C A P.4. Á!tevelatronof the Apdcalypre, 1! 65 the place alto where the thingswerefeen,was a littleIfland inn'ironed with the fea ; 1his is fpread abroad infinitely, far and wide,like as is the heaven it felf, that containeth all things within the circuit there- of. Moreover, there was a certain vifible tracing out ofthings to come in thofefeven Cities. For the Churches that were afterwards to be propagated in or- der, fhould be, by the will of God , pourtrayed , after the expreflfe image of thofe Cities as they were at that prefent, but there was no refemblance among mortal! men, of the things that are to be fpoken of, in this fecond Prophete. For peculiar judgments, of which, for the molt part,fpeech is made here, are to be fetched onely from fecret Revelation. To the place therefore, ofheaven where power was gi- ven to behold this Vi!ion, the Bookfealedup with fèves feals is in tke nextplace added, betides the creature is unable to sinfeal thofe fame feals, neither is the power ofanyother, fave of the Lambe alone,fuf- fcient far that work, as we (hall fee in the proper place. All which things as they do declare the excellency of this Prophecy, fo they require greater attention and diligence on our part. As touching the words, theferf voice is heard, becaufe the Author ofboth the Pro- phecies, is one and the fame, and it founderh like a Trumpet, to the intent, that things that were heard, might be more certain, and better perceived of 7ohn, as it was obferved on Chap, i. io. He biddeth him come up hither, where onely thofe things might be feen, of which there was no tracke chalked out uponearth ; and he would not have him look through the door,by which means,he might be deceived, or could not fee plainly enough, but he would have him beprefent,& beforehis face,that fohe might have the certain andun- doubted knowledgeofall things.But that which followeth,hath fome ambiguity in it ; how he can fay, that he will propound a Vifion of things that mutt be done after theft things : For fhould not this en- fuingProphecie, take his beginning, before that former ( as touch- ing the feven Churches) fhould come to an iiee ? But we fee that matters ofour time are intreatedof in thefe, or if we fhould refpeet but the bare Types, many things were foretold, that fhould come af- ter. Befides, it will appear no leffe in thofe things that follow, that fohn doth tell of things that are neerly joyned to his own time , fo that the-wordscan by no means be founderfl`ood.Where- fore that is no firm diftribution,_whereby force di {1inguiih the whole Prophecy into things prefent and to come. The holy Ghat followeth no fuch divifìon,but mingleth many things to come,among Z 2 things
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