The Harmony Chronicle and Order of the New Testament, Part 2 · Revelation

The Harmony Chronicle and Order of the New Testament · Part 2 · Revelation

p. 153THE REVELATION OF JOHN.

AS it will be easily admitted to place this Book last of all the New Testament, because it stands so in all Bibles, so on the other hand it will be cavilled at, that I have brought in the writing of it so soon, as before the fall of Ierusalem, since it hath been of old and commonly held, that it was penned in the reign of Domitian, farre after these times that we are upon: But the reasons by which I have been induced thereunto, will appear out of some passages in the Book it self as we go through it.

As God revealed to Daniel the man greatly beloved, the state of his people, and the Monarchies that afflicted them, from his own time, till the coming of Christ; so doth Christ to Iohn the beloved Disciple, the state of the Church, and story in brief of her chief afflicters, from thence to the end of the world. So that where Daniel ends the Revelation begins, and Iohn hath nothing to do with any of the four Monarchies that he speaketh of, but deals with a fifth [the Roman] that rose as it were out of the ashes of those four, and swallowed them all up.

The composure of the Book is much like Daniels in this, that it repeats one story over and over again, in varied and inlarged expressions: and exceeding like Ezekiel's in method and things spoken. The style is very Propheticall, as to the p. 154things spoken; and very Hebraizing, as to the speaking of them. Exceeding much of the old Prophets language and matter adduced to intimate new stories▪ and exceeding much of the Jews language, and allusion to their customs and opinions, thereby to speak the things more familiarly to be understood. And as Ezekiel wrote concerning the ruine of Ierusalem, when the ruining of it was now begun, so I suppose doth Iohn of the finall destruction of it, when the Warres and miseries were now begun, which bred its destruction.

REVEL. CHAP. I, II, III.

THe three first Chapters referre to that present time when Iohn wrote: and they contain the story of his obtaining this Revelation, and of the condition of the seven Churches of Asia at that time: declared in the Epistles directed to them.

Iohn travelling in the Ministry of the Gospel up and down from Asia Westward, cometh into the Ile Patmos, in the Icarian sea [Vid. Strab. lib. 10.] an Iland about thirty miles compasse [Plin. lib. 4. cap. 12.] and there on the Lords day he hath these visions, and an Angel interprets to him all he saw.

He seeth Christ clothed like a Priest, foreign, ver. 13. [See the LXX in Exod. 28.4.] and girded over the paps, as the Priests used to be, with the curious girdle. His appearance full of Majesty and gloriousnesse, described in the terms of Daniel, Chap. 7.9. & 10.5, 6. Amongst other his Divine title, he is called Alpha and Omega, terms ordinarily used by the Jews [only uttered in their Hebrew tongue] to to signifie the beginning and the end, or the first and the last. Midr. Tillin. fol. 47.2. Abraham and Sarah performed all the Law from Aleph to Tau. Marg. tripl. targ in Deut. 18.13. He that walks in integrity is as if he performed all the Law from Aleph to Tau.

He directs Epistles to be sent to the seven Churches of Asia: who are golden Candlesticks though very full of corruptions [it is not a small thing that unchurches a Church] and inscribed to the Angels of the Churches: This phrase translates foreign Sheliahh Tsibbor, the title of the Minister in every Synagogue, who took care for the publick reading and expounding of the Law and Prophets: And these Epistles are sent accordingly to the Ministers of the severall Churches, that they might be read openly in their Congregations.

There are seven severall Epistles to the severall Churches, dictated immediatly and sent by Christ, and another generall one from Iohn to them all, in which he shews the warrant and way of writing those seven.

He terms the holy Ghost, the seven Spirits, according to the Jews common speech, who from Isa. 11.2. speak much of the seven Spirits of Messias: and speaking of Christs coming with clouds, Chap 1.7. from Dan. 7.13. and from the words of Christ himself, Matth. 24.30. He at once teacheth that he takes at Daniel, and speaks of Christs coming and reigning, when the four Monarchies were destroyed, and especially referreth to the first most visible evidence of his power and dominion, in coming to destroy his enemies the Jewish Nation, and their City. And here is one reason that induceth me to suppose this Book written, before that City was destroyed.

Coming to reade the present condition of these Asian Churches in the Epistles written to them, we may pertinently think of that saying of Paul, 2 Tim. 1.15. This thou knowest that all they that are in Asia are turned from me: A great Apostacy: of which there is too much evidence in these Churches, as also mention of some sad fruits of it, and means and instruments inducing to it. As 1. unbeleeving Jews which the holy Ghost all along cals A Synagogue of Satan: with these the Church of Smyrna was pestered, and more especially Pergamus, where their mischievousnesse is stiled the very throne or seat of Satan: and where they had murdered Antipas a faithfull Martyr already. 2. False Apostles and seducers: some that pretended Apostolick power and commission, and it may be coloured their pretences with Magicall wonders, that they might act more Apostle-like. p. 155These the Church of Ephesus was troubled with, but had discovered their delusions and found them liars. 3. Other seducers that, it may be, came not in the demonstration of such devilish power, but answered that by their horrid devilish doctrines, the doctrines of the Nicolaitans, which taught to eat things sacrificed to Idols, and to commit fornication. In Thyatira a woman seducer, cried up this doctrine, a whore and witch, a Iezabel: wherefore she and her children, that is, her Disciples, are threatned to be destroyed by the plague: the vengeance upon the fornicators with Baal P…or.

REVEL. CHAP. IV, V.

NOw cometh a second vision. That before was of things then being, see Chap. 1.19. but this and forward of things to come, Chap. 4.1. A door open in heaven, and the voice of a trumpet talking with Iohn out of it.

The scene of Iohns visions said to be in heaven, is according to the scheme of the Temple and the Divine glory there. And hence you have mention of the Altar, Candlesticks, Sea of glasse [the brazen laver made of the womens looking glasses] the Ark of the Covenant, and the like. And as at the opening of the Temple doors, a Trumpet sounded, so is the allusion here. The door in Heaven opened, and a Trumpet cals Iohn to come in and see what there. And immediatly he was in the Spirit, ver. 2. Why? was he not in the Spirit before? Chap. 1.10. and was he not in the Spirit, in seeing the door in heaven opened? &c. But we may observe a double degree in rapture: as inspired men may be considered under a double notion: viz. Those that were inspired with Prophesie or to be Prophets and to preach, and those that were inspired to be Penmen of Divine Writ, which was higher. Iohn hath both inspirations or revelations to both ends, both in the Vision before, and this: then he was in the Spirit and saw the vision, and was in the Spirit and inspired to pen what he saw, and what to be sent to the Churches. And in the first verse of this Chapter he is in the Spirit or hath a revelation, and in ver. 2. he is in the Spirit, he is inspired so as to take impression and remembrance of these things to write them also.

He seeth Christ inthroned in the middle of his Church, in the same Prophetick and visionary Embleme that Ezekiel had seen, Ezek. 1. & 10. and this is a commentary and fulfilling of that scene that Daniel speaketh of, Dan. 7.9, 10, 22. In Ezekiel, the Lord, when Ierusalem was now to be destroyed, and the glory of the Lord that used to be there, and the people were to flit into another Land, appeareth so inthroned, as sitting in Judgement and flitting away by degrees to another place: as compare Ezek. 1. & 10. well together. So Christ here; when the destruction of Ierusalem was now near at hand, and his glory and presence to remove from that Nation, now given up to unbelief and obduration, to reside among the Gentiles, he is seated upon his throne as Judge and King with glorious attendance, to judge that Nation for their sinnes and unbelief, and stating the affairs of his Church whither his glory was now removing.

The scheme is platformed according to the modell of Israels Camp. 1. The Tabernacle was in the middle there, so is the throne here. 2. There the four squadrons of the Camp of Levi next the Tabernacle, so here the four living creatures. 3. Then the whole Camp of Israel, so here twenty four Elders Representatives of the whole Church, built from twelve Tribes and twelve Apostles.

In the hand of him that sate on the Throne was a Book sealed which no creature could open. This justly cals us back to Dan. 12. v. 4. where words are shut up and a Book sealed unto the time of the end: and now that that is near drawing on, the Book is here opened.

p. 156REVEL. CHAP. VI.

THe opening of the six Seals in this Chapter, speaks the ruine and rejection of the Jewish Nation, and the desolation of their City; which is now very near at hand.

The first Seal opened ver. 2. shews Christ setting forth in Battell array and avengement against them, as Psal. 45.4, 5. And this the New Testament speaketh very much and very highly of, one while calling it his coming in clouds, another while his coming in his Kingdome, and sometime his coming in Power and great Glory, and the like. Because his plagueing and destroying of the Nation that crucified him, and that so much opposed and wrought mischief against the Gospel, was the first evidence that he gave in sight of all the world of his being Christ: for till then, he and his Gospel had been in humility, as I may say, as to the eyes of men, he persecuted whilest he was on earth, and they persecuted after him, and no course taken with them that so used both, but now he awakes, shews himself, and makes himself known by the Judgement that he executeth.

The three next Seals opening, shew the means by which he did destroy, namely those three sad plagues that had been threatned so oft and so sore by the Prophets, Sword, Famine and Pestilence. For

The second Seal opened sends out one upon a red Horse to take Peace from the earth, and that men should destroy one another; he carried a great Sword, ver. 4.

