Commentary on the Epistles and Revelation of John, Commentary 22 · Chapter 11
CHAP. XI. Verſe 1. A reed]
THat is, The word o… God, that little book that he had newly eaten. This is the only rule of faith and diſcipline, whereby all in the Church muſt be made and meted.
Like unto a rod] Or, Scepter. The word is that rod of Chriſts ſtrength, whereby he rules in the midſt of his enemies,Prov 1.1. A Maſhal do minari. Pſal. 110 2. It is that right Scepter, Pſal. 45.6. which he ſwaies, and whereby he ſoveraigns. The Proverbs of Solomon are called in Hebrew Miſhle, or Maſter-ſentences. And the Scriptures bear the title of Chieftains, Prov. 8.6. and of Lords of collections, as ſome render Eccl. 12.11.
Meaſure the temple of God] The Church that had been ſo wofully waſted and oppreſſed by Antichriſt, that it ſtood in need of new-meaſuring and repairing.
That worſhip therein] In the temple, as being all ſpirituall Prieſts, and in the altar; as placing all their confidence in Chriſts death alone.
Verſe 2. But the court] The Antichriſtian rout, caſt out as reprobate ſilver, as refuſe ſtuffe, not worth the meaſuring.
Given unto the Gentiles] Antich… and his adherents. Papagans are no better then Pagans. Are ye not children of the Ethiopians unto me, O children of Iſrael, ſaith the Lord, Amos 9.7.
The holy City] The true Church. See Daniel 7.21. Epheſ. 2.19.
Fourty and two moneths] This number is one and the ſame with the 1260. daies. The alluſion is unto Dan. 7.25.
Verſe 3. And I will give unto my two, &c.] ſc. Power to purge the Church, and to ſtand for the truth, all the while it was trodden under foot, Videſis Catalogum Teſtium veritatis ab Illyrico editum. Zuinglius recordeth, that Luther and he (both at one time, the one not knowing, nor hearing of the other) began to write againſt the Popes indulgences. And of Luther and Melancthon he writes thus,
Diviſae his operae, ſed mens fuit unica, pavit
Ore Lutherus oves, flore Melancthon apes.
Ʋnto my two Witneſſes] The whole ſucceſſion of faithfull Preachers, under the tyranny and rage of Antichriſt. Theſe are ſaid to be Two, that is, Few: or Two, that is enow, Deut. 17.6. Or, Two, in reference to thoſe noble Two's, Moſes and Aaron, Elijah and Eliſha, Zerubbabel and Jehoſhuah, in alluſion to whom theſe Witneſſes are here deſcribed.
Clothed in ſackcloth] As calling men to repentance: or as bewailing their blindenes: or as wanting better clothing.
Verſe 4. Theſe are the two Olive-trees] See Zach. 4.3, 11, 14. In this book of the Revelation the holy Ghoſt borrows all the elegancies and flowers in the ſtory of the old Teſtament, thereby to ſet out the ſtory of the new in ſucceeding ages.
Verſe 5. Fire proceedeth out of their mouths] So that a man were better anger all the witches in the world, then Gods faithfull Witneſſes: for they have ever vengeance in a readineſſe for the diſobedient, 2 Cor. 10 6. God inflicting what they either denounce or deſire of him, againſt their adverſaries.
Verſe 6. That it rain not] That the influence of divine grace be with-held from thoſe, that deſpiſe the Goſpel: ſo that they become as thoſe mountains of Gilboah, 2 Sam. 1.21. or that accurſed earth, Heb. 6.8.
Verſe 7. And when they ſhall have finiſhed] Like as Chriſt, That faithfull and true Witneſſe (as he is called, Revel. 3.14.) when he had preached … about the ſame time as here, was ſlain by a Roman Governour, raiſed with an earthquake, and received up into heaven in a cloud: ſo theſe. And, Art thou not glad to fare as Phocion? ſaid he to one that was to ſuffer with him.foreign. Plut.
Shall overcome them] By arms, not by arguments.
