Chapter IV
The exposition of the \\th chapter, ivhich tvas but briefly touched upon in the
First Part, the larger explication being reserved here, as its proper place.
SECTION I.
Prolegomena. Five generals premised for the understanding of it. THE first is to shew who this angel here spoken of is, and what is his pur
pose, and when the time of his coming down here in this vision. And for
this, know that the angel who conies down here, and delivers all the contents
of this llth chapter unto ver. 15, unto John, and that immediately by word
of mouth, is Christ himself ; as appears by his words, ver. 3, I will give power to my two witnesses, which no created angel could speak. And observe withal, that Christ himself doth speak nowhere in this book, but
only in this and in the first chapter. And, above all, observe that this is
the very same angel that came to Daniel in the end of his prophecy, to con
firm it with an oath, chap xii. of that his prophecy. This, his alike gesture here and there doth argue
: there, lifting up his right hand to heaven, and
swearing by him who liveth for ever/ ver. 7 ; and so here, taking the very same oath, with the same ceremony also, chap. x. 6. And then you may take notice that his oath is taken about the very same thing and to the same purpose. You shall find that that prophecy of Daniel containeth, though more confusedly, the very same things that this prophecy of the Revelation does more clearly. As, namely, the tyranny of the fourth Roman
monarchy, and the oppression of the church thereby, first by the heathenish
empire, then under the last head of it, the Pope, of whom Daniel had pro
phesied, chap. xi. of his prophecy, from the 36th verse to the end; after whose time expired, as Daniel had shewn, should come in a fifth monarchy of the saints, chap. vii. All which things you have in this book, and the
visions of them more distinctly presented. As, namely, how under the seventh trumpet, after the time of the beast expired, that same glorious kingdom was to come in. Thus, in the subject-matter of both they do
agree; and so also in setting down the time determined by God, how long this last head, the Pope and his tyranny, should continue, do these two pro
phecies and these two angels both agree.
For concerning this time, and the ending of the tyranny of this last head
(the Pope) over the church, after which should come in the kingdom of
Christ, it is that the angel there in Daniel doth take that his oath, and
discourseth of that his time, and the manner of the ending of his tyranny, in that 12th chapter of Daniel, and at the end of that whole prophecy. And, answerably, concerning the ending of that very time, and the manner of the ending of the beast s tyranny, and the succeeding of Christ s kingdom when that is ended, that is the very thing that the angel here sweareth
about, and in like manner discourseth of just at the end of this first seal-
CHAP. IV.] AN EXPOSITION OF THE KEVELATION. Ill
prophecy. So that his oath and speech, both there and here, are about the very same thing. And observe the accord in both : for there, Dan. xii. 7, he swears that it namely, the Pope s reign should be for a time, times, and half a time/ so mentioning it there confusedly, and more indefinitely; and when he that is, that last king, the Pope, the head of that monarchy, whom Daniel had last prophesied of in the foregoing chapter, from the 36th verse to the end shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, then all these things shall be fulfilled ; that is, then is the time when these things, which he had spoken of to be done just before Christ s kingdom, shall begin to take end and accomplishment. Now in a direct correspondency and answerableness unto the angel in Daniel doth this angel here come down in this vision now, at the very end of that time, according to that course of time run out in this first seal-pro phecy, which that angel in Daniel had sworn about; even now when this
fatal period of the fourth monarchy, according to the series of this vision, vvas near approaching.
And first he renews the oath then taken, and swears again here, chap. x. 7, that time shall be no longer; but that in the days of the seventh trumpet, the mystery shall be fulfilled which is spoken of by all the prophets ; that
is, the fifth monarchy, or the kingdom of Christ, which was to succeed the
other, of which all the prophets speak, as you have it Acts iii. 21. These words of the angel s oath do imply that, now that the visions of all times
past in the former seal-prophecy, from the primitive times, had brought things to the last scene of the world s time; Now, says he, as standing in the extremity, and towards the approaching end of all, time shall be no
longer; or, as Mr Brightman well interprets the word, Delay shall be no
longer/ Stay now but a little, says Christ ; here you are at the last sands ; tarry but till the seventh trumpet blows, it will end all.