The third Seals opening speaks of Famine, when Corn for scarcity should be weighed like spicery in a pair of ballances, ver. 5, 6.

The fourth Seal sends out one on a pale Horse whose name was Death [the Chaldee very often expresseth the Plague or Pestilence by that word foreign: and so it' is to be taken Revel. 2.22.] and Hell or Hades comes after him, ver. 8.

The opening of the fifth Seal reveals a main cause of the vengeance, namely the blood of the Saints which had been shed, crying, and which was to be required of that generation, Matth. 23.35, 36. These souls are said to cry from under the Altar, either in allusion to the blood of creatures sacrificed, poured at the foot of the Altar, or according to the Jews tenet, that all just soules departed are under the Throne of Glory. Answer to their cry is given, that the number of their Brethren that were to be slain was not yet fulfilled, and they must rest till that should be, and then avengement in their behalf should come. This speakes sutable to that which we observed lately, that now times were begun of bitter persecution, an hour of temptation, Rev. 2.10. & 3.10. the Jews and devil raging, till the Lord should something cool that fury by the ruine of that people.

The opening of the sixth Seal, ver. 12, 13. shews the destruction it self in those borrowed termes that the Scripture useth to expresse it by, namely as if it were the destruction of the whole world: as Matth. 24.29, 30. The sunne darkened, the starres falling, the heaven departing and the earth dissolved: and that conclusion ver. 16. They shall say to the rocks fall on us, &c. doth not only warrant, but even inforce us to understand and construe these things in the sense that we do: for Christ applies these very words to the very same thing, Luke 23.30. And here is another, and, to me, a very satisfactory reason, why to place the shewing of these visions to Iohn, and his wring of this Book before the desolation of Ierusalem.

REVEL. CHAP. VII.

IN the end of the former Chapter was contained the intimation of the desolation of Ierusalem, and in the beginning of this, the ceasing of Prophesie, under p. 157the similitude of the four windes restrained from blowing upon the earth. Compare Cant. 4.16. Ezek. 37.9. only a remnant of Israel are sealed unto salvation, and not to perish by that restraint, and with them innumerable Gentiles. Ezekiel helpeth here to confirm the explication that we have given of the Chapter before: for he hath the very like passage, upon the first destruction of the City, Ezek. 9. & 10. & 11. Compare the marking in the foreheads here, with Exod. 28.38. Dan not mentioned among the Tribes in this place: Idolatry first began in that Tribe, Iudg. 18. 1 King. 12.

REVEL. CHAP. VIII.

THe opening of the seventh Seal lands us upon a new scene: as a new world began when Ierusalem was destroyed and the Jews cast off. The six Seals in the two former Chapters, have shewed their ruine, and the appearing of the Church of the Gentiles, and now the seven Trumpets under the seventh Seal give us a prospect in generall of the times thence forward to the end of all things. I say in generall, for from the beginning of the twelfth Chapter and forward to the end of the nineteenth they are handled more particularly.

Silence in heaven for a while, and seven Angels with seven Trumpets may call our thoughts to Ioshua 6.4, 10. and intimate that the Prophetick story is now entred upon a new Canaan, or a new stage of the Church, as that businesse at Iericho was at Israels first entring on the old: Or it may very properly be looked upon as referring and alluding to the carriage of things at the Temple, since this Book doth represent things so much according to the scheme and scene of the Temple all along.

And in this very place there is mention of the Altar and Incense and Trumpets, which were all Temple appurtenances. It was therefore the custom at the Temple that when the Priest went in to the Holy place, the people drew downward from the Porch of the Temple, and there was▪ a silence whilest he was there, [yea though the people were then praying] incomparably beyond what there was at other times of the service, for the Priests were blowing with Trumpets or the Levites singing: The allusion then here is plain. When the sacrifice was laid on the Altar, a Priest took coals from the Altar, went in to the Holy place, and offered incense upon the Golden Altar that stood before vail, that was before the Ark, and this being done, the Trumpets sounded over the sacrifice. Here then is first intimation of Christs being offered upon the Altar; then his going into the Holy place as Mediatour for his people: and then the Trumpets sounding and declaring his disposals in the world. His taking fire off the Altar and casting it upon the earth, ver. 5. is a thing not used at the Temple, but spoken from Ezek. 10.2. which betokeneth the sending of judgement, which the Trumpets speak out.

These seven Trumpets, and the seven Vials in Chap. 16. in many things runne very parallel, how farre they Synchronize, will be best considered when we come there.

The first Trumpet sounding, brings hail and fire and blood upon the earth, and destroys grasse and trees a third part of them. Fire and hail was the plague of Egypt, Exod. 9.23. but fire and blood, with hail, is a new plague. By these seemeth to be intimated what plagues should be brought upon the world, by fire, sword, dreadfull tempest, unnaturall seasons and the like.

The second Trumpet sounds, and a great burning mountain is cast into the sea, and the third part of it becomes blood. The sea in the Prophetick language, doth signifie multitudes of people: as Ierem. 51.36.42. And Babylon that was Monarch was a burning mountain in the same Chapter, ver. 35. So that the Imperiall power seemeth to be the mountain here; which made bloody and mischievous work, not only by the persecution of Christians, but even among their own people. As Nero at present, Vitellius instantly after, Domitian, Commodus, and indeed generally all of them either bloodily destroy their p. 158own people, or at least for their covetousnesse, ambition, revenge or humour, bring disquietnesse, oppression, misery, Warres and blood, upon all the world, in one place or other.

The third Trumpet, brings the starre Wormwood upon the rivers and fountains of waters: which seemeth to denote the grievous Heresies that should be in the Church, which should corrupt and imbitter the pure springs of the Scripture and fountains of Truth. A starre in the language of this Book is a Church-man, Chap. 1.20. [Ben Cochab was such a Wormwood starre among the Jews, called most properly Ben cozba the lier.] And the phrase, A starre falling from heaven, alludes to Isa. 14.12. How art thou fallen from heaven O Lucifer! &c.

The fourth Trumpet shews the darkning of the Sunne and Moon and Starres for a third part.

By which seems to be understood the wane and decay, both in the glory of the Church, by superstition, and of the Empire, by its divisions within, and enemies from without, and this before the rising of the Papacy, which appears under the next Trumpet: and these things were great advantages to its rising. The darkning of the heavenly luminaries in the Prophets language signifieth the eclipsing of the glory and prosperity of a Kingdom or people, Isa. 13.9, 10. Ioel 2.10. How it was with the Church and Empire in these respects, before that time that the Papacy appeared, he is a stranger to History, both Ecclesiasticall and Civil, that remembreth not upon this very hint.

The three Trumpets coming are the Trumpets of Wo, wo, wo: though these things past were very wofull; but those much more that are to come.

REVEL. CHAP. IX.

A Description of the Papacy under the fifth Trumpet. Another starre falling from heaven, and that a notable one indeed, the He that hath the Key of the bottomlesse pit committed to him. A vast difference from the Keys given Peter, The Keys of the Kingdom of heaven: The setting of these in their just distance and opposition will illustrate the matter before us. When the world is to come out of darknesse and Heathenism to the knowledge of the Gospel, Christ gives Peter the Keyes of the Kingdom of Heaven, to open the door and let light come in among them: for he first preached to the Gentiles, Act. 10. & 15.7. The world under the Papacy returns, as it were, to Heathenism again [and not undeservedly for its contempt of the Gospel and unproficiency under it] which is very fitly described by hell opened, by the Keys of the bottomlesse pit, and darknesse coming and clouding all. The Claviger or Turnkey is The childe of perdition, Abaddon and Apollyon, a destroyer and one that is surely and sorely to be destroyed. Chittim [Italy or Rome] afflicting and perishing for ever, Num. 24.24. Antichrist of the second edition, much augmented and inlarged. The Jews the first, as we observed at the second Epistle to the Thessalonians, and this the second, Antichrist at his full stature. It is true indeed that Rome Heathen is one part of him, but observe how little a part reputed in comparison of Rome Papish, the starre fallen from heaven. So that though that did wofull things, yet you see the first wo is fixed here.

The way of his bringing wo upon the earth, is by filling the world with smoke and darknesse of ignorance and humane traditions and inventions: and out of this smoke come his locusts, of his votary orders. The locusts described much like those in Ioel 1. for their terrour and destroying: only their having the faces of men speaks them men-caterpillers: and their Nazarite-like hair long as the hair of women, speaks them votaries; or such as take on them vowed Religion. Their trading is not with grasse or the green things of the earth as other locusts do, but with men, and they are locusts in name, but scorpions in action, wounding with the sting of their tailes [the teacher of lies is the tail, Isa. 9.15.] but not killing: leaving men indeed in a Religion and a profession of Christ, but no better then a venomed and dying one. The time of their tormenting is five moneths, the p. 159time of locusts ravening ordinarily, from the spring well shot forth, to harvest.

This is the first wo.

These locusts stings, minde me of a story or two in the Roman History: which let me mention here, though I cannot apply them hither. Dion, in his story of the life of Domitian saith thus, About that time divers began to prick many whom they pleased, with poysoned needles, whereof many died, hardly feeling what was done to them. And this was practised not only at Rome, but almost through all the world.

