Exposition on the Catholic Epistles, Revelation · Chapter 7
CHAP. VII.
THE dreadfull manner of Gods comming to iudge and to take reuenge vponupon the enemies and corrupters of his truth, hauing beene ſet forth in the ſixt Chapter, leſt there ſhould ariſe anxiety in the minds of the faithfull about the Lords care touching them in the midſt of all the miſeries before deſcribed, for that it hath not yet appeared how they are prouided for, when all things ſhall be ſo full of dread & feare, he doth apart here ſet forth Gods care ouer them, during all thoſe troubles and affrighting apparitions, they were marked in the forehead that no hurt might hereby ſeize vponupon them, but theſe tribulations might be to them a way to future glory, and the inueſtment with white robes waſhed in the Bloud of the Lambe, at what time all teares ſhall be wiped from their eyes for euer. For the meaning of the particular paſſages here.
Queſt. 1.Verſ. 1. After this I ſaw foure Angels ſtanding vponupon the foure corners of the earth, holding the foure winds that they might not blow vponupon the earth, &c. What is meant by theſe things?
Rupertus. Caelius, Pannon.Anſw. Moſt Expoſitors vnderſtand by theſe winds the Spirit of God in the Preachers of his Word, diffuſing it ſelfe in all parts of the world, but the euill angels, the Deuils, which rule in the Antichriſtian Sect, ſeeke to hinder theſe winds by ſuppreſſing the pure preaching of Gods holy Word in all places,Dionyſ. Bullinger. Pareus. Brightman. to the corrupting and decay of all true Religion. They keepe the winds from blowing vponupon the earth, that is, the vulgar ſort; the ſea, that is, Doctrine; the trees, that is, men of more eminency; or by the earth they vnderſtand men dwelling in any part of the earth, by the ſea the inhabitants of Ilands, by trees ſuch as lurked in woods: or they take the earth for earthly ones, the ſea for the worſhip of God, and trees for people good and bad which profeſſe to worſhip God. Againe, there is difference alſo about theſe foure Angels, for ſome vnderſtand the foure Monarchies,Primaſ. Haimo. Ambroſe. Amsbert. Lyra. in the time whereof the truth was hindred. Some foure perſecuting Emperours, who after that Diocleſian, and Maximianus had forſaken the Empire, did together perſecute the Chriſtian Religion in the foure parts of the world, viz. Maximianus in the Eaſt, Seuerus in Italy the weſt, Licinius in Alexandria in Egypt the South, Maxentius at Rome; and whereas all others vnderſtand Chriſt by the Angell with the ſeale, he vnderſtandeth Conſtantine the great who ſuppreſſed theſe tyrants. And ſome againe by the Angell in the Eaſt vnderſtand the Mahumetans, in the Weſt the Pope, in the North the Germane Empire, in the ſouth Spaine.
For mine owne part, when I conſider the premiſes of great and horrible miſeries to come vponupon the world, I cannot but thinke as I intimated before in generall, that comfort againſt theſe euils is here intended to the godly, and therefore I ſubſcribe rather to thoſe that vnderſtand theſe things literally of foure Angels appointed by God as his Miniſters herein (for it is ſaid, To them it is giuen to hurt, &c.) to deſtroy all things,Arethas. Ribera. Fox, and this is fitly ſet forth by holding the foure winds, becauſe in wind and breath conſiſteth the life of eueryevery thing in this world, things of the earth, as men and beaſts; of the ſea, as fiſhes and fowles, and the trees and plants of the earth, therefore theſe things are mentioned in particular. Neither can I ſee why by the ſtrong Angell out of the Eaſt ſhould bee meant Chriſt, who ſtood yet as a Lambe in the midſt of the Throne, and this is not the firſt time that a ſtrong Angell is ſpoken of, for Chap. 5. a ſtrong Angell proclaimeth, Who can open the Booke. &c. Wherefore, as I take it, he is an Angell indeed who is ſaid to be ſtrong, for ſo is eueryevery Angell, and hee commeth vp out of the Eaſt, that being the riſing place of all heauenly bodies, the Sunne, Moone and Staries; and the lightning is ſaid by our Sauiour to come out of the Eaſt, and the old manner of worſhipping, and ſo their expectation of comfort was from the Eaſt: as for his commanding theſe Angels, it was not through his owne power ouer them, but hauing commiſſion from the higheſt ſo do doe; and as he had a commiſſion to come with the ſeale, ſo they were fellow Miniſters of God with him, which is intimated in that he biddeth them not to hurt any thing till we hauehave ſealed the ſeruants of God in their foreheads, ſpeaking in the plurall number, as ioyning them with himſelfe. I conceiue then that by theſe foure Angels holding the foure winds, are ſet forth thoſe Miniſters of Gods iudgements, who for the ſinnes of the world ſhould deſtroy all things: euill angels I cannot thinke them to be, no more than the Angels deſtroying Sodome, eſpecially becauſe as I hauehave already ſaid, they are aſſociated vntounto the Angell with the ſeale of God. Now being appointed to this ſeruice, they beginne to doe accordingly, but euen when they put their hands to it they are ſtayed for a time, as thoſe warriors, Ezech. 