The Ruin of Rome, Commentary on Revelation · Chapter 10
CHAP. X.
HAuing opened and expounded the two firſt woes which fel out vponupon the blowing of the fift and ſixt trumpet, containing the two great plagues of Poperie and Turciſme, wherewith the world was puniſhed many hundred yeares: now in this chapter we are to heare of good newes, and great comfort, after ſo much ſorrowe. For here Ieſus Chriſt commeth downe from heauen to relieue his poore afflicted Church, and to be reuenged of all his cruell enemies. For now, before the 3. and laſt woe, containing the greateſt plague of al vponupon the world, which is, the laſt iudgement; wherein the wicked ſhall bee tormented in hel fire for euer, both in body & ſoule, I ſay, before the blowing of the 7. trumpet, by the ſeuenth angel, of which we ſhal heare in the next chapter. Now in the meane time is ſhewed in this chapter, what care God had for his little flocke, which no doubt were hid in thoſe daies, and did not appeare, and yet were ſcattered in corners, euen in the middeſt of the darkneſſe of Poperie, and the moſt furious & helliſh rage of the Turkiſh armies. And therefore the principall ſcope and drift of this chapter, is to ſhewe how the Goſpell ſhould bee preached in many kingdomes, now after this generall darkneſſe, for the diſcouering and ouerthrow, both of Poperie and Turciſme, and to ſhewe what ſhould fall out in the church now in the middle time, before the 7. & laſt trumpet blow: for then commeth the laſt iudgement, as the Angel ſweareth in this chapter, ver. 6.7.
This chapter dooth containe foure principall parts.
verſ. 1 The firſt is a deſcription of Chriſt and his glory.
verſ. 2 The ſecond ſheweth how the Goſpell ſhould be preached in many nations and kingdomes, by the Miniſters of this laſt age, whereby all aduerſarie power ſhould be ouerthrowne.
verſ. 6.7. The third is a watch word, giuen to the world by Chriſt, that when the ſeuenth Angell ſhould blowe the trumpet, the world ſhould ende.
verſ. 9.10.11. The laſt doth ſhewe, how all faithfull Preachers being called and authorized by Chriſt, ſhould trauell and take paines in the ſtudie of Gods booke, and afterward ſhould publiſh the knowledge thereof far and neare.
verſ. 1 And I ſawe an other mightie Angel come downe from heauen, cloathed with a cloude, & the Raine-bowe vponupon his head, and his face was as the Sunne, and his feete as pillars of Braſſe.
This Angel of might is Chriſt, as appeareth by the deſcription of him, & by all the conſequents following:Math. 24. for he is ſaid to be cloathed with a cloud, which ſignifieth his great glory and maieſtie: For he shall come in the cloudes of heauen to iudge the world: that is, with great pompe and glory. The Raine-bowe was vponupon his head, which ſignifieth the couenant of peace with his church, as before, chap. 4.3. His face was as the Sunne, which ſignifieth comfort and deliuerance to his church, & the diſpelling of all the ſmoake of the bottomeleſſe pit, as the Sun ſcattereth and driueth away the thicke miſts.
His feete are as pillars of Braſſe; which ſignifieth that he ſhould tread downe all his enemies vnderunder his feete, both Pope and Turke:1. Cor. 15. for hee muſt raigne till hee hauehave deſtroied them all. The Pope a long time kept all the kings of Europe in awe. The Locuſts were of great power. The Turkes preuailed exceedingly. But what are they all to this mightie and glorious Angell Chriſt? What is their power to withſtand him? What can Abaddō the king of the Locuſts do againſt this mighty king of Sion? What can the Turkes moſt terrible horſes and horſemen do againſt this Angell which ſitteth vponupon the white horſe? Alas, alas, they are able to do nothing. They muſt all bee troden downe vnderunder his feete of braſſe.
And hee had in his hand a little booke open, verſ. 2 and hee put his right foote vponupon the ſea, and his left vponupon the earth.
This little booke ſignifieth the Bible.
It is called little, in reſpect of the great and huge volumes of Popiſh bookes, though in it ſelfe it bee large.