And again in the life of Commodus. About that time, saith he, there was so great a mortality, that oft times there died two thousand in Rome in one day. And many, not only in the City, but also through the whole Roman Empire, were killed by mischievous men, who poysoning needles pricked others with them: as also it had been in Domitians time, and so innumerable people died by this means. But there was no greater plague then Commodus himself, &c.

The sounding of the sixth Trumpet begins another wo. Four Angels loosed, which were bound in Euphrates, and come with a terrible Army, and horses breathing fire and smoke and brimstone, and having stings in their tailes, &c. The Turks and Mahumetans coming as a plague upon the Eastern part of the world, as the Papacy on the Western. These hurt with their tailes [false doctrine] as well as the other did in the former Trumpet: but these have also heads in their tailes, which the other had not, for these hold out another Head and Saviour, Mahomet.

REVEL. CHAP. X.

A Little Book in the hand of Christ, speaketh the restoring of Religion, and Truth, after all the darknesse and confusions mentioned before. The words in ver. 6, 7. do help to state the intent of this Vision. He sware by him that liveth for ever, that there should be delay of time no longer, but in the daies of the seventh Trumpet the mystery of God should be fulfilled. The mystery of God is his gathering in of his Elect, more especially of the Gentiles, Rom. 16.25, 26. Ephes. 3.5, 6. and hitherto there had been great hinderance by Rome Heathen, by Heresies, Papacy, Turcism, but at last Christ swears, that there should be no more delay: the word foreign must be taken so here: and not unconsonant to the signification of the word, and very consonant to the context, and to the place from whence this verse is taken: That is Dan. 12.7. where the Angel is brought in swearing, as here, that the trouble of Antiochus and his persecution and hindrance should be so long, and there should be no delay further, but there should be a restoring. That place laid to this, and Antiochus looked upon as a figure of Antichrist, the construction of this place is easie. Only the great Angel would have the speech of the seven thunders, which referre to these times, to be concealed. The Prophesie in generall intimates the restoring of the Gospel in these later times, which is handled in the next Chapter, but very generally, and very briefly. Iohns eating of the little Book, as Ezek. 2.8. and the words to him, Thou must Prophesie again before many Peoples and Nations and Tongues and Kings, do not so much inferre Iohns going abroad after this to preach to many Nations himself, as it doth the progresse of the truth that he preached, through Nations and People, which had been supprest so long: aiming at these times when the Gospel last broke out from under Popery. The passage is parallel to the last words in the Book of Daniel, Go thy way till the end be, for thou shalt rest, and stand in the lot, at the end of daies. Not that Daniel should live till the end of those miseries by Antiochus, but that his doctrine, and the truth should stand up and be restored in those times. The phrase is such another as when Christ telleth his Disciples that they should sit on twelve Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel, which is not meant of their personall sitting to judge, but that their doctrine should judge and condemn that unbeleeving Nation.

p. 160REVEL. CHAP. XI.

THe Vision of this Chapter is in order to the accomplishing of the mystery of God, which was spoken of Chap. 10.7. As Ezekiels measuring of a new Temple, shewed the restoring of Religion and of the Lords people, and foretold of the new Ierusalem and calling of the Gentiles: To the same purpose is the measuring of the Temple here. The Church was under the mysticall Babylon, Chap. 9. as the Jews were under the Eastern, when Ezekiel wrote those things; now as that description of the measures of the Temple, was a prediction and pledge of their coming forth, so this speaketh to the same tenour. Iohn is commanded to leave the Court which is without the Temple, forth, and not to measure it, Because it was given to the Gentiles, and they should tread the holy City fourty and two moneths. Not in an hostile way, but as the flock of the Lord tread his Courts, there worshipping him: as see the phrase, Isa. 1.12. Psal. 122.2. and the meaning seemeth to be this; Measure not the Court of the Gentiles, for their multitudes that come to attend upon the Lord shall be boundlesse and numberlesse.

The two and fourty moneths: and a thousand two hundred and sixty daies, ver. 3. and Chap. 12.6. and a time and times and half a time, Chap. 12.14. are but borrowed phrases from Daniel: who so expresseth the three years and an half of Antiochus his persecution, and treading down Religion, Dan. 7.25. & 12.7, 11. and they mean times of trouble, and are used to expresse that, but not any fixed time. The Jews themselves have learned to make the same construction of it, when they say Advianus besieged Bitter three years and an half, Jerus. Taanith fol. 68. col. 4. And this also [that comfort might stand up against misery] was the time of our Saviours Ministry, when he restored decaied and ruined Religion, in so happy a manner, Dan. 9.27. And this the Jews also have observed in that saying we have mentioned before, The divine glory shall stand upon mount Olivet three years and an half, and shall preach, &c. So that according to this interpretation of the numbers, the things they are applied unto are facil. The Gentiles shall tread the Lords Courts fourty two moneths, and the two Witnesses shall Prophesie a thousand two hundred and sixty daies clothed in sackcloth: Meaning that the Gentiles shall worship God and attend upon him in a Gospel Ministry [and for that, allusion is made to the space of time that Christ administred the Gospel] but this ministring and attending shall not be without persecution and trouble [and for intimation of that, allusion is made to the bitter times of Antiochus.]

Two Witnesses, is a phrase taken from the Law. [In the mouth of two or of three witnesses every word shall stand] and it means all that should bear witnesse to the truth in the times spoken of. But more especially the Ministry, which is charactered by the picture of Moses and Elias, the two great Reformers in their severall times: the former, the first Minister of the Jews, the later of the Gentiles. These are two Olive trees [See Zech. 4.3. Rom. 11.17, 24.] and two Candlesticks [See Chap. 1.20.] gracious in themselves, and having light, and holding it out to others. They must finish and accomplish their work that they had to do, and then be overcome by Antichrist and slain.

Their case is clearly paralleled with Christ their Masters; by comparing it with which, it is best understood: He preached three years and six moneths in trouble and sorrow, so they in sackcloth: He having finished his Ministry was slain, so they. He revived and ascended, so they likewise. Now this that especially states the case, and the counting of the progresse of procedings intended here, is this: That as Christ laid the foundation of the Gospel, and when he having finished his Ministry was slain, risen and ascended, the Gospel was not extinct with him, but increased more and more by the Ministry that followed after: So seems this that alludes thereunto to be understood: As, that the two Witnesses should mean the first Ministry, and bearing witnesse to the truth at the first breaking of it out of Popery, which was followed with horrid persecutions and multitudes of Martyrdoms: but these first Witnesses having so done their Testimony, and vast numbers of them having sealed it with their blood, and being gone to heaven, p. 161yet the Gospel increased and shook down a part of Rome even at these first beginnings.

Their dead bodies must be cast in the streets of the great City where our Lord was crucified. The term The great City resolves that Rome is meant, if there were no other evidence: which see explained, Chap. 17.18. And by her power and sentence our Lord was crucified, and for a quarrell of hers, being accused and condemned by Pilate as a traytour to the Roman power, for saying he was a King. This is the rather mentioned, now there is speech of Romes last bloodinesse against Christs Witnesses: that it might be shewed that it persevered the same, to his, that it had been to him, and that to the last, and that these Witnesses drunk but of the same cup that their Master had drunk before them.

She is called spiritually [foreign as the Jews speak] Sodom and Egypt: Sodom for filthinesse: and Egypt for Idolatry and mercilesnesse, Never did place under heaven wallow in fleshly filthinesse, and particularly in the Sodomitick bestiality, as Rome did about those times that Iohn wrote: and how little it hath been mended under the Papacy there are Records plain enough that speak to her shame. He that reades Martiall and Iuvenal [to name no more] may stand and wonder that men should become such beasts: and it had been better that those Books had been for ever smothered in obscurity then that they should have come to light, were it not only for this, that they and others of the like stamp, do give that place her due character, and help us the better to understand her description. It is observable what Paul saith, Rom. 1.21, 22, 23, 24. that because the Heathen had brutish conceptions concerning God, abasing him, he gave them over to brutish abasing their own bodies by bestiality, or indeed by what was above bestiall. And so he shews plainly, that Gods giving up men to such filthinesse, especially Sodomy, was a direct plague for their Idolatrous conceptions of God, and their Idolatry. And to this purpose it may be observed that when the Holy Ghost hath given the story of the worlds becoming Heathenish at Babel for and by Idolatry, Gen. 11. he is not long before he brings in mention of this sin among the Heathen, and fearfull vengeance upon it, Gen. 19. Apply this matter to the case of Rome and it may be of good information.

The casting their dead bodies in the streets, speaks the higher spite and detestation against them: and in this particular they are described different from their Master. And as they had prophesied three years and an half, so they lay unburied three daies and an half: till there was no apparent possibility of their recovery. But they revive and go to heaven: and a tenth part of the City fals by an Earthquake, and seven thousand perish: but the rest of that part of the City that fell, who perished not, gave glory to God. Nine parts of the City left standing still: whose ruine is working still from henceforward, by the Gospel that these Witnesses had set on foot: which brings in the Kingdomes to become the Kingdomes of Christ, &c.

REVEL. CHAP. XII.

