Commentary on the Epistles and Revelation of John, Commentary 22 · Chapter 16
CHAP. XVI. Verſe 1. Go your waies]
A Proof of the divine calling of the Miniſters of the Goſpel.
Pour out the vials] See the Note on Chap. 15.7.
Ʋpon the earth] Upon Antichriſt and his adherenrs, Roma facta eſt ex aurea ferrea, ex ferrea terrea, ſaid one of her own favourites.
Verſe 2. And the firſt went] They went not all at once. Note the patience of God, waiting mens return unto him.
Verſe 2. Ʋpon the earth] Antichriſts foot-ſtool, his branded ſlaves.
A noiſome and grievous ſore] The French diſeaſe, ſay ſome: the devils diſeaſe, ſay others, viz. Spite and envy at the Reformation wrought in Bohemia, Germany, England, &c. upon the diſcovery of the Papiſts hypocriſie and filthines.
Verſe 3. Ʋpon the ſea] The Popiſh Councel (called a Sea, from the concourſe thereunto from all parts) that of Trent eſpecially, with their deadly decrees, making the traditions of the Church the rule of faith, &c.
Died in the ſea] As the fiſhes of Jordan do as ſoon as they fall into the Mare mortuum: and as the fiſhes in the river Nilus did, when the waters thereof were turned into bloud.
Verſe 4. Ʋpon the rivers, &c.] The perſecutours and impoſtours; the Jeſuites eſpecially, who have lately added twelve new Articles (by the authority of Pope Pius 4.) raiſed out of the Councel of Trent, and added to the Nicen Creed,Se… theſe …. Ar…ic in th… ep…ſt pr…fix. … B Iewels works. to be received with others, as the true Catholike faith; to be believed by as many as ſhall be ſaved. And thoſe that receive them not, are not ſuffered to live amongſt them. This is worſe then the ſix Articles in Henry the eighths time, that whip with ſix cords, as they cald it.
Verſe 5. The angel of the Waters] The ſame that poured forth his vial upon the waters, verſ. 4
Thou art righteous] Gods judgements are ſometimes ſecret,Juſtin. l. 1. Val. Max. Act. and Mon. Camden. See the Mirrour or Look…-giaſſè both ſor Saints and ſinners, ſet forth by my moſt loving and highly honoured friend M. San. Clark, Paſtour. and Preacher of the Word at Bennet-Fink, London; unto whom not only F…give thanks for his help in this publicatiō, but alſo all the Churches, that ſhall get good thereby. alwaies juſt, and ſo to be acknowledged. We ſhall one day ſee the reaſon of all, and ſay as Jehu did, 2 King. 9 36.
Verſe 6. For they have ſhed] As Minerius that monſter, the cruell Duke of Alva, bloudy Bonner, the Guiſes, and other of the Popes Champions.
Thou haſt given them bloud to drink] As Tomyris dealt by Cyrus, the Parthians by Craſſus, the Romans by thoſe Jews that cried out, His bloud be upon us, &c. as our laws do by the Prieſts and Jeſuites, and thoſe that receive them, proceeding againſt ſuch as are traitours to the State. The putting out of the French Kings eyes, who promiſed before with his eyes to ſee one of Gods true ſervants burned: The death of Charls the 9▪ of France, authour of the Pariſian maſſacre, by exceeding bleeding at ſundry parts of his body, who ſeeth not to be the juſt hand of God upon them? This Charles beholding the bloudy bodies of the butchered Proteſtants, in that execrable maſſacre, and feeding his eye upon that wofull ſpectacle, breathed out this bloudy ſpeech, Quam bonus eſt odor hoſtis mortui! How ſweet is the ſmell of a … enemy? and ſhortly after breathed out his accurſed ſoul, Inter horribilium blasphemiarum diras, ſaith the Hiſtorian, tantum ſanguinis vim projiciens, &c. after the Beza had fore-warned him (but in vain) by that verſe,
Tu vero Herodes ſanguinolente time.
So Julian, Attilas, Felix of Wartenburg, Henry 3. of France, ſtabbed in the ſame chamber wherein he, then being Duke of Aniou, had contrived the French Maſſacre. So let thine enemies periſh, O Lord.
Talia quiſ que luat, qualia quiſ que facit!
Verſe 7. And I heard another] That in the mouth o… two witneſſes this truth might be eſtabliſhed. Let God be juſtified, and every mouth ſtopped.
Out of the altar] Under which lìe the ſouls of thoſe that were ſlain for the teſtimony of Jeſus, Chap. 6.
