Prelections Upon Revelation, Chapter 1

Prelections Upon Revelation · Chapter 1

COMMENTARIES OF VVilliam Fulke vponupon the holy and sacred Reuelation of Sainct Iohn.

BEfore that sainct Iohn doth enter into the full and iust narration of the propheticall visions, hee thought good, to place some thinges before as in y^t way of a preface, which should make to the commendation of his doctrine, and get aucthoritie to his writing.

Vers. 1.

The reuelation of Iesus Christ.

THis firste verse conteyneth the title of the booke, that it is y^e reuelation of Iesus Christ, which God gaue vntounto him, to this end that he might shew his seruaūtes those thinges which shoulde shortly after come to passe. It is vsuall amonge all the Prophets, least they shold be thought to spread abroad among the commun people the deuises of there owne brayne, to ascite God as the aucthor of there doctrine, of which sorte are these, The word of the Lord, The burthē of the word of the lord. &c. The selfe same doth sainct Iohn, in saying the reuelatiō of Iesus Christ: sauing this that they do simplie alleage god as their onelyonly aucthor, but this Apostle sheweth Iesus Christ to hauehave deliuered those things vntounto him, which he himselfe receiued of the father. And truely Sainct Iohn nourished vp in the cleare light of the Gospell, doth speake muche more playnly & sensibly vntounto vsus, thē the Prophets which were brought vp vnderunder the shadowes of Moses law. For although Christ, which is the eternall wisdome of his father, had alwaies this prerogatiue, to deliuer forth the heauenly oracles, by whose benefite wee ought to knowledge our selues to hauehave receiued, whatsoeuer good gifts God hath at any time bestowed vponupon his Church: yet notwithstandinge it was not so manifest to the fathers in time past vnderunder the law, as after y^t the sone of God tooke our flesh, & manifested him selfe to be beholden of vsus vnderunder y^e clere light of y^e Gospell, y^e vail being taken away. Rightly therefore sayeth Iohn, the reuelation of Iesus Christ, whereby he doth not onelyonly seuer, and distinguish this heauenly doctrine from all deuises of men, but also extolleth the great and most excellent dignitie of our sauioure Iesus Christ, to whome he doth attribute this diuine reuelatiō: which is all one, as if he should say oure fleshe to be lifted vp and exalted to so great honour that it should euē be made partaker of gods misteries, which ought not to seme straung, when as Christ placed at the right hand of god, in his fathers steed doth gouerne the Church and moreouer the whole world.

WHich God gaue vntounto him that he might shew to his seruauntes. &c. The wonderfull goodnesse of God doth here shine forth vntounto vsus, that he doth vouchsafe to reuels to his Church such great misteries and secretes of thinges to come, neither doth he suffer his seruauntes to be ignorant of any thing, which is any way profitable for them to knowe.

Here therefore God is appointed and declared to be the aucthor of this doctrine, Iesus Christ by whose meanes so great a treasure is come vntounto vsus, to be the mediator, for truely in him which is our head, God doth also imbrace vsus which are his bodie, so that we refuse not to be his seruaunts, most readie to receyue and obey all his commaundements. Moreouer S. Iohn meaneth not by these woordes, those secretes onelyonly, to be knowne of our sauiour Christ, which are declared in this booke (for seing that he is the wisedome of God no part of the diuine counsaile can be hid from him) but he vnderstandeth that Christ in the persone of the mediator, hath receyued this reuelatiō of the father, that he might communicate the same to his Church. For it is not to be doubted, but that God reuealed also manie thinges by visions to other Apostles and holy men, which should make eyther to their confirmatiō and strengthninge, or els to the admonicion of the Churche then present. But he would hauehave this reuelation onelyonly cōmitted to writing for y^e vse of the whole Church. For like as before the cōming of Christ, when doctrine & teaching was more darke & obscure, the Church stode in nede of many reuelations, so after y^e light of the gospell is sprong vp, and hath dispersed and driuen awaie all cloudes & darkenesse, we ought to holde our selues contente with verie few extraordinarie visions. This one therefore, but yet a most excellent reuelatiō the holy ghost thought sufficient for the Church, that he might admonish it of the perils …nd daungers which it shold passe through. And this is it that Iohn sayeth, that God gaue this reuelation to Christ that he might declare it to his seruaunts (Those thinges that shold shortly come to passe.) Although the executiō and fulfilling of many thinges which are fore told of in this booke, should be differred vntounto a long time after, yet he meaneth that euen then the vtilitie and profite of this prophecy was to take place, when as by and by after, horrible persecutiōs should be stirred vp against the Church by the Romane Emperours, and euen a little before were begunne to be stirred vp by Nero and Domitian (And sending his angell) He teacheth by whose ministrie this reuelation was brought vntounto him, that is by an Aungell being sent of Christ who partly by word and partely by signes shewed all these thinges vntounto him. And this is no small commendation of this doctrine that Christ sent it from heauen by an aungell. That he calleth him selfe the seruaunt of Christ, it is the same that the other Apostles doe, as Paule, Peter, Iames and Iude, hee meaneth that he is a seruaunt of Christ, peculierly ordeyned to the ministrie of the Gospell.

