to pass before Christs coming under the seventh Trumpet But this Resurrection here in the Text is to be while yet under the sixth Trumpet Corrente adhoc tuba sexta Vers 8. And their dead bodies shall lye in the street of the great City which is spiritually called Sodom and Egypt where also our Lord was crucissed Here we have the Witnesses unburied estate and here is the place described where they are killed for where they lye dead there they must be killed Now the Text saith their dead bodies lye in the street of the great City By the great City is meant the City of Rome of which the Angel speaks Rev. 17.18 and Chap. 14.8 Babylon the great City Bellarm. l. 2. pontif Rom. c. 2. l. 3 c. 5. and that by Babylon is meant the City of Rome is granted by Bellarmin himself It is added which is spiritually called Sodom and Egypt i. e. mystically in a mysterious sense and resemblance another Sodom for its spiritual uncleaness and another Egypt for its Tyranny over Gods people Here note by the way when ever we read of the plagues of Sodom or Egypt in this book and the Visions of it we are to understand the same spiritually that is mystically For when the Roman state is subject to all these plagues it is Sodom or Egypt mystically we shall meet with something concerning the plagues of Egypt in the pouring out of the Vials as we did in the History of the witnesses and of the destruction of Sodoâ—â— in the judgement of the beast Chap. 19 and 20 and 10. vers the meaning of all which is to be opened with this key hence also it may be demonstrated that the Roman Dition is the subject of the Trumpets because some of those plagues are Egyptian plagues but to whom should Egyptian plagues be brought but to Egypt which the Holy Ghost here makes to be Rome So we see plainly what is meant by the great City but what is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Street of this great City is not so easie to unfold For certainly it cannot be meant of any Court Street or broad place within the City for these reasons 1. Because our Saviour Christ who is said to be crucified in this street was not crucified in any Street or market place either of the City of Rom or of Jerusalem but without the gate Heb. 13.12 therefore the stree of the great City is not any street or broad place within the walls of either City but a place without the City 2. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being put in the singular number doth note such a kind of state or Republique the City whereof hath onely one street not many but the streets in any great and famous City are more then one a City hath many streets 3. We must suppose the bodies of the witnesses to lye there where they are overcome but there use to be no meetings for War within the Walls of one City but if they do not meet in the Enemies Country yet they meet in the Countries and Provinces subject to the City 4. The dead bodies of the slain Witnesses lye three days and an half where they may be seen of people nations and tongues who will not suffer their bodies to be buried therefore they do not lye in the street or broad place of any great City but seem to be dispersed abroad through some of the Provinces to which for that reason the exposition of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ought to conform and agree If any shall say the Army of the beast whereby the Witnesses are slain may be made up of the people of several nations and tongues therefore they may easily see the bodies of them whom they have killed to this I answer by having recourse to the foregoing reason viz. that so great Armies do not use to meet within the Wals of a City For the words are altogether so to be interpreted especially when no reason of the Allegory or resemblance can be pretended so as there might be no absurdity in the literal sence What shall I need to say more by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then is to be understod the Regions or Territories subject to the Dominon of the great City Annotations upon the Bâ—ble called a great City because it hath large Territories or within the Dominion of the Roman Empire or in the outplaces thereof The word in the Hebrew 〈◊〉 signifies Qâ—icquid omnino extra sit sive extra urbem Job 5.10 Brightman makes the street here to be some part of the Roman Dition or Jurisdiction wherein this sad spectacle is exhibited to be seen other-some of the ten Kingdoms that have been in subjection to this great City though they are not at this present members of the Political state in the Roman Empire and yet it may be have some tye or dependance upon the Popish Roman Empire for the great whore sits upon many waters and raigneth over the Kings of the Earth Rev. 17.1.18 all which ad eundâ—m scopum proveniunt Now according to this Interpretation of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there will be no more obscurity in the following words where our Lord was crucified Christ is said to be crucified in the street of the City of Rome Non in urbe Roma sed intra ditionem Romanam Mede or where the bodies of the slain Witnesses are cast out viz. not in the City of Rome but within the Roman Dition or Dominion within which â—hrist was literally crucified thus much of this Verse now to proceed Vers 9. And they of the People kindreds and tongues c. shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves Concerning which word whether it may be taken for cruelty or kindness seems doubtful and cannot certainly be determined but by fulfilling the Prophecy Most Writers do interpret the words of the Enemies of the Witnesses who shall in this last persecution be so cruel to them as not to suffer their dead bodies to be buried fulfilling that Text Psa 79.2 Or rather the intention of the enemies in this civil killing is the more to expose them to contempt the bodies lye dead in the street like despised broken Idols in whom is no pleasure But I incline with Mede and others to think the words are to be understood of the friends of the Witnesses For their enemies are described vers 10. by the name of them that dwell upon the Earth that rejoyce at this slaughter c. But of those that will not suffer their dead bodies to be put into their Graves t is said they of the people kindreds and tongues by which they seem to be plainly distinguished one from another So then by them that will not suffer the bodies of the Witnesses to be buried understand the friends of the Witnesses which may be so many and so great a number Towards the end of Antichrists raign the everlasting
