A Plain Explanation of Revelation, Part 11
Apoc. …
Then was giuen me a … vntounto a Rodde, and the Angell ſtood by, ſaying, Riſe and mete the Temple of God, and the Altar, and them that worſhip therein, &c.
WEe hauehave heard in the former Chapter, the preparation to the Prophecie, concerning the things that ſhould befall vntounto the Church. Now he commeth to the Prophecie it ſelfe.
And firſt hee ſaith, there was giuen to him a Reede, and with it, hee was bidden to meaſure the Temple: Whereas, we are firſt to conſider, that by this ſpeech (borrowed from the fortieth of Ezechiel) the Lord ſetteth downe a determination to ſet forth and to meaſure out his Church: For as Arch-builders, firſt in building hauehave a draught in their heads and after draw it out, and meaſure the place where they build, and then hauehave inferiour builders to finiſh it; euen ſo the Lord doth both in that place of Ezechiel, as alſo here: For there the Lord after the deſtruction of Ieruſalem, and of the Temple, when hee would hauehave it reſtored againe, ſheweth vntounto the Prophet the meaſuring of it; ſignifying that the Temple ſhould be re-edified, and that the people ſhould worſhip againe in the ſame. And in like manner in this place, whereas now indeed Ieruſalem, and that Temple which was in it, were ready to be deſtroyed and ouerthrowne; the Lord notwithſtanding bids the Apoſtle to take a ſtrait and ſmooth Reede like vntounto a Rod, to wit, fit for that purpoſe, and to meaſure the Temple therewithall. Noting, that albeit Ieruſalem ſhould bee laide waſte, yet … gather to himſelfe a Church, and that by …. And whereas he bids him meaſure it with …, he meaneth that hee ſhould vnderſtand and comprehend the right and full way whereby the Church of God ſhould be builded. This teachth vsus that vnleſſe God preſcribe and giuegive vntounto the Miniſters, the order and manner of building his Church, they are not of themſelues to vndertake the building of the ſame. And againe, vnleſſe he put the meaſure, which he appointeth (that is his Word) into their hands, they cannot, neither ought they in any caſe to begin, and therefore not to vndergoe that function, vnleſſe they be called of the Lord. And further being called they muſt build with that meaſure and meanes onelyonly which God appointeth and ſetteth downe. Hee biddeth him to meaſure the Temple, the Altar, and the Worſhippers, but to let alone the outward Court, and to caſt it out.
Where the Lord alludeth to the building of the Ceremoniall Temple, in the building of the Church after Chriſt, in the Goſpell. For firſt there was the outward Court, being the greater part which ſhould bee caſt out, and then the Temple, the inner place where the people were, and the Altar, and the holy place, and the holyeſt of all, which were very ſmall in compariſon of the others: So likewiſe in the Church, the ſmaller number ſhould be referred, the greater number ſhould fall away.
So that here he is bidden to take meaſure of the Temple, and not onelyonly of it, but of the worſhippers which were in it, to wit, of the members of the Church of God: Which teacheth that the Miniſters are not onelyonly to regard the Church in generall; but alſo to hauehave a care of the good of eueryevery particular perſon in the Church.
By the altar, is meant all the meanes ſeruing to the furthering of the ſeruice and worſhip of God: whereof a ſpeciall regard is alſo to bee had in the building of the Church.
In that the great Court is not meaſured, but eaſt out to be troden of wicked and prophane men, and the Temple only, & that which was in the midſt of it left, being but a very little in compariſon of the outmoſt Court, it noteth the narrow roome the Church ſhould bee comprehended in, and the ſmall number to be gathered in regard of thoſe which ſhould be caſt out; For, the Temple and the Altar, in regard of the great Court, were as it were the Center in regard of a great Circle. Which teacheth vsus how great a number ſhould be bandoned from God, and from the ſeruice of God, and how few and ſmall a number ſaued.
