in his Chosen servant to take Vengeance of his Enemies attended with a great Retinue His Glory shall be very Manifest Then to Every body even to those that had a hand in his Own or in any of his servants Death to His and their Persecutors and Murderers And it shall be matter of Remorse to all Earthly Sensual and Degenerate Professors that ever they or their Fathers had bin concern'd in any such Injurious and Destructive Practices They shall then Repent and give Glory to God by their Unfeigned Conversion And so the Tyranny of Antichrist shall be Abolished and the Kingdom of Christ Establisht in the World Even so Amen says every Pious Soul Notes The Subjects of Rome being noted by Waters Rev XVII 15. the Regnant Part is left to be understood by the Earth which like an Island Overlooketh Presideth over or as the Spirit himself there expresseth it sitteth upon those Waters And thus is that Type of Earth constantly taken wherever it occurs throughout the Prophecy And we may Observe also That as this verse has Relation to the Kingdom of Christ on Earth so the Next as has bin said is a Declaration of his Divinity according to the Letter and of his Never-ceasing Care of his Church according to the spiritual meaning of it Thus V. 8. I am that Very God to whom belong all Titles of Honour to Him ascribed by the Ancient Prophets More particularly with respect to my Church I am Alpha and Omega the the Deginning and the Ending saith the Lord Jesus Christ compare V. 11 13 17 18. the First and the Last a Title by the Prophet Esay Appropriated to the only True God that is to Me for he saw my Glory and spake those words of Me which is and which was and which is to come the Almighty And accordingly as will be seen evidently from the following Visions I continue with my Church as I have promised them throughout All Ages Mat. XXVIII ult Notes These verses hitherto we are to look upon as the Preface setting-forth the Main Scope of the Book and particularly Insisting on the Chief Vision of all Which had also bin represented to the Prophet Last from Chap. XXI 9. c. to the end of the Revelation and which for both those Reasons to wit both as the Last and the Chiefest may well be conceiv'd to have left the strongest Impression on his Mind and to have lien Uppermost in his Meditations when having bin a Spectator of the whole scene he came to send an account of it accorning to Order to the seven Churches The following verses to the 12th are a Plain Declaration of some Circumstances relating to St. John's Receiving the Visions and of great Use for our Understanding the meaning of them Especially that Circumstance of his being in the Isle of Patmos as will appear by and by V. 9. I John who also am your Brother and Companion in Tribulation and in the Kingdom and Patience of Jesus Christ was in the Isle that is called Patmos for the Word of God and for the Testimony of Jesus Christ Which my Desolate and Disconsolate Condition as an Instance of his Tender Care over All that are Afflicted for his sake he was pleased to make an Opportunity of imparting Great and Glorious Mysteries to me in the following manner V. 10. I was in a Rapture or Ecstasy on a certain Sunday of all the days in the week which the Lord will have to be observed in a peculiar manner and to be employed to his own Honour in holy Exercises and Meditations and I heard behind me a great Voice as of a Trumpet resembling the Voice of the Ministers of Christ Esay LVIII 1. Saying I am Alpha and Omega the First and the Last the Church before the Reformation and the Church Reformed and what thou seest write in a Book and send it unto the Seven Churches which are in Asia unto Ephesus and unto Smyrna and unto Pergamus and unto Thyatira and unto Sardis and unto Philadelphia and unto Laodicea V. 12. And being thus posited in the Isle of Patmos and turning the Byes of my Mind as directed by the Bare sound of the words towards Asia I could not perceive the Voice that spake to me For which cause it was that the Voice spake Behind me that thereby I might be obliged to turn my Mind Westward towards Rome by which was intimated to me and in Me to Every Reader of the following Epistles That there are Two Senses of the Name of Every Church the One Litteral which is the Fore right sense and the Other Mystical which sounds Behind us as it were so that we must Turn our Imagination from the Letter ere we can Discern the True Purport of the Epistles The same thing which is also signified in the Sealed Book by the writing within the Book which could not be read without Unsealing the Book and the writing on the Back side Obvious to Every eye Rev. 1. Wherefore being