revealed in Flames of Fire It being very (a) Luke 17 26-31 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom c. Even thus shall it be in the Day when the Son of Man is revealed i. e. to make good the parallel in the very self same Day in which he is revealed 2 Thess 1.7 8. 2 Pet. 3.10 12. See Dr. Burnet 's Theory B. 3. and 4. Mather de Signo Filii Homin 2. 5. plain from Doctrinal Scripture that the present World shall be burnt before the end of all things and probably at Christ's very first coming to his Kingdom to which Conflagration there will be many preceeding Dispositions and Preparations which are called the Signs of Christs Coming in Scripture and are probably the Vials in this Prophecy before insisted on Chap. 16. This New (b) Dr. Burnet 's Theory B. 4. 3 8. Heaven and Earth which are to arise out of the Remains of the Old ones as out of a Second Chaos are no other than the Seat of the Kingdom of the Blessed Millennium in which the Saints are to Reign with Christ Chap. 20. because according to the plain words of the Apostle Peter it is that New Heaven and Earth in which Righteousness is to dwell i. e. Righteous Saints are to Reign in Holiness and Righteousness during the Day of Judgment which is a Day of the Lords consisting of a Thousand Years which is as plain a Description of the Blessed Millenium as can well be given of which Truth also the following Verses will administer many Proofs 3 The very word made use of by the Apostle Peter 2 Ep. 3.10 concerning the passing away of the Heavens of this World at the general Conflagration For it is to be observed that the Scriptures make mention of Three Worlds 1. The World before the Flood reaching from the beginning of the Creation to its perishing by Water Which the Apostle (a) 2 Ep. 2 5.3 5 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Peter calls the Heavens and Earth of Old the World that then was and the Old or Original World concerning which see the (b) Burnet's Theory B. 1. and 2. and the Append to the 4th Book ingenious Theory of the Earth 2. The present World reserved for fire called in (c) 2 Pet. 3.7 Rom. 8 19-24 Gal. 1.4 John 12 31.14 30. 1 Cor. 2.6 8. 2 Cor. 4.4 Mather de Signo Fil. Homin 1. 2. Scripture the Heavens and Earth which are now this present evil World and this VVorld by way of Contempt and to distinguish it from the world to come 3. The New (d) 2 Pet. 3.13 Heb. 2.5 Eph. 1.21 Luke 20 34-38 and Chap. 17. Heavens and New Earth called in Scripture the VVorld to come that VVorld the VVorld of the Resurrection from the Dead and the Kingdom of God and of the Son of Man at his coming which is to succeed when (a) 1 Cor. 7.31 Psalm 102.26 2 Pet. 3. Psalm 104.30 Matth. 19.28 Acts 3.21 Rom. 8 19-24 Mather de Signo c. 2.5 Burnet 's Theory the Form Fashion and Disposition of the parts of this VVorld shall pass away and be changed upon its dissolution by fire and there shall be a Restitution Regeneration Delivery Redemption and Restauration of all things in the Natural as well as Moral VVorld into the Primitive State from which they had fallen by Sin 4 This is a very surprising confirmation of Doctor Burnet's Hypothesis viz. That the VVorld shall be restored to its Primitive Paradisiacal State in which there was no Sea and that the Sea shall be devoured by the Conflagration which latter is also alluded to by the Prophet Amos Chap. 7.4 where he supposes that Fire shall devour the great Deep of which it had already eaten up or devoured a part in Vision And the VVicked being separated by God from the Righteous now strictly united into one Body and living together in perfect Peace and Unity it seems to be very congruous there should be No Sea in that State which as it is the Type of unquiet multitudes so also is it an hinderance to the mutual communication of Men one with another And here it may be convenient to give a brief Account of the Series and Order of things according to Scripture from the Time of the Approach of Christ's Kingdom until the End and Delivery up of it to God 1. Antichrist will fall as soon as ever the Months of the Beast are expired and Mahometanism which was designed as a Scourge to it shall consequently afterwards cease to be a VVo to the Christian VVorld See Chapter 9 12.11 2 3 14. 2. The Jews also will be restored to their own Countrey after the fullfilling of the Times of the Gentiles i. e. at the End of Antichristian Times Matth. 21.24 3. There will be Days of Great Tribulation and immediately after them there will be many signs of Christ's coming and of the End of the VVorld and very great Preparations for the general Conflagration Matth. 24.3 29. Mather de Signo Filii Hominis Dr. Burnet's Theory B. 3. Chap. 10 11 12. 4. Then will appear some Extraordinary Sign of the Son of Man in Heaven upon which all the Tribes of the Earth shall mourn and the Son of Man shall be seen coming in the Clouds of Heaven Matth. 24.30 5. As soon as ever Christ shall appear the Dead will be raised and the Earth and Heavens of this present World will at the same time be dissolved by Fire in which the Wicked Living and Raised are punished (a) 2 Thes 1.8 9. 2 Pet. 3.7 Vengeance being to be taken on them and they suffering Perdition in and by this Conflagration of the Heavens and Earth which were kept in store and preserved by God for the perdition of ungodly men and that not only of the wicked men of that Generation which shall be then alive but of all who have died in their sins it being plain that our Saviour bids all of every Generation watch least that Day surprize them and that he supposes that Sodom and Gomorrah which were set forth for an Example of Eternal Fire should suffer again in the Day of Judgment and that all which repent not must perish (a) Luke 13.3 5. Matth. 11.24 Jude 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after the like manner with the Galileans and those on whom the Tower of Siloam fell that is by sudden Bodily Judgments which can happen to all impenitents only at this General Judgment by Fire 6. The whole Antichristian State will be utterly annihilated at the first appearance of Christ Satan will be bound for a Thousand Years and the Wicked will not be consumed in the Conflagration but having Bodies capable of undergoing it will be brought thereby into a state of Confinement and that as it were in the (b) See the Opinions of the Ancients about Limbus Patrum in Bp. Usher's answer to the Jesuit Ends and Corners of the New Earth during the
the Eastern Empire the Kingly Power being extinguished and Narses made Governour of it for Justinian about A.D. 553. who being removed from his Government after sixteen Years Administration of it Longinus was advanced to it under the Title of Exarch of Ravenna A. D. 569. When the Consuls entirely ceased and the Authority of the Senate was abolished and Rome the Mistress of the World became a Dutchy and was subject to Ravenna at which time also the Kingdom of the Lombards who came Originally from Scanzia into Pannonia began in Italy which lasted until A. D. 756. after which Charles the Great who beat the Lombards out of Italy was created Emperour of the Romans by Pope Leo Dec. 25. A. D. 800. all which time Rome was under the Government of the Papacy as we shall see hereafter 13 And I beheld and heard an Angel flying to denote speed thorow the midst of Heaven i. e. in the meridian height of it that he might be seen and heard of all saying with a loud voice audibly and terribly Wo 27 Wo Wo to the Inhabitants of the Earth by reason of the voices of the Trumpets of the three Angels which are yet to sound 27 Here the extreme Misery which the Empire was to suffer by the Saracens and Turks Chap. 9.12 and the Apstasy Chap. 11.14 is foretold Under the Angels in this Chapter are included according to an Observation frequently made all those Faithful Servants of Christ who witnessed to his Truths and against the Rising Antichristianism in the Church during the Time and Course of the Trumpets and of the preparation to the sounding of them Such were amongst many others 1. Gregory Nyssen who was a married Man and wrote an excellent (a) Dr. Cave's Lives of the Fathers Vol. 2. in the Append. pag. 45. Epistle against Pilgrimages to the Holy Land 2. Gregory (b) Dr. Cave Vol. 2. pag. 322 326. Nazianzen who was so mightily offended with the Quarrels and Contentions of Bishops and Councils that he refused to come to a Synod at Constantinople saying That Experience had sufficiently taught him how little good was to be expected from Synods and then resigned his Bishoprick which he said he knew not whether to stile a Tyrannical or an Archiepiscopal Dignity and testified against the excessive State Power and Honours of the Clergy freely (c) Tom. 1. pag. 61 62. Orat. 1. adv Julian confessing That the Mischiefs of the Church in his Time proceeded from thence 3 Ambrose who was a stout Defender of Discipline (d) Cave 's Lives pag. 409 410. exercising it even upon the Great Emperour Theodosius who with an extraordinary Meekness and Penitence submitted unto it 4. (e) Dr. Cressener's Demonstrat of the Apocal. in Append. pag. 13. Jerome Theodoret Andreas Caesariensis Arethas and others who plainly testifie That Rome was to be the Seat of Antichrist as does also (a) Cressener ibid pag. 30. Augustine and Chrysostom (a) Cressener ibid. pag. 30. who were excellent Witnesses to many great Truths in this Succession the former (b) Augustin Epist ad Januar. lib. 2. Ep. 55. complaining exceedingly of the encrease of Ceremonies in his Time and confessing that a more than Jewish Servitude was brought in by them which Expression gives light to the Reason why the prevaling party of this Succession is called the Synagogue of Satan Ch. 2.9 Although it must be confessed that these and the other Great Men of this Period of the Church contributed much to the encrease of its Corruptions which the best of Men may do when God permits such Deviations from the Simplicity of the Gospel to prevail and doth not withhold Men from being carried away with them by his more than ordinary Restraints 5. Salvian Gildas and the other Authors who wrote concerning the Invasions of the Barbarous Nations and lived in those Times do loudly testifie against the Vices and Corruptions of them as also Gregory the Great who was a most Eminent Witness of the Approach of Antichrist in his Time as will be shewn in the beginning of the Annotations on the next Chapter as were also all those Excellent Persons who testified during the fifth and sixth Trumpet against the Worship af Images and other Corruptions for which God brought these Woes upon the Church See the Protestants who have gathered Catalogues of Witnesses and the laborious Collections of Monsieur Allix in his Accounts of the Albigenses and Waldenses CHAP. IX The Text. 1 AND the fifth Angel sounded and I saw a Star i. e. an 1 Angel or Minister of the Church Rev. 1.20 fall or fallen from Heaven unto the Earth i. e. Apostatized from a Christian Church state to a worldly Kingdom and to him was given by the Order and Disposition of events according to God's all-wise Disposals the Key of the bottomless Pit i. e. a Satanical Kingdom and an Antichristian Authority Rev. 2.24 Annotations on CHAP. IX 1 Here the Papacy is described 1. Because that which appeared is said to be a Star which is the Symbol of the Gospel Ministry Chap. 1.20 2. It is said to be the Star that was fallen from Heaven which cannot refer to Mahomet who never had any Place in Heaven i. e. any Place or Dignity in the Church or any Dignity at all from which he might be said to have fallen 3 This Star is said to have fallen from Heaven to Earth and then to have a New Dignity bestowed upon him whereby it is evident that the fallen Star mentioned Chap 8.10 cannot be here understood because that Star fell upon the Waters this upon the Earth and that was a Comet this a Star which fell from one Power to another whereas the other was in a burning and consuming Condition bereft of all Power 4. This fallen Star is said to have the Keys of the bottomless Pit given unto him that is a Satanical Authority consisting of a Synagogue a Throne and Depths of Satan which being proper to the Apostasy especially the Papacy ought here also to be understood concerning it For as according to the Observation of Dr. (a) Apud Poli Synops in locum Lightfoot the Keys of Heaven were given to Peter when a Door of Salvation was to be opened to the Gentiles by his Preaching and Erecting the first Christian Church so when the Christian World was about to fall as it were into its former Gentilism the Key of the bottomless Pit was given to Antichrist 5. This Star is said to be already fallen at the time that the Pit was opened and the Locusts that is the Saracens came out of it Now the Rise of the Saracens is placed by all Historians in A.D. 622. when the Aera of the Hegira or Flight of Mahomet began and the Rise of Antichristianism in the Latin Church as to the Point of Supremacy is generally placed by Protestants Sixteen Years before it when Boniface the Third A. D. 606. took the Title of Vniversal Bishop and Head of
Resurrection Matth. 27 51.28 2. 43 Which is called Earth in this Prophecy 44 By 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be meant 1. The Tenth part of the City 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being understood and then it may denote Rome as under the Papacy which Mr. Mede supposes to be the Tenth part of Old Rome or rather because it is doubted whether Mr. Mede's Dimensions of Old and Modern Rome be exact some One most Notable Kingdom of the Ten into which the Western Roman Empire was divided as is observed on Chap. 17. Whereby the Kingdom of France may most peculiarly be denoted which was the Tenth part of the City that is the last of those Ten Kingdoms which arose out of the Ruines of the Roman Empire and gave their Power to the Beast as may be seen in the Catalogue of them given by the Judicious and Learned Author of the Book de (a) Pag. 17. Excidio Antichristi Or 2. By the Tenth of the City may rather be meant the whole Papal Jurisdiction called the Tenth because it is symbolized in Prophecy by Ten Toes Ten Horns Ten Kings united under the Papacy as will be shewn on Chap. 17. For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may signifie not the tenth part of the City but the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Decem-Principality the State of the Antichristian Jurisdiction or City after it came to have Ten Kings as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chap. 6.8 signifies not the fourth part of the Earth but the fourth Earthly Kingdom or Monarchy which is a Sense of the Phrase more comprehensive than the former and more suitable to the symbolical Genius of this Prophecy And it is said to fall that is to be ruined and destroyed in the Commotion as Babylon is said by the Prophets to be fallen or destroyed 45 In the Greek it is were slain Names of Men seven thousand By Names of Men as Dr. Moor observes may be meant Titles Dignities Offices and Orders of Men by which they are named and distinguished or the Men themselves who were Men of Name or Repute upon those and such like Accounts as Vile or Base Men on the contrary are called Men of No Name Job 30.8 And by seven Thousand of them being slain is meant that there shall be a Perfect Total and Solid Overthrow of the Popish Hierarchy and Jurisdiction which shall entirely be slain or cease to be what it was before which is signified by Seven a Perfect Number multiplied into a Thousand a Cubical Solid Number as 1 Kings 19.17 18. from whence this Expression is taken God saith that he had seven thousand left in Israel That is a perfect Number of pure Worshippers reserved entire in secret See Notes on Chap. 1 4. 7 4 5. 9 5. 20 4. 46 To give Glory to God is to confess their Faults and acknowledge the Righteousness and Justice of God in his Punishments as Achan did Josh 7. 19 20. and Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 4 34-37 and thereupon to Honour and Worship him after his own manner and to forsake their former Idolatry Rom. 1.21 25. 14 The second Wo 47 of the sixth Trumpet viz. Turkish Mahometism chap. 8 13 9 12 is past already and behold the third 47 Wo viz that of the sevenâ—h Trumpet upon Antichrianism chapters 14.15.16 cometh quickly 47 into event and execution after the second is past upon the sounding of the seventh Angel chap. 10 7. 11 15. 47 The First Wo is that of the Locusts or Saracens the Second of the Horsemen of Euphrates or the Turkish Mahometans the Third is the Wo of the seventh Trumpet or Angel upon Antichristianism which is largely related in some of the following Chapters And in this Verse is plainly asserted 1. That during or rather after the Earthquake and the Effects of it upon the Ascent of the VVitnesses into Heaven the second Wo or Turkish Mahometism should pass off and that more particularly from the Grecian Churches and their Empire or Imperial Seat For it is here said after the Vision of those Events that the second Wo is past that is it was then past in Vision and consequently was to pass off in the Event and Completion at the time immediately following the fulfilling of the foregoing Vision 2. That the Third Wo of the seventh Angel upon Antichristianism was to follow quickly upon the passing off of the second VVo that is upon its ceasing to be a Wo or a Scourge to Antichristianism for which End it was designed by God who will then inflict Woes of another Nature upon them And 3. That the Effects of the seventh Trumpet shall not take up any long time in their accomplishing but shall be performed with speed and of a sudden which may perhaps be the meaning of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for as a Judicious Person hath acutely observed the sixth Trumpet comes immediately after the Fifth as well as the seventh after the sixth and therefore it cannot be distinguished from the others by its immediate Succession which is common to them all but by the speed of its Motions and the quickness of its Events 15 And the seventh 48 Angel sounded and there were great or loud voices of acknowledgment of the Kingdom of Christ and of Thanksgiving for it in Heaven or in the Heavenly pure state of the Christian Church num 41. saying The Kingdoms of this World are becometh Kingdoms of our Lord God the Father and of his Son Christ and he shall reign for ever 49 and ever Dan. 2 44. 7 14 18 26 27. 48 Seven is a Number of Perfection and hath a reference in this Vision to the Kingdom of Christ which is here foretold should come upon the sounding of the seventh Angel and is to consist not in destroying but in reducing the Kingdoms of this World that is the several Civil Governments of it to a Constitution suitable to Christ's Gospel whereby they become his Kingdoms and in Christ's Reign over these Kingdoms thus modelled which shall be for ever and ever That is to the End of all succeeding time here upon Earth no other Empire or Kingdom being to succeed it 1 Cor. 15 24-29 But of this we shall have Opportunity to discourse more fully hereafter or the three last Chapters 49 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (a) Dr. Hammond on Matth. 24.3 and Luke 1.70 signifies in Scripture an Age of the VVorld or some eminent Period of it more particularly that of the Jewish Church and State and therefore by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seems here to be denoted the End of all the Periods or Divisions of Time consummated in that of the Messias which is called the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 VVorld or Age to come by the Jews 16 And the four and twenty 50 Elders or representatives of the Jewish Church chap. 4. 4 9 10 which sat before God on their seats in a posture of Authority as being to reign with Christ yet fell upon their Faces with great humility and reverence and worshipped God
