no other receptacle of the dead besides these twain save only the Grave Thus we finde that Job doth by death understand the Grave Chap. 27.15 When he saith of the wicked man that those that remain of him shall be buried in death and his widows shall not weep Finally Hell not Hell-fire giveth up the souls both of them that were drowned in the Sea under which name all waters are comprehended and also of them that were buried in the earth For that Hell is designed to be the mansion of separated Souls appeareth from the words of Peter Acts 2.31 Who speaking out of the Psalms concerning the resurrection of Christ saith that his soul was not left in hell neither did his flesh see corruption And also from that passage of David Psalm 30.3 O Lord thou hast brought up my soul from Hell thou hast kept me alive that I should not go down into the pit For that I have rightly rendred the words in saying from hell and not from the Grave is manifest both from the Greek version which here hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and also from the Hebrew original not using the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is proper to denote a Grave or Sepulchre See Gen. 23.6 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereby Hell is wont to be expressed and which lieth in the lower parts of the earth See the Hebrew context of Numb 16.30.33 Besides it is apparent to common sense that not the souls but only the bodies of men are laid in the grave Vers 14. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire This is the second death Vers 15. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire What the second death is and consequently those words mean which we read in the second clause of the sixth verse foregoing as also those Chap. 2.11 where it is said He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death is here by John explained for he expresly telleth us that the lake of fire and brimstone is the second death So that to be cast into that lake and to be under the power of the second death or hurt of it are expressions of the same import Thus had we the testimony of Jesus expounded to us in the nineteenth Chapter Nevertheless how Death and Hell being both of them places and receptacles of the dead should be cast into the said lake is hard to comprehend Yea were it not for a certain passage in the sixth Chapter of this prophecy I should be inclineable to think that this was a mystery which God would not have us pry into as we have above shewn that sundry such mysteries are to be met withal in the Book of the Revelation But forasmuch as in the Chapter aforesaid verse 8. Death is brought in riding upon a pale horse and Hell following him and consequently both of them are represented in the similitude of persons we may from thence rationally collect that in the passage here under debate the Holy Ghost intending to intimate that after the universal Judgement there shall be neither burial nor separation of the soul from the body doth exhibit two persons representing Death and Hell which are thrown into the lake of fire as resigning up their Office to it and being swallowed up therein according to that of the Prophet Hosea Chap. 15.14 O death I will be thy plague O Hell so it is in the Hebrew and not Grave I will be thy destruction Besides the books of the Old and New Testament which are the rule by which the actions of men that have had some form of Religion delivered by God shall at length be examined there is yet another Book opened in the day of judgement to wit the Book of life wherein whosoever have not their names written are said to be cast into the Lake of fire From whence it may be rightly concluded that as the want of being enrolled in that Book was above in the thirteenth and also in the seventeenth Chapters alleged as the Cause why so many erred most grosly in admiring and worshipping the Beast so is it here why so many are thrown into the Lake of Fire in that it is altogether impossible for such persons to attain that piety to which the Promise of eternal Life is annexed As for the place of the Lake of Fire that is here so much spoken of were it part of the World it would of necessity perish with the World which as we have before evinced is to be abolished Wherefore seeing it abideth for ever we ought in reason to conceive that it is without the compass of the World in the Description of which the Scripture doth perpetually omit it And hence it seemeth to be called by Christ the outer Darkness Matth. 22.13 as being without the Verge of Heaven and Earth Chap. 21. Vers 1. And I saw a new Heaven and a new Earth for the first Heaven and the first Earth were passed away and there was no more Sea The Exposition WHat I before said touching the orderly course held by John in setting down his Prophecies is here worthy again to be observed For having in the precedent Chapter described the abolition of Heaven and Earth he now mentioneth the new Heaven and the new Earth that are to succeed in their place And he therefore affirmeth that he had seen this new Heaven and this new Earth though to this very day the old ones still continue because they were represented to him in a Vision Thus Christ saith to his Disciples Matth. 16.28 There be some of them that are standing here who shall not taste of Death till they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom Not that any of them were to remain alive to the end of the World for both the Scripture and the Ecclesiastical History testifie the contrary but because about eight days after he vouchsafed to three of them a sight of that glory wherein he shall come as King to judge the World Luke 9.27 28 29 30. But for as much as many endeavour to obscure this passage of the Revelation with their forced Allegories let us confirm the plain and literal meaning thereof by what the Scripture elsewhere speaketh concerning this matter The Apostle Peter describing the Day of Judgement and the alteration that shall happen to the World thereby telleth the pious Jews to whom he directeth his Letters that the Day of the Lord will come as a Thief in the Night in the which the Heavens shall pass away with a great noise and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat the Earth also and the Works therein shall be burnt up Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness looking for and hasting unto the coming of the Day of God wherein the Heavens being on fire shall be dissolved and the Elements shall melt with fervent
