watchful over such Pretenders especially at a time and in a Nation so prone to Enthusiasm and so easily transported into irregular Practises upon any new or unusual Occurrence But although due caution be commendable yet a settled aversion to or a careless neglect of searching into Scripture Prophecies may be of as ill effect to the Publick as the Confidence of false Pretenders to the Interpretation of them or the rashness of the giddy Multitude can possibly be And I cannot see what excuse Learned Men can have for not weighing and considering what is offered from Scripture History and Reason towards the clearing up of that Prophecy to the Study of which the reward of Blessedness is promised in it Rashness and groundless Confidence and pretences to immediate Impulses when not agreeable to Scripture or Reason are indeed to be Despised and it is fit that even those who propagate Truths after a Turbulent and Zelotick manner should be restrained but when things which may seem something strange and uncommon are offered by Men of Piety and Learning although with an Air of some more than ordinary assurance it is very commendable to search into the grounds of them and not wholly to slight them although there may be a mixture of Frailty and Error in them For God doth not now ordinarily assist after an infallible manner and sometimes permitted even his Prophets (a) 1 Sam. 16.6 2 Sam. 7.3 2 Kings 4.27 to Err when their desires were too eager and their approbation even of a good design too hasty and they spake as Men not as Prophets Enthusiasm which arises from an overheated Imagination is indeed a dangerous Disease of the Soul and it is I must confess something difficult for the best and wisest Men to avoid all taint and infection of it whilst they are too intent upon the Study of Prophetical Scripture especially of those parts of it in which God who hath afforded us in Scripture suitable matter for the exercise of all our Intellectual Capacities has condescended to the Fancy and Imagination of Mankind and has entertaired them as he hath done in this Book if I may so speak with a Divine Opera representing the greatest transactions belonging to his Church in Sacred Emblems and Hieroglyphicks Upon which consideration câ—re hath been taken that no interpretation should be inserted into the Paraphrase upon the Text which was not thought to be justly grounded upon the Scriptures quoted in it and bare Imagination hath not been in the least indulged but in the Annotations where it is Lawful to Exspatiate to propose conjectures to the Learned World and to give the raines to Fancy but under the curb and restraints of Reason and Prudence But although Enthusiasm which is a false pretence to extraordinary Impulses and Inspirations from God be very pernicious to the Souls of Private Persons as well as to the Publick yet it is certainly of very ill consequence rashly to reject every thing as Enthusiastick in the performance of which good sober and judicious persons profess themselves to have found sometimes more than ordinary assistance upon the due use of proper means Because it tends to the disparagement of the Gifts of the Holy Ghost encourages Men in a Jejune dry formality of Religion without inward Life and Spirit and robs them of much of that Joy and Comfort they might otherwise find in hearkning what God the Lord will say unto them by bringing natural and revealed Truths into their Minds and by opening and awakening their Ears to Discipline and Instruction for God speaketh once yea twice but man perceiveth it not For let Men of narrow Souls or those who have accustomed themselves only to dry Reasoning think what they will it is evident enough from some Mens Experience and from the very Spirit and Majesty which appears in their Discourses that they are raised sometimes above themselves and are afforded a clearer and larger prospect of useful great and momentous Truths than their Faculties do ordinarily arrive to or could have reached without Divine Assistance And extraordinary Truths are not only to be expected from those who have an happy Concurrence of all the Endowments which compleat a Great Genius but are frequently bestowed upon men of meaner abilities such Oar being often found amidst much Dross and many Imperfections especially of Style and other Ornaments which the World too much values and unreasonably dotes upon God for the Exaltation of free Grace and that men might not Glory in themselves and attribute things to their own Skill sometimes making use of the foolish weak and base things of the World to confound the Wise the Mighty and most valuable things in the esteem of Men. And therefore I hope that men of Wit and Natural Accomplishments will not disdain to look into Authors whose way of management may at first sight promise little much less rashly despise great Truths for not being cloathed in a modish Dress For many men who have true and just Thoughts of things are very unhappy in expressing them and they who much Study the Prophetical