Commentary Upon Revelation, Chapter 10
CHAP. X.
AS the ſixth Seale, beſides the own proper effect gaue a preparation to the ſeuenth, by a ſummary view of the whole effect thereof in the ſeuenth Chapter: ſo here the ſixt Trumpet (beſides the proper woe of it in the four deſtroying Angels from Euphrates, and their Armies of deſolation in the end of the laſt Chapter) maketh way now in this and a good part of the next Chapter, to the effect of the ſeuenth Trumpet, and laſt woe: which, impenitency now iuſtly bringeth on. Now all this preparation, euen to the blowing of the ſeuenth Trumpet Chapter 11. 15. albeit it be to cleare the way, yea, and hath ſome no ſmall beginnings of that great woe, which by the ſeuenth Trumpet is fulfilled, yet it is comprehended vnderunder the ſecond great woe according to their diſtinction by Trumpets: becauſe euen in the height of this ſecond great woe, theſe degrees towards the laſt, were working So wiſely and artificially is the courſe of this Propheſie led forward, and parts thereof clearely coupled together. This preparation then, for Antichriſt his iuſt and full ouerthrow, vponupon obſtinate impenitency againſt the pun…ſhment from Euphrates, is by a magnifike deſcription of that great partie who foileth him: and of the meanes of his victory. The party, is Ieſus Chriſt, heere typically ſetforth (as alwaies throughout this Propheſie) not according to the veriry of his perſon, but to expreſſe his operation in this worke. His meanes of victory are, the little booke opened, and the bold and powerfull preaching thereof: and that, for Finiſhing the myſtery, in the full ouerthrow of the enemies, and perfecting the Church in all grace; heere as a prepared Bride for her husband: whereto, hee fitteth …pt inſtruments, who by diuine motion, ſtudying diligently the Scriptures, preach eueryevery where the Goſpell. So, as by the true rule rightly applied, the true Church of God is diſcerned from the falſe: and light growing, Antichriſt his kingdome is in a degree, ſhaken, and beginneth to fall: and in the ſeuenth Trumpet is vtterly and for euer deſtroied.
2 Wee hauehave, then in this Chapter, the comming of the great perſonnage performer of this worke, and the end of his comming: For effectuating wherof, prophecy is reſtored. This great perſo…nage, is that ſtronger Matth. …. 29one then Satan, who foiled him, and now, after a ſort returneth to ouerthrow the beaſt of his power, the Angell of the bottomleſſe pit, king Apollyon. In this perſonage, are to be obſerued, whence he commeth, the forme of his perſon, and his actions. Hee commeth from heauen, as the aduerſary came out of the bottomleſſe pit, not in propriety of ſpeech, as if he perſonally deſcended: but that he, who through antichriſt his darkeneſſe was not ſeene, now againe ſheweth himſelfe. As, God is ſaid often, in Scripture to depart or hide, and againe to ſhew himſelfe. The glorious and magnifike forme of his perſon is ſhewed in a note of diuine maieſty, that he is cl…athed with a cloude, Luke 2…. At the erecting of the tabernacle, a cloud Exod. 40. 34 1. King. 8. 10.filled it. So alſo, Salomon his Temple, The Lord hath ſaid he will dwell in the cloud. Hee gaue his preſence to Iſrael in the wilderneſſe, in a pillar of a cloud. Hee maketh the Pſal. 104. 3. Acts 1. 9.cloudes his Chariot, and he went vp in a cloude. Secondlie, he hath the Rainebow about his head, as he, whoſe preſence bringeth peace: the raies of his face imprinting the ſeale of peace in the darkeſt ſo…le and moſt clowdy conſcience. The ſhining of the Sunne againſt a cloud maketh the Rainbow. So Chriſt, whoſe face ſhineth like the Sun in his ſtrength, Chap. 1, being clothed with a cloud, hath conueniently a Rainebow about his head. His fleſh is the vaile couering his Deity, whereof the manefeſtation therin, maketh our peace. But heere ſpecially, hath hee the Rainebow about his head, as comming now to