CAP .6. 1Zeveldtiwt oftheApoeälypfie Z 4 Give thing the body had in it. Garments molt fit forSaints,and wor- thy forChrift to give unto them. Now in that the Robes are white, that belongs to the adorning oftheir gladnef e, aiwe [hewed at the 4. veri. of the 3. Chapter. But they are given to each ofthem atthis time, not fomuch for the foules fakes, as they do injoy gladneilíe in heaven: but to lignifie thofe mattersthat were tobe doneuponearth. For did they want thefe [toles through out all thatfpace oftime which was fromTrajane until' Galiensas ? Chri[t promifed that the overcommer fhouldbearaied with whitegarments Chap.3.5. How long is this promifedifferred ? It isnot tobe doubted but that pre- fently after that their race was runneout , they had fome rewardof their labour. Therefore thofe Robes are not thofewhich were fpoken of before, which are given to the Saints ftraightway after their la- bour is ended, but is another kinde , Dignifying that there fhould be feftivall dayes to the Saints for a time upon earth , the which they should celebrate as it were withpure White goWnes, as it;is the man- ner in any ruorefolemne rejoycing. To the tame purpofe ferveth the anfwer given by word , which loth bosh command them to refs, and fets them termes oftime how Iona- it (hall endure , even till the refsof their fellow fervants werefulfilled , Whichshouldbefaine as Well as they had been. In fumme, a joyful'. reft is foretold for a fhort time, to, which anew flaughter.ofthe faithfull ..fhould at length fucceed, wch being finifhed, that which the' holy Soules did f> delire should be ef- fected. And the 'Hiftory witneffeth that it fell out after the fame manner. For after Gallienus, fucceeded Claudius, :intilita, flare= Tian, Tacit.zs, Florianas, Probus, Carta, andhisfans, and at length Diocletian, all which fpaceoftime, which wasabout 4o yeares, un- till the ninteenthyeareof bfóctefran,was the time of thispure white gown, and gladfome joyfulriefÍ'e, wherein tHé faithfull were at reft, . from flaughters and fpoilings, theÈmperours themfelves being re- [trained by God, fo that they did not interrupt this rat that wasgi. ven them. The which tranquility Pufebius defcribes, Hiftor. Book. 8,1,a. For being to writeof molt woefull time of Dioclefians cruelty, he makes way for himfelfeby remembring the formerfeli- city. He profeffeth himfelfe to be unable to layopenaccording to the worthineffe ofthelnatter , howgreat was theeftimation and liber- ty ofthe Chrifiian verity in all places. Howgreat (faith he) was the . gentlenefe of the Emperours to men ofourriligion , as to whom they gave Prefidentfiips over the Nations Whom theyMired cre freely and withoutpunifliment toprefer their oWn religion,*horn theyexceedisag- Hha iy
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