Exposition on the Catholic Epistles, Revelation · Chapter 12
CHAP. XII.
IN this and the two Chapters following is another period of time contained, wherein by new figures are ſet forth the troubles of the Church by Antichriſt, and what iudgements ſhall finally be executed vponupon him and vponupon all his adherents, they ſhall bee tormented, and the ſmoake of their torment ſhall aſcend for euermore, they ſhall be troden in the wine-preſſe of Gods wrath, by the miniſtery of his Angels being ſent out to gather them together, as cluſters of grapes are cut down and gathered together to the wine-preſſe when they are ripe. But the figures and paſſages here are ſo myſticall, as that we need pray much to the father of lights to enlighten vsus to goe in a right path of the vnderſtanding of theſe things, or elſe wee muſt needs bee wildred and loſt in this ſearch. Truſting therefore onelyonly to this enlightening, I thus enter this way.
Queſt. 1. And a great ſigne was ſeene in heauen, Verſ. 1.a woman cloathed with the Sunne, and the Moone vnderunder her feet, and vponupon her head a crowne of twelue ſtarres, &c. What woman is this, and what doth this ſtrange kinde of apparell about her ſignifie? What is her being with childe, and pained to be deliuered? What childe is it that ſhe was about to bring forth, that ſhould rule all nations with a rod of iron, whom a great red Dragon ſtandeth ready to deuoure, hauing ſeuen heads and ten hornes, and with his taile drawing the third part of the ſtarres, and caſting them to the earth, which Dragon is ſaid to be in heauen alſo? And how is this childe taken vp to God, and to his throne from out of his danger?
Anſw. Some Popiſh Expoſitors by this woman vnderſtand the Virgin Mary, Ribera. Viegas. Methodius. Primaſius. Bullinger. Fox. Pareus, &c. Hoſ. 1.2.3.but the learned of their owne ſide, Ribera and Viegas, and others reiect this, as not agreeing, if the following circumſtances of being pained, and hauing other ſeed, which is afterwards perſecuted, be conſidered. The common ſtreame of Interpreters is for the Church of God, which is the ſpouſe of God, whom he is ſaid to hauehave married vntounto himſelfe. And thus without all doubt wee are to conceiue of this woman.
Queſt. But how is ſhe ſaid to be in heauen?
Anſw. Pannonius.To this Pannonius anſwereth well, that howſoeuer the Church hath her being in this world, yet ſhe is but a ſtranger here, heauen is her countrey to which ſhe aſpireth, and from whence commeth her election and being,Tertui. apolo. c. 1. Scitgens Chriſtiana ſe peregrinā in terris agere, inter extraneos facile inimicos inuenire, Caelerū genus, ſpem, ſedem, gratiam, dignitatem in coelis habere. as Tertullian doth excellently declare, ſaying, The Chriſtian nation knoweth that ſhe is a ſtranger vponupon earth, and doth eaſily finde enemies amongſt ſtrangers, but ſhee hath her ſtocke, ſeat, grace, hope and dignity in heauen.
Touching her apparell here ſet forth, The Sunne is moſt bright and ſhining of all the lights in heauen, to ſhew therefore the exceeding great glory of the Church, ſhee is ſaid to bee cloathed with the Sunne. A ſpeech much like to this, is that of our Sauiour Chriſt, The iuſt ſhall ſhine as the Sunne. But this is for her future condition;Matth. 13.43. Pannonius. Bullinger. Parcus. Forbs, &c. for the preſent, Chriſt the Sun of righteouſneſſe is her glory, for ſo he is called, Mal. 4. hee by faith is put on as a garment couering her round about, and beautifying her, ſo all Expoſitors generally agree, except Fox and Brightman, who ſtand, (and ſpecially Fox) for a moſt illuſtrious glory hereby generally ſet forth; but hold, that it is not intended that this figure ſhould be ſtrained any further by applying all the particulars. And indeed, for ſo much as the child in her wombe is Chriſt, as by and by ſhall be declared, I cannot ſee how it can ſo well agree in the ſame figure, to hold that hee is both ſet forth as the cloathing of the Church, and the fruit in her body at the ſame time, though in diuers reſpects he is & euer hath been ſo. I hold therfore rather, that her glorious eſtate before God only in generall is here ſet forth. And therefore as worldly glory conſiſteth in glorious apparell, and a crowne of gold beſet with pretious ſtones, and an high elated throne, that place where all inferiour perſons ſtand, being vnderunder the ſeet: ſo the Church is ſaid to be cloathed with the Sun, to weare a crowne with twelue ſtarres, and to hauehave the Moone, which is aboue all this world, vnderunder her ſect, ſo high is ſhee mounted. But why twelue ſtarres in her crowne, neither more nor leſſe? Herein I take it, it is alluded to the twelue pretious ſtones in the breſt-plate of the high Prieſt, according to the number of the twelue tribes, which made this number of twelue familiar in this Prophecie, as appeareth by the twice twelue thrones round about the throne, Chap. 4. the twelue thouſand ſealed of the twelue Tribes, Chap. 7. the twelue pretious ſtones in the wals of the new Ieruſalem, and the twelue gates, Chap. 21. Many will hauehave theſe twelue ſtarres to ſet forth the twelue Apoſtles, and the Moone vnderunder her ſeet, the mutablethings of this world; but if that which hath beene already ſaid bee conſidered, I thinke the Reader will not bee of that minde.
