Pathmos: or, A commentary on the Reuelation of Saint Iohn diuided into three seuerall prophecies. The first prophecie contained in the fourth, fift, sixt and seuenth chapters. By Mr. William Cowper, Bishop of Galloway.

VERSE. 5.

Of the Tribe of Iuda, were sealed twelue thousand. Of the Tribe of Ruben, vvere sealed twelue thousand. Of the Tribe of Gad, were sealed twelue thousand.

VERSE. 6.

Of the Tribe of Aser, were sealed twelue thousand. Of

the Tribe of Nephtali, were sealed twelue thou∣sand. Of the Tribe of Manasse, were sealed twelue thousand.

VERSE. 7.

Of the Tribe of Simeon, were sealed twelue thousand. Of the Tribe of Leui, were sealed twelue thou∣sand. Of the Tribe of Issachar, were sealed twelue thousand. Of the Tribe of Zabulon, were sealed twelue thousand.

VERSE. 8.

Of the Tribe of Ioseph, were sealed twelue thousand. Of the Tribe of Beniamin, vvere sealed twelue thousand.

COncerning these Tribes, it is needlesse for vs to speake particularly of that, which may be found written of them in the holy storie. Primasius and others, runne out here vpon Allegories, not very pertinent to this purpose; we wil onely speake a little of the nomination of Leui, and the omission of Dan.

Leui had no inheritance in earthly Canaan,* 1.1 they were dispersed in Iuda, and scattered in Israel: that they might teach Iacob the iudgements, and Is∣rael the Law of the Lord: yet now haue they their portion in heauenly Canaan with the rest. Let this serue for a comfort to the Lords seruants, vvho* 1.2 are set ouer others to teach them the way of salua∣tion,* 1.3 and to minister spirituall things vnto them, who will not so much as requite them with corpo∣rall

entertainment of their worldly things: what thou wantest at the hands of men, the Lord shall recompence it. Laban defrauded Iacob of his vvages, notwithstanding that he serued him faith∣fully, but the Lord payed him, and recompen∣ced all his losses.

Again, albeit the Tribe of Leui, as we haue said,* 1.4 had the charge to teach all the rest of the Tribes, yet are no moe sealed, then of other Tribes: all were Teachers, but all are not sealed. Heereof ari∣seth a caution for Preachers, and a comfort for Professors. They are not all saued who are of the holy calling, not all Priests, not all Prophets, not all Apostles, not all Preachers: à profane man may be in the holy calling, but will it profit him? No more then the Arke did Ophni and Phinees. Yet Preachers, if they be faithfull, shall not vvant their great reward: For they vvho turne many to* 1.5 righteousnesse, shall shine as the Starres for euer.

Professors againe, let them not be discoura∣ged,* 1.6 though they be not called to be Preachers; they are not of Leui his Tribe, yet is it sufficient for their saluation, if they be of Iuda his Tribe, and called to be Saints. Neither shall they be depriued of this dignitie, to be Fellovv-helpers* 1.7 of Preachers, if they loue them, pray for them, helpe them, counsell them, comfort them, that they may doe the worke of God vvith ioy, and not with griefe.

So Saint Paul giueth this commendation to A∣quila and Priscilla, that they were •…•…his fellow-helpers* 1.8

in Christ, they could not preach the Gospell, yet receiue they this praise, that they were Saint Paul his fellow-helpers in preaching.

Now as concerning the omission of Dan, the* 1.9 reason of this giuen by Iesuites is, because as they alledge, Antichrist was to come of Dan. But with as good a warrant might they say, that Antichrist shall come of Ephraim; for he is omitted also. An∣tichrist, say they, shall come three yeeres and an halfe before the second comming of Christ, and no sooner. At this time the Tribe of Dan had not brought out the Antichrist: and will Iesuites haue* 1.10 the Lord here to depriue them of their dignity for sinnes to be done? it being a common equitie, which the Lord keepes in all his waies; the sinne is first cōmitted by the wicked, before that iudge∣ment by the Lord be executed vpon them. Hee hath spared wicked men, as he did the Amalekites,* 1.11 many yeeres after they had sinned: they sinned in the dayes of Moses, they are punished in the dayes of Samuel, foure hundred yeeres after: but that the Lord hath punished a people sixteen hun∣dred yeeres, and more, before they committed the sinne, as this doting diuinitie of Iesuites would make vs to belieue, it hath not been heard, and is without all example.* 1.12

But when the Iewes shall get another Christ, for whom they looke to come out of the Tribe of Iuda, then shall the Iesuites get another Anti∣christ, for whom they looke, out of the Tribe of Dan; and that shall neuer be.

