A Key of Knowledge to Open Revelation, Part 4 · Chapter 6 · Notes 9
Notes vponupon. Chap. 12.
Verſ. 1. A woman: The true Church of Chriſt is here ſet out by a woman; ſo alſo compared to a chaſt virgin, 2. Cor. 11. 2. eſpouſed, Cant. 1. 8. and 4. 1. 10. to a bride, chap. 19. 7. and 21. 9. to a married wife, Eſa. 54. 1. 5. 6. to a widow, Lam. 1. 1. The Church heere deſcribed, is not the Iewiſh Church, the laſt words in the 17. verſe ſhew; nor the Church in the Apostles times, when they were on the earth, though the ſame in ſucceſſion. For Iohn telleth vsus of things to be done after his tranſe in Patmos; and the things heere prophecied of, bring vsus downe to the times long after the Apoſtles dayes; to the times of the bloody rage of the Heathen Emperours, and the time of Antichriſt, when the out-Court was giuen to the Gentiles, and when the two Prophets prophecied in ſackcloth, with whoſe doctrine this woman was fed in the wilderneſſe, verſ. 6. where the time of her being there, and the Prophets prophecying, chap. 11. 2. are all one; neither is here the Church triumphant figured: for this woman is in trauell with paine, verſ. 2. the Dragon makes her flie, ſhe needeth foode, and is nouriſhed in the wilderneſſe, verſ. 6. 14. which cannot agree to the Church triumphant, but to the Church militant, of which only Iohn indeed here ſpeaketh.
Clothed: The Church is ſet out here moſt gloriouſly, in chap. 19. 8, there is ſhe clothed after another faſhion, though the Church bee found naked, yet the Lord puts vponupon her clothing, Ezech. 16. and that moſt heauenly and glorious, as the particulars following doe ſhew. Her crowne of 12. ſtarres ſheweth her to hauehave obtained victory, and by what meanes, euen by her faithfull Paſtors, which are called ſtarres, chap. 1. 20. the number of twelue, is noted with a relation to the twelue Apoſtles, whoſe doctrine they did teach. The Sunne and Moone are lights, Geneſ. 1. 16. Eſa. 60. 19. Ier. 31. 35. So are the ſtarres to giuegive light, Gen. 1. 17. Ier. 31. 35. theſe are vponupon her head, the Moone vnderunder her feet; and the Sunne, as in the middeſt betweene the ſtarres and the Moone, is her clothing; all to ſet out her heauenly illumination, or glorious ſtate ſhining bright, in eueryevery part enlightened, and bringing light as the Sunne, and treading likewiſe in lightſome pathes, in the very night of ignorance to others. By theſe ſhee raigneth, and is crowned as a conquerour, hereby ſhee ſheweth light to others, and doth tread downe al changeable and tranſitorie things of this life.
Verſ. 2. And ſhe being with child: What ſhee was with child with, is noted in verſ. 5. for what ſhe brought forth that was ſhe with child with, in this place. This cannot be meant of the Churches generall trauell in this place, to bring forth people vntounto Chriſt; for of theſe had ſhe been fruitfull before, as verſ. 17. ſheweth; yea to an exceeding encreaſe almoſt all the world ouer, at this time, before the tyrannicall rage of the Heathen Emperours, & their laſt furie againſt the Church, of which he ſpeaketh in this Chapter: but of ſome more ſpeciall and particular child-birth, which now ſhe was readie to bring forth, as the words taken from a woman in trauell ſhew; for ſhee is heere ſet downe to be in the very act of bringing forth. Cried: that is, made ardent prayers, as cries in the eares of the Lord. Trauelled in birth: That is, vſed all meanes for the effecting her deſire, to hauehave that child which ſhee trauelled with: and pained to be deliuered: that is, feeling the want of this child, through cruell perſecutions which ſhe ſuffered, did in anguiſh of ſpirit ſeeke to bring forth.