Vers. 2.

¶ Who bare record of the woorde of God and of the testimonie of Iesu Christ, and of all thinges that he saw.

HE procureth aucthoritie to this prophecie, by the persone of him selfe, bycause that like as God hath ordeyned and appointed him to be a preacher of his gospell, so he hath faithfully discharged the duetie and office committed vntounto him: for these two thinges are required in a teacher, first to be lawfully called, least any other should rashly intrude, and thrust in him selfe, besides him which is called of the lord, and secondlye to be faithfull, that he may sincerely, diligently and truely execute those matters which are cōmitted vntounto him. The Apostle therefore doth signify that his faithfullnesse is alreadye sufficiently knowne and approued to the Churches, because it is he which alwaies here to fore With great faithfullnesse and constancie, hathe testified and professed the woorde of God and the gospell of Iesus Christ, whereby they may lesse doubt but that he will now also deliuer and bring a perfect, sounde, and vncorrupted propheticall vision, sent downe to him from heauen. So he saieth in the ende of the gospell which he writ. The same disciple is he which testifieth of these thinges, and wrote these thinges, and wee knowe that his testimonye is true.

Vers. 3.

¶ Happy is he that readeth, and happy are they that heare the wordes of this prophecy & kepe those thinges which are writen therein for the time is at hande.

HE commendeth this doctrine by the great profite & commoditie that it bringeth, that it doth not for a short time delight those that are studiouse in the same, with a vaine, coloured and paynted eloquence of wordes, according to the maner of prophane writinges, but it maketh thē altogether happy and blessed for euermore. Which thing although it may well & truely be spoken of all the whole sacred scripture & of euerie booke of the same, yet it is euident that S. Iohn speaketh here onelyonly of his owne prophecy. For that he sayeth the time is at hande, he admonisheth the faithfull, if they will take anye fruite thereof, that they oughte to giuegive them selues diligently to the meditation and studye of this prophecy, least the perils and daungers now presently hanging ouer there heades, they liuing securely and carelesly, should oppresse thē vnwares. But rather being instructed in the doctrine of this prophecy, they may be able to stande strongly agaynst all the violent, force, fraude, and deceipt of the aduersarie. And here is the singuler louelove of God and of our sauiour Christ towardes his Church commended vntounto vsus, ouer which he hath so prouident a care, that the faithfull may not onelyonly be admonished of the daungers and euils hanging ouer there heades, but also y^t way & meanes may be shewed, by which they may not onelyonly eschew the euils, but also put them selues in possession of true and perfecte blessednesse. If they will diligently exercise themselues in meditating vponupon this prophecy, and in keping and obseruing those thinges that are written and conteyned in the same, whereby it shall come to passe, that they may be prepared to receyue and resist all the assaultes of Sathan, and may quietly triumphe and hauehave the victory, euen in the middest of the daungerous… waues and flouddes of mischiefe and iniquite.

Vers. 4.

¶ Iohn to the seuen Churches which are in Asia.

SAinct Iohn warned by the holy ghost writeth to seuen of the most famouse Churches of Asia the lesser, to whose keping he was commaunded to committe the great treasure of this prophecy, that by there faythfull ministry it might be preserued and kept, and spread ouer the whole worlde.

¶ Grace and peace. &c.