upon this happy and glorious change of things 50 Here is an Acknowledgment of Praise and Thanksgiving to God according to the usual manner in this Prophecy as hath been before frequently observed and that made by the Twenty Four Elders the Representatives of the Jewish Church and by Voices in the former Verse which perhaps proceeded from the Four Living Creatures who are the Voices or Speakers in the sixth Chapter 17 Saying We give thee thanks O God Almighty which art and wast and art to come i. e. the Eternal Jehovah because thou hast taken 51 unto thee thy great or extraordinary power which hath been hitherto usurped by Satan Mahometism Antichistianism and the wicked Powers of this World and hâ—th reigned visibly and powerfully in Truth and Judgment without any rival 51 Here is declared the Succession of Christ's Kingdom as it is the manner to proclaim the Succession of Princes 18 And or although 52 the Nations or Gentiles that is the Paganizing Christians verse 2. were angry for being cast out of the visible Church which they had defiled and usurped verse 2. Psal 2. and 99.1 and or but 52 thy wrath 53 is come or is ready to be poured forth and executed upon the living and the time of the Dead is come that they should be Judged both good and bad according to their Deeds and that thou shouldst in that time of Judgment give reward unto thy Servants the Prophets or Witnesses of the Jewish Church or Ministers Dan. 12.3 and to the Saints or eminently holy Persons of the Christian Church and to all them that fear thy Name in every Nation according to the light and talents God hath given them Acts 10.2 34 35. small and great in Office or Graces who shall be rewarded according to what they have received and the use they have made of it Mat. 25. and shouldst destroy them of all sorts which destroy or corrupt the Earth by their Tyranny Wickedness and Antichristian Apostasy 52 In both these Senses the Article is used in Scripture according to its Acceptation in the Hebrew of the Old Testament Gen. 15 10.17 5. Job 17.10 Jerem. 11.17 and in several other places 53 This Verse relates to the Time of Trouble mentioned Dan. 12.1 and the great Battle Rev. 16. and the Resurrection and Judgment mentioned in the last Chapters which shall be particularly discoursed of in their proper places 19 And the Temple of God i. e. his pure Worship was opened in Heaven i. e. became visible in the Church and there was now seen in his Temple which before was measured sealed and shut up verse 2. the Ark 54 of his Testament i. e. the greatest Mysteries of Religion which were before obscured by Antichristianism were most clearly made known and there were lightnings and voices and thundrings and an Earthquake and great hail i. e. high and clear Manifestations and signs of Christ's Kingdom Mat. 24 Rev. 4 5.8 5. 54 The Ark of the (a) Numb 4.5 20. 1 Sam. 6.19 Exod. 25. Testament was always kept secret and covered and was to be seen only by the High Priest once a year whereby the Mysteries of Religion are Typified which the Angels desire to look into and were not Revealed unto them but by the Church 1 Peter 1.12 Ephes 3.10 Now these Mysteries called here the Ark of His that is Christ's Testament or New Covenant which were mightily obscured and perverted under the Reign of Antichristianism appear opened that is clearly manifested unto all Jews as well as Christians now united into One Body from whom also they had been for a long time hid by Types and Veils and a Judicial Blindness 1 Cor. 3 13-16 Rom. 11.25 Which Temple here opened and the Ark seen it are more fully and largely prophesied of by Ezekiel from Chapter the 40th to the End of his Prophecy CHAP. XII The Text. 1 AND * there appeared in vision a great wonder or prodigious sign portending great things in Heaven †or in the pure Primitive Church State a Woman i. e. the Church the Spouse of Christ Isa 54.1 2 Cor. 11.2 Eph. 5.32 cloathed or Environed wich the Sun beams shining all about her i. e. full of Communications of Glory Purity and Holiness from Christ the Sun of Righteousness Malac. 4.2 and the Moon 1 i. e. Antichristianism under her feet i. e. in comtempt and in subjection to her and upon her Head a Crown 2 of twelve 3 Stars representing the twelve Apostles chap. 1.20 Annotations on CHAP. XII * The Beast having been but just mentioned in the former Chapter Verse 7. the Holy Spirit doth here according to the Custom of Scripture which takes occasion from the bare mention of a thing to give a larger Account of it begin to set forth who he was and from whence he had his Original and how he came to be so powerful as to make War with and kill the Witnesses which Subject is prosecuted in this the following and the seventeenth Chapter And here we may observe that the Vision of the VVoman is Cotemporary with the Fifth Seal Chap. 6.9 when the pangs of Persecution were at the heighth the Child being brought forth in the Christian Empire in the next Seal †Heaven as hath been cursorily observed on Chap. 11.12 num 41. is not to be understood always in this Book only and perhaps not primarily of the Church-State on Earth but of the Archetype or State of it now in Heaven there seeming to be in Heaven a Kingdom of Christ and an Heavenly Tabernacle and Sanctuary which is an Archetypal and Exemplar State of what is to be performed on Earth in the Church Whereupon a Door was opened to John in Heaven Chap. 4 1. and the Temple of God was opened in Heaven Chap. 11.19 Which Interpretation will be much strengthned by a due Consideration of Hebr. 9. where the Apostle distinguishes betwixt a VVorldly (a) See Grotius on Heb. 9. and Mr. Dodwell of One Altar Sanctuary and a Heavenly one and calls the Jewish a pattern of things in the Heavens And there is also in this Book a Consessus Synedrium or Seat of Judgment in Heaven described in the Fourth and Fifth Chapters before which Satan as God and Prince of this VVorld was as it were tryed and after his Accusation of God's Servants and Defence of himself adjudged to be cast from the power of Godship which he had in those parts of the World which are concerned in this Prophecy Whereupon there is Joy in Heaven verse 12. upon the Brethrens being acquitted upon Satan's Fall from the Rule he had by God's Justice over the wicked World the Glory which accrued to God by his Wise and Holy Administrations and the present Advance of Christ's Kingdom Upon the increase of which the Saints may receive increase of Glory in that Heavenly Tabernacle which shall come down from Heaven in the New Jerusalem State 1 Worldly things because of their Mutability may be reprseented by the
amongst the Branches of the River Nile ready to devour the Israelites as the Dragon here stood before the Woman to devour her Child And here the Paucity and Obscurity of the Members of the pure Church upon the Growth and Increase of Antichristianism after the Empire became Christian is set forth by a Wilderness state or condition which is an obscure and retired but a safe (a) See Dr. Pocock on Hos 2.14 one to which Men betake themselves when they are threatned and pursued by Enemies as the Israelites in the persecution of Antiochus 1 Maccab. 2. 28 31. when the Gentiles had prophaned the Sanctuary fled into the Mountains and into the secret places of the Wilderness And yet as when the Israelites fled from Pharaoh into the Wilderness they soon murmured and apostatized from God so was the Church no sooner delivered from the persecutions of the Pagan Empire but the Antichristian and Paganizing Apostacy began to increase amidst which yet the pure Church was preserved although small in Number and in an obscure condition as the few true Israelites were amongst the Numerous Apostatizing ones in the Wilderness who were corrupted (b) Exod. 12.38 Numb 11.4 by the mixt Multitude of Idolaters who went up with them out of Aegypt as the Christian Church was by the Converted Pagans * This by a frequent Hebraism may signifie no more than that she shall be fed ot nourished as the Phrase is explained at the 14 verse But perhaps hereby may be meant the Two Witnesses from whom the Woman only differs as the Vniversal doth from all its Particulars or the Body from its Members taken collectively by whom the Church may be said to be preserved and maintained because of their Preaching the Word of God and distributing the hidden Manna as the Israelites were fed in the Wilderness with Manna and miraculous Food by the Hands of Moses and Aaron Two Old Testament Witnesses Numb 33.1 Psalm 77 20.78 52. 19 The Witnesses chap. 11.3 and the Woman have the same number of Days assigned them as being not really different one from the other only the Woman or Church in general is to be understood as the Mother and the Witnesses as the Seed and Children begotten as it were in the Womb of the Church in which they were Baptized and Regenerated And here it is fit to be observed 1. That a Day began first to be reckoned for a Year in the Wilderness Numb 14.34 whereby the like reckoning of a Day for a Year in this place is much enforced 2. That there were but just Forty Two Encampments of the Children of Israel in the Wilderness reckoned up in the 33d Chap. of Numbers whereby may be fitly typified the Forty Two Months of the Gentiles and the Twelve hundred and sixty days of the Woman which differ only as Solar and Lunar time do one from another as hath been shewn on the former Chapter sojourning together in the Wilderness as the Few true Israelites did with the Numerous Apostatizing ones in a latent obscure and almost invisible manner 3 From hence also may be illustrated the Epocha or beginning of the Twelve hundred and sixty days from A.D. 437. For as the (a) Exod. 12.40 Gal. 3.17 Israelites went out from Pharaoh into the Wilderness at the End of Four hundred and thirty years from the Promise and the Covenant renewed by Sacrifice so in correspondence to its Type may the Christian Church be well thought to have fled from the Dragon Antichristianizing the Church about the same time from Christ's coming to give the Promise of Salvation and to enact the New Covenant by the Sacrifice of himself upon the Cross 7 And there was War 20 i. e. enmity and opposition Eph. 6.12 in Heaven 21 and in the Christian Church and Empire Michael i. e. Christ Dan. 10.13 21.12 1. and his Angels i. e. the Christians in the Empire fought 22 against i. e. opposed and resisted the Dragon i e. the Devil and Paganism and the Dragon Fought to hinder the progress of Christianity and his 23 Angels i. e. the Pagans in the Empire 20 There has been always an Enmity betwixt the good and the bad in the Church the latter persecuting the former as Cain did Abel and Ishmael Isaac from whence the Apostle dates the Persecution of the Church the Woman with her Children and the Mother of us all Gal. 4 22-31 So that the Four hundred Years Affliction of Israel Gen. 15.13 may be very well dated from about that time 21 The Christian Church is vety appositely called by the Apostle Gal. 4.26 Jerusalem which is above or the heavenly Jerusalem by which also may be signified the Archetypal Church or Kingdom in Heaven mentioned on Verse 1. in the Administration of which there is something like a VVar betwixt good and bad Angels who are represented as fighting in Scripture Dan. 10.13 20 21. But here seemeth also to be pointed out unto us the downfall of Paganism in the Empire which had its deadly Blow given it by Theodosius the Great as hath been before observed Whence it also follows that this War is Contemporary with the Times of Constantine and Theodosius 22 An Expression taken from Dan. 10.13 20. 23 Such were Licinius Julian Argobastes and Eugenius the Roman Senate and all other Opposers of Christianity in the Empire 8 And prevailed not i. e. they were conquered and subdued neither was their place found any more in Heaven i. e. Paganism was cast out of the Church and Empire and lost all its power and Authority in it as being adjudged by him that sitteth on the Throne to have no longer continuance in it See num 1. and 21. 9 And the great Dragon was cast out of Heaven by Divine Sentence and out of the Christian Church and Empire that old Serpen i. e. cunning and subtile who had been used to deceit ever since the time of our first Parents Gen. 3. called the Devil i. e. the slanderer and calumniator of God to Men and of Men to God and Satan i. e. the Adversary and Accuser of Christians Job 1.9 Zech. 3.1 2. which deceiveth the whole World into Idolatry and Wickedness 1 John 5.19 he was cast out of a state of rule and dominion and reputed Godship in the Pagan Empire into the * Earth i. e. into a mean condition in respect of his former state and to rule in the Hearts of Earthly minded Men and of the Apostatizing part of the Church and his Angels i. e. his Agents and Instruments were cast out with him i. e. Paganism was destroyed in the Empire now become Christian * The State and Condition of the Dragon under Antichristian Idolatry may be very well express'd by his being cast from Heaven to Earth because Polytheism or the VVorship of many Gods being extirpated at the Overthrow of Paganism he was no more worshipped as a God in the Empire and the Worship of Saints and Angels succeeded to it an Idolatry inferiour to
were advanced unto and withal an open profession of the Witnesses on Earth that they were God's true Soldiers and Servants who used to (a) See Mr. Mede on the place and Grotius be marked in the Forehead and not marked Slaves of the Beast And by the mention of Christ's Sealed Number in this place is intimated the great difference there will be in the Issue and Event of Things betwixt Christ's Servants appearing thus in Glory and the marked Servants of the Beast just beforementioned in the former Chapter and withal according to that known Rule That Opposites when placed near one another illustrate each other hereby is much established the Interpretation of the Number of 666. there given 12 the Root of 144000. being an Anti-Number to 25 the Mark of the Beast signifying an Apostolical Body of Witnesses as that does an Anti-Apostolical one See the Notes on Chap. 7. num 9. and on Chap. 13.18 2 And I heard a Voice 4 from Heaven as the Voice of many Waters i. e. a loud and powerful one Chap. 1. 15. and as the Voice of a great 4 Thunder i. e. Terrible Chap. 4 5. 6 1. 10 3. and I heard the Voice of 4 Harpers harping with their Harps i. e. there was a great and powerful Appearance of Christ's Kingdom Chap. 11.15 4 4 4 Voices Thunder called so frequently Psalm 29. and in other places the Voice of God Musick and Singing are the constant Forerunners and Attendants of Christ's Kingdom as hath been frequently observed And it seems to me that this Vision relates to the Appearance of Christ's Kingdom upon the sounding of the seventh Angel when there were great (a) See Grot. on Rev. 5.8 Voices heard in Heaven saying the Kingdoms of the World are become the Kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ and that it is Synchronous and contemporary with it it being very rational that the seven loud Voices so audibly heard in order in this Chapter should be no other than the Voices of the Seven Thunders mentioned Chap. 10 3-8 now unsealed or opened which were then sealed and not to be written or come into Event until the days of the Voice of the seventh Angel And here it may be observed that by the Voices and Musick is not only represented an Appearance of Christ's Kingdom upon Earth but that also they signifie the Joy which is in Heaven and in the Heavenly Tabernacle upon the Exaltation of Christ's Kingdom For if there be Joy in Heaven upon the Conversion of a Sinner it may well be supposed to be there also upon the great Advancements of Christ's Kingdom upon Earth And amongst all the Musick of the Temple perhaps (a) See Grot. on Rev. 5.8 Harps are here more particularly mentioned Because it is the Musical Instrument of Praise and Thanksgiving which was wont to be made use of in setting forth Great and Extraordinary Actions and was the particular Instrument which David was eminently skilled in and which was the occasion of his being brought to Court and fitted for the Kingdom which was the Type of Christ's Kingdom here represented And Thunder also may be here mentioned to shew that the seven Voices of this Vision were the several Openings or Vnsealings of the seven Thunders which were sealed Chap. 10.4 3 And they sung as it were a New Song i. e. the Song of Redemption by Christ's Blood alone which seemed to be New because it had not been taught nor heard openly during the Apostasy See Chap. 5.9 before the Throne of God Chap. 4. and before the Four Beasts or Living Creatures Chap. 4.6 and the Elders Chap. 4.4 i. e. the Doctrine of Redemption and those who sung and had taught it in the Church whilst they were upon Earth were approved of by God and the Divine Consistory which all along in this Prophecy appears as passing Judgment upon the Actions represented in it See Chap. 4.1 pag. 70. and no man could learn that Song but the Hundred Forty and Four Thousand i. e. none could fully understand and experience the Doctrine taught in that Song but those true Christ ans which were redeemed i. e. rescued and delivered by the Blood of Christ alone from the Earth i. e. from the Corruptions of Antichristianism 4 These are they which are not defiled with Whorish Women i. e. were not Members of Idolatrous Churches Ezek. 23. See Rev. 17.1 for they are Virgins and not Prostitutes as Jezebel and the Whore Chap. 17. and had kept themselves pure from all Idolatry and Antichristian Pollutions Psalm 45.14 Canticl 1.3 2 Cor. 11.2 these are they which 5 follow the Lamb wheresoever he goeth i. e. were the Faithful Disciples of Christ and are now his more Immediate Attendants in the Heavenly State of his Kingdom here represented these were 6 redeemed from 7 among men being the first 7 fruits unto God and to the Lamb i. e. the choicest Members of his Church and the first partakers of the Glory of his Kingdom 5 A Metaphor taken from those Officers who are the constant Attendants of Princes or from the Disciples of Prophets concerning whom this Phrase is used in (a) Matth. 