Prelections Upon Revelation, Chapter 10
¶ The tenth Chapter.
THere is described in this chap. What comforte the Church shall hauehave in so great afflictions, when as Christ is brought in as patrone and defendoure of the same, which with the worde of saluation, and his secreat vertue and power will preserue the same safe & sound against all the violent assaults of sathan.
Verse. 1.
And I saw another mighty Aungell come downe from heauen. &c.
IT behoued that the mindes of the faithfull, should be armed with some notable consolation against so sharpe and bitter temptations least they should be altogether discoraged. For how could the feble and weake multitude of the elect be able to suffer and indure so sturdy force as hard as the Adamant, of these horsemen, except they were furnished frō heauen with such rare and singuler vertue, of the holy ghost? Christ therfore commeth forth euen in due time, in the shape and forme of an Aungell as he doth often in this prophecie, bycause hee doth faithfully execute the will of his heauenly father in protecting and defending the Church, and he is described to be a farre other person from those former seuen Aungells, which sounded the trumpetes, as to be such an one as is armed not so much for the taking vengeance vponupon the wicked as appointed for the health and safegarde of the Church. For his wonderfull and mightie power is set forth, that the faithfull might not doubt to rest quietly and safely vnderunder the protectiō of him which is endued with inuincible strength to breake and ouerthrow all the violent force of the aduersaries. Hee descended from heauen, that he might succoure the Church warringe in earth, and euē now presently begining to fainte vnderunder yt burthen. For as often as we be oppressed with euils, heauen semeth to be shut vntounto vsus, and through the weakenesse of mans nature we feare least the great distance of place shoulde seperate vsus from the defence of Christ. Now therefore Christ descended frō heauē, yt he might bring presēt ayed to the afflicted & almost desperate estate of the Church. For he hath promised yt he wilbe with vsus euen to the end of the world. And although he ascended into heauen, yt he might fill all things wt his maiestie, yet nothing letteth, but that he may be sayd to descend vntounto the earth to ayed & succour the godly in there afflictions. So Isay 64. desireth that the Lord would breake the heauens and come down into ye earth, the same doth Dauid oftē in y• psalmes: whereby we playnly gather, that the descēding of Christ into the earth doth minister matter of true and sound comfort to the faithfull. For God neuer forsakethe, nor leaueth destitute his Children whome hee hathe once taken vnderunder his tuition.
Clothed with a cloude. &c. He descended vntounto the Earth clothed with a cloude, that is full of maiestie, for a cloud doth often times in the scripture represent to men a manifest signe and token of Gods deuine maiestie, so that somtime it is called the garments, sometime the chariote or horse of God. And at length oure sauioure will come in the cloudes with wonderfull bewtie and glory, to iudge both ye quicke and the dead, that the faithful maye learne boldely to contemne all the glitteringe shewe of gorgiouse apparell, as of purple robes scepters, and other princily ornamentes, so often as it is bosted of to obscure and darken the glorie of Christ. For there is no such glory in the robes of any prince, as there is in Christ clothed with a bright cloude.
And the rainebow vponupon his head. &c. He weareth a notable ornament vponupon his head, not a crowne of goulde, not a miter garnished and set with the finest preciouse stones, but ye rainbow, which is the olde sacrament of the mercy of God towards mankind, wherby not onelyonly the meruailouse greatnes of him is declared, whose head is sene compassed with ye rainbow, but also his infinite clemency and gentlenes, whiche beinge begunne to be made manifest towards men from ye creation of the worlde continueth throughout al ages like it selfe. And herevpon he beareth that ancient token and signe of the couenaunt yt was made with the whole world, that we should not thinke that the whole church which is vponupon earth, shal be ouerwhelmed together with the stormes and waues of cares, griefes, and calamities, as oft as we se the heauen wax darke and blacke with thicke mistye cloudes of miseries.
And his face was as the sunne. That which the sunne is to the world, the same is Christ to his church, which restoreth to the same the acceptable and glorious bewty of his light, whē the stormes & tempests of aduersities are driuen away. Therfore in so great darkenes of the tyrannye of Antichrist, verely Christ the son of ryghteousnes ariseth in dew time to the faith full, which being refreshed with the most pleasaunt bewty of his countenance, may well hope yt the end of miseries whiche they wished is come. For by his vertue & power that brymston-lyke smoke whiche is cast oute of the mouth of the monstrouse beastes is scattered and vanisheth awaye, that it can not chooke the remnants of the Church, as it doth the other worldly men.