ACcording to the custome and manner of the other Apostles, he wisheth vntounto them grace and peace: Grace that is the free fauour of god, that he would vouchsafe to embrace them with his so tender louelove and compassion, from whence floweth and springeth this peace, that is the happy and prosperouse successe of all thinges, whiche god is accustomed to graunt to those, whom he doth acknowledge for his children.

¶ From him which is, and which was, and which is to come.

HE craueth and desireth this grace and peace of hym which onlye can gyue the same, that is of the eternall god, whiche in all ages doth remaine the selfe same & like him selfe, w^t whō (as saith saint Iames) there is no mutatiō or chaunge, neither any shadow of alteration, whiche as he is now, and alwayes hath bene, so shall he for euer and euer continue a patrone and myghty defender of his Church.

¶ And from the seuen spirites which are before his throne.

IT is the office and woorke of the holy ghost to seale and cō firme grace and peace in the hartes of the faithfull, no meruaile it is therefore, though he desire the same from the holy spirite to be giuen vntounto the Churches. But this doth trouble some men, that for one spirite, hee sayeth seuen spirites, for howsoeuer the giftes be diuers, yet one spirite worketh all in all. 1. Corin. 12. But we must vnderstand y^t the Apostle speaketh here according to the vision shewed vntounto him, which he expresseth in the fourth chapter and first verse, where there do appeare seuen lampes of fire burning before the throne which are the seuen spirites of God, which doth no more take away the vnitye of the holy ghost, then those fiery tounges, which sat vponupon eueryevery one of the Apostles, in the second of the Actes. That he placeth seuen spirites before the throne, he signifyeth that those heauenlye giftes, which are the effectes and workinges of the holy ghost, doe descend vntounto vsus from no other then from the most high father of light which is the aucthor and giuer of all good thinges.

Vers. 5.

¶ And from Iesus Christ, which is a faithfull witnesse & first begotten of the dead & prince of the kings of the earth.

SEing there is but one onelyonly mediatour betwene God and man, euen Iesus Christ which alone hath pacified his fathers wrath towardes vsus: not without great cause S. Iohn desireth and craueth grace and peace at his hands, which hath brought vsus agayne into the fauour of God, and by his death hathe established true and perfecte peace, betwixte God and mankinde. In that the Apostle in this place doth so beautifie and adorne our sauiour Christ, with diuers excellent commē dations of dignitie and praise, he doth it to this ende that the greater reuerence, and aucthorite might be giuen to this reuelation which he receiued of Christ. First therefore he calleth him a faithfull witnesse, that is one that testifieth the trueth, which hath bene accoustomed to deliuer nothing to his church but that which he hath drawne out from the sacred and holy bosome of his Father: wherevpon he him selfe sayeth, my doctrine is not mine but his that sent me. Hee therefore whiche doth deminish the faithfulnesse and truth of this his testimonie, doth accuse the trueth it selfe of vntrueth and lying, nether shall his so great blasphemie against the sone of God escape vnpunished. To this end also he is called y^e first begotten of the dead, and prince of the kinges of the earth: whereby his most high and souerayngne aucthoritie and power, which he hath both ouer the quicke and the dead is approued, as he which ouercomming death and triumphing ouer all his enemies, hath obteyned the chiefe Empire & gouernement both in heauen and earth. To whome now being risen and retourned from death, and exalted into the height of glory and maiestie, if we do not giuegive due credit and reuerence, we are altogether vnworthie to enioye anye benefite of his deathe and passion, or vponupon whome he should bestowe and impart any sparke of his glorie. VntoUnto him which. &c. whē he falleth into mentiō of the benefites of Christ he cannot withould himself, from celebrating his grace with worthie praise and commendations, which wee knowe Sainct Paule doeth almost alwaies, as oft as he was drawne into the consideration of the same grace. And truely we are more then blockish, if at the remēbraunce of so great benefites, we be not wholly tourned in to thanckes geuing and celebrating of his diuine glorye. He doth also admonish vsus, that euen the onelyonly remēbrance of the benefites of Christ ought to suffice among all godly men, that the aucthoritie of this doctrine should be sacred and holy.

Vers. 6.

¶ Which loued vsus and washed vsus from our sinnes in his bloud, and made vsus Kinges and priestes to god, euen his father to him be glory and dominion for euermore. Amen.

