Commentary on Revelation, Lecture 1
LECTURE I.
CHAP. VII.
Vers. 1.
ANd after these things, I saw four Angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.
AT the entry of the former Chapter we divided this prophesie into three principall prophesies, holding forth and relating unto three principal periods of the condition of the Militant Church. The first, relating to the Churches sufferings under Heathens, which was expressed by the seals, whereof we have spoken. The second, concerning Antichrists rise and dominion, holden forth by the trumpets. The third, concerning the Churches outgate from under that storme, is contained under the vials. These two are yet to come. And because that second was a sad storme, which might shake the Faith of Gods People, if they were not strengthned against it, The Lord armeth them in reference thereunto by laying down these two strong consolations, 1. By shewing His care of His Church in providing for the safety of His own before the storm should come. 2. By shewing the certainty of the Churches outgate from, and victory over that strait. Which two take up the Chapter, and are put together in a little view and hint, before the Lord go on to describe the storme it self, that thereby the faith of Gods people, and their consolation in reference thereto, might be the more strengthned and confirmed.
If we look to the order of revealing the matter contained in this Chapter, it doth belong to the sixth seal (the seventh not being yet opened;) But, if we look unto the matter it self, and the scope, we will find it belong to the prophesies following, as preparatory to them, and set down before the opening of the seventh seal, To make the transition from the one prophesie to the other the more discernable; and also to make the prophesie coming the more to be adverted unto, and the easier to be understood.
The Chapter then hath these two parts, 1. The Lords taking care of His Church and Elect before the coming of a storm; by separating of them, and (as it were, by His own seal) setting them apart from others, that they should not be hurt by it. And because these prophesies represent the events to Iohn, as acted; therefore is this care of Gods also represented to him in that same manner before these events come. This first, is from the beginning to the ninth verse; and the second part, from the ninth verse to the end, holdeth forth a calm and flourishing estate of the Church after that storm, in respect of number, beauty, and freedom in the serving of God: which relateth, First, unto the Church on earth, and in part foresheweth the spreading of the Gospel, after Antichrists tyranny and domination hath brought the Church low; but especially is to be fulfilled in Heaven, where these things, which in a propheticall manner are spoken of, and applied unto the Church here, will more properly be fulfilled.
For clearing of this scope, and better understanding of this Chapter, let us consider these three, 1. What these winds do signifie. 2. What is meaned by this sealing. 3. Unto what time or state of the Church they do relate.
By winds, three things are especially understood in Scripture, which make the holding of these winds three wayes to be interpreted.
1. By winds, in Scripture, are understood temporall judgements on civil States, Ier. 49. 36, &c. and so the holding of winds supposeth a restraint on temporall troubles, keeping them for a time, from breaking loose upon the Church, though they were ready even then to blow. The event is thus applied, The Church had outward peace for a little time under Constantine, and after; but immediately the Empire was overrun by Goths and Vandals, Saracens and other barbarous Nations, who had been a little time restrained, that the Church might have some breathing.
2. By winds, sometimes in Scripture are understood the blowings of the Spirit, especially accompanying the Ordinances, in keeping them clean and making them effectuall. These Gospel-ordinances, and breathings of the Spirit with them, being as necessary for keeping … Church uncorrupted, as winds are to the air which we breath in. See Act. 2.12. Cant. 4.16. Ezek. 37.4. According to this acception of winds, the holding of them doth signifie the restraining of the pure Doctrine of the Gospel, whereby followed the spreading of heresie, and the rising of Antichrist, who (say they) was working even in Constantin's time.
3. By winds, the Scripture sometimes holdeth forth spirituall judgements, as heresie in Doctrine, Schisms, Divisions, Contentions, &c. which have upon the Church an impetuous force and violence, like winds, driving unstable souls from their stedfastnesse, as the word is, Eph. 4.14. That we be not children tossed to and fro by every wind of Doctrine by the sleight of men, &c. It is so taken also, Iud. 12. in respect of these who (verse 11.) had followed the gain-saying of Core; they are said to be carried about of winds, &c. Thus the holding of these winds is to be conceived. I saw (saith Iohn) immediately after the Churches freedom from persecution, a new storm of heresie and schism ready to set upon the Church and to carry all away before it: but it was bounded and restrained by Gods power, till He had established His Elect against it, so as it shall have no force to overturn them.