And his feete were like pillers of fire. &c. From the head euen to the féete, Christ is described to be indued with inuincible power & strength. For he hath féete as it were pillers of fire, by which he will tread down & bring to nothing all the violence of yt aduersaries. For he must sit so longe at ye righte hand of God vntill all his enemies be made his footestole. Therfore there remayneth a terrible end for the wicked, bycause they shalbe slā ped to poulder with the fiery & pillerlike féete of Christ. What can Abaddon the king of locusts do against this Aungell, what can the twentie thousand times ten thousand horsemē do? what can those terrible horses do, which hauing heads like lyons doe breath out of there mouthes fire, smoke, & brymstone? what can the fiery, smokie & brymston like habbergions of ye horsemen do? onelyonly the féete of the Aungell which are like pillers of fire, shall easely tread down & ouerthrow all these preparatiōs & furniture.
Vers. 1.
And he had, in his hand a litle booke open. &c.
THis booke is an other (as I iudge) from that wée had before sealed with seuen seales which conteyned the secreat iudgements of God, y• were to be reuealed by Christ. But this booke semeth to conteyne, those great consolations which are rehersed euerie where in the scriptures as oft as mentiō is made of God reconciled to vsus by Christ, or yt I may speake more briefly, the promises of the Gospell, with which it behoueth the mindes of the godly to be susteyned & holden vp, yt they may not faint, whē they are oppressed with euils, but may lifte vp thēselues to the hope, of eternall blessednes. And they are sayed to be comprehended in a smale booke, bycause they do not lead vsus about by long & doubtfull circumstāces, but bringeth vsus directly to the throne of grace by one onelyonly mediatour Christ. They are written in a booke, yt they maye remayne throughoute all ages, otherwise it shold suffice to hauehave preached & vttered thē only to ye men of one age. This litle booke is opened, bycause the doctrine of the gospel is offered to all, though it be receiued, but of a few: Therfore all excuse of ignorance is taken away, seing that the booke is shewed open vntounto vsus. Moreouer the faithfull hauehave in a readinesse wherewt they may comfort one another, whē no man forbiddeth to draw out of this open booke, yt which may serue for there purpose. And Christ onelyonly reacheth forth vntounto vsus these cōsolations, so that worthely the Aungell is sayed to hold the booke in his hand, whiche afterwarde he deliuered to Ihon which required it, to be eaten.
And he put his righte foote vponupon the sea & his lefte …oote vpō the earth. &c. His meruailouse greatnes is noted in that with the one fote he trode vponupon the sea & with the other vponupon the land. And also the largenesse of his kingdome is signified, that he possesseth all things both by sea, & by land. And treadeth vponupon both the same elemēts euen as lord and ruler both of sea and land. And I thinke this is not to be passed by, that he put his righte foote (vponupon which we stand more strongly) vponupon the sea, & his lefte fote he set on the earth, for the waters are euen as stable and firme rockes to his feete, that the raging waues of the sea can not ouerwhelme and …rowne them. There is no cause therefore that we shold feare, least any force of this deuilish army shoulde preuaile against him.
Vers. 3.
And he cried with a loude voice, as when a lyon roreth. &c.
HE which semed a longe time to be dumbe, & as a Lion to sleap in his denne, whiles the tyrannie of Antichrist raged against the Church: Now hauing spied a cōuenien… time to reuenge the cause of the faithfull, sodeynly this Lion of the tribe of Iuda, as it were raised from sleap, roreth with a terrible voice against his enemies, and threatneth that he will plucke the pray euen out of there Iawes. And the similitude of a lion roring is fitly placed, whose voice doth strike a feare & terrour into all the wilde beastes. So when Christ shall once thunder after a terrible maner with his mightie word, all the pride of Antichrist must nedes tremble and quake. Although I do not thinke that he vsed an inarticulate voice, or y• he filled the apee with a rude crie wtout vnderstāding, but that he thretned horrible vēgeance to the wicked, wt an imperiouse & angry voice.
And when he had cried seuē thunders vttered there voices. &c. It appeareth that Christ with his loude crie called forth the seuen thunders, that they mighte make knowne to Ihon the seueritie and sharpenes of his iudgement against the wicked, for as soone as he had cried with a loude voice the seuen thunders vttered there voices. By the seuen thunders I vnderstand, all kind of most greuouse iudgementes, which God shall thunder againste the wicked contemners of his diuine Maiestie, which are foretold that they are prepared, by seuen thunderinge, rather then speakinge Aungels, least when wee measure the inuincible power of the armye of Antichrist with fleshly eyes, we should thinke that God were scarce able, to cast them downe out of so highe dignitie and power and that he wanteth waies and meanes whereby he may succour the most miserable state and condition of his Church.
Vers. 4.
