Constantiue the Great commeth to the Imperial seat the Dragon is overcome and Heathenism extirpated vers 4 and following In the second Period from the 400. years and upward Period 2. until the end of the 1200. and 60. years these seven concurrent times are described 1. The holy City is trodden under foot by the Gentiles 2. The two Witnesses cloathed with Sack-cloth Cap. 11. ver 2 3. to the 10th the explaining of which I refer to the 11. Chap. 3. The woman fled into the Wilderness and is fed there The primitive Church rescued from heathenish bondage fled into the wilderness i. e. into a midle estate not wholly hid and invisible nor yet gloriously visible but as it were in a middle condition betwixt both Rob. The two wings of a great Eagle given to the woman to by into the wilderness Mede refers to the Roman Empire whose Ensign is an Eagle and to the two Cesars of the Eastern and Western Empire divided as two wings by whose aid and protection the Church fled into her wilderness estate Cap. 12. verse 6. to 14. As Mary upon the birth of Christ fled from Herod into Aegypt So the Woman i. e. the Primitive Church notwithstanding the persecution of the Dragon having brought forth a man Child who was to rule the Nations with a rod of Iron which primarily belongs to Christ personal Psa 2. Secondarily to Christ mystical his Church and members which Christ mystical ruled all Nations by a rod of Iron subjugating the Roman Empire partly by a spiritual Gospelvictory promoted by Michael and his Angels against the Devil and his Angels rulers in that Empire partly by a corporeal conquest afterward when Christians prevailed and obtained such power and success under Constantine the great and his Successors fled into the Wilderness where she hath a place prepared by God that they should feed her there 1200 and 60. days vers 6. which is again related v. 14. The meaning I conceive is this the Church though freed from heathenish tyranny yet is afresh imbarked in new troubles and persecutions by divers enemies Now during all this time the Church is in her wilderness condition as Israel of old was after their deliverance from Aegypt Thus take the parallel Israel delivered from Egyptian bondage under Pharoah fled towards the wilderness but was persued by Pharoah had liberty to worship God in the Wilderness where their Tabernacle was erected there Apostatized from God and his pure worship in the matter of the Calf Baalpeor Baalam c. and was there exercised with new troubles and afflictions of hunger thirst fiery Serpents and of divers enemies abode in the Wilderness 40. years during which space they made 42 journeys and stations from Aegypt to Jordan And at last all their enemies being subdued Numb 33. from 1. to 50. they quietly possessed the promised rest the Land of Canaan So the Church being freed from Heathenish Tyranny under the Red Dragon fled into the Wilderness but was persued and persecuted by the Dragon had liberty granted of worshipping God in the wilderness by the edicts of Christian Emperors and Kings who erected for them Temples or publique places for Christian worship yet in that her Wilderness estate she made many idolatrous defections Apostatizing from God and his pure worship especially to Antichristianisme Cap. 12.17 And the Dragon was wroth with the woman went to make war with the remnant of her seed c. Cap. 13.1 And I stood upon the sand of the Sea c. Mede saith the words are to be read not steti but stetit Cum Latinis omnibus Syre interpr i. e. The Dragon stood upon the sands i. to bring up this beast out of the sea to persecute the woman Further he saith v. 3. And I saw one of his heads wounded to death That the word vidi is not in some Editions as the Complutense reading the sentence thus The Dragon gave him his power seat and great authority and one of his heads wounded to death that it might be healed or that had been wounded to death and the healing of his wounds which is added this he either saw to be done while he was rising out of the sea or as soon as he was risen out of it is there exercised with new troubles and persecutions by the Dragon Beast and False Prophet abides in this Wilderness seat 42. moneths At last the Dragon the Beast and the false Prophet with all her enemies being vanquished the Church obtaines the new Heavens and new Earth and reigns with Jesus Christ a thousand years yea for ever and ever the former and following series of this Prophecy clears this parallel This state of the Church seems to last till the seventh Trumpet So that to this day the Church is still in this Wilderness-condition but drawing towards the borders of a far happier estate 4. The beast with ten horns blasphemeth God and maketh war with the Saints cap. 13. v. 5 6 7. This ten horned Beast as was mentioned before is the Dragons Delegate or Substitute he is said to rise out of the Sea by Sea here understand that multitude of ten Kingdomes into which the Barbarians had shredded the whole compass of the Roman Territories