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…

They had power given them: Showing, that by reason of the sins of men, God in his righteous judgement gives them power to hurt and deceive. And yet hereby comfort may arise unto the children of God, that they can hurt no more then God enjoins them, for they have power only to hurt Men; the Corn, the Wine, and the Fruits of the earth they cannot hurt.

They had power giuen them: Shewing, that by reason of the sinnes of men, God in his righteous iudgement giues them power to hurt and deceiue. And yet hereby comfort may arise vnto the children of God, that they can hurt no more then God enioynes them, for they haue power onely to hurt Men; the Corne, the Wine, and the Fruits of the earth they cannot hurt.

Which showeth, that in the time of Popery, there should be plenty of all those, nothing hurt of the green things, as of the herbs, the grass, the corn, &c. Which confuteth that which is commonly alleged of the Papists, who count their worship to be good, because in the time of Massing (as they call it) all things were cheap, and there was so great plenty of all outward things: And indeed by this it appeareth that it must needs be so, for otherwise they could not have been such as Saint John speaketh of here. Again, in that they hurt men, it is only of those that have not received the Mark of God in their foreheads: And again, this hurt is not in regard of their lives, by taking away their lives, but this hurt they did them was in their Conscience, by reason of terror, for they were stung by them as with Scorpions, in that they took away from them the knowledge of God, leaving in them the sting of an evil Conscience.

Which sheweth, that in the time of Popery, there should bee plenty of all those, nothing hurt of the greene things, as of the hearbs, the grasse, the corne, &c. Which confuteth that which is commonly alledged of the Papists, who count their worship to be good, because in the time of Massing (as they call it) all things were cheape, and there was so great plenty of all outward things: And indeed by this it appeareth that it must needs be so, for otherwise they could not haue beene such as Saint Iohn speaketh of heere. Againe, in that they hurt men, it is onely of those that haue not receiued the Marke of God in their foreheads: And againe, this hurt is not in regard of their liues, by taking away their liues, but this hurt they did them was in their Conscience, by reason of terrour, for they were stung by them as with Scorpions, in that they tooke away from them the knowledge of God, leauing in them the sting of an euill Conscience.