Commentary Upon Revelation, Summary of contents
The Summe of the Booke.
THis Booke is that written record of the things in Viſion, heard and ſeene by Iohn in Patmos; which according to the commandement giuen him, hee ſent to the ſeuen Churches of Aſia. Whereof it is, that beſides the inſcription in the firſt three verſes, the whole is an Epiſtle, hauing a ſalutation to the ninth of the firſt Chapter: a valediction in the laſt verſe of all: and the body of the matter in the reſt.
This body hath for the moſt part a propheticall narration to the ſixt of the laſt Chapter: and thence the generall concluſion.
The narration hath two parts: the firſt is of things which partly then were, and partly were alſo to bee done thereafter. And this part hath, firſt a goodly viſion of Chriſts preſence, operation, and diſpenſation, in and towards theſe ſeuen Churches, and which in common concerneth them all. And ſecondly, a particular accommodation thereof to each one according to their proper condition, good or euill, or mixed at that time: In which reſpect, this part is ſaid to be of things which were then exiſtent; as it is alſo of things to be done thereafter, becauſe of the future good or euill promiſed, or threatned.
The ſecond part of the narration, is of things which were to be done thereafter; concerning firſt and properly the whole militant Church. Like as the whole euents thereof were to fall out after the time of this trance: how ſoeuer for cleering the working on of theſe euents, ſome circumſtances and beginnings are in one or two places deduced higher. And this ſecond part hath a generall introduction to the ſpeciall Storie: Chap. 4. and 5. and the ſtory of ſpeciall euents thenceforth.
The introduction hath two parts: firſt a goodly type of the true Church militant, according to that conſtant and inuariable condition ſhee euer holdeth in all her changes, wreſtlings, ſufferings, victories, kythings and eclipſes. For expreſsing accordingly of all which, as diuers and conuenient types thorow this Prophecie are taken; ſo alwaies in all caſes this of the Throne, Beaſts, and Elders, euer holdeth thorow all. This conſtant condition hath God his conſtant preſence as King and Lord, fixing his habitation and ruling in the midſt of his Church: her gracefull ſtate herethrough, as which is a royall prieſthood to him: his generall and conſtant diſpenſation to this end, terrible for her, and gracious towards her: and her dutifull worſhip of him againe. Chap. 4.
In the ſecond part of the Introduction is ſhewed by whom, and in whom it is that ſhee hath all this preſence, protection and graces, and ſpecially (thus artificially to bring on the ſtory of ſpeciall euents) by whom it is that ſhe hath this ſingular benefit of this reuelation. The dignitie whereof is ſhewed, firſt in the retired eminencie of the matter, and ſecondly, in the worthineſſe of the Perſon reuealer. Chap. 5.
The ſpeciall ſtorie is thence of which the abſtruſe ſecrecie locked vp in God his counſell, as by a ſealed Booke in God his right hand it was figured: ſo the manifeſtation thereof to vsus is typically expreſſed by opening of the ſeales: in which the whole Story being comprehended, ſix of them opened, yeeld alſo many types of theſe firſt ſorrows, wherewith God plagued the world for reiecting the Goſpel. I h… ſeuenth yeeldeth 7. Trumpets, whereof the firſt ſix hauehave the ſecond euils: and the ſeuenth (vponupon induration againſt all former puniſhment) affordeth ſeuen vials of the laſt wrath for full and recureleſſe deſtruction of the enemies, and the Church her conſtant, gracefull, and quiet ſtate thereupon.
The beginnings of ſorrowes, are, firſt the powerful preaching of the Goſpell, in it ſelfe properly the firſt bleſsing: yet to the world …adly impugning that which muſt Conquer and Ouercome becomming the ſauor of death, is the firſt and mother plague, begetting bloudy warres, ſtrange famines, greeuous pestilences, and not ſome beaſts, God his foure great plagues ſeuerally and iointly. Againſt all which notwithſtanding, the rage and induration of enemies ſtill groweth, and that to ſo huge and cruel effuſion of the bloud of Saints, as in God his iuſtice, cried for no leſſe then the full and finall deſtruction of that afflicting ſtate. Which neuertheleſſe, in God his wiſe diſpenſation, is reiourned till the accompliſhment of the reſt of Martyrs in that honour of ſuffering. And that the Church might attend this the more patiently, ſhe getteth in the time, relaxation from open perſecution, and the ſufferings of Martyrs become honourable. Thereafter that bloudy ſtate, through inuaſion of barbarous and vnco…th nations, ſuffereth ſuch ſtrange alteration as the whole face thereof is turned, and it receaueth a deadly wound, ſo farre as might make way for the ſucceeding huge miſchiefe in the ſeuenth Scale. Chap. 6.