And when the seuen thunders had spoken there voices I was about to write, but I heard a voice from heauen saying vntounto me, scale vp those thinges which the seuen thunders hauehave spoken, and write them not. &c.
BEcause Ihon beleued that those thinges which the seuen thunders had vttered, should be profitable to the Churche, he would hauehave committed the same to writing, and set it forth with the rest as a parte of this prophecie. But he herd a voice from heauen forbidding that he should write the same, but that he should shut vp and seale them, as sacred and holy misteries which it was not lawfull for men to know. For God would not hauehave all thinges which he hath decreed to be knowne before they come to pas. So he commaunded Daniele to seale vp certayne thinges that they might not be spred amōg the people. Chap. 12. And Paule was taken vp into the third heauen and herd thinges whiche it was not lawfull to vtter. But some will say, wherefore then spake the seuen thunders the thinges which no man is graunted to hear? I Aunswere, that they spake when Ihon herd them, that both his faith by the knowledge of the same, and also our faith by his testimonie might be confirmed, when as wee know that God hathe prepared all his iudgementes, wherewith he will strike and punish the wicked, although it pertayne not to vsus to knowe, what time, by what meanes, and by what minister he will e… ecute the same.
Vers. 5.
And tho Aungell which I saw stand vponupon the sea, and vponupon the earth. &c.
AFter that the voices of the seuen thunders were sealed, whiche the holye ghost forbade to be vttered abroade: that most mightie Aungell whiche stoode vponupon the earthe and the sea (least any thing should be wanting to the godly which mighte make to there full and perfecte consolation) confirmed with a solemne othe that there calamitie should shortly be finished. For it hath great force to perswade to patience, if the faithfull knowe, that the hope of there deliueraunce shall not long be differred. Howsoeuer therefore God would hauehave verie many of his counsels kept close from men, yet he suffered this to be made manifest: and that the rewardes prepared for his souldiours should not longe be kept backe. But it is profitable more diligently to consider the forme of the wordes.
Lifte vp his hand to heauen. &c. It is certayne, that in as much as pertayneth to the forme of the vision, hee alludeth to those things which are written in the 12. Chapter of Daniel: although for an other end, for there the Aungell lifting vp hoth his handes to heauen sware, that after a time, two times, and halfe a time, the persecution of the Churche shoulde be ended, but here the Aungell affirmeth that there shalbe no delay or tarying at al, after the soundinge of the trumpet of the seuenthe Aungell. And in that he swereth with his hand stretched forth to heauen, he obserueth the solemne cerimonie, which the olde fathers vsed in swering, whereby they signified that they called the God of heauen to witnes, and also to reuenge if they had fayled and broken there othe. So Abraham in the 14. Genes. made aunswere to the king of Sodoma, when he was earnestly requested to retaine the pray and spoile of the slaughter of the kinges, I hauehave lifte vp my hand (sayeth he) to God the possessour of heauen and earth. &c.
Vers. 6.
And sware by him which liueth for euer more. &c.
THis is a circumlocutiō of the mighty god, which liueth for euermore, by which kind of speach he is seperated, not only from dead idols, but also from tyrants which are mortall, which would be worshipped them selues as gods, of whiche sort were Caligula, Nero, & Domitian. To whome also this doeth properly perteyne, because that by himselfe he liueth eternallye, and is the aucthor of that lyfe, which is in all other thinges accordinge as S. Paule saieth in the 17. of the Actes in him we liue, moue and hauehave our beinge. And it oughte not to trouble vsus, that this Aungell whiche beareth the person of Christ, flieth to the aucthority of God in swearing, when as he is God himselfe, seing Christ himselfe doth the same thing very often in ye person of the mediator. But rather the holy ghost woulde admonished S. Iohn that this decree concerninge the consumation of the worlde & the last iudgment, proceded not from anye creature, but euen from God himselfe. For we see how carelesly the worlde doth deride those things which are spokē in ye holy scripturs cōcerning ye dissolutiō of this frame of ye world, & the faithfull are somtime a slepe, when they geue thē selues to much to pleasurs, so that they forget ye last iudgmēt whom it behoueth to be wakned with this sacred othe of as Christ it were wt a loude cryinge voice, that they may more diligently meditate of those thinges which perteine to ye receiuinge of oure redemer from heauen.
