Exposition on the Catholic Epistles, Revelation · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI.
HEre is ſhewed how the Lambe beginneth to open the Seales in order, and what followeth vponupon the opening of each of them, by ſuch things as appeared future euents concerning the Church of God being emblematically ſet forth, & as the opening of eueryevery Seale ſucceedeth one another, and after the Seales follow the Trumpets,Eullinger. Forbs. Brightman. Ly…a. Antonin. Ambroſ. lib. adulterinus. Fox. and after the Trumpets the Vials, ſo ſome will hauehave the euents hereby ſet forth to ſucceed one another in order in diuers ages to the end of the world. And ſome begin the computation from the beginning of the world, by the ſeuen Seales vnderſtanding the ſeuen ages. Some from the foure Monarchies of the Aſſyrians, Medes and Perſians, Grecians and Romans, which they will hauehave ſet forth by theſe foure horſes which beginnings cannot ſtand, becauſe Iohn is not taken vp to ſee things paſt, but to come, by which reaſon alſo that opinion reckoned vp by Andreas is confuted, expounding the firſt Seale of Chriſts Birth,Andreas ex Methodio. the ſecond of his Baptiſme, the third of his Miracles, the fourth of his Arraignment, the fift of his Buriall, the ſixt of his Deſcent, &c. The reſt which ſpeake more probably, beginne the time at the Apoſtles going out to preach the Goſpell in all nations, and ſo apply eueryevery thing to ſome notable accident, as one happened after another from age to age. Yet becauſe at the opening of the ſixt Seale mention is ſo plainly made of the laſt day of Iudgement, as that it is but a wreſting of the words to expound it any other way: and againe, at the ſounding of the ſeuenth Trumpet it is ſo confidently affirmed that time was no more, chap. 11. and the time is ſaid to be come of iudging the dead, verſ. 18. which cannot be meant but of the day of Iudgement: and againe, Chap. 14. the Vintage is cut downe and the Wine-preſſe trodden: and againe, Chap. 20. the dead ariſe, and come to iudgement: I cannot ſee how that computing of all things in order to the end can ſtand, becauſe the day of Iudgement, which is laſt of all, commeth ſo often in the way. There are therefore, that beginning the time at the propagation of the Goſpell abroad in the world, make diuers periods in theſe viſions, holding that within eueryevery period moſt notable things which ſhould happen to the end of the world are ſet forth,Parcus. in the firſt more obſcurely, and in eueryevery following period more plainly, and yet not alwaies the ſame, but if any thing of note hath beene omitted in the former, it is ſupplied in the periods following, neither is eueryevery one ſo vniuerſall as another; for ſome ſet forth the eſtate of the Church perſecuted by Tyrants, flouriſhing vnderunder Chriſtian Emperours, perſecuted by Antichriſt & ſhaking off his yoke, as the viſion of the ſeuen Seales, of the ſeuen Trumpets, of the woman with childe cloathed with the Sunne, and of the Angell binding the Dragon, being afterwards looſened againe: but ſome ſet forth that part of the eſtate of the Church only which was in Antichriſts reigne and ouerthrow, as the ſeuen Vials and the viſion of the great whore and her deſtruction. And vntounto this, as being moſt without exception, doe I ſubſcribe, the rather becauſe S. Auguſtine long agoe gaue ſome light to this method ſaying,Aug. lib. 20. de Ciuit. Dei, c. 17. that here the ſame things are many waies repeated, that diuers things may ſeeme to be ſpoken, when as it may be found out that the ſame things are ſpoken diuers waies. Wherefore with theſe my Authors I diſtinguiſh this Booke from hence-forward to the end into ſix viſions. Firſt, of the ſeales, &c. to the end of the ſeuenth Chapter. Secondly, of the Trumpets, to the end of the eleuenth. Thirdly, of the woman in child-bed, &c. to the end of the fourteenth Chapter. Fourthly, of the ſeuen Vials, to the end of the ſixteenth Chapter. Fiftly, of the whore of Babylon, to the end of the nineteenth Chapter. Sixtly, of the Angell binding Satan, &c. to the end of the Booke.