Whereas the Apoſtle is bidden onelyonly to meddle with the Temple, and not with the outward Court, but to caſt it out: This agreeth firſt with that doctrine of Paul, 1 Cor. 5. 12. Where he ſaith, What hauehave we to doe with thoſe that are without? We are to hauehave reſpect to thoſe that are within. So that here wee are to obſerue this point, that the Miniſters are firſt and principally to attend vponupon thoſe diligently & carefully which are committed to their charge, and to endeauour and exerciſe themſelues onelyonly in thoſe things which God hath enioyned them. Secondly, concerning thoſe things whereof they hauehave receiued no charge from God, they are not in any caſe to meddle in them, nor to deale at all with them. Which condemneth the ſinne which now adayes is vſual, when they will take vponupon them thoſe offices which God hath not appointed them, and which they are not able to performe.
The outward Court is to be caſt out, to be troden vnderunder foot of the Gentiles, for the ſpace of forty two moneths, whereof we hauehave heard the meaning, both as it is vſed by Iohn, and expounded by Daniel, viz. to be one thouſand two hundred and ſixty yeeres, for a day is referred to a yeere; a weeke of dayes is ſeauen yeares: ſo that hereby it appeareth, that the time of this great hauocke of the Church was to continue one thouſand two hundred and ſixty yeeres: Which as by account that falleth out, appeareth to begin after the aſſention of our Sauiour Chriſt, when the Apoſtles began to preach, & counting from that time, it ſhall appeare by the miſerable times that befell afterward vntounto the Church of God, in that ſpace, namely, when the beaſts that roſe vp out of the earth, ſet vponupon the people and Church of God, and perſecuted and oppreſſed them grieuouſly.
Here alſo in regard of the ſmall number to be reſerued, we may eaſily vnderſtand how vaine a thing the Papiſts brag of, when they brag of their generallity and multitude, for we ſee here that the great Court, that is, the multitude onelyonly, is caſt out to the wicked and prophane men, and the Temple with the worſhipers onelyonly, and the Altar, noting a ſmall number, is reſerued.
Againe, in regard of the circumſtance of time: in that it is ſaid, that the wicked ſhould preuaile for the ſpace of one thouſand two hundred and ſixty yeares: we are to obſerue againſt them, that whereas they obiect againſt vsus, and ſay, that this new Goſpell of ours began in the time of Luther, or Wickliffe, we anſwere that it appeareth manifeſtly out of this place, that there ſhould be a maruellous contempt of the Word from the Apoſtles time, vntill theſe one thouſand two hundred and ſixty yeeres were expired.
Now for the further declaration of this, it is ſaid, the Lord raiſed vp two witneſſes in theſe yeeres, betweene the Apoſtles time, and the time expreſſed, to preach the Goſpell.
By the number of two, may be meant (not to preiudice better expoſitions) the ſmall number of faithfull witneſſes, yet ſuch a number as ſhould be able to proue any cauſe, ſufficient for the teſtifying of any truth, or ouerthrowing any falſehood, & though they ſeemed to be but two, that is, a few in number, yet they ſhould be able enough for that purpoſe, and ſufficient to conuince them of their wickedneſſe, and to beare witneſſe of the truth.
In ſackcloth; meaning that they ſhould be heauy, ſorrowfull, and grieued at the troubles, ſtrife, and hard-dealing which they ſhould hauehave at the hands of the wicked, which would not yeelde vntounto the truth: lamenting alſo for that they had no better ſucceſſe of their Miniſtery: and further by reaſon of the pride of Antichriſt, when as they did behold how many euen of thoſe which ſhould hauehave beene the ſtarres of the Church, and faithfull Miniſters, did ſtriue and heaue for preheminence without any care of Gods Church, as it was in the daies of Gregory the 7. and Gregory the 9.