And accordingly, the angel here in this llth chapter explains distinctly, by word of mouth, what and how much that time of the Pope, mentioned in the oath in Daniel, was; and what that accomplishing to scatter the holy people which in the oath in Daniel was made the immediate forerunner of the fulfilling of all things also was. So that indeed this llth chapter here
is, as concerning the point of time, but an explication of that 12th chapter of Daniel, at least of that part thereof, and by this angel s oath and speech there. And it is the same angel cometh here to express distinctly, as be came the Revelation, what was there delivered darkly and indefinitely. And
it is as if the angel here had spoken thus, or to this effect, in more plain words, for the comfort of the church : Now, beloved, I come now, after so long a while worn out, to bid you to
lift up your heads ; for time now in these days of the sixth trumpet is
1 expiring, and my kingdom is at the door : for the times of the beast, prophesied of by Daniel, of which beast you shall hear more in this little
book-prophecy, which is open in my hand, and which I here bring with
me, and give you, do now shortly end and determine. Daniel s period of
* a time, times, and half a time, allotted the beast, the Pope, the last head and king, to reign in the fourth Roman monarchy, is now in these times
very shortly to expire, and with him the times of this present oppressing world. And that you, my church, may know, and have infallible warning, when the expiring of this beast s time to scatter the holy people shall be, I will both explain to you how long this time in Daniel, where it is but con-
* fusedly mentioned, is allotted him to scatter the holy people, my witnesses ; and I will also tell you how or in what manner it shall be that he shall
112 AN EXPOSITION OF THE REVELATION. [PART II.
* accomplish, as Daniel s phrase is, to scatter the power of the holy people ;
* that is, for your comfort I will reveal to you and describe the very manner
* of that eminent and last scattering, which in the oath in Daniel is made
* the immediate sign when Antichrist s ruin and all those other things should
begin to be fulfilled. And further, I will present to you what the face of
* the church shall be in that age immediately before the scattering the holy
people, that so you may have together at once both a true compute of the
* time, as also of such occurrences, and such a face of the sky presented, as
" may be an eminent signal unto you
: that when you see these things done,
c then know that the time is expiring and determining. And this I myself do
thus immediately inform you of, because that last scattering will be so great * a one as all the faith you have will be put to it : and therefore it is that I
* have took that oath, as it were, now, in these times ; for that your faith had need of it to confirm it. Which oath, therefore, do you remember and
c have in your eye, for even now your redemption draws nigher than you are
aware of.
This is the first thing I premise.
2d Prolegomenon. Now, in the second place, observe in how fit a scene or place in this
comedy, or vision of all times successively, hitherto acted before John, and
by him penned for us, doth this angel Christ here take to enter upon the
stage, and act this part in. You before heard at large how that the seals and trumpets, chap, vi.-ix., contained one prophecy, that ran over all
the times from John until the end; and then, that the little book that is
open in the hand of this angel here, chap, x., doth contain another prophecy of the church, which in like manner begins at the times of John, and so again runs over all times unto the end.
Now this angel steps in now, just now, as in the last age, and towards
the expiring of the sixth trumpet, and so of that first revolution of all time, with his new or second prophecy in his hand ready to be delivered. And
yet because that some sands or space of time remained under the first pro phecy not yet completed, he therefore in this, as a convenient season between
both, fills up that little space of time that this first prophecy had yet left to
continue, with an additional discourse of his own, to inform the church what
special occurrences were now, before the final consummation of all under the
seventh trumpet, to fall out in this small interim, as a warning to them when
the end of all, even of both prophecies, (viz. of this seal-prophecy and also of
that other book-prophecy,) should be.
