An Exposition of Revelation, Chapter 12
CHAP. XII. Viſion 4. Act. 1.
Verſ. 1. And there was ſeen a great ſigne in heaven].
TO John in a viſion, great in regard of the events.
A ſigne, to wit a woman clothed with the Sunne—] Some read it a wonder, becauſe the woman was wonderfully clothed and delivered. To omit the ſtory of Eve and the ſerpent, and Mary with Chriſt perſecuted by Herod, (which are here (as it were) repreſented) doubtleſſe this woman is the Church, (for women as the Church are weak, depending on their husbands, fruitful—) ſhe is in heaven, partly becauſe ſhe appeared ſo to John, alſo the Church hath both her original and converſation in heaven, This viſion begins (as it were) of Chriſts birth.
Clothed with the Sunne] Becauſe the Church is clothed with Chriſt who is the Sunne of righteouſneſſe; the Church then in the general ſhall be ever ſafe, Mat. 16. the gates of hell ſhall not prevail againſt her, yet particular Churches; as Corinth, Rome, — may erre and fall away as experience ſhews.
Having the Moon under her feet] By it is ſhewed the variable condition of the Church here below, ſometimes ſhining in full light, ſometimes ſcarcely to be ſeene; but rather here is noted the Churches deſpiſing and trampling underfoot all ſublunary, vaine and periſhing things, poſſeſſing Chriſt — by faith.
And a crowne of twelve ſtarres on her head] She profeſſeth the faith of the twelve Apoſtles (who are compared to bright ſtarres) which is a crowne (as it were) to her head: thus the Church is a crowned Queen, and the faith an adorning.
Verſ. 2. And ſhe being with child, cryed, &c.] Alluding to women who beare not without paine, nor bring forth without ſorrow, the Virgin Mary not excepted. See my Glimps of Chriſts love, page 16.—The Papiſts cannot tell how to beleeve that this place any way concerns the Virgin;—Wel, the Church cannot bring forth her fruit of Chriſt without crying, labour, ſorrow; the propagation of the Church ever was with great troubles, cares, cryes; thus Saint Paul travelled in birth with the Galatians, chap. 4.19. tyrants make the Churches paine the greater.
Verſ. 3. And there appeared another ſigne, a great Dragon, having ſeven heads, &c.] Becauſe he is an old Serpent who has devoured other Serpents, and ſo becomes a Dragon.
Red] Notes his cruel, bloodthirſty nature, perſecuting the Church. This Dragon is the Devil, ver. 9. the crowned heads of the Dragon are Kings, Emperours, Tyrants, as Herod, Nero, Domitian—for ſeven is taken for many. By hornes, ſtrength is meant; by them Governours, Captaines—are meant, as Pilate, Feſtus—Now ten notes a great many; the Dragon differs from the Beaſt, chap. 13. (the deſcription of each makes it appeare) yet this Dragon begot that Beaſt, and are ſomewhat alike.
Verſ. 4. And his taile drew the third part of the ſtarres, &c.] Now followes the action of the Dragon; he by his taile, that is by cunning flattery and inſinuation (for Dogs fawne with their tailes) drew or enticed many teachers of the Church (compared to ſtarres) to leave their heavenly function, and to fall to humane traditions and earthly cares — yet I rather by the Dragons tail underſtand (under ſeveral tyrants) many & long perſecutions (for the Dragons taile is his ſtrength) wherby many (at leaſt ſeeming ſtarres) fell to the worſhip of Satan: Nay, ſome faithful teachers too, for a little ſeaſon; here are things noted firſt, yet not many yeers after performed. Eſay ſays, the Prophet that tels lyes is the tayle, chap. 9.15. Now perchance by Dragons taile, falſe-teachers and hereticks (as Arrius—) may be noted, who drew many from the faith. Now by this Dragons meanes that ſtarre chap. 8.10. & chap. 9.1. fell to the earth, I mean the Romane ſtarre and Arrius—
And the Dragon ſtood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, &c.] Like a hungry Wolfe before the fold to devoure the Sheep: Peter cals him a roaring Lyon (intimating his hungring after a prey, 1 Pet. 5.8.) Firſt when Chriſt was literally born, he fought to devoure him by Herod (when the children ſuffered for him, before he for the children) and ever ſince he ſtrives to devour Chriſt (the manchild) in his members, by Tyrants, Hereticks, Antichriſt.