raised to life As the natural earthquake shakes the earth so mystical earthquakes make Kingdomes quake with wars and troubles Annot. on Bible and ascend into heaven there is a great earthquake i.e. great commotion of the Nations a great resurrection and combustion in the Roman Empire a great mutation and change of Political affairs a great turn of the times Which great commotion of the Nations and strange turn of things makes way for the resurrection of the Witnesses and their restoring to life again with so great an increase of honour and esteem The effect of which great earthquake is the fall of the tenth part of the City and the slaughter of 7000 names of men Now that we may come as near to the true sense and meaning of these words as possibly we can I will lay down and prove two things which will be good grounds to go upon in the explication of the Text. 1. Because no judgement can befal the Beast but what is contained in some of the Vials This same ruine of Rome here described belongs to the fifth Vial the proof of which is there is the same subject of the plague in both places viz. in this 11. chap. and in chap. 16. here t is the great City there it is the throne and seat of the Beast for Rome the great City to be the seat of the beast is so well known that it needs no proof It is further proved because the ruine that is here described doth so nearly precede the total destruction of the Beast at the sounding of the seventh Trumpet as nothing is said to intervene or come between but the passing away of the second wo. But now to the total abolition of the Beast is necessary the pouring out of the seventh Vial to the passing away of the second wo or that plague from Euphrates is necessary the pouring out of the fixt Vial therefore the destruction of the great City which goes next before the passing away of the second wo doth belong to the fifth Vial. 2. The second thing premised and proved in order to the interpretation of this verse is this viz. The â—â—ipe of the great City in vers 13. is the very same destruction of Babylon which is prophefied of c. 18. which I prove thus because it is certain from that Chapter that that very same destruction of Babylon or of the City of Rome doth go before the full destruction of the Beast and the beginning of Christs glorious Kingdom at the founding of the seventh Trumpet But now the destruction of the City which is here declared doth so nigh antecede that very Kingdom of Christ that the Spirit of God making mention of no other destruction between passeth immediately to that kingdom and the description of the seventh Trumpet Therefore one and the same destruction of that City must of necessity be described in both for who can imagine or beleive that the holy Ghost should altogether pass by the greatest destruction of all and make mention of some lesser slaughters between no way to be compared to it These things being so it follows then that the Interpretation of these words be levelled to this rule and as it were tried by this touchstone and so to seek such a sense and meaning of these words as doth best agree with the description of that destruction of Babylon which with what reason may be we may now see Besides the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fell must needs note some effect of an Earthquake cannot agree to this Interpretation And the touth part of the City fell By which I conceive is not meant the tenth out of many Kingdoms given to the Pope now taken from him for then the word should be rather 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nor yet the ten Kingdoms or any of them subject to the Dominion of the City of Rome who in this commotion of the Nations fall off from the Papal State and will be subject to it no longer But by this ΔΕΚΑΤΟΠthis tenth part of the City I agree with Mede is meant the fall and destruction of whole Rome the City that now is which is but the tenth part of that which it was when it was in its glory The City of Rome that now is in regard of the old City of Rome when she was in her flourishing condition is but the tenth part as the same is proved by Lipsius The holy Ghost in the words intimates as much Admirand lib. 3. So much of the great City as was remaining when the great earthquake came at that time was ruined viz. the tenth part of the City for nine parts many ages before were fallen partly by the desolations of war brought upon it so many times by the barbarous nations and partly decayed and worn away with time and partly destroyed with lightning and tempest the tenth was reserved for the fate of the Papal state the mother of Harlots which by this earthquake at the resurrection of the Witnesses shall be utterly destroyed It is added And in the earthquake wire slain of men Greek names of men seven thousand Note here the Text doth not say 7000 are slain by the fall of the City but 7000 are slain in the earthquake which earthquake is to shake down the whole kingdom of the Beast throughout the world therefore by the 7000 men must not be understood I conceive so many