The key of the Revelation, searched and demonstrated out of the naturall and proper charecters of the visions.: With a coment thereupon, according to the rule of the same key, / published in Latine by the profoundly learned Master Joseph Mede B.D. late fellow of Christs College in Cambridge, for their use to whom God hath given a love and desire of knowing and searching into that admirable prophecie. Translated into English by Richard More of Linley in the Countie of Salop. Esquire, one of the Bargesses in this present convention of Parliament. With a præface written by Dr Twisse now prolocutor in the present Assembly of Divines.

Of the fourth Seal. * 1.1

The discloser of the fourth seal is the fourth Beast, in shape of * 1.2 an Eagle, standing at the North: whereby is shew••d, that the beginning of the seal is to be fetcht from an Emperour thence arising, that is, Maximinus the Thracean bred and brought up in the North. Iulius Capitolinus, Maximinus out of a towne of Thracia neighbouring upon the Barbariansbegotten of a Barbarian both father and mother.

The character of this seal is a meeting together of Sword, Famine, and Pestilence raging at one time, so as never at any other, whereupon it is said, that upon him that sitteth upon the horse is put the name of Death, that is in the nation of the Hebrewes, who use the abstracts for the concretes, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or * 1.3 Mortiferi bringer of death, because he brought so many deathes with him into the world. For with the same Hebrewes especially the prophets, to be called by the name, sometimes purporteth the same as to be, or to existe, but in a more excellent or speciall man∣er: as Esay 7▪ 14. and 9. 6. Jeremiah. 23. 6. and 20. 3. Z••••. 6. 12.

and 20.3. Za••. 6.12. & here in the Revelation chap 19.13. so that to have the name of Death, is no other thing in this place, then singularly and notoriously to be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or Mortiferum the bringer of Death. To which purpose is that also, that Hell (as a surveyer of funeralls (accompanieth the same. * 1.4

Now let us look into the event. And surely never since the seals began, did these three joyntly and in so notable a manner rage. I will begin at slaughter, and I omit the things which this age suf∣fered from a ••orraine enemy, truely most grievous things; the * 1.5 Barbarians with rapines and murders wasting almost the whole Empyre, under the Emperours Gallus and Volusianus. But those things come not ••n to this reckoning; we look after intestine and Domestique. Ten therefore more or lesse Emperours and C••sars, * 1.6 which are counted lawfull, in the compa••••e of this seal, that is, the space of three and thirty yeeres or few more did the sword, not of their enemies, but their own Subjects take away. In the same space, under the Empyre of Gallienus alone, those thirty tyrants which Pollio mentioneth, or perhaps one or two lesse, rose up in divers parts of the Romane Empire: and almost all these slain ei∣ther by their own, or by another, or were put to death by the lawfull Emperours So that Orosius said not without cause of this plague that it was made famous not by the slaughter of the com∣mon * 1.7 people, but by the woundes and deathes of princes.

To conclude the Emperours themselves, and first Maximinus, and last of all Gallienus, how cruell were they? Maximinus, Iulius Capitolinus being witnesse, was so cruell, that some named him Cyclops, others Busicis, others Sciron, some Platar••. many Typhon or Gyges. The Senate so feared him, that they prayed in the Tem∣ples publikely and privately, even the women with their children, that he might never see the city of Rome. For they heard that some were cruci••ied, others enclosed in Beasts newly killed, o∣thers cast to wilde Beasts, others bruised with cudgells, and all these without regard of dignity. The same man goeth forward. He slew all that knew his discent, to hide the basenesse of his birth, yea and some of his friends, who for pity and affection had often given him many things; Neither was there a more cruell Beast upon the Earth. To conclude, saith he, without judgement without accusation, without an accuser, without defence he ••lew all (of the ••action of some great one, which had been

Consul,) took away the goods of all, and could not satisfie him∣selfe with the slaughter of above four thousand men.

Heare also what Trebellius Pollio in the book of thirty tyrants saith of Gallineus. Inge••us saith he, being slain, who was n••med Emperour of the Masian legions, he bitterly shewed his * 1.8 cruelty u••on all the Moesi••ns, aswell souldiers as citizens, neither did any of them wholly escape his cruelty: and was so sharpe and cruel, that he left most of the cities void of the male sexe. The same Author upon the life of Gallienus. The Seythians saith he, ••oing through Capad••cea, the souldiers thought againe of making a new Emperour: all whom Gallienus after his manner slew. Head••eth in the end: He was t••o ••oo cruell to the souldiers, for he slew 3000. or 4000. every day. Pellio also on the same life of Gallienus re••orteth a very memorable example of the Bizanti••e slaughter executed, partly by the souldiers, partly by Gallienus himselfe. That no evill should be wanting, saith he, in the times of Gallienus, the city of the Birantines renowned for Sea fights, and the place which barreth in the Euxine Sea, was so wholly * 1.9 destroyed by the souldiers of Ga••••ienus, that there was not a man left. For revenge of which destruction, Gallienus being againe received to Biza••tium, he slayeth all the souldiers unarmed, be∣ing compassed, round with the armour, breaking the covenant which he had made.