same person with the Goat himself as the Angel there shews it doth Vers 21. namely Alexander the King of Greece and the first King thereof who subdued Darius the King of the Medes and Persians and so was the Goat that trampled on the Ram with two Horns there spoken of Vers 4. And they worshipped the Dragon which gave Power unto the Beast and they worshipped the Beast saying Who is like unto the Beast who is able to make war with him In this Verse is set forth the marvellous impiety of the whole World in the Reign of the Beast for they shall not stick to worship the Devil for investing the Beast with so vast Authority and also the Beast that is set up by him as judging no King in all the World like to him for greatness nor able to wage war with him Neither is this Worship of the Devil to be esteemed such a sin as that the Nature of Man cannot possibly be induced to commit it otherwise the Devil would not have sollicited our Saviour Christ thereunto telling him that if he would fall down and worship the Devil all the Kingdoms of the World together with the glory thereof should become his Luk. 4 6 7. For certainly the Devil is too subtil to propose such a thing to our Saviour the wisest and strongest Saint that ever was or shall be which is so enormous that no Man though never so gross and wicked is capable of being drawn thereunto I conclude therefore that this detestable wickedness of Worshipping the Devil will be put in practise according to the very Letter during the Reign of the Beast Vers 5. And there was given unto him a Mouth speaking great things and blasphemies and power was given unto him to continue forty and two Moneths These words imply that the Beast though otherwise of himself most impious yet could not utter so great things and blasphemies were he not animated by an extraordinary Power For as it is elsewhere said in the Scripture that none can do such or such an act of Piety unless it be given to him and consequently God doth in mercy enable him by the Power of his Holy Spirit as Christ saith that none could come unto him except it were given him of the Father Joh. 6.65 And Paul saith Phil. 1.29 To you it is given in the behalf of Christ not onely to believe in him but also to suffer for him So the outragious blaspheming of the Name of God here spoken of is so high a strain of impiety that were not the Beast incited and spirited thereunto by the working of Satan he could in no wise reach unto it The same is said of his making war namely with the Saints as you have it Vers 7. and Dan. 7 25. for the space of forty two Moneths For this being a more than ordinary act of Tyranny requireth the assistance of the Devil to stir up and strengthen the Beast to perform it As for the duration of this War with the Saints which the Beast is said to wage for the space of forty two Moneths seeing I have already proved that by the Beast is meant a King neither can any place be alledged out of the Scripture where by Moneths are meant Moneths of Years and not of Days onely I collect that the said War shall last but three Years and an half Vers 6. And he opened his mouth in Blasphemy against God to blaspheme his Name and his Tabernacle and them that dwelt in Heaven What the Beast had by the permission of God received a Power to do he here putteth in execution blaspheming the Name of God and his Tabernacle By which Tabernacle is meant the heavenly Jerusalem the place of Gods abode as appeareth from Chap 21.2 3. For there when that holy City descendeth out of Heaven upon the new Earth a voice is heard from Heaven saying Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men and he shall dwell with them Which implyeth that the heavenly Jerusalem is the Tabernacle of God wherein he will dwell with men And this City is therefore called a Tabernacle because contrary to the guize of other Cities it removeth from place to place as Tabernacles or Tents are wont to do Neither is the Blasphemy of the Beast terminated in God and his Tabernacle but extendeth it self to all those dwelling in Heaven namely Christ and the holy Angels which fully verifieth what Paul saith of this Beast under the name of the Man of Sin and Son of Perdition namely that he shall exalt himself above every one that is called God 2 Thess 2.4 For this Appellation of God is in the Scripture given both to the Father and to his Son Christ Jesus and also to the holy Angels See Ephes 1.17 The God of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of glory John 20.28 Thomas answered and said unto him namely Jesus Christ My Lord and my God Zech. 12.8 The house of David shall be as God as the Angel of the Lord before them Vers 7. And it was given unto him to make war with the Saints and to overcome them and Power was given him over all Kindreds and Tongues and Nations The Beast hath Power given to him not onely to make war with the Saints which by the way implyeth that the Saints oppose him with Arms for it is then rightly termed War when Hostility is openly used on both sides See Chap. 12.7 but also to vanquish them in fight And this is a thing very remarkable giving us to understand that the Saints though fighting in a just Cause against the Beast yet cannot prevail by force of Arms in as much as the Beast is to be defeated by the divine Power of Christ their Captain who will at length appear in the Heaven riding upon a white Horse and by the Sword of his Mouth dissipate the Beast and his Complices See Chap. 19.11 15 20 21. What is here further said of the universal Monarchy of the Beast is of it self very plain and hath been touched before in the Exposition of the first Verse so that I need not add any thing thereunto Vers 8. And all that dwell upon the Earth shall worship him whose Names are not written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the Foundation of the World As the Kingdom of the Beast is universal so is the Worship also none amongst all the Inhabitants of the Earth refusing it save they whose Names are written in the Book of Life For they being appointed of God unto Salvation are accordingly preserved by him from committing so great impiety as to worship a King that openly blasphemeth God and was set up by the Devil Furthermore when the Book of Life is here said to be the Lambs it is because God hath prepared it for him for Moses of old testified that God hath written such a Book Exod. 32.32 that he might know on whom to bestow eternal Life For seeing it was the will of God that none should