It is ſaide to bee open, that all men might looke into it, becauſe it had bene ſhut a long time before, euen during all the time of the darkening of the Sun and the Ayre, by the ſmoake which came out of the bottomleſſe pit. But although it was long ſhut vp in the time of Poperie, and lay buried in a ſtraunge tongue: yet now it is opened, and publikely preached vntounto all the ſeruants of God. And all this no doubt is to be vnderſtood of Luthers time, and all the times euer ſince the Goſpell was ſpread abroade after the great darkeneſſe. For ſome hundred yeares agoe it was hard to finde an Engliſh Bible: but now God be thanked, there are thouſands to be found in the hands of Gods people. And therfore the things here propheſied of, are fulfilled in our daies: for wee liue vnderunder the opening of the ſeuenth ſeale, and the blowing of the ſixt trumpet, and the powring forth of the ſixt viall, as here doth partly appeare, and ſhall God willing, be made more manifeſt whē we come to the 16. chapter. Now wee are diligently to obſerue, that as the opening of this booke, & the preaching of the Goſpell by Luther & his ſucceſſors, hath diſperſed the former darkeneſſe, and beaten downe Poperie: ſo alſo hath it driuen backe the Turke, and taken from vsus all feare of him, which in former ages, was the terrour of the worlde: for ſince men hauehave looked into this booke, repented of their Idolatrie, and turned vntounto God with all their hearts.
The Turke and his power hath not bene feared, eſpecially in theſe parts where the Goſpell is preached. For God in his mercifull prouidence towards his Church, hath diuerted his power an other way, and ſet him aworke elſe-where. So that if men cannot be brought to beleeue, that God raiſed him vp as a ſcourge for Idolaters, and a plague for Idolatrie and other foule ſinnes, according to the wordes in the former chapter; where it is ſaid, They repented not of the workes of their hands, &c. yet when they ſee, that at the opening of the booke of God, and forſaking Idolatrie, the feare of him is remoued, let them beleeue it. What can be more plaine, then that this opē booke in the hand of the Angell, hath deliuered vsus from the Pope, and from the Turke: A moſt happie opening of this bleſſed booke.
Moreouer it is ſaid, that hee put his right foote vponupon the ſea, and his left on the earth. The ſetting of Chriſts right foote vponupon the ſea, ſignifieth that he is ruler of the ſea, and ſtandeth as firmely vponupon the ſea, as vponupon the land. The ſetting of his left foote vponupon the earth, doth ſignifie, that he is Lord of the earth, and true heire to all things in it.
And cried with a loude voice, as when a Lyon roareth, verſ. 3 and when he had cried, ſeuen thunders vttered their voices.
This crying with a loude voice, like the roaring of a Lyon, doth ſignifie the manifeſtation of the wrath of Chriſt againſt all his enemies: for now hee beginneth to roare againſt them, as a Lyon whē he is hungry, roareth for his pray. Therefore now both the ſcorpion, Locuſts, & the fierce horſes and horſemen are like to goe to the pot.
By the 7. thunders which vttered their voices, is meant thoſe perfect and exquiſite iudgemēts which now were to be infflicted both vponupon the kingdome of the Pope and of the Turke. We hauehave heard before, that 7. is a perfect number in this booke: & that thunder is put for the thundring of Gods wrath, and all ſuch broiles and plagues as follow therevpō. And this is the reaſon of this interpretation.
And when the ſeuen thunders had vttered their voices, verſ. 4 I was about to write, but I heard a voice from heauen, ſaying vntounto me: Seale vp thoſe things which the ſeuē thunders hauehave ſpoken, and write them not.
It ſhould ſeeme theſe ſeuē thunders did ſo ſpeake, as they might be vnderſtood; for Iohn was about to write the things which they ſpake, thinking that they were vttered for that ende and purpoſe, that he ſhould deliuer them in writing to the churches. But he receiueth a commandement to the contrarie, for he is willed, not to write them, but to conceale them vntill the appointed time.
But ſome man may ſay; Why were they vttered, ſeeing they muſt be concealed, and kept cloſe? I anſwere, it was not in vaine: for firſt, though the particulars bee not expreſſed what the thunders ſpake: yet here we are taught, that there remaine moſt fearfull iudgementes againſt all the oppreſſors of the Church, which Chriſt hath thundred out with terrour againſt them. And when the time determined is come, they ſhall be ſeene and vnderſtood: but in the meane time, they bee ſealed vp and kept cloſe; according to that of Iob: Why ſhould not the times bee hid of the Almightie, Iob. 24.1ſo as they which know him, ſhould not perceiue the times appointed of him; and that of Daniel: Dan. 12.9.Theſe things are ſealed vp vntill the time determined.
verſ. 5 And the Angell which I ſawe ſtand vponupon the ſea, and vponupon the earth, lift vp his hand to heauen,
verſ. 6 And ſware by him that liueth for euermore, which created heauen, and the things that therein are; and the earth, and the things that therin are; & the ſea, & the things that therein are, that time ſhould be no more.
verſ. 7 But in the daies of the voice of the ſeuenth Angel, when he ſhall begin to blowe the trumpet, euen the ministrie of God ſhall be finiſhed, as he hath declared to his ſeruants the Prophets.