Before the opening whereof to a particular manifeſtation of the euils therein (for more cleering of the matter, and, in a diuine artifice, to imply that this ſecond miſchiefe was hatching euen in time of the firſt ſorrowes) a ſummary view of the whole ſequell thereof is giuen: in a deadlie euill to ouergoe all the face of the viſible Church, worſhip and profeſſors therein. Againſt which the care of Chriſt for preſeruing his true Church is ſhewed, and her double condition firſt vnderunder and in time of the miſchiefe, by a myſtical number of ſealed ones, and of whome, and how that number is made vp, to the ninth verſe: and ſecondly her condition victorius ouer the euill, as the ſame condition is offered to Iohn his perception; firſt by ſeeing and hearing: and ſecondly by information to the end of the ſeuenth Chapter.
For particular explication of that which in the ſeuenth Chapter was ſummarily portended, the ſeuenth Seale is opened, and yeeldeth ſeuen Trumpets, as alſo many ſignes giuen of diuers degrees of iudgements, whereby God was, as it were, to charge vponupon the World: theſe in cōpariſon are lighter or heauier. The firſt foure are lighter: firſt through cold ſhowers of ſelfeloue and fierie contention, mixed with crueltie in the viſible Church, followeth a deſtruction, in part, of true ſpirituall life and religion both in weake, and in ſuch as appeared ſtrong Chriſtians. Secondly through the fire of ambition amongſt Church-men, a corruption, in part, of the common worſhip and a death in ſuperſtition. Thirdly through hereticall prauity, ariſing vponupon deſpitefull pride, bitterneſſe, and preſumption of great knowledge, the very grounds, and chiefe Doctours are poiſonablie infected to the death of many therein. Fourthly darke ignorance, and a decay in part of true light and learning, both in diuine and humane ſciences, Chapter 8.
Now theſe foure lighter euils were but alſe many ſteppes to the fift, and firſt of three great woes in the fift Trumpet. When not in part onelyonly, but through the fall of great Paſtours from Heauen to the louelove of the Earth: and thus, loſing the Key of knowledge and of the Kingdome of Heauen, and becomming Miniſters of the Keyes of darkeneſſe and of Gehenna; ſo great a ſmoake ouergoeth the whole face of the viſible Church, as all light therein is eclipſed. And out of this darkeneſſe ariſeth that huge miſchief of Antichriſt, in the abominable army & helliſh head thereof, for puniſhment whereof (if ſo be they could hauehave beene cured) the Mahometan armies are looſed from the Eaſt: after they had beene a ſpace in God his patience tied vp from their firſt ranging, now againe with Turkiſh furie to make deſolate both by ſword and poyſonable doctrine the third part of the Earth. This ſixth euill and ſecond great woe working no repentance, but rather further induration in Antichriſtian workes Chap. 9.
A preparation is for Antichriſt his full, recureleſſe, certaine, and neere approaching ouerthrow. Chriſt, in a ſort, returning with the weapon of his warfare, the little booke now open, and the bold and powerfull preaching thereof: ſetting thereto fit inſtruments: who, by diligent ſtudy of ſcriptures are inabl…d to preach the Goſpell widelie Chap. 10.
And being inſtructed with faculty thereto, by aſsiſtance of Chriſt they apply the right rule of examination, and thereby find that Antichriſt hath long obteined the place and title of the viſible Church. The true Church all the while larking within the compaſſe thereof: and being ſecretly intertained with a hid but powerfull diſpenſation of grace: by few, vnknowne, and albeit afflicted Miniſters yet preaching long without great bloodſhed: till at …ength Antichriſt perceiuing them to apply the rule, they are for a ſpace cruelly murthered and barbarouſly intreated, euen with applauſe, thorowout all Antichriſt his domination, but God ſtirring vp others in the ſame ſpirit, who vigorouſly oppoſe themſelues, a viſible ſeparation by diuine warrant, is made from Antichriſt his fellowſhip and contagion: feare taketh him and his followers: great commotions enſue thereupon: and his Kingdome is in a part weakened. This farre preparation and beginnings of his fall hauing wrought on euen in the height of the ſixth euill and ſecond great woe vponupon men of the Earth: then the ſeuenth Trumpet ſoundeth to his vtter fall, by ſeuen Vials which it yeeldeth of the laſt Wrath. The ſummary effect whereof (in a preconceiued ioy vponupon the ſigne giuen) is in a gratulatory ſong of the Church denounced in the end of the 11. Chapter.