Touching that which ſhee trauaileth withall there is great difference, ſome vnderſtand it of the godly in all ages, Andreas. Viegas. Ribera. Parent, Forbs.with whom the Church trauaileth, and is euer at the point of bringing forth; but when any are brought forth, the enemy is ready to deuoure them, in ſpight of whom they are finally glorified in heauen, which is ſet forth by this phraſe, hee ſhall rule all nations with a rod of iron, according to that promiſe Chap. 2.27. And they ſay, that the off-ſpring of the Church is called a childe in the ſingular number, becauſe though they bee many, yet they are but one myſticall body; and a male childe, as being the more perfect, and the heire, and of more courage and conſtancy. And of this expoſition applied ſpecially to the laſt times, doe the Papals moſt greedily lay hold, as making for them in their doctrine about their ſuppoſed Antichriſt. For the Churches being pained, and crying out, ſetteth forth the ſtraits wherein ſhe ſhould be at that time. And thus they ſeeke to draw the Reader from looking at any time paſt, or that now is, and to hold him in expectation of the time of Antichriſt yet for to come. But againſt this expoſition maketh both the diſtinction afterwards following in the end of this Chapter, where it is ſpoken of the reſt of her ſeed, and the deſcription of this childe, He ſhall rule ouer all nations with arod of iron. For if all the faithfull bee the ſeed of the woman here ſet forth, they being taken vp to heauen, how can ſhe yet hauehave a ſeed remaining vponupon earth to be perſecuted ſtill? And touching this large reigning, howſoeuer the faithfull are promiſed in the place before alleaged, that they ſhall rule ouer the nations, yet it is not ſaid as here, ouer all nations, nor is it ſpoken of as a dignity to which they were borne, but as conferred vponupon ſuch as ouercome, whereas here the man-childe mentioned is ſo ſpoken of, as comming to it by right and inheritance. The male childe therefore here muſt be one ſingular perſon moſt remarkable, as the firſt-borne, for this his extraordinary power and authority ouer all, to which hee is borne. Moſt therefore, ſeeing that there is none other ſuch to bee found in all the world,Bullinger, Fox, Gorian and Pareus deliuereth this firſt, applying it anagogically to the faithfull. reſolue vponupon the Lord Ieſus Chriſt, for the hiſtory of his birth and aſcenſion doth ſo anſwer this deſcription in eueryevery particular, as that all things doe moſt excellently agree, if it be vnderſtood of him. And ſo the prophecie Pſal. 2.7. agreeth alſo, I will giuegive thee the nations for thine inberitance, and the vttermoſt parts of the earth for thy poſſeſſion, thou ſhalt rule them with a rod of iron, &c. Thus alſo there will be a good conſtruction of the reſt of her ſeed after mentioned, ſeeing hee is ſaid to bee the firſt-borne amongſt many brethren. Whereas it may ſeeme abſurd, that the Church is ſaid to hauehave Chriſt in her wombe, and to bring him forth, when as he is her husband, and ſhe hath rather her originall from him, for which cauſe ſhe is called his body; ſome reſolue this by applying this womans trauailing with childe and bringing forth, to the conception and birth, which is by faith. For the old Church by faith longed for, and was pained in expecting his comming ſo long a time, and eueryevery man may bee ſaid to trauaile with Chriſt, and to bring him forth, when through many inward troubles, and much ſorrow for ſinne, he commeth to be regenerate, and to leade a new life, for then hee liueth not any more, but Chriſt liueth in him,Gal. 2.20. Bullinger. Gorran. as Saint Paul ſpeaketh; and this according to Bullinger and Gorran. But becauſe this is daily done, and here is rather an alluſion to Chriſts corporall birth, from which time, that which is here figured out beginneth to take place, it doth not ſeeme to mee to agree ſo well, and therefore I vnderſtand it rather of his corporall birth by the Virgin Mary, as Bullinger doth at the firſt. For although ſhee were but one particular member of the Church, yet that for the effecting of which ſhe was vſed, as an inſtrument herein, may well be aſcribed to the whole body whereof ſhe was a member, and therefore St. Paul ſpeaking of the whole Iewiſh nation, ſaith,Rom. 9.5. (of whom Chriſt came according to the fleſh.) As for other circumſtances of being pained, and crying out to be deliuered, I hold them to be meerely allegoricall, and not to be ſtrained to a particular ſignification; but as when a woman is neere her time of being deliuered, it appeareth by theſe ſignes, ſo they are here mentioned to ſignifie the neere approaching of the time, when the Church of the Iewes ſhould corporally in Mary (a veſſell choſen to this purpoſe) bring forth our bleſſed Sauiour. And this is one reaſon alſo, why the Church is ſet forth by a woman, becauſe the head and the chiefe vponupon whom all the reſt depend, was promiſed by the name of the ſeed of the woman. If there ſhall ſeeme to bee a diſagreement in the time, becauſe the things ſet forth here were not already paſt, but altogether ſuch as ſhould happen afterwards; I anſwer with Pareus, Pareus. Bullinger.that the intent of this viſion is to ſet forth things to come: but for more orderly proceeding, if it be begun a little higher, euen at the birth of Chriſt, there is no going from the matter propounded, viz. to ſet forth things to come, ſith it is done onelyonly to illuſtrate them them the better, as was alſo done before in the opening of the firſt ſeale, when a white horſe iſſued out, that he might the more orderly, and with better light proceed vntounto the red, and blacke, and pale horſes, &c. It is ſaid that hee ſhould rule all nations with a rod of iron, to expreſſe his terribleneſſe to his enemies and ſuch as rebell againſt him, which are commonly expreſſed by the name of Nations or Heathen, becauſe they knew him not.
One expoundeth this of Conſtantine the great, but neither was he watched at his birth to be deuoured,Brightman. but after that hee came to the Empire, at what time the childe here ſpoken of is paſt all danger (if it be vnderſtood of his ſpirituall birth, when he became Chriſtian, it were prepoſterouſly ſet down, for ſo his birth ſhould follow his being taken vp into the throne) neither did he rule ouer all nations,Chap. 4. neither can the throne of God be fitly applied vntounto him here vponupon earth, ſeeing this throne is before deſcribed ſo, as that no man can bee ſaid to bee taken vp to it, till he be glorified in heauen.
One will hauehave Heraclius the Emperour,Lyra. who deſtroyed and ſucceeded the vſurper Phocas, vnderſtood here, but there is no colour for it.