HE appointeth the louelove of Christ to be the beginning of one redēption, which for this cause is after a meruailouse sort commended vntounto vsus, that when we were his enemies he refused not to washe away all the filthy spottes of our sinnes euen with his owne precious bloud, and to bringe vsus agayne into the fauour of God his father, and not this only, but also of wretched miserable, & abiect, bondslaues of Sathan, of prophane and vnpure contemners of God, by his benefite he hath exalted and lifted vsus vp to a kingly honoure and dignity, and preistly holynes. Seing he hath made vsus partakers & heyers of his kingdome, and hath consecrated vsus preistes to offer spirituall sacrifices to god, to him worthelye be all praise glorye and dominiō for euermore. Amen. But here the papistes hauehave to consider, which study by all meanes to deminishe and make lyght the benefite of the death of Christ, wheras the Apostell dooth attribute all y^t maye be thereto, as remission of sinnes, kingly and preistly honour wherwith Christians are exalted, he acknowlegeth to be receiued only by Christ.

Vers. 7.

¶ Behold he cometh with clouds and eueryevery eye shall se him yea euen they which hauehave pearced him through, and all kindreds of the earth shall waile before him. Euen so. Amen.

HE procedeth forward in the same argument, that he might get credit to his prophecie, shewinge that none can falsely and without daunger, despise this doctrine, seing yt came frō him whiche shall come to iudge the quicke and the deade, and shall take vengeaunce vponupon the wicked despisers of god. In that he saith he shall come in the cloudes, he setteth foorth the glory of his cominge, as well to terrefy and beate downe the hautye stomackes of the wicked, as to the lyftinge vp of the mindes of the godlye into the hope of blessed redemption, as in the. 24. of Math. And eueryevery eye shall se him. &c. No man can flye from his presence, for euen the wicked wyll they nill they shalbe brought into the presence of there iudge, and those that woulde most of all withdrawe and hide themselues, yea they whiche pearced him, and handled him moste despitefully, shall euen againste there willes bee drawen forth into his presence. Furthermore all the kindreds of the earth which do so scornfully and proudly reiect and despise all his gouernment, shall then but all to late, with great sorow acknowledge, howe vnhappely they conspired together to reiect and cast of his yoke, whose iudgment they are compelled to receiue and enter into vnwillinglye.

p. 2Euen so Amen. He confirmeth the former sentence with a double affirmation in Greake and Hebrew, that he may cō mend the certeinte of the same. For there is nothing more easy to prophane persons then to deride our hope that we hauehave of the seconde comming of Christ and to delight and sport thē selues, the meane whiles in their delicate pleasures. But at length they shall proue by experience to there great hurt, that this promise is not in vaine. When as all the tribes of the earth in desperate maner shal bewayle them selues ouer him. S. Iohn doth also expresse with how feruent prayers, all the godly ought to desire the comming of that daye, when as all the wicked being throwen downe, Christ shall hauehave his perfect glorie.

Vers. 8.

¶ I am alpha and Omega, that is the beginning and the ending sayeth the Lorde, which is, and which was and which is to come, the almightie I say.

LAstelye he beautifieth and setteth forth the excellencie and worthines of this prophecie, in this, that it is his whiche is the beginning, and the ende, eternall and almightie, whome also (that the auctoritie maye be the greater) hee bringeth in speaking in his owne person I am the Alpha and Omega, alpha in the Grecians prouerbe, which is also in vse among latin writers, signifieth the first▪ and by the same reason Omega signifieth the last. The beginning and the ende, of whome all creatures tooke there beginning, which vnles they should be kepte from destruction by his secreat vertue & power, they would eueryevery moment vanish away and consume to nothing, which thing although it shold come to passe, yet no part of his diuine maiestie should be thereby deminished. For howsoeuer all creatures be subiect to alteration and change, God alone is free from all vnstablenesse. It remayneth therefore if wee wilbe happy and blessed, y^t we cleaue wholly to him, because y^t …bout him we shall finde nothing but corruptiō & destruction. Which is. That is eternall, vnchāgeable, & the self same throughout all ages, (And which is to come) he sheweth y^t he doth not speake of the incomprehensible essence of God, of whiche the sophisters do folishly and childishly bable many thinges, otherwise he shold say, And he which shalbe. But whē he affirmeth that he will come, he signifieth vntounto vsus, that hereafter he will make manifest his glorie euen vntounto men, aswell for the cōfort and consolation of his Church, as for the destructiō and ouerthrow of the wicked. For the lord is said to come, either to defend the faithfull, or els to reuenge him self vpō the wicked. Almighty we ought not here to dreme of any idle power which doth nothīg, but to vnderstād it of such a might as gouerneth all things with his onelyonly will, disposeth all things by prouidēce, and by force and strength bringeth all thinges to pas. The meaning is, that Christ (which is alpha and omega, the beginning & the end, eternall & vnchangeable) is the aucthor of this prophecy, that the faithfull may receiue it with reuerence, the wicked and vngodlye can not despise the same without there deserued punishment.

