The Key of the Revelation, Summary – Errata

The Key of the Revelation · Summary – Errata

A COMPENDIVM OF M^r. Mede his Commentary upon the REVELATION containing two Propheſies.

FIrſt, the ſealed booke or Seale Propheſie. Secondly, the Propheſie of the little booke open. In the Seale Propheſie is deſcribed the imperiall Chap. 4.Seſſion, conformable to Iſraels encamping in the wilderneſſe. The twenty foure Elders ſignifying Verſ. 4.the Biſhops and Prelates anſwering the Levites and Prieſts in ſo many courſes.

The foure Beaſts by tradition of the Elders of the Hebrewes were

1. A Lion. An Enſigne Verſ. 6of the Hoſt of Ezek. 1▪ 14.Ezek 1:14Iſrael.

2. A Bullock. An Enſigne of the Hoſt of Iſrael.

3. A Man. An Enſigne of the Hoſt of Iſrael.

4. An Eagle. An Enſigne of the Hoſt of Iſrael.

They were full of eyes, ſignifying ſharpe ſightedneſſe.Verſ. 6.

Their wings, agilitie.Verſ. 8.

Wings full of eyes, zeale ioyned with knowledge.Ibid.

Sixe winges, moſt ready to execute Gods Commandement.Ibid.

In the ſame Seale Propheſie is ſet forth the deſt…nie of the Empire.Chap. 5.

The firſt Seale; the opener is (a Lion) ſh…wing a white horſe Chap. 6.and his rider: ſignifying, Chriſt the Emperour from the Eaſt, Verſ. 1, 2.laying the foundation of the conqueſt of the Dragon, i. the Devill, and all the Oracles became ſilent through the World.

The Second Seale (a Bullock) ſhewing a red horſe and his rider, Verſ. 3, 4.ſignifying Trajan from the Weſt, whoſe reigne with Hadrian his ſucceſſour was full of blood, foreign.

The third Seale (a Man) ſhewing a blacke horſe and his rider; ſignifying Septimius Severus from the South, and by the ballances Verſ. 5. 6.in his hand, Iuſtice and carefull proviſion for the Commonwealth in his time and Alexanders.

The fourth Seale (an Eagle) ſhewing a pale horſe and his rider; ſignifying Maximinus from the North, in his time and Gallus, Verſ. 7. 8.Voluſianus, and Decius, the ſword, famine, and peſtilence met together, therefore called Mortifer.

The fifth Seale (no beaſt horſe norrider) entereth from Aurelianus V…. 9, 10, 11in Anno 268. wherein is ſet forth the tenne yeeres perſecution under Diocleſian.

The ſixth Seale, an admirable ſhaking of Heaven and Earth, Verſ. 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17ſignifying the change and ſubverſion of the ſtate of Rome heathen by Conſtantine the Great.

Before the entrance to the ſeventh Seale (which is a ſeale of Chap. 7.Trumpets) there is care taken for the Church: ſet forth by a company of 144000. to be ſealed of every Tribe of Iſrael 12000, in Verſ. 4. 5.reckoning of which, there is an unuſuall order, yet in that Type ſuch as might beſt repreſent the profeſſion of pure Religion miraculouſly in the boſome of the Empire, to be preſerved in the midſt of the combuſtions of the World, polluted with idolatrous worſhip, and conſpiring the ruine of the Church, and therefore it is fenced with the Seale of God. The twelve Apoſtles aptly anſwering the Type of Iſrael; the number 12. being the Enſigne of the Apoſtolike race, and by multiplying expreſſing the Apoſtolike pregenic. To which is added (by the repreſentation of innumerable Palmebearers) …a moſt ample eſtate of every Nation, People, Tribe, and Ton…ue, & …. praiſing God.

The ſeventh Seale containeth ſeven Trumpets, ſounding the Chap. ….allar…e to the ruine of the Empire by a ſeven-fold order of plagues, the foure firſt of leſſe extent.

The firſt Trumpet waſteth the Territorie of the Romane Empire, with a terrible breaking in of the Northerne Nations: for by the third part of the Earth▪ is meant the people, or politicall Verſ 7.Vniverſe of the Romane Empire, it being the third part of the then known habitable world. This happened from the death of Theodoſius, Anno 395. by Alaricus and the Goths, and by the Barbarians, Radagaiſo being their Captaine, Anno 404. and by the Vandales and Alanes, &c. Anno 405/6.

