A plain explanation of the whole Revelation of Saint John Very necessary and comfortable…A plaine explanation of the vvhole Revelation of Saint John Very necessary and comfortable…

Then they are severally described; the first of them is like a Lyon, declaring their courage; the second, like an Ox, signifying their strength; the third, like a Man, noting their wisdom; the fourth, like an Eagle, showing their swiftness and speediness in doing Gods will. Their six wings expresseth their readiness to go to all places: their wings full of eyes, show that they go not at all adventures.

Then they are seuerally described; the first of them is like a Lyon, declaring their courage; the second, like an Oxe, signifying their strength; the third, like a Man, noting their wisedome; the fourth, like an Eagle, shewing their swiftnesse and speedinesse in doing Gods will. Their sixe wings expresseth their readinesse to goe to all places: their wings full of eyes, shew that they goe not at all aduentures.

These were about the Throne.

Under it was a Sea of Crystal, whereby seemeth to be meant the earthly creatures, and all things in this present world, compared to a Sea, because of the unconstancie of them, likened to Crystal, because God seeth clearly into them, and through them; for as one may see easily into Glass, and Crystal, so these are evidently seen and discerned of God, as being continually in his sight and presence, having been made by him, and being governed by him. After, the four Beasts are said to fall down and praise him day and night, for all his Power, Glory, and Majesty, and especially as it seemeth, for those thunders, that is, for those judgements to be executed on the world, acknowledging that they were just and right. And albeit they were sealed up as appeareth in the next Chapter, yet by these thunder-claps of Gods anger, they ⟨p. 28⟩could understand that there were judgements to come. The like is in Isaiah, the sixth Chapter, where the Angels also glorify God for his judgements. And albeit it may seem to man to be a very hard and grievous thing, that God should harden the hearts of the people, to the end he may more fully express his judgements on them, yet nevertheless the Angels cease not to magnify him for the same: and so they do here in this place.