Commentary on the Epistles and Revelation of John, Commentary 22 · Chapter 7
CHAP. VII. Verſe 1. And after theſe things]
THis whole Chapter is purpoſely interlaced between the opening of the ſixth and ſeventh ſeal, for the ſupport of the poor ſuffering Saints, that they ſinke not under their many preſſures.
Four Angels] Miniſters of indignation, whether good or evil angels, the Doctours are divided.
Holding the four windes] Thoſe b…ſomes of the air, Mundi …. Rupert.as Rupertus cals them, and Scripture-emblems of ſpirituall influence, Joh. 3.8. Cant. 4. ult. Ezek. 37. 9.
Nor on any tree] The Philoſopher compares men (the Scripture good men oft) to trees, which y benigne windes are filled with fruits.
Verſe 2. Another Angel] Whether Chriſt or Constantine acted by Chriſt, it much matters not.
Having the ſeal] Whereof Chriſt is the great Lord-keeper.
With a loud voice] Out of his great care of his elect. As Croeſus his dumb ſonne burſt out into loud ſpeech to ſave his father.foreign. Herod.
To the four Angels] Who are at Chriſts beck and check.
Verſe 3. Hurt not] Reprobates oft fare the better for thoſe few righteous that are amongſt them: they are therefore ſingularly fooliſh for ſeeking to rid them, and root them out, as the Heathen Emperours did.
In their fore-heads] Not in their hands only, as the vaſſals of Antichriſt (chap. 13.16.) who have free liberty to diſſemble, deny their religion, do any thing, ſo the Catholike cauſe be thereby advanced. My ſonne, give me thy heart, ſaid Gregory the thirteenth to our Engliſh Papiſts, let who will have thy tongue and outward man.
Verſe 4. An hundred fourty and four thouſand] A competent company. Not ſo many as the locuſts, chap. 13. and yet more then moſt thought they had been.
Verſe 5. Twelve thouſand] Out of each Tribe ſo many: God enclines towards all the elect with an equall good-will: neither ſhall any one complain juſtly that others have been more regarded then he: as one well obſerveth here.
Verſe 6. Of the tribe of Nepthali] Who is firſt reckoned among thoſe by Rachels-ſide, becauſe at Capernaum in this Tribe, Chriſt inhabited. Any relation to him ennobleth. Bethlehem though it be the leaſt, is yet not the leaſt among the Princes of Judah, for that out of her came the Governour of Iſrael, Mat. 2.6. with Mic. 3.6.
Verſe 7. Of the tribe of Levi] Levi is taken in, Dan cut out of the roll for his ſhamefull recidivation, and revolt from the true religion, Judg. 18. This, Jacob fore-ſaw and bewailed in that holy ejaculation on his death-bed, Gen. 49.18. There is no reckoning made, or account given of this Tribe (as there is of the reſt) 1 Chron. 7. The fable of Antichriſt to come of Dan, is ſo thin a deviſe,Lib 3. de Pont. Ro. cap. 12. that Bellarmine could not but ſee thorow it, and diſclaim it.
Verſe 8. Of Joſeph] That is of Ephraim, who, though Ioſephs younger ſon, yet had the firſt-birth-right.
Verſe 9. A great multitude] All the faithfull from the Apoſtles to the end of the world. In all ages there were ſome that ſought righteouſneſſe: Neither was it ever ſo hard with the Church as the Hoſt at Nola (in the ſtory) made it; who when …e was commanded by the Roman Cenſor to go and call the good men of the City to appear before him, went to the Church-yards, and there called at the graves of the dead. O ye good men of Nola come away, for the Roman Cenſor cals for your appearance; Anton di Guevara.for he knew not where to call for a good man alive. In the very midſt of Popery there were many faithfull Witneſſes, and more of ſuch as (like thoſe two hundred that went out of Ieruſalem after Abſolom) went on in the ſimplicity of their hearts, and knew not any thing, 2 Sam. 15.11.
Verſe 10. Salvation to our God] Not to this, or that Popiſh Saint or Mediatour: of all whom theſe triumphers might ſay, as that Heathen once, Contemno minutos iſtos Deos modò Iovem (Ieſum) propitium ha…eam, I care not for all thoſe ſmall-gods, ſo I may have Jeſus on my ſide.
Verſe 11. And all the Angels] See the Note on Chap. 5. verſe 11.
Verſe 12. Amen: Bleſſing and glory, &c.] The Angels aſſent to what the Saints had ſaid, and adde much more, according to their greater meaſure of knowledge and love to God: Write we after this fairer copy.
Verſe 13. And one of the Elders] See the Note on Chap. 5. verſe 5.
Verſe 14 Which came out of great tribulation] It is but a delicacy that men dream of, to divide Chriſt and his croſſe. The Biſhop of London, when he had degraded Richard Bayfeild Martyr kneeling upon the higheſt ſtep of the Altar, he ſmote him ſo hard on the breſt with his Croſier-ſt…ff, that he threw him down backward, and brake his head ſo that he ſwounded:Act. and Mon. And when he came to himſelf again, he thanked God that he was delivered from the malignant Church of Antichriſt, and that he was come into the true Church of Chriſt militant, and I hope ſhall be anon with him in the Church triumphant, &c.
And made them white] Other bloud ſtains what is waſhed in it; this bloud of the ſpotleſſe Lamb, whitens and putifies.
Verſe 15. Therefore are they] Not for the whiteneſſe of their robes, but becauſe they are waſhed in the meritoricus bloud of the Lamb.
Before the thro… of God] A good man is like a good Angel,foreign alwaies ſtanding before the face of God.
Shall dwell among them] Gr. Shall pitch his tent, or ſhall keep the feaſt of Tabern…cles amongſt them, or ſhall hover and cover over them, as the cloud did over Iſrael in the wilderneſſe; ſo that under his ſhadow, they ſhall ſafely and ſweetly repoſe themſelves.
Verſe 16. They ſhall hunger …o more] They ſhall be as it were in heaven afore-hard, having, Malorum ademptionem, bonorum adeptionem, freedome from evil, and fruition of good, here in part, hereafter in all fulneſſ….
Verſe 17. Shall …eed them and lead them] An alluſion to Pſal. 23.2. where David ſeems to reſemble powerfull and flouriſhing doctrine to green paſtures, and the ſecret and ſweet comforts of the Sacraments to the … waters.
And G…d ſhall Wipe away] A metaphor from a nurſe, which not only ſuckleth her dear childe crying for hunger, but alſo wipes off the tears.