Commentary on Revelation, Lecture 3
LECTURE III.
Vers. 7.
And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomlesse pit, shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.
8.
And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom, and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.
9.
And they of the people, and kindreds, and tongues, and nations, shall see their dead bodies three dayes and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.
10.
And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoyce over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another, because these two Prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.
FRom the seventh Verse he proceedeth to describe the Churches estate in the condition of her Ministers. The first step whereof, i.e. their prophesying in sackloth, contemporary with the Gentiles treading the holy City under foot, is past: now follow other two steps further, 1. What was the low condition they were brought unto, and the beasts prevailing over these witnesses, killing and murthering them, to vers. 12. The last step is their Resurrection, and the making of them and their testimonie and the state of the Church more glorious and visible than before.
Their low condition is set out, 1. in their death. 2. What went before it, vers. 7.8. And, 3. in what followed after in the enemies insulting, vers. 9, 10. set forth in severall circumstances.
The first circumstance, whereby this is set out, is the time of their killing, vers. 7. When they have finished their testimonie, or were about to finish their testimonie; for, it is within the term of Antichrists height that this is done: what was called prophesying before, is called their testimony here: because for that end they were to testifie and preach. It is called their testimonie, to set out that peculiar task which God had given them as their work and earand that behoved to be done and ended, even as it is said of Iohn, that he finished his course, Acts 13.… and so Paul speaketh of himself. 2 Tim. 4:7. Thus was it with Christ, He preached about three years and an half (who was the true witnesse) and could not be impeded till his hour came, and his testimony and work given him was finished, Ioh. 17. More particularly, it will be found to be about the expiring of the fourty two moneths, which is one with the beasts coming to an height; for, as we shew before, these Prophets prophesying is contemporary with the beasts reign; their putting on sackcloth and mourning is occasioned by his rise; and so beginning together they go on in an equal length, and therefore must end together, that is, at the beasts begun fall, when they begin to put off their sackcloth. But the question thence riseth, 1. How can it be said, that their testimonie is finished, and they are killed and reproached, when Ministers testifying is a continuing work? And, 2. how can it be said that the beast prevaileth more against the witnesses now at the beginning of his fall, than in the time of his reign? For answer.
1. Consider, That though now moe witnesses have appeared against Antichrist, whereby it cometh to passe that these two witnesses are about to finish their testimony, and as it were, to go off the stage, because God had now provided many for that task; yet the period of Antichrists absolute tyranny is not at a close, as we will find afterward. And the Lord wisely made His Church somewhat more visible before, that so this great act of his cruelty might be the more discernable, and that thereby marches might be the more clearly rid betwixt the period containing his height and that which immediately followeth, wherein is contained his decay and ruine.
2. Consider, these two witnesses testimony may be said to be finished when the manner of their testifying is finished or changed. That is either, 1. when their number is encreased and God giveth moe witnesses, by bringing some others in their tour. Or, 2. When they then testifie more publickly and boldly who were before hid and scarcely discerned, (as the Church while she was in the wildernesse, now they appear and openly avow their Doctrine, and give a publick visible testimony. Or, 3. When their sackcloth is something altered, and that contempt and reproach that was upon honest Ministers is somewhat diminished, and they begin to get countenance, (it may be by some great persons or Princes) their testimony may be said to be finished, though not simply, yet in some respect; for, this testimony of theirs seemeth to be especially intended as a check against Antichrists reign, when all the world should be going after him: Now, after such a long time, the Ministers step out more publickly to cry down Antichrist; he is irritated and fighteth and warreth against them, and by his discerning them better now than before, he cometh at them with outward cruelty more. And God having guarded His own testimony, and made the world more sensible of these evils by their publick appearing and suffering, in His righteous judgement and deep wisdom He permitteth Antichrist to prevail, that this testimony may be sealed by suffering and bloud, in which the sufferers are overcomers, as it is, Chap. 12.11. and Christ getteth no lesse testimony and victory in that.
The second circumstance, is, the party by whom they are killed, it is the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomlesse pit, to wit, Antichrist or the Pope: compare this with Chap. 13. and 17, 18. It is a beast making war with the Saints there, and here, who will be found guilty of their bloud. First, He is called the beast, (as these in Dan. 7. and 8. are called) 1. For his power and greatnesse. 2. For his cruelty and inhumanity. Secondly, He is said to come from the bottomlesse pit, to wit, out of hell; So his Doctrine came from thence: Chap. 9.1. he is called the angel of the bottomlesse pit, and cometh after the working of Satan, whatever he pretend. Thirdly, He is said to be ascending, in the present time, 1. to shew his propinquity, that in its first steps he was beginning to work, 2 Thess. 2. 2. That he rose insensibly and as it were by degrees till he was on his seat: and there is but one beast mentioned here, because these two, (Chap. 13.) are indeed but one and the same.