out of all which the Dragon now endeavours to extract and of which to compose one Roman Dominion or that conflux of Armies and people striving in war like a tempestuous Sea He is said to have seven heads and so is the same beast cap. 17.3 compared with vers 9 10. His seven heads are interpreted by the Holy Ghost himself to be seven Mountains whereon the Royal Seat of the Empire of Rome was built and seven Kings or kindes of Government by which the Empire should be governed The names of blasphemy notes his blasphemous idolatries tending to the extream reproach of God his Religion and Saints his ten horns and upon his horns Voyce out of the Wilderness p. 38. ten crowns these signifie that he should not come to his crown by the strength of his Sword his Leaders and his Legions But of the crowns upon the hornes see another interpretation p. 90. as the Dragon did but by the base and voluntary submission of all the Caesars Kings and Princes as should with one Councel and Vote deliver up their authority and power secular to the devotion and pleasure of the beast therefore he wears his Diadems not upon his heads as the Dragon did but upon his Hornes and upon his Hornes ten crownes Which ten Hornes crowned say most Writers denote ten Kings or Kingdomes into which the Roman Empire of the sixth head was divived all which were to be conjoyned Mede in Cum. Apoc. part 2. cap. 13. into one for carrying of the whore These 10. horns thinks Mede belong not to all the seven heads but onely to the seventh because the heads flourishing the horns flourish the heads fulling the horns necessarily fall therewith Now these ten
trampled under foot but such as by way of Office were distinguished from others Mat. 10.41 Prophets distinguished from righteous men and Prophets distinguished from Saints Babylon is therefore ruined because in her is found the blood of the Prophets and of the Saints Revelat. 17.24 Twelve hundred and sixty days These are not natural days but prophetical every day taken for a year as Ezek. 4.6 Numb 14.14 the days of their Prophecying in sackcloth are twelve hundred and sixty years and so expire not till the 42. months of the Beasts raign be expired For months taken prophetically as before every day for a year and reckoning for every month 30. days now multiply the 42. by the 30. and the raign of the Beast is 1200 and 60. years and though there be great difficulty when to begin the rise and raign and most expositors herein much vary yet in the continuance there is a general accord and none can rationally make any question of it Now if we descend from the words of this Prophecy and come to observe the answerable events in History we shall find that in every age there were Witnesses opposing the 〈◊〉 canny Idolatry and Blasphemies of Antichrist their particuler names times places and their manner of resisting the man of sin it would be too large to infirst upon From the 600. year of Christ to the 16. century See a Catalogue of the Witnesses in their several ages in the Ministers of London their Jus Divinum Ministerii Evangelici page 53. Also the Histories of the Maegdeburgon See also Illyricus his Catalog Testium Veritatis Also Jacob. Vsher de Eccles Success Statu And Mr. Sim. Birckbeck his Treatise called Protestants evidence yet a Catalogue is given of them by Protestant writers As Our famous Jewel for 600. years from the time of Christ and his Apostles hath abundantly proved that the truths professed in the reformed Churches were maintained by the Antients And in the succeeding centuries when the man of sin began to prevail there were in their several ages godly and learned Ministers who opposed Popish errors defending the sufficiency of the Scriptures and of Communions to be received in both kinds justification by free grace disclaiming the defilements of worship in adoring Images invocation of Saints praying for the dead worshipping reliques declaiming against his supremacy and Title of universal Bishop as Antichristian Yea Protestant writers make mention of Magistrates as well as Ministers opposing Antichrist yea in this one Kingdome you shall find in History before the Conquest Kings for piety called Saints opposing the insolency and wickedness of the Church of Rome King Edgar acknowledged no Supremacy in the Pope but saith the care of the Church ad nos spectat it belongs to the King and not to the Pope Yea when the Popes were swelled to that hight that Kings kissed their feet yet then the Kings of England opposed their Usurpation Object If the Witnesses Prophecy 1200 and 60. days then they Prophecy after they are slain Answ In that sense they are said to be slain they may prophecy in sackcloth nay they will necessarily do so viz. performe their witness with sadness and mourning Their finishing their Testimony doth not cause their Prophecying to cease their suffering and their slaying is the most glorious part of their sackcloth Prophecy And so I proceed to the fourth Verse Vers 4. These are the two Olive