Judgements causeth fear so doth the righteousness of them induce Men to glorifie and praise his Name An instance whereof we have Revel 19.1 2. where it is said Glory and honour be to our God because his Judgements are true and just The second part of this Message which is therefore termed everlasting because it relateth to such Duties as are not peculiar to any certain time but to be performed for ever is to exhort Men to the Worship of God the Creatour of Heaven and Earth And this Exhortation is the more seasonable because of the general Apostacy of the Times here spoken of wherein partly by the force and partly by the fraud of the false Prophet it is grown a common practice to worship the Beast to the greatest dishonour of God that can be imagined Vers 8. And there followed another Angel saying Babylon is fallen is fallen that great city because she made all Nations drink of the Wine of the Wrath of her Fornication Babylon by which Rome is meant as will appear by the exposition of the 17. Chap. shall length be utterly destroyed namely by the ten Kings that are confederate with the Beast to shew the certainty of which mine the Angel speaketh of it as already past redoubling the Expression and Saying Babylon is fallen is fallen Now the reason why he speaketh of Rome under a borrowed name is partly that he might not bring danger upon John by causing him to describe in plain terms the Destruction of that City under the Dominion whereof he lived for Jeremy in that he openly foretold the ruine of Jerusalem was very likely to have been put to death Chap. 26.11 and partly that none but the wise might attain to the knowledge of so excellent a Prophecy as is sufficiently hinted by those words of the Angel Chap. 17.9 where he saith Here is the minde that hath wisdom The seven Heads are the seven Mountains on which the Woman sitteth c. And this mystical name of Babylon is very aptly and elegantly given to Rome because of the great congruity that was between those two Cities For first Babylon was an exceeding large City and therefore called great Babylon Dan. 4.30 So also was Rome which is therefore hyperbolically said by the Poet Lucan lib. 1. ver 511. to have been a sufficient Receptacle for all Mankinde but by more sober Writers that have inquired into the greatness thereof to have been fifty Miles within the Walls Secondly Babylon was the Seat of the first universal Kingdom and Rome of the fourth Thirdly Babylon was exceedingly addicted to Sorceries and Inchantments Isai 47.9 12. So also was Rome for though Laws were made at Rome against Astrologers and Sorcerers yet were they under hand still cherished there which gave Tacitus an occasion to say of them Hist lib. 1. cap. 7. that they were Genus hominum quod in civitate nostra vetabitur semper retinebitur That is A kinde of men that in our state will be always both forbidden and retained Fourthly Babylon exercised great rage and cruelty upon the People of God Isai 47.6 So also did Rome of which it is said Chap. 18.24 of this Prophecy that in her was found the Blood of Prophets and Saints and of all that were slain in the Earth And this last Branch of the Comparison bringeth us to the cause of Rome's Destruction assigned in this place by the Angel when he saith that all Nations had drunk the Wine of the Wrath of her Fornication For to drink the Wine of her Wrath according to the Language of the Scripture taken from the custome of administring bitter Potions whereby Men become disturbed and ill at ease is to feel her Anger and so to be vanquished by her with the Sword See Jer. 25.15 16. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel unto me Take the Wine-cup of this fury at my hand and cause all the Nations to whom I send thee to drink it And they shall drink and be moved and be mad because of the Sword that I will send among them And Chap. 51.7 Babylon hath been a golden Cup in the Lords hand that made all the Earth drunken The Nations have drunken of her Wine therefore the Nations are mad Neither ought the Fornication or Whoredom of Rome here annexed to turn us aside from this Interpretation seeing the subtil Devices that great Cities have used to ruine other States are in the Scripture called Whoredoms Thus the Prophet Nahum saith of Nineveh Chap. 2.3 4. There is a multitude of slain and a great number of carcases they stumble upon their corpses because of the multitude of the Whoredoms of the well-favoured Harlot the Mistress of Witchcrafts that selleth Nations through her Whoredoms and Families through her Witchcrafts You see by this passage that Nineveh was to be ruined for her whorlsh slights whereby she drew in other Nations and made a Prey of them as Harlots are wont to do with their Lovers But never was there any City that did so over-reach and prey upon other Nations as Rome did what by making them Confederates but upon unequal terms what by shewing a marvellous readiness in protecting their Confederates thereby to have a fair pretext to make an Invasion upon others what by pretending out of meer gallantry to deliver Free States from the Oppressors of their Liberty but under-hand reserving to themselves the sovereign Command over those States after they had subdued their Enemies All which and sundry other whorish tricks of Rome far exceeding in queintness those of any other City we read of may be seen at large in the History of Livy and the notable Discourses of Machiavel thereupon Vers 9. And the third angel followed them saying with a loud voice If any man worship the beast and his image and receive his mark in his forehead or in his hand Vers 10. The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. Vers 11. And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever and they have no rest day nor night who worship the beast and his image and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name This third Angel seemeth to make application of what the first Angel said For if men ought to worship God as that Angel in his everlasting message did declare certainly it is very great impiety to worship the Beast who is the professed enemy of God openly blaspheming his Name And lest any one should imagine it to be a small sin to worship the Beast and his Image or to receive his mark he denounceth with a loud voice That whosoever doth so shall drink of the wine of Gods wrath that is poured without mixture and so not allayed with any thing to abate the force thereof into the cup of his anger and