AS Daniel, Chap. 2. giveth a generall view of the times, from his own daies, to the coming of Christ, in the mention of the four Monarchies [in the four parts of Nebuchadnezzers Visionary Image] which should runne their date and decay, and come to nothing, before his coming: and then in Chap. 7. handles the very same thing again in another kinde of scheme, and something plainer: And then in Chap. 8. & 10. & 11. & 12. doth explain at large, and more particularly, some of the most materiall things that he had touched in those generals: So doth our Apocalyptick here, and forward. He hath hitherto given a generall survey of the times from his own daies to the end: and now he goes over some of the chief heads again with explanation.

And first he begins with the birth of Christ, and the Christian Church: and the machination of the devil to destroy both. The Church of the Jews bringeth p. 162forth her chief childe, and the devil seeketh to destroy him. He is pictured 1. A great red Dragon. Old Pharaoh who sought to devour new born Israel is much of the like character, Isa. 27.7. Psal. 74.13, &c. 2. With seven heads: So many had the persecuting Monarchies, Dan. 7. the Lion one, the Bear one, the Leopard four, and the fourth beast one. 3. And ten horns, Parallel to the Syrogrecian persecutors, Dan. 7.7, &c. 4. With his tayl he drew and cast down the third part of the starres; As the Tyrant Antiochus had done, Dan. 8.10. So that by these allusive descriptions, phrases of old stories fetched to expresse new, is shewed the acting of the devil now, by his mischievous and tyrannicall instruments, with as much bitternesse and bloody-mindednesse as he had done in those. The womans fleeing into the wildernesse, alludes to Israels getting away into the wildernesse from the Dragon Pharaoh, Exod. 14. &c. And her nourishing there a thousand two hundred and sixty daies, speaks Christs preservation of that Church in the bitterest danger and daies, like the daies of Antiochus. This Vision aims at the great opposition and oppression the Church and Gospel underwent from the first rising of it, to the ruine of Ierusalem: and their preservation in all that extremity.

The battel betwixt Michael and the Dragon, is of the same aim and time with the former; but it speaks thus much further, that the Church is not only preserved, but the Dragon conquered and cast to the earth. Heaven all along in this Book is the Church, the earth therefore may be properly understood of the world, and here more especially of that part of worldly ones, the unbeleeving Jews; and that the rather, because the Gentiles here are called the wildernesse, as they be also in severall other places in Scripture. The devil therefore is cast out of the Church by the power of Michael, the Lord Christ, that he cannot nestle there, and he goes into the rest of the Nation that did not beleeve: much like the tenour of that parable, Matth. 12.43, 44, 45. The Woman hath Eagles wings [alluding to Exod. 19.4.] and gets into the wildernesse, the persecuted Church and Gospel gets among the Gentiles: The devil casts venom as a flood after the Woman-Church, and the earth swallows it up: the unbeleeving Jews do as it were drink up all the poyson of the devil, and together with raging against the Church they grow inraged one against another, and against the Romans, till they become their own destroyers. And indeed though it were a most bitter time with the Church while she was among the combustions that that Nation had within it self, yet their raging one against another the more is increased in their particular quarrels, the more it avenged her quarrell, and turned their edge from off her, upon themselves. The devil seeing this, betakes himself to fight against the Womans seed, the Church of the Gentiles: and the Treatise of that begins in the next Chapter.

REVEL. CHAP. XIII.

When Rome hath slain Christ, and destroyed Ierusalem, Satan gives up his Power and Throne to it; and that deservedly, as to one most like to be his chief and most able agent to act his fury. She is described here, a Beast bearing the shape of all the four bloody Monarchies, Dan. 7. in power and cruelty matching, nay incomparably exceeding them all. There is but little reason to take Rome for the fourth Monarchy in Daniel; and the so taking it, bringeth much disjoynting and confusion, into the interpreting of that Book and this, and into the stating of affairs and times spoken of in them. The Jews like such a glosse well, as whereby they do conclude, that the Messias is not yet come, because the fourth Monarchy the Romane, say they, is not yet utterly destroyed. And truly I see not how they can conclude lesse, upon such a concession. For it is plain in Daniel, that the four Kingdoms there spoken of, must come to nothing before the first appearing of Messias; and that the Romane is not, is most plain, since this Book makes Rome Heathen and Papal but as one.

The Holy Ghost by Daniel shews the four Monarchies, the afflicters of the p. 163Church of the Jews▪ till Messias his first coming, The Babylonian, The Mede-Persian, The Grecian, and The Syrogrecian: and Iohn now takes at him, and shews a fifth Monarchy the afflicter of the Church of Jews and Gentiles till his second coming. Daniel indeed gives a hint of the Romane, but he clearly distinguisheth him from the other four, when he cals him the Prince that was to come, Dan 9.26. beyond and after those four that he had spoken of before. Him Iohn describes here, as carrying the character of all those four. A Beast with ten horns, such a one had been the Syrogrecian, Dan. 7.7. like a Leopard, as the Grecian was, ver. 6. his feet as a Bears, such the Persian, ver. 5. his mouth like a Lion, such the Babylonian, ver. 4. This therefore could not be any of those, when it was all: and by this description of it by characters of them all, it shews the vast power and incomparable cruelty and oppression of it equalling them all: nay it infinitely went beyond them put all together, in extent of Dominions, Power, Continuance and Cruelty, both to the Church and to the world: Balaam long before Rome was in being doth set it out for the great afflicter, Num. 24.24. Ships shall come from the coasts of Chittim, and shall afflict Assur, and shall afflict Eber: That Chittim means Italy or Rome, is granted even by some Romanists themselves, it is asserted by the Jews, and confirmed by other places of Scripture, and even proved by the very sense and truth of that place. It afflicts both the afflicted and the afflicter Eber and Assur: and that hath been the garb of it since its first being. How may this be read in her own stories? in her bloody Conquests over all the world: in the titles of honour [but which speak oppression] Britannicus, Germanicus, Africanus, and the like? And to take up all in Epitome, and that you may conjecture ex ungue Leonem, what whole Rome hath done in all her time for slaughter, oppression and destroying, take but the brief of one of her Commanders Pompey the Great; of whom Pliny speaks to this purpose, Nat. Hist. lib. 7. cap. 26. He recovered Sicily, subdued Africk: subjected 876 Towns about the Alpes and coasts of Spain: routed and slew 2183000 men. Sunk and took 846 Ships: took in 1538 fortified places; and triumphed from his Conquest of Asia, Pontus, Armenia, Paphlagonia, Cappadocia, Cilicia, Syria, Iudaea, Albania, Iberia, Creet and Basterna. What hath Rome done by all her agents in all her time? And she is this year 1654, two thousand four hundred and eight years old.

She is described here, with seven heads and ten horns, as the Dragon whose deputed she is, is pictured Chap. 12.3. the horns crowned with power, and the heads with blasphemies.

One of his heads had been wounded to death, but his deadly wound was healed: This seemeth to mean her Monarchicall or Kingly power, which was extinguisht with the Tarquins, but revived in the Caesars: and hereby is given intimation from whence to account the beginning of this fifth Monarchy: namely from Romes beginning again to be Monarchicall: and we may well take a hint of this from Luk. 2. where at the birth of Christ all the world is taxed by Caesar Augustus. Not that Monarchicall Government is therefore the worse because thus abused by Rome Heathen, no more then Religion is the worse for being abused by Rome Papall.

Another Beast ariseth, like this for power and cruelty, but farre beyond him in consonage and delusion. Rome Heathen dealt alwaies openly and in down right tearms of bloodinesse; professedly setting it self to destroy Religion: But Rome Papall is a mystery of iniquity: it goes to work by deceiving, and carrying fair pretences: therefore it is said that it spake as a Dragon, but had horns like a Lamb. It revives the tyranny of Rome Heathen and Imperiall, and none must thrive before it that will not bear its badge: either some mark, or its name, or the number of its name: which number was the number of a man, and his number is 666. In Hebrew numerals, Sethur the name of a man in Num. 13.13. comes just to this number: and which being interpreted signifies Hidden or Mystery: the very inscription of Rome it self, Chap. 17.5. In Greek foreign fits it, which is the old name of the Roman. And in Genealogicall Arithmetick the number of Adonikams family suits with it, Ezra 5.13. which mans name signifies, A Lord rising up.

p. 164REVEL. CHAP. XIV.

THe warring twixt Michael and his Angels, and the Dragon and his Angels, and the Dragons making warre with seed of the Woman, Chap. 12. receiveth illustration in the thirteenth Chapter, and in the beginning of this. For in Chap. 13. he resignes his Power and Throne to the Beast Rome, and makes him chief leader in his Warres; and his Angels are men that receive his mark. Here the Lamb upon mount Zion is Michael, and his Angels and followers are marked with his Fathers Name in their foreheads, as Chap. 7.