Writers whose Style as the ingenious Theorist of the Earth truly observes is rather Bold and Noble than Just will contract a swelling obscure and Metaphorical Style which elevated Minds and even Plato himself could not avoid nor the generality of the first (a) Plutarch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Philosophers who are observed to have admitted a Divine Principle into their Philosophy the want of which is an unpardonable fault in Aristotle and others as if an uncommon and freer Style were the effect of Noble and Divine Thoughts and a too close and jejune one were the sign of a narrow and an Atheistical Disposition But whatsoever may be thougnt of the Interpreters of this Prophecy the Prophecy it self is certainly worthy the utmost thoughts of all Pious Learned and Ingenious Persons whose pains will be sufficiently rewarded by the pleasure Spiritual Profit and Advantages they will reap from it For what can afford greater pleasure to Pious Minds than to have a view in lively Emblems of the Throne of the Majesty of tne great God and to see his Glory and Goodness pass before them in Mystical representations of his Attributes of the Mystery of our Redemption and the Glorious Kingdom of Christ the Lamb slain from the Foundation of the World Who can forbear breaking forth into Praises and Thanksgivings upon reading the Songs of Victory which the blessed Spirits sing before the Throne or God at the several Exaltations and Triumphs of Christ's Kingdom And who is so in Love with this present World as not to wish that he were Dissolved that he might be with Christ in his holy Mount (a) Chap. 14. 1. And that even this Earth and Heavens might meit and pass away although he himself should suffer Loss thereby and be saved but so as by Fire that he might be with Christ and the blessed Saints in a New World wherein Righteousness shall
Visions commence from Christ's Resurrection For to that end only is the mention of this Day proper to this Prophecy On which he might truly stile himself The First Begotten of the Dead and he that was dead and is alive .. And accordingly we are not to suppose as some do that he received this Prophecy on the Annual Day of the Resurrection but that according to the Decorum to be observed in Visions and Representations the very Numerical Day in which Christ arose was as it were recalled and represented unto him as the Beginning of the Time allotted to the Actions of the whole Representation And from its being said That he was in the Spirit on that Day it may be conjectured seeing that every thing in this Prophecy has a mystical sense which yet is the primary and most proper that the Day of Pentecost on which Christ gave the Gifts of the Spirit was joyned in Vision and Representation with it as the same Day may happen to be the King's Coronation and Birth day too 21 Words of seeing hearing and the like signifie in Scripture the Actions of the Inward Senses as well as of the Outward 11 Saying I 22 am Alpha and Omega the first and the last And what thou seest in this Vision write in a Book for greater security and continuance Job 19.23 24. and send it unto the seven 23 Churches which are in Asia the Less unto Ephesus and unto Smyrna and unto Pergamus and unto Thyatira and unto Sardis and unto Philadelphia and unto Laodicea 22 These solemn Titles of Christ's Divinity are here repeated not only for the greater Assurance of the Certainty of these Visions but to signifie by being placed immediately before the Command to write to the Seven Churches That these Epistles relate to what was to come to pass in the End of Time and that they contain a Succession of Prophecy from the first to the last and the solemn Appearance of Christ which follows and the whole Preface with which this Vision is introduced do make it highly probable that they were designed for more than seven private Churches of no very large Extent or Duration 23 That these Cities were all in being in John's Time is past doubt only it hath been questioned by some whether there were Churches as yet Erected in all of them which yet seems to be a groundless Scruple seeing that the Apostle Paul so long before professes that he had at Ephesus a great Door and an Effectual one opened to him and that the Word of God increased so mightily throughout all Asia that he thought good to tarry amongst them for the space of three years Acts 19.10 20. and 20.18 31. See Archbishop Usher's Treatise concerning the Original of Bishops and Metropolitans and of the Lydian or Proconsular Asia 12 And I turned to see whose the voice was that spake with me And being turned I saw seven golden 24 Candlesticks representing seven Churches 24 Candlesticks are Symbols or visible Hieroglyphicks of Churches taken from the Candlestick with seven Branches and Lamps in it under the Law which was a Type of the Church Exod. 25.31 Numb 8.2 Whereby is signified their Duty of enlightning and instructing by the purity of their Doctrine and Example whereby they become precious as Gold in the fight of God See and compare Psalm 19.10 Matth. 