And kill them] This killing whether it be already paſt, or yet to come, 'tis hard to ſay. But if to come, ſome think it ſhall be but a civil death, that is, of them as Witneſſes only, not a naturall death as men:M Tho. Goodw. And ſo the ſame perſons ſhall riſe again, and enjoy the fruit of their former labours, and aſcend into a greater glory.
Verſe 8. And their dead bodies] This ſhews it cannot be meant of a naturall death: for how ſhould their bodies lie dead (in that ſenſe) for three years and an half; or (ſay it were) for a ſhorter time.
Of the great City] Rome, of whoſe greatneſſe Lipſius and Stapleton have written. See Chap 17.18. & 18.26.… Ariſt Po… 3. Hence ſhe is called the great Whore, and great Babylon, not without reference unto the old Babylon: which was ſo great a City, that when it was taken by Cyrus, ſome part of it knew not what condition they were in, till three daies after.
Verſe 9. Three daies and a half] i. e. For a ſhort time, till out of their aſhes others ſhould ariſe to ſtickle for Chriſt. The Pope never reſted, but had one or other faithfull Witneſſe to oppoſe him; either to his face (as Joan…es Sariſburienſis, Qui praeſens praeſentem Pontificem redarguit: and Mancinellus, I… R…v p. 145.who reproved Alexander the ſixth in a Sermon at Rome, and had therefore his hands cut off, and his tongue cut out, whereof he died.) Or elſe in ſome more remote part of his dominion, as Savanarola (whom Guicciardin and Mirandula highly commend:)De … fort dial. 118. P…trarch who writeth thus, Babylon altera, nempè propinquior at que recentior adhuc ſtat, citò it idem caſura, ſi eſſetis viri: Babylon would ſoon down, would you but play the men. Beſides a cloud of other Witneſſes, that might here be called in.
Not ſuffer their dead bodies] So fulfilling that, Pſ. 79.2.…. Rev p. 195. Some they would not ſuffer to be bu…ed: others they digged up again after buriall, as (beſides many of our Martyrs) they unburied and burned the bones of Hermannus Ferrarienſis after they had ſainted him: becauſe he was ſaid to have followed the doctrine of the Waldenſes, thoſe ancient Proteſtants. Cardinall Poole had a purpoſe, if he had lived, to have taken up K. Henry the eights body,Act. and Mon. fol 1905. and to have burned it. 'Twas generally obſerved, that as Wincheſter and Bonner did alwaies thirſt after the bloud of the living,Ibid. 1439. ſo was Cardinall Pooles lightening (for the moſt par…) kindled againſt the dead: and he reſerved this charge only to himſelf.
Verſe 10. Shall rejoyce over them] As they did at the Councel of Constance, Ibid. 1622. In terris mandatant quod apud …ſeros di…unt Ibid 1947.when they had burnt John Huſſe and Hierome of Prague. So, upon the news of the Biſhops burnt at Oxford, Gardner came out rejoycing to the Duke of Norfolk, Now, ſaid he, let us be merry and go to dinner. But it was the laſt he did eat, and he went to hell to digeſt it too. So upon the news of the French Maſſacre,Th…an. a Jubilee was proclaimed at Rome: the Cardinall of Lorrain gave a thouſand crowns to the meſſenger. The Pope cauſed the Maſſacre to be painted in his Palace: thoſe of Ireland he will ſurely pourtray in his Chappel or Oratoury.
Theſe two Prophets tormented them] As Elias did Ahab, Jeremy and Ahab, their ſlagitious countrey-men; and as the Martyrs here did their perſecutours. Dr Fuller came to William Wolſey his priſoner, and ſaid, Thou doſt much trouble my conſcience; wherefore I pray thee depart and rule thy tongue, ſo that I hear no more complaint of thee, and come to Church when thou wilt, &c, Act and Mon. fol. 15…7.The end of carnall joy is ſorrow (ſaith Mr Bradford, Martyr in a certain letter.) Now let the whoremonger joy with the drunkard,Ibid. 475. ſwearer, covetous, malicious, blinde buzzard Sr John. For the Maſſe will not bite them, not make them to bluſh, as preaching will. Now may they do what they will; come devils to the Church, and go devils home: for no man muſt finde fault; and they are glad of this. Now have they their hearts deſire, as the Sodomites had, when Lot was gone, &c.