individual persons For t is not likely the pouring out of the Vial upon the throne of the Beast will pass away with so small a slaughter of men Sure we are shaking down of the whole kingdom of the Beast the total destruction of Babylon Chap. 16. which the holy Ghost intimates by this earthquake elsewhere in the Revelation will not be without the slaughter of a far greater number then 7000 men To satisfit this doubt therefore we must consider what may be meant by the City here and what by the names of men First The City or great City hath a double acceptation in these Prophesies Being taken either for First The Royal City of the Beast viz. the City of Rome called the throne or seat of the Beast upon which the fifth Vial is poured out or Secondly for the Citizens or for the Romish City constituted of the Pope and his Cardinals and the whole troop of the Romish clergy who Rome being destroyed burnt to ashes and levelled to the ground not to be inhabited any more shall betake themselves to another habitation and so shall be reserved to the last Vial at the pouring out of which it is said besides the destruction of others of all lands Nations and Cities in this earthquake so great as never was such since man was upon the face of the earth great Babylon came into remembrance before God to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath For that burning and destruction of Babylon taken for the Royal City of
the beast that is described Chap. 18 and 19. doth altogether precede the destruction of the beast and the False Prophet as is manifest in the Text. To sum up all in a word happily it may so come to pass that that first destruction of Babylon viz. of the City of Rome may be without any very great slaughter at least without the total destruction of the Citizens for though the City be utterly destroyed yet a great part of the Citizens may fly from the destruction of the City timely consulting their own safety or for some other cause which the event will make manifest and thus the doubt or scruple concerning the small number of the slain may be satisfied 2. And will yet more fully if we consider what number may be designed in the words names of Men. Names of men may be taken for eminent and renowned Men high and great persons cheif heads of Noble Families Names of men is as much as to say men of name An Hypallage frequent in Scripture as silver Shekels for Shekels of silver Levit. 5. the Law of righteousness for the righteousness of the Law Rom. 9. Riches of grace for rich grace Ephes 1. So names of men may here be put for men of name persons of great honor and dignity in opposition to men without name base and ignoble Persons Job 30. According to this interpretation which nothing can be said against Names of Men signifing high and great persons suppose they be of the Popish Ecclesiastical Order whom we call Church men by great names and titles distinguished from the inferiour Clergy if 7000 of these be slayn how many of a lower rank and order which the Holy Ghost would not so much as count or reckon Besides this there may another interpretation be given of Names of Men viz. Companies and Societies of men which are wont to be called by proper names as well as particular men as Cities Towns Parishes Villages Monasteries and Nunneries and what are these if we consider the Matter but names of men as the Roman name is put for the Romans themselves the Thebane Polity is called the Thebane name what is therefore the Names of those humane Societies whether they be either of Rome or in that they call the Church State be the 7000 in this great Earthquake to be slain i. e. subdued by the adverse power which the Scripture useth to call death but we must not rashly determine any thing in a thing to come the best commentary of a Prophecy is the fulfilling of it but I bring these things to shew that of these words a larger sense may be given then is commonly conceived When the word Name in Scripture doth not use to be restrained to one single signification neither are Names of men joyned together in any place of Scripture but in this neither is the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Names taken simply for particular single persons but onely in two places Acts 1.15 Rev. 3.4 in other places it hath several significations It follows And the remnant were affrighted and gave glory to the God of Heaven i. e. the rest of the Bestian party are amazed and terrified and thereby compelled to acknowledge the just judgements of God which he hath poured out upon them and to confess their sins which to do is to give glory to God Vers 14. The second we is past and be bold the third we cometh quickly The Second we is past the meaning is this great Earthquake continues to the end of the second we or of the sixth Trumpet together with which is to be finished the Prophecying of the mourning Witnesses For after so great a Victory over the beast and their ascending up into the Church-Heaven with so great honour they put on their mourning weeds no more But now if this second wo or plague of the sixth Trumpet be the Turks from Euphrates flowing in upon and over-running the Roman Empire in times past as was interpreted Chap. 9. it cannot be but the passing away of this second wo must be the overthrow of the Turkish Empire the drying up of the waters of Euphrates at the end of the pouring out of the fifth Vial whereby way is made for the coming of the Kings of the east cap. 16.12 At which coming of the Kings of the East least there should be left too wide a space betwixt both Trumpets the seventh Trumpet seems to begin Hiatus And so the wonderful preparation of the beast and false Prophet to the Armageddon Battel Cap. 16.13 together with the event thereof at the pouring out of the last Vial vers 17. must be made to begin at