8.19 Luke 9.57 Scripture or rather from the Virgins the Companions of the Bride and Bridegroom Psalm 45.14 Matth. 25. Christ's Kingdom being likened to a Marriage-Supper Chap. 19.9 and his Attendants as a Bridegroom to Virgins Matth. 25. who are also the Chorus to the Marriage-Song of his Kingdom in the Book of Canticles And they are mentioned in opposition to the Followers and Worshippers of the Beast 6 As the First-born were wont to be under the Law Exod. 13 13.22 29. 7 First Fruits (b) Exod. 22.29 Numb 18.16 Jerem. 2.3 Zech. 2.12 James 1.18 See Mede on the place and the Commentators on these Texts were the First and the Choicest Offerings and whatsoever was separated from Prophane Vses to Holy ones Whereby is signified 1. The First Church of Choice Holy and Pure Christians which shall appear at the expiring of the Times of the Beast upon the first Succession of Christ into his Kingdom when as hath been before shewn on Chap. 10. num 13. the Thirty Years in Daniel which make the 1260 Years to amount to 1290. are to begin in the full and entire Resurrection of the Witnesses Who are said here to be redeemed by the Lamb or Christ alone in opposition to their own and others Merits and Antichristian Pardons and Indulgences and that from among Men i. e. from out of the World or the common State of Mankind or rather from the Antichristian Men of the Earth those Merchants Chap. 18 11-13 who bought and sold Men and Souls 2. Because in this Vision there is described not only the State of Christ's Church and Kingdom upon Earth but also the State of the Archetypal Kingdom in Heaven Hereby is also represented the first Glorious Appearance of the Members of it the Witnesses departed in the Lord who have the priviledge to be the
and gather by raising them the clusters of the 38 Vine of the Earth i. e. the Children of the Wicked one Matth. 13.30 38 41 49 50. Joel 3.13 Deut. 32.32 for her Grapes are fully ripe for Destruction 37 It is the Opinion of Dr. Lightfoot That here is an Allusion to a Custom amongst the Jews who were not wont to put in the Sickle until the Priests who sate in the Temple gave Order and Command for it But I presume the Reason given in the Paraphrase to be more apposite 38 The Wicked and the Antichristian Church are represented by an Earthly Vine whose Clusters and Grapes are bitter like the Vine of Sodom and Gomorrah Deut. 32.32 33 as the True Church and the Righteous Members of it are by the Vine of the Lord and of Christ Isaiah 5. Psalm 80. John 15. Now if the Reaping of the Harvest signifies the Gathering of the Saints at the First Resurrection then the Gathering of the Vintage must signifie the Resurrection of the Wicked to whom it is expresly referred by the Prophet Joel Chap. 3.13 Concerning which see what is discoursed on the Three last Chapters 19 And the Angel thrust in his Sickle into the Earth and gathered the Vine of the Earth and cast it into the great Winepress of the Wrath of God i. e. into exquisite Torments 20 And the Winepress was trodden i. e. these Judgments were executed without 39 the City of the New Jerusalem Chap. 21.2 Isa 66.24 in the Valley of Decision Joel 3 2 12 14. Rev. 16.16 and blood came out of the Winepress even to the Horses Bridles i. e. the Destruction was very bloody and apparent to them with Christ on White Horses Rev. 19.14 by the space of a thousand and six 40 hundred furlongs i. e. it was Universal Joel 3.2 Rev. 16.14 30 The New Jerusalem the beloved City the Camp of the Saints which they came to compass Rev. 20.9 but could not enter being discomfited in a place without it called Jehoshaphat by Joel whereby is signified that Gods Judgments shall be executed upon them which is the meaning of the Word Jehoshaphat in the places to which the Wicked shall be confined by God during the Thousand years of the New Jerusalem 40 Four the Square (a) Four times four hundred amount to sixteen hundred Root of 1600 is a Symbol of Vniversality taken from the Four Corners or Winds of Heaven which denote the whole Heaven and the whole Earth in Scripture and perhaps also upon other Pythagorical and Cabbalistical Reasons which may be seen in Dr. Moor's Commentary on this place And here is to be noted what a Learned Friend suggested unto me That Four being a Square Number and Furlongs being the Measure of the Four Square City the New Jerusalem Chap. 21.16 Hereby may be fitly signified that this Vengeance described here as a Four square one if I may so speak coming out of the Four square City was not only Vniversal in the Four Quarters or utmost Corners of the Earth the Seat of the Wicked Nations Revel 20.8 but also Perfect and Regular as a Four-square City is agreeable to God's Holy and Righteous Admensurations of Justice towards All Men the Wicked as well as the Saints CHAP. XV. The Text. 1 AND I saw in Vision another sign or (a) Matth. 16.1 prodigious appearance more 1 wonderful than the former seen Chap. 12.1 in 2 Heaven great and marvellous for the Events signified by it 3 seven Angels the immediate Ministers of this Judgment having in their Vials Verse 7. the seven 4 last plagues or Judgments for in them is filled up or finished the wrath of God and therefore they are the last Annotations on CHAP. XV. 1 For in the former Paganism fell and the Kingdom was only adjudged to Christ but in this Antichristianism falls and the glorious Kingdom of Christ it self appears whereas there was before only an Emblem of it upon Earth which being a State of things more perfect than the former is here called not only a great but a marvellous Portent 2 Three things in this Prophecy are more particularly seen as in Heaven 1. The Divine Court of Judicature or Grand Synedrium Chap. 4. 2. The Downfal of Paganism and the Appearance of the Christian Empire Chap. 12.1 3. The present Judgment upon Antichristianism All of them referring to the Kingdom of Christ in the New Jerusalem but this to an high State of it now approaching 3 The Sabbatick Number of Seven is all along used in this Prophecy to shew that the End and Issue of all things in it is with respect to Christ's Kingdom at the Seventh Thousand Year of the World as hath been before observed 4 Hence we may note 1. That these Plagues relate to the Seventh Trumpet out of which they must issue because they are the last Plagues and that the last We at the first sounding of which the Wrath of God came Chap. 11.18 which is by these Plagues filled up or accomplished 2. That the last Plagues must refer to the last Division of Time in Daniel Chap. 12.12 to wit the last Forty Five Years which being added to the Twelve Hundred and Sixty Years make them up the One Thousand Three Hundred and Thirty Five Days of Years there mentioned 3. That the last Portion of Apocalyptick Time necessarily supposes that there is a constant Order or Connexion of Time in this Book from First to Last viz. from the First Seal to the Seventh and Last Trumpet out of which first the Voices and then the Vials issue which are the Last Plagues after which according to Daniel the Blessed State of Christ's Kingdom in Glory begins until when none could enter the Temple Verse 8. 2 And I saw as it were a Sea of Glass representing the pure State of the Church and Kingdom See on Chap. 4.6 mingled with 5 Fire to denote the Fiery Indignation of God to be poured out of the Vials and them that had gotten the Victory over the Beat and over his Image and over his Mark and over the Number of his Name i. e. who had overcome and escaped out of the Temptations of the Antichristian Profession See Chap. 13 15-18 14 11. stand 6 on the Sea of Glass in a Posture and State of Victory and happy Security from the Vengeance of the Vials having the 7 Harps of God i. e. most Excellent Holy and Heavenly Musick with Joyful and Thankful Hearts 5 This has a reference to the Red Sea through which the Israelites passed being made up as it were of the Christalline Sea Chap. 4.6 and the Red Sea Exod. 14. this Verse and some others in this Chapter containing an Allusion to that Memorable Story 6 As the Israelites Exod. 14.29 30. stood on the shote of the Red Sea in safety viewing the Overthrow of the Aegyptians the Type of the Antichristian Party for to stand on the Sea signifies to stand on the shore of it 1 Kings 4.20 Exod. 15.22 Whereby
Candle shall shine no more at all in thee i. e. thou shalt be perpetual Darkness and Desolation without the least comfort Jer. 25.10 and the Voice of the Bridegroom and of the Bride shall be heard no more at all in thee i. e thy Polity and Society shall be no more propagated but shall utterly cease together with all the Joy of thy former Solemnities and Festivities Jerem. 7 34.16 9. and all this shall come upon thee for or because thy Merchants who proselyrted Souls to their destruction and made Gain of Godliness were the great 21 men of the Earth i. e. were Lordly Worldly Ambitious and Sensual and also because or for by thy Sorceries i. e. Idolatry and Superstition were all Nations deceived 21 See on Chap. 6.15 It is an Expression taken from Isa 23.8 where it relates to the Merchants of Tyre a Crowning or Imperial City and a Type of the Antichristian City whose Worldly and Ambitious Clergy are here signified 24 And in her was also found the guilt of the blood of Prophets or Witnesses and of Saints or Holy Persons and of all 22 that were slain upon the Earth i. e. she was found guilty of Persecution and Bloodshed as well as Idolatry and all which had been shed during the Times of Christianity was laid to her charge because she was the Off-spring of Persecuting Parents had approved her Fore-fathers wicked Deeds and had filled up the measure of their iniquities Jerem. 2.34 Matth 23.29 39. 22 This is to be understood in the sense our Saviour uses the like Expression concerning Jerusalem upon whom he charges all the Blood that had been spilt from Abel Matth. 23 29-39 See also Zech. 5 5-11 where the Land of Shinar or Babylon is represented as having the House and Basis or Foundation of all Wickedness in it as if she had been guilty of all manner of sins and all sinners were to be punished in the Lake of her Burnings See Note 19. CHAP. XIX The Text. 1 AND after 1 these things i.e. the things seen in the precedent Chapter I heard a great Voice of much people in Heaven i. e. of the innumerable Company which stands before the Throne and before the Lamb Chap. 7.9 saying 2 Alleluja i. e. Praise ye the Lord Salvation from all evils especially those suffered under Antichristianity and Glory and Honour and Power be ascribed unto the Lord our God and to him alone for he is the sole Author of all good Annotations on CHAP. XIX 1 From the First to the Tenth Verse there is a Vision of a Triumphant and Joyful Appearance in Heaven for the Judgment upon the great Whore described in the Two preceeding Chapters and for the Marriage of the Lamb and the near Approach of his Glorious Kingdom 2 This Word is first used Psalm 104.35 to express the Psalmist's Joy upon the prospect of the Accomplishment of his Prediction or Desire that sinners might be consumed out of the Earth And it is here also made use of accordingly upon the Judgment executed upon Antichrist God's Chief Enemy and upon a prospect of the Old Earth's being utterly consumed together with the wicked people of it and a New Earth's succeeding in its place 2 For true and righteous are his Judgements and therefore is he to be praised for he hath judged and punished the great whore or the Idolatrous City and Church which did corrupt and destroy Jerem. 51.25 the Earth with her Fornication or Idolatry and hath avenged the Blood of her servants at her hand i. e. hath rewarded her abundantly according to her demerits for shedding the blood of his Faithful Witnesses and Servants chap 18. 20. 3 And again or the second time they said Alleluja to testifie their Joy upon the sight of the smoke the sign and token of her everlasting burnings And her smoke rose up or was then in its ascent and that for ever and ever i.e. she was punnished with an everlasting Destruction 4 And the four and twenty Elders 3 and the Beasts i e. the representatives of the Jewish and Christian Church chap. 4. fell down and worshipped God that sat on the Throne saying Amen Allelujah i. e. there was a very great appearance and manifestation of Christ's glorious Kingdom and the justice of God's Judgments was acknowledged with Praise and Thanksgiving 3 The Elders of the Church of Israel are placed first in this Appearance of the Divine Confessus or Sanhedrim from whence it may be concluded that this was a Vision of the New Jerusalem-State in which the Israelites as the First Born are to have the Preheminence who according to all Prophecy and Rom. 11. are to be converted and restored to their own Land as hath been before observed And perhaps for this Reason also is the Hebrew word Allelujah here retained 5 And a voice 4 came out of the midst of the Throne from Christ See chap. 5 6. 7 17. saying by way of holy Excitement and Encouragement praise our God my God as well as yours John 20.17 Rev. 3.12 all ye his Servants and ye that fear and worship him both small and great i. e. of whatsoever Nation Quality and Condition ye are for God is no respecter of Persons Psalm 115.11 13. Acts 2 5.10 34 35. Gal. 3.28 4 This Voice seemes to be an Heavenly Excitement to all the Saints upon Earth Gentiles and Jews small and great of all Nations now converted to joyn with the Heavenly Assembly in rendring Praises to God 6 And immediately upon this efficacious Exhortation from out of the Throne I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude and as the voice of many waters and as the voice of mighty Thundrings i. e. there was a mighty appearance of Christ's Kingdom and powerful Communications from the Heavenly Throne to all his Servants upon Earth that fear'd him and Heaven and Earth joyned in praises saying Alleluja for the Lord 5 God Omnipotent now reigneth and that Gloriously Isa 4.23 5 These Words are taken from Isaiah 24 21-23 where it is prophesied That the Lord God of Hosts or the Lord God Omnipotent should Reign in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem and before his Ancients or Elders of the Christian Church and that Gloriously after he had punished and shut up in Prison the Kings of the Earth Which is a clear Proof that the Reign of God here mentioned has a Respect to the Reign and Kingdom of Christ after the punishment of the wicked Kings and Nations of the Earth Chap. 20. 7 Let us be glad and rejoyce exceedingly and give honour or praise Luke 17.18 to him alone For the Marriage 6 of the Lamb Christ with his Church 2. Cor. 11.2 Eph. 5.32 is now actually come in and by the coming of his Kingdom Psalm 45. Matt. 22 11.25 1-13 Luke 12.36 and his Wife hath made her self ready i. e. the new Jerusalem state is now coming down from God out of Heaven Rev. 21.2 6 Christ is represented frequently (a)