Vers. 9.

I. Iohn which am also your brother, and companion in tribulation & in the kingdome & patience which is in Iesus Christ.

NOw he enterith into the narration of the first vision, describing the time, and place & maner of the same. But it is offensiue to some, that he so often mentioneth his own name, as though it were not nedefull for him that declareth so wonderfull visions, often to put the faithfull in minde, who he is which writeth them, least that they should suspect those thinges to be but deuises of mans brayne, when as they were testified of him whose calling and faith were sufficiētly knowne to the Church. Which selfe same thing we knowe, to be done often time of the other Prophetes, but especiallye of Daniell which doth more oftener repete his owne name then this S. Iohn. Howbeit the great modestie of y^e apostle here apeareth, that when as in many degrees he excelled other, yet hee maketh himselfe equall with the rest, calling himselfe a brother, and a partaker of the commune grace of the sainctes. Farre otherwise is it with the Romane Byshop which euen in euerie trifling questiō but doth nothing els but ratle out y^e popely p. 3dignitie of the sea Apostolike, and the excellency of his owne holynesse. But these three thinges are to be noted, in whiche Saincte Iohn saith he is a companion, that is in the kingdome, in affliction, and in the pacience of Iesus Christ. He chalingeth therefore vntounto himselfe a portion in afflictions, because it is almost vnpossible, that anye should professe Christ syncerely, but that Sathan will seke to lay manifold troubles vponupon them: how muche more then if he preache the Gospell: but it is a gloriouse thing to suffer for Christ. S. Iohn doth therefore comfort the godly, that they are not chastised with anye other of Gods scorges, then he him selfe, whome they knew to be most tenderly beloued of God. But this is more, that he addeth, in the kingdome, for if wee be made like vntounto Christ in sufferinges, we shall also be made partakers of his glorie: according to that which Paule sayeth, if we suffer together with him wee shall also raygne together with him.

And moreouer he setteth forth the qualite of Christes kingedome in this life to be such, y^t although we seme dayly to bee ouerwhelmed with aduersities and troubles, yet the maiesty of this his kingdome getting the victorie, triumpheth ouer all afflictions. And thirdly that he adioyneth, in patience, he teacech that troubles and afflicttons do no otherwise profite vsus to the attayning of this kingdome, then if we beare them paciently for christes glory and the spreading abroad of his gospell In the meane whyle let vsus not pas ouer this, that he calleth it the pacience of Christ, whiche none can hauehave but by his benefite, that they may be able with a quiet and pacified, yea a merie and ioyefull minde to beare the crosse layed vponupon there shoulders.

I was in an Ile called Patmos. &c. Now he sheweth the place, that is a litle, desert, barrain and vnpleasant iland of the sea Aegium, whiche is called Patmos, into whiche hee was banished by the tyrant Domitian, as all histories agree with one consent.

For the woorde of God and for th… testimonie of Iesus. &c. Hee sheweth that the preachinge of the woorde of God and the Gospell of Iesus, was the cause of this his banishment, not that he wold willingly seke any solitarie place their to dwell in, as now of later time the Monkes, the Heremites Anachorts & other solicarie persons hauehave vsed to do, for whō it had bene more meter, if they had bene able, or if it had bene lawfull for them, to hauehave giuen there diligent attendance in declaring Gods woorde and preaching Christes Gospell, in the greatest and most famouse cities, if they would truly hauehave immitated S. Iohn.

Vers. 10.

¶ I was rauished in the spirite on the Lordes daye. &c.