trees and the two Candlesticks c. That is they are like unto Zerubbabel and Joshua restorers of the Jewish Church under the Babylonish Captivity in resemblance to whom the two Witnesses should endeavour to bring the Church out of Antichristian bondage and slavery These are represented by two Olive trees Zach. 4. ◠standing on the two sides of the Candlestick continually supplying it with Oyl But why two Candlesticks when Zachary mentions but one See the conjecture of Mr. Mede upon this Chap. The Candlestick signifying the Church of these times maintained with spiritual supplies not by strength or armies but by Gods special blessing and influence the Olive Trees extraordinarily dropping Oyl for light into those Candlesticks Vers 5. And if any will hurt them fire cometh out of their mouths and devoureth their enemies And if any will hurt them he must in this manner be killed Here the witnesses are compared to Elijah and Elisha restorers of Gods pure Worship from Baalitical Idolatry In this allusion is signified a double power which is granted to them First A power to avenge themselves against their Enemies not by any external fire or sword-power when hurt by them but their revenge like fire proceedeth out of their mouth t is by the mystical fire of the word they preach denouncing Gods wrath against their wickedness As Elisha called for fire from Heaven upon the Captains and their fifties 2 King 2.9 10 11. If any shall hurt them he must in this manner be killed i. e. spiritually and mystically by the word of their prophecy which as fire devoureth them according to that of the Prophet Jer. 5.14 he makes his word a savour of death unto death to them they have ever the vengeance in a readiness for their enemies 2 Cor. 10.6 Thus they avenge their own wrong but how the wrong done to the Church Secondly Therefore secondly they have power to avenge the Church of Christ against the defilers and Gentilish prophaners thereof These saith the Text have power to shut heaven that it rain not in the days of their Prophecy viz. Mystical rain As Elijah shut Heaven that it rained not on Israel almost consumed with drought and famine in the days of his Prophecy till he had destroyed the false worship and worshippers of Baal So these Witnesses by the Keys of the Kingdome of heaven have power to shut heaven against the Idolatrous Gentiles excluding them from hope of eternal lise by the blood of Christ and showers of Divine grace till they repent and forsake their Idolatrous worship and being mindful of their baptismal Covenan returne to the pure worship of God by one mediator Jesus Christ and so put an end to the mournful Prophecy of these witnesses Of this power of the Witnesses we have an example Chap. 14.9 where t is said the third Angel whereby is meant according to Interpreters Luther and his Successors denounceth most woful torments to all the followers and worshippers of the Beast If any shull worship the beast and his Image or receive his mark c. he shall drink of the Wine of the wrath of God c. It is added Annotations upon the Bible In the days of their Prophecy three years and six months in Elijahs time answerable to the number of months here verse 2. Vers 6. Lastly These witnesses have power over maters to turn them into blood And to smite the Earth with plagnes as oft as they will Here the Witnesses are resembled to Moses and Aaron deliverers of Israel out of
Gospel going forth Rev. 14.15 should bring in a great Harvest to God and mightily increase the number of the Witnesses Shall see their dead bodies The word in the Greek doth import Rationem habere they shall have some cover over them as make their enemies affraid to proceed to great cruelties against them their enemies happily would starve them and their families but their friends will feed them their Enemies would banish them totally destroy them bury them under ground but the friends of the Witnesses will not suffer their persons nor names to be so dealt withal And their Enemies may see their interest so great in the hearts and affections of the people kindreds and tongues as may give some check to their violence for the wound being yet fresh and affayrs not well setled happily their Enemies would be loth to make them desperate or at least it may so come to pass by the secret favour and endeavour of some great person or persons things shall not be so carried against the Witnesses as there shall be no hope of a Resurrection Three days and an half i. e. three years and a half but here is to be noted the time here to be computed is not the killing but the time they shall iye dead and without life after they are killed but how long the war lasts Quam diu entem bellum ipsum durabit quantu â—â—que tempus dabitur prophetis interficiendis non nisi vaticinii complementum docebit Mede and how long time shall be given for the killing of the witnesses the fulfilling of the Propehcy will best tell us Verse 10. And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoyce ever