Now the sixth trumpet, which is the Turkish empire, we yet see standing. An utter end of the Koman empire had been as completely set forth in the
sixth seal as it could be ; and only now the ending of it remained, and so
there was no other matter of that land, or belonging thereunto, to be added. And yet that being to continue some hundreds of years before its ending should be, and the seventh trumpet should blow, he therefore fills up that
space of time until the seventh trumpet should blow, and entertains John with relating what special occurrences, that most nearly concerned his people, should fall out in the western church, over which the Pope had the dominion, now towards the end of both Turkish and Popish empire, and so in this last
age, before the ending of these times. Which occurrences, though they
properly belonged to the book-prophecy, which, as was said, properly takes
cognisance of matters of the church, yet they fitly come in here between both prophecies, as the signal of the ending of the full course of both stages of
CHAP. IV.] AN EXPOSITION OF THE KEVELATIOX. 113
times. And when he had thus, in this discourse, filled up that remaining time in this interlude with such occurrences as were indeed yet to fall out together with it, in the times before the sixth trumpet s ending; then, I say, he concludes his discourse with this, The second woe is past; that is, the time of the sixth trumpet ends also hereabouts: and so then, as in its
orderly time, blows the seventh.
3d Prolegomenon. Observe the manner of his delivering all this to John : namely, that he utters this his narration as a chorus, or as an interlocutor in a comedy useth to do his speech, and not by vision only; wherein he opens and explains what could not by vision well have been understood, and therefore gives it by word of mouth. And as thus this angel doth here, so the like doth that angel in the 17th chapter. And I the rather put together the parallel speeches of these two angels, chap, xvii., and here, chap, xi., because that, as the scope of him there was to give an interpretation and explication who the whore was, so his scope here is to give a clear interpretation of the times of this beast and whore, and the immediate tokens or signals that shall forerun the ending of them. And look, as in that 17th chapter, when one of the
angels of the vials, and, as it is thought, the fifth, gives the interpretation who the beast and whore is, he doth it by a speech, merely as an interlocutor, to inform John ; so here, in like manner doth this angel. Yet so, as you may also observe, that his narration here in this llth chapter is first oc casioned by a vision presented of the face and state of the church as it should be in that last age wherein these things are to be accomplished : namely, of a temple presented standing, with an outward court surrounding
it, and an altar in it, and two witnesses standing before the Lord, and minis^
tering m it. Which vision first to have been made unto John is tacitly im
plied, in that the first entrance of his speech begins with bidding John to
arise, and to do a real act towards the temple, even to measure it. And therefore such a temple, &c., must needs have been presented to his view.
And thereupon observe, how that this vision of a temple, and of an out ward court adjoined, is made the ground or occasion of the angel s following speech ; as from which the angel takes the rise of his following discourse. So that this vision of the temple s measuring, and giving its outward court to the Gentiles, is the first occurrence that is here presented as belonging to that age wherein time is to expire, as from whence he takes the ground of that his discourse, wherein he explains how much time the beast was to have, and how and when it should end. Which discourse, after that explained, closeth again with the relation of another occurrence, ver. 7, that shall fall out after this, in that age, as the last signal of all. And this is done just in the like manner as, chap, xvii., one of the angels of the seven vials, who therefore must be supposed to stand in the times of the vials, being to make a description of the beast, and of the whore, namely, Rome, the seat of the fourth monarchy, in all the times allotted her ; yet takes his rise from a vision of that whore, as then in her last old age, and in the times of the
vials, she should appear, drunk with the blood of the saints, just before her ruin. And yet there, in that his speech about her, he speaks of her as in her whole time of reigning she should be. Just so here, this angel (Christ) first enters upon the stage but as an actor, under the times of the sixth trumpet, and in the very declension of it, and takes his oath as under those times ; and then presents to John a vision of the face of the church, in that present age, under the latter times of the sixth trumpet, as of a temple which
VOL, in. H
114: AN EXPOSITION OF THE REVELATION. [PART II.
in these present times he will have measured by John, as representing the
persons of the saints of that age, and leaving out the outward court of it, as
to be given again unto the Gentiles.
