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followeth: behold the effect of this earthquake; it is faid, that the tenth part of the city fhall fall.'. By the city here he meaneth the great city of Rome, mentioned before, verfe 8. which is therefore called the great city, because it was the chief city of the Roman empire, and the very feat of Antichrift. Now then, the fenfe and meaning of the Holy Ghoft is, that when there once beginneth to be an earthquake, that is, broils, contentions, alterations, queftions, and disputations about religion; and that the Popish doctrine, which had fo long prevailed in the world, fhould be called in queftion; yea, openly preached against, convicted and condemned, that then Rome fhall begin to fall, and Romish religion to fuffer a great eclipfe; yea, the tenth part, that is, fome part of the city of Rome; I mean the doctrine and authority of Rome, fhall be overthrown. Now this falling of the tenth part of Rome was fulfilled within fome few years after the preaching of the gofpel by Luther and his immediate fucceffors; but fince it is gone back many degrees, and hereafter it fhall ftill ebb and confume away by degrees, even till it come to nothing: as God willing, fhall be plainly proved hereafter.

Moreover, here is fet down another effect of this earthquake; which is, that

thereby fhall be flain in number feven thoufand, that is, many thousands; for the number of seven is a perfect and univerfal number, as formerly hath been declared. But the fense of this claufe is, that all fuch as will not yield to the gospel after matters once come in question, and the light thereof breaketh forth, but continue still in their blindness and hardness, ftanding out fturdily against the truth, fhall feel the heavy judgment of God upon them, and come to miferable and wretched ends; as did here in England, Stephen Gardiner, bloody Bonner, and many other fuch open perfecutors in other nations and countries, as the book of martyrs doth plentifully witnefs.

Laft of all, it is faid, that the reft were terrified, and gave glory to the God of heaven: that is, the elect of God feeing thefe horrible judgments upon the perfe cutors of the gofpel, and having their eyes opened thro' thefe contentions and broils about religion, fhould repent of their for mer idolatries; blindnefs and ignorance, fhould yield to the truth, and give glory to the God of heaven, as at this day we fee thoufands do, God be thanked. We heard before in the time of the Turks murdering army, when the third part of men were flain, that the reft repented not of their

idolatry. But now (God be praised for it) many do repent every day, and turn from dumb idols to ferve the living God. And therefore although the times wherein we live be finful and troublefome, yet are they golden times and days, in comparison of former ages, wherein Antichrift did reign. and rule over all. Moreover, from this place may plainly and ftrongly be concluded, that the gofpel fhall prevail more and more in all the kingdoms of Europe, even until the end of the world. For here we fee it foretold and prophefied, that in the very laft age of the world, and even as it were a little before the blowing of the fe venth trumpet, which presently hereupon is founded, as in the next verfes appeareth, many fhould repent, and give glory to God.

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The fecond wo is past, and behold the 'third wo will come quickly. And the feventh angel blew the trumpet, and there were great voices in heaven, faying, The kingdoms of this world are our Lord's, and his Christ's, and he fhall reign for evermore,' Rev. xi. 14, 15.

Now cometh the third, the last, and the greateft wo, which is the wo of eternal death upon all the ungodly, both in their fouls and bodies for ever in the last judg ment. The fecond wo was Turkifm: and

this third wo is the laft judgment. For it now followeth, that the feventh angel bloweth the last trumpet; as our Lord Jefus fware before, that when the feventh angel fhould blow the trumpet, there would be no more time. Therefore when we fee all things fulfilled which do.belong unto the fixth trumpet, it remaineth that we should every hour expect and look for the blowing of the feventh trumpet and the end of the world. For the Holy Ghoft telleth us, that when the kingdom of the Pope and the Turk fhall fall, and the gofpel be preached in many nations and kingdoms, that then the third wo will come anon, that is, the laft judgment followeth prefently upon it. Now at the blowing of this feventh trumpet there were great voices in heaven, faying, The kingdoms of this world are our Lord's, and his Chrift's, and he shall reign for evermore."

Thefe voices in heaven are triumphing voices of God's elect, who do exceedingly rejoice and triumph, that the kingdom of Satan and Antichrift is overthrown, and that the kingdom of God and of Chrift is fet up, and fhall ftand for evermore. For now all adverfary power being overthrown, Christ doth deliver up a peaceable kingdom to his Father, as it is written, Then 'fhall be the end, when he hath delivered

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up his peaceable kingdom to God the Father,' Cor. i. 15-24. For he must I reign over the church militant, till he have trode down all his enemies under his feet; and when the Son of God hath fubdued all things to himfelf, then fhall he be fubject to his Father, as he is the Mediator of the church, and yet reign with his church triumphant for evermore.

Then the four and twenty elders which 'fat before God on their feats, fell upon their faces, and worfhipped God, faying, "We give thee thanks, O Lord God Al'mighty, which art, which waft, and which 'art to come; for thou haft received thy great might, and haft obtained thy kingdom, Rev. xi. 16, 17.

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Thefe four and twenty elders do fignify all the elect, both of Jews and Gentiles, as we have heard before; which all in moft fuppliant manner do worship the only everlafting God, even in the church triumphant, and do greatly rejoice, and give all praise and glory unto him, because now he hath received the kingdom, the power, and the glory, both Pope, and Turk, and emperor, and all his enemies being fubdued under his feet.

• And the Gentiles were angry, and thy 'wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou

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