Touching the great red Dragon, he is ſet forth plainly v. 9. that he is the Deuill, but is called a Dragon in alluding to his firſt appearance vntounto Eue in a ſerpent, when he tempted her; he is red through fury and cruelty,Ioh. 8.44. hee was a murtherer from the beginning. Viegas.He is ſaid to be in heauen here, according to ſome for the like reaſon, that the woman is ſaid to be there, becauſe he perſecuteth her, who is ſaid to be in heauen, or rather becauſe he had his abiding ſometime in heauen, and though hee be excluded, becauſe he kept not his firſt ſtanding, yet a long time hee had the liberty of appearing there before God amongſt the good Angels: for hee appeared amongſt them to accuſe Iob, and that it was his common practiſe is here afterwards plainly intimated,Iob 2. verſ. 10. how hee commeth to bee quire excluded, and when, we ſhall ſee further by and by, but ſtill he is ſaid to be Principalities and powers in heauenly places, Eph. 6.12. Pareus.becauſe hee hath the liberty of the Aerean heauen to this day. His ſeuen heads with crownes vponupon them, ſet forth by the common conſent, the many kings of the earth, who are ready as his inſtruments to execute his will, the number of ſeuen being vſuall in this booke to ſet forth many, his ten hornes, his great power by meanes of other ſtates of people, who alſo ſerue him, who are more in number. Certainly the largeneſſe and multitude of his dominions, and his manifold power is hereby figured out, and how great a Potentate hee is, to expreſſe the more the danger wherein this childe was, that the power whereby he was preſerued might be the more magnified. His taile drawing the third part of the ſtarres, and caſting them to the ground, doth yet more illuſtrate his ſtupendious power. By theſe ſtarres I vnderſtand the Angels that fell together with Lucifer, who as the chiefe drew them after him, and therefore hee is ſaid to draw them with his taile, becauſe they followed him in ſinning, and were throwne downe to the ground, which was by being depriued of their place and dignity in heauen. For there is one Deuill as the chiefe and ringleader ſet forth, the reſt of the infernall ſpirits followed him. And this, though done long before, is brought in here, as auailing to a perfect deſcription of him, that it might the better appeare how formidable he was. Some by the ſtarres vnderſtand,Parous. Viegas. as in Chap. 1. the Churches which are ſeduced vntounto Popery, and ſome the Doctors who by worldly preferments and reſpects are fawned vponupon,Bullinger. Forbs. and ſo drawne away from the truth vntounto errour, and ſo by heauen they vnderſtand the Church of God; by earth the world of the wicked, who are ſet vponupon earthly things, into whoſe ſociety they come, being thus drawne away. But for ſo much as heauen is a diſtinct thing here from the Church, if the woman be the Church, for ſhee appeareth in heauen, I cannot ſee how by heauen ſhould be vnderſtood the Church here, and conſequently how by the ſtars ſhould be meant the Doctors, and therefore I reſt in the firſt expoſition as moſt naturall, and the rather becauſe they are not only ſaid to be ſtars, but ſtarres of heauen, as he himſelfe at the firſt was, and therefore is called Lucifer, Eſa. 14.12.
Hee ſtandeth ready to deuoure this childe ſo ſoone as hee ſhould be borne, for he ſtirred vp Herod to ſend his executioners to kill all the male children in Bethlehem of two yeeres old and vnderunder, and from the time that he ſhewed himſelfe after his baptiſme, he neuer left perſecuting him, and plotting his deſtruction, till that at length he was crucified: but euen then in ſtead of being deuoured, nothing befell him but what hee did voluntarily vndergoe, and he was ſoone raiſed vp againe, and taken to the throne of the Father, and therefore he is ſpoken of as miſſing his purpoſe herein, for ſo much as Chriſt by his death gat the dominion,Heb. 2.15. Col. 2.14. and euen vponupon the Croſſe triumphed ouer the Deuill.
Learne we from hence both of how excellent a condition the Church of God is, heauen is her countrey, and her glory is heauenly and moſt magnificent, that we may preferre to be members of the Church before all worldly honours: and alſo what a terrible enemy we hauehave of the Deuill, ſo that we can no ſooner become Chriſtians, but hee is at hand to deuoure vsus; neither doth he want power ſo to doe, but he ſhall not be able to hinder our ſaluation, that we may put vponupon vsus the armour of God; neuer being ſecure, but alwayes making account that we ſtand in the midſt of greateſt dangers, and therefore continually ſeeking to the higheſt power by prayer, and out of a confident expectation of being taken vp out of all danger to glory at the laſt, becomming ſtrong in the faith, to beare all oppoſitions without ſhrinking, howſoeuer we be aſſaulted.
Queſt. 2. The woman fled into the wilderneſſe, Verſ. 6.where ſhe hath a place prepared of God, that they may nouriſh her one thouſand two hundred and threeſcore dayes, &c. To what time is this fight to be referred, what is this wilderneſſe, and how long is this time of one thouſand two hundred and threeſcore dayes?
Anſw. This relation commeth in here by way of anticipation, as moſt conſent, for this very perſecution and flight into the wilderneſſe is more largely deſcribed, verſ. 13. and this time is the ſame, onelyonly by a prolepſis it is in ſhort here propounded, to ſatisfie ſuch as would bee ready to inquire what became of the mother, after that the ſonne was taken vp, ſhee was perſecuted and fled, &c. but in order of time ſomewhat happened before this, and therefore before a full declaration of this perſecution that is ſet forth in the next words, And there was a great battell in heauen, Verſ. 7, 8.Michael and his Angels fought, &c. of which we are to conſider before we anſwer this, the proper place for this comming in afterwards, viz. verſ. 13.
Queſt. 3. Where is the fight here ſaid to be in heauen, what is Michael and the deuils caſting out of heauen, &c.