To beginne with the viſion of theſe two Chapters.
Queſt. 1. Behold a white horſe, Verſ. 2.and he that ſate on him had a bow, &c. What is meant by this white horſe, and by the red, and blacke, and pale horſe, and why doth the firſt beaſt prepare to the beholding of this, the ſecond to the ſecond, &c. and why in ſpeaking of the third is there a voice out of the Throne heard,Verſ. 5. A meaſure of wheat for a penny, and three meaſures of barly for a penny, &c.
Petrus Aureolus Cardinalis. Blaſ. Viegas.Anſ. There is great difference amongſt Expoſitors here. Some will hauehave the Roman Emperours vnderſtood at foure times: Firſt, vnderunder Caius Caligula, in whoſe time the enemies of Chriſtianity, the Iewes, were deſtroied, and Caius, though not purpoſely, was made the inſtrument. Secondly, vnderunder Nero Domitian, who firſt put out publike edicts for the perſecuting of Chriſtians. Thirdly, vnderunder Titus, whoſe Empire was a blacke time to the Iewes, ſuffering (beſides many other things) much famine. Fourthly, vnderunder Domitianus, who moued the ſecond perſecution, and put Iohn into boiling lead. But all theſe things being paſt, and this viſion tending to ſet forth things to come, this expoſition cannot ſtand.
Primaſius. Auguſtine. Haimo. Beda. Arethas.Others vnderſtand by the firſt the going forth of the Goſpell vnderunder Chriſts conduct, who with his ſpirituall arrowes pierceth mens hearts, and hath a Crowne to reward the faithfull withall; by the ſecond, oppoſitions of the truth ſtirred vp by the Deuill, as the rider of the red horſe; by the third, falſe Chriſtians and hypocriticall, hauing a ballance onelyonly for a colour, whom the Deuill alſo rideth; by the fourth, perſecutions to the death by the ſword and wilde beaſts, &c. But neither doth this agree, becauſe killing one another vnderunder the ſecond horſe is expreſly mentioned, and not oppoſing onelyonly, and the expoſition of the third is too generall concerning all times, whereas doubtleſſe the intent here is to ſet downe the diuers condition of the Church in ſeuerall ages.
Bullenger. Forbs. Brightman. Aretius.Others vnderſtand by the ſecond horſe wars, wherewith the world was puniſhed for not receiuing the Goſpell, when the Romans were ſo full of trouble; by the third, famins, wherewith they were afterwards puniſhed, as in the dayes of Seuerus, witneſſe Tertull. in Apologet. who maketh mention both of a moſt grieuous famine, and of a ſtrange ecclipſe of the Sunne in Conuentu Vitcenſi. By the fourth horſe, plague and peſtilence wherewith they were further puniſhed,If by theſe three laſt horſes iudgements were ſet forth vponupon perſecutors, how is it that the ſoules vnderunder the Altar complaine for want of reuenge? this happened in the dayes of Gallus and Voluſianus, for then a plague beginning at Aethiopia, ouerſpread almoſt all the Eaſt and Weſt, enduring fifteene yeeres, as Zonaras writeth, and Dionyſ. Alexandrinus in Epiſt. ad Fratres. But partly becauſe according to this expoſition, either the words following of the day of iudgement muſt bee forced, or the greateſt ſpace of time betwixt that peſtilence and the end of the world will bee left vntouched, and partly becauſe theſe puniſhments tooke not vp all, but ſome of thoſe perſecuting times: whereas if it may bee, ſuch an expoſition is requiſite, as may agree to the whole tract of time from this Reuelation made vntounto the end, therefore I cannot ſee how this may be receiued.
