophets, not yet hitherto, as may seeme, fulfilled; but deferred till the seuenth trumpet bee blowne, when the mysterie of God shall be finished, as hath been declared to his seruants the Prophets, chap. 10. 7. By which words it is cleere, that all things in the [Page 338] Prophets are not accomplished, till this booke of the Reuelation bee fulfilled; for the Prophets for­merly haue spoken of this mysterie to be finished vnder the seuenth trumpet.

Now that wee may not wonder at the new Ieru­salem here set foorth, looke vnto the prophecies of old, and marke what by them the Lord did pro­mise vnto the Iewes after their captiuitie. I. He tel­leth them, they shall bee brought backe againe to Ierusalem, and to inhabite Iudea, Zach. 8. 7. 8. and 10. 8. 9. Esai. 60. 10. 15. and 62. 10: and this shall the Lord doe, who will cause righteousnesse and praise before all nations, Esai. 61. 11. II. Hee will poure vpon them the spirit of grace and supplica­tion, and they shall looke vpon him whom they haue pierced, and they shall mourne for him, &c. Zach. 12. 10. 14. III. He will make them strong to ouerthrow all their enemies, and they shall in­habite Ierusalem againe, Zach. 12. 6, and build the old wasts; they shall raise vp the former desola­tions, and they shall repaire the waste Cities, and the desolations of many generations, Esai. 61. 4. and 58. 12. and that by the helpe of strangers and their Kings, Esai. 60. 10. IV. Being so built, where­as it had been forsaken and hated, so as no man went thorough it, he will make it an eternall excel­lencie, and a ioy of many generations, Esai. 60. 15. For first, violence shall no more bee heard in the land, wasting nor destruction within the borders, but her walls shall bee called saluation, and her gates praise, Esai. 60. 18: the Sunne shall be no more her light by day, neither for brightnes shall [Page 339] the Moone giue light vnto her, &c. Esai. 60. 18. 19. 20. Secondly, all the people shall bee righteous, Esai. 60. 21, and no Canaanite there, Zach. 14. 21. Thirdly, her officers shall be officers of peace, and her Exactours, righteousnes, Esai. 60. 17. Fourthly, her watchmen shall neuer be silent, Esai. 62. 6, nei­ther euer be wanting, Esai. 59. 21: but the false pro­phets and vncleane spirits shall be cut off, Zach. 13. 2: so as by this glorious and gracefull state she shall be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name, Esai. 62. 2, that is, Hephzi-bah, and the land Beulah, for the Lord would delight in her and marrie her; or Iehouah-there, shall be the name of that Citie, Ezech. 48. 35. V. Hereupon they shall be knowne among the Gentiles, & peo­ple, and all that see their seede and ofspring, shall acknowledge them the seede which the Lord hath blessed, Esai. 61. 9, a holy people, the redeemed of the Lord, sought out and not forsaken, Esai. 62. 12. VI. The Gentiles and their Kings shall see her righteousnesse and glorie, Esai. 62. 2: whereupon they shall come to her, Esai. 60. 3, and that with earnest desire and high estimation of her, Zach. 8. 22. 23, and be ioyned to the Lord, and become his people also with her, Zach. 2. 11. These Nations and Kings shall bring to her sonnes & daughters, Esai. 60. 4. and 49. 22, inrich her mightily with a­bundance and precious things, Esai. 60. 6. 17. she shall eate the riches of the Gentiles, Esai. 61. 6, and sucke the milke of the Gentiles, and the breasts of Kings, Esai. 60, 16, who shal be her nursing fathers, and the Queenes her nursing mothers, Esai. 49. 23, [Page 340] bringing her presents and gifts, Esai. 60. 6. and 45. 14. They shall fall downe and make supplication, Esai. 45. 14: they shall worship with their faces to the earth, and licke the dust of her feete, Esa. 49. 23. Zach. 14. 16. Strangers shall be her seruants, Esai. 61. 5: yea such as will not serue her, shall be de­stroyed, Esai. 60. 12. Zach. 14. 17. She shall bee a crowne of glorie in the hand of the Lord, and a royall Diademe in the hand of her God, Esai. 62. 3. And this her excellencie shall neuer bee changed, her daies of mourning shall be ended, Esai. 60. 19. 20, her ioy euerlasting, Esai. 61. 7. for euer shall her land be inherited, Esai. 60. 21. Zach. 14. 11: for to the Lord is she married, Esai. 62. 4, who sweareth by his right hand, and the arme of his strength, to giue her no more ouer to her enemies. Esai. 62. 8. At that day the Lord shall bee King ouer all the earth, and in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name One, Zach. 14. 9. Thus wee see, what glo­rious promises are made to that people; which, whether alreadie fulfilled, or yet to be expected, and in this prophecie here foretold, I leaue to the godly, wise, and learned to iudge of, and to deter­mine. Whatsoeuer is hereby to bee vnderstood, (whether only the Church glorious and trium­phant after the resurrection; or a peaceable and gracefull state of the Church militant, for a time, after her enemies are destroyed, and the ancient people of God called) the Angell which spake vn­to Iohn telleth him, that these sayings are faithfull and true, vers. 6. Therefore let vs beleeue, pray, and expect the accomplishment of the words of this [Page 341] blessed prophecie: The rest of the words from verse 6 to the end are not difficult, and therefore here I end this preparatiue. Thou O Lord which testifiest these things, saist, Surely I come quickly, Amen, euen so come Lord Iesus.