Verſ. 3. A great red Dragon: This is expounded to be the old Serpent, the Diuell, and Satan, verſ. 9. by an alluſion to Geneſ. 3; but yet ſo vnderſtanding him, as hereby bee vnderſtood alſo the ſpeciall Miniſters of his furie, the Heathen perſecuting Emperours of Rome; for this prophecie is of things to be done here on earth by men; alſo the woman noteth out a company here in this world; and ſo muſt the Dragon note out in like ſort ſuch here, as be her aduerſaries. Againe, the deſcription of this Dragon cannot agree properly to the diuell himſelfe, but is indeed the Armes of Rome when it was Heathen, and had Heathen Emperours ruling there, who worſhipped the diuell, 1. Cor. 10. 20. and were led by him, as all the wicked be, Epheſ, 2. 2. he perſecuting Chriſtians for the very name of Chriſt, ſo as the battell was directly againſt Chriſt Ieſus himſelfe, as the battell ſet out verſ. 7. and 8. doe ſhew. No maruell then that they bee called the Dragon, that is, the Diuell, who is put for his inſtruments, chap. 2. 10. as here his inſtruments for him. The Heathen Emperours are called a Dragon, as Pharaoh King of Egypt was, Ezech. 29. 3. Red, for the bloodineſſe of thoſe Emperours: great; for that they raigned in that great City, which raigned ouer the Kings of the earth, cap. 17. 18. and ſo the greateſt in the world for rule and dominion. All ſet out by one Dragon, for that they all worſhipped in their Idolatry, the diuell; one in their cruell nature againſt Chriſtians; one in place ſucceeding another; one in gouernment, and therfore are all but one head in chap. 17. 10. Seuen heads, expounded chap. 17. 9. 10. Ten hornes, chap. 17. 12. And ſeuen crownes vponupon his heads, for that Rome had the ſoueraigne authority, and that there were ſeuen kindes of gouernment. For the heads either note out the City with ſeuen hils, or the ſeuen kinds of their kingly gouernments.
Verſ. 4. His taile: Dragons hauehave more force in their tailes, then in their iawes, ſo this figuratiue ſpeech is kept, fitting to the nature of a Dragon, for the ſignification of taile, and third part, ſee cap. 9. 18. 19. ſtarres of heauen; that is, Miniſters of the Church; and caſt them downe to the earth; an alluſion to Dan. 8. 10. that is, were made to leaue their ſtanding, and to forſake their profeſſion, by the rage of perſecution, and weakneſſe of their owne hearts, and to become earthly, like other men of the earth.
The Dragon ſtood before the woman, &c. This noteth how the diuell, in, and by theſe Heathen Romane Emperours diligently obſerueth the Churches trauell; (as Pharaoh, the Dragon of Egypt, Exod. 1. to which is the alluſion) that albeit her conceiuing, her trauell, and bringing forth, could not be preuented by him, yet he hoped to deuoure that which ſhould be borne.
Verſ. 5. A man child: As Moſes was borne in ſpite of Pharaoh, to deliuer Gods people out of Egypt; ſo now the Chriſtian Church got a deliuerer, a man-child; the like phraſe in Eſa. 66. 7. This commonly is vnderſtood of Chriſt; but we muſt remember, that Iohn writeth in this place a propheticall hiſtory of that, which the Chriſtian Church obtained for her outward helpe and ſuccour; and likewiſe of things to come to paſſe after his time, and not of any common thing before already done. Further muſt bee obſerued, that nothing, whoſe originall Iohn ſaw, could be paſt, but was to come. But if this birth was either of Chriſt perſonally, or of Chriſt myſtically, that is, of the begetting of him in mens hearts, by the preaching of the Goſpell, then it was of that which was already, and not of that which was to come to paſſe afterwards. Moreouer, we do not ſay the Church trauelleth with Chriſt to bring him forth, as a ſon to her, which is her head and Soueraigne. S. Paul indeed ſaith, Galath. 4. 19. that he (the Apoſtle) trauelled of the Galatians; but it is not ſaid that he trauelled of Chriſt, but of them; to forme Chriſt in them by his miniſtery: and yet vnaduiſedly is this place fetched in hither, to make the Church to trauell of Chriſt. This man-child then is ſome potent Prince, as the next words following declare, who was to rule ouer all nations, with great power for the Churches good, whoſe ſonne indeed he was.