it be her demanded how it hapneth that this name should be inscribed on the crowns encompassing the head of Christ and also be seen of John as his words imply in that he is a witness of it and yet neither he nor any other should attain the knowledge thereof I answer this cometh to pass because they cannot read it As it hapned to the wise men of Babylon in the time of Belshazzar none of whom was able to read what the part of the hand sent from God had written upon the Palace-wall Dan. 5.5 8. For whosoever readeth any name doth thereby know it although he arrive not at the sense and signâ—fication thereof But Christ is further said to be clothed with a vesture dipt in blood which is very agreeable to the business in hand For he appearing as the Captain of his people and intending to shed the blood of his and their enemies is aptly represented with a bloody garment Neither is it impertinent hereunto that his name is called the Word of God as will appear when we have made a discussion thereupon For when Christ is stiled the word or rather the speech of God so the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here used doth truly signifie as Aristotle in the fourth Chapter of his book de interpretatione doth teach us this appellation is given to him either properly or improperly and figuratively not properly for then he would be but an accident seeing the same Aristotle in his Treatise of the Predicaments Chapter the sixth rangeth a speech called by him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word here under debate among the species of discrete quantity which is an accident But Christ by the confession of all is a substance and no accident Wherefore he is called the word or speech of God improperly and figuratively but if so then there must be some resemblance between the speech of God properly so called and Christ Jesus which by searching the Scripture we shall finde to consist in these two respects first because the speech of God properly so taken doth immediately flow from the divine understanding so also did Christ come immediately from the divine Majesty in heaven to publish the Gospel to the world and so was the speech or immediate interpreter of God This is confirmed by that notable passage of John who having in the entrance of the first Chapter of his Gospel given the appellation of the word or speech to Christ seemeth to explain the same in the eighteenth verse thereof saying No man hath seen God at any time the only begotten Son which is or rather was in the bosome of the Father he hath declared him Christ himself also saith in the sixth Chapter of that Gospel verse 38. I came down from heaven not to do mine own will but the will of him that sent me And Chap. 8.42 If God were your Father ye would love me for I proceeded forth and came from God And Chap. 16.27 28. The Father himself loveth you because ye have loved me and have believed that I came out from God I came forth from the Father and am come into the world again I leave the world and go to the Father Secondly because as the speech of God properly so named hath power to effect whatsoever he pleaseth for so God himself testifieth of it Isa 55.10 11. where he saith as the rain cometh down and the snow from heaven and returneth not thither but watereth the earth and maketh it bring forth and bud that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth it shall not return unto me void but it shall accomplish that which I please and it shall prosper in the thing whither to I sent it In like manner Christ had full power to do whatsoever miracles he pleased as he himself witnesseth John 5.19 20 21. where he saith The Son can do nothing of himself but what he seeth the Father do for what things soever he doth these also doth the Son likewise For the Father loveth the Son and sheweth him all things that he himself doth and he will shew him greater works then these that ye may marvel For as the Father raiseth up the dead and quickneth them even so the Son quickneth whom he will These things being so Christ can easily dissipate all his enemies as the event will shew in the close of this 19. Chapter of the Revelation You see then how aptly John saith that the name of Christ is called the word or speech of God when he is brought in as a Captain ready to encounter with the Beast and his complices For this argueth that he can do what mighty works he pleaseth Howbeit the Angels for they are elsewhere in the Scripture meant by the heavenly Armies or Hosts as appeareth from the words of the Prophet Micajah 1 Kings 22.29 I saw the Lord sitting upon his Throne and all the Host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left And also from the words of Luke Chap. 2.13 14 15. And suddenly there was with the Angel a multitude not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greek of the heavenly Host praising God and saying Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace good will towards men And it came to pass as the Angels were gon away from them into heaven c. the Angels I say that here follow Christ though they also ride upon horses because they are Armies and their equipage ought to be some waies answerable to that of Christ their Captain are yet clothed only in fine linen white and clean their usual Priestly weeds as I have before proved in the exposition of the fifteenth Chapter because Christ intendeth not at this time to make use of their ministery in shedding the blood of his enemies but to do it by himself as appeareth from the one and twentieth Verse of this Chapter Whereas Christ on the contrary hath not only a bloody vesture but also a sharp sword not indeed hanging by his side nor held in his hand but as it befitteth the word or speech of God coming out of his mouth wherewith he may smite the Nations and slay them The accomplishment whereof may be seen in the sequel of this Chapter Neither is this disagreeable to what we read elsewhere in the Scripture For if Moses could with the rod in his hand do miracles and plague the land of Egypt See Exod 4.17 why may not Christ aswel smite the Nations with the sword of his mouth For as the rod did not contain in it self the power whereby the miracles were wrought but was only a sign thereof so neither doth the sword which nevertheless is altogether as apt to signifie the divine efficacy of Christ who by meerly speaking the word will slay so many Nations assembled together to fight against him and his people But there is not yet an end of