side of the River was there the 5 Tree of Life i. e. this was a Paradisiacal State in which the Saints raised and changed could dye no more but were made equal to the Angels Luke 20.36 1 Cor. 15. which bare Twelve manner of Fruits i. e. afforded perfect 6 Pleasures and Consolations to this 6 Apostolical Israelitism and yeilded her Fruit every Month i. e. Variety and Fullness of Joy for 7 evermore Psalm 1. and 16 11.92 12 14. Ezek. 47.7 12. and the 8 Leaves of the Tree were for the healing of the Nations of the saved who were to walk in the Light of the New Jerusalem State that is the Living Saints were to be preserved during the Thousand Years in Bodies changed which should afterwards be made incorruptible See on Chap. 20. and 21.24 5 Or A Tree of Life viz. one on each side at just and convenient distances for they were very many as appears from Ezek. 47.7 12. and from the Expression here used at the Bank of the River on the one side and on the other and yet they are here represented as One Tree because they were all of One Kind viz. of the same kind with the Tree of Life in the midst of Paradise by which Life was Sacramentally conveyed to our first Parents and a Symbol was given of the Immortality of the renewed Paradisiacal State of Christ's Kingdom 6 For the Number Twelve is a Symbol of Perfection of Apostolicalness and of the True Israel of God now united into one Body in this State 7 The Year being the measure of all Time bearing Fruit as oft as there be Months in the Year must needs signifie the continual constant fruitfulness of it Dr. Hammond on the place 8 The (a) Ezek. 47.12 to which place this Verse alludes Fruit of this Tree is for Meat i. e. for solid Nourishment and ordinary Food but the Leaves of it are only for medicine or healing from whence it follows that the Nations here mentioned had some Remains of Corruptibility left which required Care and needed Preservation by Medicines by which is admirably set forth the different State of the raised Saints caught up immediately to Christ into a State of Incorruptibility and that of the living Saints on Earth the very Nations mentioned Chap. 21 24 26. whose Bodies are only changed but not made incorruptible at first as hath been (b) 451 452. already frequently observed and therefore are represented as living indeed Chap. 20.6 but with some Principle of Corruptibility in them which stood in need of Healing whereas the Dead Saints being raised to a Life of Incorruptibility are very aptly represented as fed and nourished with the very Fruit of she Tree of Life that is by immediate Communications of Incorruptibility from God and Christ who is Life John 1 4.5 26. and Chap. 6. 3 And there shall be no more curse or no Effects of Sin in this New Paradise as there were in the first Gen. 3.14 c. but the Throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in 9 it by glorious Manifestations and Communications and his 16 Servants which were sealed See Chap. 7.4 shall serve him perfectly in this State and never fall from it as our first Parents did but shall be Kings and Priests to God for ever 9 This whole City or State as well that on Earth as in the Heavens shall be replenished with Communications from the Throne of God and of the Lamb which shall be in the City on the New Earth by its Light shining on it from the New Heaven Chap. 21.24 10 This Relative Particle respects both God and the Lamb and yet is of the Singular Number to shew the Vnity of the Godhead and the Equality of the Father and the Son the Lamb as one with the Eternal Word 4 And they shall see his Face i. e. partake of the Nature and Glory of God and of Christ Matth. 5.8 1 Cor. 13.12 1 John 3.2 and his Name shall be in their Foreheads i. e. they shall be manifestly known to be his Servants who were wont to be marked on the Forehead and they shall be Holiness to the Lord according to the Inscription on the High-Priests â—râ—ntlet See the Notes on Chap. 7 3 4.14 1. 5 And there shall be 10 no night there i. e. no impuriâ—â— and 〈◊〉 interruption of Happiness and Comfort â—sâ—lâ— â—6 ◠〈◊〉 Johâ— â— 5 6 7. and they need no Candle 〈…〉 â—ither â—ighâ—â—f the Sun i. e. no Natural Light of which the Sun is the Fountain for the Lord God giveth them Light i. e. affoâ—deth them hiâ— glorious Presence and Consolations and thâ—◠〈…〉 for ever and ever i. e. after the Thousand Years Mâ—diâ—â—oâ—y Kingdom they shall reign with Christ for ever in the highest Heavens for Christ's Kingdom is an Eternal Kingdom and of it there shall be no end Luke 1.33 See Chap. 3 21.5 10.20 4 6. 10 This and the foregoing Verses contain a Repetition of what had been said before either by way of (a) Gen. 41.32 â—hil 3.1 Assurance and Confirmation as is usual in Prophecy or with reference to the Saints upon Earth upon the mention of them Verse 2. or with respect to the Persons to whom that is now accommodated which had been before spoken concerning their City or State Compare Chap. 21.23 25. with the fifth Verse of this Chapter 6 And he i. e. the first of the Seven Angels which had the Seven Vials Chap. 21.9 said unto me 11 these sayings of the Prophecy of this Book Verse 7. are faithful and true i. e. important certain and infallible Truths See on Chap. 19.9 And the Lord 12 God of the Holy Prophets i. e. Christ who spake by them and whose Spirit inspired them Acts 3.21 1 Pet. 1.10 11 12.3 19. 2 Pet. 1.21 sent or did send at first Chap 2.1 and all along in this Prophecy his Angel or Minâ—string Spirits to shew unto his Servants the things of this Prophecy which must shortly after the Day of the (b) See the Notes on Chap. â— 1â— Resurrection the time when this Vision was seen and from whence it commences begin to come to pass in order one after another See on Chap. 1.1 11 Here begins the Conclusion or Epilogue of this Sacred Drama wherein the Angel says Dr. Hammond in his Paraphrase on the place began to conclude and fold up his Discourse and to sum up what I had seen in this Vision telling me that all this as strange and as glorious as it was should certainly come to pass And the Vision ends as it began with a Declaration of the (a) Chap. 1.5 Truth and Importance of the Prophecy and of its (b) Chap 1.1 speedy issuing into Event and of the most remarkable things contained in it 12 Here is a plain Assertion of the Divinity of Christ concerning whom these words are to be understood as is manifest by comparing them with Chap. 1.1 and Verse 16. of this Chapter 7 Behold
to be set up See on Chap. 8.7 9 And when he i. e. the Lamb Christ had opened 20 the fifth Seal I saw under the Altar 21 of sacrifice Lev. 4.7 i. e. under the Power in the presence of and in Communion with God and Christ the Souls of them see on Chap. 20.4 that were slain for the word of God and for the Testimony which they held i e. the Christian Martyrs especially under Diocletian Chap. 2 10.20 4. 20 The Beasts Voice or the Apostolick Ministry here ceases to shew that Satan's Synagogue was now rising in the Smyrnaean Succession upon the Honours paid to Martyrs under this Seal 21 When Altar is put indefinitely the Altar of Sacrifice is usually understood where the Blood of the Sacrifice was wont to be poured out and by being under the Altar is signified the happy state of Martyrs under the protection and in the presence of God and Christ as appears from Heb. 13.10 Colos 3.3 4. compared with 2 Maccab. 7.36 Psalm 27.5 Phil. 2.17 And here is given a plain Character of this Seal from the Voice of the Blood of the Martyrs and from the change of Things immediately following it in the next Seal whereby is evidently signified the great Persecution under Diocletian whereupon the Aera Martyrum was instituted and the overthrow of Paganism under Constantine from whence also it is very manifest that the Smyrnaean Succession is contemporary with this Seal from the like appearances Chap. 2.10 10 And they 22 cryed instead of the Apostolical Voices with a loud Voice thereby shewing their Number their Zeal and the importance of their Complaint saying How long O Lord Christ holy and therefore hateing Cruelty and Bloodshed and true to thy promises of avenging thy people Luke 18.7 8. dost thou not judge and avenge our Blood to vindicate thy Honour and thy Truth on them that dwell on the Earth i. e. the Pagan Empire for our Persecution has been long and cruel Revel 2.10 22 As Abel's Blood did Gen. 2.10 Heb. 12.24 11 And white Robes denoting Reward Honour and Purity Chap. 3.4 were given unto every one of them and it was said unto them that they should rest yet in quiet patiently expecting the time of God's Vengeance for a little season until their Fellow Servants also and their Brethren in Christ that should be killed as they were should be fullfilled 23 i. e. until the Times and the Number of Martyrs determined by God should be compleated 23 Hereby is signified the Martyrdoms which were to follow under Licinius Julian the Arrians and the Apostasie until God's signal and last Vengeance upon the Antichristian Tyranny under the Vials 12 And I beheld when he had opened the Sixth Seal and lo there was a great Earth-quake 24 i. e. a great commotion and a strange change of Affairs Hag. 2.6 7. Heb. 12.26 and the Sun 25 i. e. the chief God of the Pagans and the Heathen Emperour the chief Magistrate became black 26 as sackcloath of hair Isa 50.3 and the Moon i. e. the next in dignity became as 27 Bloâ—d i. e. were Eclypsed and lost their former Glory 24 It will not be altogether unseasonable to remark in this place what * Histor 4.11 Socrates the Ecclesiastical Historian notes from frequent Observation that Earthquakes are the Signs and Forerunners of Changes and Commotions in the Church 25 Here by Metaphors taken from the Prophetical Descriptions of the Day of Judgment and the last Conflagration of the World to which several of them seem plainly to refer as Dr. Burnet has observed in his ingenious Theory of the Earth and when the things described here by several Prophetical Accumulations shall be fully verified God's Judgments under Constantine and his Successors upon the Heathen Religion and Empire are set out unto us Although the Political World being described in Scripture by Metaphors taken from the Natural as appears from Isa 51.16 Dan. 8.10 the Heavens here may denote what is superiour in it and the Earth what is inferiour and the Sun may be taken for the Supreme in the State the Moon for the next and the Stars for those which are next in order unto them according to the Ancient Symbolical and Hieroglyphical Learning of the Eastern Nations of which we have an Example Gen. 37.9 10. Where Joseph's Dream concerning the Sun Moon and Stars is interpreted by Jacob of himself as Father and Chief of the Family of his Wife as next and of his Children as subject unto them And Sun Moon and Stars Hills and Mountains being the Objects and Places of Idolatry Hereby may be also signified the final Overthrow of Pagan Idolatry as well as of the Pagan Civil Powers 26 A Metaphor taken from an Eclipse in which the Sun appears black and the Moon of a dark Red like black Blood 13 And the Stars of Heaven i. e. the inferiour Deities and Magistrates fell unto the Earth i. e. were cast out and displaced by the mighty Power of God even as a Figtree casteth her untimely Figs Nahum 3.12 when she is shaken of a mighty wind e.e. as easily and in as great abundance Isa 34.4 14 And the Heaven i. e. the whole superior State of the Heathen World Civil and Religious departed 27 out of sight as a scroll that is rolled together so that they could not be seen i. e. they had no Authority nor Esteem and every Mountain i. e. all the places of Idolatry and of great strength and security Isa 2 14-18 Jerem. 51.25 Zech. 4.7 and Island 28 i. e. all their Provinces and Places beyond the Seas were moved out of their places i. e. the Government and Religion of them was changed and overturned 27 A Metaphor from the Ancient Manner of Writing upon one long Scroll which being rolled up according to their Custom what was written in it could not be seen 28 The Jews called all Maritime Places Islands and all places beyond the Mediterranean Consult the Interpreters on Gen. 10.5 and Mr. * Book 1. Disc 49. Mede And hereby is meant that no places escaped altho never so strong or remote 15 And the Kings 29 of the Earth i. e. the supreme Powers subject to the Roman Empire Isa 10.8 Acts 4.26 and the great men or Nobles Dan. 4.36 Mark 6.21 and the rich men and the chief Captains and the mighty men or Soldiers Judg. 5.22 and every bond man and every free man i. e. all of every rank and quality hid themselves for fear Isa 2.19 in the dens and rocks of the Mountains i. e. the most secret and most inaccessible places Judg. 6.2 29 Here by an enumeration of the several Ranks and Degrees of Men according to the Scripture-Phrase all the Members of the Roman Empire are reckoned up From a due consideration of these Six Seals it will be manifest that they are Synchronous with the two first Churches ending in that of Smyrna when that Period received a Crown of Life under Constantine and his
Grotii Totilas who had resolved to burn it and raze it to the Ground was diverted by an Embassay from Belisarius and when he afterwards retook it he rebuilt what he had burnt and destroyed of it So that this City which had been so often taken and rifled and was so often in a burning Condition was kept as a burning Mountain in the midst of Waters continually resisting the Fire which would have consumed it and will be so preserved by God until the time of its final Deshruction in which this City answers to its Type Babylon which after it was taken and pillaged by Cyrus remained nevertheless in some sort of Glory until the Times of Alexander as Rome after its first being sacked by Alarick continually recovered it self again although not to the degrees of it's former Magnificence And as the City so also the Empire although miserably harassed was yet preserved from utter destruction during the Period of this Trumpet but as a burning Mountain cast into the Sea amidst the contrary struglings of the People some seeking to destroy it others to preserve it the Barbarous Nations themselves contributing thereunto as the Goths did by helping it against the Huns Vandals and Sueves 16 For these Barbarous (a) Procop. Gothic pag. 6. 512. ex edit Grotii Invaders were very bloody killing all they met Young and Old Women and Children 9 And the third part af the 17 Creatures which were in the Sea and had Life i. e. the Fishes which represent the Subjects and Inhabitants of the Roman Jurisdictiction Ezek. 29.4 died 18 as to their ancient Polity they being not now one entire Jurisdiction and the third part of the 19 Ships that is Cities or Goods and Merchandise were destroyed 17 The Type of a Mountain being thrown into the Sea is here further alluded unto And hereby is signified that the great Mountain or City of Rome being in hazard of being destroyed and consumed by its being taken and pillaged the Sea or People of the Civil State into whose contrary strivings and struglings it was thrown as into the Waves of the Sea must needs suffer extremely by it both in their Persons denoted by the Living Creatures of the Sea and in their Goods and Estates denoted by Ships as Metaphors most proper to the Sea from whence this Emblem is taken 18 This came to pass when the Provinces of the Roman Empire about A. D. 455. the time when Genserick also took Rome were divided into several Kingdoms by the Northern Nations which broke into it which is the Death of a Civil State when it ceases to be what it was before 19 Cities are to a Countrey as Ships to the Sea the Places wherein Men Live and Traffick and wherein they are fortified against Enemies as by Ships against the Violence of the Sea says Dr. Hammond on the place But Grotius's Exposition seems to me more apposite for as Sea signifies People so says he Ships must by the same Analogy signifie their Goods or Moveables 10 And the third Angel sounded and there fell a great Star from Heaven burning as it were a Lamp 20 denoting the fall of the 21 Western Emperour Isa 14.12 and it fell â—pon the third part of the 22 Rivers i. e. upon the Co ntries and Provinces Magistrates and Armies of the Roman Empire represented by Rivers Ezek. 32 2-6 and upon the Fountains 23 of Waters i. e. the Capital Cities 20 This is a plain Description of that sort of Comets or falling Stars which for the Figure of them are called (a) Plin. Nat. Hist 2.25 35. Hevelii Cometograph pag. 442. where the Figures of them may be seen Lampadias 21 The most remarkable Division (b) Ricciol Chronol Reform of the Roman Empire into the Eastern and Western whose bounds you may see in Procopius (c) Pag. 1 2. Vandalick History begun upon a Decree of Theodosius Jan. 17. A.D. 395. when Arcadius reigned in the East having his Seat at Constantinople and Honorius in the West After which time the Empire never came entirely into the Hands of one Monarch Now this Western Empire ceased under Augustulus A.D. 476. when Odoacer became King of Italy and translated the Seat of the Empire from Rome to Ravenna after it had enjoyed the Imperial Dignity for 521. Years 22 A Type taken from One of the Plagues of Egypt Exod. 7 17-22 23 As Seas and Waters signifie the People so do Fountains Capital Cities from whence the People are derived into Colonies and Provinces 11 And the Name of the Star is called 24 Wormwood denoting the bitter Afflictions which he and the Empire felt under him Râ—â—h 1.20 Jerem. 9 15. and the third part of the Waters i. e the People of the Roman Empire became Wormood i. e. were grievouslâ— afflicted and their Lives became bitter unto them and many mâ—n died of the Waters i. e. by mutual Slaughters and by the grievous Afflictions the Empire then suffered Lament 3.15 Acts 8.23 Heb. 12.15 24 After the Death of Aetius and Valentinian A. D. 455. the Western Empire suffered extremely under weak and short-lived Princes and by the Incursions of the Huns Goths and other Barbarous Nations into Italy and the Roman Provinces especially of Odoacer with his Herulians a People of Seythia who had seated themselves in Pannonia who extinguished the Roman Empire which brought infinite Miseries and a most heavy and bitter Servitude upon the whole People (a) Procop. Gothic Hist pag. 139. Jornand de reb Getic cap. 46. Augustulus so called because he came very young to the Empire being also banished and imprisoned Whose Fall from Imperial Dignity is aptly represented by the Fall of a Star from Heaven according to the like Allusion Isaiah 14.12 12 And the fourth Angel sounded and the third part Verse 7. of the Sun i. e. the Roman Kingly Dignity was smitten or kided 25 and destroyed and the third part of the Moon and the third part of the Stars i. e. the other inferiour Powers so as the third part of them was darkned and the day shone not for a third part of it and the night likewise i e. the whole 26 Roman dignity and authority was totally Eclypsed see Chap. 6.12 13 14. 25 For so to smite signifies in very many places of Scripture it being rendred sometimes by Killing as Exod. 2.12 26 Odoacer the Herulian reigned Sixteen Years as King of Italy when he was conquered by Theodorick the Goth who took that Title A. D. 493. and reigned Thirty Three Years with great Prudence and Moderation towards the Romans preserving the Authority of the Senate and Consuls and their other Dignities and Customs which his Successors the Gothish Kings of Italy for some time observed whose Reign continued for about Seventy Six Years But Justinian the Emperour having made War upon Italy for regaining it from the Goths after it had suffered miserably by a dreadful Famine and a Bloody War under Totilas it was at last joyned to