diſpel the great deluge of Antichriſtian darkeneſſe: which ſhall neuer againe ouerſpread the face of the Church, more then the waters of Noah ſhall the earth: giuing thus a ſure pledge of ſerenity, Chapter 9. Section 5. Thirdly, his feet hauehave two notes. They are pillers, and they are fire. The firſt, for ſtable firmneſſe and ſolide ſtrength, wherein hee now commeth both to ſtabliſh his Church in peace, and to tread downe all his enemies. The fire, ſheweth with light and purity, diſpelling darkeneſſe and purging all vncleanneſſe, yet fiery affliction conioined, in this conflict with Cha. 11. 3. 7. 8. Chap. 13. 7. & cha. 14. 12. 13.Antichriſt: againſt all which notwithſtanding, his Church ſhould ſtand ſtable as the Pillar of truth. He hath fourthly in his hand, a little booke open. This is the weapon of his victory. It is little, in compariſon to Antichriſt his great booke of humane Traditions, vnwritten Verities, Apocriphe Scriptures, Decretals, Canons, and manifold Legends, all ioined and equalled by them in their practiſe, at leſt, with this booke. It is open for that cleere vnderſtanding of holy Scripture which now Chriſt ſhould bring: whereas, in Antichriſt his darkeneſſe, the ſame was buried in ignorance, which, with them is the mother of deuotion, it being held capitall for common laicke men to read Scripture in vulgar tongue.
3 The actions of this great perſonnage, thus furniſhed, are in his geſture and in his voice. His geſture is, that he ſet his right foot on the Sea, and his left foot on the Land: as he who hath power ouer all creatures. Who ſtabliſheth the mountaines by his power, and appeaſeth the noiſe of the Seas, the noiſe of the waues thereof, and Pſal. 89: 9.the tumults of people, Pſal. 65. His right foot is ſet on the Sea, as whoſe rage is moſt terrible, and the left, on the earth, to ſhew that he is ſufficiently furniſhed with all ſtrength, and accordingly vttereth it, as for the party opponer is requiſit. In the 13. Chapter, to expreſſe Antichriſt his eſtate, two beaſts arriſe, the one out of the Sea, the other, out of the Earth. Theſe he commeth to vndoe, and conueniently therefore ſetteth his feet in this manner. So is his geſture. His voice, is a loud cry. Wherein, as the little booke is the weapon of his warfare, ſo the vſe and welding of it, is heere expreſſed; to wit, Preaching. Whereof to ſhew the boldneſſe, his voice is compared to the reoaring of a Lion. And to expreſſe the power, and that, perfect, accompanying the bold Preaching of the Goſpell now reſtored, ſeuen thunders are ſaid to ſpeake. As at the going out of the Goſpel in the firſt ſeale, the firſt beaſt hauing the face of a Lion, Spake like thunder: So, now at reuiuing of the Goſpel to Antichriſt his ouerthrow, it ſhall be accompanied with boldneſſe and perfection of of power. The great Angell comming downe to fight for Sion and the hill thereof, Iſai 31 4. Now, conſider that Chriſt is heere deſcribed according to his vertue working in his ſeruants: whoſe voice, if it be his, is bold and powerfull, If their voice be, as it ought, the eccho of his cry, it will be like thunder. For thunders ſpeake as he roareth Amos 3. 8.and except he roare, no thunder vttereth any voice. His ſheepe know his voice and not the voice of a ſtranger. All Ioh. 10. 4. 5.this is, to ſhew, that the miniſtery of the Goſpell, through the power of Chriſt accompanying it, ſhal conſume Antichriſt to powder. That notable things were vttered by theſe Thunders, Iohn his readineſſe to write, argueth cleerely. From which hee is ſtaied by commandement, not to write, but to ſeale and cloſe vp what they had ſpoken. Wee muſt be ſober, and contented with what it pleaſeth God to open, as not able at all times to receiue al things. I doubt not, but now in cleere manifeſtation of Antichriſt, theſe thunders hauehave beene, and are ſtill thundering that openly, which heere for the time was ſealed vp. But, for this time their ſpeeches hauehave beene, as I thinke, ſo plaine, as Chriſt thought not meete to put in regiſter. For theſe myſteries are (as it becommeth) ſo deliuered, that the wiſe, in time, ſhall vnderſtand them, but the wicked ſhall do wickedly. To them things are ſpoken Dan. 12.by parables, that, hearing they may heare, and not vnderſtand, and, ſeeing they may ſee, and not perceiue. That Matth. 