They cite Ambrose for confirmation of their opi∣nion:* 1.13 he saith it indeed, but shewes no warrant for* 1.14 it; we willingly embrace the Fathers gold, but will not gather their drosse, according to that ancient rule of Vincentius Lirinensis, Doctors should be recei∣ued▪* 1.15 with the Faith of the Church: but we must not with the Doctors leaue the Faith of the Church. It is Satan his subtilty, with a fable of a false Antichrist to blinde the world, that they should not know the true Antichrist, who indeed is come already. The wiser, and more learned among them are asha∣med of this fable, and are forced by the euidence of Scripture to confesse, that Antichrist is not to sit in Ierusalems Temple; but it may very well be, that hee shall sit at Rome, as, God-willing, shall be declared hereafter.

The true causes of Dan his omission, we are ra∣ther* 1.16 to thinke to be these two: first, of all the 12.* 1.17 Tribes they fell first to Idolatry, & continued ther∣in vntill the day of the captiuity of the Land, as is* 1.18 plainely told vs in the eighteenth of Iudges. Se∣condly, they were carelesse to prouide for them∣selues, inheritance in Canaan, after that the rem∣nant* 1.19 Tribes were all settled, yet had they a great part of their inheritance to seeke. Now wee must* 1.20 remember, that earthly Canaan to them was a type of the heauenly Canaan; they were carelesse of the one, and now▪ no more remembred in the roule of them that shall be in the other.

It is a dangerous thing to despise types of mer∣cy when God offereth them: for by so doing, men

depriue themselues of the Truth figured by them.* 1.21 Carnall Iewes counted no more of Canaan, and regarded nothing but the commodity of the soile for habitation, and benefits temporall, which they enioyed therein: but such as were spirituall, loued* 1.22 it much more, because it was a type and pledge of better. A necessary warning for the men of this* 1.23 age, who esteeme it a small sinne, or no sinne, to neglect the holy Communion, wherein the Lord giueth earthly types of heauenly things: they thinke little of them, with Naaman the Syrian, that the waters of Iordan are no better then the vva∣ters of Damascus: but he, till hee learned to reue∣rence the meanes ordained by God, was not hea∣led of his Leprosy: and they cannot come to the participation of the Truth, so long as they despise the types therof. Yet as the most generall threat∣ning* 1.24 of iudgement hath included in it an excepti∣on, so are we not to thinke that here all Danites are excluded frō the benefit of this seale: for Samson of the tribe of Dan, had the honor to be a Iudge in Is∣rael,* 1.25 and is reckoned by the Apostle in the Cata∣logue of them who were renowned for their faith. Onely the omission of Dan teacheth vs, how farre the Lord abhorreth and detesteth Idolatry: & we are not to stretch it further, and to gather out of it, a determinate exclusion from mercy and grace of all particular persons belonging to that Tribe.

Now concerning Ephraim, wee know that Iero∣boam,* 1.26 who first rent the ten tribes frō the kingdom of Dauid, and erected them in a seuerall kingdom,

in the dayes of Rehobo•…•…m, was of the Tribe of E∣phraim: he founded his kingdome vpon idolatry, fearing if the people had reforted to the Temple, which was in Iuda, they would in time r•…•…uolt a∣gaine to the house of Dauid. Hee raised vp two Calues, one in Bethel, the other in Dan, & so not onely became an Apostat himselfe, but also drew all the tenne Tribes to defection, and therefore is he commonly in holy Scripture remembred with this note to his shame, that he caused Israel to sin.

That sinful kingdome, as the Prophet calls it,* 1.27 continued but two hundred, fifty and eight yeers. The number of their Kings, all this time vvere nineteen Kings, euery one of them more wicked & idolatrous then another. The Lord for this shooke* 1.28 them like a Reede beate•…•… with the wind, and consu∣med them like a Moth. So that among ninet•…•…en Kings, nine or tenne times was the bloud Royall changed; yet neuer any one of them learned by example of Gods wrath vpon others, to repent of their idolatry, and returne to the Lord.

They kept precisely the fundamentall Law of* 1.29 the Kingdome layd by Ieroboam, and would not forsake the calues of Dan and Bethel, but it was to their owne destruction. Woe to him, that build•…•… his* 1.30 house by iniquity.* 1.31

Ieroboam their first King, had a sonne Nadab, but none mo of his race enioyed the kingdom. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of another bloud, slaieth Nadab, & raigneth in his stead. Ela also his sonne succeedeth after him, but Zimri of another bloud cutteth away Elah.