The ſecond Trumpet aſſaileth the dominion of the Romane Verſ …. 9.Empire expreſſed by the Sea, Rome being taken by Alaricus Anno 410. After which the largeneſſe of the Romane dominion was daily cut off, untill Anno 455. that Genſericus tooke and ſpoiled Rome againe; after which the whole body of the Empire was divided into tenne Kingdomes, Anno 456.

The third Trumpet utterly throweth downe the Romane Heſperus, or Weſterne Caeſar, Anno 476. fetching his laſt breath under Verſ. 10, 11.the fatall name of Auguſtulus, a Prince of bitterneſſe and ſorrowes, therefore reſembled by a falling Starre called Wormewood.

The fourth Trumpet taketh away the light of the Romane Verſ. 12.Maieſtie, ſhining till then under Oſtrogothean Kings, when the Conſulſhip of Rome failed, Anno 542.

The three woe Trumpets.Verſ. 13.

The fifth or firſt woe Trumpet, ſendeth the hoſtile hands of Chap. 9.Saracens, and Arabians, in the Type of Locuſts, not onelyonly to deſtroy Verſ. 3.and waſte, from the yeere 830, to 980. that is 150. yeeres, or five moneths of yeeres, but alſo to poyſon with the venemous doctrine of Muhamediſme. The Locuſts had a King over them whoſe name was foreign a Deſtroyer.Verſ 11.

The ſixth or ſecond woe Trumpet, lo…ſeth the foure Angels, Verſ. 13, 14.that is, the foure Sultanies, or Kingdomes into which the Turkes were parted, being before reſtrained at Euphrates, which looſing happened a little before the yeere 1300. uniting themſelves under the conduct of one Othoman, which ſhould come to paſſe after a propheticall day, a monethmonth and a yeere, being 396. yeers, to wit, from the yeere 1057. wherein Tangrolipix had taken the royall Citie Bagdad, from which time the Turkes are prepared to kill the third part of men, that is, in the yeere 1453. Conſtantinople Verſ. 15.being then taken. The number of the horſemen are two hundred Verſ. 16.thouſand thouſand, their Munition, Gunnes, and Ordnance, expreſſed Verſ. 17.by Fire, Smoake, and Brimſtone.

The ſeventh, or third woe Trumpet, is put off to the propheſie Chap 10.of the Little Booke: It containeth the conſummation of the Verſ▪ 7.Myſterie of God, which event is declared in an Oath, taken by an Angel; and a Crie, upon which ſeven thund…rs utter their Verſ▪ 6.Verſ▪ 3.voices, which Iohn is forbidden to write.

Ver…. 4.The Propheſie of the Little Booke (wherein the deſtinie of the Church is cont…ined) followeth: to which the Apoſtle is fitted by Verſ. 8, 9, 10.taking the Booke, and eating it; which was ſweet in his mouth, but bitter in his belly.

The meaſur…d court, ſetteth forth the Primitive ſtate of the Chriſti…n Church, conformable to the rule of Gods Word, ſhortly after to enſue, and contrary to which is the Court not to be meaſured, it not being Gods workmanſhip, but to be prophaned by idolatrous worſhip renewed, or Antichriſtian Apoſtaſie, to reigne fortie two moneths of yeeres.

While this Court is prophaned, two Witneſſes bewaile the prophanation, Ve…ſ. 3.give teſtimonie to the truth of God, and exhort to repentance 1260. dayes, anſwerable to the fortie two moneths of prophanation, denouncing Gods iudgements, which beganne to be executed at the Phyalls, and debarring the new Idolaters from the hope Verſ. 5.of eternall life.Verſ. 6.

The deſtinie of theſe Witneſſes is (when they have finiſhed their teſtimonie) to be made conformable to Chriſt in ſuffering, to be Verſ. 7.in…licted upon them by the Romane ſeven-headed Beaſt: theſe ſhall in the end ſuffer a myſticall death, and lye unburied three Verſ. 8, 9, 10, 11.yeeres and an halfe; after which they ſhall be reſtored to their former eſtate, or to a more excellent dignitie. And upon a commotion, and alteration of politicall affaires, the Citie of Rome as Verſ. 12, 13.now it is (being but a tenth part of the old Citie) ſhall be overthrowne at the fifth Phyall, wherein ſhall be ſlaine …000. men of Name, or of the Clergie, or Companies of men. This is the ending of the ſecond woe or ſixth Trumpet: at which time the Kings from the Eaſt, or the Iewes, ſhall beginne as it were a new Kingdome: or the Beaſt, i. the Pope, ſhall change his forme, being driven from his Metropolis Rome, by the overthrow thereof.