Verſe 11. And they ſtood upon their feet] That is, they ſet themſelves ſtoutly and vigorouſly to fight againſt Antichriſt. As William O…kam, Tu me gladio deſende a Pap…e injurin, & ego te verbis ac ſcriptis deſendā.who being excommunicated by the Pope for writing ſome things againſt him, fled to Ludovicus the Emperour, who was likewiſe excommunicated, and ſaid unto him, Defend thou me with arms: and I will defend thee with arguments. The Biſhops alſo of thoſe times that ſided with the Emperour, though they were none of the beſt, yet they reſolved and avowed never to yeeld to the Pope, Sed ſi excommunicaturus veniret excommunicatus abiret, cum aliter ſe habeat antiquorum canonum authoritas.
Verſe 12. To heaven in a cloud] As Chriſt did. See the Note on Verſe 7.
And their enemies beheld] Not without rage and regret to ſee how they were croſſed, and the truth more and more propagated. Trucidabantur & multiplicabantur, ſaith one. The Church as the Lilly is increaſed by its own juice: Totum mundum ſanguine & oratione convertit, ſaith Luther, She converts all the world by her ſufferings and ſupplications.
Verſe 13. A greate earthquake] Since the Reformation, what ſtirs and broils have there been all over Chriſtendom… Gods ſword hath ridden circuit, Ezek. 14.17. and is not yet ſheathed, nor can it, Jer 47 6, 7. as being ſtill in commiſſion.
And the tenth part, &c.] Ruit alto à culmine Roma. Lewis the twelfth, King of France, threatned that he would deſtroy Rome, and coined money with an inſcr…ption to that purpoſe.Se perditurum Ba…y … eſt. …vet. Hiſt. of the Co…n…. of Trent 43. George Franſperg (a Generall under Charles Burbon,) that ſacked the City of Rome, cauſed a halter to be carried near his colours, ſaying, that with that he would hang the Pope: encouraging his ſouldiers (who were moſt of them Lutherans) with the great opportunity they had to get ſpoils. But the ſins of the City are not yet full.
Gave glory to the God of heaven] Confeſſed their ſins, as Achan, and changed their mindes, as thoſe Mal. 3.18. It is ſaid of the Burgundians, that being afflicted and oppreſſed by the Hunnes, they applied themſelves to Chriſt the God of the Chriſtians,Alſted. Chron. 3 …5. whom, after a long debate, they concluded to be the Almighty God.
Verſe 14. The ſecond woe is paſt] Viſionally paſt, not eventually.
The third woe] Woe to the wicked, but joy to the Saints, At once the Sun riſes upon Zoar, and the fire fals down upon Sodome. Abraham ſtands upon the hill, and ſees the Cities burning.
Verſe 15. Great voices in heaven] i. e. Great joy and triumph in the Church militant.
Are become the kingdomes] They have renounced Popery, given up their names to the Goſpel, and received the Reformation.
For ever and ever] Not for a thouſand years only, as the Millenaries hold.
Verſe 16. And the four and twenty Elders] See the Note on Chap. 4.9.
Verſe 16. Becauſe thou haſt taken] Thou haſt ſlain and ſubdued thoſe thine enemies, that ſent meſſengers after thee, ſaying, We will no… have this man to rule over us.
Verſe 18. Were angry] Sed vanae ſine viribus irae: the wrath of theſe men turned to the glory of God.
That they ſhould be judged] According to their praier, and thy promiſe, Chap. 6.10, 11.
And ſhouldſt deſtroy them] God uſually retaliates and proportions jealouſie to jealouſie, provocation to provocation, Deut. 32.21. frowardnes to frowardnes, Pſal. 18.26. contrariety to contrariety, Lev. 26.18, 21 deſtruction to deſtruction, as here. He paies them home in their own coyn.
Verſe 19. And the temple of God] Abundance of light ſhall be diffuſed in the Church: and heavenly myſteries more clearly revealed, and more commonly underſtood.
And there were lightnings] Utter deſtruction to the wicked, as there was to Iericho, at the ſound of the ſeventh Trumpet.Joſh. 6.16.