Which created heauen and the thinges that are therein, and the earth and the things that are therin and the sea and the thinges that are therein. &c. The next thing yt is ascribed to God, is that he is ye creator of al things, & that he liueth not blessed to himselfe alone as yt Epicures do dreame, but gouerneth all things which he hath, created ether in heauen or earth by his diuine will & prouidence. For it is againste all reason when we shall ascribe ye creation of all thinges to God, yt we would take from him all rule & gouernmēt ouer ye same. For it is necessarie yt euerie worke serue to y• will & pleasure of the workeman. Moreouer he doth here solemnlye, and as it were with expressed wordes, as the custome is in matters of greate weyght, number vp all kindes of creatures, taking the diuision of places wherein they be. Which is done to amplify the matter, for though it be the verie same as if he should say (hee that hath created all thinges) yet we are more drawne into admiration of so great power, wisedome, & goodnes, when wee here recited the heauē & all creatures which are therein, whether we vnderstand the Angelicall powers, or the starres, whē we consider the earth & the infinite kindes of liuing creatures plāts, stones, & mettals, which are in the same, whē we behold more diligently the great huge sea, & the innumerable formes and shapes of liuing thinges which are ingendered in the same. And that he mentioneth these thre places onelyonly, he doth it according to the vsuall maner of the holye scriptures, bycause these thre commonly are most in sight to the common sort, and the holy ghost by his infinite mercy doth abase him selfe to the capacitie of the rude and ignorant people. Although to say the trueth, all creatures are conteyned in these thre places. For nothing is ingendred in the element of fire, and the scripture cō prehendeth the higher regions of the ayer in which the meteores are made, vnderunder the name of heauen, so that they are also called the fowles of heauen which flye in the lowest parte of this ayre which compasseth vsus about.
That time should be no more. &c. The greeke worde foreign signifieth the long delay of time. Wherevpon it is sayed that foreign dothe signifie to delaye, or be slacke. For hee doth not vnderstand, as certayne do to subtiltie gather. yt the mouing of the higheste sphere of the heauen called Primum mobile, by which we measure time, shall then cease, but that from thence forth there shall be no stop, nor stay to deferre out redēption, nor no delay to take vengeance vponupon ye vngodly & reprobate: for they shall not then mocke the iudgemente of God, as they now carelesly deride that, which is foreshewed concerninge his seueritie and sharpenes.
Vers. 7.
But in ye daies of y• voice of ye 7. Angell whē he shal begin to blow
HE sheweth how long the day of the last iudgement shalbe proroged, euen vntill the time in which the seuenth aungel by the sounde of his trumpete shall giuegive manifeste signes of the resurrection, and iudgemente. Those thinges therefore which remayne to be made manifeste in the soundinge of the trumpet of the sixte Aungell, are without all doubt to be referred to the last age of the world, which if we diligently consider, do clearely expresse and point oute the state and condition of this oure age, as we shall declare more at large in the Chapter folowing.
Euen the misterie of God shalbe finished. &c. The secreate counsell of God whiche is furthest remoued from the wisedome of the world, against which Sathan with all ye wickednes of the world opposeth & setteth him self, shall at lentgh obtayne an ende. The gloriouse and perpetuall redemption of the whole Church through Christ. And the euerlasting destruction of Antichrist, with his whole body: In either part ye vnspeakable glorie, and wonderfull magnificence of God shalbe seene. Which thinges if they be not now seene of the wise men of this worlde, wee are admonished that it is, the misterie of god, which is reuerentlye receyued of the simple and sincere faith of the godly, but is proudly reiected of the swollen and puffed vp knowledge of the vngodly, but in his due time it shalbe reuealed to the whole worlde, to the wicked for there reproche and condemnation, to the godly for there glorye and endlesse consolation.
As he declared to his seruaunts the prophets. &c. The holy ghoste did not here first beginne to admonishe men of the iudgement of God to come, but in time past in all ages he did the same by his seruaunts the prophets. For we cannot rightlye vnderstande God, excepte we acknowledge him to be a rewarder of the good, and a taker of vengeaunce vponupon the wicked, as the Apostell witnesseth in the 11. chapter to the Hebrewes, And this is also to be noted, that he vseth the worde (of declaring the gospell) when he speketh of yt terrible iudgment of god, for that day is euen the perfect finishing and fulfillinge of the gospell, in which the Lord shall performe what soeuer he hath promised. So Christ preacheth to his Apostels saying when ye see all these thinges come to pas, lifte vp your heades for your redemption draweth nere. And trulye in that this seconde comminge of Christ semeth terrible vntounto vsus, it is for this cause that either wee abound in sinnes and iniquities, in whiche alas, we doe to securelye sauoure and flatter our selues, or else that we are weake in fayth which we ought to praye continually that God will increase in vsus.
Vers. 8.
And the voice which I, herde from heauen spake vntounto me againe, and sayed, go and take the litle booke whith is open in the hand of the Aungell, which standeth vponupon the sea and vponupon the earth. &c.