Anſw. No man doth hold that this is to bee vnderſtood according to the letter, for it were abſurd, that there ſhould be a fight in heauen, being a place of all peace and comfort, and not for any variance. Heauen therefore is to be vnderſtood as before, when the woman is ſaid to appeare in heauen, and the great red Dragon againſt her; which was all done here below, but repreſented in heauen as the proper place of the Church, which is but a ſtranger in this world; and the place where the Deuill firſt had his abode, and where he was wont to appeare to accuſe the godly. For ſo a great fight is ſaid to bee in heauen, when as indeed it was in this world, becauſe they which doe inſtigate and ſtirre vp vntounto it, are on the one ſide the holy Angels of God, whoſe abode is in heauen;Eph. 6.12. and on the other ſide the troupe of vncleane ſpirits, who are in heauenly places, that is, the vpper part of the aire. Many ſtand for the Church, that by heauen here the Church is meant, but ſeeing the woman is the Church, who is perſecuted after this fight and caſting down of the Deuill from heauen to the earth, I cannot ſee how heauen ſhould bee put for the Church alſo. But being vnderſtood, as hath beene before deliuered, all things following will excellently agree. Michael the Archangell with his Angels fight, that is, that principall good Angell, who is ſuperiour to all the reſt, as the Deuill is the principall of the euill Angels: he with the other good Angels, I ſay, ſtanding for the truth, ſtirred vp Chriſtian Emperours and Gouernors, to fight for the truth; and the Deuill on the other ſide with his infernall rabble, ſtirred vp Heathen Emperors and Gouernors to fight againſt the truth.Forbs. Brightman. Maſon. And thus almoſt doth Forbs and Brightman vnderſtand it, for they make Conſtantine the great and his aſſiſtants in his battels, Michael and his Angels; and Licinius with his aſſiſtants, the Deuill and his Angels. Many will hauehave Chriſt meant by Michael, Bullenger. Graſſerus. Pareus.both here & whereſoeuer elſe this name occurreth, becauſe he is ſaid to be the Archangell, that is, the Prince of Angels, and Michael, one as God. But why may not one Angell bee chiefe amongſt the good Angels, as well as one Deuill is chiefe amongſt the euill Angels? And if ſo, it is no whit abſurd to ſay that he is like God, being ſo eminent an image of his maieſty and excellency. And therefore ſome hold Michael to be an Angell indeed,Fox. as hath beene already ſaid, and by the ancients it hath beene generally held to be ſo, onelyonly ſome queſtion hath beene of what Angels Michael is the chiefe, and herein moſt following Dionyſius, who wrote of the orders of Angels, hauehave held him to bee the chiefe of the loweſt order onelyonly. I cannot approue ſo well of expounding Michael the Archangell of Conſtantine, or of any man, or the Deuill of Licinius, becauſe there is none other place of Scripture which giueth light vntounto ſuch an expoſition, and the following circumſtances agree not, ſeeing Licinius periſhed when he was ouercome of Conſtantine, neither did hee perſecute the Church any more, and afterwards this Deuill ſaid here to hauehave but a ſhort time, is alſo ſaid to be bound vp a thouſand yeeres, and then to rage, as hauing but a ſhort time, which can no way agree to that Tyrant.
Michael therefore fighteth by his pupils, Conſtantine, Theodoſius, Ʋalentinian and other godly Emperours; the Deuill by the heathen Emperours before Conſtantine, and Licinius, and Iulian, and Eugenius, who ſought to beat downe the Chriſtian religion. This fight began ſoone after Chriſts aſcenſion, and continued till ann. 394. in three hundred of which yeeres the Deuill fought ſo, as that by his agents, the Heathen Emperours, the truth was put in great hazzard; but then Michael began his battell ſo fiercely, as that errour and idolatry was put to the worſe; but by Iulian the Deuill reinforcing his battell againe, a Gratian was raiſed vp, and vntounto him was ioyned a Theodoſius, who when Gratian was ſlaine by Andragathius a Captaine of Maximus and vſurper, being Emperour alone, behaued himſelfe ſo valiantly, that in his time the Heathen idolatry was quite put downe, and the temples of idols deſtroyed, neither were any permitted to ſacrifice to idols any more. For the Deuill ſeeing his religion to grow towards a deſperate eſtate, thought to put all vponupon the fortune of one battell, and therefore ſtirred vp Eugenius with his Captaine Arbogaſtus, with a mighty power to ſet vponupon Theodoſius: but Theodoſius hauing prayed vntounto God, began the battell againſt them, and being miraculouſly aſſiſted with a mighty wind blowing in the face of the enemy, ſoone gat the victory, and they being ſlaine,Theodor. l. 5. cap. 20. Socrat. l. 5. c. 24. Sozem. l. 6. c. 22. & cap. 20. there was no place for the old heathen idolatry any more, as both Theodoret, Socrates, and Sozomen agree in their hiſtories.
And thus the Deuill was caſt out of heauen, when as his worſhip in idols could ſtand no longer: for hee that worſhippeth idols, worſhippeth Deuils, Chap. 9.20. and all this time he occupieth heauen, as it were, which is the place of Gods reſidency, to whom alone this ſeruice is due; when this kinde of worſhip is put downe, he is caſt out of heauen. And at this fall there is great ioy in heauen, the Angels who are miniſtring ſpirits about Gods choſen being greatly affected with their proſperity: for if when one ſinner is conuerted there bee ioy in heauen,Luk. 15. then much more when ſo many thouſands are deliuered from ſo great a ſinne as idolatry is. And this benefit is further amplified by another epithere of the Deuill,Verſ. 10. the accuſer of the brethren, who accuſed them night and day before God. He that was ſo infeſt an enemy againſt them, hath his forces broken, and is not ſo able to doe them hurt, as before. And then it is more plainely declared by whom hee was thus brought downe, and who were the warriours vnderunder the guardian of Michael and his Angels, viz. the brethren, who loued not this life vntounto the death, and all by the bloud of the Lambe, Verſ. 11.hee is the ſtronger man armed, that caſt out this ſtrong Champion the Deuill, and by his power razed the temples where hee kept poſſeſſion before, and was worſhipped.