This Act anſwers to the firſt foure Seals concerning horſes, chap. 6. and to the Trumpet, concerning the fire mingled with blood, the burning mountain, the ſtarre falling; containing the time from the birth of Chriſt, to the riſing of Antichriſt. Now follows comfort in act the ſecond, being anſwerable to the fifth Seal, of the ſoules being under the Altar, chap. 6, 9. and to the Angel ſtanding on ſea and land, chap. 10.2.
Verſ. 5. And ſhe brought forth a manchilde, who was to rule all nations, &c.] The Sexe notes ſtrength, thus Chriſt is the mighty God.
Who doth feed] that is, rule all nations with an iron rod. as Pſal. 2. that is, with a powerful Scepter; the nations with an iron rod: but his People with his word, or as Pſal. 53. in green paſture, as a ſhepheard, not a tyrant. Is the devil a dragon? So then remember Chriſt is that ſtrong manchild, who by his power and iron rod defends himſelf in his members, whiles here below. Note by the womans bearing a ſon, many ſonnes, nay multitudes of ſons are ſignified, who firſt beleeved.
And he was caught up unto God, &c.] Chriſt litterally and the Saints ſpiritually are caught up into heaven, that is defended and protected, and after death (as the witneſſes) are caught up, or aſcend to heaven out of the danger of the Dragon, his heads or horns.
Verſ. 6. And the woman fled into the wilderneſſe; &c.] Here that is ſaid to be done firſt, which was not done till afterward; to wit, when the Dragon was caſt to the earth, and the woman had wings, ver. 13. To which place I referre the Reader for the interpretation of this verſe.
Verſ. 7. And there was warre in heaven; &c.] After the manchilde was caught up to heaven, and before the ſcattering of the Church. John in the viſion ſaw the warre in heaven, and it ſignifies how Chriſt aſcending, overcame Satan, deſtroying his Kingdome bringing to the Saints eternal ſafety. Brightman applies this to Conſtantines ſuppreſſing the enemies of Chriſtianity, which in part may hold. But doubtleſſe this war began before; Chriſt is Michael in this place, for the Angels can't be ſaid to be any other Michaels: though perchance Iohn ſaw one Angel as Commander of the reſt in the Viſion. Chriſt and Satan fought in the temptation, bloody ſweat, paſſion (when our Michael overcame (as Sampſon) by his death) but eſpecialy by his reſurrection and aſcenſion (though the whole myſtery of our ſalvation is here ſhadowed out) he deſtroyed the Dragon; and to this houre in ſome ſenſe, the battel from heaven laſts with the Dragon. This Viſion was to comfort the Church in her miſerable perſecutions, ſeeing at laſt her Michael prevailed and ſhe in him; now though in the Viſion more Angels fought (noting perchance how all his members muſt fight againſt Satan) yet Chriſt doubtleſſe trod the Winepreſſe alone, Iſa 63.3.
Verſ. 8. And prevailed not, &c.] Chriſt ſits triumphing in heaven (and in his Church in great meaſure at this day) therefore there is no room for Satan there. I beheld him as lightning fall from heaven, ſays Chriſt; the preaching of the Goſpel, and Chriſts death caſt him out and deſtroyed his Kingdome. Thus Chriſt entred the ſtrong mans houſe (or kingdome) and ſpoiled it, Matth. 12.29. perchance here is ſome alluſion to Satans firſt caſting out of heaven.
Verſ. 9. That old Serpent called the devil and Satan, &c.] he is called old, becauſe of a long ſtanding, even before the fall. A ſerpent becauſe of his craftineſſe and poyſon of ſin, wherewith he infects the nature of man. A divel, becauſe an accuſer and ſlanderer of the brethren (for ſo much the Greek word ſignifies;) Satan, becauſe an adverſary and hater of mankind.
Laſtly, he is called the Seducer of the whole earth, &c.] for he hath deceived mankind generally; now this ſhews the greatneſſe of the benefit obtained by the victory, ſince ſuch an enemy and his Angels, (whereof Baalzebub is Prince) ſhould be ſpoyled, (ſignified by his being caſt out of heaven in the Viſion); How Chriſt by his birth and death ſpoyled Satan, ſee farther my quoted book. p, 48.