And now as in the eight, ninth, tenth and eleventh Chapters the relation is concerning those things that should be against the Church, from henceforth the Prophesie is more especially of things that make for the Church, and against her enemies. As 1. The preaching of the Gospel to the Gentiles, ver. 6, 7. 2. The proclaiming of the ruine of the mysticall Babylon: proclaimed even from its first rising up a persecutor: as Isaiah did Prophesie against the Eastern, even before its tyrannicall being. 3. The Ministry of the Word giving caution, against joyning with the Beast and his Image, and the danger and damnation that should follow upon joyning with him, and the torments described, ver. 9, 10, 11. Here the patience of the Saints tried, ver. 12. and Iohn by a voice from heaven commanded to write them blessed that die in the Lord from thenceforth, ver. 13. at once shewing the bitternesse of the persecution caused by the Beast, that even death should be desirable to deliver the Saints from that trouble; and incouraging to stand out against the Beast and his Image even to the death.

These bitter dealings against the Church, ripen the sinnes of the world ready for cutting down: and thereupon Christ is described coming as against Egypt, Isa. 19.1. riding upon a cloud, and with a sickle in his hand to reap the earth. As Ioel 3.13. betokening his vengeance against his enemies: So the earth is reaped Harvest and Vintage and all: This is a generall intimation of Gods judgement and vengeance, which is more particularly handled in the pouring out of the Vials, Chap. 16.

It is observable that the word for reaping of the earth comes out from the Temple: yea though Christ have the sickle in his hand, yet an Angel out of the Temple cals to him to reap: and another Angel comes out of the Temple with a sickle, and a third out of the Temple cals to him to reap: As this may be understood to Doctrinall information, that the cries and urgencies of the Church to Christ stirre him up to avenge them on their enemies, Luke 18.7. so the expressions may be explained by allusive application. The putting in of the first sickle, to reap the first corn in Iudaea, was by the word and warrant of the Priests and Rulers sitting in the Temple, and they that were to reap, when they were come to the corn, put not in the sickle, till the word was given, Reap. The manner and managing of this businesse, viz. the reaping of the first sheaf is recorded and related by the Talmud: Menachoth per. 10. and in Tosaphta. ibid. These three men, say they, that were appointed by the Sanhedrin to reap, went out into the valley of Kidron, with a great company following them on the first day of the Passeover week when now it grew towards evening, with three sickles and three baskets. One when they came to the place said to them, On this Sabbath, on this Sabbath, on this Sabbath, In this basket, in this basket, in this basket, With this sickle, with this sickle, with this sickle, Reap: to whom the three answer, Well, well, well, I will reap. The other saies, Reap then. Then they reap, &c. Thus phrases taken from known customs, do speak the plainer.

And so is the expression taken from common speech and opinion, when it is said in ver. 30. The wine-presse was troden without the City, and blood came out of the wine-presse even to the horse bridles. Here is treading a wine presse of blood, a… Christ treadeth in Edom, Isa. 63.1, 3. [Edom is the common name by which the Hebrew Writers call the Romans.] The wine-presse was without the City: alluding to the wine and oyl presses which were without Ierusalem at the foot of mount Olivet. Blood came up to the horse bridles: An hyperbole by which they expressed p. 165great slaughter and effusion of blood. So Talm. Ierus. in Taanith fol. 69. col. 1. describing the wofull slaughter that Hadrian made of the Jews at the destruction of the City Bitter saith foreign The horses waded in blood up to the nostrils, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs. Of that space and extent doth R. Menahem. on gen. fol. 60. reckon the largenesse of the Land of Israel.

REVEL. CHAP. XV.

WHat was spoken in generall, in the conclusion of the preceding Chapter, concerning the treading of the wine presse of Gods wrath, is here more particularly prosecuted in the story of the seven Vials. At the beginning of which Iohn again cals us to reflect upon the scheme of the Temple in heaven: which all along speaks according to the platform of the Temple at Hierusalem. Here is a sea of glasse mingled with fire, and harpers harping by it, &c. singing the song of Moses: which as it cals to minde Moses and the peoples singing upon the red sea shore upon their delivery from Egypt, Exod. 15. so doth it plainly allude to the musick at the Temple, by the laver or sea, and which standing near the Altar was as a sea of glasse mingled with fire.

Moses and Israel sing after the destruction of Egypt; for their deliverance was by her destruction, but those here that have got victory over the Beast, sing before he is destroyed, for they are delivered from him and prevail against him though he stand in his strength, and his destruction be not yet come. The Gospel grew, and Sanguis Martyrum was semen Ecclesiae, do Satan and Antichrist what they can.

After this song The Temple of the Tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened, ver. 5. All the whole building upon Mount Moriah was called the Temple, the Courts and Cloisters and Chambers, &c. but the very house it self, The Holy and Holy of Holies was only and properly The Temple of the Tabernacle of Testimony: And the song mentioned before, ver. 2. is represented as being in the Court, near the Altar and laver, but now the very House it self is opened: Parallel to what is spoken Chap. 11.19. The Temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his Temple, the Ark of his Covenant: The Lord in pouring out vengeance upon Antichrist, will manifest his judgements, as ver. 4. and open his Counsels and Covenant: for while the enemy raged, and raved, and destroyed those that would not worship him, and when even all the world in a manner did worship him, the Lords judgements were hid, and his Covenant with his people, as it were out of sight, or as if no such thing had been, but when this vengeance shall come, then all will be plain.

The seven Angels that pour out the seven Vials are charactered in the garb of Priests, coming out of the Temple, in white linen, and girded over the breasts, as the Priests were. One of the living creatures gives the Vials into their hands: the very same sense and carriage with that Ezek. 10.7.

REVEL. CHAP. XVI.

WEre the Stage where the things of this Book were to be acted, and the time of their acting of as little compasse as was that of the things of Daniel, one might with more probability allot the severall things mentioned, to their severall times, as the things in him may be done: But since the scene here is as large as all the world where the Gospel was to come, and the time as long as time shall be; [1600 years past already, and how much behinde none knoweth] to undertake to apply every thing in this Book to its particular time, place and occasion, is to runne a hazardous undertaking. In some places indeed the things are so plain, that they speak themselves, but in many so obscure that he that will venture to bring them to particular application, doth it more upon his own venture, p. 166then upon any good textuall warrant: And amongst those obscurities, these Vials are not the least. Take them in a generall interpretation [as I beleeve they are intended] and their meaning is easie to be understood, but to come to allot them severally to this or that time or place, is but to do that, that when ye have done all you can, will come to no surer bottom to rest upon, then your own conceit and supposall.

The matter of them is expressed as to the most part, by allusion to the plagues of Egypt, as boils, blood, darknesse, and so it clears the thing intended, namely in generall to shew how the mysticall Egypt, Chap. 11.8. after all her oppression and persecution of the Israel of God, should at last come to receive her just reward, as old Egypt had done: and that God would follow her with plagues till he had destroyed her. They are somewhat like the plagues of the seven Trumpets, some of which, as we observed, did in generall speak the state of the world till the rising of Antichrist: and those Vials may be understood as the generall description of his plagues and ruine. We observed in Chap. 6. and that upon good Scripture ground, that the six Seals did all but speak one effect, namely the destruction of the Jewish Nation, but brought to passe by severall judgements; and the like interpretation may be made here.

The first Viall brings a noisom Boyl upon the worshippers of the Beast: this was the sixth plague of Egypt, but here the first: for that plague in Egypt came home to Iannes and Iambers the Magicians, that they could not stand before Moses, Exod. 9.11. And that both this and all the rest might be shewed to reach home, even to the veriest deceivers and ringleaders of mischief in Antichristian Egypt, this is justly set in the first rank.

The second and third here, referre to the one plague of blood in Egypt, and these exceed that: For there all the rivers and ponds were indeed turned into blood, but the Egyptians digged for water about the river to drink, Exod. 7.24. and found it and it was not turned into blood: The question and answer of Aben Ezra is pertinent. It is said, there was blood throughout all the Land of Egypt: And the Magicians did so with their inchantments. Now how could the Magicians turn water into blood, when there was no water left, but all was blood? And he answers, Aaron only turned the waters that were above ground into blood, not those that were under ground: but here sea and rivers and fountains, and all are become blood: still to shew how throughly the plagues should come home.

At these plagues there is mention of the Angel of the waters, ver. 5. which, since all the Angels here are characted in the garb of Priests, as hath been said, may also be understood as alluding to that Priest whose office it was to have care of the waters, and to look that there should be water enough and fitting for the people to drink, that came up to the three Festivals: Among the offices of the Priests at the Temple this was one. Maym. in Kele Mikdash per. 7. and Nicodemus whom the Talmud speaks of was of this office, Aboth R. Nathan per. 6.

The fourth Viall poured into the sunne brings scorching heat; this seems to allude to Ioshua's or Deborah's day, when the starres from heaven fought: the sunne standing still so long did not only give light to Israel, but probably heat and faintnesse to the Canaanites, and Psal. 121 6 seems to referre thither, The sun shall not smite thee by day.

As in the fourth they are plagued by the sun, so in the fifth, by want of it. The seat of the Beast darkened as Pharoahs Throne and Kingdome was: and this darknesse bringing horrour and pains; as Egypts did through dreadfull apparitions in the dark.