And hee had scarce sitten downe in the royall chaire seuen dayes, when Omri of ano•…•…er bloud dispatched him. Omri hath three of his race that succeedes him in his kingdome: Achab the son of Omri▪ Ochosi•…•… the sonne of Achab, and Ioram the* 1.32 brother of Ochosiah: Then commeth in Iehu of an∣other bloud, he slayes Ioram, and all the posterity of Achab, and hath foure after himselfe lineally succeeding him, to wit, Ioach•…•…, his sonne againe Ioas, and his sonne Ieroboam the second, and his* 1.33 sonne Zacharias: he scarce reigned sixe moneths, when Shallum of another bloud slayeth him, and reigneth in his stead. Menahen againe of another bloud, he slayeth Shallum, after Menahe•…•… reigneth* 1.34 his sonne Pekahiah two yeares; then Pekah of an∣other bloud, the sonne of Remaliah, hee slaieth Pe∣kahiah▪ then Hoshea of another bloud, he conspires against him, and slaieth Pekah: he is the last of the* 1.35 Kings, for the Lord raised vp Salmaneser against him, who destroyed Samaria, the chiefe City of the kingdom of Israel, and carried away the whole ten tribes in captiuity to Assyria. Thus was their idolatry the destruction of their kingdome, where they thought by it to stablish it.

If any man thinke, this cannot be the true cause* 1.36 why Ephraim is omitted in this Catalogue, because the other Tribes were involued in the same Apo∣stacy with Ephraim, let him consider that their first King Ieroboam of Ephraim, led all the rest vnto this horrible defection, and therefore (as I said) is alway remembred with this reproach, That hee

made Israel to sinne.

But in this I will contend with no man. Sure it* 1.37 is, it should be a warning to all States and King∣domes, to beware of Idolatry, specially of Apo∣stasie, and corruption of Gods vvorshippe, and namely in such a Land, where God is purely wor∣shipped beside them. This sinne shaketh & sub∣uerteth houses from the foundation, and makes thē to spew out their old inheritors: men of a base and vncouth bloud, possesse the place of ancient Nobles. Proofes heereof are many in this Land, whereof I cease to speake.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Leui had no inheritance in earthly Cana∣an, but hath here a portion in heauenly Canaan.
• * 1.2

  Deut. 33. 10.
• * 1.3

  A comfort for preachers, who are hardly entreated here
• * 1.4

  The Tribe of Leui taught the Tribes, yet no moe of thē are sealed, then of the rest. A warning to Preachers.
• * 1.5

  Dan. 12. 2.
• * 1.6

  Comfort for Professors; let them not be discouraged, because they are not Prea∣chers.
• * 1.7

  Heb. 13.
• * 1.8

  Rom. 16.
• * 1.9

  Why the Tribe of Dan is here omitted.
• * 1.10

  The dreame of Papists, that Antichrist should come of Dan, is con∣futed.
• * 1.11

  1. Sam. 15. 2.
• * 1.12

  When the Iewes shall get another Christ, then the Iesuites shall get ano∣ther Anti∣christ.
• * 1.13

  Amb. de benidict.
• * 1.14

  Patriarch. cap. 7.
• * 1.15

  Vincent. de No∣nat. hare•…•…. ca. 23.
• * 1.16

  Dan omitted for two causes.
• * 1.17

  1 For their Ido∣latry.
• * 1.18

  Iudg. 18. 30.
• * 1.19

  Iudg. 18. 1.
• * 1.20

  2 For their neg∣lect to possesse themselues in Canaan.
• * 1.21

  A dangerous thing▪ to de∣spise any type of God his mercy offered.
• * 1.22

  Heb. 11.
• * 1.23

  A warning to Non-recu sants.
• * 1.24

  Most generall threatnings haue in them included ex∣ceptions.
• * 1.25

  Heb. 11.
• * 1.26

  Ephraim why omitted out of this catalogue.
• * 1.27

  The endu∣rance of Isra∣els Kingdome with the num∣ber of their Kings.
• * 1.28

  Hos. 5.
• * 1.29

  It was founded on Idolatry, & could not stand.
• * 1.30

  Abac. 2. 12. 1. Ki. 15. &c. 16
• * 1.31

  The tragicall and tu•…•…ultary state of Israels Kingdome, from the be∣ginning of it to the end.
• * 1.32

  Their Bloud Royall chan∣ged nine or ten times, be∣ing of all but ninteene Kings.
• * 1.33

  Neuer a one of their stockes but two conti∣newes to the third genera∣tion.
• * 1.34

  2. Kings 15. 23.
• * 1.35

  2. Kings. 17.
• * 1.36

  Why Ephraims Tribe is more guilty then the rest.
• * 1.37

  A warning to Kingdomes & houses to be∣ware of Idola∣try.