the sounding of the seventh trumpet And truely it seems very congruous that the preparation to the Battel as well as the battel it self should appertain to the same Trumpet but here an objection must be removed out of the way viz. Object Whether the Beasts 42 months and the Witnesses 1200 and 60 days are one and the same terme but now these days of the mourning Witnesses ending at the passing away of the sixth trumpet plague or second we It may very well be asked why the months of the beasts may not be supposed to be longer when after this time so great a part of the beast still remaines not to be quite abolished till the beginning of the seventh Trumpet It may be answered Answ This may be either because at the calling of the Jews there called the Kings from the East a new kingdom begins Or because in the duration of the beasts reign there is an ey or respect chiefly to the Empire of the City of Rome but now this great Royal City of the Beast in this Earthquake is taken demolished So that the Beast from thenceforth shall have changed his form when he is driven from his Metropolis it can no longer be counted which is the signification of his other seven heads a seven-mountained Kingdom Behold the third wo comes quickly This begins at the sound of the seventh Trumpet Wherefore these words immediately follow Verse 15. And the seventh Angel sounded And the seventh Angel sounds a Jubilee and then there be great proclamations and acclamations in heaven Called by some Divines the wo-joy Trumpet that the kingdoms of the world are the kingdoms of Christ and whereas before the Devil Dragon and Beast and his horns reigned now Christ takes to himself his great power and reigneth for which the whole Church under the type of 24. Elders praise him though the Nations be angry as they ever are when Christ puts forth his just power Verse 15 16 17 18. He now gives reward unto his servants the Prophets c. and destroys them that destroyed the earth that is he ruines the wicked and Idolatrous generation of Antichrist who wasted his Church before ver 18. His tabernacle is now open in heaven and the ark of his testimony seen ver 19. i.e. Christ represented by the ark is clearly manifested before
particulars of the Text I refer the Reader to Mr. Joseph Mede in his Commentary upon the Apocalyps whose application is very orderly proper and articulate in the explication of the four first Seals where the lion on the east side of the Israelitish camp is applied to Christ the Prince from the East the nature of the lion being sutable to the thing signified in the vision viz. victory to him on the white horse and the like in the rest For so the Ox on the West side of the camp is applied to Trajan from the west the man on the South side to Septimius from the South and the Eagle on the North side to Maximinus from the North The natures also of the visions are sutable to the things that came to pass under those Emperors The mighty slaughters under Trajan and Adrian his successor are indigitated by the Oxe The exactness of administring justice and careful provision of Septimius and Alexander Severus by a man to whom numbring and measuring and administration of justice is so proper The extraordinary raging of the Famin Sword and Pestilence under Maximinus by the carnivorous Eagle that feeds upon dead Cakasses All which applications as they are easie natural and distinst so they are very weighty and worthy the Spirit of God and his holy Prophets to predict 2. In the second Period the seventh Seal is opened and seven Angels by seven Trumpets declare to the Roman Empire by seven judgements its ruine Cap. 8. Which plagues have been fulfilled The first Trumpet Trump 1. the Vision of it is hail and fire mingled with blood Rev. 8.7 which Haylstones and fire are symbols of hostile vengeance executed upon enemies this was fulfilled in the infestation of the Roman Empire from the year 395. to 406. partly by Alaricus and the Goths and partly by the Barbarous Nations under Ruduguisus and partly by the Vandals and Alans these are the Northern stormes of Hailestones with blood and fire that fell upon the Empire The vision of the second Trumpet Trump 2. is the burning mountain cast into the Sea which was sulfilled by Alaricus his taking and firing of Rome vers 8. upon which followed a continual spoyl of the Empire till it was dilacerated into ten Kingdoms for the Text saith the third part of the Sea became blood i. e. the extent of the Roman Dominion and the collection of the people therein which was a third part of the world was destroyed the head City being wasted the Barbarians at their pleasure wasted her Provinces deviding them into new Kingdomes The third part of the Creatures died i. e. the Armies of the Empire for its defence were irreparably ruined and the third part of the Ships destroyed i. e. all helps and means of traffique of supporting the power of the Empire being wofully lost Rome being first taken by Alarieus King of Goths Anno. 410. and after that the Roman Dominion was still miserably dilacerated till Anno. 445. Rome was taken again and spoyled by Genserius King of Vandalls and next year after the Kingdom as it were divided into ten Kingdomes foretold by Daniel and John viz. 1. Brittons 2. Saxons 3. Francks 4. Burgundians 5. Wisigoths 6. Sueves and Alans 7. Vandals 8. Alemuners 9. Ostrogoths 10. Grecians Trump 3. vers 10. The third Trumpet Vision is the great Star falling into the third part of the River burning like a Lamp the Comet Lampadius suppose properly so called This was fulfilled upon the Roman Empire in the extinction of the Western aesariate which was grown very low and obscure in those inconsiderable Emperors Avitus Majoranus Severns Authemius Olybrius Glycirius Nepos the immediate predecessors of Augustulus but fell