Richard. de Sancto victore. Io…chim. D. Chytreus. Aretius. Fulco. Franc. Lamb. Pareus. Collado.The moſt common receiued expoſition is, that by the ſecond horſe is ſet forth the bloudy perſecution enſuing the preaching of the Goſpell, which went out conquering vponupon the firſt horſe, which perſecution continued till Conſtantine. By the third horſe which is blacke, is ſet forth the trouble which the Church ſuffered by Heretikes, ſuch as Arrius, Macedonius, Neſtorius, &c. with which trouble the Church was conflicting aboue two hundred yeres. And by the fourth horſe which is pale, is ſet forth the trouble of the Church by corruption in religion, in the Papacy and Mahumetiſme, deſtroying a world of people; after all which, hell the reward of theſe diſturbers of the peace of the Church followeth: for almoſt to this effect many Writers ſpeake. And herein, as in the moſt ſound expoſition of theſe horſes doe I reſt; for the horſe being for warre, is fit to ſet forth either how religion hath preuailed, or how it hath beene in countered and hindered. I doe not ſo approue that Chriſt ſhould bee the rider of the white horſe, for hee ſtandeth at this time as a Lambe opening the ſeales: but the Chriſtian religion is the rider, and hath a crowne in token of victory: vponupon the red horſe rideth perſecution red with bloud-ſhed; and in that a ſword is ſpoken of, it agreeth excellently to the prediction of our Sauiour Chriſt, I came not to ſend peace, but a ſword. VponUpon the blacke horſe rideth Hereſie, which though it were red through bloud-ſhed alſo, yet becauſe the moſt dangerous thing herein was the obſcuring of the truth by ſubtilty of argument, it is ſaid to bee blacke. VponUpon the pale horſe rideth corruption in religion, ſaid to bee pale like death, becauſe that inſenſibly hereby is brought a deadneſſe all ouer the world, all pure bloud of religion, which maketh freſh and ruddy, being wrought out by degrees, and when any begin to reuiue, as of late yeres (thanks be to God) there hauehave beene many, they hauehave beene preſently deſtroyed in innumerable multitudes, ſo that it may well bee ſaid, that the third part is thus conſumed.
Touching the beaſts in order ſtirring vp to attention,Brightman. I doe not thinke with ſome, that either the Apoſtles in the firſt age are ſet forth, or Iuſtin Martyr in the next, or Tertullian in the third, or Cyprian in the fourth; but becauſe a crowne ſuteth well with a Lion, a ſword or knife with a calfe, a paire of ſcales with a man, and a multitude of dead carkaſſes with an eagle, to which it vſually reſorteth: I thinke that it is ſaid, the firſt beaſt like a Lion calleth to the firſt ſight, and ſo the reſt vntounto the other: or perhaps there is no ſignification at all herein intended, but becauſe theſe miniſter about God, firſt one, and then another acteth his cryer, vntill theſe foure ſeales be opened without reſpect vntounto what was contained vnderunder each of them.