The third circumstance is in the degree of this, in three expressions, to wit, make war, overcome and kill them. Quest. What? was he not making war against them before? Yes, his rage, hatred and persecution was alway during these fourty and two months. But, 1. It was not properly war; for, he had no considerable party to deal with, but some lurking hidden ones, he had all at will, treading under foot the holy City at his pleasure, vers. 2. Now, they are a publick party, and bide him some more contest. 2. His making havock of Orthodox Christians, was now more palpable, and his rage and violence at a greater height, having more fear, and more matter to work on. 3. This rage pursueth till death; yea, continueth after it; yet, it is not only to be restrained to bodily killing, but it may take in excommunications, banishments, forfeitoures, proscriptions, and all these wayes used to undo his opposits. In sum, it is here shown, that when Religion should get up its head, and Ministers begin boldly and openly to preach the Gospel, then he shall rage, and leave no mean of destruction unessayed, and shall in a great measure prevail to the outward narring of its liberty for a time; and more especially, vent this his malice on the Ministers of it, and take away the lives of many, which clearly in Charles the fifth his time, in the wars of Germany, wars and massacres of France, Martyrdoms and persecutions in England and Scotland after Religion sprang up first, may be said to be fulfilled. By all which, it evidently appeareth, 1. that after the fourty two moneths immediately neither cometh the Church to peace, nor Antichrist to ruine, he fighteth and in part prevailed then. 2. That this prophesie belongeth and relateth especially and particularly to that time, when Reformation began, and the Popes Kingdom took a turn.
Vers. 8. Two circumstances of their low condition are further added, 1. That after death they shall not be buried: which cometh from two grounds, 1. from that beasts malice that was not content with the bodily death of Christs witnesses, but followed them with contempt, and exposed them to opprobrie even after death, it being common and ordinary in the persecutions of France, England, Germanie, Helvetia, &c. to keep the bodies, especially of Ministers, unburied after their death, long. So Zuinglius, being killed by the Popish Cantons, was thus insulted over, and the Admiral of France and many others at the Massacre of Paris. Sometimes their bones were raised and burned after their buriall, as Bucers was in Queen Maries dayes. However, it holdeth forth cruelty, even after death, seeking to shame and rub reproach upon their very names and works, when they thought they had their will. 2. It proceedeth from Gods overruling providence, that will not have all memory of these witnesses testimonies buried; but though they be low, and as it were killed, and unburied, yet He maketh their enemies insulting over them in their low condition, the forefeiting, imprisoning, banishing and keeping of them under restraints, a mean to keep their testimonie alive. So that though the witnesses be despicable to them, and they think now that they are down, and shall never rise again; yet there is a testimony visible, and they are witnesses above the ground still; and things are not desperate, but even these witnesses in their death, imprisonments, &c. witnesse and overcome.
The second circumstance in this Verse, is, the place where it shall be. It is in the street of the great City, spiritually called Sodom and Egypt: by this City is certainly understood Rome, yet so as it is not only meaned that Town, as it is within walls, but that Empire (urbs and orbis being at that time when this was written almost equal) called the great City, Chap. 17. ult. that reigneth over the Kings of the earth; and the priviledges of this City spread as far as their government did: in which respect Paul calleth himself a Roman born, as being born of a City or Parents priviledged with that liberty. And it is observable when in this prophesie he speaketh of Rome, he doth it ever eminently, the great City, the great whore, BABYLON THE GREAT, Chap. 17.5. and 18.2. and of no other he speaketh so, save of the new Ierusalem in opposition to it.