Verſe 8. Ʋpon the Sun] The Popes ſupremacy, ſay ſome; the Scriptures, ſay others; by the light whereof they are laid open to the world (dancing naked in a net, and yet not ſeeing their own nakedneſſe,Act. and Mon. fol. 1657. as Mr Philpos Martyr told Chadſey) and by the dint whereof,H…ſ. 6.5. God ſmites the earth, Iſa. 11.4. that is, the conſciences of theſe Popelings, glued to the earth. He even hews them by his prophets, and ſlaies them by the words of his mouth.
Verſe 9.foreign. And men were ſcorched] Or parched, ſcalded, roaſted: This is by accident in regard of the Scriptures: for the Lord ſpeaketh peace to his people; and his word is good to thoſe that are good, Orig. in Num. Homil. 27.Mic. 2.7. But as Origen ſaith of devils, ſo may we ſay of Papiſts; there is no greater torment to them, then the Word of God.Sp…c. Europ. In hoc eorum omnis flamma eſt, in hoc uruntur in…ndio, Hence they burn up Bibles, tanquam doctrinam peregrinam, as ſtrange doctrine:En…bir loc. com. cap. E…leſ. Hence they cenſure S. Paul as ſavouring of hereſie, and could finde in their hearts to purge his Epiſtles. Eckius is not afraid to ſay, That Chriſt did never command his Diſciples to write, but to preach only. Bellarmine ſaith, the Bible is no more then commonitorium, a kinde of ſtore-houſe for advice. Hoſius ſaith,Ipſiſſimum Dei …. That the Popes interpretation, though it ſeem never ſo repugnant to the Scripture, is nevertheleſſe the very Word of God. The Councel of Baſil anſwered the Huſſites (requiring Scripture-proofs for ſuch doctrines as were thruſt upon them) that the Scriptures were not of the being of the Church, but of the well-being only: that traditions were the touchſtone of doctrine, and foundation of faith.
And blasphemed the name of God] The truth of God contained in the Scriptures. What a devil made thee to meddle with the Scripture?Act. and Mon. ſaid Stephen Gardiner to Marbeck. They tell us of divers, that have been poſſeſt by that means: and aſſure us, that …u… condemnation is ſo expreſly ſet down in our own Bibles, and is ſo clear to all the world, that nothing more needs hereto, then that we know to read, and to have our eyes in our heads,Alex. Cook. at the opening thereof.
Verſe 10. Ʋpon the ſcat of the Beast] This City of Rome, which was never yet beſieged (ſince it became the ſeat of Antichriſt) but it was taken, and ſhall be again ſhortly to purpoſe.
And his kingdome was full of darkneſſe] It appeared to be ſo (as motes appear in the Sun-ſhine) by the clear light of truth ſhining upon it. A Scotiſh mist is here already fallen upon a piece of his Kingdome: and what further ſervice God hath for their and our armies to do againſt the Pope in Ireland, or elſwhere,foreign. we expect and pray. God grant us good agreement among our ſelves, and then much may be done abroad.
And they gnawed their tongues] Being as mad with malice, as Boniface the 8. was of diſcontent; who being ſuddenly taken priſoner at his fathers houſe by Sarah Columnus his mortall enemy,Turk. hiſt. 126. and brought to Rome, laid up in the Caſtle of S. Angelo, within 35. daies after, moſt miſerably died in his madnes, renting himſelf with his teeth, and devouring his own fingers.
Verſe 11. And blaſphemed the God of heaven] As they did in 88, when the Spaniards gave out, That Chriſt was turned Lutheran: And as Faux the Gunpouder-traitour did, when he told thoſe that took him, that not God, but the devil had brought to light and to naught that deſperate deſign.Lonicer. theatr. hiſtor. Thus they ſet their mouths against heaven, and their tongue walketh thorow the earth: as if Augustus Caeſar were dealing with ſome god Neptune: or the three ſons, trying their archery at their fathers heart, to ſee who can ſhoot nigheſt. What an execrable blaſphemy is that of John Hunt a Roman Catholike in his humble appeal to King James in the ſixth Chapter of that Pamphlet?See D Sheld. mark of the… Beaſt. The God of the Protestants is the moſt uncivil and evil-mannered God of all thoſe who have born the names of gods upon the earth: yea worſe then Pan god of the clowns, which can endure no ceremonies, nor good manners at all.
And repented not] This leopard (Chap. 13.2.) can never change his ſpots: becauſe they are not in the skin, but in the fleſh and bones; in the ſinews and moſt inward parts. Tigers rage and tear themſelves at the ſound of a drum, and at the ſmell of ſweet ſpices: ſo doe theſe ſavage Papiſts, when called to repent.
Verſe 12. Ʋpon the great river Euphrates] i. e. Upon whatſoever yet hindereth the deſtruction of ſpirituall Babylon, and the comming in of the Jews; as the Turkiſh Empire, &c.