And then, from that occasion, it being part of that scattering the power of the holy people which Daniel aimed at, he plays the part of an inter
locutor, and makes a narration of the whole times of Popery, which, after
this their treading down this outward court of the temple, were to expire. And he takes occasion also to relate and discourse of that opposition which the witnesses should make against the beast, or these Gentiles, all the time of his whole reign; and so describes them, ver. 3-6. And all this as an inter
locutor, or a chorus in a comedy, useth to do. Till at last he comes again to
that last occurrence which belonged to that age wherein he stood when he began his speech, namely, now towards the end of the sixth trumpet, as that which should then befall these witnesses. With which he determines
his speech about them, from ver. 7 to the end of the chapter. Unto the
better and clearer understanding of which, all his former description of them, and what else he related concerning them, had only made the way ; namely, to shew, both what that time was, which in Daniel had been so darkly de
livered, and how it should end; and how, to use the phrase in Daniel, the
scattering of the holy people should be accomplished. So then
4th Prolegomenon. Observe how fitly the words of the oath in Daniel do agree with all the
things delivered in this llth chapter, from ver. 1 unto the seventh trumpet, ver. 15, where the angel s speech ends.
Now those things are reducible unto two heads :
1. This angel s computation and interpretation of that time mentioned in Daniel ; which when it ends, the fourth monarchy shall begin to end also, and shortly after it the kingdom of Christ begins.
2. Such eminent occurrences as shall fall out at the ending of it, as signals thereof. Or rather, thus : In the angel s oath in Daniel, four things were intimated :
1. The time that the beast, the last head of the Roman monarchy, should have to reign ; which was a time, times, and half a time.
2. A holy people, who all that time should yet continue to oppose him, and whom he should oppress.
3. Who yet, towards the end, should get some power against him ; so it is
there called, the power of the holy people. And
4. Which power of theirs he should, in the ending of that time, scatter, and themselves also, and that with an eminent scattering, which yet is the ac
complishment or last act of his so doing ; that is, he should never scatter them any more, but after that his reign was to end, and their mourning and
oppression to cease.
Now answerable to this, you here have
1. That time, confusedly mentioned in Daniel, but here exactly computed by a double account, (not to fail,) both of months and also of days
: the one, as expressing Antichrist s whole time of reigning, even forty-two months ; and the other, the holy people s time to oppose him in, even twelve hundred and sixty days, though yet in sackcloth and oppression. But so as both have one and the same period ; and as they begun, so they end together.
2. You have the holy people in Daniel here interpreted by Christ to be Ms two witnesses.
3. You have the power of this holy people all that while set forth, espe-
CHAP. IV.] AN EXPOSITION OF TEE REVELATION. 115
dally that power they obtained in their last days; I will give to my
witnesses, &c., ver. 3. They had power given them to erect a temple, backed with a mighty party of an outward court. And out of that temple they have had power given them to pour out four vials already ; so as that
if any man hurt them, they will scorch him with fire, &c., ver. 5. And in
the weakest days of their prophecy, they have had power to shut heaven, that it rained not, ver. 6, &c.
4. This angel here shews, how in the end of this time, when they are even about to cast off their sackcloth, and to finish their testimony against this
beast, ver. 7, so the wTord in the Greek is, are about to finish, &c., that then this their power shall be scattered, their outward court trodden down, and so they left exposed to the beast s fury and outrage, to be by him scat tered among the nations and killed ; which nations shall see their dead
bodies lying in the streets, &c. And then he gives a particular description of this their oppressing, unto ver. 14 ; telling us withal, for our comfort, that
thus they shall accomplish to scatter them, being never to scatter them again any more, after they are once risen again, so ver. 11-13. And thus you see how this llth chapter is but a comment on the oath in Daniel.