Who was to rule all nations, &c. An alluſion to Pſalm. 2. 9. truly and moſt properly ſpoken of Chriſt; and therefore the reader heere moſt commonly conceiueth Chriſt to be meant, not conſidering that Chriſt beſtoweth this his power vponupon his choſen ſeruants, chap. 2. 27. And her child was caught vp vntounto God, and to his throne: Theſe words (which ſeeme to ſome, to make much to take this child for Chriſt) doe ſhew by circumſtances well obſerued, that it cannot be meant of him. For Iohn ſaw Chriſt Ieſus before, chap. 1. and in the middeſt of the throne, chap. 5; hee had written in his Goſpell of Chriſts aſcenſion, and hee then had ſeene no wonder. Yea the ſo ſoone taking of him vp from the woman to God immediately vponupon his birth, without mentioning of his deeds, will not admit the meaning to be of Chriſt, of whoſe birth and aſcenſion Iohn ſpeaketh not one word in his prophecie: the very words themſelues are againſt it. Her ſonne: Chriſt is no where called the Churches ſonne, and ſo caught vp, an vnfit word to ſet out Chriſts aſcenſion, who is ſaid to goe vp Act. 1. 9. and to aſcend, as doing it of his owne power, and not as we, to be caught vp, 1. Theſ. 4. 17. Laſtly, heere is no naming of heauen, (vſually mentioned where Chriſts aſcenſion is ſpoken of) but of God and his throne, which as they are in heauen, whereinto Chriſt aſcended; ſo are they in this Reuelation to bee vnderſtood to bee heere in Gods Church, where, as in heauen, he ſetteth his throne, chap. 4. 2. Caught vp vntounto God and his throne, may thus be interpreted, that now one of the ſonnes of the Church, a Chriſtian profeſſing Chriſt, was maruellouſly preſerued of God from the rage of Heathen tyrants, and exalted vntounto Gods throne, that is, to be next the Lord in the higheſt place in his Church, the Prophets in the former chapter, chap. 11. 12. aſcended vp to heauen; but this child is taken vp to the throne in heauen, to rule next vnderunder God himſelfe, ouer the nations, that is, the enemies of the Church, with a rod of iron.
Verſ. 6. The reaſon of her flying is verſ. 13. an alluſion to the Iſraelites in the wilderneſſe, who eſcaped from Pharaoh that Dragon. They ſhould feed her; this relatiue they, hath relation to ſome perſons before, and that is to the two Prophets, chap. 11. 3. their time and hers agree, where daies are put for yeeres.
Verſ. 7. In heauen: That is, in the Church; for in heauen properly taken, there could bee no ſuch fighting; neither was the diuell and his angels ſeene of Iohn in heauen, from whence they were caſt out from the worlds beginning. This warre followed vponupon the birth of this child in the Church, that is, where Chriſt was publikely profeſſed; Michael, an alluſion to Dan. 10. 13. and 12. 1. He is Ieſus Chriſt, for hee is our Prince, as Daniel calleth him, chap. 10. 21. The child (as is before ſaid) cannot be Chriſt; for heere wee ſee is Chriſt fighting for his Church. But as the Dragon (the diuell) is not to be taken properly and alone for himſelfe, but by him muſt be vnderſtood the chiefe aduerſaries of the Church, the Romane Empire; and ſo by his angels, ſuch as bee inſtruments at their command to fight againſt Chriſt: ſo by Michael, muſt be ſo vnderſtood Chriſt, as alſo ſuch as be principal helpes for the Church; and by his Angels, thoſe that are with them in defence of religion, and enemies to the Dragon.
Verſ. 8. Neither was their place any more in heauen: They did now beare no more ſway in the Church.
Verſ. 9. The reaſon is here giuen, becauſe the Dragon and his angels were caſt out; ſo as it was not want of will, but want of power to withſtand Michael, and his ſeruants, that their place was no more in heauen.
Verſ. 12. Earth and ſea: The Dragon was caſt from heauen; therefore earth and ſea are here named, as places of his walking now without reſtraint: heauen is the true Church; Earth and ſea, the bounds out of the true Church. For earth and ſea cannot be taken properly, for the godly are inhabiters thereof, as well as the wicked, and they are the workmanſhip of God: and now the heauen being taken for the Church, out of which the diuell is now ſaid to be caſt, the earth and ſea muſt be the places not accounted the true Church; but the places where the diuell hath power, and beareth ſway. The inhabiters of the earth and ſea, are in oppoſition to the dwellers in heauen, which are true profeſſors of Chriſt, and are his Church, of an heauenly conuerſation; and therefore thoſe which are not of the true Church, are ſaid to bee of the earth and ſea, being meere naturall men, ſauoring nothing of heauenly things; whether they be Gentiles, or ſuch as onelyonly in name are Chriſtians, but indeed and truth, earthly Antichriſtians.
