49° A R?velation of, the Apocalyfe. C A r . 14, 1y and luftily to his work, and yet he had no crown or Diademe to grace his head withal], as being a minifter rather to put another mans power in ure, than any that wrought by his own power and authority. Verf. i 8. Andanother Angell came out of the Altar. The fecònd' Ansel is defcribed by a triple property,that he commeth Oltfrom the Alrar,that {-eh.zth power over thefire, and that he exhorts hùfellow to cut down the vine. As touching the firft,he is faid fignificantly to come out ofthe Altar.for fo the Greek exprcf%th it,not as Beza turneth it from the Altar,which doth not futficiently expreffe the force of the fpeech.Aman isPaid to come from a thing,over againftwhich be was, but he is faid to come out of a thing within the compaffe wherofhe was Ihut up. Buthow can he come forth from out of the Altar? This may be underftood out of the 9.ver.of the 6.chap.Where it is fail: I faw th: fouls ofthemWhoWere tlain,lying under the Altar. This kinde of fpeaking then teacheth us,t hatthis Angel is an Holy M.,artyr, filch as theyare who are under the Altar.Now they that lye under the Al- tar,muft needs come forth out ofthe Altar,when they goanywhither. But feeing there are many kinds ofMartyrdom,ferfomeare confsmed With the (word,fame With the Haltar,fome With Wild Beafta,fomeWith fire,to the intent that it might be underftood what kinde ofMartyr this is, it is added in the next words, that hehathpower over thefire, that is,that he induring & overcomming thetorment offire,which ís to have power over thefire,did thus give teftimonyto the Truth.Now in that in the third place, he cryerh to him that had the fickle, we are taught that this man is defcribed as if he were a Martyr,ngore for his combat that was tobe,thanbecaufe of his viftorywhich was paft.For a Martyr that is departed out_ofthis life,cannot provoke one to any notable enterprife. T he example ofhisconitancy mayprick forward a mans mind to the like courage,but he cannot incite him by words to fpeciall defigns,fuch as this is ofcutting the vinc,unleffe he be living together withhim.This exhortion therfore givethus to wit that this man thould enduer martyrdom at laft,and that he lead not endured it bcfore,when he perfwaded unto this work. All which circumftances being joined together,do lead us to T. Cranmer,once Arch-BiJhop of Canterbury as they call him. This man was a worthy Martyr,having power over the fire,to which he gave his body to be burned for the Truth.Whofe power over the fire was fo much themore glorious, in that having formerly flipped throughhumane frailty in fubfcribing to the wicked Religion, he ftraightwaies repenting, and revoking his
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=