Theſe are the two Oliue trees, and the two Candleſtickes; A ſpeech borrowed from the Prophet zacharie, where it is ſaid, that being returned from captiuitie, the Lord gaue them Miniſters, which as O liues ſhould Miniſter Oyle for the light of the Church: Euen ſo in the wretched & curſed dayes, albeit the Church of God waxed fewer and fewer, yet there ſhould be ſome Oliue trees to giuegive Oliues, that is, ſome Miniſters to preach peace vntounto the children of God, the Oliue being a ſigne of peace, as alſo to drop in Oyle (as Zachary ſaith) into the Candleſticks, alluding to the vſe of the Candleſticks in the Temple, which hauing Oyle put in them, did giuegive light in the Temple, burning before the Lord continually: euen ſo he ſaith, that euen in thoſe dark times, there ſhould notwithſtanding be ſome which ſhould be able to giuegive light vntounto the Church, by the Miniſtery of the Goſpell.
Afterward it is ſaid that theſe two Prophets, that is, this little number of Miniſters, ſhould hauehave fire goe out of their mouthes, whereby they ſhould deuoure all their enemies: Which ſheweth vntounto vsus the power of the Word of God, which is like a fire, by the light wherof, the godly ſhould be enlightned, by the heat whereof, the wicked ſhould be conſumed, ſo that ſith they would not be enlightned by it to their ſaluation, it ſhould ſend them to the darknes of hel, to their deeper condemnation. So that here we ſee the Word hath a contrary effect, in regard of the godly and the wicked. And therefore it is compared in the firſt Chapter, to a two edged Sword, which on the one ſide cutteth and healeth to life, and on the other ſide, woundeth and killeth to death: According as the Apoſtle ſaith in the Epiſtle to the Corinthians, We are the ſauour of God vntounto your ſaluation that beleeue, vntounto others vntounto condemnation.
By this deuouring then of their enemies; is meant the deſtroying and conuincing of thoſe that would not yeeld vntounto their preaching, to their further deſtruction, and deeper condemnation. Where wee ſee, that the Prophet here ſetteth forth, that howſoeuer the Miniſters of God ſhould hauehave great ſtrife in thoſe dayes, and grieuous enemies, yet they ſhould not preuaile againſt the truth.
Theſe ſhould hauehave power to ſhut the heauens, to make the heauens braſſe, that it ſhould not raine in the dayes of their Prophecie, to reſtraine the fruit of the earth, to turne the waters into bloud, &c.
Where hee alludeth, partly to the Miniſtery of Elias, at whoſe prayer, the earth was barren, and there 1 Kings 17.was no raine for the ſpace of three yeares. And partly to the Miniſtery of Moſes, who brought bloud in al the land Exod. 7. 17.of Egypt, by turning the water into bloud: ſignifying, that where the Miniſtery of the word, in the denouncing of iudgements was contemned, there the Lord would ſend Plagues and Peſtilence, and Flouds, and ſuch like vponupon them.
In that which remaineth of the ſixt Plague, there is firſt ſet forth, that the two Prophets, theſe two Oliues and Vines ſhould make an end of their Miniſtery, and the Beaſt ſhould ouercome them. Before it was ſaid, that at their pleaſure, and at their owne liking, they ouercame others, and reſtrained the dewe of heauen, and did execute and bring to paſſe whatſoeuer they had to doe, by the direction, by the word and will of God: Here now it is ſaid, that after the accompliſhing of their worke, and finiſhing of their teſtimony, the Beaſt ouercommeth them.
To teach vsus, that the Lord doth ſo maintaine his Miniſters and ſeruants, that vntill they hauehave finiſhed and accompliſhed the worke of their Miniſtery, which he hath appointed them to execute, they ſhall not be hurt by Sathan or any of his Miniſters, or wicked Inſtruments.
Which may be a ſingular comfort to the Miniſters and children of God, that howſoeuer they be hated of many men in the world, yet they ſhall hauehave no power to hurt them, till the time God hath limited them be expired. And here wee are alſo to conſider, that in regard of their Miniſtery, theſe two Prophets did ouercome; but in regard of their liues onelyonly they are ouercome; herein had their enemies leaue to hurt them, they were able to doe nothing elſe vntounto them.