We conceive the last to be especially aimed at here, and that these winds do hold forth the growing and encreasing of false Doctrine and Schism in the Church, rather than any of the former two, 1. Because this agreeth best to the scope, which is to guard the Elect from these evils. Now, in the strain of this Book we will not find the Elect saved from temporall evils more than others: it must therefore be understood of spiritual judgements, and that in a high degree; from which only they (to wit the Elect) have a peculiar exemption, Mat. 24.24. 2. This exemption doth specially relate unto these evils of Antichrist whereof the world partaketh, and from which only the Elect are keeped clean, as will appear from Chap. 13.8. and Chap. 14. vers. 1, 4. These sealed ones are said not to be defiled; by which we may gather what is the judgements they are to be keeped from, to wit, spiritual defilement, seing purity from these is peculiar to the sealed ones as a fruit of their sealing. Again, we understand the form of this spiritual judgement (to speak so) to consist rather in the actuall blowings of errour, than in the privative restraint of pure Doctrine; because the effects mentioned of hurting Trees, Earth, Sea, &c. are the effects of winds actually blowing and bringing hurt unto these things. Beside, the holding of these winds being for that end, till the Elect should be marked, evidenceth that the judgement is in letting loose these winds, the holding whereof, is a restraint upon them.
To the second question, to wit, What is to be understood by this seal, or sealing, mentioned? We say, 1. That it is not any visible or discernable character, as to men, which is intended. But 2. some separating and differencing thing, whereby, as to the effect, these who are sealed, are distinguished from others that are not separated. In a word, the scope is to shew, that every one of Gods own shall be as certainly keeped free from the hurt of that storm, as if there were a visible mark put upon every one of them. This manner of speech, is borrowed, 1. From Kings that seal with their own Seal what they would not have touched. 2. From the story, Exod. 12.13. where God, being to separate Israe… from the Egyptians in respect of the plague of smitting the first-born, did first separate them by a mark (as it were) upon the posts of their doors, whereby His care of them was signified, and their faith of immunity from that plague strengthned; and accordingly the effect followed, none that were marked were hurt; so shall it be here. 3. It may look unto Ezek. 9. where a story of sealing some, not unlike to this, is recorded. In sum, it is to show the security of the Elect under that storm: Which we conceive especially to flow from these two, 1. From Gods decree of Election. 2. Gods care and providence in the executing of His decree of Election, so as the saddest triall is limitted in its commission in respect of the Elect, and they are looked unto and sustained under it. This agreeth well with Mat. 24.24. where preservation from errour is derived from Gods Election; and that which is called sealing here, we take it to be the same which is expressed (Chap. 13. and 8.) by writing in the Lambs book of life mentioned there for the same scope as this is here. It agreeth also with 2 Tim. 2.19. where the Lords foundation (which is His Election) is said to be sealed, because of the surenesse and unalterablnesse thereof.
The third thing to be cleared, is, what time or state of the Church this relateth unto? Answ. Although doctrinally the words do in generall hold forth Christs care of His Church and People in reference unto these trials which are common to them with others, and so this may be applied to all times, Christ had a care of His Church under the seals, and a peculiar care of His own under every trial; this is a truth: but, considering the words as they point at some particular time, and for that end are set down in this prophesie, We conceive, that they hold forth Gods peculiar oversight of His Elect, in keeping them from the storm which is threatened by the trumpets, and not from the temporall stroaks contained under the same, and so doth belong to the following prophesie and not to the preceeding, 1. Because the seals hold forth especially temporall judgements, the trumpets hold forth Spirituall plagues. Now, the Elect not being exempted from the former, but from the latter, This prophesie then (to call it so) of peculiar exemption, must belong to the trumpets which contain judgements of a Spirituall nature. 2. If we look to Chap. 9.4. (which comprehendeth the prophesie of the first wo brought upon the world by the fifth trumpet) there these who are sealed, are peculiarly exempted from that wo. The inserting therefore that limitation in the commission of that wo, that it should not hurt these who had the seal of God, doth evidently knit this sealing unto that trumpet, as peculiarly belonging to it and intended for that storm. 3. We find (Chap. 13.8.) only the Elect excepted from the worshipping of the beast; and (Chap. 14.1, 4.) we find the same number, who are said to be sealed here, observed to be keeped clean, according as was designed here, these places shewing the effect of Gods sealing here to have been answerable in the event, that as He had sealed them to be keeped clean, so were they by vertue thereof actually preserved. Now, that preservation, in respect of the event in these places, doth manifestly look to their being keeped free of Antichrists corruptions, which contemporateth with the trumpets; and therefore this sealing, which holdeth forth Gods purpose of bringing about that event, must belong to that time also.