13. 10.theſe ſpeeches were vttered, and yet cloſed vp, was partlie, for Iohn his particular information and ſtrengthning. As to ſuch effect, God in reuelations, ſheweth to his ſeruants of high imploiment, ſometimes, more then in either, Mark. 9. 9. 2. Cor. 12.lawfull or poſſible to vtter. And truly, I am of this opinion, that none can be an able miniſter of the Goſpell, who, for his owne both light and feeling, hath not more then he can publiſh. It is partly alſo, for all readers and hearers of this Propheſie, to exſpect and aduert, in their time theſe thundering ſpeeches: as to the praiſe of God, we now doe cleerely. For, that heere Chriſt commandeth to ſeale them vp, and that, heereafter in this Propheſie (which is but one continuall trance) they are vttered, I neither ſee any reaſon of it, nor any place yeelding any probability that ſo it is.
4 Thus is the great perſonage inſtructed with his weapon, the word, vnderſtood and preached in all boldneſſe and power. The end of his comming thus inſtructed, is to Finiſh the myſtery of God, and that without longer delay Act. 3. 21.or protraction of time: So, as vponupon the ſound of the ſeuenth trumpet, and in the daies thereof, all ſhall bee accompliſhed, whatſoeuer the Prophets had foretold either of the deſtruction of the enemies or the Church, or of God his plentifull mercy and grace, in her deliuerance, and her goodly, gracefull, and peaceable condition thereupon. For this is the miſtery of God, which in the daies of the ſeuenth Trumpet ſhall bee fulfilled. Which trumpet as it hath begunne to blow long agoe, and (praiſed be our God) we ſee the effect of it in good degrees aduanced: ſo how long it ſhall blow, God onelyonly knoweth. This alwaies is certaine, that Antichriſt his deſtruction, already begunne, ſhall hold on to euerlaſting woe; neither ſhall he recouer ſtrength. As alſo the increaſe of light and grace towards the Church, ſhall continue, till Antichriſt being ouerthrowne, and the Iewes io…ning to the faith: ſhe inioie a gracefull and peaceable ſtate heere, as a Bride prepared for her husband. This to be the minde of the Holy Ghoſt, the whole courſe of this propheſie ſheweth euidently. And the many goodly promiſes of the Prophets gathered together in the Church her deſcription, Chap. 21. and 22. proue cleerely that therein is the myſtery of God fulfilled according as hee foretold, By his ſeruants the Prophets. Now, the things in this Chapter, and to the 15. verſe of the next, hauing ſuch congruity of argument with that of the ſeuenth Trumpet and laſt woe (as whereof, they are not onelyonly the preparation, but euen ſuch great beginnings) yet notwithſtanding, they are deliuered vnderunder the ſixth trumpet, and ſecond great woe. Becauſe, albeit it be true that theſe Trumpets no more then the ſeales or Viol… be put for knots and periods of time exactly cutted, but for diſtinguiſhing diuers matters: yet thus farre in them, time muſt be looked to, that they fall out in courſe after other, as they are heere ordered by the ſpirit. For, though the euill of the ſixth Trumpet was euer in time of the fifth: and the euils of both fifth and ſixth Trumpets hold on in ſome degree in the beginning, yea a good ſpace of the ſeuenth,: yet the world, felt firſt, the fifth Trumpet, and woe thereof; whereupon, the ſixth Trumpet and ſecond great woe, inſuing, albeit the firſt woe ceaſed not, yet when the world felt moſt the ſecond, as in the height of it, beeing then the moſt ſenſible