This great City is set out in three properties, which are spiritually, that is, mystically to be understood; So, 1 Corinth. 11. they all eat that spirituall food, &c. that is, something represented by these names, which is to be understood in a spirituall sense and not literally, but as she is called MYSTERIE, BABYLON, &c. Chap. 17.5. because there is a mysterious resemblance, so here she is called spiritually Sodom, that is, for luxury, pride, fulnesse of bread and spirituall uncleannesse, abominable, Ezek. 16. 2. Egypt, that is, having and exercising a spirituall tyrannie over Gods people, and abounding in spirituall Idols, as Egypt did in a more grosse way, for which Israel could not sacrifice among them. 3. It is said, that our Lord was crucified there; not literally, but spiritually, as the word before cleareth, and as that word also doth clear, that is, either not only was He crucified at Ierusalem, but also there, or it is spiritually Egypt, also spiritually our Lord was crucified there, which cannot agree to Ierusalem, neither to Egypt nor Sodom at that time literally taken; neither were it any mysterie, or spiritually to be understood of Ierusalem (which never getteth the name of the great City) literally. And it is rather designed by that paraphrase, where our Lord was crucified, than by Ierusalem, because mystically the true Church is still in this Book set out by that. This part of the description agreeth to Rome, 1. In that under its dominion, Christ was crucified, and by its Authority, to wit, by a President of theirs Pontius Pilate; for, He was delivered to the Gentiles. 2. In respect of His Members, Ordinances, &c. there He had been long persecuted and crucified in them and put to open shame, Heb. 6.6. In the street of this city, that is, publickly by their Authority, as malefactors used to be in the streets: this is not private murther, but open avowed persecution. See for this, Petrarcha, lib. Epist. sine titulo, Epist. 16. who wrote three hundred years since.
This is amplified in the 9, and 10. vers. In the 9. vers. 1. In the delight that all men shall take in the low condition of these witnesses, they shall see them, that is, they shall with delight behold it and hear it, and will not be content to have them buried; and this is done by all kinds, their hatred is universal. 2. The time is not long; and this sad condition of the Prophets, and mirth of this world, will change. It is but three dayes and an half, with an allusion to Christs being under the power of death, and to keep a proportionablnesse to the three years and an half before, an indefinit time certainly, and cannot be three dayes; for, then all kindreds shall not have time to see them and so make merry. 2. It is not literally to be taken; for, they are said to rise again, and their death must be such a death, as is consistent with that, and with the manner of their rising. 3. It is not three years for dayes: for, 1. no considerable application can be given that agreeth with it. That which interveeneth between Charles the fifth his taking, and imprisoning the Elector of Saxon and Landgrave of Hessen; and Mauritius Duke of Saxon his making him again to flee, and the peace which was concluded at Paussow with Ferdinand, will in strict account be about five years and odds, to wit, from April 1547. to August 1552.
The third circumstance is vers. 10. their exceeding great mirth and jollity, which is aggreged from the reason of it, in the end of the vers. all that dwell on the earth, that is, all carnall Professors of that antichristian Kingdom (for the earth here, is opposed to the true Church which is called Heaven) shall make such feasts and chearfulnesse, and use all signs of joy, which men do in their greatest mirth and upon obtaining greatest victories. See Esther 9.18. after their delivery, and Nehem. 8.10, &c. These are the greatest tokens of mirth. Let us consider the victory which is the cause, These two Prophets that before tormented them, now they are rid of them and at ease. We shall enquire in the reasons of these, 1. Why faithfull Preachers are often a torment and torture to the men of the world, who neither can abide their consciences to be stirred, their faults touched, their designs marred, or lusts restrained? &c. such Moses and Aaron were to Pharaoh, the prophet to Ieroboam, Elias and Micajah to Ahab and Iezebel, Iohn Baptist to Herod? &c. 2. Why a profane people will be so glad to be rid of honest Ministers, and yet well pleased with hir…lings? Ahab could abide four hundred Prophets of Iezebel, but could not endure one Micajab that spoke the truth. The world is now swarming with the supporters of Antichrist, who live delicately on the fat of the earth uncontrolled, yet two poor witnesses of Christ are unsufferable: And, 3. Why the Lord often upon the back of a begun rise of the Gospel will suffer an exceeding nipping storm to arise against it?
For the first, faithfull Ministers, especially in times of declining, may be said to torment the earth these six wayes, 1. Their word and testimonie hath influence on the conscience, when it forcibly discovereth and reproveth the ill, which a hearer is guilty of: it is said (Acts. 7.54.) that Stephens free witnessing, cut the hearers that were guilty, to the hea…, that is, when they cannot get leave to quench all challenges, and to sleep on, but these witnesses, by the power and evidence of the Word and Spirit, do condemn their deeds, and consequently themselves, That galleth them, and wanteth not ifluence upon profane consciences, though they stop it, as Stephens hearers did their ears.
2. It tormenteth their will and affection, that when they would sleep on and delight themselves in these wayes of their own, free preaching marreth their quietnesse, even as when Elias cometh to Ahab with this word, Hast thou killed and gotten possession? and so proceedeth in the threatning, 1 King. 21. he goeth home sad and all the pleasure that he expected in his new garden evanished; so saith the same King of Micajab, that he hated him, because he never prophesied good to him, he was alway thorturing him as Elijah did, and as Moses and Aaron did to Pharaoh.
