The calling of the Ievves A present to Iudah and the children of Israel that ioyned with him, and to Ioseph (the valiant tribe of Ephraim) and all the house of Israel that ioyned with him. The Lord giue them grace, that they may returne and seeke Iehovah their God, and Dauid their King, in these latter dayes. There is prefixed an epistle vnto them, written for their sake in the Hebrue tongue, and translated into English. Published by William Gouge, B. of D. and preacher of Gods word in Blackefryers. London.

THE REVELATION.

IN the Booke of the Revelation, I will but point at some principall things.

REVEL. 1. 7.

Behold he commeth with the clouds, and euery eye shall see him. Yea euen they which pierced him thorough. And all the Tribes of the earth shall waile before him. Euen so. Amen.

IOHN hauing rendred praise to God for his mercy to the Gentiles, doth now celebrate his goodnesse that shall be most conspicuous in the calling of the Iewes. * 1.1

1. Expressing the great glory that shall appeare in their conuersion by Christs glorious comming in the clouds to iudgement: whereof this (of all things in the world) is the most expresse and liuely image.

2. The wayling here spoken of, are the teares of true repentance; as is manifest by the Prophet Zacharie, from whom this place is borrowed. Zach. 12. 10.

3. The name of Tribes sheweth of what people it is meant: which in the Prophet is more manifest.

4. In saying all the Tribes, the 10 Tribes are inclu∣ded. * 1.2

Rev. 16. 12. to the end of the Chapter.

THE very course of time being after the Sea of the beast (Rome) ouerthrowne, leadeth vs by the hand to the exposition of the sixt Viale. To vnderstand it of the Iewes, who are here called Kings of the East, which stile of Kings is giuen them, Psal. 68. 29. Esay 24. 21.

1. Is the repayre to their owne homes vpon the begin∣ning * 1.3 of Grace wrought in their hearts.

2. God for them will lay drie the waters of Euphrates, as once he did the red Sea, Esay 11. 15. (vers. 12.) * 1.4

3. Heereupon the Dragon (the Turke, Christs open professed enemy, to leaue what may bee sayd from hence * 1.5 of the beast and the false Prophet, a more subtle and close aduersary) shall come with his Begs and Bashawes to de∣story * 1.6 this people. (vers. 13. 14. 15.) This is the sore time of affliction mentioned, Dan. 12. 1.

4. The conflict shall be at Harmageddon, the mount of delightfulnesse that is in the holy land, as Dan. 11. and * 1.7 euen as may be thought at Ierusalem it selfe. (vers. 16.)

5. The issue appeareth in the VII. Viall, the vtter ruine * 1.8 of the whole kingdome of darkenesse, whereof the Tur∣kish or Mahometicall tyranny is a principall. (vers. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21.)

Chap. 19. 5. to the end of the booke.

FRom hence to the end of the Reuelation are four steps or degrees: the same (though not altogether in the same order) that we noted, Ezech. 37. Which maruellous∣lie cleereth the vnderstanding of this Prophesie. First, af∣ter Romes funerall; for which the Iewes as well as Gen∣tiles breake forth into thankesgiuing: (as Amen, Hallelu∣iah, vers. 4. one Hebrew by birth, but made a Greeke De∣nisen, the other a meere Hebrew word importeth) they now setling themselues after the great obstacle of their re∣pentance (the idolatry of the Romish Church) remoued, * 1.9 to lend their cares to Christ; commeth the first call of that Nation, for the intimating whereof onely the Hebrew word (Halleluiah) in this place is vsed. (vers. 5. 6.) It is expressed:

1. By the preparing of her selfe for the selemnization of the marriage. (vers. 7.)

2. By the marriage garment which they put on, the

cleane and fine linnen of the righteousnesse of Christ im∣puted to the Saints, and by faith made theirs. (vers. 8. 9. 10.)

The second steppe (after some other things enterlaced, wherewith I shall not need to meddle) is the battell with Gog and Magog, vnder the conduct of the Turke, (Sa∣than or the Deuill, whose Minister he is) the chiefe princi∣pall cause being put for the instrumentall. This enemy ri∣sing some 1000 yeares after Constantine, that is about An∣no 1300. (vers. 7.) and prospering exceedingly, (1. part of vers. 8.) warring all the while with the Saints (2. part of vers. 8.) shall at the last when their appointed period draw∣eth to an end, bend all his force against the conuerted Iewes.