9. Till the ſeruants of God were ſealed in their foreheads, in token of Gods ſingular care ouer them in the midſt of thoſe common calamities, ſo as that their ſaluation ſhould not be hereby hindred; though outwardly they did participate with others in worldly miſeries, yet there was a difference in that they hauehave the comfort of Gods Seale vntounto ſaluation, which others want, being left void of all true comfort to the rage of theſe grieuous troubles. And thus one obiection againſt this expoſition is anſwered, that if outward deſtructions be meant here, then the ſeruants of God are in vaine ſealed, becauſe they had their ſhare in theſe as deeply as any other: no, it is not in vaine, but for their comfort and aſſurance of ſafety in reſpect of their beſt good. As for the time when this deſtruction of things ſhould be made, it is not onelyonly at the laſt when there ſhall be an end put to all things here, but alſo in all the tract of time from hence till then: for by reaſon of perſecutions and ſinnes there hauehave beene many times mortalities and deſtructions brought vponupon the world; ſo that it is not neceſſary that all muſt preſently be deſtroied ſo ſoone as the ſeruants of God were ſealed, becauſe they are bidden to forbeare till they were ſealed: for hereby rather is ſet forth that though the Lord being much prouoked is fully bent to execute his iudgements, yet the prime and chiefe thing in his care is to preſerue his Elect, and then ſecondarily, he will ſee to the taking of due reuenge vponupon the wicked world: and thus another obiection againſt this expoſition is alſo anſwered, that it cannot ſtand, becauſe the ſeruants of God doe reigne with Chriſt after their ſealing a thouſand yeeres before the day of iudgement commeth, which how ſhould it be, if the deſtroying of all be ſtayed, but till the ſealing be paſt: for neither is this deſtruction to be reſtrained to the laſt, nor yet doth it neceſſarily follow, becauſe the ſeruants of God are firſt ſealed, and no execution muſt bee done till then, that this execution muſt needs be done immediatly after, but onelyonly it is firſt prouided for their ſafety againſt this time whenſoeuer it commeth. And whereas it is further obiected, that it is not likely that this booke being ſo myſticall ſhould ſet forth things ſo plainely, as that by winds, ſhould be meant winds, &c. againſt Viegas whoſe obiection this is, I oppoſe the reaſon of Ribera, that yet we muſt not goe from the letter but in caſe of neceſſity, when the place cannot beare the literall ſenſe, as here we hauehave ſhewed that it well may. And yet this is not without myſtery neither, generall calamities in the world being ſet forth by the holding of the foure winds from blowing.
Queſt. 2. And I heard the number of them which were ſealed, 144000. of the children of Iſrael, Verſ. 4.&c. Is this to be vnderſtood of the Iſaelites properly? and why are not the tribes ſet left out, the number of twelue being yet made vp in Leui and Ioſeph? and what is this ſealing?
Anſw. Some vnderſtand this of the Iſraelites properly,Ribera. Viegras. Lyra. Bullinger. holding that a great number of eueryevery tribe ſhall be conuerted to the faith of Chriſt, euen in the dayes of Antichriſt; but a certaine number of twelue thouſand of eueryevery tribe is put for an vncertaine, or elſe they will hauehave this conuerſion in the dayes of Conſtantine, or at ſome other time vnknowne vntounto vsus. And they ſay no order is obſerued, the elder being preferred before the younger, becauſe before God and in reſpect of their ſpirituall eſtate, there is no ſuch preeminence in outward regards: and Dan they ſay is left out, becauſe Antichriſt ſhould come of that tribe and Ephraim, becauſe Ieroboam who was of that tribe, was the Authour of idolarry, and Leui not wont to be numbred when temporall things are ſpoken of, yet now is reckoned for one of the twelue, becauſe when the ſpirituall eſtate commeth to be ſpoken of, he is alwayes one; and the tribe of Ioſeph, Ephraim, and Manaſſeh is not ſet forth as two, but one, viz. the tribe of Ioſeph, as Deut. 27.12, 13. in bleſſing and curſing, and Exod. 28.10. in the breſt plate of Aaron the names of the twelue tribes are appointed to be ſet according to their birth.