5t7i Prolegomenon.
Lastly, observe this in general concerning the joint mention or bringing in both these occurrences, and this computation of times together. They are mentioned thus together principally and chiefly in this respect, to shew how
this whole series of time should end and expire ; namely, with those occur
rences here mentioned. So that the angel s scope is not simply to mention
this period of the twelve hundred and sixty days, &c., only to compute it, though so also he makes mention of it ; but withal to shew how that with
these exploits and occurrences, or when these things here mentioned should
fall out, this time was near its end and expiration. Whereby this angel here doth directly hit the very aim and scope of that his former oath taken before Daniel ; which was, that with the very expiring of that his allotted time, he should accomplish to scatter the power of the holy people. And therefore he so mentions this whole term of time here, as withal to shew how it shall
at last be accomplished and fulfilled; and to that end he mentions such
particular exploits as this beast to his very last shall play, even till his king dom be taken from him.
Now to explain this further : In the 1 3th chapter, the beast had power given him to do, as the word is, forty-two months/ and during that time to make war with the saints, and overcome them. And power was given him over all tongues, and nations, and kindreds ; that is, over the ten king doms of Europe, ver. 5-7. Now the Gentiles here, and that idolatrous
company that worship this beast, ver. 3, 4 of that 13th chapter, and that set up this power of his, are all one and the same ; and their lease here, of
treading down the holy city, runs, and is made, as you see, for the very same term of years here that it is there. Only mark the different scope of the
mentioning of them in that 13th chapter and here : namely, that here it comes in to shew how this whole time should end, and fully be accomplished ; and also with a narration of that very particular last war and victory, which
this idolatrous company should obtain against the holy people, even their
last scattering them before the ending of this their time. But it comes in
there, as it was considered wholly and entirely, as yet through all times to be fulfilled ; with all those wars and slaughters which in that whole time
Antichrist should make against the saints. So in chap. xiii.
116 AN EXPOSITION OF THE REVELATION. [PART II.
Now that the mention of these two computations of that whole time does
thus come in here in relation to these last exploits and war of Antichrist, at and towards the ending of that time, is many ways evident. Of both which
I shall demonstrate this severally and apart. And
1. For the mention of their treading down the holy city for forty-two months ; this comes in but, as you may observe it, upon that one particular occurrence of giving up the outward court anew to the Gentiles, to this or
l Cast out that same outward court
the like purpose \ as if the angel had said,
of the temple of this present age, which hath indeed helped against the
Papists, and kept them off, but yet hath denied the churches ; leave them
out, for this court is given to the Gentiles now in this last age, for them to
re-enter upon and to get power over. And so with this last treading down and overcoming that outward court, which once they had possessed, but lost from their dominions, it is that they shall have accomplished that whole term of forty-two months allotted them for treading down of the holy city, namely Europe, the destined seat of this church and of their reign. And
thus their full dominion over the whole for forty-two months space or length of time shall be made good by this, that however they had lost for a while
part of their dominion over it, yet they regaining this outward court now
towards the end, they will be found to have possessed the whole forty-two months, first and last. That look, as upon the giving in of the last payment, we use to make mention of the whole sum as paid ; so here, upon that last
eminent regaining their lost power over some of the European kingdoms, the whole term of the time of their reigning comes to be mentioned.