5.14 John 5.35 Rom. 10.15 Philip. 2.15 16. And most especially the Candlestick Zec. 4. gives great Light to the Candlestick in this Vision 13 And in the midst 25 of the seven Candlesticks one like unto the Son of Man i. e. Christ walking in the midst of them to order them as the Priests did the Lamps Exod. 27.20 21. and to protect guide and watch over them Levit 26.12 Matth. 18.20.28 20. 2 Cor. 6.16 cloathed in the High-Priests Vestments with a garment down to the foot Exod. 28 40.39 27. Ezek. 9.2 Dan 10 5. and girt about the Paps with a golden girdle of the Ephod Exod 28 8.29 5. to denoâ—e his Royal Priesthood a golden girdle being also the habit of Kings anciently amongst the Eastern Nations Job 12.18 25 Hence perhaps it was that God commanded Exod 25.37 and Numb 8.2 that the Lamps should be lighted on that part which was towards the midst or middle Branch of the Candlestick signifying thereby Christ to whom we ought all to look for help and from whom we have all our Light and Knowledge See Ainsworth on Numb 8.2 14 His head 26 and his hair were white like Wool as white as Snow noting his Eternal Wisdom and Authority Dan. 7.9 and his eyes were as a Flame of Fire Penetrating all things by his Providence with quickness power and terror Dan. 10.6 Ezek. 1.27 Hebr. 4.12 13. 26 Hence may be proved the Consubstantiality and Equality of the Son with the Father the same Expressions being used in Daniel concerning the Father 15 And his Feet especially when he comes to Judge his Church Isa 53.7 like unto fine 27 brass as if they burned in a furnace i. e. representing the stability power glory and terror of his actions and punishments and that his Servants are to be purified and refined by sufferings Dan. 10 6.12 10. Malach. ch 3. and 4. and his voice as the sound of many Waters i. e. his word was powerful and terrible like that of a raging multitude signified by Waters Dan 10.6 Psal 93.4 27 See Dr. Hammond who seems to have given the true sense of these Words wherein is represented a fiery flaming Appearance in Glory taken from a flaming Fire in which the lower part looks like Amber which we translate Fine Brass and the Flame especially the upper part is of a white colour 16 And he had in his right hand i. e. under his mighty power direction and protection in safety and great honour Psal 18.35 Jeâ—em 22.24 Cant. 8 6. seven Stars i. e. the Angels of the seven Churches ver 20. and out of his Mouth went a sharp two edged Sword i e. his word sharp quick and powerful for the destruction of his Enemies and the defence of his Friends Eph. 6.17 Hebr. 4.12 and his countenance i. e. the manifestation of himself Cant. 5.15 Psal 4 6 was as the Sun shineth in his strength at noon in its greatest height and brightness that is very Glorious and of Majesty 17 And when I saw him in this glorious and terrible appearance I fell at his feet as dead for fear and he laid his right hand of power and support upon me saying unto me fear not I am the first and the last i. e the Eâ—ernal Almighty God who can sustain and strengthen thee Dan. 8 18.10 10 18. 18 I am he that Liveth i. e. the living God the Fountain and Author of Life and was dead for your Sins and behold now I am alive and that for evermore Amen i. e. This is a certain Truth and I have the Keys of 28 Hell i. e. power over the state and place of separated
full Glory may be understood by the Bright Morning-Star And therefore by the Morning-Star in this place is understood the Remnant or the rest of this Succession which shall last until the Succession of Christ's Kingdom begins and who shall as the Morning-Star riseth before the Sun give notice of his Approach by some more than ordinary works and Manifestations of it Which we hope and pray that the Lord will soon accomplish and if he has vouchsafed to his Servants any Knowledge of Times and Seasons it cannot be far off by raising the poor oppressed Churches of the Valleys who were the Morning-Star or the first Visible Body of Witnesses before the Reformation and we hope will arise and that speedily before Christ's Appearance in his Glorious Kingdom for they have hitherto shined according to their own Mysterious (a) Mr. Leger Histoir des Vaudois Device which is a lighted Taper in a Candlestick environed with Seven Stars in a dark place with this Motto Lux lucet in Tenebris amidst the Darkness of the Apostasie And may Christ give unto them and that quickly the Morning-Star of his Glorious Presence Amen Amen come Lord Jesus come quickly 29 He that hath an Ear let him hear what the Spirit saith to the Churches i e. this is a Mysterious Truth worthy the utmost Consideration CHAP. III. The Text. 1 AND unto the Angel of the Church in 1 Sardis write These things saith he that 2 hath the Seven Spirits of God see Chap. 1.4 and the Seven Stars Chap. 1.16 and 2 1. I know and observe thy Works that thou hast a Name 3 or a more than ordinary Repute that thou livest according to Christ's Doctrine and art zealous in the