The drying up of Euphrates for the Kings of the East, under the sixth Viall, seems to speak much to the tenour of the sixth Trumpet, the loosing of the four Angels which were bound at Euphrates. Those we conceived the Turks to plague Christendom; these we may conceive enemies to plague Antichrist. The allusion in the former seems to be to the four Kings from beyond Euphrates, that came to scourge Canaan, Gen. 14. this to the draining of Euphrates for Cyrus and Darius to take Babylon. For having to treat here of a Babylon, as ver. 19. the scene is best represented, as being laid at the old Babylon. Now the Historians that mention the p. 167taking of Babylon by Cyrus, tell us it was by draining the great stream of Euphrates, by cutting it into many little channels.

The Egyptian plague of frogs is here translated into another tenour, and that more dangerous; three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the Dragon, Beast, and false Prophet: spirits of devils working miracles, &c. This is named betwixt the sixth and seventh Viall [though the acting of the delusions by miracles were all the time of the Beast and false Prophet] because of the judgement now coming: for though all deluders and deluded received their judgements in their severall ages, yet being here speaking of the last judgements of Antichrist, they are all summed together. He is here called the false Prophet, as being the great deluder of all. The fruit of all these delusions is to set men to fight against God: whose end is set forth by allusion to the Army of Iabin King of Canaan, Iudg. 5.19. broken at the waters of Megiddo. The word Armageddon signifies a mountain of men cut in pieces. Here that solemn caution is inserted, Behold I come as a thief: Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments: The Priest that walked the round of the Temple guards by night, had torches born before him, and if he found any asleep upon the guard he burnt his cloathes with the torches, Middoth per. 1. halac. 2.

The seventh Viall concludes the Beasts destruction. The great City is said to be divided into three parts: either as Ierusalem was, Ezek. 5.11, 12. a third part to pestilence, a third part to the sword, and a third part to dispersion, and destruction in it: or because there is mention of an Earthquake, this speaks its ruining in generall, as Zech. 14.4, 5. A tenth part of it fell before, Chap. 11.13. and now the nine parts remaining fall in a tripartite ruine.

REVEL. CHAP. XVII.

MYSTICAL Babylon pictured with the colours of the old Babylon, Rome so called, as being the mother of Idolatry, as Babel was the beginning of Heathenism: and the mother of persecution, Babylon destroyed Ierusalem, so did Rome, and made havock of the Church continually.

She is resembled to a woman dockt with gold, &c. as Isa. 14.4. sitting upon a seven-headed and ten-horned Beast; as Chap. 13.1. Which Beast was and is not and yet is, it shall ascend out of the bottomlesse pit, and shall go to perdition. Rome under the Papacy was not the same Rome it had been, and yet it was: Not Rome Heathen and Imperiall as it had been before, and yet for all evil, Idolatry, persecution, &c. the same Rome to all purposes. It is plainly described as sitting upon seven hils, upon which there is hardly a Roman Poet or Historian, but makes a clear comment. The seven heads denoted also seven Kings or kindes of Government that had passed in that City: Five are fallen, ver. 10. Kings, Consuls, Tribunes, Dictators, Triumvirs: and one then was when Iohn wrote, namely Emperours: And one not yet come, Christian Emperours, which continued but a short space before the Beast came which was and is not. He is the eight and he of the seven: They that hold Rome to be the fourth Monarchy in Daniel, cannot but also hold from this place, that that Monarchy is not yet extinct. The ten horns upon the Beast in Dan. 7.24. are ten Kings arising and succeeding one another in the same Kingdom: but here at ver. 12. they are ten severall Kingdoms, all subject to the Beasts both Imperiall and Papall, but at last shall rise up against the mysticall Whore and destroy her. It is like there must yet be conversion of some Kingdoms from the Papacy, before it fall.

REVEL. CHAP. XVIII, XIX. to Ver. 11.

AN Elegy and a Triumph upon the fall of Babylon: The former Chap. 18. almost verbatim from Isa. 13. & 14. & 21. & 34. & Ier. 51. & Ezek. 27. The later also, Chap. 19. the phrase taken from the old Testament almost every word. p. 168The triumphant Song begins with Halleluja severall times over. The word is first used at the later end of Psal. 104. where destruction of the wicked being first prayed for, Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more, he concludes with, Blesse thou the Lord O my soul. Hallelujah.

The observation of the peoples saying over the great Hallel at the Temple [or their great Song of praise] doth illustrate this. The Hallel consisted of severall Psalms, viz. from the 113^th to the end of the 118^th, and at very many passages in that Song, as the Priests said the verses of the Psalms, all the people still answered Hallelujah: Only here is one thing of some difference from their course there, for here is Amen Hallelujah, ver. 4. whereas It is a tradition That they answered not Amen in the Temple at all: What said they then? Blessed be the Name of the glory of his Kingdom for ever and ever. Jerus. in Beracoth fol. 13. col. 3. But the promises of God which are Yea and Amen, being now performed, this is justly inserted; as Christ for the same cause in this Book is called Amen, Chap. 3.14.

The marriage of the Lamb is now come, and his Wife is ready, ver. 7. the Church now compleated.

REVEL. CHAP. XIX. from Ver. 11. to the end of the Chapter.

HEre begins a new Vision, as it appeareth by the first words, And I saw heaven opened: and here Iohn begins upon his whole subject again, to summe up in brief what he had been upon before. Observe what is said in ver. 19. I saw the Beast, and the Kings of the earth, and their Armies gathered together to make war against him that sate on the horse, and against his Army: and observe withall, that there is the story of the destruction of the Beast before Chap. 18. and of the marriage, and marriage Supper of the Lamb before, Chap. 19.7, 8, 9. therefore the things mentioned here cannot be thought to occurre after those: this therefore is a brief rehearsall of what he had spoken from the twelfth Chapter hither, about the battell of Michael and his Angels with the Dragon and his Angels.

REVEL. CHAP. XX.

THe preceding Section spake what Christ did with the Beast and those that carried his mark: he fought against them alwaies, and when he saw his time, destroyed them: here the holy Ghost tels us what he did with the devil that set them on: You heard of Christ fighting with the Dragon, Chap. 12. and the Dragon foiled and cast out, sets to prosecute the Womans seed: but what course takes he for that? He resignes his Throne, and Power, and Authority, to the Beast Rome, and it must do, and it did his businesse for him, Chap. 13.3. and how throughly it did its masters work, is shewed all along from that place forward. But what becomes of the old Dragon the master of mischief? He sits by, as it were, and looks on while his game is played, and hisses on his Deputy Rome, first Imperiall, then Papall. They at the last receive their due wages for their work, Imperiall and Papall go to perdition. But what must become of the Dragon that set them on? It would be very improper to tell so largely of the fearfull vengeance and destruction upon the agents, and to say nothing of the principall and chief mover. That therefore is done here, and this Chapter takes at Chap. 13.3. and tels you what became of the old Dragon after the resigning of his Throne to the Beast: namely that he sate not at his own quiet as if Michael had nothing to do with him, or let him alone, having so much to do with his instruments, but that he curbed and destroyed both principal and agent, and cast them both together into the bottomlesse pit.

The Devil had two waies of undoing men; the Church by persecution, the world by delusion of Oracles, Idolatry, false miracles, and the like. His managing of the former by his Deputies the former Chapters have related, and how p. 169they sped in his service: and this comes to tell how he speeds about the other. The great Angel Michael, the Lord Christ, who hath the key of the bottomlesse pit in his hand, as Chap. 1.18. chains him by the power of the Gospel, that he should no more deceive the Nations for a thousand years: Weigh the phrase, Not deceive the Nations: it is not not persecute, but not deceive; nor is it the Church, but the Nations. His persecuting of the Church hath been storied before: and here is told how he is curbed for deceiving the Nations, and indeed when he deputed Rome, and let that loose for the former, he was chained up as for the later. It is easily construed how Satan deceived the Nations, by Idols which are called a lie, Isa. 44.20. Rom. 1.25. by his Oracles in which was no light, Isa. 8.20. and by magicall miracles, which were meer delusion. Hence the world for the time of Heathenism, is said to be in his Kingdom of darknesse, Act. 26.18. Colos. 1.13, &c. Now the spreading of the Gospel through the world ruined all these before it, and dissolved those cursed spels and charms of delusion, and did as it were chain up Satan that he could no more Deceive the Nations foreign The Heathen as he had done, by these deceits: so that the words speak the ending of Satans power in Heathenism, and the bringing in of the Gentiles to the knowledge of the truth, out of darknesse and delusion.

The date of this his chaining up was a thousand years: Now the Jews counted the daies of the Messias, a thousand years, as we touched before. The Babylon Talmud in Sanhedrin in the Chapter Helek doth shew their full opinion about the daies of Messias, and amongst other things they say thus: as Aruch speaks their words in voce foreign It is a tradition of the house of Elijah, that the righteous ones that the blessed God shall raise from the dead, they shall no more return to their dust, but those thousand years that the holy blessed God is to renew the world, he will give them wings as Eagles, and they shall flee upon the waters. The place in the Talmud is in Sanhedrin fol. 92. where the text indeed hath not the word thousand, but the marginall glosse hath it, and shews how to understand the thousand years. And Aruch speaks it as a thing of undeniable knowledge and intertainment. And so speaks R. Eliez…r in Midras Tillin fol. 4. col. 2. The daies of the Messias are a thousand years.