Others vnderſtand the children of Iſrael ſpiritually, and ſo all the faithfull are called Iſrael in ſundry places,Forbs. Pareus. Brightman. Graſſerus. Fox, &c. and whereas it may ſeeme to make againſt this expoſition, that the reſt of the ſeruants of God in other countreys and nations are expreſly diſtinguiſhed from theſe, verſ. 9. It is anſwered, that they are not ſaid to be ſealed as theſe are, but onelyonly they ſtood before the throne, ſo that in them wee are to vnderſtand the multitude of Saints glorified in heauen; by theſe ſealed ones, the Church militant vponupon earth. To this expoſition vnderſtanding Iſrael ſpiritually, doe I ſubſcribe: for it cannot bee taken otherwiſe, becauſe theſe onelyonly follow the Lambe, from which God forbid that the faithfull of the Gentiles ſhould be excluded, and if it ſhould be vnderſtood properly, it were againſt the tenure of all Euangelicall hiſtory, wherein the Iewes are declared in all places to bee the ſtiffeſt enemies to the faith; to ſay nothing of the confounding of the tribes ſo together, as that they ſhall not afterwards be knowne aſunder. I preferre alſo that reaſon from the Church militant and triumphant here ſet forth. For the promiſcuous ſetting downe of the names of the tribes, one obſerueth, that they are reckoned fiue wayes in the old Teſtament,…l. Viegas. and yet to none of them doth this agree: one according to their birth, and ſo it is Renben, Simeon, Leui, Iudah, Dan, Nephtalim, Gad, Aſher, Iſſachar, Zabulun, Ioſeph, Beniamin. 2. According to the order of Iacobs bleſſing them, and ſo in ſtead of Dan comming in in the fift place it is Zabulun, Iſſachar, Dan, Gad, Aſher, Nephtalim, Ioſeph, Beniamin. 3. According to the order of their ſtandards, Numb. 2.4. According to the places of their habitation in the land of Canaan, and he ſaith, there may bee a fift according to their dignity, beginning with Iudah and Ioſeph.
Touching the obſeruing of no order,Beda. Rupertus. Richard. de Sancto Victore. Primaſius, &c. here ſomething hath beene already ſaid; Others hold, that there is an excellent order in the force and ſignification of the names. Iudah ſignifieth praiſe, Reuben the ſonne of viſion, Gad girt to, Aſher bleſſed, Nephtalim latitude, Manaſſeh forgetfulneſſe, Simeon hearing, Leui changed, Iſſachar a reward, Zabulun habitation, Ioſeph addition, Beniamin the ſonne of a right hand. And ſo by this order in ſetting downe theſe names they thinke is intimated, that ſuch as confeſſe and praiſe God ſhall ſee his Son, and be girt vntounto his warres, and ſo become bleſſed of God, whereby his heart ſhall bee inlarged ſo towards heauenly things, as that he ſhall forget earthly and neglect them, hearkening onelyonly to the heauenly; and being thus changed into a new man hee ſhall be rewarded, God will dwell in him and increaſe all heauenly graces more and more, till at the laſt he come to hauehave a place at his right hand in eternall glory. This reſolution, I confeſſe, is very ingenious and holy: but for ſo much as the diuerſity of peoples ſealed ſeemeth rather to bee intimated by theſe tribes, eueryevery one differring from another, and not the ſeuerall ſteps of grace, by which the ſeruants of God paſſe on to glory: I rather incline to that country-man of ours,Brightman. who hath beene moſt induſtrious about this Reuelation, vnderſtanding this order of the order of diuers nations cleaning to the true ſaith of Chriſt, being conſidered according to their dwelling Eaſt, Weſt, North, and South; for ſo we ſhall finde the dwellings of theſe tribes to hauehave beene as that they which firſt were famous for the truth of the Goſpell held faſt amongſt them, anſwer to Iudah, and ſo others. For when after the time of Conſtantine the great, the Arrian hereſie ouer-ſpread other parts, Aſſyria the South part was cleare, anſwering to Iudah in the South of Canaan: after, when the Vandals ouerran the South and Weſt, the Churches in the Eaſt were cleare, anſwering to Reuben and Gad in the Eaſt of Canaan. After this the Saracens ouer-running the Eaſt, theſe North parts of Britaine were famous for withſtanding Popiſh corruptions, two thouſand Monkes of Bangor at once refuſing the Popes yoke, and this anſwereth to Aſher and Nephtalim in the North of Canaan. After Leo Iſaurus in the Eaſt, and Carolus maguus in the Weſt, together oppoſed images, anſwering to Manaſſeh on either ſide of Iordan Eaſt and Weſt. After this, the true Church appeared not in any certaine place, but lay hid, as Simeon and Leui dwelt ſcattered amongſt the reſt of the Tribes. After this, notable conuerſions were made of the Northerne Polands, Saxons, Danes, Sueuians, &c. anſwering to Iſſachar and Zabulon in the North of Canaan. After this, the Waldenſes and Albingenſes were famous, the one diſperſed thorow France, the other thorow Germanie, anſwering to Ioſeph and Beniamin inhabiting middle regions. For though I doe not approue of eueryevery thing here, as the extending of the ſealing onelyonly from Gonſtantine to the Waldenſes, whereas doubtleſſe all faithfull Chriſtians in eueryevery place vnderunder the Goſpell, from the firſt propagation thereof till Antichriſts time, are ſet forth as ſealed; yet doubtleſſe theſe tribes doe repreſent the parts of the Church comming on ſucceſſiuely, as God in his prouidence directed the Goſpell vntounto them.