Outward Profession of it 4 and or but art indeed dead 5 as to the perfect Purity of Religion and its Life and Power over thy Faith and Manners Eph. 2.1 1 Tim. 5.6 2 Tim. 3.5 James 2.20 Annotations on CHAP. III. 1 Sardes or Sardis is distant about Thirty Three Miles from Thyatira Southward It was antiently as appears by its Ruines a Magnificent Splendid and Proud City as being the Seat of King Croesus for which Reason as well as from an Allusion to the Precious Stones of that Name which (a) Hist Lib. 37.8 Pliny asserts were called so from this Place as being first found there it may typifie a splendid and stately Church-succession which has a Name or a Repute in the World It is now as the Learned Doctor (b) Notit Septem Asiae Eccles pag. 133. Smith an Eye-witness testifies who could not but weep at the sight of it a most miserable Village inhabited only by Shepherds and Herdsmen and a few ignorant Christians without Church or Priest whereby may be providentially set forth the Real Deadness of this Church-state and the Desolation it is to suffer 2 Sardis is thought to be the Type of the Churches of the Reformation under the Favour and Protection of Reformed Princes in a condition of External Splendor Because 1. It succeeds that of Thyatira which is the Type of Reformed Churches under the Tyranny of Popish Princes to which State the Reformation succeeded begun by Luther A. D. 1517. 2. Because there is no mention made of Balaam or Jezebel or Nicolaitism in this Succession which shews that they had escaped from under the power of the Apostasy typified by them 3. Because the same Title is given to Christ here as is made use of in the Ephesine Succession the Type of the Apostolical Church whereby seems to be intimated that the Church began now to be Reformed according to the First Primitive and Apostolical Pattern only it is here Remarkable that it is not said that Christ holdeth the Seven Stars in his Right Hand but barely that he hath them to shew perhaps by the Omission of those Remarkable Words that they had departed from the True Apostolical Model which Christ had or held in his Right Hand that is had in great Honour Neither is this to be taken for a groundless and a loose Interpretation or a Licentious Fancy as Dr. Hammond calls the like Conjectures of Mr. Brightman seeing that in such a Concise Prophecy God whose Glory it is to conceal a thing Prov. 25.2 hath given us sometimes but slender hints or intimations of great Truths and that the Addition or taking away of but a Letter in a Name as in the Names of Abraham Sarah and Jeconiah for which see Grotius on Jerem. 22.24 is of great import in Scripture And of how much greater signification then may be the leaving out so material a part of Christ's Title in a Prophecy so brief and mysterious 3 From whence it appears that this Church has a Reputation in the World for its outward profession but is very much wanting in inward Life Truth and Holiness 4 So And frequently signifies in Scripture 5 Ephesus had only lost its First Love but this Church was really dead as to the True Spirit and Power of the Gospel and the perfect simplicity and purity of it 2 Be watchful in observing the Times and Seasons of Christ's coming Dan. 12.12 Matth 24 42-51 Rev. 16.15 and strengthen or uphold and sustain the things 6 which remain i. e. the necessary Truths which shall remain until Christ's coming and which thou hast kept entire but that are ready to die as to the Power and Life of them for I have not found thy works of Reformation according to the Gospel 7 perfect before God so as to be able to stand before the Glory of his Kingdom when it shall begin to appear or to endure the Severity of his Tryal whatsoever Esteem they may have amongst Men Luke 16.15 6 By 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the rest seems to be meant those Necessary Works and Articles of Belief which they had kept alive or entire and were to remain during the following Succession of the Church until Christ's Coming as being Necessary Truths which would endure Tryal and were essential to the being of it as a Church in which sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken in this Prophecy as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies in Authors the remaining or succeeding part of the Day 7 Filled up or compleated as the Rude Lineaments of a Picture are said to be filled up by a Painter when he comes to draw it to the Life See Hammond on Matth. 5.17 Here this Church is blamed for not carrying on the Reformation to its utmost perfection and for suffering necessary Truths to decay and be almost ready to die 3 Remember 8 therefore how i. e. with what Sincerity and Zeal thou hast received and heard the Doctrine of Truth at the beginning of the Reformation and hold fast what thou didst then receive and repent of thy Deadness Verse 1. thy Negligence and imperfections Verse 2. and thy Departure from the Principles thou hast received and heard If therefore thou shalt not watch 9 and wait for the