Verſ. 10. And I heard a great voice in heaven, &c.] Here follows the Song of the Church. The great voice notes the multitude of rejoycers, and the greatnes of their joy. The cauſe, becauſe the accuſer is caſt out; neither our ſin, ill conſcience, the law, nor Satan, can caſt thoſe out of favour who are in Chriſt Jeſus. I mean, their former ſinne and ill conſcience, of which 1 John 3.20, If our heart condemne us, God is greater then our heart, and knows all things; if we can truly ſay we love the brethren to wit, as the preceding verſes ſpeak. Now concerning Satans accuſing, ſee Iob 1. from verſ. 7. forward. Theſe things being eaſie to ver. 13 I paſſe them for brevity ſake, with theſe notes,
1. The heavenly hoſt call us brethren; the accuſer of our brethren, a great dignity.
2. They rejoyce becauſe we ſhall not be accuſed; ſee their love to us, for Satans accuſation could not hurt them, but us, who have not finiſhed our warfare; but now by Chriſts victory there is no condemnation to them that are in Chriſt Jeſus, Rom. 8. Of which very largely ſee my Glimpſe of Chriſts love, pag. 60, 67. Where the particulars, life, death,—are examined.
3. Chriſt manifeſted his love, power, ſalvation—when he drew us as a loſt prey out of the Dragons jaws. Of which ſee the quoted book everywhere.
4. Though Satan cannot prevail with God by his accuſation, yet he ſtirs up many adverſaries in the world againſt us; therefore we ſhould walk very carefully, for Satan is not dead, though overcome.
5. The blood of Chriſt is the cauſe or means of our victory; by the blood of the Lamb they overcome, (the Lamb and Michael you ſee are the ſame, by whoſe death, paſſion, reſurrection, —the victory is obtained.)
6. Since Satan cannot prevail with God, but is caſt out of heaven and the Church, hee'l domineer the more over the nations, the inhabitants of the earth, by making them idolatrous, and bringing woes and miſeries on them. Wo to the inhabiters of the earth.
7. Satans greateſt malice is againſt the manchild, the Church and Saints (whoſe happineſſe he envies) but hee'l play at ſmal game rather then ſit out, diſturb the earth rather then do no hurt.
This Prophecy concerns the times of Antichriſts riſing Anno Dom. 606. and after, when Satan by Antichriſt and his Locuſts troubled ſea and land, Prieſts and people of Antichriſts Church, known by the name of Inhabitants of the earth.
Verſ. 13 And when the Dragon ſaw he was caſt unto the earth, he perſecuted the woman &c] Here the perſecuting of the woman is renewed by the Dragon, notwithſtanding the Church had got Conſtantine the Emperour (that man-child in ſome ſenſe) to profect her: for his exceſſive bounty to the Church did much hurt (as I noted chap. 6. v. 7, 8. about the pale horſe) by which meanes the venome of Pride, Ambition, Coveteouſneſſe, Luxury — was breathed into the Clergy, which miniſtred occaſion of new perſecution. Now alſo Arrrius (whoſe name is enough to tell the miſery of that age) moſt beyond thought vexed the Church; here the Dragon perſecuted the woman, for oft times the Emperours were Arrians.
Verſ. 14. And to the woman were given two wings of a great Eagle &c.] The Church after her many battles with hereticks and Tyrants, obtained Conſtantine to defend her; but by means of that peace brought to the Church by Conſtantine many ſins reigned in the Clergy, and the Church then began to take her flight into the Wilderneſſe; by that time Antichriſt aroſe ſhe was gotten thither, Anno 606. (for her flight was long, therefore ſhe is ſaid to have Eagles wings, which Fowle flies longeſt and ſtrongeſt) So that Church which formerly was the woman cloathed with Chriſt, having (as it were) a Crown of Apoſtolical faith to adorne her, is now fled into the Wilderneſſe; by it we are not to conceive any local flight, as into Arabia deſerta, or the like: But the wilderneſſe here is oppoſed to heaven; now when the woman caſt off the graces of Chriſt and his robes wherewith ſhe was clad, and put on the whoriſh attire, ſhe ſo altered her viſage that ſhe ſeemed not the ſame; thus ſhe became inviſible more and more; true there were many that feared God in every Age, but they as the Church in Elias time were contemned and inviſible or unknown, rather keeping private in Families then publike in Congregations; Now (as we ſay in our proverbial ſpeech of any thing that is confuſed (or unweeded or overgrown as a neglected garden—) it is a meere wilderneſſe; ſo) the Church by reaſon of her ſpiritual confuſion is ſaid to be a wilderneſſe, though formerly a chaſte Virgin. Note the Popiſh Church hath ever been viſible and flowriſhing, but not this woman, therefore that Church is not this woman, for ſhe became by little and little to live (as thoſe ſeven thouſand in Iſrael in the time of Idolatry) private and retired, hating the whore and her poluted Garments, Doctrine, Worſhip, and wayes, (though ſhe were perchance in the literal or local Rome, or that ſpiritual Wilderneſſe.)