3. It tormenteth their corruptions and lighteth upon their Idols, by discovering and reproving them, and so stirreth up their enimity, as Iohn's free preaching did to Herod and Herodias; they touch folks sores, and that tormenteth them, though it be tenderly done; yea, some good men, as Asa, (1 King. 16.10.) have been tormented with this and could not abide it; and when enimity and envie are wakened, they have a cruell torment, as we may see in Haman at Mordecai. There is no greater torment to a malignant heart, swollen with enimity against the power of Godlinesse in the Godly, than to have a faithfull testimonie against it: and this pain proceedeth not from any unskilfulnesse and untendernesse in the Minister, but from the desperatnesse of their corruption, which is like some grievous sore that cannot abide to be cleansed or purged by the most tender Physician.
4. It affecteth and tormenteth their credit and pride, when their Religion is called superstition, idolatry, and no Religion, they cannot away with that; to be called guilty of such and such crimes, men in nature and as such cannot digest it; and faithfull witnesses must tell them when they go to the left hand; yea, and to the right also, and lift up their voice for that end like a trumpet: hence the Pharisees say, they will bring this mans bloud upon our heads, Acts. 4.5. and that tormenteth them, to call the Pope, Antichrist; and Rome, Babylon, must be pricking. This hath ofen made faithfull Ministers appear untolerable, when proud humours disdained to have them meddling with their actions, much lesse to condemn them.
5. Their testimonie affecteth the ease and outward quietnesse of the world; for, men naturally love so much Religion as never putteth them to trouble; but where faithfull witnessing cometh, it will not be content with a form, but it casteth their old wayes, and bringeth in new (as they suppose) and that (ordinarily meeting with Satans opposition in the world, and mens corruption,) bringeth changes, contests, wars and judgements for abusing this Word, which judgement the witnesses threaten: in this sense Ahab calleth Elijah the troubler of Israel, 1 King. 18.17. And the Apostles are said to turn the world upside down: and from this, many say it was a good world before, but since these Ministers arose, there is no peace: hence some places of the world; yea, some Pharisees have more outward peace with formall Ministers; yea, with Idolatrie than when Christ is preached: therefore Christ saith, He came not to send peace, but a sword; and thus the world thinketh if they were quit of some heady Ministers, all would be quiet. It is no marvell then that worldly men rage at this, and that it torment these who have their portion here only.
6. Men in darknesse have accesse to their private designs, but light crosseth their interest and so tormenteth them, for, the keeping of a good conscience, (which Ministers that are faithfull must presse) maketh folks inflexible to these crooked ends which the world cannot abide to have obstructed or crossed: thus the Prophet that testified against Ieroboam's worship, crossed his intent, and so marred the securing of the Kingdom to him, as Ieroboam thought, and this made him hate th…t freedom: This may in part vexe all sorts, but especially it is intolerable to great men who fret to be bounded either in reference to end or midses, and cannot abide to be reproved, which was in Asa's case formerly hinted; we may see it also in the three Children, Dan. 3. It galleth the King that a pretext of conscience (as he thought) should impede their absolute obedience to him: Kings and great men think there is no living with such Ministers, they are pests and debauchers of the people, that wrong States, outward peace and all, keeping folks from their own mercies, so some men call temporall designs, and this troubleth them; especially, when no obligation whereby others are win to flatter them, and heal their wound slightly, will prevail with them to make them go alongst as others do; they are then accounted implacable, and but enemies to mens persons, when they oppose freely their crooked designs. Seing then by these Prophets they were so tormented, it is no wonder they make merry: For, 1. now they suppose that they have much more liberty, so that they may speak and do and not be presumptuously quarrelled therefore. 2. Their enimity is delighted, which is like a wasp that feedeth on sores, counting that the time which they desired; and no good reason can be given for this, yet are they puffed up with it, as if they had obtained much. 3. They have now free way to their own designs: when Iohn is away, none reproveth Herodias; and Ahab stood some aw of Elias, and he might and would have gotten folks with him better, had he wanted Micajab, &c. Faithfull testifying against Popery, struck at many mens particulars. When Iohn, Duke of Saxon, did ask Erasmus concerning Luthers Doctrine, he answered, first, merrily, he had committed two unpardonable faults, which by all means should have been abstained from, to wit, 1. that he touched the Popes crown. 2. the Monks bellies: this faithfull witnessing is like the Angel to Balaam, who would sain have been at the wages of unrighteousnesse and was tormented by his appearing to hinder him. The Apostle hinteth at this, that he and his Ministrie was despised by many that counted gain godlinesse, 1 Tim. 6. and would not suffer for the crosse of Christ, Galat. 6.12. This readily is a sore that tormenteth in all times. And here again, 3. further it may be asked, why the Lord suffereth His Ministers, and His Work (consequently in them) to be so soon trod upon, even when it is but beginning to peep out and appear; it seemeth that the Ministers and Professors of it, are then in a worse case than formerly? Or, what may be his ends, now to let the witnesses be trod upon, and all, as it were, to be cast in the hollow, even at the entry, so as in the event the Pope seemed to be more strengthned, and the Professors of Reformation to get a further dash than if Reformation had never been intended to be established? Answer, For these and such good reasons,