This I here premise, to prevent that great mistake which hath diverted
interpreters from taking the measuring this temple here, and giving up the outward court, to be meant of some special occurrence to fall out, or some
act to be done to the churches of these latter times but they rather take it
of the Papists themselves, their possessing throughout all ages the face of
the church, which they interpret the outward court, because of this that is
added, and that followeth upon it, and they shall tread down the holy city for forty-two months. As if it imported, that after the outward court is
given up to them, they should have so many years of reigning over it. Which if it were so, it could not be meant so particularly of the temple or
church in this last age, and the outward court thereof. But this, according to the former coherence given, need not divert any man s thoughts from
the present age to former times ; as it hath done some men s, to think the
churches of the primitive times to be the temple measured, and the outward
court to be the outward face of the church, which the Pope hath possessed these 1200 years. The coherence may easily be found to be this : as if the
angel had said, Measure anew the temple you now see standing in these
last times of the sixth trumpet, and of Antichrist before his fall, and cast
out the outward court thereof; for it is again given to the Gentiles : and
so namely, with this last treading down of it, and regaining, as it were, the whole anew they shall fully accomplish their allotted time of treading down the holy city, namely, their forty-two months.
But the removal of this mistake more fully I refer to the Appendix that
follows. Only for the present, for a confirmation that this is, and may well
be, the meaning of the coherence of these words, observe
(1.) It is not said that they shall tread down the outward court for fortytwo months ; but the holy city, which is much vaster than the outward court :
the greater part of which city, namely of Europe, they kept the lordship over, even when the outward court was separated from them and not yet recovered.
CHAP. IV.] AN EXPOSITION OF THE REVELATION. 117
So that to me the outward court here is one thing, and the holy city another, though this court indeed stands in the city ; even as the outward court and
the temple were distinct things from the holy city of Jerusalem, though
standing therein, as I shall afterwards in the particular exposition more fully shew. And
(2.) The purpose and scope of the mention of their whole time of forty-two months here, is to shew how in this latter age it should be fulfilled and ended ; even in a full power and jurisdiction over the holy city, in a re-entry on that part of it, the outward court also ; which is again laid common with and unto the rest of the city. And so now it may be said of them, as of a
king who reigns and hath jurisdiction over a country (suppose) for fifty
years ; it may be said he hath reigned over it fifty years, although some few
years before the end of his reign, some of his subjects haply revolted from
him, if so be he were their king before the revolt, and in the end again recovered his royalty over them ; the account being taken from the beginning to the end, first and last.
And one reason why Antichrist s time of doing is reckoned by months, and not by days, may be to shew, that though he hath not the whole time
of his reign the same continued jurisdiction, yet by months he hath, from, such a time to such a time, though not the like power all that time. For so
at first the Goths interrupted him much in the exercise of his power. And then
(3.) These words, and they shall tread down the holy city for forty-two
months, do fitly come in, as a just reason why this outward court is now
in these last times given to these Gentiles ; and so do insinuate a reason why Antichrist is thus permitted again to take possession of the most and
chief part, if not all, of this outward court, so as to have fair hopes of
recovering all Europe again. And they shall, &c. The word xa/, or and,
is often used as a causal particle, and notes out a reason of a thing. So
then, the term of their commission over all the nations and tongues of Europe being forty-two months, and none exempted but such whose names are
written in the book of life, as you have it, chap. xiii. 7, 8, therefore, though this outward court of carnal Protestants, and unregenerate, hath made a separation together with the true worshippers ; yet they being in
wardly Gentiles, and their names not written in the book of life, therefore
they are given unto these Gentiles again, as being their allotted inheritance, as it were, for so long a time here mentioned ; which is not fully run out as
yet, in this age of the sixth trumpet, of which Christ spake this. They are
yet within the bounds and date of their lease, which is forty-two months, not yet expired; and therefore they are to be re-entered upon by them. So
that the mention of this their term comes thus in : as if in a suit at law, to
recover one s own ground leased to one for twenty-one years, a man pleads and shews, at the eighteenth year s end, how the whole term of his lease was
twenty-one years, as yet not expired ; which he exhibits as a just plea why some part of it withheld from him should be restored to him, it being in
cluded in the tenure of his lease as well as the rest. Just so is it here ; this outward court being within the bounds of the city, and being land belonging to the Pope by gift, for so long time, they being not written in the Lamb s
book, and his lease of forty-two months not being expired ; therefore, says the angel, here it is given or restored to him again
: and so he shall accom
plish to tread down it, and the rest of the holy city, for forty-two months. Which are the angel s words in Daniel, chap, xii., and which this angel came
to interpret.