Cardinal Points of Heaven 12 For so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ought to be translated as it is Ezek. 1.5 that so they may be the better distinguished from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Antichristian Beast These Four living Creatures are called Cherubims Ezek. 10.2 By which is meant Active Beings of an Angelical Nature employed in the Ministration of God's Providence as appears from their Description given by Ezekiel Now the Representations here given figuring something analogous to them in the Church they cannot be supposed to signifie any thing more properly than the pure Christian Church represented by the Apostles who were so extraordinarily active in the propagating of the Gospel into the Four Quarters of the World and were Twelve making up Four Ternaries of Living Creatures or Zealous Active Ministers of Christ according to the Number of the Four Ternaries of the Twelve Tribes under the Four Standards in the Wilderness For we are to take notice that this Representation of the Throne of the Majesty of God or this Theatre or Stage of the Apocalyptick Visions as Mr. Mede calls it exactly answers the Encampments of the Israelites God's Throne being here placed in the middle as the Tabernacle was there the Four and Twenty Elders next to answer the Station of the Priests and Levites and the Four Beasts at each Angle Diametrically opposite to each other against the Four Cardinal Points of the Wind representing Christians in the Four Quarters of the World in analogy to the Four Standards of the Camp of the Israelites having in them Figures of these Four Living Creatures taken from the Cherubims of the Chariot or Glorious Throne of Almighty God 1 Chron. 28.18 For which see Mr. * Pag. 437 594 917. Mede Dr. Hammond on the Place Grotius on Numb 10.15 and Mr. Ainsworth on Numb 2. where he has given us the Figure of the Encampments and has discoursed largely on them and Dr. ‖ De legibus Hebraeorum lib. 3. Dissertat 5. Spencer 7 And the first Beast or living creature was like a Lion 13 denoteing the Power and strength of the Gospel and Apostolical Ministry Gen. 49.9 Psal 103.24 and the second Beast like a Calf 14 or Ox denoting their Laboriousness and Usefulness Prov. 14.4 and the third Beast had the face of a Man 15 signifying Reason and Prudence and the fourth Beast was like a flying Eagle 16 noteing their activity and quick-sightedness into the Mysteries of the Gospel 13 This was the Standard of Judah on the East side compared to a Lyon Gen. 49.9 And the Qualities of these Living Creatures do denote the like Gifts and Graces required in the Ministry which were after an extraordinary manner eminent in the Apostles the Representatives of the Christian Church and of its State in the Kingdom of Christ to which this appearance relates 14 The Standard of Ephraim on the West side of the Camp who is resembled to an Ox Deut. 33.17 15 Reuben's Standard on the South side 16 The Standard of Dan on the North side 8 And the four Beasts had each of them six 17 Wings noteing their speed their Reverence in God s Presence and their humble sense of themselves Isa 6.2 about 18 him and they were full of Eyes within 19 to observe themselves as well as to be vigilant over others and they 20 rest not day and night but are constant and incessant in the Worship and Service of God Isa 60 11.62 6. saying Holy 21 Holy Holy i. e. infinitely and superlatively Holy Isa 6.3 Lord God Almighty which was and is and is to come Rev. 1.4 17 With Two they covered their Faces out of Reverence with Two their Feet or Nakedness out of a sense of their own shame and impurity and with Two they flew to execute God's Commands Isa 6.2 18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 round about them that is perhaps at several Distances on each side as the Israelites are said to encamp 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or round about the Tabernacle that is at distant Points of the several sides of the Square encompassing it So here each of the Living Creatures is said to have Six Wings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is on each side Three one against another one pair on their Shoulders with which they flew another on each of their Breasts stretched upwards to cover their Faces and the Third about their Hips to cover their less honourable parts or appearances Andreas Caesariensis reads as our common Copies do but if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be to be joyned to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Grotius and Dr. Hammond think then their Exposition may be consulted as more commmodious 19 The inward Eyes of these Creatures were represented unto John the Figure or Appearance which was perhaps diaphanous being contrived accordingly 20 This was the Practice of the Apostolical Church as appears from Acts 2.42 46.20 31. Luke 2.37 2 Tim. 4.2 21 Here it is acknowledged by the Apostolical Church with the Joynt Consent of the Israelitish Church that God is a Supereminent Being