that when in the 7. Verse of the 19. Chapter mention had been made of the Lambs Wife it is in the following Verse subjoyned that it was to her granted that she should be arrayed in fine Linen clean and white For the fine Linen is the Righteousness of the Saints So that the Scripture it self thereby directeth us by the Lambs Wife in the said place to understand the Church howbeit not the Church abiding on the Earth of which the Adversaries speak but reigning with Christ in Heaven whereas when in the ninth Verse of this 21. Chapter the Angel promiseth to shew unto John the Lambs Wife he presently after presents to his view a great City descending out of Heaven from God Which doth sufficiently teach us that by the Lambs Wife here is not as formerly meant the Church but a very City wherein the Saints shall hereafter dwell For though the Wife of Christ doth by a more exact Metaphor signifie the Church yet doth not this hinder but that by a less exact one the City also to which the Church hath relation may be signified by the same yea nothing is more usual in the Scripture as I have before proved than to represent Cities under the notion of Women Thus we saw that the polluted and foul City of Rome was called an Harlot Chap. 17. why then may not that holy and undefiled City the new Jerusalem be styled the Lambs Wife By this means we come to the right understanding of that passage Gal. 4.26 The Jerusalem that is above is free which is the Mother of us all For in as much as the heavenly Jerusalem is not onely inseparably annexed to Christ but also at his disposal and so elegantly called his Wife she must needs be the Mother of all Christians who are both regenerated by the proposal thereof and designed to be the Inhabitants of the same In the next place he saith that the Angel carried him away in the spirit to a great and high Mountain from whence a fairer Prospect might be had and shewed him that great City the holy Jerusalem descending out of Heaven from God The beauty and excellency whereof he doth describe first in saying that it had the glory of God And lest any one should think that the glory of God which doth enlighten the new Jerusalem was like to the dazzling and offensive splendour of the Sun upon whom neither are Men able to look nor endure his heat John telleth us that the Luminary thereof so the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth is like unto a stone most precious even a Jasper-stone clear as Crystall which casteth a most chearing light on such as behold it 2. He saith that it hath a great and high Wall wherein are twelve Gates and at the Gates twelve Angels and names written thereon which are those of the twelve Tribes of the Children of Israel Three of which Gates look towards the East and three towards the North three towards the South and three towards the West All which is so plain that it needeth no Interpretation Onely let it be observed how God vouchsafeth to the Israelites especial honour above any other Nation under Heaven as having inscribed the names of the twelve Patriarchs from whom their several Tribes are denominated upon the Gates of the heavenly Jerusalem From whence it may be collected that God ordained those Patriarchs to Salvation from the beginning For it would be ridiculous to imagine that God would write the names of such men on the Gates of the heavenly Jerusalem as were not to have any portion therein And this affordeth another collection whereby that is confirmed which we formerly discoursed upon the 8. Verse of the 17. Chapter that all who are to inherit the heavenly Jerusalem were by name appointed thereunto from the Foundation of the World For what reason is conceivable why God should in this manner design the twelve Patriarchs and not likewise all the rest of the Citizens By such an account all would not be alike beholding to God for their Salvation which is absurd 3. He saith that the Wall of the City hath twelve Foundations whereon are written the names of the Lambs twelve Apostles Here therefore what I even now noted touching the Inscription of mens names upon the Gates of the heavenly Jerusalem doth not onely recurre but is also very much confirmed seeing the Scripture doth elsewhere plainly teach that the Apostles are to be saved For Christ saith unto them Luke 22.28 29. Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations and I appoint unto you a Kingdom as my Father hath appointed unto me So that the Doctrine touching the Ordination of a certain number of men by name to eternal life from the Foundation of the World seemeth by these two Instances to be clearly proved Vers 15. And he that talked with me had a golden Reed to measure the City and the Gates thereof and the Wall thereof 16. And the City lieth four-square and the length is as large as the breadth and he measured the City with the Reed twelve thousand Furlongs the length and the breadth and the height of it are equal The Description of the City still goeth on for to the end we might know the dimensions thereof the Angel that here talks with John having a golden Reed in his hand doth measure both the City it self and also the Gates together with the Wall thereof But for as much as the highness of the Gates is not afterwards set down we must needs remain ignorant thereof and ought to content our selves with the measure of the Wall wherein it is contained The City therefore lying four-square for that is the fittest Figure for rest as Roundness best agreeth with Motion is twelve thousand Furlongs broad twelve thousand long and twelve thousand high which after the proportion of eight Furlongs to a Mile maketh fifteen hundred Miles every way and therefore it might well above be called the great City And indeed the compass thereof ought to be very large in that it is to contain all the Faithful that ever were from the beginning of the World to the end thereof As for the Wall it is a hundred forty four Cubits after the Cubit of a Man in whose similitude the Angel here appeareth But the Cubit of an ordinary man from the elbow to the top of the middle finger is accounted half a yard and so the Wall is seventy two yards But in as much as it is not here expressed whether this measure pertaineth to the height or to the thickness thereof for as for the length it must needs be greater than that of the City it self which the Wall doth encompass it will be best to refer it unto both and so to reckon the Wall seventy two yards high and as many broad By which means that will be verified which was before spoken of it namely that it was great and high The matter whereof this Wall is made