As Iohn all along this Book doth intimate new stories by remembring old ones, and useth not only the Old Testament phrase to expresse them by, but much allusion to customs, language and opinions of the Jews, that he might speak, as it were, closer to them and nearer their apprehensions, so doth he here and forward. This later end of his Book remembers the later end of the Book of Ezekiel. There is a resurrection Ezek. 37. Gog and Magog, Ezek. 38. & 39. and a new Ierusalem, Ezek. 40. and forward. So here a resurrection, ver. 5. Gog and Magog, ver. 8. and a new Ierusalem, Chap. 21. & 22.

There a resurrection, not of bodies out of the grave, but of Israel out of a low captived condition in Babel. There a Gog and Magog, the Syrogrecian persecutors, Antiochus and his house: and then the description of the new Ierusalem, which as to the place and situation was a promise of their restoring to their own Land, and to have Ierusalem built again, as it was indeed in the daies of Ezra and Nehemiah: but by the glory and …rgenesse of it [as it is described, more in compasse then all the Land of Canaan,] they were taught to look further, namely at the heavenly or spiritual Ierusalem, the Church through all the world.

Now the Jews according to their allegoricall vein, applied these things to the daies of Christ thus: that first there should be a resurrection caused by Messias of righteous ones, then he to conquer Gog and Magog, and then there must come foreign The brave world to come that they dreamed of: Beside what they speak to this tenour in the Talmudick Treatise last cited, there is this passage in Ierus. Megillah fol. 73. col. 1. They are applying particular parts of the great Hallel to particular times [what the great Hallel was, we shewed a little before.] And that part, say they, I love the Lord because he hath heard me, refers to the daies of Messias: that part, Tye the sacrifice with cords; to the daies of Gog and Magog. And that, Thou art my God and I will praise thee: refers to the world to come.

p. 170Our Divine Apocalyptick follows Ezekiel with an Allegory too, and in some of his expressions alludes to some of theirs, not as approving them, but as speaking the plainer to them by them: Here is a resurrection too, but not of bodies neither, for not a word of mention of them, but of souls. The souls of those that were beheaded for the witnesse of Iesus, lived and reigned, ver. 4. and yet this is called The first resurrection, ver. 5.

The meaning of the whole let us take up in parts. There are two main things here intended. First, to shew the ruine of the Kingdom of Satan, and secondly, the nature of the Kingdom of Christ. The Scripture speaks much of Christs Kingdom, and his conquering Satan, and his Saints reigning with him; that common place is briefly handled here: That Kingdom was to be especially among the Gentiles, they called in unto the Gospel. Now among the Gentiles had been Satans Kingdom most setled and potent, but here Christ binds him and casts him into the bottomlesse pit that he should deceive no more [as a great cheater and seducer cast into prison] and this done by the coming in of the Gospel among them. Then as for Christs Kingdom I saw Thrones, saith Iohn, and they sate upon them, &c. ver. 4. here is Christ and his inthroned and reigning. But how do they reign with him? Here Iohn faceth the foolish opinion of the Jews of their reigning with the Messias in an earthly pomp; and shews that the matter is of a farre different tenour: that they that suffer with him shall reign with him, they that stick to him, witnesse for him, dye for him, these shall sit inthroned with him. And he nameth beheading only of all kindes of deaths, as being the most common: used both by Jews and Romans alike, as we have observed before at Acts 12. out of Sanhedr. per. 7. halac. 3. And the first witnesse for Christ, Iohn the Baptist, died this death. He saith that such live and reign with Christ the thousand years, not as if they were all raised from the dead at the beginning of the 1000 years, and so reign all together with him those years out, as is the conceit of some [as absolute Judaism as any is, for matter of opinion] but that this must be expected to be the garb of Christs Kingdom all along, suffering and standing out against sinne, and the mark of the Beast and the like: whereas they held it to be a thousand years of earthly bravery and pompousnesse.

But the rest of the dead lived not again untill the thousand years were finished: This is the first resurrection: Not that they lived again when the thousand years were finished, but it means that they lived not in this time which was the time of living, when Satan was bound, and truth and life came into the world: The Gentiles, before the Gospel came among them, were dead, in Scripture phrase, very copiously: Ephes. 2.1, 2. & 4.18, &c. but that revived them, Ioh 5.25. This is the first resurrection, in and to Christs Kingdom: the second is spoken of at the 12^th verse of this Chapter that we are upon. Paul useth the same expression to signifie the same thing, namely a raising from darknesse and sin by the power of the Gospel, Rom. 11.15. Now when this quickning came among the Gentiles, Satan going down, and Christs Kingdom advanced, and the Gospel bringing in life and light, as Ioh. 1.4. those that did not come and stick close to Christ and bear witnesse to him, but closed with the mark of the Beast, sin and sinfull men, these were dead still and lived not again till the thousand years were finished, that is, while they lasted, though that were a time of receiving life.

Blessed therefore and holy are they that have part in this first resurrection, for on them the second death hath no power, ver. 6. The second death is a phrase used by the Jews. Onkelos renders Deut. 33.6. thus, Let Reuben live and not die the second death. And Ionathan, Isa. 65.6. thus, Behold it is written before me, I will not grant them long life, but I will pay them vengeance for their sins, and deliver their carcases to the second death. And ver. 15. The Lord will slay them with the second death.

Observe in the Prophet that these verses speak of the ruine and rejection of the Jews, now a cursed people, and given up to the second death: and in Chapter 66. ver. 29, 30, 31. is told how the Lord would send and gather the Gentiles to be his people, and would make them his Priests and Levites: And then see how fitly this verse answers those. In stead of these cursed people, these are blessed and holy, and might not see the second death, and Christ makes them Priests to himself and his Father.

p. 171In this passage of Iohn scorn is put again upon the Jews wild interpretation of the resurrection in Ezekiel. They take it litterally, think some dead were really raised out of their graves, came into the Land of Israel, begat children, and died a second time: Nay they stick not to tell who these men were, and who were their children. Talm. Babyl. in Sanhedr. ubi supra.

After the thousand years are expired, Satan is let loose again, and fals to his old trade of the deceiving the Nations again, ver. 8. Zohar. fol. 72. col. 286. hath this saying: It is a tradition, that in the day when judgement is upon the world, and the holy blessed God sits upon the Throne of judgement, then it is found that Satan that deceives high and low, he is found destroying the world, and taking away souls. When the Papacy began, then Heathenism came over the world again, and Satan as loose and deceiving as ever: then Idolatry, blindnesse, deluding oracularities and miracles as fresh and plenteous as before: from the rising of the Gospel among the Gentiles these had been beating down, and Satan fettered and imprisoned deeper and deeper every day: and though his agent Rome bestird it self hard to hold up his Kingdom, by the horrid persecutions it raised, yet still …he Gospel prevailed and laid all flat. But when the Papacy came, then he was loose again, and his cheatings prevailed and the world became again no better then Heathen. And if you should take the thousand years fixedly and literally, and begin to count either from the beginning of the Gospel in the preaching of Iohn, or of Peter to Cornelius the first inlet to the Gentiles, or of Paul and Barnabas their being sent among them, the expiring of them will be in the very depth of Popery; especially begin them from the fall of Ierusalem, where the date of the Gentiles more peculiarly begins, and they will end upon the times of Pope Hildebrand, when if the devil were not let loose, when was he?

He cals the enemies of the Church, especially Antichrist, Gog and Magog: the title of the Syrogrecian Monarchy, the great persecutor, Ezek. 38. & 39. [Pliny mentions a place in Caelosyria that retained the name Magog, lib. 5. cap. 23.] So that Iohn from old stories and copies of great troubles transcribeth new, using known terms from Scripture, and from the Jews language and notions, that he might the better be understood: So that this Chapter containeth a brief of all the times from the rising of the Gospel among the Gentiles to the end of the world, under these two summes, first the beating down of Idolatry and Heathenism in the earth till the world was become Christian, and then the Papacy arising doth Heathenize it again. The destruction of which is set down, ver. 9. by fire from heaven, in allusion to Sodom, or to 2 King. 1.10, 12. and it is set close to the end of the world: the Devil and the Beast [Rome imperiall] and the false Prophet [Rome Papall] are cast into fire and brimstone, ver. 10. where Iohn speaks so, as to shew his method, which we have spoken of. The devill was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the Beast and the false Prophet are: He had given the story of the beast and false Prophet, the devils agents, and what became of them, Chap. 19. v. 20. And now the story of the devill himself: for it was not possible to handle these two stories but apart: and now he brings the confusion of all the three together, and the confusion of all with them that bare their mark, and whose names were not written in the Book of life.

REVEL. CHAP. XXI.

THe Ierusalem from above described. The phrase is used by Paul, Gal. 4.26. and it is used often by the Jews: Zohar fol. 120. col. 478. Rabbi Aba saith, Luz is foreign Ierusalem which is above, which the holy blessed God gives for a possession, where blessings are given by his hand in a pure Land: but to an impure Land no blessings to be at all. Compare Rev. 21.27, & 22.15. Midras. Till. in Psal. 122. Ierusalem is built as a City that is compact together. R. Iochanan saith, The holy blessed God said, I will not go into Ierusalem that is above, untill I have gone into Ierusalem that is below, &c.

