The Ruin of Rome, Commentary on Revelation · Introduction
BEfore I enter into the expoſition of this Propheſie, I thinke it not amiſſe to handle ſixe circumſtantiall points, which may giuegive ſome light to the whole matter following, and they be theſe.
Firſt the inſtrument that writ this booke.
Secondly, the time when he writ it.
Thirdly, the place where he receiued it.
Fourthly, the perſons to whom he writ it.
Fiftly, the ende and vſe of his writing this Propheſie.
Laſtly, the authoritie of it.
As touching the firſt, it is agreed vponupon amongſt the ſoundeſt Diuines, that Iohn the Apoſtle or Euangeliſt; Iohn the Diſciple, whom Ieſus loued, was the Authour and Inſtrument of penning this Propheſie:Apoc. 22. verſe 8. Apoc. 1. verſe 19. as hee himſelfe teſtifieth, ſaying: I am Iohn which ſawe theſe things and heard them. And he receiueth a commaundement from Ieſus Chriſt which hath the keies of hell & death, that hee ſhould write the things which hee had ſeene and heard,Apoc. 1. verſe 11. and ſet them all downe together in a booke. Now we all know that the teſtimony of Iohn is of great weight, though hee be but a man: for hee is ſuch a man as is firmely to be beleeued in all that he ſpeaketh. Hee is an Apoſtle, an Inſtrument of the holy Ghoſt, and ſo guided by the ſpirit of God, that he ſpeaketh & vttereth nothing that is his owne. He was well knowne to the Churches to be one of Chriſts Apoſtles, his authoritie among all the faithfull was throughly knowne and approued. For we muſt conſider, that what an Apoſtle did vtter, hee did vtter it as the inſtrumēt of the ſpirit, which cannot erre. For the prophets & Apoſtles did not write the holy ſcriptures as they were men only, nor yet as they were Miniſters of the church only, but as they were the immediate & certain inſtruments of the holy Ghoſt, of purpoſe choſen & ſet apart to pen & publiſh the holy bookes of God.2. Pet. 1. verſe 21: This S. Peter confirmeth ſaying: Propheſie came not in old time by the wil of man, but holy mē of God ſpake as they were moued by the holy Ghoſt. The Apoſtle Paul alſo affirmeth the ſame touching his Goſpell, which ſaith,Gal. 1. ver. 12. he was not after man, neither receiued hee it of man, but by the reuelation of Ieſus Chriſt. Therefore whē this our Apoſtle ſaith, I am Iohn, which ſaw theſe things, and heard them, hee giueth vsus to vnderſtand, that hee was both an eye and an eare witneſſe. Hee bringeth not matters which he hath heard by vncertain report: he deliuereth this book to the churches: they which receiued it at his hāds, did know him to be a moſt faithfull ſeruant of the Lord, euen a great Apoſtle, which deliuereth not any thing but that which he had receiued of the Lord, and therfore he teſtifieth, that he ſaw & heard al the things which he hath written in this booke. And moreouer he teſtifieth of himſelfe, that he was called and authoriſed by Ieſus Chriſt, to write this Propheſie, & did nothing herein of himſelfe, or of his own brain. For ſaith he, I Iohn, heard behind me a great voice, Apoc. 1. ver. 10.11.as it had bene of a trompet, ſaying, I am Alpha & Omega, the firſt and the laſt, & that which thou ſeeſt write in a booke, & ſend it vntounto the Churches. Here we ſee how Iohn is called & authoriſed, by Alpha and Omega, that is Ieſus Chriſt, to write this doctrine of the Apocalyps. But may ſome man ſay, was not Iohn called before? was he not one of the Lambes 12. Apoſtles? had he not now many yeares executed the office of the Apoſtleſhip right faithfully? muſt hee now hauehave a new calling, & a ſecond calling? what needs he being an Apoſtle, to be called & authoriſed again? To this I anſwer, that this matter now in hand, was a new & a ſpecial work, and therfore requires a new & ſpecial calling. It is a ſtrāge reuelation, & therfore requireth a new authoritie to meddle in it. For in this propheſie God dealeth with Iohn, as he did with the old prophets in like caſes. For whē he wold foreſhew vntounto any of thē ſpeciall matters, he called them by glorious viſions, as we may read what a goodly viſiō Eſay had:Eſay 6. what a viſion ful of glory Ezechiel had: & what a viſiō Daniel had,Ezech. 1. Dan. 10. euē in maieſtie like vntounto this which Iohn hath here. Thus then it is to be conſidered.