heaven before which the glorified Saints shall come and adore him For it doth of necessity follow from thence that they shall see his face Neither do those words of Paul 1 Tim. 6.16 where speaking of God he saith Whom none of men hath seen nor can see a whit derogate from the truth of that which we assert For he himself elsewhere comparing the condition of men in this life with that which shall be in the life to come saith Now we see through a glass darkly but then face to face now I know in part but then shall I know even as I am known I Cor. 13.12 Wherefore in that fore quoted passage of Tim. he speaketh of men conversing in this world between whom and God there is not only a vast distance of place forasmuch as he is in heaven and they on earth Eccles 5.2 but also sundry bodies interposed obstructing their sight of him Yea were they now admitted to the very person of God their eyes were not fit of themselves to behold so spiritual and glorious an object Whereupon the Apostle John concludeth 1 Epist 3.2 That in the world to come We shall be like unto God because we shall see him as he is And this passage which we have last cited together with that other of the Corinthians gives clear attestation to our opinion as also doth that saying of Christ Matth. 5.8 Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God So that we have no need to dwell longer on this subject we pass therefore to the second thing here mentioned which is The inscribing of Gods name upon the forehead of the Saints This is performed by Christ as he himself testifieth Chap. 3.12 where speaking to the Angel of the Church in Philadelphia he saith Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the Temple of my God and he shall go no more out and I will write upon him the name of my God and it denoteth that they are the ministers of God and so are continually to serve him in his Temple Thus as we have above discoursed the name of the Beast was set upon the foreheads of men to signifie that they were such as served and worshipped him Neither can any man alledge a sufficient reason why this also shall not be fulfilled according to the letter of the holy Text. Vers 5 And there shall be no night there and they need no candle neither light of the sun for the Lord God giveth them light and they shall reign for ever and ever John here repeateth what he had before spoken in the one and twentieth Chapter concerning this that there shall be no night in the heavenly Jerusalem nor need either of the sun or of a candle because God is the luminary thereof For inasmuch as God dwelleth in light 1 Tim. 6.16 and covereth himself with light as with a garment Psalm 104.2 Yea is light it self having no darkness at all in him 1 John 1.5 and shall abide with the Saints continually 1 Thes 4.17 It cannot otherwise be but that he should by his presence make perpetual day in the New Jerusalem As for the Reign of the Saints mentioned in the close of this verse it cannot be understood of ruling over the Nations for that ceaseth after the day of judgement wherefore it is meant of their Reigning in life as the Apostle Paul phraseth it Rom. 5.17 and so of reigning over death for ever as death had for some time reigned over them Vers 6. And he said unto me These sayings are faithful and true And the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his Angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done This is the third time that either God himself or the Angels confirm the plain literal and down right meaning of those things that are spoken concerning the New Jerusalem and the happiness of such as are to dwell therein For I have before proved Chap. 21.5 that when it is said These sayings are faithful and true it is all one as if it had been said These sayings are evident and certain and such as do of themselves leave no place for dispute To establish which exposition of mine consider further that the Apostle Paul doth in four several places namely 1 Tim. 1.15 and Chap. 3.1 and Chap. 4.9 and Titus 3.8 tell us that such a point is a faithful saying when the thing whereof he speaketh conteineth in it self no hard and mystical sence but is to be understood according to the plain purpose of the words Why then should we prefer the imaginations of men before the express language of the Scripture and adhere to such interpretations of this prophecy as have no other ground but the bare word of those that obtrude them When the Angel further addeth that the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his Angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done this ought not to be understood of the same Angel that here talketh with John otherwise he would rather have said The Lord God of the holy prophets hath sent me Again the things which this Angel shewed to John are so far from being done shortly after that they are not as yet come to pass Wherefore this saying as will easily appear from the same words used in both places hath relation to that other Angel which is mentioned in the very entrance of the Revelation and who shewed such things to John as began a little after to be put in execution Set Chap. 3.10 where it is said Because thou hast kept the word of my patience I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation which shall come upon all the wold to try them that dwell upon the earth See also the opening of the Seals whereof we read in the sixth Chapter Vers 7. Behold I come quickly blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book Here the Angel speaking in the person of Christ saith Behold I come quickly which is not meant of that notable coming of Christ in the clouds of heaven to judge the quick and the dead for the event sheweth it to be otherwise inasmuch as to this very day he is not come in that manner wherefore he speaketh of some nearer and more improper Coming namely when he would visit the lnhabitants of the World for their wickedness by bringing a great calamity upon them And such a Coming of Christ hapned in the days of Domitian the Emperour not long after the Penning of this Prophecy which I have before proved in the Exposition of the 17. Chapter to have been written in the Reign of Vespasian the Emperour of Rome Which Judgement to be inflicted on the whole World in the Reign and by the Hands of that cruel Monster Domitian when Christ had foretold to the Angel of the Church in Philadelphia Chap. 3.10 He useth the same words in the following Verse that he doth here For thus the whole passage soundeth Because