all Churches which (b) Gregor Epist. lib 4.38 Gregory the Great had condemned before in the Bishop of Constantinople asserting that he who usurped it was the Forerunner of Antichrist the Prince of Pride and that he imitated Lucifer in exalting his Throne above the Stars of God that is his Brethren the Bishops who are the Stars of Heaven and in ascending above the heighth of the Clouds Which words are as it were a Comment upon the Place and a Prophecy as one ingeniously speaks of their High-Priest who spake not this of himself but as being High-Priest that Year foretelling the Fall of that Eminent Star from Heaven to a State of Worldly Dominion according to the manner of the Kingdoms of the Earth So that in a few years after the Rise of the Papal Antichrist in the West there arose in the East a new sort of an Antichristian Dominion to be a Scourge to it and in opposition unto it's Idolatrous Practices the Chief of which called themselves Chalifs or Vicars of Mahomet for so the word signifies as the Popes have called themselves the Chalifs or Vicars of Christ 2 And he opened the bottomless Pit i. e. Exercised this Authority and entred upon the Administration of his Kingdom and there arose a smoak 2 out of the Pit as the smoak of a great Furnace i. e. many gross and Antichristian Errors and the Sun and the Air were darkned by reason of the Smoak of the Pit i. e. The Gospel the Light of the World was obscured by these errors 2 As a great Smoak hinders the Sight so do Errors the Vnderstanding He keeps to the Allegory for Smoak takes from us the sight of the Stars saith Grotius on the Place And the * Bochart Hieroz lib. 4.4 Ludolph Commentar in Aethiopic Histor pag. 173. Locusts are wont to come in so great Numbers that the Air hath been darkned and the Sun as it were Eclypsed by them Joel 2.10 3 And there came 3 out of the Smoak contrary to the expectation of him that opened it Locusts 4 upon the Earth i. e. the grievous Plague of 5 Mahometism with the Numerous and Destroying Armies of the 5 Saracens Exod. 10 3-15 Joel Chapters 1.2 and unto them was given power as the Scorpions of the * Bochart Hieroz lib. 4.4 Ludolph Commentar in Aethiopic Histor pag. 173. Earth have power as to the manner of the Mischief they were to do Verse 5.10 3 Locusts do encrease most in very dry Seasons and come in bliting burning Easterly Winds which are usually accompanied with a smoaky Vapour whence probably is that Expression Hosea 13.3 according to the LXX and like a Smoak or Vapour from Locusts Although Bochartus is of Opinion that here is an Allusion to the Custom amongst the Ancient Arabs or Saracens of hunting Locusts by (a) Bochart Hieroz Part. 2. pag. 472 484 495. smoak 4 Great Armies of Enemies are resembled to (b) See Dr. Pocock on Joel Locusts in Scripture 1. By Reason of their Number Judg. 6 5.7 12. Psalm 105.34 Joel 1.6 The Multitudes of Locusts which infest the Eastern and sometimes the European parts being almost (c) Bochart Hieroz pag. 443 445. Ludolph Aethiopic Histor pag. 173 174. incredible And it is not altogether improper to remark here that vast Numbers of Locusts have been frequently seen to appear before the Approach of great Armies which is frequently noted by Abul Pharajai and by Du Fresne in his Notes at the end of (d) Pag. 530. Cinnamus 2. Because of the great and unavoidable Mischief they do in the Fields in Houses and to Men themselves whom they set upon and are thought sometimes to have killed (e) Bochart Hieroz pag. 462 477 478. Ludolph pag. 174. them Book of Wisdom 16.9 3. From the exact Military (f) Bochart pag. 477. Discipline and Order they observe in flying and the strength which is in their Ranks and Divisions when they fly or go Joel 2.7 8. 4 From their climbing of Walls and getting into Houses and Windows like Men of War in time of Seige and Sacking of Towns Joel 2.7 9. Exod. 10.6 and from their not (g) Bochart pag. 478. being subject to hurt from Weapons which they avoid by their Swiftness and by the Subtilty and Tenuity of their Bodies Joel 2.8 * Terrestrial Scorpions are as Naturalists observe of all the most (a) Boch Hieroz pag. 934. hurtful 5 5 The Saracens seem to be understood by Locusts because 1. They came from the East as the Locusts did Exod. 10.13 Whence they were called (b) Pocock Not. ad Specim Histor Arab. sub init Saracens which signifies the Inhabitants of the Eastern parts of the World 2. Because of their vast Numbers and their wandring State and Condition they being of the Race of the Ancient (c) Ammian Marcel 14.4 Scenitae who lived in Tents roaming from place to place with which agrees the Description of the Locusts given by the Prophet Nahum 3.15 16. as the place is interpreted by (d) Pag. 458. Bochartus 3. Because the Arabians or Children of the East are expresly likened to Locusts or Grasshoppers Judges 6 3-5 4. By Reason of the suddenness of their Invasions and the Prodigious Swiftness of their Conquests and the great havock and Ravage made by them all which Circumstances are Notorious in the Plague of Locusts who fall in prodigious Numbers in one Night and sometimes almost in a moment destroying all before them And Lastly because these Locusts are said to come out of the thick smoak of the bottomless Pit i. e. out of gross Errors and filthy Practices which is the plain Original of Mahometism which began in a very corrupt and dark Age when the Christians were divided into many Sects and Schisms and vented very gross Errors such were those of the Arrians Jacobites Melchites Eutychians Monothelites and Nestorians from whom proceeded many of the Opinions of Mahomet who was (a) Sylburg Saracenica pag. 3 5 59. assisted in the Contrivance of his Religion by Sergius a banished Nestorian by an Arrian Monk and other Hereticks with whom the Church was then infested as it was also by Contests about the Supremacy and with gross Antichristian Errors which are the Chief Things intended in this Prophecy Of all which (b) Histor Oriental lib. 2.2 Hottinger has treated fully But that we may the better understand the true Meaning of this Vision Iâ—â—â—ll endeavour to give a brief Account of the Rise of Mahometism and of the progress of the Saracenick Empire from Authentick Historians chiefly from Elmacinus and Abul Pharajai Two Arabick Writers which will be of great use in the following Annotations The Saracens are properly those Arabs which lived about Meccha and Medina and the places adjoyning who under their Prophet Mahomet began to be Famous about A.D. 622. when he fled from Meccha he place of his Nativity for fear of the Tribe of the Coraisites or Koreisheites the Inhabitants of
Peter Boyer's History of the Vaudois Printed at London 1692. The History of the Negotiation between the Duke of Savoy and the Countrey of Switzerland Printed at London 1690. Lettres sur les Matieres du Temps Tom. 3. Pag. 198. of Piedmont returned to their Countrey at the precise Term of Three Years and an half after their total dissipation For by an Edict dated Jan. 31. 1686. their Religion was forbidden upon pain of Death their Churches were ordered to be demolished and their Ministers to be banished which Edict was published in the Valleys April 11. and was put in Execution by the help of French Troops who attacked them on the 22d of the same Month and totally subdued them in the following Month of May when many of those poor people were killed and barbarously slaughtered and the miserable Remainders of them were permitted to depart who after a tedious March in the depth of Winter arrived at Geneva the December following of the same Year 1686. But about three years and a half after their dissipation they having in the mean while been kindly received by their Neigbours of Switzerland Geneva Holland and others and not suffered to be put in Graves by the Popish Nations round about them who appeared in their Favour All on a sudden they took an Vnanimous Resolution of returning into their Countrey and that at first against the Advice of their Friends who altogether despaired of their Success And accordingly about the beginning of September 1689. they passed the Lake of Geneva secretly and without the knowledge of that Government entred into Savoy with their Swords in their hands recovered their Ancient Possession and established themselves in it by the Month of April 1690. notwithstanding the Opposition of the Troops of France and Savoy Of whom they killed great Numbers with an inconsiderable Loss to themselves who were but a few in comparison of their Enemies Upon which the Duke of Savoy finding them to be encouraged and assisted by Forreign Princes recalled the rest of them and re-established them by an Edict dated June 4. 1690. with Liberty for the French Refugees to return with them three years and a half after their total dissipation in the End of October 1686. For although they were not Established by the Civil Power until the beginning of June a Month after the Expiration of the three years and a half yet they had regained their own Possessions and expelled the Strangers out of them by April and had received great Assistance in May just at the End of the forementioned term of Years Now although I must confess that there are many things very much to be taken notice of in this Account yet it cannot be the Resurrection here pointed at because the Sister Witness Church of France still lies desolate and dead in the Street of the great City and what hath already been performed in Favour of the Waldenses comes so much short of what may be justly thought to be meant by the Resurrection here foretold that I cannot look upon it but as a Providential Congruity if I may so call it and a Pledge and Earnest of a much greater Life and that of a more spiritual Nature than what hath yet happened unto them which I pray hope and humbly believe upon Prophetical Grounds in which I trust God has graciously assisted me not to be far off 38 This is plainly taken from Ezekiel's Description Chap. 37. of the Restauration of the Jews from Babylon and of what will come to pass at their final Restauration of which the former was but a Type Whereby is signified that God shall extraordinarily revive the Witnesses which are in a dead condition and mightily assist the Churches which are already raised to imperfect degrees of Life Gifts and Graces and so are consequently still in a Sackcloath and mournful Condition for the continuance of Judaism Paganism and Antichristianism in the World and the Imperfections of its own State so that they shall be seen and taken notice of by all as standing upon their Feet That is as being in a steddy Posture of Self Subsistence and Defence and that after an Eminent and most Conspicuous manner Zech. 14.4 39 For they shall stand upon their Feet an exceeding great Army according to what is prophesied of the Jews Ezek. 37.10 12 And they i. e. the Witnesses standing upon their Feet in a Posture of readiness and Preparedness heard a voice from Heaven 40 i. e. had an extraordinary call and a Divine impulse saying unto them come up hither unto a state of Security Purity and Glory and they ascended up to Heaven 41 i. e. enjoyed a pure and Holy Church-State in a bright Matt. 17 5. Acts 1 9. cloud i. e. in Glory and their Enemies 42 beheld them i. e. their great change and advancement was visible and notorious to all even to the Antichristian Apostasy 40 From hence and from what goes before it is manifest that this will be performed after an extraordinary manner by the more immediate power and assistance of God from whom the Spirit of Life came and all the Preparations and Abilities for the performance of this great Action 41 Their Church State is called Heaven in opposition to the Antichristian one which is called Earth and the World and because of the security from Persecution which should attend it and the Purity of its Doctrine and the Holiness of it and its Professors and the Glory Honour and Esteem it was to be in amongst Men especially Supreme Powers who are denoted by Heaven in this Prophecy Rev. 12.4 And a pure Church-State is called Heaven because it is a Resemblance of the Kingdom of Heaven as it shall be upon Earth and is an Exemplar of what is actually decreed performed and represented in Heaven in behalf of it before the Throne of God as appears from Chapters Fourth and Fifth 42 Here as well as in what goes before is a manifest Allusion to the Circumstances of the Ascension of our Saviour but with this difference that only the Apostles or chosen Witnesses beheld Christ's Ascent but here even the Enemies of the Witnesses are to testifie it it shall be so Notorious and Convincing to all 13 And the same hour i. e. about the same time but after their ascent Chap. 8.1 Num. 11. Chap. 9.15 was there a great * Earthquake i. e. a commotion and suddain change of thing in the World and especially in the Apostasy 43 and the 44 tenth part of the great City i. e. of the Roman Antichristian Kingdom ver 8. chap. 17.78 fell by the commotion change or Earthquake and in the Earthquake were slain 45 of Men seven thousand and the remnant or the remaining successions of Men to the Kingdom of Christ See chap. 2 24. 3 2. were affrighted at these Judgments and gave 46 Glory to the God of Heaven alone and not to Saints and Images as had been before done * As there was at our Saviour's Death and after his
which it came to be called the third part whereupon the Grecian Monarchy was cast to the ground it 's very Seat and Power becoming thereupon Roman Constantine (b) Cave's Introduct to the Lives of the Fathers vol. 2. pag. 13. Rycaut's Pref. to the Lives of the Popes commanding by a Law that it should be called New Rome and having Peopled it with the best Families he could draw from Old Rome and the Inhabitants of it being called Romans 13 Here is implied that the fourth Empire Subdued all the rest and bore Rule over all the Earth after it had Subdued the Grecian Monarchy which stood in competition with it according to what was foretold by Daniel chap. 2. 39 40. 7 7 19 32. 14 This refers to the Persecutions which fell upon the Christian Church by the Instigation of the Devil and his Instruments in the Roman Empire especially to their last and most cruel Effort in the ten Years Persecution under Dioclesian when the Woman was as it were teeming with a Glorious Church State in a Christian Empire which was brought forth under Constantine as a short Specimen and imperfect Representation of the Kingdom of Christ as hath been shewn on chap. 7 9.-17 5 And yet notwithstanding all his opposition Psal 2. she brought forth a 15 Manchild i. e. Christ reigned then as King and Lord of his Church and there was on Earth a lively and manly representation of him and his Kingdom for a short time Psal 2.7 8. Is 9 6.66 7 8. Acts 4 23.-30 who was to rule all Nations with a rod of Iron i. e. was to have an universal Kingdom Psalm 2 8-12 and her Child was caught 16 up unto God and to his Throne i. e. Christ and his Kingdom were advanced and his Church was in a State typical of his glorious Kingdom which yet not long continued Psal 110.1 15 Here the Kingdom of Christ is plainly set forth in Expressions chiefly taken from the second Psalm which contains a Description of it as all Interpreters agree And by the Man-child is meant 1. Christ himself who is said to be brought forth or born because he at this time obtained as King of his Church a Conquest over Paganism and a great increase to his Kingdom whereby he was begotten in the Phrase of the Psalmist Psalm 2.6 7 8. that is the holy Child Jesus was manifested and declared to be Lord and King 2. The Church and Christian Empire under Constantine may be called the Man-child as Cyrus is called the Lord's Christ or Messias Isa 45.1 because he was a Type of Christ and as Christians are said to be Christ's Body and to have Christ formed in them Gal. 4.19 And if the Roman Empire it self may in some sense as Grotius has well noted on Dan. 7.13 be not unfitly called an Image or Type of Christ much more may the Christian Empire under Constantine who was a greater Restorer of Christ's Kingdom than Cyrus was be styled a Mystical Christ and be an Emblem of his Glorious Kingdom on Earth 16 Christ after his Resurrection which is called his Birth in Scripture was taken up into heaven as we also shall be caught up thither 1 Thes 4.17 where the same word is used insomuch that this Phrase is taken from Christ's Ascent into heaven and alludes to it And its import may be 1. That Christ was then actually King of the Roman Heathen Empire which he had newly conquered signified by his being caught up to the Throne of God whereby some Ascents of his Throne in the Heavenly Places or Advancements of his Kingdom may be signified in which he was installed and inaugurated at his Ascension when he was caught up into Heaven 2. Hereby may be signified also the advancing of the Christian Religion to the Imperial Throne as Christ was advanced at his Ascension to the Throne of his Father at his Right Hand Psalm 110.1 But as Christ was of a sudden taken up in a Cloud out of the sight of the Apostles whilst they were looking on him Acts 1.9 so may also hereby be signified the short space of the continuance of the Roman Christian Empire Rev. 17.10 answerable to Christ's being seen of the Apostles only for Forty Days Acts 1.3 and the sudden depravation of Religion by a growing Antichristianism upon its advancement by Constantine whereby in a short time the true Primitive and Apostolical Christianity was obscured and could not be seen pure and unmixt which as (a) And on John 1.1 Grotius has noted on the place may be signified by being caught up to God those things being said in Scripture to be with God which are invisible and appear not unto Men. 6 And 17 or but yet it was not long before the Woman or Church thus delivered from Persecution and advanced in the Christian Empire * fled into the Wilderness 18 i. e. was in a secret and obscure state and condition in the midst of the encreasing Apostasy where she hath a place prepared by God i. e. she is secured by him that they 18 should feed her there or that she should be nourished and preserved there after a wonderful manner a thousand 19 two hundred and threescore days i. e. Years See chap. 11. 2 3. 17 When Christ was caught up to God and the Heavenly State he designed became thereupon invisible the Church soon retired into the Wilderness i. e. into an obscure and invisible State too as being bereft of that Presence and Power of Christ which was necessary to advance it into that perfect and heavenly State which his Kingdom requires Here the Flight which was after the War in Heaven is mentioned before it by a Prolepsis or Anticipation frequent in (a) Grot. in Gen. 1.27 Ecclus 48.1 Scripture and in this (b) See Pererius on the Revelations Grot. on Rev. 21.2 Prophecy the Holy Spirit being wont to hasten to the chief point it is about and to mention what intervenes of lesser consequence afterwards as is manifest from the History of the Creation where Paradise which was planted on the Third Day is not described until afterwards in the second Chapter and the full and particular Relation of the Creation of Mankind but briefly touched upon in the first Chapter is deferred unto the second which Figure is here observed to shew that the Man child Christ's Kingdom was not to succeed upon the Glorious Pre appearance of it Verse 5. and that the Church the Woman was to be in an obscure condition and that immediately after her Delivery and that she was presently to prepare for her Flight she being not to appear in Visible Glory until 1260 Years after it * So the Children of Israel went up in haste out of Aegypt Exod. 12.31 33 39. 18 This Type is taken from the Children of Israel's sojourning in the Wilderness after they had escaped out of the hands of Pharoah who is expresly called Psalm 74.13 14. Isa 51.9 the Dragon or Crocodile lying