them and make merry and send gifts one to another c. Of the manner of sending gifts in great rejoycings see Ester 9.19 20. They joy now they are rid of and avenged of these Witnesses who vexed and troubled their consciences As upon the news of the French massacre which begun on Bartholmew day a Jubilee was proclaimed at Rome the Cardinal of Lorain gave a thousand crowns to the messenger and the Pope caused the massacre to be painted in his Palace So no doubt such an eminent civil slaughter in Protestant Churches must needs fill all the Popish world with rejoycings and longs of triumph the Bestian party then accounting the day theirs and that they have obtained a compleat victory Further note the Beasts or Beastian parties triumph for three days and a half must necessarily be computed and estimated not from the end of the slaughter in all the Churches but from the slaughter that shall be in that Church wherein the Prophets shall be last slain Neither can we imagine it to be otherwise unless we should furmise the slaughter of the Prophets to end in all the Churches at once which to be done in so many several States and Nations at once is hardly possible But this joy of the Inhabitants of the earth i. e. the Antichristian world is but short for v. 14. there is a wo Trumpet co Antichrist and all his Creatures and Confederates and all the enemies of the Saints threatning the last and worst of woful destructions to them Wo saith Christ to them that laugh for they shall weep Thus much of the War against killing and the lying dead of the Witnesses Now of their Resurrection Ascention and the consequents thereof in the 11th and following verses Verse 11. And after three days and a half the Spirit of life from God entered into them c. Here beginneth now the third Period Period 3. where the enemies of the Gospel are quelled and therewith doth break forth the true peace and tranquillity of the Church When these three days or three years and a half come to an end then also together therewith do expire the forty two months of treading the holy City under foot ver 2. The 120 and 60 days of the Witnesses prophecying in sackcloth vers 3. The 1200 and 60 days of the woman in the wilderness chap. 12.6 the forty two months of the Beast and his blasphemies c. 13.5 The times time and half a time which is 1200 and 60 days of the Beast with ten hornes speaking great words against the most High and wearing out the Saints mentioned in the book of Daniel chap 7.21.12.6 But to come to the Text After three days and a half the spirit of life c. Such as the death of the Witnesses was such will be their resurrection from the dead viz. a restoring them to their former state and that not so much by any endeavour of their own or by any humane help as by the finger of God who is wonderful in all his works So much is intimated in these words The Spirit of life from God shall enter into them We have such an expression concerning the lews in the Captivity of Babylon I will put my Spirit within you and ye shall live and I will place you in your own land The same will befall he slain Witnesses God will lend them an unexpected help by such means as never entred into any mans mans thoughts God will revive them again And they stood upon their feet i.e. they appear again in the publick Congregations not as hearers onely but as Masters of the Assemblies and take possession of their places and publickly exercise their ministerial Office they are unbound and loosed from their grave-cloaths as Luzarus was when he came forth and stood upon their feet they are delivered from the bonds and cords and heavy yokes of humane laws and constitutions that killed them and kept them dead and hindred their resurrection And great fear fell upon them that saw them i.e. as there was great joy and exultation among the Beastian party at then killing and lying dead so there will be great terror when they shall fee this resurrection of the Witnesses to their former places and functions then will there be a lively example set before us of that which is written in the book of Wisdom chap. 5. Verse 12. And they heard a great voyce from heaven soying Come up hither That is The Witnesses are not onely restored to their former place and station but they are raised up to some higher degree of honour for so saith Mede their being taken up by a cloud into heaven signifies See Dan. 7.13 Isa 14.13 and 19. They shall be called up by the supreme Magistrate to higher honor and esteem then before And they ascend up to heaven i.e. they enter into their publick charges in the Church heaven and perform their ministry with great authority And their enemies beheld them i.e. they that did so before rejoyce at their sufferings wherein is verified concerning them what is threatned Jer. 50.11 to 13. Verse 13. And the same hour there was a great earthquake and the tenth part of the City fell and there were slain in the earthquake the names of men seven thousand At what time the Witnesses or Prophets ary