So this Viſion (Chap. 11.) of the open Booke goeth through the whole courſe of the Revelation, to ſhew the connexion of it with the Seales and Trumpets.

THe Romane Empire worſhipping the Dragon, that is, the Chap. 12.Devil in Idols, perſecuted the Church of God (repreſented Verſ. 3, 4.by the woman in travell to bring forth Chriſt in the Romane …mpire to be King) 300. yeeres. But after ſhe brought him Verſ. 5. forth (the Dragon being caſt downe from the Romane throne by Conſtantine) he was there enthroned. This chance of the Dragon Verſ. 7, 8, 9.contemporiſeth with the ſixth Seale. The woman after the bringing Verſ. 13, 14.forth of her ſonne, dwelleth in the wilderneſſe 42 monethes, or for a time, times, and halfe a time; typifying the ſtate of the Church in a middle condition, freed from the rage of perſecution, and not attained to the ſtate of glory, but ſtill perſecuted by the Verſ. 15.flood of errors and hereſies …aſt out of the Devils mouth.

A new Tragedy of evils falleth upon the Woman entred into Chap. 13.the wilderneſſe, ſhe lighteth upon a double Beaſt, the one ten horned, Verſ. 1 &c.being the ſecular whole eſtate of ten Kingdomes, into which the Empire was divided by the warres of the Barbarians. The other two horned being Eccleſiaſticall, which the Pope with his Clergie make up; both Beaſts reigning together, and tyed in a neere alliance, governing under the ſeventh head, exerciſing the crueltie of the Dragon, and pretending the worſhip of Chriſtian Religion, demoliſhing Idols, but promoting by Laws and Edicts …dolatry, …nd lately aboliſhed Heatheniſme, termed blaſphemy againſt God, V…rſ 6.his Name, his Tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven His Name, when any thing beſides God is worſhipped with divine worſhip Joh. 2. 19. and verſ 21.John 2:19His Tabernacle; that is, the humane nature of Chriſt, wherein the Deitie dwelleth, by tranſubſt…ntiation. And them that dwell in heaven, that is, by calling idols which they worſhip by their names in derogation of Chriſt his prerogative and glory.

The company of 144000 virgins followers of the Lambe, mentioned Chap 14.and ſealed before at the ſeventh Seale for connexion of the Verſ. 3, 4, 5.two propheſies; ſignifie the Church in the middeſt of the Papacie continuing faithfull to the Lambe, the native progenie of the twelve Apoſtles apoſtolically multiplyed, purely and rightly honouring the Lambe and his Father with the Evangelicall ſong, not addicted to any one Sea, but accompanying the Lambe whitherſoever he goeth, often and ſharply admoniſhing the worſhippers of the Beaſt concerning Evangelicall worſhip, and warning all to withdraw themſelves from thoſe Idolaters, except they will periſh eternally, ſet forth in the Cry of three Angels.

The firſt admoniſheth to worſhip God purely and rightly according Verſ. 6, 7. …to the Goſpel: fulfilled in the yeere 720 in the Greeke and Eaſterne Churches, when the Emperours Leo Iſaurus, Conſtantine Iconomachus, Leo Armenius, Michael Balbus, and Theophilus, by their Edicts and Decrees made Proteſtation for preſenting religious worſhip to one God the Creator, againſt worſhipping of the creature, not only Images, but alſo Saints and their reliques: as alſo by the Councell of 338 Biſhops aſſembled at Conſtantinople by Conſtantine Iconomachus the adoration of images was accuſed and condemned of impietie, &c.

The ſecond Angel threatneth myſticall Babylon for the crime Verſ. 8.of ſpirituall fornication with inevitable deſtruction: Fulfilled in the time of the Albigenſes and Waldenſes who were the miniſters of this Cry; by word and by deed, proclaiming the Church of Rome to be the Ap…calyptike Bab…lon by her idolatry and myſticall whoredome, &c.

The third Angel denounceth horrible and hainous torments, Verſ. 9, 10, 11, &c.eaſeleſſe and endleſſe, to the whole traine of the Beaſt, and thoſe that ſhall abide in his obedience.