Before the particular explication whereof (for more cleering the reaſon of ſo huge a ioy of the Church, and the equitie of ſo determinate a iudgement againſt the enemies) according to that cleere ſight which the Tabernacle of Teſtimony now opened in Heauen yeeldeth to God his ſeruants of the enemies and their dealings, a large narration thereof is incerted: and thereafter their great and iuſt deſtruction (ſummarily aboue denounced) is exponed at length. Both which parts of ſtory the holy Ghoſt ſetteth forth vnderunder the names of two great ſignes ſeene in Heauen. The firſt in the 12. 13. and 14. Chapters, the other to the end of the narration.
The firſt ſigne is double, in the party aſſailed, and the aſſailer: the aſſailed party is the Church, in her firſt ſeed, and in her ſeed of ſucceeding times. The aſſailing enemy againſt bo…h, is the Diuell that old Serpent, but in different manner. Againſt the Primitiue Church or firſt ſeed, directly, in open rage, by his inſtruments thereof the Roman Emperors: firſt labouring to keepe downe the Church from riſing: next cruelly perſecuting her being raiſed: third…, being reſtrained from open perſecution, through that protection the Church got by Conſtantine the Great. Whereby as by wings ſhe was freed from his open rage, labouring to drowne her by that inundation of barbarous Nations, which, neuertheleſſe in God his wiſe diſpoſing prouidence, turned to the defacing of that perſecuting Empire. Yet ſo, as, in the time the true Church, by degrees, paſſed to the Wilderneſſe (whereto the wings gaue occaſion) and lurking there, was fed, as was Iſrael and Elias: no more any true viſible face thereof appearing, then thoſe three yeeres and an halfe of famin in the daies of Elias: or the ſame ſpace, when Antiochus Epiphanes aboliſhed the daily ſacrifice, and ſet vp the abomination of deſolatiō in place therof. Ch. 12.
Satan highly incenſed for his miſgiuing endeuors againſt the firſt ſeed, tak th occaſion of this flight of the Church to the Wildernes, to bring in roome the Beaſt of his working and authority, by him to make warre againſt the Church in her ſeed of ſucceeding times. This Beaſt is the ſame kingdom of Rome: but vnderunder the pontificality, by lying ſignes & wonders, and falſe pretence of Chriſt his power, ſo bewitching the world, as, through voluntary ſubmiſsion of the …en of the earth thus deceiued, the kingdome of Rome, vnderunder it, recouereth that ancient glory, luſtre, eſtimation & ſubiection of Prouinces, which it had loſt in the deadly wound it got in the fall of Caeſars, all the earth wondering and following the Beaſt. Chap. 13.
All the time of this preuailing euill, euen in the greateſt height thereof, Chriſt had ſtill his true Church firſt lurking; and albeit not perceptible to the world, yet inioying the preſence of her head, hauing powerfull and plentifull diſpenſation of grace from him, and worſhipping him heartily and truly. Secondly, by degrees breaking out, and contesting with Antichriſt in great ſuffering and much bloodſhed, to the 14. verſe of the 14. Chapter. Where the Story falling in againe to the ſame point of time and matter, whereat (for incerting this interiected narration) at blowing of the ſeuenth Trumpet Chap. 11. it had left off: what, there, in a gratulatory ſong was ſummarily denounced, the ſummary execution thereof is here propounded (ſo to bring in the large narration of the effect of the ſeuenth Trumpet in the ſeuen Vials thereof) to the end of the 14 Chapter.
This ſummary propoſition is at length handled in the 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. and 20. Chapters: and thereupon the gracefull eſtate of the Church ſhewed Chap. 21. and 22. And this whole matter is that other great ſigne ſeene in heauen: hauing the greatneſſe of the errand, and the diſpoſing of the inſtruments for execution thereof, Chap. 15.
The execution in ſeuen degrees: firſt by diſcouerie of the filthineſſe and hypocriſie of the Beaſt his characterized followers, their perſons are deſpiſed. Secondly, their common worſhip becommeth ahominable. Thirdly, euen their grounds and chiefe Doctors are ſeen corrupted & deadly: and therewith in God his iustice, becauſe they had been bloudy murtherers of the Saints, they in their courſe get bloud to drinke. Fourthly, the ſtill waxing light of the Goſpell, as the Sunne diſcouering their darke works, burneth them vp with indignation and deſpite. 5. Thus Antichriſt his kingdome becommeth contemptible, loſing much of the wonted luſtre and magnificence▪ to the great torment of their minds, they euen gnawing their tongues for ſorrow. Sixthly, Peoples, tongues, and Nations falling from the obedience thereof, it is left naked and weake: whereby a way is prepared for the Eſterne kingdomes, and moſt ſpecially the Iewes ſparſed amongſt them, to come into the obedience of faith. In which perilous caſe of their kingdome the Dragon, Beaſt, and falſe Prophet beſtirre themſelues, and iointly bend their whole malice, power, and deceit by their emiſſarie falſe Teachers, to ſeduce the Kings of the earth in their quarrell againſt the true Church. But for ſuch a mighty foile to both the ſeducers and the ſeduced, as ſhall make at length the long blinded Iewes, turning to the faith, to concelebrate the victory. 7. This miſerable euent in the enemies, prognoſticated againſt all their buſie indeauors in the ſixt Viall, is now in the ſeuenth fully executed, with ſo ſtrange a commotion, alteration and ouerturning of the ſtate of the earth, by ſo vncouth plagues, as was not ſince the beginning of the world. At all which notwithſtanding, that Antichriſtian body, deuoted to deſtruction, ſtill obſtinately blaſphemeth. Chap. 16.