Touching the inhabitants of the earth, amongſt whom the Deuill is ſaid now to be come, and therefore a woe to them is proclaimed in theſe words, Woe to the inhabitants of the earth, Verſ. 12. Bullinger. Pareus. Brightman.and of the ſea, &c. Some expound this of earthly minded men, who though they be outwardly of the Chriſtian religion, yet there is no power of godlineſſe in them, but the load-ſtone that draweth their hearts, is the earth with the profits and pleaſures therof. A woe commeth now vponupon them, they ſay, by variances and warres happening amongſt themſelues, and by the Gothes and Vandals, ſent as a ſcourge vponupon them, to bring them into intolerable miſeries. And to this doe I ſo farre forth ſubſcribe, as they apply this to the troubles happening after Theodoſius his time, which was after ann. 400. for till that time the fight before ſpoken of extendeth, when the idolatry of the heathen was vtterly ſubuerted in all the Roman Empire. After this, there are great ſtirres by the inſtigation of the Deuill, by meanes of the Gothes and Vandals, Heruls and Longobards, by the inuaſions of whom, what miſeries the Roman Empire ſuffered, chiefly for the ſpace of one hundred and fifty yeeres, ye may ſee in their hiſtory, the briefe whereof I hauehave already ſet downe in ſpeaking vponupon Chap. 9.3. vnderunder the fift trumpet. And well may we by the inhabiters of the earth and ſea, vnderſtand the wicked Roman Empire, euen after the ſuppreſſion of idolatry, both becauſe they were Lords of land and ſea, and becauſe though there were now a forme of religion, yet all was full of cruelty, hatred and deſpight, by reaſon of the hereſies which gat head in thoſe times, as hath beene ſhewed before in ſpeaking of the blacke horſe. Some yet hold,Fox. Forbs. that in this paſſage is onelyonly a briefe of that which is more largely proſecuted in the verſes following, about the perſecuting of the Church: but this were very improper, by the inhabiters of the earth to vnderſtand the Church, which is mortified to the world, neither by thus expounding it is there any ſatisfaction giuen touching the interuening time betwixt the battels end before ſpoken of and the perſecuting of the Church, which I thinke ought carefully to be obſerued. As for the ſhort time which the Deuill is ſaid to hauehave, I aſſent to thoſe, that approue the whole time from hence to the end of the world to be but ſhort, according to the Scripture phraſe, and by comparing it with the eternity to come afterwards. It was long agoe ſaid,Heb. 10.37. a Pet. 3.8, 9. Yet a little while and hee that ſhall come will come and will not tarry, and The Lord doth not deferre his comming, as ſome count deferring, for a thouſand yeeres with the Lord are but as one day.
This paſſage is of ſingular comfort to the godly of theſe times, who are ſollicitous for the truth, ſeeing it in ſo great danger by the preuailings of the aduerſary: for as in the Primitiue Church, when things ſeemed to bee moſt deſperate, they were neereſt a moſt ioyfull time by reaſon of the vtter ouerthrow of heathen idolatry which ſtraight way followed; ſo I doubt not but when the truth now profeſſed ſhall be brought to greateſt ſtreights, there ſhall be a way happily ſet opon to come out of them by the vtter ruine of Popiſh idolatry, which ſhall then bee euen at the doores; for though the Deuill may ſeeme at the firſt to hauehave the beſt, yet Michael ſhall finally ouercome him; but wicked worldlings can neuer hauehave any comfort of immunity from his rage, hee growing ſtill more and more terrible to them, euen vntounto the end, and in the end they muſt ſuffer with him vnſpeakable torments without end or eaſe, there being none to ſtand by them to help to auert his rage from them, as the godly hauehave.
Queſt. 4. To what time is this to be referred,Verſ. 13. whereof it is ſaid, Then hee perſecuted the woman that had brought forth a male childe? What is her flying into the wilderneſſe with Eagles wings, and the time of her abode there, called time, and times, and halfe a time? And what is the floud caſt out after her, and the earths deuouring it?
Anſw. Some referre this time to the Apoſtles dayes,Bullinger. when the Church ſoone after Chriſts aſcenſion began to bee hotly perſecuted, and hereupon they tooke occaſion to diſperſe themſelues amongſt the Gentiles, where ſhee abideth to the end of the world, ſet forth by time, and times, and halfe a time; a phraſevſed to ſhew that the time is certaine with the Lord, but concealed from vsus.
Somereferre it to the dayes of Conſtantine, Pareus. Bibliander. Brightman.when the Church through wealth and liberty began to grow corrupt by pride, contentions and errours, holding that the Church in the wilderneſſe is oppoſed to the Church in heauen before deſcribed with her heauenly glory, which ſhe had all the time of perſecution, but now being in peace, corruption and ſuperſtition commeth on, making her like a woman in the wilderneſſe: yet the time which ſhee is ſaid to bee in the wilderneſſe, they diſtinguiſh from the time of her flight, holding that ſhee began to take her flight in the dayes of Conſtantine, and was flying three hundred yeeres, euen vntill Phocas, who eſtabliſhed the Biſhop of Rome for vniuerſall, ann. 606. from that time forward ſhe was in the wilderneſſe, a time, and times, and halfe a time, before deſcribed by one thouſand two hundred and threeſcore dayes, being either ſo many yeeres, or a long time vnknowne to vsus; and therefore thus ſet forth, that wee might not be troubled, though we ſee this perſecution continued ſtill, for it is not onelyonly for a time, but times after that, and then halfe a time more. And to make the time of this flight to bee three hundred yeeres the more probably, they obſerue, that not a Doues, but Eagles wings are giuen vntounto her, arguing a flight ſtrong and of long continuance.Forbs. Some referring it alſo to Conſtantines time, will hauehave him to bee the great Eagle, giuing wings to the woman to flie into the wilderneſſe, by enduing the Church with ſo much worldly wealth, whereupon much corruption ſoone crept in, and ſhe became like a woman in the wilderneſſe; but extend the time here ſet forth no further, but till the riſing of the beaſts in the next Chapter, vntounto which a way is hereby made.