plague, all euils and puniſhments whatſoeuer of whatſoeuer kinde, are ioyned with the greateſt woe in the time. And thus is it, that albeit theſe beginnings of Antichriſt his fall heere, and to the 15. verſe of the next Chapt. agree, in argument with the matter of the ſeuenth trumpet: yet, becauſe theſe beginnings & firſt degrees fell out in the greateſt height of the ſecond woe, and were yet of no ſuch weight or meaſure as the worldly ſort and Antichriſt, feeling a heauier woe vponupon them, did ſo much regard: therefore they are put vnderunder the ſecond woe and ſixth trumpet. But when theſe ſmall beginnings grow on ſo farre as Antichriſt and the worldly ſort following him, become firſt afraid, Chapt. 11. 11. and vponupon the ſeene danger of his kingdome already begunne to fall, then falleth to count light of the other woe in reſpect of this: then is the ſeuenth trumpet ſaide to blow and the ſecond woe to bee paſt, the third now comming in place. And this order of deliuery, which the ſpirit vſeth, as it is exceeding artificious and pleaſant, ſo being well aduerted, it bringeth great light and ſatisfaction. Now, becauſe this end, of this great Angel his deſcending, ſeemeth incredible, Antichriſt and his kingdome being ſo ſtrongly ſetled, as the ouerthrow thereof appeared impoſſible: the great Whore preſuming thereupon, to ſit ſtill as a Queene, and Chap. 18.to ſee no mourning: therefore, that the promiſe may bee the mo…e ſure, it is confirmed by an oath. Wherein, for inſtruction, are to be obſerued, the ſwearer, his geſture, the forme of oath, and the point ſworne.
5 As we hauehave heard the end of this great Angel his deſcent, ſo is ſhewed how this end is effectuate. And this is, by fitting and preparing fit inſtruments thereto: who are ſtirred vp by diuine inſtigation, to take the little booke from him only in whoſe hand it is open, to eat it vp, receiuing in their hearts all God his words, &c. Ezech. 3. 10. This eating hath a double effect in the eaters, of ſweetneſſe and delight in the mouth, and of bitterneſſe in the belly; that ſo they may be meete for that effect ſet downe in the laſt verſe, where is the interpretation of all this ſigne. Shewing in Iohn, (who here, is the type of theſe whom Chriſt ſhall thus, and to this end, ſtirre vp) that, for raiſing againe the true light of the Goſpell, and by the powerfull and wide preaching thereof, gathering of his Church and defeating darkeneſſe: hee will raiſe firſt in mens harts a louelove of knowledge, and of the booke of God, who thereupon, by his motion ſhall ſtudy the ſame moſt diligently, as eating it with appetite: and ſhall finde in ſtudying it, exceeding ſweetneſſe and ſpirituall ioy to their ſoules: and letting it as it were downe in their ſtomachs, and filling their bellies with it, they ſhall bee ſo filled, as not able to containe it, they muſt burſt foorth; though the preaching thereof beget them of the world great trouble, and many teares. For all this frame of ſpeech, ſee Ezech. 2. and 3. and Ierem. 15. and 20. and withall, obſerue herein the diſtinct degrees of a true inward calling, whereof none can be lacking in the true miniſter of Chriſt. Firſt, a louelove of God and of the knowledge of his word, begotten in the heart by diuine motion. 2 A heart to pray for light. 3 A diligent and carefull ſtudy of Scripture. 4 A ſweet delight and taſte found therein of ſpirituall ioy to their owne ſoules. Now all theſe any good Chriſtian may hauehave: but, to make a Paſtor, thou muſt alſo find the laſt, that is, bitterneſſe of belly. The accommodation of this is ſo cleare in ſtory, of theſe, whom God thus firſt ſtirred vppe to the louelove of learning, and by whom the true light both of diuine and humane ſciences was reſtored, ſo as Antichriſt was diſcouered and noted for the man of ſinne; that it needeth not here to be inlarged. Reade the ſtory and accommodations of Writers on this place.