Ezekiels Ierusalem, as we observed, was of a double signification, namely as p. 172promising the rebuilding of the City after the Captivity, and foretelling of the spirituall Ierusalem, the Church under the Gospel, and that most especially: At that Iohn taketh at here, and that is the Ierusalem that he describeth. And from Isa. 65.17, 18. joyneth the creating new heavens and a new earth; and so stateth the time of building this new Ierusalem, namely at the coming in of the Gospel, when all things are made new, 2 Cor. 5.17. A new people, new Ordinances, new Oeconomy, and the old world of Israel dissolved. Though the description of this new City be placed last in the Book, yet the building of it was contemporary with the first things mentioned in it about the calling of the Gentiles. When God pitched his Tabernacle amongst them, as he had done in the midst of Israel, Levit. 26.11, 12. That Tabernacle is pitched in the fourth and fifth Chapters of this Book: And now all tears wiped away and no more sorrow, death nor pain, ver. 4. which if taken litterally could referre to nothing but the happy estate in heaven [of which the glory of this Ierusalem may indeed be a figure] but here, as the other things are, it is to be taken mystically or spiritually, to mean the taking away the curse of the Law, and the sting of death and sinne, &c. No condemnation to be to those that are in Christ Iesus.

The passages in describing the City are all in the Prophets phrase, Ezekiel and Isaiah: as compare these, The Bride the Lambs wife, ver. 9. Sing O barren [Heathen] that didst not bear, &c. Thy Maker is thine Husband, thy Redeemer, &c. Isa. 54.1, 5.

Ver. 10. He carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain. Compare Ezek. 40.2.

That great City holy Ierusalem, &c. This referres to great dimensions of Ezekiels Ierusalem; as also to the squarenesse, the three gates of a side, &c. The glory of it described from thence, and from Isa. 58.8. & 60.2, 3. & 54.11, 12, &c. The wall of it 12000 furlongs square, or 1500 miles upon every quarter, East, West, North and South 3000 miles about: and 1500 miles high. Wall of salvation, Isa. 26.1. & 60.14.

The foundations of the wals garnished with twelve precious stones [see Isa. 54.11.] as the stones in the Ephod or holy Breastplate: three upon every side, as these were three and three in a row: The first foundation stone here is the Iaspar, the stone of Benjamin, for Pauls sake the great agent about this building of the Church of the Gentiles: The Ierus. Talmud. in Peah, fol. 15. col. 3. saith expresly that the Iaspar was Benjamins stone, for it saith, Benjamins Iaspar was once lost [out of the Ephod] and they said Who is there that hath another as good as it? Some said, Damah the sonne of Nethina hath one, &c.

And I saw no Temple therein, &c. ver. 22. here this Ierusalem differs from Ezekiels: that had a Temple, this none: and it is observable there, that the platform of the Temple is much of the measures and fashion that the second Temple was of, but the City of a compasse larger then all the Land: which helpeth to clear what was said before of the double significancy of those things, they promised them an earthly Temple, which was built by Zerobabel, but foretold a heavenly Ierusalem which is described here.

REVEL. CHAP. XXII.

FRom Ezekiel Chap. 47. and from severall passages of Scripture besides, Iohn doth still magnifie the glory, happinesse and holinesse of the new Ierusalem: Lively waters of clear Doctrine teaching Christ and life by him flowing through it continually, Ezek. 7.1, 9. Cant. 4.15. The Tree of Life lost to Adam, and Paradise shut up against him, to keep him from it, here restored. Then a curse, here There shall be curse no more, ver. 3. See Zech. 14.11. foreign Anathema non erit amplius, &c. He concludeth, These sayings are faithfull and true, so he had said before at the marriage of the Lamb, Chap. 19.9. and again at his beginning of the story of the new Ierusalem, Chap. 21.5. referring to the severall Prophecies that had been of these things, and now all those sayings and Prophecies p. 173were come home in truth and faithfulnesse. He is commanded not to seal his Book, as Daniel was, Dan. 12.4. because the time of these things was instantly beginning, and Christs coming to reveal his glory in avengement upon the Jewish Nation and casting them off, and to take in the Gentiles in their stead was now at the door, within three and an half or thereabout to come, if we have conjectured the writing of this Book to its proper year. There are two years more of Nero, and one of confusion in the Roman Empire in the Warres of Otho, Vitellius and Vespasian, and the next year after Ierusalem fals.

And thus if this Book of the Revelation were written last of the Books of the new Testament, as by the consent of all it was, then may we say, Now was the whole will of God revealed and committed to writing, and from henceforth must Vision and Prophesie and Inspiration cease for ever. These had been used and imparted all along for the drawing up of the minde of God into writing, as also the appearing of Angels had been used, for the further and further still revealing of his will, and when the full revelation of that was compleated, their appearing, and revelations to men must be no more. So that this Revelation to Iohn was the topping up and finishing of all revelations. The Lord had promised that in the last daies [of Ierusalem] he would pour down of his Spirit upon all flesh, Act. 2.17. And Christ promised to his Apostles, that he would lead them into all truth, Ioh. 16.12.13. To look for therefore the giving of those extraordinary gifts of the Spirit beyond the fall of Ierusalem there is no warrant; and there is no need, since when the inspired penmen had written all that the holy Ghost directed to write, All truth was written.

It is not to be denied indeed, that those that had these extraordinary gifts before the fall of Ierusalem, if they lived after, had them after, for the promoting of these ends for which they were given, but there is neither ground nor reason whereupon to beleeve, that they were restored to the next generation, or were or are to be imparted to any generation for ever. For as it was in Israel at the first setling of their Church, so was it in this case in the first setling of the Gospel. The first fathers of the Sanhedrin in the wildernesse, were indued with Divine gifts, such as we are speaking of, Numb. 11.25. but when that generation was expired, those that were to succeed in that Function and imployment, were such as were qualified for it by education, study and parts acquired. So was it with this first age of the Gospel and the ages succeeding. At the first dispersing of the Gospel, it was absolutely needfull that the first planters should be furnished with such extraordinary gifts, or else it was not possible it should be planted. As this may appear by a plain instance. Paul comes to a place where the Gospel had never come: he staies a monethmonth or two and begets a Church, and then he is to go his way and to leave them: Who now in this Church is fit to be their Minister? they being all alike but very children in the Gospel: but Paul is directed by the holy Ghost to lay his hands upon such and such of them, and that bestows upon them the gift of tongues and Prophesying, and now they are able to be Ministers and to teach the Congregation. But after that generation, when the Gospel was setled in all the world, and committed to writing, and written to be read and studied: then was study of the Scriptures the way to inable men to unfold the Scriptures and fit them to be Ministers to instruct others: and Revelations and Inspirations neither needfull nor safe to be looked after, nor hopefull to be attained unto. And this was the reason why Paul coming but newly out of Ephesus and Crete, when he could have ordained and qualified Ministers with abilities by the imposition of his hands, would not do it, but left Timothy and Titus to Ordain, though they could not bestow those gifts: because he knew the way that the Lord had appointed Ministers thence forward to be inabled for the Ministry, not by extraordinary infusions of the Spirit, but by serious study of the Scriptures, not by a miraculous, but by an ordinary Ordination. And accordingly he gives Timothy himself counsell to study, 1 Tim. 4.13. though he were plentifully indued with these extraordinary indowments, 1 Tim. 4.14. And Paul himself had his Books for study, or he had them to no purpose, 2 Tim. 4.13.

And indeed it hath been the way of God, he hath instructed his people by a p. 174studious and learned Ministry, ever since he gave a written word to instruct them in. 1. Who were the standing Ministry of Israel all the time from the giving of the Law to the Captivity into Babel? Not Prophets, or those inspired men [for they were but occasionall Teachers, and there were often long spaces of time wherein no Prophet appeared] but the Priests and Levites that became Learned in the Law by study, Deut. 33.10. Hos. 4▪ 6. Mal. 2.7. And for this end as hath been touched, they were disposed into 48 Cities of their own, as so many Universities, where they studied the Law together, and from thence were sent out into the severall Synagogues to teach the people: and had the Tithes paid them for their maintenance whilest they studied in the Universities, and for their preaching in the Synagogues. And it may be observed that even they that had the prophetick spirit did not only study the Scriptures themselves, Iosh. 1.8. Dan. 9.1. but sent the people for instruction to the Priests who were students and the standing Ministry, Hag. 2.11. Mal. 2.7. 2. If you consider the times under the second Temple, then it was utterly impossible that the people should be taught but by a studious and learned Ministry; for the spirit of Prophesie was departed, and the Scriptures were then in an unknown tongue, to all but Students. And hence they had an interpreter in every Synagogue to render into the Vulgar, what was read in the Law and the Prophets in the Originall. So that the Spirit of God inspired certain persons whom he pleased to be the revealers of his will till he had imparted and committed to writing what he thought fit to reveal under the Old Testament, and when he had compleated that, the holy Ghost departed, and such inspirations ceased. And when the Gospel was to come in, then the Spirit was restored again, and bestowed upon severall persons for the revealing further of the minde of God, and compleating the work he had to do, for the setling of the Gospel, and penning of the New Testament, and that being done, these gifts and inspirations cease, and may no more be expected then we may expect some other Gospel yet to come.