The scope then is shortly this, Iohn being commissionated to reveal the second great storm, which was to come upon the Church by the breaking out of Heresie, and rising of Antichrist to a height, by which many moe of the Visible Church should be carried away than under the former persecutions, so that in effect, the whole world should wonder after the beast, and the Elect be in great hazard, lest the Lords people should faint, as if there were no Church during that time; the Lord comforteth them by shewing the security of the Elect, and immutability of Election in the most declining times; and that He would preserve them from being carried away, or hurt, by that storm, as if they were by some visible Character distinguished from the rest of the world for that end.
To come more particularly to this first part of the Chapter, There are two things represented in it, 1. A sad judgement to the Church; this is implied, vers. 1. 2. Christs care in preparing for, and guarding His Church from it.
In the first we have these four things to consider, 1. Wherein this judgement or trial consisteth. 2. The instruments intrusted with the oversight thereof are set down. 3. Their Postour is described. 4. The object of this judgement is pointed at.
1. The trial is in the blowing of winds, even four winds; by which we understand Spirituall dangers of Heresies, Divisions, Schisms, &c. as is before said: which are compared to winds, 1. To shew the violence and force of Error, which impetuously carrieth many away with it; therefore it is compared to a floud, Chap. 12. and is called strong delusion, 1 Thess. 2. which place relateth to the same event. 2. They are compared to winds, to shew the effects of Error amongst unstable souls, which drive them from former received Truths to Error, and from one Error to another to and fro, even as winds tosse any light matter; therefore (Iud. 12.) they that are given to Error, are said to be carried about of winds, as Clouds or Weather-cocks are from one side to another according as the wind bloweth.
3. Again, they are called four winds, to shew, 1. The plurality of Errors which come one with another and one after another, when once these winds begin to blow. 2. To shew the opposition of one Errour to another, and the inconsistency of them together, as well as with truth. In this, Errour differeth from ordinary winds; these blow but from one airth at once, but this setteth upon-all corners together, the devil aiming to break in upon one side when he is repelled at another, and to catch one by one Errour, who hath not been taken with an other.
2. The instruments are described, I saw four Angels standing, &c. 1. They are called Angels. And, 2. four Angels. We need not dispute much whether they be good or bad, seing God who is the Creator and Soveraign of both, may and often hath made use of either of them in executing of His judgments upon the wicked world: it would seem these mentioned here, are good Angels, 1. Because for a time they restrained these winds, ready before this to have broken out, but were keeped up as in prison by them, till Christ should give orders. It is true the winds are from evil spirits, and prime Ministers of Satan; but the holding of these winds, and the timeing of the blowing of them, so as might further Gods design most, are good, and seem to be acts of Christs Kingly Office, executed by good Angels, who have that committed to them for the Churches sake: and therefore, it may be said of them, that power was given them to hurt the earth, because that cannot come to passe but by their leave who have the oversight of that deluge of Errour entrusted to them. 2. The Angel who speaketh to them, taketh them in as joynt servants of God with him, and as employed in the same work, as it is, vers. 3. which maketh it appear to be Elect Angels, employed in that work for the good of Elect Saints. They are called four, because there were four winds, and there being hazard from so many airths, God will have His care and Soveraignity seen in having one Angel for every danger.
3. We are to consider their postour: which is set down, First, In their standing on the four corners of the earth: which importeth two things, 1. The imminency of the judgement, it was ready to break in on all corners. 2. It sheweth the vigilancy and activenesse of these instruments in executing what was committed to them, with a readinesse to advert to Christs orders and to obey them. Secondly, As they are standing, so they are holding the four winds of the earth, which confirmeth what is formerly said; and beside, implyeth a degree of force in the winds, and of activity in the instruments, forcibly (as it were) holding them. Thirdly, The end why they hold the winds, is, that the winds should not blow on the earth; which is not simply to restrain them from hurting the earth, but for a time, untill the Elect should be prepared and provided for it, as the Verses following will clear.
