Commentary on Revelation, Vision 5 · Preface
The PREFACE of the Fift VISION: Touching the ſeven Vialls contained in Chap. XV. & XVI.
IOhn points at a new Viſion, in ſaying; And I ſaw another great ſigne: for ſo he began the fourth Viſion Chap. 12. This Viſion therefore is the Fift, more short indeed (for it is comperhended & ended in Chapters 15 & 16.) But not much plainer then the former, therefore it is called a Marveilous Signe. He ſaw ſeven Angells going forth out of the heavenly Temple, with ſeven Vialls full of Gods wrath, & pouring out the ſeven laſt plagues upon the worshippers & throne of the beaſt, & on divers elements: whence there follow dreadfull events: Now it manifeſtly appeareth, that grievous punishments are hereby denounced to the Kingdome, and followers of Antichriſt. But it is very obſcure to define what manner of plagues, and what the effects are, whether they are properly or tropically to be underſtood, and to what times they belong.
Lyra applyes all theſe things Metaphorically unto the Acts of the Romane Popes, Hadrian, Leo, Hildebrand, &c. againſt the Emperours Conſtantine the Image Breaker, and Henry IV. and others, untill the Holy Warre raiſed by Peter the Hermite, that is, from the yeere 742. untill the yeer 1094: But his grounds are inſufficient, for if ſo, then theſe plagues should have been ended long agoe, whereas they are called the laſt, filling up the wrath of God.
Ribera applying it litterally to the foure yeers of Antichriſt, ſuppoſeth, that there shall be reall plagues like the Egyptian, unto which there is here a plain alluſion; But it will manifeſtly appeare in its place, that the litterall ſenſe cannot generally ſtand: Yea even hence it appeares, that the Kingdome of Antichriſt is abſurdly ſtraitned to the time of foure yeers: becauſe the Hiſtory of the ſeven plagues requires a far greater time. We will collect from ſuch things as are plaine the darke and obſcurer matters.
Two things ſeem to be cleer.
Firſt, that the beginning of theſe plagues belong to the time when the beaſt was allready aſcended out of the ſea and earth, and when the whole world worshipped his image: Yea, when the beaſt began to be overcome by ſome, that is, after Popery had ſtood a long while in its flourishing eſtate, and began now again ſomewhat to decline: This appears by the firſt and fift Viall poured out upon the worshippers & throne of the beaſt. Chap. 16. ver. 2.10. as alſo by the ſong for the victory over the beaſt. Chap. 16.2.
The Second is, that the plagues shall end in the fall of Babylon, when the Iſlands shall flee away, and the mountaines shall not be found, that is, in the end of the world: which appears by the ſeventh Vial: ſee alſo Chap. 20.11.The fift viſion is not univerſall.
By which, firſt it is manifeſt, that this Viſion is not univerſall, neither doth it contain the whole Hiſtory of the Church, as did the three foregoing, but is particular and reſtrained to Antichriſts Kingdom: Therefore it doth not conſiſt of the four Acts, which we shewed were in the former: but onelyonly of the two latter: ſo that the ſeven Vials anſwer not to the ſeven Seales and Trumpets, as ſome have thought, becauſe of their likeneſſe in ſome effects: for the beginning of the Seales and Trumpets extended it ſelfe even to the times of the Apoſtles, and firſt birth, (ſo to ſay) of the Chriſtian Church as before appeared: whereas the pouring out of the Vials only shadowes out the laſt plagues of the Kingdom of the beaſt.
Secondly, It belongs to the laſt times.It is manifeſt that this Viſion belongs to the laſt times, and shall be finished indeed at the end of the world, but takes its beginning about the time that the meaſuring of the Temple (treated of in Chap. 11.) was already begun, that is, about the time of the Churches Reformation in Doctrine and maners, whereby the throne of the beaſt was grievouſly shaken, and the Popes Kingdom much weakned by Luther, and other evangellicall Preachers.
Thirdly, It plainly appears that the ſeven Vials of theſe angels, anſwer to what was published by the three, or more clearly, by the two latter Angels (for the preaching of the firſt took no great effect) of which before in Chap. 14. verſe 8, 9, 10, 11. Teaching us that the thundrings of thoſe crying Heraulds: Babylon is fallen, is fallen. And If any one worſhip the beaſt, he ſhull drinke of the wine of the fury of Gods Wrath, &c. shall not paſſe away without effect, but be very terrible and mortall to Antichriſtians, what ever they attempt to the contrary by fire and ſword: becauſe from that time forward they shall receive one plague upon another, untill they be utterly deſtroyed. For as the Goſpell is the ſavour of life unto life, 2. Cor. 2.16to them that are ſaved, ſo a ſavour of death unto death, to them that periſh.
The ſcope therfore and uſe of this Propheſie is Doctrinall and Conſolatory.The ſcope and uſe of this viſion.
For Firſt it teacheth, that after the beaſts kingdom hath flourished and vexed the Saints a long time, it shalbe weakened by preaching of the Goſpell.
Secondly, It shall allwayes notwithſtanding remaine in ſome power, not ceaſing to make War with the Saints untill the end.
Thirdly, Howſoever it shall tyrannically rage againſt the Reformation of Evangelicall doctrine, yet it shall never be able again to ſuppreſſe the ſame, but there shalbe many Angels to poure out the vials of Gods wrath on the throne thereof.
Laſtly, as the Goſpell shalbe pleaſing and ſaving to the elect: becauſe by it they overcome the beaſt, for which they shall celebrate God with perpetuall praiſes: ſo to Antichriſtians it shall be grievous and mortall, becauſe being turned into rage in regard of the ſucceſſe thereof, they shall fret and grieve to ſee their kingdom, which ſeemed immoveable, to be weakened, leſſened, and go to ruine, untill (being waſted with the laſt plagues) they shalbe caſt according to the threatning of the third Angell Chap. 14.10. into everlaſting torments of fire & brimſtone. Now hence the ſpirit ſuggeſts a twofold comfort unto us.
The firſt, from the often renewed plagues of the beaſt: whoſe power, wealth, luxuriouſneſſe and oftentation was great, as we heard Chap. 13. But we need not be offended at thoſe ſhadowes, for ſhe ſhall receive and feel inward torments and gnawings by the preaching of the Goſpell, and in the middeſt of her delights be tormented by Gods wonderfull judgements and ſevere plagues.
The ſecond, from the finall fall of Babylon: the Popes paraſites affirm: that the ſeat of Saint Peter ſhall endure for ever: that the Catholick Romane Church being founded and ſtrengthened by God ſhall ſtand, &c. That the Gates of Hell ſhall not prevaile againſt her: but Babylon ſhall come in remembrance before God, and in a moment be caſt down by an earthquake: ſo ſhe ſhall ceaſe to vexe the Church and perſecute the Saints.
We have heard the Argument, Scope and Ʋſe of the Ʋiſion: now it is partly dramaticall, partly propheticall. The Dramaticall part containes certaine preparatory apparatitions ſerving for the Order, and preparation of the viſion Chap. 15. The Propheticall part foretelleth the kinds and encreaſing of the ſeven plagues on the worſhippers of the Beaſt. Chap. 16.