That the way of the Kings] Chriſtians, ſay ſome, who are Kings in righteouſneſſe, and come from the Eaſt, or from Chriſt, That day-spring from on high, Luk. 1.78. Others underſtand this Text of the Jews, who are moſt of them in the Eaſt, diſperſed thorow Turkie, Tartary (the ten Tribes eſpecially) and China. Junius ſaith,Tartars, of Tothar, a remnant or reſidue That which is called the land of Sinim, Iſa. 49.12. may probably be meant of China: which, if it be the meaning, there may be many of the Jews, whoſe converſion we daily expect and pray for. See Iſa. 11.15, 16. Zach. 10.10, 11.
Verſe 13. Three unclean spirits] Spirituall fathers, as the Papiſts call their Jeſuites, who ſeek to ſubject all to the Pope, and the Pope to themſelves; being ultimus diaboli crepitus, as one ſpeaketh,Ariſt denat. animalium. the laſt attempt of a daring devil. Theſe are the Popes Janizaries, bloud-hounds, vultures, whoſe neſt (as Ariſtotle ſaith) cannot be found;Ariſtoph. yet they will leave all games to follow an Army, becauſe they delight to feed on carrion.
Like frogs] For their filthineſſe, impudency, loquacity, with their continuall brek…k…kex coax coax.
Come out of the mouth] That is, By the counſell and command, by vertue of that vow of Miſſion, whereby the Jeſuites are bound to the Pope, to go whither he ſhall ſend them, about whatſoever attempt he ſhall enjoyn them. Yea, if their Governours command them a voyage to China or Peru, without diſpute or delay they preſently ſet forward. Hence haply they are called ſpirits.
Verſe 14. The spirits of devils] Or breathing devils.
Working miracles] Lying wonders, 2 Theſſ 2.9.
Ʋnto the Kings of the earth] The Popes Nuncio's, Legats a latere, and other emiſſaries ſtir up the ſpirits of Princes to embroil the world with wars, for the upholding of his tottering greatneſſe: but all in vain. The greateſt impoſtors have ever been the greateſt Courtiers. The Arrians in their age, and of them the Jeſuites learned it.
And of the whole world] Papiſts ſhall call in the help of forraign Princes out of Aſia, Africa, America, to ſuppreſſe the heretikes, as they call them. But with evil ſucceſſe: for they ſhall aſſociate themſelves only to be broken in pieces, Iſa. 89. Exorientur, ſed exurentur, Rev. 9 18. The mountain of the Lord ſhall be lifted up above all mountains. Theſe auxiliaries ſhall ſpeed no better then thoſe ſubſidiary Syrians, 2 Sam. 10.18, 19.
Verſe 15. I come as a thief] Who gives no warning. See the Note on Mat. 2.44.
Bleſſed is be that watcheth] The prophecy is here interrupted (as Gen. 4.18.) to fore-wa…n and fore-arm the Saints, Luke 12.37,, 8, 43. they are three times ſaid to be bleſſed that watch.
Verſe 16. And he gathered] God hath an over-ruling hand in that which the frogs of Rome do at the Courts of Kings, and ordereth the diſorders of the world to his own glory.
Called in the Hebrew Armageddon] That is, They ſhall receive a famous foil, ſuch as Siſera did at the waters of Megidde, Judge. 5.19.
Verſe 17. Saying, It is done] What is done? The myſtery of iniquity is aboliſhed, and the myſtery of God is fulfilled. So Cicero when he had ſlain thoſe of Catilines conſpiracy, he came to the people, and ſaid, vixerunt, they were alive, but now the world is well rid of them.
Verſe 18. And there were voices] A deſcription of the laſt judgement, when heaven and earth ſhall conſpire together for the puniſhment of the wicked. See Mat. 24.2 Pet. 3. and 2 Theſſ 1.8.
Verſe 19. and the great City] The whole Antichriſtian State.
Divided into three parts] By the earth quake disjected and diſſipated.
And the cities of the Nations] That came to aid Antichriſt.
And great Babylon] Augustine, and other Ancients do call Rome the Weſtern Babylon: and do ſo compare them, as that Abraham was born in the flouriſh of the firſt Babylon, Chriſt of the ſecond.
The cup of the wine] That wherein God delights, as a man would do to drink a cup of generous wine.
Verſe 20. Fled away] Either ſwallowed up by the water, or conſumed by the fire.
Verſe 21. A great hail] Bigger then that which brained the Kings of Cana…n, Joſh. 10. perhaps this ſhall be fulfilled according to the letter. Howſoever, the elements ſhall melt like ſcalding lead upon Antichriſtians and other Atheiſts: and they ſhall anſwer for all, with flames about their ears.