The fourth thing in the Verse, is, the object on which these winds do blow; it is implyed in this Verse to be the earth, the sea, and trees; for, the restraining of these winds from blowing on them for a time, supposeth them to be the object of that storm, as is clearly expressed, vers. 2, 3. It was given to them to hurt the earth, &c. These three are most ordinarily obnoxious to the hurt of winds, and therefore are mentioned here. The earth lyeth open to winds, being plagued by earthquakes, overthrowing of houses, spoiling of corns, fruits, &c. the sea being so liquid and unstable, is subject to tossings, and risings, whereby shipwrack and other inconveniences follow. 3. Trees are more subject than other things, because of their height, which maketh them the more obnoxious unto, and the lesse able to bear with the impetuous force of the stormie winds, whereby some are rent, others are overblown, &c. The scope, is, to shew, that as the wind seaseth on these things as the proper object of its hurt, so Errour hath its own object, upon which the hurt thereof will be no lesse effectuall.
More particularly, by Earth, &c. here cannot be understood these without the Church, (errour not being a plague wherewith such are scourged) but we must understand Professors of the visible Church, because the event (which followeth by the trumpets) is made good on them; and therefore this earth, is not distinguished from the visible Church by any externall profession, but from the invisible Church, in respect of secret Election, as from what precedeth is clear.
That these three, earth, sea, and trees, are mentioned together, as the objects hurt by this storm, may be done in allusion to three sorts of Professors, over whom errour especially prevaileth.
1. The earthly-minded professour, who supposeth gain to be Godlinesse, lyeth open to this storm, when set upon by a tentation to errour, which is backed with worldly wealth, ease, credit, preferment, &c. Of such the Scripture in many places speaketh, who, upon that account, have been ensnared with this bate, Phil. 3.19. 2 Pet. 2.15. Iud. 11. And upon this account it is, that, 1 Tim. 6.10. the love of money, is called the root of all evil, which while some covet after, they have erred from the faith.
2. By sea, may be signified unsettled light professours, who, like Reuben, are unstable like water, and fixed in nothing; therefore are they (Iude 13.) called raging waves of the sea, and wandring stars; and clouds that are carried with a tempest, 2 Pet. 2.17. a light professour is an easie prey to Errour.
3. By trees may be understood professours, who, in respect of profession, gifts of knowledge, utterance, &c. may be said to be high above others, and no lesse high in their own conceit, being by knowledge puft up, though, in respect of true fruits, exceeding barren; for, if these that are reall Christians be compared to trees, indeed bearing fruit: (which sort of Christians, Chap. 9.4. are exempted from this judgement.) Christians, who are but in profession so, yet much in their own conceit, may be called trees, as they are by Iude, vers. 12. and 2 Pet. 2. they are called presumptuous, as high above others in their own conceit; which sort of professours, are as obnoxious to Errour as any other.