quite and was extinct in this prince of sorrow bitterness and sad misfortunes whom Odoacer King of Heruli pulled out of his Throne 476. The fourth Trumpet Vision Trump 4. vers 12. is an Eclipse of the third part of the Sun Moon and Stars which proceeds further concerning Rome for this Trumpet exceeds the former and signifies that that light she shone with under the Ostrogoth Kings should be extinct and she should be dispoiled of Royal Majesty yea of Consulship and Authority of Senate which ill fate is very properly prefigured by the obscuration of Sun Moon and Stars for by these luminaâ—ies the Scripture sets out the power and Government of Cities or Kingdomes Esaia 13.10 60.20 Jer. 15.9 Ezek. 32.7 The fift Trumpet Vision is Trump 4. Cap. 9.1 2 3. the Key-bearer of the bottomless Pit and the Locusts this was fulfilled upon the Roman Empire by Mahomâ—t and the Saracens In the Application of which Vision Learned Mede is admirably critical and punctual The plague therefore of the fifth trumpet is that false light or pseud oprophet Mahomet sent down upon earth by the vengeance of God The star fallen from heaven is that false light or prophet Mahomet sent down upon earth by the vengeance of the God of heaven By the star here is meant say the Annotators upon the Bible Some Apostate Minister that fell from the true religion to Mahometism such as Sergius of Constantinople the Nestorian Monk and John of Antioâ—h the Arrian who are said to affist Mahomet in composing the lying Alcoran And so this Trumpet is expounded of Mahomet and the Saracens Vide Annâ—t on cap. 9. of Apoâ—alyps whose doctrine is the fume of the bottomless pit and his followers the Saracens the locusts here spoken of as 1. Comming out of Arabia as the Aegyptian locusts did that plagued the literal Aegypt 2. And then hugely numerous as the company of locusts use to be 3. And also making their stay fo which you may turn menses quinos by five moneths which is an allusion to the usual continuance of locusts Plin. 11.29 and answers in the prophetical sense to five moneths of years that is 150 years that these locusts infested Italy and to the twice 150 years that the Saracenical kingdom continued so properly are the five moneths applicable to them 4. As also their golden crowns to the multitude of their conquests they having subdued Palestine Syria both the Armeniaes the lesser Asia Persia India Aegypt Numinia Portugal Spain within the space of fourscore years 5. The Arabians whence the Saracens wore their hair tied up like women 6. The sound of the wings of their locusts Rev 9.9 which was as the sound of chariots and many horses running to battel doth fitly signifie the mighty and swift victories of the Saracens 7. As also their poisonous Scorpions tails do the venom of the old Serpent under the false religion of Mahometism For all those powers that are not under the kingdom of light are part of the powers of the prince of the dark kingdom the Devil 8. As is here intimated very clearly the King over them being the Angel of the bottomless pit vers 1â— though they pretend to be such zealous worshippers of that one true God
Saint John which do relate to our present times especially in the 11. Chap. and in Chap. 16. in the Description of the pouring out of the Vials of Gods wrath This 11. Chap. is the heart and kernel of the whole Book The eleventh Chapter goes through all the three Periods of times before mentioned and is as it were an abridgement of the whole Revelation It is declared unto John how things shall come 〈◊〉 the Christich Church In the first Period verse the first Period 1. In the second Period verse 9.10.11 Period 2. In the third Period from verse 11. to the end Period 3. Vers 1 In the first Period vers 〈◊〉 thus writeth John 〈…〉 And there was given unto me a Read like unto a Rod and the Angel 〈◊〉 saying Wise and measure the Temple of God and the Altar and them that worship therein Here he gathering and building of the Christian Church is commanded unto John under the measuring of the Jewish Temple 〈◊〉 Jerusalem the length whereof not 60. Cubits breadth 20. height 120. which Cubical number of the Dimensions of the Jewish Temple hold of â—â—th of the mystical Temple the number of the New Testament the number of them that are sealed which is 144,000 By which is meant the regular purity of the Church and Religion at the first which is set forth under the particular vision or mystery of measuring the inner Court of the Temple situate immediately next the holy of holies where God dwelt between the Cherubins Intimating that the Primitive Church and Religion therein immediately next unto Jesus Christ and his Apostles was exactly examined by and conforme to the measuring reed of the written word of God and therefore singularly pure and holy The Church was then gloriously beautified and cloathed with the sun of righteousness Cha. 12.1 had the moon under her feet despised all earthly and worldly things and raigned over the works of darkness and she had upon her head a crown of twelve Stars the Apostles and the wholesome Doctrine of the same Chap. 12.2 But though this was a time of great purity yet it was a time of great persecution under which the Church was built up at that time then the Dragon under the Heathen Emperors raged against the Church the Christians were persecuted banished and put to cruel deathe killed like Sheep appointed to the slaughter hence not onely the Temple but also the Altar is said to be measured and them that worship therein i.e. in the inner Court where the Altar of burnt Offerings stood where the Priests did Sacrifice called Thysiasterium Hereby the holy Ghost meanes the Christian Church should be exposed to afflictions and persecutions suffer many grievous forments and tribulations therefore he â—â—â—seth the