Some referring this time to the Apoſtles dayes,Fox. hold two times of perſecution, the one of the Primitiue Church, ſet forth ver. 6. the other of the Church vnderunder Antichriſt towards the end of the world, ſet forth here. Either time is the ſame, one thouſand two hundred and threeſcore dayes, that which time, and times, and halfe a time is, and the ſame with the two and forty moneths before deſcribed, Chap. 11. which if they bee reckoned as Daniels weekes, ſeuen yeeres to a monethmonth, they make two hundred ninety and foure yeeres. And ſuch a time was the Church vnderunder perſecution vntill Conſtantine, from whence one thouſand yeeres being counted of Satans binding, mentioned Chap. 20. together they amount to one thouſand three hundred yeeres, at what time this perſecution by Papiſts and Turkes began, the vttermoſt end thereof being 1594. But experience hath already confuted this, it being now 1625. and yet theſe perſecutions holding out. There are other computations made here by others alſo, as of three yeeres and a halfe, which hath beene ſufficiently refuted already,Graſſerus. and of ſo much time as maketh this to fall vponupon the beginning of the ſixteenth century, when Popery began to decline. But I will not trouble the Reader with more varieties. If I may put in my coniecture amongſt others, I take it, this time is not to begin in the Apoſtles dayes, becauſe it is the ſame with the 42. moneths of Ieruſalems being trodden vnderfoot,Chap. 11. and the one thouſand two hundred and ſixty dayes of the two witneſſes prophecying in ſackcloth, which beginneth not till the ſixt trumpet, as hath beene already ſhewed; and it ſeemeth to be too general, by a time thus many wayes ſo often deſcribed, to vnderſtand onelyonly a time without any certaine determination, ſeeing experience of former Prophecies teacheth, that when time is thus ſet forth by a certaine number of daies, or weeks, or months, a certaine proportion of time to be hereby counted is meant. Neither would I begin it in the dayes of Conſtantine the great, becauſe the Church was not then perſecuted, but maintained, though there were ſome ſtirres by meanes of Arrius, whereas a perſecution here is intimated, putting the Church ſo hard to it, as that ſhe is faine to flie into the Wilderneſſe for ſafety. And it is ſtrange, that if this time were meant and thence forward till Phocas, which was 300. yeeres, wherein they ſay ſhe was fleeing, that any mention ſhould be made of wings to flie with, which in cōmon reaſon argue ſwiftneſſe. I thinke therefore that this time is to be referred to the yeeres following the deſtruction made by the Goths & Vandals when they were expelled out of Italy, which was betweene the yeere 500. and 600. for not long after this the Popes of Rome in the Weſt hauing climbed vp into the chaire of ſupremacy, great troubles beganne about images by their meanes, they being bitter againſt thoſe that would hauehave no Images in diuine worſhip, daring to anathematize euen Emperours that withſtood them, and Mahomet in the Eaſt perſecuted all that would not receiue his damnable Alcoran, as hath beene already ſhewed to hauehave beene done about ann. 606.
Here was now a new kind of perſecution begun, not by Heathen Idolaters, to bring in the worſhip of Deuils againe, but of ſuch as were Chriſtians in ſhew, but indeed pleading for Baal vnderunder a new name, and of ſuch as reuiued Iudaiſme againe in part in ſomewhat a different manner, vnderunder pretence of another Moſes or Prophet of God, Mahomet. Then the Church hath two wings of an Eagle giuen her to flie into the Wilderneſſe, as ſometime the people of Iſrael are ſaid to hauehave beene brought out of Aegypt vponupon Eagles wings,Exod. 19.4. and they are two, becauſe by faith & patience they are borne out of this danger, as is ſaid in the Chapter following.Chap. 13.10. By this flying into the wilderneſſe then is meant, that after ſuch time as the Pope and Turke thus inuaded the Church of God, ſhe held no viſible ſtate any more by ruling in all Countries and Nations, by poſſeſſing Cities and Townes, but as the people of Iſrael being carried out of Aegypt into the Wilderneſſe, wandred a long time vp and downe in vnknowne places, being fed with Manna from Heauen, and ſo preſerued yet from periſhing: ſo the Church of God all this time lieth hid, ſuch as hold the truth ſtill being of ignoble condition in worldly reſpects, and ſo not taken ſuch notice of in the moſt and greateſt Kingdomes of the world, but yet ſhe is prouided of ſuch ſpirituall food, though in ſecret places, as that ſhe is miraculouſly preſerued from periſhing. And the time of this her ſolitarineſſe is before ſaid to be 1260. daies, as in chap. 11. here time, and times, and halfe a time, time being put for a myſticall yeere, times for two yeeres, halfe a time for halfe a yeere, which together are three yeeres and an halfe, wherein are 1260. daies, which ſet forth here ſo many yeeres, as was proued chap. 11. If it be demanded why this variety is vſed in expreſſing the ſame time, Pareus reſolueth it well,Pareus. This phraſe is borrowed from Daniel 7.25. and c. 12.7. where it ſetteth forth the time of Antiochus his rage who was the forerunner of Antichriſt. Brightman. that this is done that we might not faint vnderunder this perſecution when we ſhall ſee it laſt long: for though being ſet forth by 1260. daies it may ſeeme ſhort, yet the Spirit of God would hauehave vsus know that it is a long time as we account, there being firſt a certaine ſpace of time, and when that is expired, times, and laſt of all, halfe a time more; and Brightmans conceit herein is excellent, that haply the Lord by this diſtinction would hauehave vsus vnderſtand, that in this time of Antichriſts reigne, and the Churches being vnderunder, there are three diſtinctions; one of Antichriſts riſe, wherein was the beginning of this womans ſolitude to bee vnderſtood by a time, for in this ſpace he came to his height, and the Church was brought to the loweſt ebbe; the ſecond, of his holding in that ſtate which is twice as long; the third, of his declining when the Church ſhall grow towards her deliuerance, which is effected in halfe a time. Thus he. But I hold me rather to the former reſolution, as more agreeable to that which I hauehave before deliuered touching the determination of this time, which in all probability will not be till ann. 1860. And then the declining time of Antichriſt and the riſing time of the Church will bee 360. yeeres.