and that he is to be worshipped incommunicably according to his most eminent and unparallell'd Holiness and perhaps the Divine Being in Father Word and Spirit may be intimated in the Threefold Repetition of the Word Holy But howsoever in this First Doxology the Lord God Almighty who is Father Son and Holy Ghost God blessed for ever is only mentioned and not the Lamb to shew that the Belief of One God who created all things is the First Fundamental Principle of Religion Christ as Redeemer the Lamb slain being not acknowledged and worshipped until the Second Doxology after he had appeared before the Throne of the Father and had received his Kingdom acccording to the Original Model of these Visions in the Book of Daniel where Chap. 7. the Son of Man is brought near to the Father and then had Dominion and Glory given him 9 And when soever these Beasts 22 or representatives of the Apostolical pure Church give or shall and are wont to give glory i. e. acknowledgment of God's glorious Majesty and Excellency and Honour to God's Authority and Preheminence and thanks for his bounty and gracious gifts to his Church to him that sat on the Throne who liveth for ever and ever i. e. to the Eternal and Living God not a dead Idol who will open his Kingdom of Eternal Life to all true Christians 22 At the fourth Verse the Twenty four Elders are placed before the Living Creatures to signifie the Primogeniture of the Jewish Church Here they are placed after them to signifie that the Truths here acknowledged were first clearly made known to the Christian Church and shall be at last communicated by them to the Jewish which shall be excited and provoked to Jealousie by them and shall at their Conversion joyn with them in an acknowledgment of these and all other Truths of Christianity 10 The four and twenty Elders or Heads of the pure Jewish Church testifying
entirely destroyed at the Succession of the Christian Empire but that it recovered for a short time under Julian and was kept in some Life by the Pagan part of the Senate and those Heathens who continued in Office until the time of Theodosius and by the Emperour's connivance at their Religion all (b) Dr. Cave's Introduct to Vol. 2. of the Lives of the Fathers of them also having accepted of the Pontifical Stole and born the Office and Title of Pontifex Maximus or Chief Head of the Colledge of the Priests of the Heathens until Gratian who refused it and especially by the Heathen Customs and Rites which the Christians by degrees brought into the Church by which Paganism gradually and insensibly passed into Antichristianism and the Beast was kept alive and at last perfectly healed So that here is described the State of the Roman Empire as in its passage under the Christian Emperours from the sixth Head to the seventh in a bleeding and desperate Condition but in hopes of having its Wound cured And the State of the same Empire as actually healed is represented in the next Words when a Monarchy and Idolatry was introduced so like that under the sixth Head that its Rise is here described rather by the healing of an Old Wound than by the Succession of a New Head * Here is set forth the Extent of the Beast's Kingdom the whole World being said to be his Followers and Admirers which the Defenders of the Papacy make to be a Note of their Church who are wont as hath been well (a) Rivet Tom. 3. pag. 583. observed by the just Judgment of God to attribute those things imprudently to the Papacy which are the Apocalyptick Marks of Antichrist To wonder after him may also imply the implicit Faith and blind Devotion paid to the Papacy which is usually the Effect of a groundless Wonder and an Admiration of Mens persons And here we may observe that it is foretold that Defection from Truth shall be Vniversal 4 And they that wondred after the Beast which were a very great multitude worshipped the 10 Dragon or Roman Pagan Power or Monarchy which gave his power unto the Beast i. e. they obeyed a Roman Pagan Diabolical Power in an Antichristian Successor and they 15 worshipped and were subject unto the Beast i. e. the 16 Roman Empire under its seventh Head the Papacy as Imperial and Monarchick saying 17 Who is like unto the Beast in Eminency and Excellency who is 18 able to make War with him i. e. resist or withstand his Power 14 It was one and the same Roman Monarchy under the Dragon and the Beast because they had both the same Imperial Seat at Rome upon the continuance of which a Monarchy is continued in the Account of Prophecy and because they were both influenced by the same Draconick and Devillish Temper and Spirit whereby they became One Body the Dragon living in and being worshipped in the Beast Whence it is that the Beast has but one and the self same Body under all its Heads it being represented as One Beast with divers distinct Heads each of which Head also may be called a Beast by a Synecdoche or a Figure whereby what belongs to the whole may be attributed to an eminent part 15 To Worship denotes also (a) Grotius in