suffering and miseries they should undergo to be measured out to them whereby he setteth certain bounds to the Tyrants beyond which they cannot go and when they are come so far then must vengeance overtake them hence it is that the sacrificed souls of the Martyrs who were slayn for the word of God and testimony of Jesus and lye under the Altar as slaughtered Sacrifices cry with a loud voyce to the lord holy and true for vengeance Rev. 6. vers 9 10. yet under all these persecutions they did worship i. e. serve â—o daâ— with purity so with perseverance so the end they did stick close to him in all sorts of persecutions even to the yeilding up and sacrificing of their bodies and lives Now the persecution of this pure Apostolical Church continued 300. years till at last Constantine the great came to the Imperial seat whereby the reign of the Dragon came to an end the Dragon was cast out of the Church-heaven Rev. 12. This regular purity of the Church ordered according to the Scripture rule and standard continued till after the death of Theodosius it continued till the beginning of the 42. months when the Devil left his shape of a Dragon and resigned his host with his residence and seat and great authority unto the beast with ten hornes See before p. 10 11. when it rose out of the Sea Rev. 13.1 Vers 2. But the Court which is without the Temple leave out and measure it not for it is given to the Gentiles and the holy City they shall tread under foot forty two months Here in this verse and verses following the second period is set down viz. under the Antichristian Vicar in two Synchronismes or concurrences of times First the Gentiles tread the Holy City under foot 42. months Secondly The two witnesses prophecy in sackcloth 260 days To begin with the first where begins the Churches Apostacy from her primitive Apostolical purity which is set forth under the particular vision of the outward Court of the Temple further distant and remote from the holy of holies signifying the Church succeeding the Primitive Church in the following ages should not be in Religion so regular and conforme to the Canon and measuring reed of Gods word as the primitive Church but should grow irregular and exorbitant in gentilish idolatrous worship Prophaning it as if heathenisme were again revived for heathemish Idolatry by Popery is brought in again The Heathens worshipped Saturn Jupiter Juno Venus c. in the Popish Religion Mary Peter Paul George are set up in stead of these and called upon in time of distress so there is but little difference between them Here more particularly let us consider 1. A prophetical direction to leave out the outward Court or holy City and nor to measure it the outward Court and holy City seem to be all one the latter exegetical to the former For the outward Court was the Place for the holy City or the people of Israel to meet for divine worship yea in the wilderness the Tabernacle having but one court into which ordinarily it was not lawful for any to enter into but the Priests and Levites there was no outward Court but the tents of Israel or the Holy City So these words outward Court and holy City mutually explain one another So then by the outward Court here is to be understood the outward worship and service of God which consisted in the outward appearance and a company of superstitious ceremonies whereof God takes no notice but rejecteth it leave it out measure it not saith the Angel 2. We have a reason of this direction for it is given to the Gentiles c. i. e. this outward Court or holy City unmeasured is given to the Gentiles i. e. It was to be left out or cast out as prophane and that which God will make no account of yea to be given to the Gentiles to be trodden under foot 42. months i. e. it shall be given or left by Gods just dispensation to the Gentiles vix to them that exercise Gentilish Idolatrous Worship the event whereof should be treading under foot the holy City as the Gentiles trod Jerusalem under foot hostilly
Egyptian bondage and restorers of Gods true worship in the Wilderness The two witnesses shall exercise the power of Moses and Aaron whence Learned Mede collects the power of the Witnesses figured in this type not to belong to all the days of their sackcloth prophecy but onely to the end of their Prophecy viz. the pouring out of the Vials As Moses and Aaron immediately before and at their bringing of Israel out of Egypt turned those waters into blood and smote them with ten sore plagues So towards the Period of these two Witnesses Prophecy when the Christian Church under their conduct as it were of Moses and Aaron shall now begin to be rescued from the Antichristian bondage and Tyranny of the Beast the Vials of Gods wrath like Egyptian plaguen shall come upon the beast and his Gentilith worshipers the plague of the first Vial being a noysome grievous sore the second and third blood the plagues of the rest greater and more greivous to he inflicted upon the beast and his party or the Gentiles treading down the outward Court and holy City the interpretation whereof I refer till I come to Cimp 〈◊〉 It is enough here to note this last power of the Witnesses to belong to the pouring out of the Vials Vers 7. And when they shall finish their Testimony the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make War against them And shall overcome and kill them Hitherto of the gift and power of the Witnesses It followeth now that I speak of the sate or the various consequents and events of their prophecying expressed in this verse wherein these Witnesses become singularly conform to Jesus Christ who preached about forty two moneths i. e. three years and a half was then slain by the Roman Governour lay dead three days three days after rose again with a great earthquake and forty days after