C A r.7. f (evelatiott ofthe Apocalypfe. 143 That is to fay, from the Earl'', the Sca, the Trees. The Earth hath before beendeclared to be the Heath.ensf?i Nations; as Chap.64.i S. Hereafter it feemeth to fignifie conftantly,not men that are altogether e f rangedfrom theprofeffion of C'hrifiiantty, but the commonfort, and the cenfuJcd multitude of the corrupt Church, which (Ucceeded into the roome of the Heathens, Chap.8.i3. and i z 9. 13. i6. and 13. i i. &c. The Sea noteth out the Doctrine ; fotr.e:irnes that which is true, and then it isplaced before the Throne, within the circuit of the Elders, where it is a ?la¡Jìeone, and like to Chryftall, moíf cleave and pure, Chap. 4. 6. It is more often ufed metaphorically, to fignifie falfe do trine, inwhich fenle it reticles, as it were, in his owne Channel!, within the compaffe of this Earth, the which it Both folder together withhis moyifure, though thicke and brackifh, which it conveyeth into ir, by the hidden pores thereof, that fo the nature of it, which is prone to molder away in finali pieces, and cannot cleave together, might not be diffolved with drinefle : For unle!fe there were fome bondofmutuall content among thefe that be but feigned, and hypo- criticall Citizens, the wicked ofremblies were not able to /land. By Trees, we underiùand men, out of Chap. 9. 4. Where commande- ment is given to the Locufts, that they fhould not hurt every tree, but onlyfuch men as had not the fQne ofGod upon theirforeheads. Now the exception is alwayes ofthe fame kinde, ofwhich that is, fromwhich the exception is made, and therefore feeingmen are excepted, it mull needs be, that theTrees are men alto, not indeed fuch men as be of the lowefl ranke and condition,but filch as over-looke the ref} with their high tops, and lift np their heads among the reff ; menof more note in theChriftian Alemblies. But if the .Angels would have hurt this Earth and Sea, and thefe Trees onely, why had they not free powergiven them .? Becaufe in this confuted mixture, there lay hid many of the Eled, whowere tobe taken seed unto : For thefe mens fakes would the Angel of theEaft have the confuted multitude tobe (pared, and no harme to be done to any other, till thole men were provided for, ofwhofe fafetycare muff be had. The Wick d raine the deferring of punifbmcnt, Becaufe oftholefew goodones, Whom they have converting amongli them. s. And I /eW another Angel attending up from the EafI. In the Greeke, it is in the Aorif he that afcended, force Bookes, reade in the prefent Tenfe, a tending. The Hebririans by a Figure where- byone fpeciall is fet for another, put a een.ding and defcending, for departingfrom, goingforth, or, going on, andreturning,as, he attended K k from
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