Eagles wings] Note the power of her deliverance, for they have ſtrong wings, not as a ſmall bird—By wings then I underſtand not ſo much the two Teſtaments, by which ſhe preſerved her ſelfe, but an alluſion to that foule who by her ſtrong wings flies far and ſtrongly out of danger; ſo the Church by faith flies toward heaven or out of danger into ſome private retiring place (like Elijahs) where ſhe is to be ſpiritually fed, as he was literally.
A time, and times, and halfe a time] So Antichriſt ſhall triumph not for ever, yet not a very ſmall time neither, but a time, yea, and times, known to God, not to us. I conceive (as my Paraeus) by this time the ſame ſpace is noted as formerly, to wit of 1260. yeares, which time is given to the reigne of Antichriſt. So this Antichriſtian Church of Rome ſucceeded in the roome of this chaſte woman, who was fled into the wilderneſſe or gotten out of ſight by that time he aroſe, and abode, and is to abide there till Antichriſt leaves off treading down the holy City; God be thanked ſhe hath been in ſome meaſure viſible a good while, and Antichriſts daies are partly expired; when their date is quite out, we doubtleſſe ſhall ſee the woman much more glorious and viſible; for the time of Antichriſt reigning is her hiding; and as he decreaſes, ſhe increaſes.
Thus we have heard of Romes corruption and inviſibility in reſpect of her former luſtre for the firſt three hundred yeares, which was by degrees, as the Eagle flyes, not at once, for the woman was a great while flying into the Wilderneſſe, even from a little after Conſtantine to Phocas the uſurper who ſet up Antichriſt. None (whether Church, Kingdome, or perſon) is corrupted at once, but by little and little.
Verſ. 15. And the ſerpent caſt out of his mouth water as a floud &c] This floud I underſtand not to be thoſe Nations, Goths, Vandals, Almans—(who as a deluge came about this time to deſtroy the very name and faith of Chriſt, and to carry away the woman: nor by earth do I underſtand them (though their earthly religion ſwallowed up perſecution by embracing—Chriſtianity) for this helped not the woman, but drove her farther into the Wilderneſſe: for the faith was moſt corrupted by Arrius and other damnable hereticks when they embraced it, ſo they were for the moſt part Arrians, or Neſtorians—) becauſe John had treated of the Dragons perſecuting the woman before, therefore here, by the floud I underſtand the moſt wretched hereſies (now reigning) vomiting out of the Dragons mouth, for the Doctrine of the Goſpel coming out of Gods mouth is compared to ſtreames of water, Joh. 7.38. and ſo hereſies may be well ſaid to be a floud, conſidering their violence and impurity, for a floud waſhes the banks — and draws all corruption into it. Now in this Age was Arrius againſt the Son, Macedonius againſt the Holy Ghoſt, Neſtorius againſt the truth of Chriſts Perſon.
Verſ. 16. Yet the earth opened her mouth and ſwallowed up the floud, &c] Alluding to the old hiſtory of the earths ſwallowing up Corah and his Company, Num. 16. or to the earth ſwallowing up the floud which deſtroyed the World. In ſum God uſed ſome extraordinary meanes to deſtroy this floud, by which the Dragon thought to deſtroy the reſt of the womans ſeed, that is, thoſe retired righteous (of which I ſpake but now) who withdrew themſelves from the Idolatry of Rome. Theſe are deſcribed to be ſuch as have the teſtimony or Goſpel of Jeſus, whereby (and the bloud of the Lamb) they are ſaid to overcome, verſ. 11. for the Goſpel brings faith that laies hold on Chriſt, by which all the Saints overcome. Thus we have ſeen what a furious Creature the devill is againſt us, and how he makes uſe of his ſhort time (which he knows is ſo, ſeeing the ſignes of the laſt times are fulfilled, and fulfilling;) this ſhould teach us to make good uſe of out ſhort time, which haſtens as the weavers ſhuttle.
Verſ 18. And I ſtood upon the ſand of the ſea] To wit, ready to behold the Beaſt ariſing out of the ſea, as Chap. 13. or to denote the dangerous and ſandy condition of the Age of Antichriſts ariſing, able to deſtroy (if it were poſſible) the very elect. Mat. 24.24.