locum Gen. 37.7 8. Subjection in Scripture because Subjects were wont to adore or prostrate themselves to their Princes and Superiors in the Eastern Countries As the Subjects also of the Popes do who are not approached unto without (b) Rivet Tom. 3. pag. 576 577. Fouli's Romish Vsurpat B. 1.4 Adoration and are placed on the (c) Ceremonial Roman Sect. 2. cap. 2. And Sir Paul Rycaut's Preface to the Lives of the Popes Altar after they are chosen to receive the Adorations of the Cardinals and others present 16 Beast absolutely taken signifies 1. The Roman Empire with all its seven Heads And 2. The State of the Roman Empire under the seventh Head and Eighth King the Papacy which is the general Acceptation of the Beast in this Prophecy 17 This is an Expression frequently made use of in (d) Exod. 15.11 1 Sam. 2.2 1 Chron. 17.20 Scripture to denote God's peerless and appropriated Supereminence and consequently his appropriated Worship And by it is very appositely set forth the (e) Rivet Foulis ubi supra extravagant prophane and blasphemous Titles and Prerogatives given to the Pope by his Followers who make as if he were something more than Humane calling him their (a) In Gloss extravag Rivet Tom. 3. pag. 518. confessed by Father Walsh the Author of the Controversial Letters and other honest Romanists God and Christ's Vicar and attributing to (b) See Mr. Dodwel's Fundamental Principle of Popery where it is proved that this must necessarily be the fundamental principal of their Communion although it be denied by some of them him Infallibility all which is signified here by this Phrase which is not unlike the blasphemous Expressions of Rabshekah 2 Kings 18. 18 This most (c) See Fouli's Romish Vsurpat Mr. Dodwell 's Considerat of present concernment Math. Paris Anno. 1245 Imperatorem Fredericum conculcavimus quis es tu qui nobis temere credis resistere Graseri Histor Antichrist pag. 176. Omnes Principes fortunam irritasse qui cum Papa certaruat Kings and Kingdoms have found to be true in their Contests with the Papal Omnipotency as some of their Admirers have called it 5 And there was given unto him by the Devil God permitting and ordering things accordingly upon mens willful blindness a mouth 19 speaking great things i. e. a Faculty of impudent lying and boasting concerning his own Power and Infallibility in Decrees Anathema's and the like and blasphemies i. e. Idolatrous Decrees and power was given unto him to continue 20 Forty and two Months of Years See on Chap. 11.2 19 This Phrase is taken from Dan. 7.8 11 20 25.11 36. where it is the Character of the Little Horn and the Antichristian King from whence it also appears that this Beast is an Antichristian one and that this also is a Mark of the Papacy clearly appears from their (d) See the Authors quoted on num 16. The Canon Law the Bullarium Romanum and the Authors who defend the Papacy and the Court of Rome extravagant Titles and Decrees and Pretences to Universal Power 20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (e) Grot. in Jac. 4.13 Mede in Locum when joyned with a word signifying any space of Time denotes in Scripture the continuance of it 6 And he opened his Mouth with great boldness and arrogance in Blasphemies or Idolatrous Expressions against God Dan. 7 25. to 21 blaspheme his Name or Essence and his 22 Tabernacle i. e. Christ's Humane Nature and his Church and them 23 that dwell in Heaven i. e. Saints and Angels 21 By making Images of God which is called Blasphemy or Idolatry in Scripture
their agreement with the Christian Church do fall down in great humility and submission before him that sat on the Throne and worship him that liveth for ever and ever and cast their Crowns before the Throne in token of Subjection and Homage saying 11 Thou art worthy and thou only O Lord to receive the Acknowledgement of Glory and Honour and Power for thou hast created all things by thy Power and for thy pleasure or Will the only Motive to it they are preserved in their Being and were at first created Nehem. 9.6 CHAP. V. The Text. 1 AND I saw in the Right 1 Hand of him that sate on the Throne i. e. of God the Father a 2 Book or Roll Ezek. 2.9 10. written within and on the back-side i. e. containing a long Series of Events 3 sealed with 4 Seven Seals to denote the Obscurity of the Prophecy and the Delay of its Accomplishment Dan. 12.4 Annotations on CHAP. V. 1 God held the Book in his Right Hand to shew his Power and his Readiness to deliver it 2 This Book seems to have consisted of seven several Rolls rolled up into one in the Form of a Cylinder (a) Poli Synops Hammond on Luke 4.17 and on the place Mede pag. 789 790 791. Mori Oper. Theol. pag. 21. ubi formam libri videas according to the Custom of the Antients having seven Labels sealed with seven Seals which being opened in order there appeared in each of them the Seulptures or Hieroglyphicks hereafter mentioned and the back side of the last Roll which is the outermost in rolling was written upon to shew that there was a long series