C A P.14. A Rervelation oftheApocalypse. 471 alfo the old Latin read it. Which readingI would think rather is to be followed, both becaufe it dothmore fully open the Doftrin,fee- ing wee are adopted to be fonnes by Chria, and becaufe fo ma- ny copies content thereto. There is nodifference in the eff'e 1 be- tween either, yet the one is more fignificant then the other : but hence we may fetch light to clear that in they. Chapter,v.3. Where mention is made offealing,but there is nothing fer down by which it might be known, what manner of (tamp was fet upon them. We learn out of this place; that this Wa? Written upon theirforeheads that God Was their father through Chriff. And there is great caufe why this should be made a market() know the Saints by,becaufe they arc moll ofall difcerned hereby from the wicked of the world, whofe fafhion it is ro condemne a child-like confidence in Cod for arro- gancie, as we fee in the Paptfts who blafpheme againft this holy truth. But obferve that this is no fenfible fealing, or if that were granted, yet that is not the f the of the Crof fc, but the name of the Fa- ther Written on theirforeheads. Verf. a. AndI hearda voyre from heaven. That is, from Mount Sion, where theLambe food with this multitude, Out ofrh2T°mple; That is, out of the Church. The famething is fignified by thefe fun- dry names. There was an endeavour in this Mountaine alone to wo. rfhip God aright; while all the reft of the world followed their ownungodly and vain imaginations. The voyce which was heard, is illuftrated by a threefold fimilitude; of Waters, Thunder, andof Harpers,which threefold Gmilitude noteth out the proceedings of the Church; the fire is the Churches voyce when it was decaying, and that is a confufed and diflina one, fuch as is the noife of waters, which fignifieth nothing, teacheth nothing, but beateth the eares with a certain unprofitable murmur. For when as the woman went firft into the wilderneffe, though there were then many very learned men flourifhing in the Church, as Ark/ma/No, Bafill, Wzianzen, Chryfofome, Ambrofc,Flierome,4sein, and others,whofe very lear- ned works did make a mighty noife through all the world,yet how was all their doctrine commonlynot underftood, nor perceived of the molt, every one following eagerly their own fuperaitions for all that ? Yea the Donors themfelves didnot fpeake ditinetly, and plainly, while they fometimes preached righteoufneffe by Chrifïï onely; fometimes they gave it to their own works, erewhiles they tooke away free will; oftentimes they left the fame entire and un- touched, they condemned Idolatry inword, and they eftablifhed it 1
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