Iohn now is as one of the old Prophets, to foreſhew things to come: therefore the Lord appeareth vntounto him in viſion, and calleth him, and authoriſeth him therevnto, as he appeared vntounto them & called them. Let this then ſuffice for a reaſon of Iohns new calling to his new worke and office. And thus much touching the firſt circumſtance.
Now followeth the ſecond circumſtance, which is the time whē Iohn receiued this Propheſie, which is noted to be vponupon a Lords day.Apoc. 1.10. It is the day which S. 1. Cor. 6.2.Paul to the Corinthians calleth the firſt day of the weeke: in which the Churches did meete for the holy exerciſes in religion: which is alſo euident, becauſe hee ſaith they came together to breake bread. Now the obſeruation of a ſeuenth day is of diuine inſtitution,Act. 20.7. euen from the beginning. It is naturall, morall, and perpetuall: for God bleſſed the ſeuenth day, and ſanctified it. We are therfore to thinke, that although Iohn now in his exile was abſent in bodie from the church aſſemblies, yet he was preſent with them in ſpirit, commending them moſt earneſtly vntounto God in his holy praiers, and meditations: and therefore it is ſaid, that hee was rauiſhed in the ſpirit vponupon the Lords day. So we reade, that the like befell vntounto Daniel, Dan. 7.2. Ezec. 3.12.14.when hee was priſoner in Babylon: the like alſo vntounto Ezechiel, who was taken by the ſpirit in the viſions of God, and carried to Ieruſalem: The like to Peter, Act. 10.10. 2. Cor. 12.2.the like to Paul. But the ſpeciall reaſon of Iohns rauiſhment in the ſpirit at this time was, that thereby hee might be made more fit and capable to receiue and vnderſtand all thoſe great myſteries and heauenly viſions, which now ſhould be ſhewed vntounto him. And withall, let vsus obſerue, that all men are alwaies moſt capable of heauenly things, when they are moſt in the ſpirit: for God doth euermore moſt reueale himſelfe to ſuch as are moſt in praier, reading, and meditation; and to ſuch as make greateſt conſcience to ſpend his Sabaoths Chriſtianly, and religiouſly, according to his great commandement. And let vsus alwaies be ſure of this, that the more feruent & zealous we are in religious duties, the more familiar acquaintance we ſhall finde with God, and he will at all times be the more open-hearted vntounto vsus, and will hide nothing from vsus that may be for his glorie, and our good. For ſuch as are much in heauenly contemplatiō, he doth reckē not amongſt his ſeruants, but amongſt his deareſt friendes;Iohn 15.15. to whom he will make knowne all things that he hath heard of his Father. But now let vsus proceed to the third circumſtance.
The third circumſtance is the place where Iohn receiued this Propheſie, and that is ſet downe to be the Ile of Pathmos: which (as the Geographers write) is a litle deſart Iland lying in the Aegean ſea, wherein it is reported that Iohn the Apoſtle was baniſhed by the Emperour Domitian, about the yeare of our Lorde 96. and there receiued, and writ this booke of the Apocalyps: where note by the way, that there is no place ſo obſcure or vaſt, wherein a godly mind may not aſpire vp vntounto heauen, and receiue a great largeſſe of ſupernaturall things: for Daniel in priſon, Peter in a Tanners houſe, Paul in a broken ſhippe receiued a ſuperabundant meaſure of grace, more to be eſteemed then all the golde of India. Some write, that this Ile of Pathmos is accounted amongſt the Ilands called Sporades, which lye ouer againſt Aſia, and the Citie of Epheſus, and was in the ſight both of Europe and Affrica, ſo that it ſeemed to bee as it were as middle ſeate or holy chaire, out of the which Chriſt preached by Iohn from heauen to the whole world. And indeed the counſels of God are wonderful, and his goodneſſe vnſpeakeable, which reuealeth ſo great myſteries to his faithful, as it were out of the Romiſh priſon, and Babylonicall captiuitie.