of Events contained in this Book it being not the Custom of the Ancients to write on the back side of the Roll but when the inside could not contain all their Writing We may divide for Order and Memories sake the whole Prophecy of this Book into Two Tomes as Mr. Mede calls them the first of which contained in the foregoing Chapters may be called The (b) See on Chap. 4.1 Church Prophecy wherein Symbols of Churches then in being are used the Second which begins here may be called The Book-Prophecy because its Events are represented by Hieroglyphicks in a Book And both Prophecies are of the same Extent this latter reaching to the End of Time and determining and distinguishing Church Successions and Affairs as well as the former only with this difference that they are represented in the latter by future Occurrences and Circumstances of the Civil State and Empire that so the Times of their Accomplishment might be the better known and taken notice of by the illustrious Events represented in them For as it pleased God to describe and foretel by his Prophets the Fall of Babylon and other Events under several Symbols and Representations for the greater assurance of the Prediction as in Pharaoh's Dream Gen. 41.32 and that the thing might be the more deeply imprinted on Mens Minds by the Variety of the Figures by which they are described so hath the Divine Spirit upon the same account given divers Emblems of one and the same thing in this Prophecy 3 I shall here once for all endeavour to give the true import of Sealing which seems to have these several Acceptations in Scripture 1. It denotes a secret or an hidden Condition as we seal up things which we would keep secret 2. It denotes Security Thus the Stone at the mouth of Daniel's Den and our Saviour's Sepulchre were sealed with Seals 3. It signifies Hindrance and Restraint Thus God Job 37.7 is said to seal up the Hand of every man i. e. to hinder their Work by Storms and wet weather and to seal up the Stars Job 9.7 i. e. to restrain their Influences as Satan is said Rev. 20.3 to be shut up and to have a Seal set upon him to restrain him 4. Propriety is signified by sealing in Scripture from the Custom of sealing Goods and Servants when they were bought thereby to denote their propriety in them and to distinguish them from other Mens Servants Hammond on Eph. 4.30 5. Lastly From these and other Metaphors it often in Prophetical Scripture signifies the Obscurity of a Prophecy and the concealing of it in dark terms from the Generality of the People Isa 8.16 and the stopping or hindring the Events foretold by it so that sealing and writing and sealing and opening are opposed in prophetical Language to one another and signifie as much as concealing and revealing delaying the Accomplishment of a Prophecy and bringing it into effect See the Notes on Chap. 7.2 3 4. 4 With reference to the seven states of Christ's Church which were hindred from coming into event whilst the Book was sealed and were to be by degrees accomplished and discovered upon the gradual opening of each of them 2 And I saw a strong 5 Angel or a mighty one Psalm 103.20 proclaiming with a loud 5 voice after the manner of a Herald Dan. 3.4 who is worthy for Authority and Ability to open 6 the Book and to loose the Seals thereof i. e. to bring into event the things there delivered 5 5 To shew the Weight and Concern of the thing to be delivered as worthy to be heard of all Creatures 6 To open it by unsealing it or when it is unsealed 3 And no 7 man or no creature Isa 41.28 in Heaven i. e. neither Saint nor Angel nor in Earth nor under the Earth i. e. in the State of departed Souls from whence Christ was just come was able to open the Book i. e. to bring to pass the Events of it neither so much as to look thereon if it were opened that is of himself to understand foresee and govern the course of the Prophecy and conduct it into Event 7 Here by a Hebraism consisting in describing the whole by an enumeration of its parts is signified that no Creature whatsoever was able to open the Book or so much as to understand it of himself 4 And I wept * much because no man was found worthy to open and to read the Book neither to look thereon as fearing that I should not be shewn those things that were promised me Chap. 4.1 * This weeping seems to be rather from a Despair that things would not be carried on to the great Kingdom of Redemption as the Two Apostles Luke 24.21 were sorrowful least Christ was not he which should have redeemed Israel and were astonished as Mary also was John 20.13 15. because the Lord could not be found for which she wept For Christ is represented at the sixth Verse as just risen from the dead and therefore in congruity to that appearance what is here said must relate to the time before he appeared as risen which is also a Circumstance that confirms the fixing of the Epocha of this Book at the Resurrection 5 And one or the 8 first and chief of the 9 Elders or Representatives of the Jewish Church Chap. 4.4 saith unto me Weep