1. Is noted the place of this conflict: They compassed the * 1.10 beloued City, (3. part. of vers. 8.) for the brunt of the battell shall be before Ierusalem, in the valley of Iehoshaphat, as Ioel 3. 2.

2. The defeat of the whole Army by strange and extra∣ordinary iudgements of God from heauen, as Esay 27. 1. * 1.11 (vers. 9.)

3. The finall ruine of this tyrant, his state and person, * 1.12 and whole succession of the Turkish Empire. (vers. 10.)

The third step is the full conuersion of this people, be∣taking * 1.13 themselues to Christ, or rather Christ taking them vnto him, their taking to, as it is said, Rom. 11. 15. which the Apostle in that place calleth life from the dead, from the death of sinne and infidelity. And therefore is heere glo∣riously described vnder the form of the generall resurrecti∣on: Whereunto the Scripture in this argument doth ordi∣narily allude, Ezech. 37. Esay 26. 19. Dan. 12. 2. Hosh. 13. 14. Rom. 11. 15. (vers. 11. 12, 13. 14. Though this be not * 1.14 the common condition of all, some will remaine obstinate, whose end shall bee most iniferable: As Dan. 12. 2. (vers. 15.)

The fourth and last steppe is the glory of the Christian * 1.15 Iewish Church, dwelling in their owne homes, when their

enemies are once subdued vnder them, in the 21. and 22. chapters. The last 8. chapters of Ezechiel are of the same argument: but (as the dispensation of those times made it needfull) vnder the shadowes of heauenly things heere, more magnificently by heauenly things themselues. It was shewed vnto Iohn in two visions: first, in a kinde of genera∣litie, then more distinctly.

The former containeth.

1. A new face of things in their happy and glorious re∣nouation, by the power of the Gospell. which shall bring * 1.16 them quite out of loue with their former legall worship: (chap. 21. 1.) as Esay 65. 17. for this passing away of the first heauen and the first earth, and that the Sea was no more, is that shaking of heauen and earth, of the sea, and of the dry land: whereof Haggai prophesieth, Hag 2. 7.

2 The sanctitie of this Citie; for first it is altogether * 1.17 New, if you compare it with the staynes and blemishes that the Churches of vs Gentiles are tainted with, though wee also make a part of the heauenly Ierusalem, Gal. 4. 26. Heb. 12. 22. Secondly, it is of a diuine off-spring, comming downe from God out of heauen. Thirdly, shee is clothed with the righteousnesse of the Saints, as a bride trimmed for her husband. (verse. 2.)

3. Gods tabernacle, his presence and dwelling there, (1. part of vers. 3.) as Ezechiel calleth the name of the City * 1.18 Iehouah Shammah, Iehouah there. Ezech 48. 30.

4. His couenant, being their God, and taking them for his people. (2. part of vers. 3.) * 1.19

5. Heauinesse and sorrow shall bee taken from them, (vers. 4.) as Esay 25. 8. * 1.20

All which things are solemnely confirmed by the au∣thority of him that cannot lye. (vers. 5. 6. 7.) Yet euen here also, notwithstanding all the illustrious arguments of * 1.21 Gods glory shining so cleerely, some will remaine fearefull to professe Christ, vnbeleeuers, &c. as before, chap. 20. 15. (vers. 8.)

Thus farre of that vision which was in a kinde of gene∣ralitie.

The other more distinct, (to the beholding where∣of, Iohn was carried in the Spirit vnto a great high moun∣taine) [vers. 10.] declareth,

1. Her glory, so great, that she shall be the enlightener * 1.22 of the world, as Esay 60. 1. 2. (vers. 11.)

2. The elegancie of the City, most royally set forth, (from vers. 12. to vers. 22.) * 1.23

3. The sincerity of Gods worship. No Legall rites, which God prescribed for a time, much lesse humane or∣dinances, * 1.24 or the inuentions of mans braine. I saw, saith Iohn, no Temple there, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lambe are the temple of it. (vers. 22.)