And thus I hauehave deliuered what I conceiue touching the time when this perſecution beginneth: for when we come to expound the time of continuance in the Wilderneſſe, I hold the ſame with diuers learned Writers on our ſide before mentioned, who make the Cities conculcation, when the Witneſſes propheſie, and the time of this lying hid in the Wilderneſſe, all one. Let the Reader conſider and iudge of all.
Touching the floud caſt out of the Dragons mouth after the woman,Brightman. which was by the earth ſwallowed vp in ſuccour of the woman, ſome vnderſtand it of the ouerflowing of Africa and part of Europe, by the Goths, Vandals, Heruls, and Longobards, by whom the whole Church was endangered as by a floud of being vtterly extinct, but theſe earthly and barbarous people ſet forth by the earth, comming into theſe parts were brought to the embracing of the Chriſtian Religion, though corruptly, and ſo became more milde towards Chriſtian people, which is the earths ſwallowing vp of the floud. I cannot ſee how this doth any way agree, both becauſe this incurſion by theſe Barbarians was made about ann. 400. long before the Churches deſolation here deſcribed, and if the Church had beene ſuccoured by their growing more gentle, it would hauehave beene ſaid rather, but the floud dried vp, and not as here, the earth ſwallowed it vp, noting ſome reliefe that came to the Church aliundè.
Some by the floud vnderſtand the Popes endeuours to bring the Roman Catholike Princes into a league,Graſſer. to root out with their ioint forces the reformed Religion, which they could neuer effect by reaſon of the differences amongſt them in reſpect of their earthly poſſeſſions: this made Clement the eighth of late to excommunicate the Councellors both of Spaine and France, and this variance of theirs about earthly things is ſaid to be the earth, helping the woman by Gods prouidence, who turneth it to the good of the Church.
Some will hauehave this Floud to bee the edicts of heathen Emperours againſt Chriſtians to root them out;Fox. and the Earth, the Famines, and Peſtilences, and Warres that ſtill happening hindered the execution of theſe decrees: but theſe things being in former times are miſapplied here.Bullinger. And likewiſe, whereas ſome vnderſtand it of the Sciſmes and Hereſies hapning in the primitiue Church, and of the troubles and perſecutions ſtirred vp by Satan when the Church was fled amongſt the Gentiles, againſt which they were ſuccoured vnexpectedly, the earthly ones themſelues being oftentimes a meanes to appeaſe theſe tumults, as the Towne Clerke in Epheſus was, Act. 19.
Pareus reckoneth vp other Interpretations made by ſome,Parcus. that this floud is the troubles and afflictions of the Church in all times, but this is too generall, and more ſpecially the hereſies and blaſphemous opinions held in the daies of Chriſtian Emperours, whereby the Deuill, as by a floud, ſought to drowne all true Religion for the ſpace of 300. yeeres, after Conſtantine, which before hee ſet forth to be the time of the womans fleeing away, and herein he reſteth. The earth, hee ſaith, ſome interpret to be Chriſt for his ſtability, ſome generall Councels called from all parts of the earth for the condemning of hereſies, which is not likely, ſeeing ſuch Councels do rather reſemble Heauen,Ioh. 3. & Chriſt is ſaid to be from Heauen heauenly, in oppoſition to ſuch as be from the earth earthly. He therefore expoundeth it onelyonly in generall of a miraculous preſeruation,Numb. 16. in alluſion to the earths opening the mouth and ſwallowing vp Chorah and his company, holding that wee ought not to ſearch any further into any particular meaning. But for ſo much as I hauehave already gone from the ground of this expoſition, viz. the reckoning of the time of the womans fleeing to be 300. yeeres, and this floud was caſt out after her vponupon her fleeing, and being come into the wilderneſſe, which was in a ſhort time, for ſhe was ſoone chaſed thither, and when ſhe abode there, this floud was ſent out after her: I muſt needs rather ſubſcribe to them, which hold that the time of caſting out this floud was in the time here deſcribed,Graſſerus. ſaid to bee a time, and times, and halfe a time, and ſo ſome great warres attempted by the Popes inſtigation for the vtter rooting out of the reformed Religion are figured out by the floud. And of ſuch warres we ſhall finde there hauehave beene many euer ſince the breaking out of the light in the time of Iohn Huſſe and Ierome of Prague, and before that againſt the Waldenſes and Albingenſes, and afterwards againſt the Lutherans in Germany, and the Caluiniſts in France, where diuers great men entred a league to root them out. But the earth holpe the woman. The Hiſtory of the Bohemian warres is moſt famous for the illuſtrating of this: for Sigiſmund the Emperour, being ſtirred vp by the Pope to perſecute the Bohemians for cleauing conſtantly to the Doctrine of Iohn Huſſe, after that it and they were condemned in the Councell of Conſtance, inuaded Bohemia with a great power, but his army being ouerthrowne and much waſted by a few ſcattered troupes of the Huſſites, Henrici Mutij Chron. lib. 27.the Emperour departed home much diſcouraged. But ſoone after greater forces are ſent againſt them being led by the Princes of Germany, the Duke of Saxony, the Marqueſſe of Brandenberge, and the Archbiſhop of Treuers, by the inſtigation of Pope Martin the fifth. They entered in three great armies, but when the Huſſites vnderunder the conduct of Ziſca appeared, a feare came vponupon them all and they fled with all haſte, caſting away their weapons, and leauing their Tents well furniſhed to the enemy. And yet againe, by the perſwaſion of Sigiſmund another Army was ſent vnderunder the conduct of Brandenberge, which being alſo taken