Laſtly, touching the voice comming out from the midſt of the beaſts, it was, as my Authours agree, the Lambs voyce, as was moſt fit, for he giueth a charge as hauing authority, wine and oile hurt thou not: but what is meant hereby, and why this rider is ſet forth hauing ballances, and wheat is proclaimed at a peny a meaſure, and barley at a peny three meaſures, is a great queſtion. They which vnderſtand by the black horſe, a famine wherewith the world was puniſhed for infidelity, will hauehave theſe words to ſound a great dearth of corne, but wine & oile, which are not of that neceſſity, they ſay, that the Lord in commanding to ſpare them, meaneth that they ſhould not be altogether left deſtitute of all comforts: How this can any way ſtand I ſee not, for in a ſore famine, as in the dayes of Ahab, nothing that groweth is ſpared: and truly me thinks, if a meaſure of the fineſt graine be to be bought for a peny, & of courſer three meaſures, men ſhould not be afraid of ſuch a famine, though the meaſure be but enough to make foure loaues ſufficient to keepe a man a day, as the word foreign is commonly expounded here, & the peny be as much as a man could yearne in a day, according to the parable, where it is ſaid they receiued eueryevery one a peny for the day.Matth. 20. 2 King. 7. By a like▪ phraſe plenty is promiſed elſewhere, a meaſure of fine floure for a ſhekell, &c. but that there the word is foreign which is a meaſure of aboue halfe a buſhell, at fifteene pence; this of three pintes, at ſeuen pence halfe-peny of our money, which though it cannot be interpreted of plenty, yet neither can I by any meanes be perſwaded that it is meant of famine; which in reaſon, if it be threatned to terrifie, muſt needs bee a farre other manner of dearth, than can bee collected hence. Yet euen they that vnderſtand this of hereſie, expound it of a famine of hearing of the word of God, allegorically ſet forth vnderunder the termes of wheat and barley. For they ſay, that hereſie commeth with ballances, pretending to weigh eueryevery doctrine by the weight of truth; but the Lord giueth warning, that true doctrine and good teachers ſhall then bee very ſcarce, yet the fundamentall points meant by the wine and oyle ſhall remaine vnſhaken. And Pareus contendeth much to make Chriſt the rider of this black… horſe, becauſe heretikes pretend Chriſt, as being by him directed. For mine owne part, I am not ſatisfied with any of theſe expoſitions, and therefore deſire a can did interpretation, if I ſhall put in my coniecture. I thinke then, that the voice in the midſt of the foure beaſts, is the voice of the cryer of this Captaine riding vponupon the blacke horſe; for each horſe commeth out from amidſt the beaſts, ſeeing the booke, at the opening whereof they all appeare, is held by the Lambe in the midſt of the beaſts, as was before ſhewed. That which he crieth, is neither plenty nor ſcarcity, but as hee maketh ſhew, that rideth by his ballances, a iuſt and equall price of theſe neceſſary graines, and becauſe wine and oyle are not wont to be weighed in the ballance, men are ſecured, that they ſhall not bee herein wronged; and theſe are mentioned as the chiefe commodities of thoſe countreys, whereby the life is maintained, according to the Pſalmiſt,Pſal. 104. He giueth the ſtaffe of bread, wine to make glad the heart of man, and oyle to make him a chearefull countenance. Now in all this it is alluded vntounto the doctrine of truth, the hereticke profeſſeth to teach nothing but what hee can approue for truth, being weighed by the ballance of holy Scriptures, and euen as in buying and ſelling, they are accounted honeſt dealers that ſell a peny worth for a peny, and make no mixtures in their liquid commodities, but ſerue the buyer of them pure and vnhurt by ſuch mixing, ſo he ſeeketh to approue his dealing in the teaching of his hereſies, by profeſſing equity and iuſtice and freedome from all deceit, and if his corne ſhall be thought ſomewhat deare, hee will make you amends in his wine and oile: for it is not vnuſuall to compare diuine inſtructions to corne, and ſometime to milke and wine. Thus it appeareth what tragicall times the Church hath had, but it is by Gods owne appointment, and the laſt hath now beene long in acting, neither ſhall wee need to feare profeſſed enemies vntounto Chriſt any more: for wait but a while, till the preſent corruptions be purged out, and then commeth the liuing with Chriſt when there ſhall be nothing to annoy vsus, and in the meane ſeaſon the comfort is, that of all theſe riders the truth onelyonly weareth the crowne; wherefore perſecutors, heretikes, and corrupt Chriſtians ſhall be put downe, and ſuch as imbrace the truth, ſhall reigne finally in glory for euer.
Queſt. 2. And when he had opened the fift feale, Verſ. 9.I ſaw the ſoules of them that were ſlaine for the word of God vnderunder the Altar, &c. What place was this? how could he ſee mens ſoules? vponupon what occaſion doe they cry thus for reuenge? and how warrantable is this? what be the robes giuen them? and what meaneth the ſtay till the reſt of their fellow-ſeruants were ſlaine alſo?