The ſumme of theſe three verſes is, that Chriſt giueth warning of the laſt iudgement, that men might awake and looke out in time. And becauſe men for the moſt part are careleſſe and ſecure,Amos. 6.1▪ putting the euill day farre from them, as the Prophet ſpeaketh. Therefore here Chriſt bindeth it with a ſolemne oath, and ſolemne geſtures therevnto annexed, as was the lifting vp of the hand in auncient time, Gen. 14.22. The thing that our Lord Ieſus depoſeth, is, that Time ſhall be no more; that is, Time as it is now, or the ſtate of things as they be now: but he telleth vsus flatly, that as ſixe Angels hauehave alreadie blowne their trumpets, ſo when the 7. Angell should blowe, the myſterie of God shall be finished: that is, the time of puniſhing the wicked, and rewarding the godly, ſhould come, which is therefore called a Myſterie, becauſe the world vnderſtandeth it not: They thinke there is no ſuch matter.
They imagine there is no reward for the iust, Mal. 3.14.1….or punishment for the wicked, as the Prophet ſaith. But the holy Ghoſt ſaith: Verily there is a reward for the righteous: Doubtleſſe there is a God which iudgeth the earth. And here it is ſaid,Pſal. 58.11. that God hath declared it to his ſeruants the Prophets.
And the voice which I heard from heauen, verſ. 8 ſpake vntounto mee againe, and ſaid, Goe and take the little booke which is open in the hand of the Angel, which ſtandeth vponupon the ſea, and vponupon the earth.
verſ. 9 So I went vntounto the Angell, and ſaid vntounto him, giuegive me the little booke· And he ſaid vntounto me, take it, and eate it vp, and it ſhall make thy belly bitter, but it ſhall bee in thy mouth as ſweete as honey.
verſ. 10 Then I tooke the little booke out of the Angels hand, and ate it vp, and it was in my mouth as ſweete as honey: but when I had eaten it, my belly was bitter.
verſ. 11 And hee ſaide vntounto mee, Thou must propheſie againe among the people, and nations, and tongues, and to many kings.
The briefe ſenſe of theſe foure verſes is, that the Preachers of the Goſpell being called, allowed, and authoriſed by Chriſt vntounto their miniſtry, ſhould ſtudy the ſcriptures with great diligence, euē vntil they had eaten vp the booke of God, & then they ſhould preach & publiſh vntounto all nations & kingdomes that truth of God, & doctrine of the Goſpell, which now a long time had lien hid in the raigne of Antichriſt.
It is to be obſerued, that Iohn in this place repreſenteth the perſon of all the miniſters of the Goſpell which ſhould be raiſed vp in theſe laſt dayes, for the ouerthrowe of Antichriſt, and the reſtauration of true religion: for Iohn himſelfe did not liue to theſe times.
Further, it is to be noted, that all godly Students and zealous Miniſters do eate vp the booke of God by reading, ſtudy, praier, & meditation, & they finde it ſweete in their mouth, that is, they finde and feele great ioy and comfort in the ſtudie and meditation thereof, eſpecially whē God reuealeth therby great and hid ſecrets vntounto them, & giueth them to vnderſtand the myſteries of the Goſpell, & counſels of his will, which are locked vp from the wiſe and prudent of this world. This I ſay, is ſweeter vntounto their mouth then hony, and the hony combe. Concerning this phraſe of eating vp the booke, looke Ezech. 2.9. for here the holy Ghoſt alludeth therevnto.
This booke being ſo ſweete in the mouth, yet being eaten and digeſted, is bitter in the belly.
There may bee three reaſons yeelded of this bitterneſſe.
Firſt, becauſe it being once taken downe into our ſoule by godly meditatiō, doth mortifie our corrupt nature, & bring vnderunder our luſts, & therefore ſeemeth bitter to fleſh and bloud.
Secondly, becauſe afflictions & trials do alwaies neceſſarily followe the ſounde digeſtion of the Goſpell.
Thirdly, becauſe the doctrine of the Goſpel being ſwallowed by the Miniſters therof, muſt not be kept to themſelues, as it were cloſed vp in their ſtomacks, but they muſt out with it againe, as if it were ſome loathſome & bitter thing, which muſt needes be caſt vp again. And for this cauſe it is ſaid in the laſt verſe, that they must propheſie againe among the people, and nations, and tongues, and many kings. Now bleſſed be the name of the Lorde our God, who hath giuen vsus to liue in this age, wherein we do with our eies behold and ſee the fulfilling of all theſe things: let vsus therefore praiſe God for this great worke which wee ſee wrought in our daies, and let vsus ſtill more and more magnifie this l…ttle booke, which will vtterly deſtroy Popery, and bring downe the proude Antichriſt, do all that fight for him what they can.