24 ofthe Apocalyple..0 A r. I. faä fevengolien Candletickr. So muchof his hearing. The things feen, are partly things, partly aperfon. The things are feven golden Candlefticks, the interpretation whereof, we íhall learnafterwards, verf. zo. In the mean time let its obferve, that every godly endeavour loth receive fome fruit greater then a man can hope for; lohn turned himfelfto behold the maniand behold over and betides fevenCandle- Ricks, which he had not the leaft fufpition of. i 3. And in the naiddeff of the Candlefficks. The perfon that he law was Chrifl himfelf, as we underftand out of the 17, and i S. verlWho is faid to be like to thefon ofman, becaufe he made himfelf able to be beheld, having affirmed a new form , not that naturali one which he took ofthe virgin, and wherein he fits full ofglory at the right hand ofthe father, which may be the reafon why the articles are not pre- fixed, as the manner is in other places, according to the obfervation ofTheo. Bcz.a. This form is taken upon him agreeably to the prefent conditionofthe Church ; and therefore another then this is taker, where another eftate of the fpoufe is defcribed, chap. 19. 11,t a &c. even as allo it is done elfwhere commonly. For Chaff is alwayes one and the fameunchangeable, neither Both he forhis own fake change his figure focften , being filch as in Whom no change nor fhadoW or changefalieth; but feeing according to his diverfe adminif?tration, it farethalto diverfly with himas it doth with his Spoufe, to the end he might both teftifie chic fellowfhip & familiarity with her,as alto fhew .that he is not unmindful( of her, howfoever times change, he taketh uponhim a fhape agreeingwith the things themfelves. He fuffereth when the fuíereth,& together with herdoth he triumph;what marvel is it then ifin foneer a focietie he fafhion himfelfe like unto her .Ac- cording to this doth Irenevu interpret this diverfe figure ofChrift; Throo the WordofGod (, faith he) alWiiyes carrieth in himfelfas it Were theportreitwre ofthings tocome, and did as it Were fhet7 lento rnena drareght of thefundry difpofements of hù father, thus teaching ru the things of god. Book 4. chap. 37. Neither doth it make a little here- unto, that he appeareth in this habit in the mids ofthe Candlefticks, thereby plainly declaring, that thismanner of adorninghimfelfdoth not agree abfolutely unto him felfbut fo far forth as he is converfant in tIin thfChurches of thefe and thefe times. Wherefore in filch viflons as thefe, we ought not fomuch to inquire ofwhat fafh_on Chrift is in himfelf, as what kinde of governing his Church he ufeth , and of whatfaihion his Sposare is arifing thence,which he fetteth forth to be beheld in himfelfas in a glaffe. To come therefore to the explain- ing
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