NOwe he declareth the time whan this vision was shewed vntounto him, y^t is vpō y^e day of the Lord or sonday, which day was kepte holy in the assembleies of the Christians, and S. Paule calleth it the first day after the Sabboth. At whiche time, I doubt not but that Sainct Iohn, euen in that great deserte, although he were absent in body, yet was present in spirite, with the Churches: and with his godly prayers and meditations, did commende them to the custodie and defence of Christ. That he sayeth he was in the spirite, I vnderstād that he was rauished from himselfe, and that his bodely senses in the meane time rested, that his minde might be more free in beholding those thinges which the Lorde shewed vntounto him. Here wee are taught that the basenesse or deformitie of anye place, can not let but that the godly minde, may be drawne vp into the secretes of the heauenly glory. Iohn receyueth visions in the Ile of Patmos, Peter in the roufe of a tanners house, and afterwarde also in prison: and Paule in a torne shippe, for to such thinges, neither doth the excellencie of the place any thing availl, nether the vnworthinesse thereof any thing hinder.

And I hearde behinde mee a great voyce as it were of a trumpet saying. &c. That sodainely he hearde a great voice, euen as it were of a loude sounding trumpet, the lord would p. 5hauehave him first stricken downe and amased with the straungenesse and greatnesse of the thing it selfe, that he might be the more attentiuely prepared, to receyue those thinges which by and by after, were reuealed vntounto him. To the same end also. I referre this, that he heard the voyce behinde his backe. For those thinges are more sodayne & more vnwares, which come vppon vsus behinde our backes, then those which come before our faces.

Vers. 11

¶ I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last.

LEast that S. Iohn should stand in doubt whether this vision were deliuered vntounto him by diuine inspiration or no, Christ testifieth with plaine and cleare voice, that he is eternall God, the first and the last, according to with sence, the lord in the 41. and 44. Chap. of Esay calleth him selfe the first and the last.

That which thou seest, write in a booke, and send it vntounto the seuen Churches which are in Asia, &c. That he might not thinke that he was made partaker of this diuine reuelation onelyonly for his owne sake, (as sainct Paul which was taken vp euen into the thirde heauen and heard thinges which it was not lawfull to vtter) but that he mighte make it commen to y^e whole Church, he is cōmaūded to gather together in a booke those thinges which he saw, & to send it to the seuen Churches of Asia, both that they mighte be keepers of this propheticall booke, and also that they might witnesse to the whole worlde, that it was written by the ministrie of that same Apostle, of whose faith and playn dealing they had sufficient proofe.

Vers. 12.

And I tourned backe to see the voyce that spake with me, and when I was tourned I saw seuen golden candelstickes.

WHen as he saw nothing before him, and yet was cōmaunded to write those thinges which he saw, he turned backe that he might see him which vttered this voice, which semed also to talke with him euen as familierly as with one whome he knew. And when he was turned, he saw seuen golden candelstickes, which bycause Christ himselfe afterwarde expoundeth duplicate page p. 5duplicate page duplicate page p. 5duplicate page to be seuen Churches, wee nede not any longer rest in them. The like is shewed to Zacharie in the 4. Chapt. of his prophecie, excepting this, that Zacharie saw but one for the whole Church, & Iohn did see seuē for many particuler churches, which were as partes and members of the whole. But how the signe doth represent the thing signified, we will afterwarde declare.

Vers. 13.

And in the middest of the candelstickes one like vntounto the sonne of man.

IT is not greatly materiall whether wee vnderstande, that S. Iohn did know the outward forme and shape of our sauiour Christ in the Aungell which he had sene, or whether y^t speaking simply according to y^e maner of the old Prophetes, he meaneth that he appeared hauing taken vponupon him y^t forme and shape of a man, so that we holde this for certentie, that he represented the person and figure of Christ, which manifested him selfe to be seene. For he is alwayes cōuersant in the middest of his church & doth gouerne it with his spirite, & hath a continuall care ouer the same. In vaine therefore wee seke Christ any other where, then in the church, in vaine also do we seke a Church founded vponupon any other then Christ. What can the Romane byshops here answere, which boast them selues to be Christes vicares as though he were absent, whome neuerthelesse Iohn saw in the middest of the cādelsticks, because hee is alwaies present with his Churche, and chalengeth the whole gouernement thereof to him selfe alone.