Verſ. 14. Two wings of a great Eagle: Hereby is meant means of protection to eſcape perill, Exod. 19. 4. and by a great Eagle, ſome mighty perſonage is deſigned, Ezech. 17. 3. 7. Wilderneſſe: this is oppoſed to popularity, viſibility, and outward glory; being a note of a retyred, hidden and poore condition, like to the ſtate of the teachers clothed in ſackcloth, chap. 11, 3. Into her place: ſo called, becauſe it was prepared for her of God. verſ. 6. A time, and times, and halfe a time: an alluſion to Dan. 7. 25. this is all one with 1260. daies, verſ. 6. for here, and there, is ſpoken of one and the ſame perſon, and of one and the ſame time. From the face of the Serpent: This ſheweth, that ſhee was hidden in the wilderneſſe, and by her flight loſt her viſibility before her enemies, as the phraſe ſheweth, 1. Sam. 17. 24. and 19. 10.
Verſ. 15. The Churches hidden condition made the Dragon, that hee could not now ſet vponupon her as before by perſecution; therefore now he casteth out of his mouth water as a flood, this is his wrath ſpoken of, verſ. 12. Waters: are peoples, multitudes, nations and tongues, chap. 17. 15. A floud of water, is the ſudden out-breaking of ſuch, and their violence mercileſly deſtroying all beforeEſa. 59. 19. Amos 8. 8. them, as a floud; ſo as howſoeuer this was intended againſt the Church, yet the inhabiters of the earth felt the woe thereof. This deuouring people is ſaid to be caſt out of his mouth, as being by his diuelliſh ſuggeſtion, words, and counſel from him forcibly ſent forth.
Verſ. 16. And the earth helped the woman: The Churches preſeruation by the earth, vntounto the which the diuell was caſt, verſ. 9. 12. his owne bounds a ſafety to Gods people. Opened her mouth and ſwallowed: an alluſion to Numb. 16. 32. to ſhew, that there was a ſpeedie riddance of this floud, within Satans owne dominion.
Verſ. 17. And went to make warre with the remnant of her ſeede: What this ſeed is, is ſhewed in the next words, euen faithfull and obedient Chriſtians; which plainly declare that the woman was the Chriſtian Church, whoſe children hauehave the teſtimonie of Ieſus Chriſt. The remnant of her ſeede: Thus are all the godly called, in which a reſpect is had to that her man-child, verſ. 5. the principall of her children at this time, the reſt a remnant. Or here is a reſpect to the whole Church hidden, and theſe remnant ſuch of the godly, as were ſeene heere and there, as a remnant left of her, againſt whom Satan, in, and by his inſtruments exerciſed his power. Whether this warre bee ſome other, or that which is mentioned in ca. 13. 7. I leaue to the godly learned to iudge of. It may ſeeme not to bee any warre of the Heathen againſt Chriſt and his Church, as the warre between Michael and the Dragon was; but the warre of the beaſt, chap. 11. 7. & 13. 7. for this war is after the woman is fled into the wilderneſſe, and ſo in the time of the two Prophets prophecying; in which time is the beaſt warring againſt, not the Church in name, (for he and his Gentiles had the out-court, chap. 11. 2. and ſo would bee reputed to bee of the Church themſelues), but againſt thoſe that heere are called the remnant of her ſeed, and in chap. 13. 7. the Saints, ſuch as bee true Chriſtians, heere deſcribed; and ſo in chap. 14. 12. whom the beaſt and his Gentiles, the counterfeit Chriſtians, doe hate as deadly, as the Dragon did Chriſt and his Church. It may be noted, that it is ſaid, hee went to make warre: as now taking this warre in hand, not againſt thoſe that profeſſed themſelues Chriſtians, which were at this preſent eueryevery where at hand, to hauehave ſet vponupon them, as hee did by Heathen tyrants, till hee was caſt from Heauen; but againſt faithfull and true Chriſtians (of which there was now no viſible aſſembly) whereſoeuer he could finde them, by the beaſt his ſubſtitute; of which in the next chapter, where is ſhewed how hee went heere to warre againſt theſe the remnant, and againſt the Saints therein, verſ. 7.