ascending into Heaven a cloud receiving him But to give some light into the Text Then they shall finish their testimony Translators and Interpreters have been mistaken in rendring these words thus When they have or shall have finished their testimony 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to think that this killing should not begin till the 1200 and 60 days should be expired because by this means the Witnesses should remain in Sackcloth and the woman in the wilderness beyond the time appointed and also the fourth beast should continue to blaspheme longer then 42. months to all which not onely the plain text but also the swearing of the Angel Dan. 12.17 and the great Oath of the Son of God Rev. 10.6 are contradictory Therefore the words must not be rendered in the Perfect-tence when they have finished or in the Future Perfect tence when they shall have finished but in Future simplici cum Finituri sunt When they shall finish their testimony So Claverius in his first Apotalyptical dawning page 124. and Mede in his Commentary upon the Revelation reads the words When they shall finish i. e. when the 1200 and 60 days shall draw towards an end And when now part of the Christian world shall repent of their Gentilish Idolatries and reforme and the Witnesses for joy shall begin to lay aside their mourning weeds though yet they were not past the danger that was prophecyed should come That seven-headed beast of Rome in the course of his last head of which see before Chap. 13. disdaining and scorning the prevalency of these mourning Witnesses by their Prophecying shall make war against them overcome and kill them First then to speak of the Witnesses finishing their Testimony I agree herein with Mr. Mede that the mourning Witnesses began to finish the Testimony of all the former Witnesses from the beginning of the reformation of the Reformed Churches and so on to the begining of the beasts war against them preceding the killing of them His words are these speaking of the Witnesses finishing their Testimony and of the War and slaughter of them quorum primum inquit de testium planctu finiri caepto ab initio Ecclesiae reformatae huc usque continue factitatum est c. In the beginning then of the reformation of the Reformed Churches this finishing began Now this reformation began in Germany in the raign of the Emperor Charles the fifth by Luther and his Associates Luther began the finishing of this Testimony by Sermons writings disputations whereby he discovered and detected the lyes and frauds of Antithrist as Moses did the Cheats and falsehoods of Jannes and Jambres the Egyptian Sorcerers which Doctrine of Luther Charles the fifth laboured by all means to suppress by conventions decrees and edicts but Luther and his Associates being backed and assisted by the Duke of Saxony the Lantgrave of Hesse and other Princes in Germany the Magistrates of Fellow Witnesses withstood these Edicts and decrees and answered to them in every point Entred into a Protestation against them Protestation And of this Protestation the Princes and all that adhered to them were called Protestants which name is now given to all them that in their Doctrine swerve from the Church of Rome League and Covenant Afterward being sorely for this threatened by the Emperor the Protestants entred into a League and Covenant to ayd each other in the Quarrel of Religion And not long after the Protestans drew up a Confession of their faith Confession of faith and presented it to the Emperor this is that Confession of faith that is called the Augustane Profession This finishing of the Testimony of the former witnesses thus begun was carried on by their example in other Cities and places abroad whence sprung up other reformed Churches as of Helvetia Sucvia Geneva France Holland Scotland and England last of all reformed The finishing then of the Testimony I conceive must be by the Magistrates and Ministers of some of these reformed Churches who shall give in their Testimony against the Churches Apostacy towards the latter end of the 1200 and 60 days For the finishing must be meant of the last Witnesses before the last battel of the Beast against them whereby he overcomes and kills them And it is likely the Witnesses of some of the reformed Churches last reformed conclude compleat and make an end of finishing this Testimony as the Witnesses of the first reformed Churches begun it Yea not onely by Witnessing against the Apostatical Church of Rome as they did but by giving the cleerest the fullest Testimony for truth and holiness against the errors and unholiness of Antichrist for Church purity against Church-corruptions and the Apostacy of the Church of Rome that ever was given this twelve hundred years So that these last Witnesses may be called the Finishing Witnesses that finish compleat and perfect the testimony of all the former Witnesses do it with so much light and convincing evidence and with so much heat in their testimony called fire in their mouths vers 5. as doth vex and torment their enemies and enrage them to a