Clothed with a garment downe to the feete. &c. Bycause this kinde of garment was suche as pertayned to the priestes, I do not mislike that some do interprete it to signify in this place, the purenesse & innocencie of the priesthode of Christ: although in my iudgement it is more simple to say, that it declareth a certaine rare dignitie, and reuerende maiestie of the person that weareth it.

And gyrded about the papps with a goldē gyrdle. The priestes were also girded about with a gyrdle y^t they might y^e more spedely execute there office, for a large garment hanging louse about one, is a let or hinderaunce to those which should spedely p. 6finishe any worke they goe aboute. Christ therefore is gyrded about with a gouldē gyrdel that we should not thinke he s…andeth in the middest of the candelstickes like a deade Image, or as an idle loker on, but as one that is girded vp, and so most redely prepared to execute those necessary businesse, which doe apperteyne vntounto him in the gouernment of the Church. Which readinesse truely is more preciouse then any gold, and is suche an ornament to his office and function, that not vnworthely, it might well be signified vntounto vsus by a golden gyrdle. But in that he hath his breast gyrded about and not his loynes, some thinke it to be done for this cause, that he hath no nede, as mortall wreches hauehave, to represse with gyrding about, praue and wicked affections from which he was free, but his brest onelyonly replenishede with wisedome, and louelove towardes his seruaunts is gyrded about with a golden gyrdell, to signifie his great diligence.

Vers. 14.

His head and his heare were white as wolle, and as snow.

BY this shining brightnesse of his head and his heare, it is necessary that we vnderstand his wonderfull glory and dignitye, whiche farre surmounteth the condition of men, which neuertheles shineth in the manhoode of Christ. A show whereof he gaue, when he was trāsfigured in the mount, when his garmentes shined whiter then any snow.

And his eyes were as a flame of fiere, &c. Some do referre this to wrathfulnesse & anger, wherewith he is incensed & styrred vp against his enemies. But I thinke rather y^t they signify the exceding quickenes and sharpenes of his syght, wherewith euen as fiere he perceth through all thinges, so y^t nothing can be hid from his presence, no not the secretes and hidde corners of y^• heart. In vaine therfore do hypocrites hope that they can kepe them sel…es close from his sighte, whose fierye eyes do pearce through euē vntounto all the depest secrets. And such an head yt behoueth y^e church dispersed ouer the face of the whole worlde to hauehave, which being furnished w^t fiery eyes, may loke roūd about into all parts of the same, and fynd out the subtile and pryuie practices & deceiptes of Sathan, and when they are founde out can auoyed them.

Vers. 15.

¶ And his feete were like vntounto fine brasse as though they burned in a fornace.

THis similitude doth expresse the constancie and vnweryed studie and diligence of Christ in cherishing and helping his Church, when with these feete he walketh continually in the middest of the candelstickes. There is also noted vntounto vsus, the beautie and perfection of his wayes, because he hathe feete of metall tried and polished with fire.

And his voice was as the sounde of manye waters. First he compared his voice to a trompet, now to the noise of many waters, and afterwarde also he will compare it to thonder, and not w^tout Iust cause, which sounded through the whole world in spreading abrode of the Gospell. Which that we may passe ouer other thinges, is of such vertue and force, that the dead shall heare it out of there graues. Whereby the shamful vnsensible blockishnesse of those mē is the more to be abhorred, whose eares being dayly stricken with the sound thereof, do ether scarcelye at the length heare but a little, or els are altogether deafe.

Vers. 16.

¶ And he had in his right hand seuen starres.

THE starres he himselfe doth interpret to be Aungells, y^t is pastours of the Churches, which otherwise are subiect to innumerable perils and daungers, but that the Lord holdeth them in his right hand, least that they should falle, and with great care he defendeth those, to whom he hath committed the charge ouer his Church. Here the true pastors are admonished, that they ought not to leaue of from doing there duety, for any laboures, crosses, or afflictions, for howsoeuer Sathan and his ministers shall raise vp false accusations against them, and threaten imprisonments, tormentes and death also it selfe, yet they ought manfully to contemne all these, because he himself hath a care ouer there health and safegarde, out of whose hand, no force or power is able to drawe them.