with feare before the Huſſites came in ſight, fled away and could not by any meanes be made to ſtay. What was this but a moſt miraculous preſeruing of the Church by Gods owne immediate hand, there being nothing but the very earth that affrighted them ſo ſoone as they came into that land, being taken with an horrible feare againſt all ſenſe and reaſon. And thus at ſundry other times, the Church being aſſaulted in other parts ſhe was miraculouſly preſerued, not by any power of her owne, but by the hand of God, being againſt her enemies and for her, which deliuerance is ſaid to come by the earth, helping her in alluſion to the Hiſtory of the lands, ſpuing out of the Cananites before the Iſraelites, or of the earths opening the mouth to ſwallow vp Corah and his company, that Moſes and Aaron being indangered by their conſpiracy might be preſerued.Pareus. For this ſeemeth to me the moſt probable reſolution of this ſaying, which was alſo noted out of Pareus before. To this if we ioyne that of the differences hapning betweene Catholike Princes about earthly things,Graſſerus. keeping them from vniting to extirpe the Church at other times, it may alſo further ſerue to cleare this place the more, and in the Eaſt the differences of the Perſian and Turke being both for Mahomet, yet diuided about Haly his ſucceſſour, whereby the Turkes hauehave ſtill beene hindered from their purpoſed inuaſions of Chriſtendome. The Church hauehave had alſo other helpe from the Princes of the earth, who hath beene ſtirred vp to fauour and defend the truth, as the Princes of Germany, and Queene Elizabeth of famous memory, who aided the Hollander being at the point of drowning, abated the pride of the Spaniard, and maintained the Proteſtant Religion in France. That all this paſſage is allegoricall, and will beare ſuch expoſition, is plaine, becauſe it is ſaid, as it were a riuer, and ſo it is but as if the earth had holpe the woman againſt this riuer by deuouring it, ſeeing there is nothing more frequent, than by a floud to ſet forth great armies flowing into Countries to deſtroy them.
Note,Note. that when all meanes faile to preſerue the godly, yet as long as the earth ſtandeth they ſhall hauehave ſuccour, though they can ſee no more likelihood hereof, than they that are in the Wilderneſſe, where nothing but the vaſt ground appeareth to ſaue them from the deuouring of the wilde beaſts.
Queſt. 3. What is meant by the reſt of the womans ſeed,Verſ. 17. and the Dragons making warre therewith, ſet forth in theſe words, And the Dragon was angry with the woman, and went forth to make warre with the reſt of her ſeed which keepe the Commandements of God, &c.
Brightman. Gorran.Anſw. Some vnderſtand the Chriſtian people in diuers parts of the world, againſt whom the Saracens were ſtirred vp about ann. 630. when he could doe no good otherwiſe, hee made open warre by them.
Pareus. Forbs.Some hold, that here is a preparatiue onelyonly to the perſecutions raiſed by the Pope, deſcribed in the next Chapter, theſe being here firſt generally ſpoken of, and then more at large deſcribed vnderunder the double beaſt.
Some by this ſeed vnderſtand all Chriſtian people which ſhould be begotten vntounto God from the time of Iohn to the end of the world;Bullinger. for the Dragon hath alwaies made warre againſt them, firſt by the Emperours, and then by Antichriſt.
Some vnderſtand particular members of the Church,Fox. who are in diuers Countries laid hold vponupon and put to death where Antichriſt hath power, when as hee ſeeth that his attempts by warre to extinguiſh the whole Church are fruſtrated. And to this doe I ſubſcribe, as beſt anſwering that which was ſaid before of the male childe which the Church brought forth, he was the firſt ſeed; now the reſt of the ſeed are all godly perſons, who are likewiſe after all the troubles before deſcribed, particularly ſingled out vntounto martyrdome: for he that heareth and doth the Word of God is my mother, Mat. 12.50.my brother, and ſiſter, ſaith our Sauiour Chriſt. So that this is added to ſhew, that as the Deuill ſhall attempt to extinguiſh the Church by warres, ſo theſe not ſucceeding as he deſireth, he will yet doe what hurt he can by fighting againſt particular perſons, and deſtroying them whereſoeuer his power lieth. And this is verified by experience, the Spaniſh Inquiſition is a great Engine wherewith the Deuil fighteth and deſtroyeth many, and other Commiſſions appointed both here in England in the daies of Queene Mary, and in other Countries for the finding out and putting to death by fire and fagot the ſeruants of God which held the teſtimony of Ieſus Chriſt, and who would rather loſe their liues than depart therefrom. As for the other expoſitions, they cannot hold in regard of the time according to the computation which I hauehave hitherto followed and ſhewed to be the moſt probable.
We muſt expect then,Note. that the faithfull ſeruants of God ſhall neuer be free from trouble and danger during the time allotted vntounto Antichriſt, but partly by great armies, and partly by particular perſecutions they ſhall euer be impugned, that we may ſtand ready armed with faith and patience, comforting our ſelues in this, that the Church ſhall neuer bee extinguiſht, when all the forces that can be made are raiſed againſt her, but ſhe ſhall ſtill remaine to triumph ouer Antichriſt and all her enemies at the laſt.
And I ſtood vponupon the Sea ſhore, Verſ. 18.in the Latine this is read, hee ſtood, as if the Dragon were meant, but in all Greeke Copies, I ſtood, and ſo Rupertus and Primaſius and all ours, and amongſt the Papals Ribera and Viegas reade it ſo, and it is moſt plainly a paſſage to the next viſion of the Beaſt riſing out of the Sea; for to behold this, he ſheweth here that hee was placed vponupon the Sea ſhore.