Moreouer, Iohn declareth the cauſe of his comming into the ſame Iland; for hee ſaith, he was there for the word of God,Apoc. 1.9. and the teſtimonie of Ieſus Chriſt: that is, for the preaching and conſtant profeſſion of the Goſpell of Chriſt.
Hiſtories doo report, that Iohn was apprehended in Aſia, and by ſouldiers ledde to Rome, that hee might pleade his cauſe before the Emperour Domitian, who moſt ſauagely and cruelly condemned the innocent, and cauſed him to bee put into a cauldron of hotte boiling Oyle, out of the which when hee by miraculous prouidence eſcaped without harme, hee was carried and conueied into the Ile of Pathmos.
But immediately after Iohns baniſhment, God met well inough with this perſecuting Emperour Domitian. For in the fifteenth yeare of his raigne hee was moſt cruelly and ſhamefully murthered by his owne ſeruants. And thus much for the third circumſtance.
Now it followeth to ſpeake of the fourth circumſtance, which is, the perſons to whom this propheſie is written,Apoc. 1.1. and that is ſet downe in the firſt chapter and firſt verſe, to bee all the ſeruants of God. As many therefore as be the ſeruants of God, muſt attend vntounto this booke, heare it, reade it, and remember it: for to all ſuch it is dedicated by the holy Ghoſt, to all ſuch it belongeth, for all ſuch it is written and recorded.
Some do falſely and fooliſhly imagine, that it was giuen onelyonly to Iohn, and that it might likewiſe bee giuen to ſome ſpeciall men, as to ſome great ſchollers or deepe diuines, which could tell how to vſe it, and how to weld it. But wee ſee how groſſely they erre: for the holy Ghoſt ſaith, it belongeth to all the ſeruants of God. And moreouer, chapter 1.11. Iohn is willed and commaunded to write all the things which hee ſawe in ſundrie viſions in a booke together, and to ſend it to the ſeuen Churches which are in Aſia, becauſe the Lorde would hauehave it remaine in perfect record vntounto the vſe of the whole Church, both that the Church might hauehave the cuſtodie of this booke, and alſo that it might bee a faithfull witneſſe vntounto the ende of the world, that this booke was written and penned by Iohn the Apoſtle, of whoſe truth and ſinceritie the church had ſufficient experience.
True it is indeede that there are but ſeuen churches named, but vnderunder theſe ſeuen Churches all others are comprehended. It had bene an infinite matter to recken vp all the particular Churches which were then in the world, and to hauehave opened their ſeuerall eſtates: therefore vnderunder theſe ſeuen Churches of Aſia, and their particular and ſeuerall eſtates, the ſtate of the vniuerſall Church militant is laid open. I conclude therfore, that the whole doctrine of S. Iohns Reuelation, appertaineth to the vniuerſall Church of Chriſt throughout all the world, and in all times and ages, ſince it was written and recorded. And that as all ſcripture is written for our inſtruction and comfort:Rom 15.4. 2. Tim. 3.16. and as all ſcripture giuen by diuine inſpiration, is profitable to teach and conuince, &c: ſo this booke of the Apocalyps is written for the ſpeciall comfort and inſtruction of the Church in theſe laſt daies. And ſo I do conclude this fourth point.