Laſtly, for the leauing out of Dan and Ephraim, it is no new thing to leaue out Dan, for 1 Chron. 2, 3 4, 5, 6, 7. where the generations of the ſeuerall tribes are reckoned vp, Dan is left out, as a tribe that had rent it ſelfe from the reſt euer ſince they tooke Laiſh, and dwelt there apart from the reſt, ſetting vp an idoll and Prieſt of their owne,Iudg. 18. Graſſer. will hauehave the myſtery of Antichriſts double power ſpiritual and temporall in theſe two tribes ſet forth. 1 King. 12. euen till the time of the captiuity. And touching Ephraim that might alſo be well left out in deteſtation of idolatry ſo frequent in the kingdome of Iſrael, whereof Ephraim was the head, by reaſon of Ieroboam of that tribe, who was the firſt Authour hereof vntounto them.
Touching the ſigne in the forehead, though ſome ſtand for the ſigne of the Croſſe, preſſing that of Ezec. 9. where they are ſaid to be marked with that which of old was written in the forme of a Croſſe, till the letters after the captiuity were altered by Ezra, to auoid communion herein with the Samaritans: yet the ſoūder opinion & followed by moſt, is that the ſeale is Gods grace, ſo imprinted in the heart, as that they are hereby ſetled in the way of ſaluation; but ſaid to be ſet vponupon the forehead, becauſe that is the moſt eminent part of the body, and open to the view, to ſhew that theſe are well knowne to the Lord, though men & not able to diſtinguiſh them from others, and alſo how bold and conſtant they are in profeſſing the Goſpell againſt the fierceſt oppugners, as the followers of the beaſt are afterwards ſaid alſo to beare his marke in the forehead or right hand, to ſhew their impudency in errour, and how by humane induſtry they further his kingdome all that they can. According to this expoſition of ſetledneſſe in grace ſpeaketh the Apoſtle, ſaying, The foundation of God remaineth ſure, 2 Tim. 2.19.and hath this ſeale ſet to, God knoweth who are his. And this may be a great comfort to all the godly, in that amidſt all the perſecutions and troubles of the world, they ſhall be ſure to proſper and proceed in the way to euerlaſting ſaluation, God taketh notice of eueryevery one of them, hath them euer in his fight, and is ſo intent vntounto their beſt good, as that he ſtaieth the deſtruction of the world, till eueryevery one of them be well prouided for. OnelyOnly let vsus embolden our ſelues, and not be aſhamed to ſerue God againſt the mocks and deſpights of the world, thus ſhewing the print of his ſeale in our foreheads.
As for the reſt of this Chapter, it hath no great difficulty in it, if by the innumerable multitude in white robes and palmes in their hands, wee vnderſtand the Saints already glorified, who though compared with the reſt of the world they be but a little flocke, yet ſimply conſidered they are a great multitude, they hauehave palmes in their hands in token of victory. And whereas in ſpeaking of the wicked, Chap. 6 hee concludeth with their miſery in reſpect of the wrath of the Lambe, here anſwerably it is concluded with the felicity of the godly waſhed in the bloud of the Lambe, and euerlaſtingly comforted by him, the phraſes of leading forth to waters, and wiping away all teares, being adaptated to ſet forth the ſame.