THE 3. VISION.
4. S. Iohn weeping, because no man could open the booke sealed with seuen seales; 6. the Lamb
that was slaine, opened it: which being done, 8. the foure beasts and foure and twentie Seniours,
with an innumerable multitude of Angels and al creatures, did glorifie him exceedingly.
1. AND I saw in the right hand of him that sate vpon the throne, a
✟
S. Gregorie taketh it to be the booke of holy Scripture li. 4. Dialog. c. 42.
booke written within
and without, sealed with seuen seales.
2. And I saw a strong Angel, preaching with a loud voice: Who is worthie to open the
booke, & to loose the seales thereof?
3. And no man was able neither in heauen nor in earth, nor
✟
He speaketh not of the damned in Hel, of whom there could be no question: but of the
faithful in Abrahams bosome, & in Purgatorie.
vnder the earth, to open
the booke, nor look on it.
4. And I wept much because no man was found worthie to open the booke, nor see it.
5. And one of the Seniours said to me: Weep not; behold
✟
So did Iacob (Gen. 49.) cal Christ, for his kingly fortitude in subduing the
world vnto him.
the
*
Gen. 49,9.
Lion of the Tribe of Iuda,
the root of Dauid, hath won, to open to booke, and to loose the seuen seales thereof.
6.
⋮
The Epistle vpon al-Hallowes eue.
And I saw, and behold in the middes of the throne and of the foure beasts and in
the middes of the Seniours,
✟
So Christ is called for that he is immaculate Host or Sacrifice for our sinnes.
a Lamb standing as it were slaine, hauing seuen hornes & seuen eyes:
which are the seuen Spirits of God, send into al the earth.
7. And he came, and receiued the booke out of the right hand of him that sate in throne.
8. And when he had opened the booke, the foure beasts and the foure and twentie
Seniors fel before the Lamb, hauing euery one harps, and golden vials ful of odours, which are the
praiers of Saints:
9. And they sang a new canticle, saying: Thou art worthie o Lord to take the booke,
and to open the seales thereof:
✟
This maketh against the Caluinists who are not content to say that we merit not, but that
Christ merited nor for himself Calu. Philip. 2. v. 9.
because thou wast slaine, and hast redeemed vs to God in thy bloud
our of euery tribe and tongue and people and Nation,
10. and
*
1. Pet. 2.
hast made vs to our God a Kingdom and Priests, and we shal reigne vpon the earth.
11.
⋮
The Epistle in a votiue Masse of the holy Angels.
And I looked, and heard the voice of many Angels round about the throne, and of the
beasts & of the Seniours: and the number of them was
*
Dan. 7,10.
thousands of thousands,
12. saying with a loud voice: The Lamb that was slaine, is worthie to receiue power,
and diuinitie, and wisedom, and strength, and honour, and glorie, and benediction.
13. And euery creature that is in heauen, and vpon the earth, and vnder the earth, and
that are in the sea, and that are therein: al did I heare saying:
*
Apoc. 4,11.
To him that sitteth in the throne,
and
✟
Al the said creatures are bound to giue honour, not only to God, but to Christ as man,
and our Redeemer: & so they here doe.
to the Lamb, benediction and honour and glorie and power for euer and euer.
14. And the foure beasts said, Amen. And the foure and twentie Seniours fel on their
faces: and adored him that liueth for euer and euer.
ANNOTATIONS.
Cʜᴀᴘ. V.
8. The praiers of Saincts.)
Hereby it is plaine that the Saincts in heauen offer vp the praiers
of faithful and holy persons in earth (called here saincts, and in Scripture often) vnto Christ.
And among so many diuine & vnsearcheable mysteries set downe without exposition, it pleased God
yet, that the Apostle him self should open this one point vnto vs, that these odours be the
laudes and praiers of the faithful, ascending and offered vp to God as incense, by the Saincts
in heauen, that so the Protestants may haue no excuse of their errour. That the Saincts haue no
knowledge of our affaires or desires.
10. A kingdom and priests.)
To serue God and subdue vices and sinnes, is to reigne or to be a king
spiritually, likewise to offer vnto him the sacrifices of good workes, is to be a priest after a
sort: though neither the one nor the other in proper speache. See the Annotation before Chap. 1. v.
6.
13. Euery creature.)
He meaneth the creatures in heauen, as Angels and Saincts. the holy persons in
earth, and those that were in Limbo, or be in Purgatorie (for of the damned in hel he can not speake
in this case:) lastly, of the peoples in Ilands (here called the sea) which the Prophets vse often to
name seuerally, when they foretel the spreading of Christs glorie through the world. as Esa. c. 49.
Heare ye andes and you people a far of &c.