on the right hand of the Majesty in the Heavens A minister of the Sanctuary and of the true Tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not man And Chap. 9.11.12 but Christ being come an High Priest of future good things by a greater and more perfect Tabernacle not made with hands that is to say not of this building Neither by the blood of goats and Calves but by his own blood he entred in for once so it is in the Greek into the holy place or Sanctuary having obtained everlasting redemption And verse 24. Christ is not entred into the holy places or Sanctuary made with hands which are the figures of the true but into Heaven it self now to appear in the presence of God for us Which passages if we take in the plain and literal sense of them as the circumstances if well weighed will inforce us to do then shall we easily perceive how aptly the same Divine Author Chap. 8.5 speaking of the Levitical Priests that ministred in the Tabernacle saith Who serve unto the example and shadow of Heavenly things Whereas if we turn aside to figurative interpretations neither will that nor sundry other places of the Divine Author aforesaid be ever rightly understood nor shall we be able to render a sufficient reason why we may not at the same rate allegorize upon whatsoever is delivered in the Scripture whereby it will at length come to pass that we shall be certain of nothing that is contained therein being lyable to be carried about with every fansie that curious wits can invent and impose upon the letter of the Holy text Having thus asserted the truth and reality of an Heavenly Tabernacle and Temple the consequence of which Doctrine will further appear when we come to the 21. 22. Chap we ought to pass the same sentence upon the Testimony that is said to be therein For if the tabernacle that Moses made was a type of a greater and more perfect one in Heaven may not the tables of the Testimony also which were contained therein especially seeing that John himself saith in another place of this Prophecie that the temple of God was opened in heaven and there was seen in his temple the ark of his Testament or covenant Chap. 11.19 Vers 6. And the seven angels came out of the temple having the seven plagues clothed in pure and white linen and having their breasts girded with golden girdles The temple being opened for the seven Angels that had the seven plagues they accordingly issue out accoutred like Priests in white linen and golden girdles Thus we find that the Priests under the Law were wont to wear fine linen Exod. 28.39 Thou shalt imbroider the coat of fine linen and thou shalt make the mitre of fine linen and thou shalt make the girdle of needle-work And Levit. 16.11 He shall put on the holy linen coat and he shall have the linen breeches upon his flesh and shall be girded with the linen girdle and with the linen mitre shall he be attired And the curious girdle of the Ephod belonging to the High Priest was made as of other things so also of gold Exod. 28.8 The curious girdle of the Ephod which is upon it shall be of the same according to the work thereof even of gold of blew and of purple and scarlet and fine twined linen Now that this habit of the Levitical Priests was also a type of heavenly things is evident from the description of the Angel an inhabitant of Heaven that appeared to Daniel Chap. 10.5 of his Prophecy For there Daniel saith I lifted up mine eyes and looked and behold a certain man clothed in linen whose loyns were girded with fine gold of Uphaz In like maner are the seven Angels attired that here appear to John But why labor I to prove the Angels to be priests from their Attire when to omit what I observed in the Chapter immediately foregoing namely that one of the Angels is said to have power over the fire of the Altar in Heaven there needs no other Argument to evince this than that which I hinted at the first rise of mine Exposition upon this sixth Verse namely that they are conversant in the Temple of Heaven for it belongeth unto none but Priests to converse in Temples See 2 Chron. 26.11 17 18. Vers 7. And one of the four Beasts gave unto the seven Angels seven golden Vials full of the wrath of God who liveth for ever and ever It is not without a Mystery that one of the four living Creatures giveth to the seven Angels seven Vials full of the Wrath of God For those four living Creatures being indeed the multitude of Believers in the four Quarters of the World as appeareth by their own words Chaps 5.9 where in their new Song to the Lamb they say Thou hast redeemed us by thy Blood to God out of every Kindred and Tongue and People and Nation and hast made us unto our God Kings and Priests and we shall reign on the Earth and it being altogether impossible for them reigning upon the Earth if you speak properly to reach out Vials to the Angels in Heaven when one of them is said to give the Vials to the Angels it onely implyeth that by their procurement whilest they cry day and night unto God it came to pass that these Angels had the Vials of Gods wrath put into their hands to the end they might pour them out upon the Inhabitants of the Earth But here again we meet with another proof of the Angels being Priests in that they are said to have golden Vials given to them whereas a Vial is not an ordinary Bowl but onely such an one as is used in consecrated Places Thus when it is said 2 Chron. 4.8 that Solomon made for the ten Tables of the Temple an hundred Basons or Bowls of Gold the Greek Interpreters render it Vials Neither is it to be omitted that when the seven Vials are said to be fuâ—l of the Wrath of God that liveth for ever and ever this Description of God is very emphatical intimating that God for as much as he liveth for ever and ever can certainly accomplish his Wrath so that his Enemies cannot possibly escape whereas Men having their Breath in their Nostrils and being â—iable to Death every moment they may indeed make great Threats but perhaps will not survive to perform what they have threatned Vers 8. And the Temple was filled with Smoke from the glory of God and from his power and no man was able to enter into the Temple till the seven Plagues of the seven Angels were fulfilled The filling of the heavenly Temple with Smoke so that none was able to enter thereinto for a time doth not intimate any abstruse and mysterious business but onely set off the awfull Majesty of God as will appear by the collation of other like passages of the Scripture For thus Moses Exod. 40.35 is said To be unable to enter into the Tent of
