now: but he telleth us plainly, that as fix angels have already blown their trumpets, fo when the feventh angel fhould blow, the mystery of God fhall be finifhed:' that is, the time of punishing the wicked, and rewarding the godly, fhould come, which is therefore called a mystery, because the world understandeth it not: they think there is no fuch matter.

They imagine there is no reward for the juft, or punishment for the wicked," Mal. iii. 14. But the Holy Ghoft faith, Verily there is a reward for the righteous: • doubtlefs there is a God which judgeth 'the earth,' Pfal. lviii. 18. And here it is faid, that God hath declared it to his fervants the prophets.'

4

And the voice which I heard from hea ven fpake unto me again, and faid, go and take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel, which standeth upon the fea, and upon the earth. So I ⚫ went unto the angel, and faid unto him, give me the little book. And he said unto 'me, take it, and eat it up, and it fhall make thy belly bitter, but it fhall be in thy mouth, as fweet as honey. Then I took the little book out of the angel's hand, and eat it up, and it was in my mouth as fweet as honey: but when I had eaten it, my belly was bitter. And he faid un

⚫ to me, Thou must prophecy again among the people, and nations, and tongues, and to many kings,' Rev. x. 8, 9, 10, 11.

The brief fense of these four verses is, that the preachers of the gospel being called, allowed, and authorized by Chrift unto their miniftry, fhould ftudy the scriptures with great diligence, even until they had eaten up the book of God, and they thould preach and publifh unto all nations and kingdoms that truth of God, and doctrine of the gofpel, which now a long time had been hid in the reign of Antichrift. It is to be obferved, that John in this place reprefenteth the perfon of all the ministers of the gofpel, which fhould be raised up in these last days, for the overthrow of Antichrift; and the reftoration of true religion, for John himself did not live to those tim

Further, it is to be noted, that all godly ftudents and zealous ministers do eat up the book of God by reading, ftudy, prayer, and ineditation, and they find it fweet in their mouth, that is, they find and feel great joy and comfort in the ftudy and meditation thereof, efpecially when God revealeth thereby great and hid fecrets unto them, and giveth them to understand the myfteries of the gofpel, and counfels of his will, which are locked up from the wife

and prudent of this world. This I fay, is fweeter unto their mouth than honey, and the honey comb. Concerning the phrafe of eating up the book, look Ezekiel ii. 9. for here the Holy Ghost alludeth there

unto.

This book being so sweet in the mouth, yet being eaten and digefted, is bitter in the belly.

There may be three reafons yielded for this bitternefs:

First, Because it being once taken down into our foul by godly meditation, doth mortify our corrupt nature, and bring under our luft, and therefore feemeth bitter to flesh and blood.

Secondly, Because afflictions and trials do always neceffarily follow the found digeftion of the gospel.

Thirdly, Becaufe tbe doctrine of the gofpelbeing fwallowed by the minifters thereof, must not be kept to themselves, as it were clofed up in their ftomachs, but they muft out with it again, as if it were fome loathfome and bitter thing, which must needs be caft up again. And for this caufe it is faid in the laft verfe, that they must prophecy again among the people, and na

tions, and tongues, and many kings.' Now bleffed be the name of the Lord our God, who hath given us to live in this age, where

in we do with our eyes behold and fee the fulfilling of all these things: let us therefore praife God for this great work which we fee wrought in our days and let us ftill more and more magnify this little book, which will utterly deftroy Popery, and bring down the proud Antichrift, do all that fight for him what they can.

WE

CHAP. XI.

E have heard that the little book fhould be opened, and the gospel preached and published to many nations and kingdoms, after the great darkness of Popery, and that this was done by Luther, Melancthon, Calvin, Peter, Virit, Peter Martyr, Bullinger, Bucer; and all their faithful fucceffors unto this day. Now in this chapter we are to understand the effect and good fuccefs of their preaching and publishing the gofpel, which was, that the church fhould be reftored, reformed, and built up thereby, which a long time had been wafted and oppreffed by the tyranny of Antichrift, and that many fhould embrace this gofpel, forfake their idolatries, and turn unto God with all their hearts, yea,

whole nations and kingdoms in Europe fhould be converted to the faith, as we fee this day, God be praised. So then the principle aim of this chapter is, to fhew thofe things which yet remain to be fulfilled under the blowing of the fixth trumpet, which is the preaching and prevailing of the gofpel, even unto the worlds end: and alfo the things which follow upon the blowing of the feventh trumpet, which is the refurrection and last judgment.

This chapter containeth fix principle things, as it were fix parts thereof.

First, It fheweth how the true church fhould be gathered together, and built up by the preaching of the gofpel, and all the wicked refufed and caft out.

Secondly, It defcribeth the builders, that is, all the faithful miniflers which had, and fhould refift Antichrift.

Thirdly, It fheweth how Antichrift fhould perfecute the preachers and profeffors of the gofpel unto death, and murder them by heaps.

Fourthly, It fheweth that Papifts, Atheists and wicked worldlings, fhould rejoice in the death of God's people, and not vouchsafe them fo much as the honour of burial, but fend gifts one to another for joy that they were rid out of the earth.

Fifthly, It fheweth that notwithstanding