The sum of this Verse, is, No sooner was the Church freed from open persecution, but the devil stirreth up Errours of all sorts, and that with great violence; whereby, in Gods righteous judgement, many secure earthly-minded, unstable and proud conceity professours were to be carried away; yet were they for a time restrained by Gods power, till, &c. From which, Observe,
1. That Errour and Heresie waiteth upon the Churches outward prosperous condition; and no sooner is she freed from open persecution, but as soon the devil waiteth on to sow these tares. Chapter 12. when the childe is delivered from persecution, the devil, the serpent, speweth out a flood after her: it was so in Constantin's time, unto which this relateth: The Church was scarcely landed from that sea of persecution, when the Heresie of Arius and other divisions, set vehemently upon the Church, as we will see in opening of the trumpets. It was so in the time of the Gospels breaking forth again in Germany; floods of Anabaptists, Libertines, Antinomians, &c. followed it, and somewhat of it hath been made out in our own experience in this Island. The devil who is a murderer and and a liar from the beginning, waiteth all opportunities to destroy, if so he may gain by Errour what he could not attain by violence. Beside, men usually, then becoming more secure, and falling asleep, he hath the fairer occasion to sow his tares, which he doth not neglect. 2. Errour and Heresie, is one of these plagues whereof God maketh use in His Justice to punish the ingrate world who have had the Gospel in peace and have abused it. Therefore when delusion cometh in its greatest height, as 2 Thess. 2.10. or, a false prophet cometh to speak lies in the name of the Lord, Deut. 13.1, 3. They are both said to be sent of Him as a just reward of rejecting the truth. 3. The abounding of Errour is a sore plague: and therefore Toleration (which we conceive to be no other thing, upon the matter, but the letting loose of these winds) must be a sad stroak to many professours; by this, they are tossed, snared, and made drunk with a fill of their own wayes, and many carried headlong to the ruine of their souls. By this, the best things of the Church, to wit, its truth, purity, unity, &c. are blasted. Have not Arianisme, Pelagianism, Popery, and other Errours wronged the Church more than many years Famine, Wars, and Pestilence, and destroyed moe souls than these have done bodies? It is a wonder the world should think so light of so heavy a plague. 4. When Errour cometh as judgement, it cometh exceedingly fitted and strengthned for carrying on its point. There is a deluge or flood of them together; therefore it is called strong delusion, and a spirit of errour, 2 Thess. 2.11. because, as it hath from God a Commission, and cannot be quiet till that be executed, more than the bloudy sword can be, Ezek. 21. so it is armed suitably for that end, sometimes with variety of Errours, sometimes with the number of followers, sometimes with countenance from great ones of the world and temporall advantages, sometimes with eminency of gifts, in the Authors and Abettors thereof: these, or such like, going alongst with the tentation, make it set on the more strongly and with the greater difficulty to be resisted. 5. There are some Errours that are inconsistent together, and opposite one to another, wherewith yet in Gods secret justice the devil may be permitted to assault and trouble the Church: the Lord thereby aimeth the more to further the triall of the sincere and discovery of the counterfeit; the devil thereby aimeth to undo all by prevailing against them upon one side or another, that if one errour do not take, he may essay about to find out that which is suitable to their humour, and to set on them where he shall find them weakest. At least, by these diversities of Errours, he maketh the truth the more disputable unto the men of the world. In the Primitive times, some denied Christ to be true Man, as Apollinaris; others denied Him to be true God, as Ebion, Arius, Photinus, &c. These again, differing among themselves, Arius calling him God, but a created God in time; Photinus and his followers, asserting Him to be but meer man; some made Him to consist of two Persons as well as two Natures; others, running to the other extreme to shun that, affirmed Him to have but one Nature as He is but one person, This was the Heresie of Entyches; the former was spread by Nostorius; Sabellians made but one Person, as there is but one God, as the Antitrinitarians do now. Those called Tritheits, made three God as well as three Persons. Augustine, de haresi. 66. nameth some whom he calleth Coluthiani, whose Errour was, that no evil was from God, even these evils whereby he punished profane men. He nameth also some whom he calleth Floriani, attributing all evil, even that which was sinfull, to God. In the matter of Discipline, some were too rigid, as the Novatians and Donatists, &c. admitting no penitents to Church-fellowship who had once given offence, though they granted they might receive pardon from God. Others again, running to the other extreme, did too soon, without any evidences of a change, readmit the scandalous, not only to Church-communion, but also to have trust and bear Office in the Church, The rise of this is attributted to one Felicissimus, by Baro…ius, Anno 235 pag. 481. The like might be instanced in many Errours, as by comparing the Errour of Papists, upon the one hand, giving too much to works, and Antinomians, upon the other hand, giving too little; betwixt Prelacy, monopolizing Government in the person of one Bishop, and Independency, bestowing it indifferently upon all the members of the Church, and in many such cases. These are enough to clear the truth of the thing, and to make Believers watchfull, and to put on the whole Armour of God, lest, what one tentation upon one side doth not, another may. 6. Considering this storme to accompany the Churches outward peace, Observe, That oftentimes the purity of Doctrine suffereth most in the Churches outward prosperous condition, sometimes by the devils sleight, sometimes by the security of the Church her self becoming secure or proud under her externall peace.