4. A wonderfull light of knowledge: as if they were rather taught immediately of God, then by booke-lear∣ning, * 1.25 or the ministry of man. They need neyther Sunne nor Moone, Candle nor any light; for the Lambe him∣selfe is their light. (vers. 23.

5. As she giueth, (ver. 11.) so the Nations shall receiue * 1.26 light from her (1. part of vers. 24.)

6. The honour they shall doe vnto her, bringing all their glory to adorne this City; for which purpose the * 1.27 gates shall be open day and night: for there is no cause to feare any thing. (2. part of vers. 24. 25. 26.)

7. The purity of Church-discipline, that no impure or vncleane thing shall enter thither. (vers. 27.) * 1.28

8. Plenty of spirituall graces, through the pure streams of liuing water, flowing out of the throne of God, (chap. 22 vers. 1.) & by the tree of life (Christ Iesus) most fruitfull in it selfe, most medicinable vnto others: the very leaues * 1.29 whereof are able to heale all the diseases and vlcers of the soule. (vers. 2.) Compare Zach. 14. 8. and Ezek. chap. 47. But where Zacharie speaketh of waters flowing out of Ie∣rusalem, Ezekiel out of the Temple, Iohn expoundeth both to be meant of the throne of God and the Lamb, that is, from the grace and fauour of God in Christ.

9. Sanctitie of life. There shall be no cause of the hea∣uie * 1.30 censure of Gods Curse against any. (1 part of vers. 3.)

10. Constancie in Gods seruice. (2. part of vers. 3.) * 1.31

11. A sweet and ioyfull communion with God: They shall see his face. (1. part of vers. 4.)

12. Such a starre of excellency shining in them, as ma∣keth * 1.32 Gods glory most euident and conspicuous. His name * 1.33 shall be written in their forehead. (2. part of vers. 4.)

13. A wonderfull light of knowledge, as before Reu. 21 23. (1 part of vers. 5.) * 1.34

14. And lastly, Perpetuity of their happinesse, and of * 1.35 Gods glorious presence raigning for euer in and among them. (2. part of vers. 5.) wherewith Ezechiel also doth conclude.

Notes

• * 1.1

  5. Posit. Call.
• * 1.2

  8 Posit. X. Tribes.
• * 1.3

  12 Posit. Repayr towards their Country.
• * 1.4

  13 Posit. Euphrates dry.
• * 1.5

  16 Posit. Sore distresse.
• * 1.6

  15 Posit. Conflict with Gog.
• * 1.7

  17 Posit. Place of conflict.
• * 1.8

  18 Posit. Conquest.
• * 1.9

  5. Posit. Call.
• * 1.10

  20 Pesit. Place of Gogs Fall.
• * 1.11

  19 Posit. Gods fighting.
• * 1.12

  18. Posit. Conquest.
• * 1.13

  7 Posit. Generall call.
• * 1.14

  9 Posit. Wrath against refractaries.
• * 1.15

  31. Posit. Gloricus Church.
• * 1.16

  34. Posit. Puritie.
• * 1.17

  34. Posit. Purity.
• * 1.18

  35. Posit. Couenant.
• * 1.19

  35 Posit. Couenant.
• * 1.20

  39 Posit. Prosperity.
• * 1.21

  9 Posit. Wrath against refractaries.
• * 1.22

  31. Posit. Glorious Church.
• * 1.23

  32. Posit. Churches beauty
• * 1.24

  34. Posit. Puritie:
• * 1.25

  36 Posit. Spirituall gra∣ces.
• * 1.26

  44. Posit. Nations em∣bracing Christ.
• * 1.27

  45 Posit. Nations honou∣ring them.
• * 1.28

  33 Posit. Sanctitie.
• * 1.29

  36. Posit. Spiritual graces
• * 1.30

  37. Posit. Cheerefull obe∣dience.
• * 1.31

  37 Posit. Cheerefull obe¦dience.
• * 1.32

  40 Posit. Joy.
• * 1.33

  32 Posit. Churches beauty
• * 1.34

  36. Posit. Spiritual graces
• * 1.35

  43 Posit. Perpetuitie of the Church.