From this myſterious Portion of holy Writ thus opened, it ap- peareth that God in theſe foregoipg Chapters, hath (though more luimnmarily) inſtrufed his Prophet in what ſhuuld come to paſs to the final Ruine of the Roman Empire, (confidered as Pagan, that is, till Cenftantine's Time) and alſo of the Reign of Antichriſt. From whence 1t muſt needs follow, that whatſoever followeth this Chap- ter, and cannot be applied to the time of Chriſt's Kingdom, muſt contemporize with ſomerhing which went before, and belong to ſome period comprehended under the Viſion of the Seals, or of the Trumpets. . The three next Chapters are judged to relate wholly to things now paſt, God therein repreſenting to his Prophet the ſtate of his Church (as ſome think) from the Nativity of Chriſt, however, from his time, during the whole time that Rome continued Pagan, or ſhould continue Antichriian; the following Chapters ſhewing the gradual Deſtruftion of Antichris by the ſeven laſt Plagues.
CHAP. XI.
A Woman cloathed with the Sun is in Travail, 1, 2. A great red Dra- gon ſtandeth before her ready to devour her Child, 3, 4. A Man Child 1s born, and caught up 'to God, 5, The Weman fleeth into the Wilderneſs, 6. War in Heaven between Michael and the Dragon, and the Dragon is caſt out 5 A Song of Praiſe for the Vifdory, 1o, 11, 12. The Dragon perſecuteth the Woman, who 5n Eagles Wings fleeth into the Wilderneſs. 13, 14. The Serpent caſt out a Flood of Water after her, 15. The Earth helps the Woman, 16, The Dragon makes War with the Remnant of her Seed, 17.
N D there appeared a great || wonder in heaven 2, a woman cloathed with the Sun 5, and the moon under her feet c, and upon her head a crown of
twelve ſtars d.
a I ſee no reaſon to doubt, but that John was all this while in Heaven, whither he was taken up, chap. 4. 2. where he ſaw in a Viſion a great Wonder, or a moſt remarkable thing. 6b I find all valuable Interpreters agreeing, that this Woman repreſented the Church, well enough compared to a Woman ; 1. As ſhe is the Spoule of Chriſt, (though here exprefled as his Mother.) - 2. As the Wo- man is the weaker Sex, and the Church hath always been the weak. eſt part of the World, (I look upon the Interpretation of it by Po- piſh Authors, with reference to the Virgin Mary, as very idle; for when did ſhe flie into the Wilderneſs ? When was ſhe with Child, and pained to be delivered ?) Interpreters alfo are as well agreed, that by the Sun, with which fhe is ſaid to be cloathed, 15 meant Chriſt, called the Sun of Righteouſneſs, Mal. 4. 2. and he who giveth Light, Eph. $. 14. "And Believers (of whom the Church conſiſts) are faid to have put on Chriſt, Rom, 13. 14+ Gal. 3. 27. c By the Moon, moſt underſtand the World, by reaſon of its mutability and uncer- tainty, which the Church of Chrift deſpiſeth, and hath under her Feet, minding Heaven and beavenly things. But Mr. Mede rather underſtands it of the Jewiſh Worſhip, which as to its times, was much directed by the Moon ; which Hand-writing which was againſt 45 (the Apoſtle tells us, Col. 2. 14.) Chrift took, away, nailing it to his Croſs ; ſo as the Goſpel-Church hath 1t under her Feet. The Apoſtle calls them carnal Ordinances, Heb. 9. 10. and the Rudiments of the World, Col. 2. 20. yea, beggerly Elements, Gal. 4. 9. d The Miniſtry of the Goſpel, preaching and building upon the true Foun- dation, the Dodrine of the Prophets, and twelve Apoſtles, which is the Honour of any Church. : Ee:
2 And ſhe being with child, cried *, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered e. |
* Not with Chriſt conſidered perſonally, who was long before brought forth by the Virgin Mary, but with the Truth, and Goſpel of Chriſt, or with Chrit myical, defiring to bring many Children to the Kingdom of Chriſt; or to bring forth Chriſt in the Souls of others ;, of this Burden and Labour ſhe defired to be delivered. The Phraſe is judged to ſignifie both the Primitive Churches earneſt de- ſire to propagate the Goſpel, and alſo her many Sufferings for that Endeavour. . :
3 -And there appeared another || wonder in hea- ven {; and behold, a' great red dragon g, having ſe- ven heads þ. and tenhorns z, and ſeven crowns upon his heads #. We APE
f There appeared to Fohn, being yet in his Viſion, another ama- zing Sizht, which was a Sign or Type of ſomething differing from what it appeared like. _ g See ch. 17. 9, 10. Moſt judicious Inter-
reters, by the great red Dragon That firſt HEE the» Chriſtian Church, of which Nero was the firſt; yet ſome underſtand it -f the Dewz/, the old Serpent; but
the moſt, and beſt Intcrpreters underſtand it of the Pagan Empe-|:
yrs, by whom the Devil did this Work, called a great dragon, be-
Vol . I, s
underſtand the Roman Emperors, |
REVELATION
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cauſe of the vaſineſs of that Empire ; and a red Dragon, for their Cru- elty againſt the Chriſtians. h The Holy . Ghoſt, chap. 17. 9. hath expounded theſe ſeven Heads, by ſeven Mountains. . i The ter Horns are thought to fignifie the ten Provinces belonging to that Empire; the Governors of which ruled like ten Kings, It 15 ex- pounded by ten Rings, chap. 17. 12. Strabo teils us, That Auguſtus Ceſar divided the whole Empire into 20 Provinces, ten of which eng more quiet, he gave to the People to govern, the other ten he reſerved to his own Government. þ The ſeven Crowns are ex- pounded by ſeven Kings, chap. 17. 10, of which we ſhall ſpeak more when we come lo far. . : 4 And his tail / drew the third part of the ſtars of heaven 22, and did caſt them ro the earth 7: And the dragon {ſtood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as {von as it was born o.