thus Turned towards Rome I perceived what I lookt for to wit an Appearance of seven Golden Candlesticks of Asia a very Faint Resemblance as may appear from All accounts that are given of the Epistles in the Literal way but of the Church of Rome consider'd as Divided after the Custom of this Prophecy in other Cases into seven Intervals a most Bright and Lively one Notes This I hope to make appear by the following Exposition Only we may observe that as the Empire of Rome is set forth by the Mystical name of Babylon Chap. XVII so the Church of Rome here by the Churches of Asia And as the Mystical Babylon has some Resemblance to the Real one so no doubt the Mystical Churches of Asia to their Prototypes So that the Epistles may be accommodated to the Real Churches of Asia after a sort and as the Vision Rev. XVII may be to Real Babylon but there appears no Life nor Spirit in them til they are applied to the Mystical Churches V. 13. And in the midst of the Seven Candlesticks I saw the Lord Jesus represented in the Form of the Rulers of his Church his Immediate Ministers and Vicegerents from the Beginning to the ending which we are to consider as an Exemplification of the Title he had just before assum'd of being the First and the Last In which the first thing that offer'd it self was his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Septuagint calls one of the Priestly Habits Exod. XXVIII 4. a Long Garment down to the foot implying that Government of the Church of Rome and Inspection and Care of the Faithful in that Communion from first to last should be for the far greatest part in the hands of Priests next under Christ And those Grave Ancient Men agreeing to the Representation of the Head and Hair of the Apparition which were White like Wool as White as Snow And his Eyes were as a Flame of Fire burning with Zeal against Idolatry compare Deut. XIII 8. Acts. XVII 16. Ps
may observe That the Condition of the Primitive Church is set forth by a visible Representation but that of the Reformed Church by Speech Upon which it may be fit to Note That St. John constantly represents a Member one or more of the Reformed Church and consequently is never found either to speak or to be spoken to but only in the Times of the Reformation Instances we have Chap. IV. 1. V. 5. VI. 3 5 7. VII 13. X. 8. and in many other places If it be Objected That the Epistles describe the Fates of the Primitive Church and yet are Dictated to St. John every word of them I answer True but then Observe withal That the Dictator himself to whom all times are Present first puts himself into the Times of the Reformation before be speaks a word His Voice indeed is said to have bin as the Voice of many Waters before but no distinct Word was heard from him The Epistles therefore are sent as from the Reformed Church to the Primitive and contain the One's Censure of the Other as it is drawn in their Writings To which purpose again is that of the Prophets Looking back Chap. 1.12 ere he could see the seven Candlesticks For as he had his Mind upon Asia first as is said already but was made by the Voice to turn himself towards Rome so as a Prophet we are to suppose that he had his mind upon Time to Come but was Turn'd by the Voice to time Past That is At his first Entrance into his Prophetic Ecstacy being rapt into the Times of the Reformation he could not see the Primitive Church of Rome without Looking-back And this is that which has bin already Intimated from the first 3 verses That the Revelation as a Prophecy speaks to the Vial-times only Which Notion if it seem a little hard at first to comprehend I pray How can you expect but that some should do so Get over it therefore for the present with as little Prejudice as you can The Rest are Easier and at last will make This Easier also nay a little Time will put it past all Question V. 19. In the end with reference to the business I was call'd to he added these words Write the things which thou hast seen every thing as soon as thou hast seen it Compare Chap X. 4. XIV 13. XIX 6. XXI 5. both This Vision that thou hast seen already and those that are to follow concerning the Affairs both of the Church of thy own times and from thence to the Reformation for these we must note are the words of an Interpreter and not of one that has a Part in the Representation and therefore are to be understood Plainly of the Real Time then Present and Write also the State of the Reformed Church which is call'd Chap. IV. 1. Things that must be Hereafter The Mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my Right-hand and of the seven Golden Candlesticks The seven Stars are the Angels or