And out of his mouth went a sharpe twoo edged swoord. It is verie vsuall in the scriptures to compare the woorde of p. 9God vntounto a two edged sword which s. Paule calleth the sword of the spirite. With this sword the faithful are armed againste all the violence, craftes and subtiltye of the deuill, the mighty force wherof the Apostell doth notably describe in the 4. Chapter to y^e Hebrewes. With the same Christ fyghteth against his enemies. And we may not take this sword any where els, then proceding out of his mouth, for what soeuer came not forth of the holy mouth of Christ, is not in any wise to be taken for y^e word of God.

And his face shone euen as the sunne in his strength. &c. The same that the Sūne is to y^e whole world, euen the same is Christ to his church, which being but only one, and placed in heauen, yet neuerthelesse, with his shining brightnes he lighteneth y^e whole church being a straūger vpō earth, for truly he is y^e sunne of righteousnes, which so soone as he shineth in the consciences of the godly, straighte waye driueth awaye all the darkenes of the deuill, and filleth the mind with most ioyfull light, whose brightnes to couer with the cloudes of darkenesse the deuill laboreth all in vaine, whiche is so farre of, that they should be to able obscure & darken his cleare countenaunce, that they being dispersed and driuen away, his glory doth appeare oute of them farre more cleare and bright.

Vers. 17.

And when I saw him I fell at his feet euen as dead.

MAnnes infirmity can not beare the beholdinge of Goddes glory, but straight way it falleth downe. No marueile it is therefore though S. Iohn beholding Christ in such brightenes, fell downe as it were dead before his feet. For which cause his word is more to be reuerenced, where with he allureth vsus so gently and familierly to come vntounto him, which if he should shew forth but euen the least shadow of his heauenly glory, we should not be able to abide it, but should fall downe vppon the earth as deade.

Then he layde his right hand vppon me saying. &c. The Lord lifteth vp his seruaunt that lay prostrate vponupon the earth w^c his touching & with his voice. For after that God hath hūbled vsus to his obedience he comforteth vsus againe by his mercy. We are here taught that we shall lye deade at the beholdinge of the heuenlye glory, except Christ reach forth his hand vntounto vsus, and with his comfortable voice take from vsus our feare.

Feare not I am the first and the last. &c. He sheweth that they nede not to feare, to whom Christ which is the first & the last doth vouchsafe to be mercyfull.

I liue and was deade. &c. And whiche liueth for this ende y^t he may for euer saue those that come vntounto god by him. From whom it is so farre of that death should take away his lyfe, that contrariewise being conqueror of death he hath attayned eternall life. This particle Amē is added for the greater confirmation.

I hauehave the keyes of hell and of death. &c. He saith that he hath obteyned the highe gouernment and empire ouer eternal death, that he might declare vntounto vsus, that they neede not to be afraide of death or hell: whom Christ hath taken into his custody and keping: on the contrary parte, that they shalbe adiudged to eternal punnishments which becom enemies to him, which hath the keyes of hell and death.

Vers. 19.

Write therefore the thinges which thou hast seene and the thinges whiche are, and the thinges which shall be fulfilled hereafter.

HE commaundeth that he should diligently commit to writinge the visions shewed vntounto him: of whiche he declareth some of them to be descriptions of thinges euen then present, as those which did peculierly pertayne to those seuē Churches: and some of them to expresse the state and conditiō of the churche euen vntounto the worldes ende.

Vers. 20.

And the mistery of the seuen starres which thou sawest in my right hand and the seuen golden candelsticks. The seuen starres are the angels of the Churches and the seuen candelstickes which thou sawest are seuen Churches. &c.

CHrist is the best interpreter of all mysteries, he expoundeth therefore the mistery of the seuen starres and of the seuen p. 10canstelstickes teachinge that by the starres is signified the Ministers of the Churches, which ought to shine before the Churches in y^e light of heauenly doctrine, & as starres to take all their light frō the sunne which is Christ. By the goldē candelstickes is ment the churches which God hath chosen, to susteyne the light of his gospell in the middest of y^e darkenes of this world, as in an other place the Church is called the piller of trueth. The candelsticks are of golde, that we may knowe in what price they are with God. Moreouer here, wee learne that without the Churches whiche are the candelstickes to beare the light, we shall finde nothing in this world but horrible darkenesse. Let vsus beseche Christ therefore, that he will for euer keepe this light among vsus, and that he will draw vsus out of the darkenesse of this world and bring vsus to the lighte of his heauenly glorie, to whom be all praise and honour for euer and euer. Amen.