1. That He may make it appear, that it is neither might nor power, but His Spirit that beareth through His Work, which is then most clear when these fail, (as the Temple was immediately interrupted in its rebuilding, and partly for this very end) for then it appeareth to be He when nothing can do it, and yet the thing is done. 2. He will then appear in His glory, Psal. 102. and the lower the foundation be laid, and the greater difficulties appear, He getteth the more glory; as when Moses and Aaron go to Pharaoh; and when they are upon the begun delivery, it fareth worse with them for a time, and not only Pharaoh and his Court, but even the Israelites, Exod. 5. and 6. are offended at Moses, and their burdens are encreased, and Pharaoh venteth more malice, from which God getteth the more glory, and then the work is seen the more to be of Him, and He hath (as He must have) occasion of exalting His glory. 3. He doth it so soon, to be a confirmation to these witnesses and their successors in all their following straits: when He hath in His providence suffered them to meet with great straits at first, and hath brought them through them, these may in time to come be encouragements to them, as these miracles done in Egypt, were to be unto the people of Israel confirmations of their faith in following straits for ever. 4. It is for His peoples profit, they readily are carnall even at the entry of a good work, and almost think God engaged to owne them, however they carry in it: the Lord by some such crosse dispensation, curbeth or preventeth their presumption; thus Moses, in his going down to Egypt, is pursued and made to circumcise his son, to make him the more watchfull afterward over his own particular carriage; and so possibly Elias is made to flee, even at his begun Reformation, 1 King. 18. lest he should think all done, or take occasion to sit down. 5. It is done for trial at the entry, for many false friends are soon discovered, that have had but corrupt ends; much corruption, fainting and fretting unbelief appeareth among the generality of the Godly, but especially the carnall hearted, they, like the Israelites, would be back again, and now they get time to discover themselves. And enemies at the entry by this occasion, or advantage, are the more hardened, as Pharaoh was to pursue on; and so God hath more occasion to glorifie Himself. 6. By this the Lord saith, all that would follow Him, must take His way, and take on the crosse, for whatever be in the end of the day the crosse beginneth, and the morning is foul, and the wall is built in troublous times, Dan. 9. and He would not have any who engageth to be on His side, putting the crosse far behind, but resolving at first to meet with it; these that have an expectation to eschew trouble by taking them to such a work, will be mistaken. 7. Ordinarily a people at the beginning of a work, and Ministers at their first setting to, (for, proportionally this agreeth to all that are sent, at their entry) are most tender, zealous, and have the warmest frame of Spirit then, and can abide, and will bear more then nor afterward, when that is gone: at the rise of Reformation, it is a wonder what zeal and boldnesse will be amongst Ministers and People, whereas often readily when either that temper of spirit is off people, or they sitten up and become cold, they would not endure such trials; and we may see it confirmed in our own experience. 8. Any opposition to a Reformation and some bringing of it low, maketh it often the more conspicuous and terrible when it is recovered again; for, now, all eyes are fastened on them, and looking to them, and when they see them rise while they expect it not, it doth the more affright them, as may be clear in the Verse following when these witnesses arise. 9. He bringeth all His works about by degrees and steps, that He may have out of every step multiplied and renued evidences and occasions of His glory, as it were by so many severall miracles on Egypt: Now, if there were no advantage at no time to enemies, there would be but one delivery, whereas thus one delivery is manifold. 10. There is ordinarily something of a temporall greatnesse affected at the beginning of the Gospels rising, which fault the Disciples fell into; that was also in Germanies this Christ not only curbeth with the Doctrine of the crosse, but with the crosse it self also, that they may be brought to denie themselves, and as He saith to Baruch, Ierem. 45. not to seek great things for themselves. All which are good ends and profitable to His people, and may make us all reverence His way, although it look strange-like unto flesh.