entirely destroyed at the Succession of the Christian Empire but that it recovered for a short time under Julian and was kept in some Life by the Pagan part of the Senate and those Heathens who continued in Office until the time of Theodosius and by the Emperour's connivance at their Religion all (b) Dr. Cave's Introduct to Vol. 2. of the Lives of the Fathers of them also having accepted of the Pontifical Stole and born the Office and Title of Pontifex Maximus or Chief Head of the Colledge of the Priests of the Heathens until Gratian who refused it and especially by the Heathen Customs and Rites which the Christians by degrees brought into the Church by which Paganism gradually and insensibly passed into Antichristianism and the Beast was kept alive and at last perfectly healed So that here is described the State of the Roman Empire as in its passage under the Christian Emperours from the sixth Head to the seventh in a bleeding and desperate Condition but in hopes of having its Wound cured And the State of the same Empire as actually healed is represented in the next Words when a Monarchy and Idolatry was introduced so like that under the sixth Head that its Rise is here described rather by the healing of an Old Wound than by the Succession of a New Head * Here is set forth the Extent of the Beast's Kingdom the whole World being said to be his Followers and Admirers which the Defenders of the Papacy make to be a Note of their Church who are wont as hath been well (a) Rivet Tom. 3. pag. 583. observed by the just Judgment of God to attribute those things imprudently to the Papacy which are the Apocalyptick Marks of Antichrist To wonder after him may also imply the implicit Faith and blind Devotion paid to the Papacy which is usually the Effect of a groundless Wonder and an Admiration of Mens persons And here we may observe that it is foretold that Defection from Truth shall be Vniversal 4 And they that wondred after the Beast which were a very great multitude worshipped the 10 Dragon or Roman Pagan Power or Monarchy which gave his power unto the Beast i. e. they obeyed a Roman Pagan Diabolical Power in an Antichristian Successor and they 15 worshipped and were subject unto the Beast i. e. the 16 Roman Empire under its seventh Head the Papacy as Imperial and Monarchick saying 17 Who is like unto the Beast in Eminency and Excellency who is 18 able to make War with him i. e. resist or withstand his Power 14 It was one and the same Roman Monarchy under the Dragon and the Beast because they had both the same Imperial Seat at Rome upon the continuance of which a Monarchy is continued in the Account of Prophecy and because they were both influenced by the same Draconick and Devillish Temper and Spirit whereby they became One Body the Dragon living in and being worshipped in the Beast Whence it is that the Beast has but one and the self same Body under all its Heads it being represented as One Beast with divers distinct Heads each of which Head also may be called a Beast by a Synecdoche or a Figure whereby what belongs to the whole may be attributed to an eminent part 15 To Worship denotes also (a) Grotius in locum Gen. 37.7 8. Subjection in Scripture because Subjects were wont to adore or prostrate themselves to their Princes and Superiors in the Eastern Countries As the Subjects also of the Popes do who are not approached unto without (b) Rivet Tom. 3. pag. 576 577. Fouli's Romish Vsurpat B. 1.4 Adoration and are placed on the (c) Ceremonial Roman Sect. 2. cap. 2. And Sir Paul Rycaut's Preface to the Lives of the Popes Altar after they are chosen to receive the Adorations of the Cardinals and others present 16 Beast absolutely taken signifies 1. The Roman Empire with all its seven Heads And 2. The State of the Roman Empire under the seventh Head and Eighth King the Papacy which is the general Acceptation of the Beast in this Prophecy 17 This is an Expression frequently made use of in (d) Exod. 15.11 1 Sam. 2.2 1 Chron. 17.20 Scripture to denote God's peerless and appropriated Supereminence and consequently his appropriated Worship And by it is very appositely set forth the (e) Rivet Foulis ubi supra extravagant prophane and blasphemous Titles and Prerogatives given to the Pope by his Followers who make as if he were something more than Humane calling him their (a) In Gloss extravag Rivet Tom. 3. pag. 518. confessed by Father Walsh the Author of the Controversial Letters and other honest Romanists God and Christ's Vicar and attributing to (b) See Mr. Dodwel's Fundamental Principle of Popery where it is proved that this must necessarily be the fundamental principal of their Communion although it be denied by some of them him Infallibility all which is signified here by this Phrase which is not unlike the blasphemous Expressions of Rabshekah 2 Kings 18. 18 This most (c) See Fouli's Romish Vsurpat Mr. Dodwell 's Considerat of present concernment Math. Paris Anno. 1245 Imperatorem Fredericum conculcavimus quis es tu qui nobis temere credis resistere Graseri Histor Antichrist pag. 176. Omnes Principes fortunam irritasse qui cum Papa certaruat Kings and Kingdoms have found to be true in their Contests with the Papal Omnipotency as some of their Admirers have called it 5 And there was given unto him by the Devil God permitting and ordering things accordingly upon mens willful blindness a mouth 19 speaking great things i. e. a Faculty of impudent lying and boasting concerning his own Power and Infallibility in Decrees Anathema's and the like and blasphemies i. e. Idolatrous Decrees and power was given unto him to continue 20 Forty and two Months of Years See on Chap. 11.2 19 This Phrase is taken from Dan. 7.8 11 20 25.11 36. where it is the Character of the Little Horn and the Antichristian King from whence it also appears that this Beast is an Antichristian one and that this also is a Mark of the Papacy clearly appears from their (d) See the Authors quoted on num 16. The Canon Law the Bullarium Romanum and the Authors who defend the Papacy and the Court of Rome extravagant Titles and Decrees and Pretences to Universal Power 20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (e) Grot. in Jac. 4.13 Mede in Locum when joyned with a word signifying any space of Time denotes in Scripture the continuance of it 6 And he opened his Mouth with great boldness and arrogance in Blasphemies or Idolatrous Expressions against God Dan. 7 25. to 21 blaspheme his Name or Essence and his 22 Tabernacle i. e. Christ's Humane Nature and his Church and them 23 that dwell in Heaven i. e. Saints and Angels 21 By making Images of God which is called Blasphemy or Idolatry in Scripture
the Apostate State of the Church is signified in this Prophecy For as the Papal Monarchy rose out of the Providential Commotions and Troubles of the Empire so was the Antichristian Power of the Clergy founded upon the Apostatizing Spirit of Diotrephes encreasing by degrees in the Church 2. It appears that some Christian Body of Men is signified by this Beast because it is said to have Horns like a Lamb which is the Type of Christ in Scripture By which Expression Horns being the Type of Powers and Potentacies in Scripture an Apostate Hierarchy or a Holy Government for so the Word signifies acting under the sanctified pretences of Christ's Authority and his Religion and in ordine ad spiritualia is very appositely set forth unto us And 3. By this Beast's being represented with Two Horns is very aptly signified the whole Body of the Ecclesiasticks under the Potentacy of the Ruling Clergy or Hierarchy of the Two Divisions of the Empire into East and West and withal there is an intimation given that this Beast rose when the Empire was thus divided And lastly We may from hence conclude that this Beast is not The Antichrist who is represented as a Monarch by One single Horn in Daniel but a Body Politick signified by a Beast in Prophecy under Two co-ordinate Powers or Horns by which the Hierarchy of the Eastern and Western part of the Empire before the Pope came to be an Horn or to have his Antichristian Supremacy is very fitly typified especially the Eastern and Western Patriarchates which were a meer Vsurpation in the Church arising from the honour of precedency which the Metropolitans of the Chief Cities gained upon Constantine's new modelling of the Empire which as Bishop (a) An account of the Govern of the Christian Church for the first six hundred years pag. 192.310 and from pag. 188. to the end of that Book Parker speaks quickly became a Stirrup to Ambition to mount into a Superiority of Power and Jurisdiction And although there were many Contests betwixt the Eastern and Western Bishops yet as the same Learned and Judicious Person has observed the Patriarchal Vsurpation first began at Constantinople and the Supremacy of the Church of Rome was founded meerly upon the Ambition of the Church of Constantinople Which Words are an excellent Comment upon this and the following Verses as his whole Discourse there is wherein is proved that the Eastern Horn or Hierarchy as well as the Western was the Chief Cause of advancing the Beast or the Papacy to its Kingdom 29 Christ is typified by a Lamb in (a) John 1.29 36. Acts 8.32 1 Pet. 1.19 Scripture the Emblem of Innocency Meekness and Purity And here is intimated that this is an Antichristian Beast because of its having something of a Lamb in it the Devil not being able to introduce Antichristianism but under the Mask of Christianity and under a pretence to (b) See Dr. Moor's mystery of Iniquity Mystery Godliness and (c) The Popes whilst they give themselves the humblest Titles make the Proudest claims and under the Name of Servus Servorum make themselves Princes of the World Bp. Parker ibid. pag. 347. with relation to Gregory the Great Humility by which ways it was at first brought into the Church and is still kept up in it 30 Here is signified that this Beast was a Pagano-Christian Beast and a persecuting one because he spake and acted like a Dragon the Type of Paganism and Persecution whilst his Pretences were the Authority and Honour of Christ the Advancement of Vnity and Peace and a Zeal for God's Glory and a reducing of Men by Lamb-like i. e. innocent and gentle Methods a Phrase much used by the French Clergy in their Speeches to their King upon his barbarous proceedings against the French Protestants 12 And he i. e. the Hierarchy exercised all the Power of the first Beast or the Roman Idolatrous Monarchy before 31 him and in favour of him for his Honour and by his Consent and causeth the Earth or the Apostasy and them which dwell therein i. e. the Apostate Members of this Earthly and Worldly Church the Gentiles the Subjects of this Hierarchy Chap. 11.2 to worship Verse 4.8 the first Beast whose deadly wound was healed i. e. the Roman Empire under the seventh Head and eighth King Verse 2 23. Chap. 17. 8 10 12. 31 From hence it appears 1. That this was the Hierarchy of the Roman Empire because it exerciseth Power before the Beast or in his presence which Beast was the Roman Empire as appears from its Description before given 2. That these Two Horns answering to the Two Feet in Daniel the same thing being fitly represented by Feet in the Image of a Man and by Horns in the Type of a Beast's Head and those Two Feet coming not into Succession until the Rise of the Ten Kings who are the Ten Iron Toes of it which was not until A. D. 476. when the Imperatorial Power ceased and the Papal Succession began with its Ten Kings it will follow that this other Beast exercised not the Power of the first Beast until then 3. That the first Beast with its seventh Head the Papacy even when it was in Succession as the eighth King A.D. 476. yet did not then exercise its Power of its self as is plain from History in which it is notorious that the Papacy attained not its Supremacy until A. D. 606. and that all that time the Hierarchy of the Eastern and Western Divisions of the Empire exercised all its Power before it by ministring unto it as the Phrase signifies 1 Sam. 2.18 or in (a) See Grot. on Luke 4 7.24 19. its stead and for its benefit as a kind of a Protector of it in its Infancy and as the Clayie part of the Feet of this Image upholding and sustaining the seventh Head 4. Although the first Beast were before the other Beast as the first Beast signifies the Roman Empire whence it is called the other Beast with reference to some former or first Beast yet as it is the seventh Head they are contemporary the Papacy and the other Beast in that particular Notion as Feet of Clay coming into Succession together at 476. which yet were before the first Beast as they were a domineering and aspiring Body of Men making way for the Papal Kingdom during the time of the Christian Emperour when the Beast lay wounded and was partly kept alive in an healing condition by them and as they were those who protected the New King the Papacy from his Succession at 476. until his Supremacy at 606. 13 And or for he doth great 32 wonders i. e. seemingly great but really lying and counterfeit ones 2 Thessal 2.9 so that he maketh 33 Fire to come down from Heaven on the Earth in the sight of men i. e. appeareth to worldly and apostatized Men consenting to and applauding the Cheat to work as great Miracles as Elias did 1 Kings 18.33 2
Kings 1.10 32 Lying Wonders are one Character of the Man of Sin giveh by the Apostle 2 Thes 2.9 And accordingly it is notorious that the great Apostacy was brought in by the Lying Miracles Fabulous Legends Counterfeit Writings and pretended Inspirations of the Clergy as Mr. (a) Apostasy of the latter times B. 1. Chap. 2 3 4 5. Bishop Stillingfleet's Second Discourse in Vindicat. of the Protestant Grounds of Faith Chap. 3. his Discourse of Idolatry Chap. 4. his Answer to Mr. Cressy's Epistle Apolog. Chap. 2. Mede and others have proved Bishop (b) Account of the Government of the Church pag. 249. the right of the Emperours in chusing the Pope was gained from them by a pretence to Divine Inspiration Rycaut's Preface to the Lives of the Popes Parker observes that the Constantinopolitan See which was afterward one of these Horns when the Clayie Feet came into Succession was first advanced by the pretended Inspiration of Diodorus an Old Doting Bishop and (a) Annal. lib. 4 5. Downham of antichrist lib. 1. pag. 110. Aventinus confesses that in the time of Gregory the seventh when Antichrist came to his heighth false Prophets were very frequent And accordingly this very Beast is called afteewards the false Prophet 33 This is one of those Miracles which the (b) Poli Synops in loc Jews require for proof that a Prophet is sent from God By which is intimated that this Beast was permitted by God to do great Signs and that withal he was of a wrathful and a revengeful Spirit contrary to that of the Gospel where Christ rebukes his Disciples for calling for Fire from Heaven 14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth i. e. the Pagano-Christian Worshippers Chap. 11.2 by the means of those Miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the Beast saying to i. e. teaching perswading and commanding them that dwell on the Earth i. e. the Genti e Worshippers Chap. 11.2 that they should make an Image 34 of Universal Roman Persecuting and Idolatrous Empire to the Honour of the Beast which had the wound by a Sword of the Christian Emperours the seventh King in its sixth Head the Pagan Emperours and did now live 35 in this Image 34 Here is an Allusion to the Image which (c) Dan. 3. Nebuchadnezzar set up which he made of Gold to represent himself who was the Head of Gold in the great Image he had seen in a Vision Chap. 2. 