The fift circumſtantiall point is, the end and vſe of this Propheſie, chapter 1.1. which is to publiſh and blaze abroad the things which muſt ſhortly come to paſſe, that is, all things propheſied in this booke, and to be fulfilled euen to the end of the world. And whereas he ſaith, that theſe things muſt come to paſſe, hee doth vsus to vnderſtand how great the ſtableneſſe, and aſſuredneſſe of Gods determination is. For looke what things are foreappointed by Gods determinate purpoſe, they are altogether vnchaungeable: for the Lord is God, and he is not chaunged. And he ſaith:Mal. 3.6. Eſa. 46.10. Math. 24.35. My determination ſhall ſtand, and all my will ſhall come to paſſe. And Chriſt ſaith: Heauen and earth ſhall paſſe away, but my word ſhall not paſſe. It is therefore moſt certaine, that eueryevery particular thing contained in this propheſie, ſhall bee fulfilled in Gods appointed time. For God hath diſcloſed theſe things to his ſonne Chriſt, not to the end he ſhould ſhut them vp againe in himſelfe, but that he ſhould ſhewe them forth to the godly, that the whole Church might fare the better by them. It doth then ſtand vsus all vponupon to enquire and ſearch into theſe things which muſt ſo ſhortly come to paſſe, that thereby wee may bee ſtrengthened and comforted againſt all future dangers. And Chriſt ſaith:Apoc. 22.7. Beholde I come ſhortly. Bleſſed is hee that keepeth the words of the Propheſie of this booke. But how ſhall we keepe them except wee knowe them? and how ſhall wee know them except wee reade them, and ſtudie them? If therefore we meane to bee partakers of this bleſſedneſſe, wee muſt not onelyonly eſteeme this booke to bee very profitable, but abſolutely neceſſarie for all the ſeruants of God to be exerciſed in. And if euer there were any time wherein it behoued to ſet forth, to vrge, and to beate in this doctrine to all the people of God, then is it chiefly neceſſarie to bee done in this our time. For this age of ours hath in the Popes kingdome, many ſharpe and quicke wits, which commend with maruellous praiſes both the Pope, and the Popiſh Church, and buzze into the eares of the common people, and vnlearned ſorte, many things cleane contrarie to the doctrine of the ſcriptures. The Ieſuites & Prieſts are growne exceeding craftie and cunning. The Papiſts are rich, wealthy, and full of armour and munition. Poperie ſeemeth to make a head againe, and the Papiſts looke for a day. It ſtands vsus then all vponupon which louelove Chriſt and his Goſpell, that wee ſhould be well appointed, and throughly armed againſt them. And for this purpoſe the Reuelation of S. Iohn, is of great vſe & neceſſitie.
As I ſaid before, ſo I ſay againe, that it is the Propheſie of our time, written to this ſpeciall ende, that by it wee might bee both fore-warned and fore-armed. If wee doo conſider the whole matter of this booke, wee ſhall eaſily finde out the vſe and end of it. For the excellent matter of it doth argue the excellent ende and vſe of it.
Now then, as concerning the generall matter of this booke, here are to bee founde very large and liuely deſcriptions of the moſt glorious perſon of Chriſt, chapter 1 and all his excellent offices, both of King,Cap. 2. Cap. 3. Cap 7. Cap. 12. Cap. 7. Cap. 8. Cap. 15. Prieſt, and Prophet: and alſo moſt notable deſcriptions of the Church, and of the Miniſters of it: and of the perſecutions and afflictions, which it muſt of neceſſitie paſſe through in this world. Alſo of Gods mercifull prouidence for his Church, and moſt vigilant care ouer it in the middeſt of all extremities.Cap. 12. Cap. 1…. Cap. 9. Here are ſet before our eyes very liuely deſcriptions of the Churches deadly enemies; both of Sathan himſelfe, and his three great inſtruments, the Romaine Emperour, the Pope, and the Turke.
Cap. 18. Cap 19. Cap. 14. Cap 20.Here are ſet downe all their cruell perſecutions of the Church, and their vtter ouerthrowe in the ende. Here are deſcribed hell, death, the reſurrection, and the laſt iudgement. Here alſo the very kingdome of heauen is at large deſcribed, with all thoſe great rewards,Cap. 21. Cap. 22. infinite glory, and endleſſe felicitie, which remaine for all the faithfull worſhippers of God.