The time of this, appeareth by limitation of this one thouſand two hundred and ſixty yeares, to befall about the dayes of Boniface the eight, who was a wretched and cruell perſecuter of the Saints of God; for by the account of the hiſtory it ſelfe, it fals iuſtly on the one thouſand two hundred and ſixty yeare after Chriſt; the very yeare of that Beaſt, Boniface, who after he had killed the Saints of God, would not ſuffer their bodies to be buried; which thing, the hiſtory particularly witneſſeth, making mention, that the bodies alſo of the Saints were carried about the City of Rome in triumph, and might not be ſuffered to be buried.
After, it is ſaid that the wicked ones, in the token of their ioy, make great feaſts, and ſent preſents one to another; which manner of ſpeech ſeemeth to bee taken from the Booke of Heſter, wherein commandement is giuen, that for their victory and deliuerance, a Feaſt ſhould be celebrated for euer. And of this alſo the hiſtory maketh mention, that in regard of their ioy and gladneſſe for the deſtruction and death of Gods Seruants and faithfull Martyrs, there was a Feaſt of Iubily celebrated, which afterward they continued; wherein alſo as much as in them lay, they did annihilate the comming of Chriſt, who gaue an end of all theſe ceremonies.
And this is ſaid to be done in the great City, ſpiritually called Sodome and Egypt, where the Lord was crucified, whereby the Apoſtle moſt plainely deſcribeth Rome, as being the greateſt City then in the world, there being none at that time for fame and greatneſſe to be compared to it.
In that it is called Sodome and Egypt, it is ſpiritually (as he ſaith) to be vnderſtood: It is called Sodome, in regard of the filthineſſe and abhominations therein; by reaſon of their Sodomitrie, their whoredomes, and abhominable vncleannes of men with men, and all manner of all other ſuch like wretchedneſſes. Egypt, in regard of the perſecutions of Gods Children, alluding to the perſecutions whereby the Egyptians kept the Children of Iſrael in bondage. The place where Chriſt was Crucified, to wit, Ieruſalem, ſo called and attributed to Rome, in that Rome brags of it ſelfe, as Ieruſalem did, to be the moſt excellent profeſſor of Chriſts religion; the onelyonly Sion, the Church, and beloued of the Lord; albeit indeed it be nothing leſſe; nay, it is rather hated of God, as Ieruſalem was, crucifying the Lord Ieſus: So that theſe things doe notably agree with Rome, the great City, that Sodomiticall perſecuting Church, yet pretending to be the true Church of God.
After, it is ſaid, that their bodies lying three dayes and an halfe, that is, three yeares and a halfe vnburied, that is, a mocking-ſtocke, and triumphed-ouer by the wicked, they are then raiſed vp by the Lord, to wit, not thoſe that were ſlaine, but others in their ſpirit. As Iohn is ſaid to be Elias, becauſe he came in the ſpirit of Elias, as it is ſaid, to wit, with the ſame boldneſſe and zeale that Elias did.
They are taken into heauen: that is, ſeparate themſelues from the reſt of the Sonnes of men, which were wicked and worſhipped the Beaſt, going into ſuch places where they might ſerue the Lord.
Then followeth immediately, a fearefull Earthquake, by which, the great City was ſhaken, and the tenth part of it ouerthrowne.
The ſecond Woe being paſt, the third inſueth, which followeth after the blaſt of the next Agell.
The laſt Angell blew the Trumpet, which ſhall be fulfilled at the diſſolution of the world in the latter day, when all ſhall be raiſed from the dead, when all the Kingdomes of the world are committed into the hands of Chriſt, & then ſhall be the accompliſhment of his Kingdome, when hee ſhall giuegive reward vntounto his ſeruants the Prophets, to his Saints, and to all that feare his name, and ſhall render deſtruction vntounto his enemies; and then ſhall hee giuegive vp his power vntounto his father, and God ſhall be all in all. And after this, there ſhall be time no more: Then we ſhall hauehave Sunne no more, that is, we ſhall hauehave no neede of the Sunne, the time ſhall not be diſtinguiſhed by it, we ſhall not be directed by the light of it, for God himſelfe ſhall be our Sunne, God ſhall be our light for euermore.