38. as the sole Head and Vniversal Monarch of the World as he was acknoledged to be in the Titles given him Verse 4 or at least to be a Figure of his Vniversal Monarchy of which a great Image is the Type in (a) Chap. 2 31-45 Daniel which Image was also set up for Divine Worship and is called God at the 29th Verse all who refused to serve and worship it being severely punished To all which Particulars there are clear References in this Chapter and in the Usurpations of the Popes the Worship of Images introduced especially by their means and the great severity used against all the Witnesses of whom Shadrack Meshack and Abednego were Types who refused to worship Images and submit to the Papal Supremacy which were the Image and the Gods the Antichristianizing Hierarchy had set up 35 Did live signifies did revive or recover as Grotius and Vatablus render the Word and that in or by the Image upon the making of which the Beast was perfectly cured his Idolatry and Supremacy becoming then predominant whereas it was before but in its Infancy and under the Tutorage of the other Beast who was as it were a Cardinal Patron to the Beast in its Minority acting all things for him and in his Favour as those Cardinals now do for the Popes in their decrepit Age. The sixth Head as it distinctly and particularly denotes the Pagan Emperours was neither healed nor revived the Monarchy passing from it to the seventh Head although the Beast be represented in his entire Portraiture to shew the Succession of his Heads but as it denotes and is a part of the Roman Idolatrous persecuting Monarchickness in which Beastianism consists so it was revived and healed when the seventh Head attained Idolatrous and persecuting as well as Roman Power whereas during the Christian Empire although the Emperours had Roman Monarchick Power yet they were not Idolatrous and persecuting Powers as the Pagan were whatsoever there was of degeneracy or persecution upon other Accounts 15 And he had power to give 36 Life i. e. activity and a power of working upon the Minds of Men to the * Image of the Beast i. e. unto the likeness and similitâ—de of the Pagan Roman Empire that the Image of the Beast should both speak in Decrees and Canons and also cause by â—ts own power and that of the secular Magistrate that as many as would not worship obey and be subject to the Image of the Beast should be killed by Excommunication and the Temporal Sword Dan. 3.5 6 36 For this was not a lifeless dumb Idol like that of Nebuchadnezzar or those described Psalm 115. but was possessed with an active and a restless Spirit as some of the (a) See Dr. Hammond on the place Idols and Oracles of old were Or to give Life to the Image of the Beast may signifie the Revival of Paganism as Life signifies Chap. 11 11. and Verse 14. * The Devil being wounded in his Power by the Wound of the sixth or Pagan Head and knowing from the Prophecy of Daniel that there was to be no other Pagan Monarchy and Draconick Head gave his Power to the Beast But perceiving that this Beast was not able to deceive the World by a pure Imperatorial Power and a bare-faced Heathen Idolatry he wrought upon the Gentile Worshippers or Antichristian Laity newly converted from Heathenism and retaining a great Love for the Magnificence and Customes of their former Religion by means of the other Dan 〈◊〉 or the Antichristianizing Hierarchy to make an Image which should be not only to the Honour of the first Beast but should be a Resemblance of it Now an Image being not the thing it self but a similitude of it this Image must consist in some Likeness or Resemblance of a Vniversal Persecuting and Idolatrous Empire in which the Nature of Beastianism is placed by Prophecy Which was exactly fulfilled 1. When the Papacy attained an Vniversal Supremacy which yet being but an Ecclesiastick or Spiritual one or a Temporal one under an Hierarchick Form erected after the Model and Platform of the Civil Empire was indeed but a Clayie Image or Resemblance of the Real and Substantial Power which the Emperors enjoyed and wanted the strength of (a) Dan. 2 40-43 Iron which is necessary to all Dominion which the Papacy has not of it self but from the Iron and strength of its Ten Toes or of the Kings united under him as a Spiritual Head Such an Image did (b)
according to what had before come to pass in the destruction of Josiah who was a Type of Christ as the godly Kings of Judah and Israel were and was slain near that place just when he had prepared the Temple of God the Emblem of Christs Kingdom 2 Chron. 35.20 4. To shew that God who over-rules evil Designs for good and who declares Judg. 4.7 the place here alluded to that he drew Sisera and his multitude together had ordained that these Kings should be totally overthrown as the Kings of Canaan were at Megiddo and that Christ's Church should triumph over them and bless God for the great Victory in the Song prepared for it in the preceeding Chapter as (a) 2 Chron. 20.26 Jehoshaphat and the Israelites did in the Valley of Beracah or Blessing for the Defeat of that great multitude of Wicked People which confederated against Israel Whereupon this place of Decision is called the Valley of Jehoshaphat in (b) Chap. 3.2 12 14. Joel The Battel being described sometimes as if it were to be in a (c) Joel 3. Ezek. 39 5. Valley or Plain and sometimes as on a (d) Ezek. 39.4 Mountain and confined to no particular place Jehoshaphats (e) Fullers Pisgah Sight pag. 280 294. Valley being far distant from the Valley of Megiddo but expressed so as to typifie other things unto us and to shew that they shall be totally defeated as men driven from their several Fastnesses and Retreats Mountains as well as Plains and Valleys 5. To shew that both Jews (f) Zech. 12.3 6 9 10 11 12 13 14. and Gentiles should mourn at the sight of Christ now ready to appear in his glorious Kingdom as there was a great Mourning for Josiah by the Jews and the Assyrians whom he then assisted which may probably be the meaning of Hadadrimmon Zech. 12.11 which according to (a) On Zech. 12.11 Grotius signifies the Glory of Rimmon an Assyrian Idol 17 And the seventh Angel poured out his Vial into the 35 Air and there came a great voice out of the Temple 36 of Heaven from the Throne i. e. there was an extraordinary manifestation of the intimate and more immediate presence of God saying it 37 is done i. e. this is the last vial and Judgment upon the wicked Nations Ezek. 39.8 See on chap. 20. and 21.6 35 By Air is meant in (b) See Dr. Hammond on Psalm 148.4 Scripture the Aerial Expansum or Firmament consisting of Air and Clouds ballanced by the Weight of it Job 37.16 which being the Place of Meteors the Angel pours his Vial upon it and thereupon follow Thunder and Lightning and a Great Earthquake which commonly accompany each other the Islands and Mountains fly away and so great Hail falls which is a usual Attendant of Thunder-storms as if the Clouds with all their (c) Job 38.22 23. Treasures of Meteors were thrown down from Heaven Whereby the more immediate preparations to the Dissolution of the Old Earth seem to be described according to the Prediction of the Apostle Peter and the Description given of it in Dr. Burnet's Theory who yet very (d) 3.3 7. prudently admonishes us not to be too positive or presumtuous in our Conjectures about these Things because if there be an invisible Hand Divine or Angelical that touches the Springs and Wheels of Nature it will not be easie for us to determine with Certainty the Order of their Motions 36 Called so in remembrance of the Throne and Temple in Ezekiel 37 A Phrase evidently taken from Ezek. 39.8 where it is used concerning Gog and Magog whence also it appears that their Destruction is here referred to concerning whom read Chap. 20. and Ezek. 38. and 39. 18 And there were voices and thunders 38 and lightning aad there was a great Earthquake such as was not since men were upon the Earth so mighty an Earthquake and so great i. e. there were very high manifestations of Christ's glorious Kingdom and a time of trouble such as never was before the powers of the Earth and Heavens being shaken to make way for a new Heaven and a new Earth Dan. 12.1 2. Matth. 24.29 Heb. 12 26-22 See on chap. 4.5 and on the three last chapters 38 See Dr. Burnet's Theory of the Earth Book 3. 19 And the great City i. e. the whole Antichristian Jurisdiction and Kingdom chap. 14 8.18 10 21. was divided by the Earth-quake into 39 three parts i. e. the whole strength of the Antichristian State was dissipated and overthrown and the Cities of the wicked Nations of the whole World verse 14. chap. 20.8 fell and great Babylon 40 i. e. Rome chap. 14.8 came in special remembrance before God to give unto her the cup of the Wine of the feirceness of his Wrath i. e. to destroy her with a most severe and an utter destruction See on chap. 14 8-11 39 The general Type of Three Parts seems to be taken from Ezek. 5.2 12. where Jerusalem when it was designed for Destruction is marked out into Three Parts which Three parts here are the Three United Forces of the Antichristian Kingdom viz. 1. The Dragon or Devil with his Three Vnclean Spirits 2. The Beast and his False Prophet who as being united in Force and Interest have one punishment 3. The Kings of the Earth See on Chap. 19 19-21 40 Hence it appears that the Conflagration is here pointed at because it is plain from this Prophecy that Rome shall be destroyed by Fire as hath been before observed 20 And every Island fled away and the Mountains were not found i. e. the 41 old Earth was dissolved 2 Pet. 3. See on chap. 21.1 41 See Dr. Burnet's Theory of the Earth B. 3.9 whose ingenious Hypothesis gives great light to this place according to which as is here foretold the Mountains are to be destroyed in the last place and there are to be no Islands because no Sea in the New Earth which is to be plain and level 21 And there fell upon the wicked Kings and men of the Earth who were gathered together against Christ's Kingdom verses 14.16 a great Hail out of Heaven 42 i. e. an extraordinary Tempest of Divine Wrath inflicted by the more immediate command of God every stone about the weight of a Talent i. e. each stroak of God's Wrath was extraordinary great heavy and insupportable Ezek. 38.22 Matth. 23.44 and yet these men Blasphemed God because of the Hail i. e. were still obdurate and impenitent for the Plague thereof was exceeding great upon which they should therefore have humbled themselves under the mighty hand of God 42 Hail was one of the Plagues of Aegypt and the wicked Kings of Canaan were destroyed by great Hailstones from Heaven Joshua 10.11 as the Antichristian Aegyptians and Kings of the Earth here are But this place more immediately referrs to Ezek. 38.22 where God foretells that Gog and Magog shall be destroyed by a Thunder storm of Rain and Great Hailstones
manner and restrained from all sorts of Mischief but because he was to be let loose after the thousand years therefore he is said to be only shut up in the bottomless pit and is not cast into the Lake until afterwards when he is made utterly uncapable of any manner of power or Action against God and his Kingdom for the least season and that to all Eternity And here end the first Triumphs and Conquests of Christ in his Kingdom which begins with the reducing of his Enemies viz. Antichrist the Wicked Nations and the Devil so as to make them his Footstool whom his Father had been subduing for him from his Ascension as is evident from Psalm 110.1 1 Cor. 15.25 5 The duration of this Season is no where determined in Scripture and therefore cannot be positively assigned only if the Tradition of the seven Thousand Years duration of the World prove true it must comprehend that space of Time which will be found wanting to compleat the 7000 Years after the Expiration of the 1000 Years of Christ's Kingdom 4 And I saw 6 Thrones i. e. solemn and glorious preâ—arations for Rule and Judgment Dan. 7.9 and 7 they i. e. the Saints of the most High who come with Christ Chap. 19.14 Dan. 7.13 18 21 22 26 27. Zech. 14.5 1 Thes 4.14 sat 8 upon them i. e. were invested in a Regal and a Judicial Office and 9 Judgment i. e. Power of Governing Sentencing and Punishing was given unto them who sat on the Throne by God and Christ Dan. 7.22 27. and I saw the separate 10 souls of them or of the Persons that we e beheaded for the Witness of Jesus and for the Word of God i. e. the Souls of the Martyrs under the Pagan Emperour of Rome Rev 6.9 10 11. and 11 I saw also the 12 Souls of them which had not worshipped the Beast neither his Image neither had received his Mark upon their foreheads or in their hands i. e. the Faithful Witnesses killed by Antichrist Chap. 6 11. 11 7. 13 15 16. and they i. e. all these Saints and Martyrs 13 lived again in Spiritual and Heavenly Bodies 1 Cor. 15 42-50 and 14 reigned with 15 Chr st a 16 thousand Years 6 This Representation is taken from Dan. 7.9 in allusion to the (a) Mede's Works p. 762. Grot. in Matth. 19.28 Thrones or Seats of the Jewish Consistory or rather in the Opinion of (a) Mede's Works p. 762. Grot. in Matth. 19.28 Grotius to the ancient Custom of the Jews amongst whom the Princes of the Tribes were wont to sit with the King ih publick Assemblies And accordingly This Court of Christ's Kingdom and Grand Assizes of the Day of Judgment is represented as having many Thrones as 1. The Throne of God the Father Dan. 7.9 2. The Throne of Christ in which he was enstated Dan. 7.13 14 upon the Judgment passed upon Antâ—ehrist to shew that Christ's Glorious Kingdom begins not until after that Judgment and Destruction as in this Prophecy the Thousand Years do not enter until after the Battle of Decision which is also called a Judgment Chap. 19. 3. Many Thrones of Saints Dan. 7.10 18 22 26. where the Saints are called The Judgment and are said to he set in Judgment and many Thrones to be set down pitched or erected as the Word ought to be translated at the 9th Verse which Thrones do not belong to the Angels who are not represented as sitting but standing as Ministring and Assisting Spirits 1 Kings 22.19 Is 6.1 Dan. 7.10 7 By a diligent compare of Dan. 7.13 18 c. with Rev. 19.14 17. and this Verse it will plainly appear that the Saints those Armies of Heaven who come with Christ in the Clouds to Judgment are the They here referred to the very They Dan. 7.13 where the like Phrase is used who come with the Son of Man upon the Clouds of Heaven to whom Thrones a Kingdom and a Judicatory are ascribed in (a) Matth. 19.28 Luke 22.30 1 Cor. 6 1-4 Scripture over the Wicked Angels and the World and who have here Thrones given them as a Reward for their Attendance upon Christ in the foregoing Battle to whom alone yet the Victory is ascribed Chap. 19.21 8 To sit upon a Throne denotes in Scripture a continuance in an undisturbed possession of Soveraignty and Dominion with a Right of Judicature as Expositors of the Creed have shewn on the Article concerning Christ's sitting on the Right Hand of the Father 9 This Word signifies Rule and Government in Scripture as well as a Judicial Power Gen. 15 14.19 9.1 Sam. 4.18 Psalm 72.1 2. 10 From this place it may be observed 1. That these were the Souls of the very Martyrs whom he had seen before under the Altar Chap. 6 9-11 the same Expressions being used in both places 2. That they were particularly the Martyrs under the pagan Roman Emperours because they are said to have been beheaded which was a (b) Grot. in locum Roman Punishment 3. That the Soul is Immortal and sleeps not in its separate State because they cry with a loud Voice have Robes given unto them and are admonished to rest for a little season 6 9-11 11 These are distinguished from the former by the interposition of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or And and are evidently as appears from comparing this place with Rev. 6.11 the Witnesses martyred under the Reign of the Beast or Antichrist who were to fill up or compleat the Number of Martyrs and then to Live and Reign together with the Martyrs under the Pagan Emperours 12 Pareus supposes an Ellipsis in this place which may be thus supplied 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. although separate Souls are often spoken of in Scripture in the Masculine Gender Luke 16 19-31 13 They lived that is in their Persons in Bodies suited to the State of the Blessed Milennium for this cannot refer to the Souls here-mentioned which lived before as hath been already observed See also the Notes on the following Verse 14 This as well as almost all the other Expressions in the New Testament concerning the Great Day of Judgment is taken chiefly from Daniel who in the second and seventh Chapters of his Prophecy foretells that during the Times of the Fourth Kingdom evidently proved by several (a) Mede 's Works pag. 711. Dr. Moor'â— Sâ—â—ps Proph 2.13 Dr Gressener s Demonstr B. 2. 6-8 and the Append. Authors to be the Roman the God of Heaven should set up a Kingdom which from small beginnings or an Infant-State likned by Daniel to a (a) Mr. Mede 713 743 c. Stone should by a Divine and Supernatural Power increase so far that at last in the Days of the Ten Kings who are the Ten Toes of the Feet of the Great Image Dan. 2.43 44. it should become a Mountain filling the whole Earth that is a Vniversal and an Everlasting Kingdom after it had put an end to all other Kingdoms particularly that