Ministers of the Seven Churches and the Seven Candlesticks which thou sawest are the Seven Churches Notes From hence again it appears That the Epistles are Mystical For Why else are Candlesticks put for Churches and Stars for Ministers if every thing else be Plainly to be understood And why in plain Epistles so formal and Unheard-of an Interpretation of Two words not very Difficult of themselves neither but to warn us That the Epistles are not written in a Vulgar Stile but are all of a Piece with what is thus Explained and to Oblige us not to take up with the Bare Letter where a Convenient Exposition can be given in another way Lastly Do but read the Epistles of St. Paul St. James St. Peter St. John or St. Jude and compare them with these here before us and you will not stick to say or think at least That if there be no sense of these Epistles but the Literal they are not without reason Plac'd the Last in the Sacred Volume Let us see then What may be made of them in the Mystical or Allegorical way called also spiritual Chap. XI 8. where Rome is said to be Spiritually called Sodom and Egypt and the Place also where our Lord was Crucified that is Jerusalem not Quatenus the Holy City but only Quatenus the Place where our Lord was Crucified As much as to say It is a sort of Church indeed but no Better a one than this comes to Let us see I say what may be made of the Epistles in this Spiritual sense For as for the Literal notwithstanding our Saviours so solemn Ostentation of his Extraordinary Knowledg at the beginning of Every Epistle as if it would appear from the Discourse it is prefixt to I am confident That no Man from all the Literal Interpretations that have yet come abroad has form'd any better Opinion of our Saviours knowledg than he had before to say no worse For which very reason Brethren if there were no other Let us be perswaded to open our Eyes and to look about us a little and to seek for such a sense and Candidly when offer'd to Embrace it as may be apt to raise our Esteem of that Divine Prescience which our Saviour we see does so much in this Prophecy and above all in the Epistles value himself upon and to Convince every Good Christian That the Author of these Epistles has shewn a much larger Reach of knowledge in them than is shewn in any of his Disciples Epistolary Writings and that That Inscription I Know Thy Works Promising something very extraordinary and for that purpose so Observably Plac'd in the most Conspicuous Part the very Front of every Epistle an Ornament which the Literalists for what I find could very well dispense with Deserves the Place it is affixt to and becomes it LONDON Printed June 1699. And are to be had at Mr. Ball 's in Lee-street hard by Red-Lion-Square
LXXIX 5. c. which was the great Offence that still exercis'd the Patience of the Faithful all along till in the Latter times of that Church for Rome is not reckon'd as a Church in this Prophecy after the Reformation which are signified by the Feet of this Appearance for which comp Dan. II. 33. c. Burning the servants of Christ alive became the Stated Revenge of their Opposing Idolatry And therefore were the Feet of the Son of Man represented like unto Fine Brass as if they burned in a Furnace and his Voice was as the sound of many Waters that is Peoples and Nations of which the Church of Rome the great Metropolis of the Empire all along but especially since the Constantinian Revolution has consisted V. 16. And by Miracles Signs and Mighty Deeds and Extraordinary Providences as with his Right Hand he still Supported his Faithful servants the Preachers of his Word and for the more effectual Enlargement of his Kingdom rais'd up Emperors and other Potentates to joyn their Temporal Power with the Spiritual of his Priests which like a Two-edged sword might Cut Both ways And the splendor of his Countenance whereby he brought Men under his Obedience Acts. IX 3.4 XXVI 13.14 Psal LXVII 1 2. and signifies here the Light of his Glorious Gospel was as the San shineth in his Strength Which being both the Uppermost or First part of the Image and yet the Last thing I was directed to take Notice of is a sign That it ought to be referr'd both to the First and Last Times of the Church signified by the Image to wit That as she was at first Converted and Particularly her first Bishop St. Paul by such a Glorious Light so she should be at Last Reform'd by such a nother Spiritually understood Notes The Right Hand of God is used in Scripture 1. For Gods Miraculous Power Exod. XV. 6. Acts. 11.33 V. 31. 2. For Regal Power God's Peculiar Blessing and Direction Isal XVII 7. XVIII 5. Rev. V. 1. 