I conclude therefore, that for as much as this Propheſie is of ſuch excellent contents, therefore the vſe and neceſſitie of it muſt needes bee verie great. And for this cauſe Iohn is willed and commaunded by Alpha and Omega, chapter 1.19. to write the things which hee had ſeene, the things that were, and the things that ſhall come hereafter. By the things which he had ſeene, is meant that glorious viſion mentioned in the firſt Chapter, verſ. 13, 14, 15, 16. wherein Ieſus Chriſt did appeare vntounto him in the middeſt of the ſeuen golden Candleſtickes, in moſt glorious manner, as is there deſcribed. And all this was in the Ile of Pathmos, where Iohn was firſt called, and authoriſed to this worke, and therfore he is willed firſt of all, to record this viſion which hee had alreadie ſeene.
By the things that are, hee meaneth the preſent ſtate of the ſeuen Churches of Aſia, which were then the moſt flouriſhing Churches in the world, as they are deſcribed in the ſecond and third Chapters, and in them the eſtate of all other Churches.
By the things that ſhalbe, he meaneth all the propheſies of this booke, which were to bee fulfilled in their time, & al thoſe ſtrange accidents, which ſhould come to paſſe in proceſſe of time, and the ſeuerall ages of the Church, euen vntounto the end of the world. Thus we ſee how Iohn receiueth a preciſe commandement from the ſonne of God, to write things paſt, preſent, & to come, that they might ſtand in record vntounto all poſterities, from generation to generation. Thus much touching the fift circumſtance, which is the ende and vſe of this booke.
Now followeth to ſpeake of the laſt circumſtantiall point, which is the authoritie of this Propheſie, which is ſtrongly confirmed from the Author of it, which is Ieſus Chriſt; and therefore it is called the Reuelation of Ieſus Chriſt, which God gaue vntounto him. chapter 1.1. And againe it is written: I Ieſus ſent mine Angell to teſtifie theſe things in the Churches. chapter 22 16. Here wee ſee plainely, that Ieſus Chriſt the very ſonne of God, the Alpha and Omega, is the Author of this booke, for hee ſubſcribes his name vntounto it, and ſets his hand and ſeale vntounto it. Needes therefore muſt the authoritie of it bee very great, which commeth from ſo great a perſonage: for looke what dignitie and authoritie he is of, from whom the booke commeth, of the ſame dignitie & authoritie is the booke it ſelfe.
An other ſtrong argument to confirme the authoritie of this booke, may be taken from the proteſtation of Ieſus Chriſt in theſe words: I protest vntounto eueryevery man that heareth the words of the Propheſie of this booke, chapter 22 18. if any man ſhall adde vntounto theſe things, God ſhall adde vntounto him the plagues that are written in this booke. And if any ſhall diminish of the words of the booke of this Propheſie, God shall take away his part out of the booke of life. Here wee ſee how Ieſus Chriſt maketh the authoritie of this booke equall to all other the Oracles of God, to the which it is not lawfull for any man to adde or detract vnderunder paine of condemnatiō. It maketh much alſo for the authoritie of this booke, that S.Cap. 1.1. Cap. 1.4. Cap. 1.9. Cap. 22.8. Iohn doth ſo often repeate, reiterate, and inculcate his owne name; I Iohn, I Iohn, I Iohn: I Iohn the Apoſtle; I Iohn the Euangeliſt; I Iohn the Diuine. Shewing by all theſe repetitions, how needfull a thing it was that the faithfull ſhould bee throughly inſtructed who he was, euen one of the Lambes twelue Apoſtles, and therefore to be voide of all ſuſpition and doubt concerning the authoritie of this booke, and not once to imagine it to bee any inuention of man, or faigned deuice, ſith it was penned by ſo great an Apoſtle.