others is included Luke 24.49 by the Holy Ghost's coming upon them the knowledge of Times and Seasons was bestowed upon them by God which indeed it was not for them to know before of themselves and without the Spirit which alone knoweth the Secrets of God for which they were rebuked by our Saviour Acts 1 6-8 and not for supposing such a Kingdom and Restauration For in the first Sermon which the Apostle Peter made after the descent of the Holy Ghost Acts 3 19-26 he plainly makes mention of the Times and appointed Seasons of d Restitution or Restauration and Refreshment to Israel determining also the precise Time when this should come to pass viz. at the second Coming of Christ from Heaven foretold by all the Prophets when the sins of the converted Israelites were to be blotted out and they should have great comfort and refreshment from the presence of God by Christ's return referring to the Prophecy of Moses Deut. 18.15 18 19. where it is foretold that at the raising up or coming of Christ the Israelites shall hear or obey him in all things whatsoever he shall say unto them which perfect Obedience hath not been as yet paid unto Christ's Doctrine by them and therefore the Words must refer to some Second Coming when according to the Tenor of that and other places of Scripture the faithful Jews shall be restored comforted and rewarded and the Disobedient shall be destroyed from among the people Lastly The Apostle 1 Cor. 15 24.-29 plainly asserts that Christ shall have such a Distinct and Peculiar Kingdom to himself as that he may be said in the Exercise of it not to be subject to God the Father and God the Father during that Kingdom not to be all in all Which cannot be understood concerning him whilst he was upon Earth because he was then in a State of Humiliation and Sufferings being made lower then the Angels and having taken upon himself the Form of a Servant Phil. 2.7 8. Heb. 2.9 nor concerning him as he is now in Heaven because he is represented in Scripture in his present State as sitting on the Right Hand of God whereby is denoted his enjoying and possessing as the Son (c) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 3.2 the same word used Acts 1.6 by the Apostles when they proposed this question to our Saviour of Man a Glory and Authority next to that of God the Father and the Exercise of his Regal Office as a Branch of his Mediatorship as in subjection and subordination unto him and as in expectation of having his Enemies subdued by the Father Psalm 110.1 Heb. 10.12 13. Nor can this be understood concerning the Kingdom of Eternity because then God will be All in All And although Christ must Reign in his Humane Nature to all Eternity yet that is not as Mediator but as God-Man (a) John 13 32.17 5 24. glorified with the Glory which he had with the Father before the World was in which State his Humane Nature is not to have a proper and peculiar Glory of it self but one in and with God from him and him alone And therefore this must be understood concerning some State of his Kingdom called 1 Cor. 15.24 The Kingdom in which Christ as Son of Man and Mediators shall appear to Reign so gloriously with such Evidences and Manifestations of Glory in and from himself as that he may be said not to be subject to the Father but to have a distinct Kingdom of his own although communicated from God the Father in which he Reigns freely and absolutely as King and net as a Vice-Roy limited by a Commission and which was not to be One with his Fathers Kingdom until all things become One in him when Christ's Mediatory Kingdom is to cease A Mediator not being a Mediator of One. Now if there be such a Kingdom and that Kingdom be not his Mediatory nor Eternal Kingdom what Kingdom can it be but that Glorious Kingdom we have been treating of which is to begin as the Apostle there intimates and shall be shewn hereafter at the Resurrection and is to end when all things are subdued unto the Son when he shall deliver up his Kingdom in which the Saints had been sanctified by him and prepared for Union with God according to the Tenor of that admirable Prayer of our Saviour John 17. the Pattern of his Intercession Q. E. D 15 It is no where expresly said in Scripture that Christ shall come down upon the Earth at the Day of Judgment but only that he shall appear in the Clouds (a) So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be rendered compare Rev. 5.10 and Matth. 25.21 See Mr. Mather de Signo Filii Hominis and Dr. Homes Resurrect revealed 2.2 over the Earth in the lowest part of the Heavens into which be descends from the highest Heavens Judging the World and Reigning there with his Saints 1 Thes 4.16 17. 16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Thousand Years which are to be understoood of a definite space of time as appears from the Epocha and Period assigned to this Line of Time which is dated from the binding of the Devil and ends in the loosing of him And the Thousand Years are to be understood Literally and not Prophetically reckoning each Day for a Year because all Prophetical Time will be at an end before the Blessed Millennium begins according to Christ's Oath Rev. 10.6 that Time should be no longer after the expiring of the 1260 Years the Times foretold by the Prophets Now if Propheticall Time be at an end before the Thousand Years enter then they must be Literally and not Prophetically understood in which sense if they were to be taken the Glory of the Divine State in which God is all in all would be deferred to so vast a length of Time as could not rationally be supposed But that this State is to last such a precise Number of Years seems to be plainly asserted by the Apostle Peter 2. Ep. 3.8 who discoursing concerning the Day of Judgment delivers this remarkable Axiom of which he charges those he wrote to to take special notice as of a thing very observable viz. That one Day is with the Lord as a Thousand Years and a Thousand Years as one Day In which place the Apostle answers an Objection which he foresaw would be made by some Scoffers in the last Days against the coming of Christ to dissolve this present World and make a New One and tells the that this should certainly come to pass at the Day of Judgment But least his meaning should be mistaken he says that by the Day of Judgment he does not mean a single ordinary Day but a Day in the mysterious Account and Reckoning of Almighty God who made all things in Number as well as in Weight and Measure and had ordained accordingly that a Day in his Account should be reckoned as a Thousand Years and a Thousand Years as One Day and therefore that the Day
whole space of the Blessed Millennium Rev. 20. 7. The Bodies of the Dead Saints being raised are caught up into the Air and the Saints which come with Christ appear in them together with him in the Heavens and probably continue with him there in Glory during the Thousand Years the Heavens being purged and purified as it were by Fire and the (c) Luke 10.18 Eph. 6.12 Evil Spirits falling down like Lightning from the Air which had been so long possessed by them whereby these High and Heavenly Places are as it were prepared for the Reception of Christ and his Saints For Righteousness must dwell in the New (a) 2 Pet. 3.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8.22 23. Heavens as well as the New Earth and the whole Creation groans and waits for this Redemption But this shall be further made out as occasion offers upon the following parts of this Vision 8. The Living Saints will be (b) Malach. 3 1-3 1 Cor. 3 10-16 purged and purified as Gold and Silver and many of them shall be saved at this Day with great Difficulty but all shall be preserved by God who knoweth how to deliver the Godly as he did Lot and the Three Children in the Fiery Furnace which are Types of this Last and Great Deliverance 2 Pet. 2.9 in the general Conflagration and their Bodies being changed they shall Reign with Christ on the New Earth the (c) Rom. 8 19-24 Burnet 's Theory 4 7-9 former being unfit through the Vanity and Corruption it is subject to for such a purpose And this is that State of the Earth which it earnestly expects and groaneth after and for which it was designed by God who seems to declare by the Prophet Isaiah Chap. 45.17 18. that he created it not in vain or to be such a Chaos and subject to so much Vanity Rom. 8.20 as it now is but to be inhabited by the Mystical Israel of all the Earth Isa 45.17 21 22. who shall be saved in the Lord with an everlasting Salvation 9. All this will come to pass at the very beginning of Christ's Coming whose Proceedings will be very sudden and swift Malach. 3.5 1 Cor. 15.52 in which (a) Malach. 4 1-4 Psalm 110.1 the Wicked shall be burnt up and trod down and be as Ashes under the Soles of the Feet of the Saints lying at the Footstool of Christ's Throne whilst the Living Saints Reign with him on the New Earth and the Raised Saints in the New Heavens 10. At the End of the Thousand Years upon Christ's withdrawing some of his more immediate Presence and Glory Satan will stir up the Wicked Nations who had been all that while in a State of Contempt and Punishment Malach. 4 1-4 to endeavour to destroy Christ's Kingdom on Earth upon which he will catch up his Saints into the Air and give them incorruptible Bodies and the whole Body of Saints with Christ their Head shall finally Judge the wicked world and the New Heavens and Earth shall disappear and fly away the Son shall deliver up his Kingdom to the Father and the Saints shall remain with him to all Eternity whilst Satan and all the Wicked remain in the Lake for ever which is a place of Punishment represented as a Lake made out of the Liquefaction and Dissolution of the present Earth burnt with Fire And this is a brief Scriptural Account of this great Transaction against (b) See Dr. Beverley's Vniversal Christian Doctrine of the Day of Judgment which although many Objections may be raised yet there are few which may not be as plausibly alledged against the Day of Judgment as it is usually understood by Divines 2 And 5 I John the Apocâ—lyptick Apostle unto whom Christ had sent and signified and shewn things to come thereby testifying that I was a Servant of his and greatly beloved by him Rev. 1 1. Dan. 9 23.10 7 11 19. saw and let it be observed diligently for these words are true and faithful Verse 5. the 6 Holy City or Polity of Saints New Jerusalem above the Mother of us all Gal. 4.26 Heb. 11 10 16.12 22 23. coming down with Christ into the Regions of the Air 1 Thes 4 14-18 See on Chap. 19.7 8 9 14.19.20 4. from God the Father out of Heaven before whose Throne it had hitherto been in various degrees of Exaltation See on Chap. 12 1.14 1. prepared and arrayed in Christ's Righteousness as a Bride adorned for her Husband which is the Lamb Christ that he might present to himself a Glorious Church not having Spot or Wrinkle and at last perfectly unite it to God in his Eternal Kingdom Eph. 5.26 27. Rev. 19.7 8 9 5 He does not say simply as in the former Verse I saw but I John saw by that Emphatical Expression shewing the great Importance of the Vision and likewise more earnestly affirming the Truth of that which was to be of so great use and consolation to the Saints hereby imitating the Beloved Prophet Daniel who frequently makes use of the same Phrase upon the like Occasions 6 From a due compare of this place with the places quoted in the Paraphrase it appears 1. That the Holy City is no other than the Bride or Saints those Armies which come with Christ in the Air to Judgment in his Kingdom the very They who sit in Thrones and Reign with him a Thousand Years Chap. 20.4 as hath been before proved and often observed 2. That this New Jerusalem is in the New Heavens or Heavenly Places of the Air as they are called in Scripture into which the Saints come or descend from Heaven with Christ as hath been before observed and consequently that the New (a) Dr. Burnet 's Theory 4.3 8. Heavens and New Earth are the Seat of the Thousand Years Reign of Christ and the Saints the Inhabitants of it because they are here represented as coming into it as into a place newly prepared for them by God Verse 1. 3. That this New Jerusalem State coming down from God is the Kingdom of Christ in its Highest and most Exalted State which had been hitherto represented in this Vision as before the Throne of God in divers States and Degrees of Exaltation according as Christ's Kingdom increased and his Enemies were subdued by God the Father at whose Right Hand he was to sit in a patient Expectation of this Kingdom until all his Enemies were made his Footstool which being now performed he comes down from God out of Heaven with his Bride or Church purified and perfectly sanctified into his glorious Kingdom in the New Heavens and New Earth the Seat of the Blessed Millennium For thus Heb. 12.22 compared with Rev. 14.1 the Saints first come unto Mount Sion and then unto the City of the Living God the heavenly Jerusalem or the Archetypal State of Christ's Kingdom in Heaven to which there is one always correspondent on Earth the Metropolis of the Christian Worship which had its Original from thence Heb.
12.25 and of which it is a Pattern Heb. 9.1 the True Temple built without hands where our hopes is and of which we are Citizens and which is the Bride the Lamb's Wife and the Mother of all True Christians Gal. 4.26 3 And I heard a great Voice out of Heaven proclaiming a great Truth and shewing me a New and Extraordinary Thing which had never been before saying Behold with thine eyes and hear with thine ears and set thy heart upon all that I shall shew thee Ezek. 40 4.44 5. the Tabernacle of G d i. e. the Kingdom of Heaven of which the Tabernacle was a Type See the Notes on Chap. 13.6 15 5. is now with 7 men in the New Heaven and New Earth into which it is come down from God out of Heaven Verse 2. and he i. e. God will 8 dwell or Tabernacle a second time John 1.14 with them in a State of Glory Ezek. 37 26-28 9 and they shall be his sanctified Ezek. 37.28 1 Thes 5.23 Rev 19.8 People and God himself shall be with them in Christ by peculiar extraordinary perpetual and Glorious Manifestations of Presence and Conduct and be their God to sanctifie them wholly and then to unite them unto himself in his Kingdom of Eternity John 17.19 21. 1 Cor. 1.8 1 Thes 5 23. 7 It comes down from God and is with Men and therefore a State in the highest Heavens cannot be here meant for it is not said that it Ascends or that the Tabernacle of Men is with God but that the Tabernacle of God is with Men. 8 God in Christ had dwelt with Men before in a State of Humiliation and his Glory appeared but to some few chosen ones for the World knew him not and his own did not receive him John 1.10 11. and that only at some transient Manifestations of it such as the Transfiguration on the Mount but now very great and glorious (a) Burnet 's Theory 4.7 appearances of Divine Majesty and Presence are promised to be continued for evermore in Heaven after a Thousand Years duration in the New Heaven and New Earth which are to fly away into Eternity Ezek. 37.26 9 Expressions taken from the Covenant made with Abraham Gen. 17.7 8. and the New Covenant mentioned Jerem 31 31-34 32 40 44. Ezek. 36.26 27.37 26 27 28 Heb. 8. whereby is shewn that the Promises of that Covenant are not fully accomplished but in the Glorious Kingdom of Christ the Minister of the Sanctuary and of the true Tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not Man which comes down from Heaven in this Vision Compare Heb. 8. with the first Verses of this Chapter 4 And God shall wipe away all Tears from their Eyes i. e. shall remove all Causes and Occasions of Sorrow Is 25.8.60 20. and there shall be no more death or it shall be destroyed by Christ Is 25.8 1 Cor. 15.26 54. neither Sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more pain i. e. it shall be a state of (a) Dr. Burnet 's Theory 4.7 Indolency free from pain and want for the former things of the first Heaven and first Earth the World of the first Adam i. e. Sin Diseasâ—s Want Satan and his wicked Agents Hell and Death are passed away out of the Limits of the first Heaven and first Earth 5 And he that * sat on the white Throne i. e. Christ whom I had seen sitting on his own distinct Throne at the delivery up of the Kingdom Chap. 20.11 said behold for it is a thing much to be observed I am now about to make all things new i. e. to make a New Heaven and a New Earth and to renew and fully sanctifie Humane Nature John 17.19 And he said unto me 10 Write for these Words are true and faithful i. e. the New Things declared by me in these Words are now ready to be made by me whereby all my Words Promises and Declarations will receive a full compleâ—ion and will appear to be True and Infallible * There are Three Thrones ascribed to Christ in this Prophecy 1. The Throne of the Father in which Christ sits with him from the Resurrection until the Appearance of his own Throne in his Kingdom Chap. 3.21 2. Christ's own Throne or the Throne peculiar to his Humane Nature in his Glorious Kingdom called his Throne Chap. 3.21 and the Throne of the Lamb Chap. 22.3 3. The White Throne Chap. 20.11 in which Christ appears at the last Judicial Act of his Kingdom jâ—â—hen he is about to deliver it up to his Father Which appâ—â—â—â—â—ce having been seen but just before although it be after this in Time and in the Order of Completion is here referred to to shew that the same person whom he had by way of Prolepsis or Anticipation a Figure frequent in this Prophecy seen dissolving all things was now to appear as making all things New the same Christ being the Omega and End who shall dissolve all things and the Beginning or Alpha who is the Efficient Cause of the New Creation the New Heaven and New Earth and of (a) Psalm 22 27-31.102 18. the Generation of Saints the people which shall be created to inhabit it 10 To write is to bring into Effect as hath been often (b) See on Chap. 19.9 observed before whereby is signified that all the New things he had promised and declared in his Word were just ready to be made hy him 6 And he said unto me 11 It is done i. e. what I was about to do is now performed I have now sanctified and renewed my Servants and delivered the Creation from its Vanity Corruption and Bondage I the Eternal Word in Humane Nature am Alpha and Omega the Beginning and the End of Prophecy who made all things in the beginning and have now created them anew and am therefore able to say it is done Chap. 1 8.3 14. I who am able will also give unto him i. e. unto the Saints of all Ages that is a thirst i. e. that earnestly desire the full glory of mâ— Kingdom of the Fountain of the Water of Life i e. full and lasting Communications of Grace and Glory to all the Living in this New Jerusalem Isa 4 3. John 4 10 14.7 37. freely i. e. out of my mere Grace and Favour Isa 55.1 2. 11 Christ here at the completion of what he was to do for his Servants uses the same Expression he had before used Chap. 16.17 after the Destruction of his Enemies by the Vials which may thereupon he lookt upon as (a) See on Chap. 3.12 Monumental Inscriptions upon Two Pillars placed as it were at Two remarkable Boundaries of Prophecy of which the one respects Christ's making his Enemies his Footstool the other the Blessed State and Lot of the Saints at the End of Days mentioned Dan. 12.13 7 He that overcometh i e all of each Church-State who overcome the Temptations of it See Chapters 2 and 3. shall inherit as Sons all