NOw the heauenly voice doth teach to what ende Christ helde open the booke of the promises of the Gospell. Verely that when it was deliuered by him to the ministers of the Churche in the person of Ihon, and receyued of them, yea throughly digested in there breastes, it mighte afterwarde he spread abroade to the consolation and comforte of the whole Churche. (And the voice which I herde &c.) the same heauenly voice which commaundeth to kepe close the secreate misteries of the seuen thunders, commaundeth him to take the litle booke of the Euangelicall trueth, which is open in the hande of the Aungell. Let vsus diligentlye therefore looke vponupon this booke, which is committed vntounto vsus by the commaundement of the holye ghoste, but let vsus not curiously searche after those thinges which the same spirite would hauehave to be kept secreat. Moreouer we may note, that the doctours, and teachers of the Church are commaunded (vnderunder the person of Ihon) to require the doctrine of the Gospell at ye handes of Christ, which they are bound to deliuer forth pure vntounto the Church, euen as they hauehave receyued it. Therefore the heauenly voice expresseth by name, from the hand of which Aungell he ought to receyue the same, not of eneey one, but of his verely whiche standeth vponupon the sea, and vponupon the lande, whome S. Iohn knew well enough to represent our Lorde Christ. For if an angell from heauen shall bring any other Gospell, let that Aungell be accursed. Galath. 1. Chap.
Vers. 9.
And I went vntounto the Aungell, and sayed to him giuegive me the litle booke, & he sayed vntounto me take it and eate it, and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shalbe in thy mouth as swete as honye. &c.
SAincte Ihon doth obey the holy ghost (& as this thing was done in a vision) he goeth to the Aungell assigned him by the heauenly voice, and as he was commaunded hee required the booke of him. And the Aungell doth not onelyonly deliuer to him the litle booke, but also commaundeth Ihon to eate vp the same. Afterwarde he sheweth the force and working of the same, saying that in tast it would be as swete as honye, but it would fill his bellie with bitter iuice and such as could not be kepte in.
Vers. 10.
Then I toke the litle booke out of the Aungels hand and eate it vp, and it was in my mouth as swete as honie, but as soone as I had eaten it, my bellye was bitter. &c.
IHon sheweth that he gredely deuoured the booke, which he receyued according to the commaundemente of the Aungell, & that he found it to bee so in verie dede, whiche he had heard before cōcerning the force & working of the same. For as long as it was shewed in his mouthe, he semed to bee replenished with the most pleasaunt swetenesse of honye, but after it had descended into his stomacke and intrailes, he felte more then the bitternes of galle. And this place alludeth to those things which are writen in the third chap. of Ezechiell, for there the prophete being commaunded to eate vp the booke which conteyned euen the seueritie and sharpenes of Gods vengeaunce. yet felt the swete tast of hony in eating the same, howe muche more did S. Ihon eating a booke full of consolations, perceyue an heauenly tast? but yt so swete meate doth make the belly bitter, it is for this cause, that he should not thinke that he had …ate it vp for him selfe alone, whiche was to bee belched vp againe for the medicine of many. For both ye Angel doth playnly shew this thinge in the nexte verse folowinge, and also the holy ghost doth other where, vse this same figure of the bellye being made bitter. As in the 4. Chapter of Ierem. the Prophete complayneth that he felt the greuouse tormentes of his bellye that was made bitter bycause he had herde the sounde of the trumpet, and the voice of him that cried alarme. And in the 32. Chapter of Iob. Elihu bosteth that his belly is full of the holy ghost like to the vessele of the vintuer which woulde burst except it be opened.
Vers. 11.
And he sayed vntounto me thou must prophecie againe amonge the people and nations, and tonges and to manye kinges. &c.
HE teacheth that so great treasure of the heauenly doctrine was not committed to Ihon for him selfe alone, but that it was for this cause layed vp in his custodie, that as often as neede should require, it might be brought forthe for the vse of the whole Church. And after he declareth how largely yt fruite and commoditie of the same doth extend, when as the vtilitie and proffite thereof must be spreade abroade, among nations and people, and tonges, and also many kinges. And there is described in this vision by a notable figure, a true pastour of ye Church and faithfull minister, whome first of all it is meete to be raised vp by the holye Ghoste to so highe an office, and callinge, and the same spirite leadinge him, to receyue and take desirousely the booke of the heauenly doctrine offered and reached forth to him of Christ, and when it is receyued, to lodge it in the inward bowelse of his breast, and last of all when it is well degested, to bring it forth to the proffite and commoditie of manie, and to stirre vp Princes together with the people to the obedience of the same.