Anſw. Before we come to reſolue theſe doubts, it may bee queſtioned alſo, why no voyce to come and ſee is heard at the opening of this & the next ſeale, as in the foure ſeales paſt? About this it is agreed, that the apparitions paſt, being but dumb repreſentations, it was neceſſary that by ſome voyce Iohn ſhould be excited to behold them; but here the ſoules appearing make a cry themſelues, which is enough to ſtirre vp to attention, and therefore no other preparing voyce was needfull: and the like may bee ſaid of the ſixt ſeale, ſuch things were acted, and with ſuch noiſe, that it was in ſtead of an exciting voyce.
Touching the place where the ſoules are ſaid to lie, viz. vnderunder the Altar, I preferre that expoſition,Brightman. Arethas. whereby their ſacrificing in their martyrdome is held to be alluded vntounto in this phraſe, they appeare lying vnderunder the Altar, ſignifying what death they had died, and how precious vntounto the Lord the death of martyrs is, which giuegive their liues in being faithfull vntounto him. And whereas ſacrifices are wont to bee laid vponupon the Altar, not vnderunder it; the reaſon why they are ſaid to be vnderunder may be, becauſe they were not now in ſacrificing, but had been already ſacrificed, and therfore as the aſhes of the ſacrifice being burnt, fall thorow a grate vnderunder the Altar, ſo they are ſaid to lie vnderunder.
Beda. Haimo. Pareus. Bullinger. Thom. Aquin.Some will hauehave Chriſt meant by the Altar, and ſo expound it, as a comfort in ſuffering, ſeeing when a man hath ſuffered death for Chriſt, he is receiued vnderunder his wing, being conformable to him in being ſacrificed, they reſt and are ſafe with him for euer.
Some expound the Altar, of Chriſts humanity,Bernard. ſerm. 4. Omnium ſanct. which the faithfull are receiued vntounto now, it being reſerued till the laſt day, to giuegive them the full fruition of his diuinity alſo.
Some by the Altar vnderſtand the places of the martyrs buriall or ſufferings,Ribera. Viegas. becauſe Altars were wont to be built vponupon them, and the crying of their ſoules they will hauehave to be none other, but as the crying of Ables bloud where it was ſpilt, and ſoules are ſpoken of by a phraſe vſuall, ſo many men being called ſo many ſoules. But this is a meere Ieſuiticall imagination, ſeeing Altars vponupon martyrs ſepulchres were of a later edition, and though ſo many men be often called ſo many ſoules, yet when the ſoules of any that are ſlaine are named, it cannot bee ſo taken. Whereas moſt ſtand for Chriſt meant by the Altar, I ſhould willingly incline to thinke ſo to, but that Chriſt yet ſtandeth as a Lambe, and therefore I cannot ſee how he can at the ſame time bee repreſented by an Altar alſo. I conclude therefore as I began, that by the appearance of an Altar, is repreſented their ſacrificing, when they ſuffered, the place wherein they now are, being heauen the common receptacle of all faithfull ſoules; but ſaid to bee vnderunder the Altar, to denote the manner of their death; neither doth Iohn ſee them with his bodily eyes, but being in the ſpirit. And fidy doe the ſoules of the martyred appeare after ſuch a number ſlaine by cruell enemies, crying for vengeance; not vocally, for ſoules doe not vtter voyces, but vertually; the deſtroying and murthering of them hauing a loud cry in the eares of God, ſo that a deſire of reuenge in them is amiſſe ſurmiſed to bee from hence, who being in the fleſh had ſo much louelove, as that they prayed for their perſecutors, and were farre from the ſpirit of reuenge. But they are brought in crying aloud for the terrour of perſecutors, ſeeing the cryes of ſuch ſhall without doubt bee regarded, though in reſpect of many more yet in theſe times of corruption to bee crowned alſo with martyrdome a delay to bemade; Whereupon it is, that their anſwer is alſo ſet forth in this manner. And thus I hauehave briefly