After this threefold admonition by the Angels, followeth the Verſ. 14 15.vindication of the Church againſt her enemies, under the types of Harveſt and Vintage; By Harveſt is underſtood the preparation of the Bride by the converſion of the Iews, together with the overthrow of the Turki…h Empire; the Lord Ie…us being the Lord of the Harveſt, and this at the ſixt phyall.

As touching the Vintage, the vineyard of the earth is the Verſ. 17, 18, 19, &c.dominion of the Beaſt: The grapes, the followers of the Beaſt: The winepreſſe, the place of ſlaughter Armageddon in the 2 Theſſ. 2.8.2 Thess 2:8ſeventh phyall: to which place the grapes being gathered by the Angel the Vintager with the helpe of the Saints, the Lord Ieſus ſhall tread them at his comming. Now both Harveſt and Vintage is obtained by prayers of the Church univerſally.

Myſticall Babylon is Rome, the mother Citie of ſpirituall Chap. 17.fornication.Verſ. 1, 2.

The Beaſt, is the Romane Empire.Verſ. 3.

Seven heads, are ſeven hils upon which Rome ſtandeth, or ſeven Orders of ſucc…ſſive Rulers, viz. Kings, Conſuls, Tribunes, Decemviri, Dictators, Emperours, (in reſpect of the change whereof into ten Kingdomes it m…ght ſeeme another Ruler, yet is but the ſame) and Popes: which laſt Beaſt is the bearer of the whore.

The ten hornes, are thoſe ten Kingdoms into which the Empire Verſ. 4.is divided.

The cup in her hand, &c. hath alluſion to whores and ſtewes, Verſ. 4.which is interpreted by the Angel to Iohn, in the Chapter following at the eighth verſe.

In this Chapter is figured the ſtate of the Church cleanſed from Idolatrous pollution, and ſinging the triumphant ſong at the powring Chap. 15.out of the phyalls.

The effuſion of the phyalls ſignifie the ruine of the Antichriſtian Beaſt. The ſeven phyalls, ſo many degrees of the ruine thereof. Verſ. 6, 7.And whatſoever the phyall is powred out upon, ſuffereth dammage and loſſe thereby.

The firſt phyall is powred out upon the Earth, that is, the people, or common ſort of Chriſtians; this was fulfilled by the Albigenſes Chap. 16. v. 2.and Waldenſes, &c.

The ſecond phyall is powred out upon the Sea, that is, the compaſſe Verſ. 3.of the Popes iuriſdiction; fulfilled by Luther, &c. Reformers of the Church.

The third upon the Rivers, that is, upon the Miniſters and Verſ. 4, 5, 6, 7.Defenders of the Antichriſtian i…riſdiction; fulfilled in the yeere 1588, upon the Spaniſh Champions, Prieſts and Ieſuites, by laws executed upon them in the reigne of Queene Elizabeth.

The fourth upon the Sunne, that is, the Germane Empire, now Verſ. 8, 9.(by the warres there) in powring out.

The fifth, upon the Throne of the Beaſt, that is, Rome it ſelf.Verſ. 10, 11.

The ſixth upon Euphrates, to prepare away for the Kings of Verſ 12, 13, 14, 15, 16.the Eaſt. viz. The converſion of the I…raelites, by removing the obſtacle, the Othoman Empire of the Turks, agreeing with the plague of the ſixt Trumpet, Chapter 11.

The ſeventh phyall is powred out upon the Aire, that is, upon Satan, Verſ. 17, &c.comprehending, not the dominion of the Beaſt onelyonly, but all the enemies of Chriſt, gathered to gether under the conduct of the Power of the Aire, and ſhut up in Armageddon.

The ſeventh Trumpet, with the whole ſpace of 1000. yeeres Chap. 20.thereto appertaining, ſignifying the great Day of Iudgement, circum ſcribed within two reſurrections, beginning at the iudgement of Antichriſt, as the morning of that day, and continuing during the ſpace of 1000 yeeres granted to new Ieruſalem, (the Spouſe of Chriſt) upon this Earth, till the univerſall reſurrection and iudgement of all the dead, when the wicked ſhall be caſt into Hell to be tormented for ever, and the Saints tranſlated into Heaven, to live with Chriſt for ever.

FINIS.

Erratain the latter part of this Booke.

End of the text · Joseph Mede, The Key of the Revelation (1643)