Moreouer, the authoritie of this Propheſie is confirmed by foure reaſons in the laſt chapter. The firſt is the affirmatiō of the Angell, who ſaith: chapter 22.6, 7, 8. Theſe words are faithfull & true. The ſecond is the authoritie of the moſt high God himſelfe in theſe wordes: verſ. 6 The Lorde God of the holy Prophets ſent his Angell to ſhewe vntounto his ſeruants the things which must ſhortly bee fulfilled. The third is the teſtimonie of Ieſus, who pronounceth them bleſſed which keepe the words of this Propheſie. For ſaith he, Behold I come shortly: verſ. 7 Bleſſed is hee that keepeth the words of his Propheſie. The fourth and laſt is the witneſſe of Iohn in theſe words: I am Iohn which heard and ſawe theſe things. verſ. 8 Now it may bee demaunded, what is the cauſe that here are ſo many things heaped vp for the confirmation of the authoritie of this booke. Surely wee muſt thinke there is ſome ſpeciall cauſe and reaſon of it. For the holy Ghoſt dooth not vſe to deale ſo much and ſo earneſtly in a matter, but vponupon great cauſe. We may eaſily gather what the cauſe is. This booke painteth out the whore of Babylon, and the whole kingdome of the great Antichriſt, together with all Sathans cunning and ſleight therein, and for this cauſe Sathan hath laboured eſpecially to weaken the credit and authoritie of this booke. Hee by ſome meanes in olde time preuailed thus farre, that euen among ſome Churches of true Chriſtians, the authoritie and truth of it was doubted of. The holy Ghoſt did well foreſee this practiſe of Sathan, and therefore bringeth the moe reaſons for the confirmation therof. If the credit and authoritie of this booke ſhould neuer hauehave bene impugned, there needed not any ſuch ſpecial confirmatiō. But now (God be thanked) there is no queſtion or controuerſie concerning the authoritie of this Propheſie. It is receiued as authenticall by the common conſent of all the Churches. Almoſt all the auncient Fathers do acknowledge it to bee Canonicall. The new writers doo with one voice giuegive their conſent & approbation vntounto it. The Papiſts themſelues do acknowledge it to bee the ſacred & vndoubted word of God, though of al ſcriptures they cannot endure it ſhould be medled withall, becauſe it cutteth them ſo neare the bone. Moreouer, it may not be omitted, that God is called the Lord God of the holy Prophets, chapter 22. verse 6. which proueth, that this Propheſie is of equall authoritie with the Propheſies, which were of olde, in as much as the ſame God is the Author of it. And this booke is to be held in the ſame account with the bookes of Moſes, and of the Prophets; for all things contained in it ſhall as certainly be fulfilled in their time, as theirs were. In Eſay, in Ieremie, in Ezechiel, in Daniel, and in the reſt, we find many things, which the Lord ſhewed by thē lōg before they came to paſſe. Euē ſo there be many things foreſhewed & fore-propheſied in this booke, which in their time ſhalbe aſſuredly fulfilled. Nay, we ſee and know, that many things here fore-tolde, are already fulfilled, & ſome things are come to paſſe euen in theſe our daies. Hee that ſhall looke into the times that are paſt, ſince this Propheſie was giuē; ſhal finde that all things hauehave fallen out agreeable to the Propheſie of this booke. And ſurely if there were none other thing to perſwade vsus touching the authoritie thereof, this might ſuffice, that eueryevery thing hath fallen out iuſt and iumpe, as this Propheſie did foreſhewe. It is our great negligence, that we do not clearely ſee ſo much. And I do humbly entreate all the people of God to looke more diligently and narrowly into it in all time to come. And thus much concerning the circumſtances.
Now, as concerning the booke it ſelfe, it may very fitly be deuided into three viſions, as it were into three generall parts. The firſt viſion is contained in the three firſt Chapters. The ſecond viſion is contained in the next eight Chapters following, from the 4. to the 12. Chapter. And the laſt viſion is contained in all the Chapters following, from the 12. to the ende.
As concerning the firſt viſion, my purpoſe is not to ſtand much vponupon it, becauſe it is plaine and eaſie to vnderſtand, and becauſe it containeth no Propheſies of things to come, but onelyonly openeth the preſent ſtate of the Church at that time, & alſo becauſe I hauehave alreadie touched the ſumme of it in handling the circumſtantiall points, I will therefore content my ſelfe with a very briefe opening and reſolution of it, beginning at the firſt Chapter.