reſolued the reſt of the doubts without delaying the reader: by the diuerſity of expoſitions,Pareus. Brightman. Chryſoſt. Hom. in Pſal. 9. Auguſt. Serm. 30. detemp. ſome interpreting their cry for reuenge, to be onelyonly for deliuerance of the Church from perſecutors, hauing beene already ſo long oppreſſed: and ſome for the taking away of this malice out of mens mindes that there may bee no more perſecuting, by confounding ſuch Kings and Potentates, that they may bee brought to turne vntounto Chriſt. The white robes giuen vntounto them,Bullinger. Brightman. howſoeuer ſome contend that they were ſignes of ſome comfort, and breathing time which the Church ſhould hauehave and had about this time, according to their expoſition; yet both the plaine ſpeech which is vſed in anſwering them is againſt it, for they are told of their brethren that muſt be ſlaine alſo, and white robes are neuer ſpoken of in this ſenſe,Pareus. but to ſet forth heauenly glory, which is not to be thought now firſt to hauehave been giuen vntounto them, but immediatly vponupon their departure out of this life, when their deaths began firſt to cry, though it was not repreſented in viſion till now; ſo that euen when they cry, they are in the midſt of heauenly ioyes, and without all paſſion of ſorrow; onelyonly they are not perfectly glorified, till the whole company being made vp at the day of iudgement, being reunited to their bodies, they ſhall reigne in heauen for euer; wherefore they are bidden reſt till their fellow ſeruants were ſlaine alſo. And well doth this cry come in after the fourth ſeale, repreſenting the corruptions in the Church fighting againſt the truth, becauſe this perſecution hath beene longer than any before it, and therefore needfull it was to tell of martyrs which had beene already made crying out, and of ſuch as ſhould yet bee made, when it might ſeeme to bee full time to put an end to theſe miſeries, that expecting ſo long a continuance, wee might arme our ſelues with patience.
Queſt. 3. The ſixt ſeale being opened, Verſ. 12.there was a great earthquake, and the Sunne became blacke as haire cloth, and the Moone as bloud, &c. What is meant by theſe things, and whether the day of iudgement or no?
Anſw. Moſt Expoſitors hold, that the day of iudgment is here deſcribed,Fox. Richard. de Sancto victore. Pannonius. Primaſius. Beda. Rupertus. Arethas, &c. when the reuenge before cryed for is taken vponupon all ſorts of perſecutors of the Church, and the words here vſed are nothing elſe but a periphraſis vponupon this day: for thus the Lord ſetteth forth the day of iudgement, Luk. 21.11. There ſhall be great earth-quakes in diuers places. Ʋerſ. 25. There ſhall be fignes in the Sunne, Moone and Starres, and vponupon the earth diſtreſſe of nations with perplexity. Ʋerſ. 26. Mens hearts failing them for feare, &c. and more expreſly Mark. 13.24. The Sun ſhall be darkened, the Moone ſhall not giuegive her light. 25. The ſtarres of heauen ſhall fall, and the powers of heauen ſhall be ſhaken. The Sun ſhall be darkened becauſe it ſhall no more giuegive light to this world, the Moone ſhall be turned into bloud, to ſhew the great deſtruction that then ſhall be, the ſtars ſhall fall, there being no further vſe of them, when men ſhall ceaſe to bee here; euen as the leaues of the figtree fall off when there is no further need of them to couer the figs. The heauens are as a booke folded vp, when they lofe all their light, being as it were clapt together, whereas now it ſtandeth open. That which followeth of the mountaines and ilands remouing out of their places, is to ſhew the greatnes of this earth-quake, euen to the deſtroying of the earth. Then all wicked men, how great ſoeuer they hauehave beene in this world, ſhall quake and feare, being vnable to beare the wrath to come vponupon them, ſet foorth in their calling to the mountaines to fall vponupon them, &c.