War again them So much of finishing their testimony It follows The beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit c. That is Antichrist or any of the Beastian party He is compared to a beast not onely because of his inhumanity but because of his irrationality in seeking by killing the Witnesses to hinder the course of the Gospel 2 Thess 3.1 2. And he is said to come out of the bottomless pit or Abyss The word in the Greek signifies all these By this Beast here is meant the Popish Ecclesiastical Government who use the temporal sword Clavis Apoâ— which may be understood out of hell as chap. 9. 2. or out of the sea as the ten-horned beast did Rev. 13.1 or out of the body of the earth or a deep pit in the earth and so may signifie the two-horned beast chap. 13. 11. Now t is this beast and his party that makes War against overcomes and kills the Witnesses his party is described chap. 13. 15 16. Such as either receive his mark or his name or the number of his name The explication of which see before upon chap. 13. Shall make war against them i. e. against the Witnesses We read chap. 13. 7. of the Beasts war against the Saints And it was given to him to make war with the Saints and to overcome them i. e. saith Mr. Mede the remnant of the womans seed in the Wilderness chap. 12. 17. which the same Author conceives to be executed when such a numerous company of the Waldenses and Albigenses and other true Christians were destroyed seventy years together First intended against the Saracens after turned against the Christians that would not worship and submit to the beast Here in this 11. chap. vers 7. is set down by the holy Ghost the beasts war against the Witnesses Note here into 〈◊〉 precedes the killing of the Witnesses a War properly to caned and a War against the Witnesses â—â— the Magistrates and Ministers of some of the Reformed Churches for so it did the killing of the Witnesses to the German Churches the War betwixt the Emperor and the German Princes especally the Sweeds lasted many years at last ended in a Pacification out 〈…〉 were left and deprived of the liberty of the Consiliences whereby the Preachers and Professors of 〈◊〉 Gospel in the He 〈◊〉 Provinces were â—ivilly slain Apug 1650. which differs from the others regard of the time of its it being at the latter end of Antichrists reign when the Witnesses finish their testimony not then they begin to finish but when they shall finish It commonwealth from the time They were persecuted and fought against by Antichrist often before but this is the last hattel before their death and rising again to the ruine of Antichrists Kingdom Which War as Parâ—â—s notes is not onely Ecclesiastical but Civil for the beast doth stir up Princes of Kingdoms and Provinces to make War against the Witnesses that he may overcome and kill them And shall overcome them i. e. not by power and armed force as in the war against the Saints chap 13. 7. which made way for and effected a cruel bodily killing of the Saints before mentioned The enemies have now given over this bodily killing of the Prophets and Saints almost this 100 years few in this space have been called before Tribunals and sentenced to death Happily some few examples may be found like a few drops of rain after a great showr but not many They have forborn this course not out of any love or compassion to the people of God but meerly because they durst not or because they found by proof that this course prejudiced their cause Sanguis Martyr Semen Eccles but he overcomes them by his Jesuitical or rather bottomless pit policy bringing it so about that the secular and ecclesiastical power like Herod and Pilat are united against the Witnesses the latter making use of the former as a rider makes use of the power and strength of his horse to ride over tread down and kill the Witnesses Rev. 13.3 And kill them Now because these words are somewhat killing and discouraging because the same with those chap. 13. 7. and import as if this slaughter because the last were worse then the first I will first therefore give you the judgement and opinion of learned Mede of this last killing by the Beast His words are these Neither can it certainly be concluded that because this killing that the Beast makes of the Witnesses is the last therefore t is the greatest and the worst of all that went before it But it hath and deserves a singular mention and description amongst all the slaughters of the Beast perhaps not so much for the greatness of it sure not because of the continuance of it as because it was to be a sign that the mourning of the witnesses should end soon after it and that the ruine of the City of Rome should instantly follow it Fo as the compassing about of Jerusalem with Armies Luk. 21.20 did foretel and was a sign her destruction and desolation was at hand and near at her drors the like here may be intimated as we may conceive concerning the destruction of Babylon when you shall see that triennial slaughter of the Witnesses then know the desolation of that great City of Rome it at hand Now this killing of the Witnesses by the Beast or his party is to be understood according to the forecited Author and all late Interpreters metaphorically or analogically of a civil death For he is said to dye in that notion or sense who in that station wherein he stood either Political or Ecclesiastical or any other ceaseth to be what he was hence he is said to kill The slaying of the Witnesses is to be understood not of a corporal but civil death Caryl on Job cap. 21. 7. that doth punish any man with such a death For in Scripture language to live is often to be to die is not to be in which sense we are said to dye to sin when we are no longer the servants to sin and to live to Christ when we begin to be Christs Furthermore This killing is plainly meant a killing them as Witnesses not as men a throwing them out of their places and stations as if naturally dead Whether this sad time be past present or to come I leave others to judge it appears by the following Verses it must be meant of a civil death ver 8. Their dead bonies lying in the street of the great City three days and a half this shews it cannot be meant of a natural death for how should their bodies lye dead in that sense for three years and a half or say it were for shorter time Again it is clear from vers 11. For look what the resurrection of the Witnesses to life shall be after their killing and lying dead such a time such must needs be the killing for no resurrection properly so called can come