3. For Both Psal XLIV 3. LXXVIII 54. And thus also Christ or any Good King that fights his Battels may be call'd The Man of God's Right Hand Psal LXXX 17. wherefore by its Place in the Image before us where the Voice as the sound of many Waters on the one side has a Manifest Aspect upon the Mighty Encrease of the Church of Rome upon Constantine's coming to the Empire and the Two-edged Sword on the other side to the Two-fold Power that the Church thereby attain'd I cannot but think that the Right-Hand ought to be referred Principally to that Notable Deliverance of the Church by Constantine the Great and to the Favour of many Pious Princes afterwards consequent thereupon who shew'd themselves Nursing Fathers to the Family of Christ V. 17. Whereupon I fell at his Feet as Dead and was therein a Type of the Reformation that is of those who by the Zealous Preaching of Wickliff Luther Calvin and many other Godly Ministers of the Gospel the Light of Learning also breaking-out with a surprizing Lustre at the same time were brought-off to Purity of Religion from the Romish Superstitions Notes The Feet of Christ are very fitly set to denote the Stanch Stable and suffering part of his Church by reason of that Ancient Prediction which they manifestly allude to concerning the Serpents bruising the seed-of-the-Womans Heel Gen. III. 15. Now there is in this Hieroglyphic a three-fold mention of Christ's Feet One in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Garment down to the Foot in the First part of the Description Which may be referr'd to the Apostles St. Peter and St. Paul the Basis or Foundation of this Church of Rome as the Apostles are call'd Eph. 11.20 The next just after the Description of his Fiery or Jealous Eyes which is very appositely seconded with that of his Feet like unto Fine Brass as if they burned in a Farnace For they that could not endure to see the True God dishonoured by Idolatry were sure to be cast into a Burning Fiery Furnace This therefore signifies the Fiery Trials of that Church both before Constantine and also before the Reformation It signifies those before Constantine by vertue of its place in the Description For it is follow'd by that Voice like the sound of many Waters which refers as has bin observed already to that Vast Augmentation of the Churches Numbers made by Constantine's coming to the Roman Throne which Advancement of his came just to Close-up the Hottest of all the Ten Persecutions And it signifies also the Persecutions that immediately Preceded the Reformation in vertue of the place that the Feet have in the Body which is the Last and Lowest of all whereby are signified the Last times of that Church that is represented by the Image Dan. 11.33 The third mention of Christ's Feet is in the words we are now upon to wit next after that of the Glorious Light whereby the Reformation was effected When I saw his Countenance so exceeing bright and dazling I fell saies the Prophet at his Feet as dead Whereby is implied That the Reformation was to be brought in immediately upon that horrid Burning of the Faithful in Queen Mary's days for their constant Profession of the Faith Which is here expressed by the Feet of Christ like fine Brass as if they Burned in a Furnace And he laid his Right hand upon me that is And by the Ministry of Kings particularly of the English he laid as it were his Right hand upon me see the Notes on the former verse and bid me not to Fear for He would certainly stand by me in the Profession of his Holy Truth For says he again to me I am the First and the Last am Present with my Church throughout All Ages both with the Primitive and the Reformed both with the Church of Rome and with the Church of England c. I am he that liveth and was dead both in my own Person and in the King and Church of England Chap. V. 6. and behold I am now alive again in both respects for evermore it being not possible that either I or the said Church should suffer Death again a second time Amen And have the Keys of Hell and of Death whereby I am empour'd to destroy all Enemies and am now about to put in use the Power I am invested with Notes These Keys are an Emblem of Christ's Kingdom which when he comes to settle in the world he brings in his hand the Key of the Bottomless Pit to shut Satan up into it that he may no longer have his Liberty to deceive the world Chap. XX. 1 3. And thus we see in this Hieroglyphic a Notable Representation of the Church and of the Lord Jesus in it and with it all along from First to Last In the Church of Rome first and upon her Rejection whereof more in the Epistle to Laodicea see also Rom. XI 20 21 22. in the Church of England But here we