the Congregation because the Cloud abode thereupon and the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle And the Priests at the Dedication of Solomon's Temple are said To be unable to enter into the House of the Lord because the glory of the Lord had silled the Lords house 2 Chron. 7.2 So that we ought not to hunt after Mysteries when the Scripture giveth us no intimation of them Chap. 16. Vers 1. And I heard a great Voice out of the Temple saying to the seven Angels Go your ways and pour out the Vials of the Wrath of God upon the Earth The Exposition THe heavenly Priests aforesaid being now furnished by means of the Saints on Earth with the Vials of Gods wrath are commanded by a loud voice out of the Temple in Heaven to pour them out upon the Earth Not that the greatest part of them are not to be poured out upon other parts of the World but by a Figure of Deficiency that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Greeks are wont to phrase it the Earth onely is named both because the first is expresly said to be poured out upon the Earth it self and also all the rest of the Vials though poured out upon other places yet have relation to the Earth and the Inhabitants thereof Vers 2. And the first went and poured out his Vial upon the Earth and there fell a noisom and grievous sore upon the Men which had the Mark of the Beast and upon them which worshipped his Image The first Vial as we said before is poured out upon the Earth and the effect thereof is a sore and evil Boil arising on them that had the Mark of the Beast and worshipped his Image In the explaining of which Vial as well as of the rest I see no need of betaking our selves to an Allegory For if Moses and Aaron by sprinkling Ashes of the Furnace towards Heaven caused it to become a Boil breaking out with Blains upon the Egyptians Exod. 9.8 9 10. Why may we not as well conceive that the pouring out of a Vial on the Earth by an Angel may produce the same effect upon the Worshippers of the Beast And how then is this plain Interpretation not to be embraced when we finde in the Scripture that the same Plague did formerly happen to such as had been great Oppressours of Gods people Vers 3. And the second Angel poured out his Vial upon the Sea and it became as the Blood of a dead man and every living soul died in the Sea The wickedness of the Beast and his Worshippers is exceeding great No marvel therefore if their Plagues be not onely the same with those that happened to the wicked of former times but also exceeding them as being purposely suited by God to their impiety Of which sort is this Plague of the second Vial the pouring out of which into the Sea turneth not the third part thereof onely as Chap. 8.8 but all its Waters into Blood so that every living Soul therein perisheth By this means they are debarred of fishing in the Sea which must needs draw with it the ruine of many thousands that depend thereon for their livelihood The same may also be said of their traffiquing by Sea For the Waters thereof becoming Blood like that of a dead man they are not onely unserviceable to those many uses wherein Mariners are wont to imploy them but also by reason of their stench and thickness are altogether unfit to be sailed in this Plague therefore is very great Vers 4. And the third Angel poured out his Vial upon the Rivers and Fountains of Waters and they became Blood 5. And I heard the Angel of the Waters say Thou art righteous O Lord which wast art and shalt be because thou hast judged thus 6. For they have shed the Blood of Saints and Prophets and thou hast given them Blood to drink for they are worthy 7. And I heard another out of the Altar say Even so Lord God Almighty true and righteous are thy Judgements The turning of the Sea into Blood though it be a great Plague is yet insufficient to punish so outragious sinners as the Worshippers of the Beast wherefore the vengeance of God cometh yet closer to them by the pouring out of this third Vial into the Rivers and Fountains of Waters whereby they also become Blood So that now these Wretches can hardly with digging about the Rivers and Fountains get Water for their necessary uses For neither is it suitable to conceive that they were supplied any other way than the Egyptians their Predecessours in cruelty had been in the like calamity See Exod. 7.24 And that they had some such supply is evident by their surviving to undergo the other following Plagues which could not have come to pass had they been deprived of all means to get Water And this Plague is so agreeable to their sin as it had been in former times to that of the Egyptians that the Angel of the Waters who had power to turn them into Blood doth extoll the signal Justice of God herein pronouncing them worthy to have Blood given them to drink who had not spared to shed the Blood of Saints and Prophets And not onely he but also that other Angel which attendeth at the Altar in Heaven For he having formerly desired the Sickle-bearing Angel to make a clean riddance of the wicked whose sin was now ripe Chap. 14.18 must needs rejoyce at the equity of Gods dealing in the pouring out of this Vial which could not but cause many of them to perish But it is not to be passed over without animadversion that when the Worshippers of the Beast are here said to have Blood given them to drink because they had shed the Blood of Saints and Prophets this argueth that the pouring out of this Vial and consequently of the rest there being the same reason of them all happeneth within the compass of the three years and an half that the Tyranny of the Beast lasteth yea towards the latter end of that space in as much as these Plagues have relation to the cruelty that had been before exercised towards the Saints and Prophets and therefore it is likely that the pouring out of these seven Vials taketh not up more time than the smiting of Egypt with the ten Plagues did which were all accomplished within the space of one Year For Moses was eighty years old when he began to speak unto Pharaoh Exod. 7.7 and but an hundred and twenty when he died Deut. 34.7 the last forty years of which term he had spent in leading the Israelites in the Wilderness Deut. 29.5 so that there remaineth but the eightieth year of his Life wherein to inflict those ten Plagues upon Egypt Vers 8. And the fourth Angel poured out his Vial upon the Sun and Power was given unto him to scorch Men with Fire 9. And Men were scorched with great Heat and blasphemed the Name of God which hath Power over these Plagues and