The Key of the Revelation, Part 2 · Introduction – Section 1
THe ſpace of the Seales being runne Chap. 10.over, wherein the affaires of the Empire were deſcribed, let us proceed to the other propheſie by much the more noble; as containing the fates of the Church or of Religion. Iohn is prepared to it by the delivering and eating up of an open Booke, as it were to take the degree of the facultie of propheſying.
And the voyce, ſaith he, which I heard from heaven, ſpake unto Verſ. 8.me againe (to wit, that voyce as of a Trumpet ſpeaking, Chap. 4. 1.) and ſayed, Goe and take that little booke which is open in the hand of the Angel which ſtandeth upon the Sea and upon the earth.
I went therefore unto the Angel, and ſayed unto him, give me Verſ. 9.the little booke, and he ſayed unto me, take it and eate it up, &c.
Furthermore ſince the propheſie now to be revealed, as the knowledge of all divine and hidden things, eſpecially to come, ſhould be in the firſt receipt indeed ſweet and pleaſant, but by Chap. 11.reaſon of the lamentable eſtate of the Church, contained in the hidden part thereof, bitter as Aloes, or for the obſcuritie happily of thoſe Allegories and Types, where with it is covered, it ſhould much perplex the minde of the opener or ſearcher into the meaning thereof: therefore it is ſaid the booke to be eaten up, ſhall be to the Apoſtle in his mouth indeed ſweet, that is at firſt ſight and firſt taſte ſhall be delightfull to his minde; but being received into his belly and to be digeſted, it ſhall be bitter. And it ſhall make thy belly bitter, ſaith he, but it ſhall be in thy mouth ſweet as bony. The whole repreſentation is taken out of Ezekiel, ſaving that E…ech. 3.3.there, the ſweetneſſe in the mouth, but bitterneſſe in the belly, are either not mentioned, or but obſcurely.
The book being ſo received and ſwallowed down, the meaning of the ſymbole is opened in moſt cleere and expreſſe words; to wit, that there was impoſed upon Iohn a charge of receiving from Chriſt, and bringing into the knowledge of the Church, another yet, and a more noble propheſie by much, and which ſhould runne over the ſame ſpace of time with the former.
And I tooke, ſaith he, the little booke out of the Angels hand, and Verſ. 10.did eate it up: and it was in my mouth ſweet as hony; but when I had eaten it, my belly was bitter.
Then he ſaid thou muſt propheſie againe (this is the meaning of Verſ. 11.the ſymbole) before many people, and nations, and tongues, and Kings.
This was the inauguration of Iohn; the propheſie followeth, which hath its beginning from his worke about the Temple of God; and therein he ſetteth forth a twofold eſtate of the Church to come in order, by the repreſentation of a two-fold court, one meaſured, another caſt out becauſe of the prophanation thereof by the Gentiles.
The meaning of the inner Court meaſured with the reede of God.
1. THe court of the Temple within with thoſe that worſhip therin, to Chap. 11.be meaſured by the reed of God, ſetteth forth the Primitive ſtate of the Chriſtian Church exactly conformable to the rule of Gods word: and not yet as afterwards (when it came to the times of the outer court) aforeign.irregular by the contagion of idolatrous worſhip, Chap. 11.but orderly worſhipping God for a few ages, in one Mediatour Ieſus Chriſt.
For that ſuch a meaſure, was propounded in the type alſo of an Angel meaſuring, in Ezekiel, I ſeeme to gather out of that which is ſaid to him, Chap. 43. from the 7. verſ. to 10. and afterward: But thou ſonne of man, ſhew the Temple to the houſe of Iſrael, that they may be aſhamed for their iniquities, and let them meaſure the patterne. You may ſee the place. But if any one ſhall conceive otherwiſe, and would rather referre the type of meaſuring to the ſignification of building, namely, that what the drawing or ſetting out of a modell (that is the platforme of a worke to be done) is to builders the ſame as meaſuring to God in the language of the Prophets, it will come notwithſtanding to the ſame meaning. For what more will this court meaſured by the …eed of God ſet forth, then the State of the Church figured thereby, to be the workmanſhip of God, built upon the foundation of the Apoſtles and Prophets, Chriſt being the corner ſtone; contrary to the court following, which God would not acknowledge for his frame, and therefore Iohn is forbidden to meaſure it. Whether thou ſhalt interpret it after this, or that manner, the matter as thou ſeeſt, will come to the ſame paſſe. But who ſo ſhall interpret it in a different ſenſe, either I am deceived, or he can bring forth no example of his interpretation out of the Scripture. But how fitly the ſituation of the Altar in this court, may repreſent the frequet ſacrifices of the Martyrs in that ſtate of the Church, that will be manifeſt, as well by the thing it ſelfe, as by the contemporary viſion of the red Dragon fighting Chap. 12. 3. 4.with Michael concerning the child-birth of the woman, then when we come to the interpretation thereof.