This ſo huge a deſtruction, ſo ſummarily in the ſeuenth Viall deliuered, is henceforth more largely and cleerely exponed, according to that grouth of light which that time ſhall bring with it, laying open to the view of the Earth, the parties deſtroied, and the manner, meaſure, and euents of their ouerthrow. Theſe are, the Whoore, Chap. 17. and 18. The Beaſt and falſe Prophet Chap. 19 and the Dragon (for an abſolute victorie) Chapter 20. Of the Whoore is ſhewed, who ſhee is, and by whom ſhee ſhall be deſtroied: The Whore is the City of Rome borne vp to be a Lady of Kingdomes, and a mother harlot corrupting the Earth with ſpirituall fornication, by the pontificality the eight and laſt ſort of ſoueraigne heads ouer-ruling that ſtate, and with whom it ſhall fall for euer. Her deſtruction ſhall bee by theſe ſelfe ſame Kingdomes and States, who, before deceaued with her, had beene ſpeciall props of Antichriſt his power. but at laſt eſpying the abhominations thereof, fall from him and become inſtruments of God his iuſt indignation againſt the Whore Chap. 17.
The greatnes, certainly, inſtant performance, & equitie of her irreparable ruin, is Rhetorically amplified, Chapter 18.
Whereupon, and the conioined fall of Antichriſt her aduancer, by the ſword of his mouth who iudgeth and fighteth righteouſly, whoſe name is that word of God, is miniſtred to the Church ſuch matter of ioyfull praiſe as ſtirreth alſo at length (God powerfully turning their hearts) the Iewes to ioine in the concelebration of the ſame victory, Chap. 19.
The Dragon, Satan, who by Conſtantine his conuerſion and Chriſtianity by lawes eſtabliſhed, had beene bound vp, from open rage, a thouſand yeeres, (all which time, howſoeuer the moſt part of the World, through Antichriſt his preuailing deceit, were dead in ſuperſtition and blindnes, yet the true Church, who receiued not his character, liued the life of God, being partakers of the firſt reſurrection, and Chriſtian religion was in account) is therefore againe let looſe to practice open cruelty; and thereto, ſtirreth all his forces from all quarters. But yet by the power of the Goſpell preuailing, maugre all his endeauours, the reſt of men who hauehave long laien dead in blindnes and error, riſe alſo the firſt reſurrection: there is a new face of a world, all enemies being ſo ouerthrowen, as the Church hath a moſt gracefull and quiet ſtate, for that Satan is now taken againe this ſecond time, and ſo as hee neuer getteth any liberty hereafter, either by errour to deceiue, or perſecution to diſturbe the Church her quiet; hee being now not onelyonly bound vp for a thouſand yeeres as that firſt, but ſo as his deſtruction now begunne holdeth on till that full point it ſhall hauehave in the laſt iudgement, and the Church her raigne hereupon ſhall accordingly, not be for a thouſand yeeres onelyonly, as at the firſt, but for euermore; hauing now performed in her and to her whatſoeuer reſted (foretold by the Prophets) vnaccompliſhed for her gracefull and quiet ſtate and her enemies full deſtruction here; and, in that, the myſtery of God is fulfilled: ſhee hauing no more to expect but the comming of her Lord for tranſlating her to glory.
From the ſixth verſe of the 22. Chap. is the concluſion of the Booke, wherein, for procuring to this prophecie due regard and carefull obſeruation, it is commended from the truth and fidelity of the matter which is from God by a glorious diſpenſation, and miniſtry deſeruing credit, from the neere approaching performance of things prophecied, and from the perfection thereof, in this, that it cloſeth vp the Canon: ſo as no more is to be expected either for light or manners, but hearts to be erected in earneſt wiſh and attentiue expectation of our Lord his comming. Euen ſo come Lord Ieſus.