So much for slaughters. I come to Pestilence: which here ac∣cording to the Easterne custome is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Death. So the * 1.10 Chalde Paraprast for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 pestilence liketh to pu•• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Death, and the Septuagi••ts for the most part translate it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 death and in the like notion it is wont to be called mortality by Eclesiasticall writers which now hath passed into many mother tongues. But concerning the pestilence, it is a thing so notorious and manifest, that i•• i•• not needfu••l to heap arguments to make good the truth of the pr••phecie I will dispatch it in a word. Zonaras ••s my Author, neither have others been si••ent, under the Emperours Gallus and Ʋolusianus, the pestilence arising from Ethiopia, went through all the provinces of Rome, and for fifteene yeers together incredibly * 1.11 wasted them. Neither did I ever read of a greater pla••ue, (saith an eminent man in our age) for that space of time or land.

There rem••ineth yet famine of those three calamities, which surely could not be wanting from this age, although ••one of the

ancients had brought it to light, any man may thence gather that * 1.12 almost all the Empire through these times was so polled and con∣sumed by the rapines and wastes of the Scythians, that no Nation, if credit be given to Zosi••us, of the Roman dominion remained free, almost all the townes deprived of wals: and being deprived of them, the greatest part were taken. How could it come to passe, but that the fields should be forsaken in such wastes, plow∣ing neglected, and whatsoever provision there was any where for food, spoiled?

And that in truth it came so to passe, is manifest by the Epistle of Dyonisius Alexandrinus who the•• lived, to his brethren; * 1.13 wherein he testifieth, that that fearefu•••• pestilence, which wee mentioned, succeeded the war & famine. After these things, saith he, that is, the persecution which was under Decius (for he mean∣eth that which went before the pestilence, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, both war and famine followed, which wee suffered to∣gether with the Heathen, and a little after. But when, saith hee, both we and they had had a little respite, that pestilence came up∣on us, a thing more terrible to them then any terror, and more la∣mentable then any calamitie; and to us an exercise and triall infe∣riour to none of the rest. Cyprian confirmeth it in his Apologie to Demetrianus. When saith he, thou sayest that very many com∣plaine that it is imputed to us, that wars arise oftner, that the pe∣stilence and famine do rage, and that it is such stormie and ra••nie weather, we ought not any longer to be silent, &c.

That which is further added in the text concerning the Beasts; if it be divers from the former, and do not rather signifie, that the Tyrants were the cause of these calamities, who like wilde beasts raged in these times in the Roman Empire: it will then point out that evill wherewith the Easterne and Southerne regions were usually p••stered in this case: namely that when the famine and the pestilence raged, the Beasts would grow strong against men, and slay them, as may be s••en, Levit. 26.22. Ezek. 14.15.21. But * 1.14 the changing of the construction doth more favour the former opinion: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, if thou render it atque id per Be∣stias terrae, and that by the Beasts of the earth.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 quartam partem terra the fourth part of the * 1.15 earth-over which it is said power was given to hell and to death to tyranize, except any conceive himself able to defend the vulgar

interpreter here, with whom 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that is' * 1.16 a quaternion, or four parts of the earth) I expound it of the chief∣est, or by much the greatest part of the Romane Empire. For since the third part of the earth (as shall be said in the proper place) doth note out the largenesse of the Romane Empire, by consequence the fourth part of the earth is the same dominion of Rome, lesse by a fourth part: and so that three or four fold com∣pany of calamities went through three quarters of the Romane Empire, that is, almost the whole one fourth part thereof onely being free. And surely Or••sius seemeth to affirme, that the pe∣stilence extended not it selfe further, then (to use his words) the Edicts of Decius did run for the overthrow of the Churches. Of the rest I have nothing to say. And thus much of the 4^th Seale.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Chap. ••▪
• * 1.2

  verse ••▪
• * 1.3

  verse ••.
• * 1.4

  Libitindrius.
• * 1.5

  Of the sword.
• * 1.6

  Chap. 6.
• * 1.7

  The sword.
• * 1.8

  Chap. 6.
• * 1.9

  C••anstrum panti ••••m.
• * 1.10

  ••f ••••stilence.
• * 1.11

  Lips••us de Con∣stant. 2 23. Chap. 6. Of famine.
• * 1.12

  Chap. 6.
• * 1.13

  ••pud E••seb. Hi∣••••or. lib ••. c••a. 17
• * 1.14

  Deut. 7▪ 22▪
• * 1.15

  Verse ••.
• * 1.16

  Chap. ••.