Blaſ. Viegas. Who alſo ſaith, that many Doctors expound this thus. Brightman. Graſſer.Others will hauehave theſe things vnderſtood allegorically, the great earth-quake of the great perſecution vnderunder Diocleſian, being in all parts of the earth at once: then ſay they, the Sun of righteouſneſſe, Chriſt, was darkened in his members; the Moone, the Church, appeared like bloud, being all bloudy with ſlaughters; the ſtarres, the miniſters of God, many of them fell for feare from Chriſtianity to idolatry; the he…uen, the Church, was folded vp as a booke, hiding it ſelfe for feare at that time; and the inhabitants of mountainous places and Ilands were ſought out to be deſtroyed, which is expreſſed in ſaying, the mountaines and Ilands were remoued out of their place, then all profeſſours of the Chriſtian religion ſought to hide themſelues from the anger of him that ſitteth vponupon the throne, thinking God and the Lambe to bee angry with them, ſet forth in the laſt words.
Bullinger. Pareus.Others will hauehave the corruption in the time of Antichriſt meant, which time (ſay they) began when Conſtantine aduanced Sylueſter the Biſhop of Rome and his ſucceſſours, and continueth in the Papacy to this day, then began a great earthquake by the change of the ſtate of the Church into Pontificall; then the Sunne, the doctrine touching Chriſt, was darkened through the interpoſition of traditions; the Moone, the Church, was turned into bloud, either by murthers committed by Antichriſt, or by the corrupt worſhipping of God; the ſtarres, the miniſters of God, fell from heauen by apoſtatiſing from the truth; the heauen, the Church was folded together as a booke, when it appeared not any where, or the holy Scriptures were ſhut vp from the people; the mountaines, Emperours and Kings, were remoued by Popes; the Ilands, the people, were remoued out of their place, by being made beleeue vponupon paine of damnation, that the Pope is the head of the Church. And being brought to this eſtate of corruption, as there can be no ſound peace, but terrors of conſcience out of the truth, ſo all eſtates are ſet forth as terrified by a conſcience of Gods iudgement, and ſome indeed fulfilled this according to the letter, going into wilderneſſes and Monaſteries, ſeeking by applying themſelues to perpetuall deuotion, to quiet their conſciences accuſing them for former offences, but could not effect it. But herein Pareus differeth from Bullinger, for hee applieth this of the generall feare of all eſtates and degrees to the laſt day of iudgement, which ſhall follow, after that the world hath beene ſo corrupted in the time of Antichriſts reigne.
Laſtly, ſome vnderſtand by this earth-quake,Forbs. &c. the great alteration that came vponupon the Romane Empire by meanes of the Gothes and other barbarous nations, which was ſo great, as that the whole world ſeemed to be changed. But I ſubſcribe to the firſt expoſition, becauſe moſt agreeable to the letter, and where the literall ſenſe may ſtand, there is no vſe of allegories. And indeed without ſtraining, no time but the day of iudgement can be rightly called the great day of Gods wrath, wherein all the wicked of all eſtates and degrees are filled with terrour at Gods preſence. If it bee taken as an allegory, there are ſo great differences, that there will bee no certainty of truth: Beſides that it doth no way anſwer the precedent cry for vengeance ſo fitly, as being literally vnderſtood of the laſt day: for whatſoeuer commotions there be in ſtates and kingdomes, yet eueryevery one is not at ſuch times ſo ſeuerely animaduerted againſt, but many eſcape, whereas here eueryevery one is ſaid to tremble and feare. Whereas Pareus includeth both the perſecution vnderunder Antichriſt and the day of iudgement alſo, I cannot ſee how that can ſtand; for the fleeing away of all eſtates and degrees for feare is an effect of thoſe ſtupendious accidents in heauen and in earth, as in reaſon it is likely when ſuch things ſhall come to paſſe, no leſſe can be expected but horrible feare. Let vsus then ſtudy to pacifie Gods anger before this day commeth, by true repentance and humiliation, that wee may not finde it a day of wrath, but of euerlaſting mercy to vsus.