118 AN EXPOSITION OP THE EEVELATION. [?ART II.
2. And in the second place, for the mention of that other computation of 1260 days ; it is yet more plain that this is brought in here principally to shew how this time should end and determine now at the last. And so that both this long description of the witnesses, and the declaring their whole
time, is indeed but in order to this their last accomplishment. This is
apparent by the 7th verse, which is the close of all the former narration. The words there are, and when they shall have finished their testimony ; that is, held out to testify, during that whole time of 1260 years. Or they may, and ought rather to be rendered, and when they are about to finish
orav rs^ffuffj. Which notes out, not a full end first made, but a being about
to make it. So that when they are about or near the finishing of this their
testimony, then shall this befall them. And further, in that he spends the
better half of his discourse in this chapter in the setting forth this one par
ticular, namely, their last scattering, upon the finishing their mentioned days of prophecy, this apparently shews that this was the chief scope which
that former part of his discourse had tended unto. And in that, although
Antichrist, the beast, hath had many famous overcomings of these witnesses
in former times, and killings also of them, yet that he should single out this, which also is nowhere mentioned in the larger book-prophecy, and yet here, and that haply not for the greatness of the prevailing in itself considered, but for its eminency in this respect, that it should be the last, and with which their whole time should end. Which also is made eminent by this, that after these witnesses had got so much ground upon the beast, and won a temple and an outward court from him, set up upon his ground, as it were ; that then, after all this, this prevailing of his should fall on them. Hence it serveth as the most eminent prognostic and sign of their times ex
piring ; and therefore is here mentioned. So that I shall conclude with this
brief series of the coherence and connexion of one thing with another in
these first verses.
Here is the same period of time twice mentioned, under a several com
putation: the one of forty-two months, the other of 1260 days, both which come all to one. But the one is mentioned as the time that the Pope and
his company shall reign ; and the other, as the time for the witnesses to pro phesy in sackcloth. And they both come in, in order and reference, unto
the two of those last occurrences, which shall accomplish the reign of the one and the oppression and mournful condition of the other.
1. Their whole time of treading down the holy city shall end with a re
covery and treading down the outward court of the temple, the reformed
churches. And so the mention of that their time comes in only in that
respect, to shew how it ends. And accordingly the vision of the temple, and the angel s bidding John to measure it, comes in but as an introduction to the mention of this last occurrence. And then
2. Being in like manner to mention the same time of 1260 days, as the time of the holy witnesses prophecy, in order to their last scatter
ing and oppression, he inverts the order, and first mentions the time of
their prophecy, by way of a continued narration with what went before; and then after that, mentions their last scattering as the accomplishment of
that their time. And it was fit that this mention of their whole time should
first be immediately connected to the foresaid mention of their enemies whole
time, and the times both of the one and the other first set together, for that
this latter serves to explain the former, which else were ambiguous and dark, as I shall shew hereafter; and especially, because these witnesses are men
tioned as the continual opposites set up against these Gentiles, and as the
CHAP. IV.] AN EXPOSITION OF THE KEVELATIOS. 119
main butt and object of their malice. That same xati, ver. 3, and I will
give power, is used here, as often elsewhere, adversatively for but ; as if he had said : Whereas they have forty-two months allowed them to tread down the holy city, Europe, the chief seat of Christian profession, and the
witnesses in the compass of that time have won a temple and an outward court from them; yet that this allotted time of their reign may therefore be made good unto them, even to the last, they shall regain that outward court of the new erected temple separated from them; but so as they shall not so
reign all that while as to carry it without opposition, "but I will give power to," or uphold,
" my two witnesses," by their testimony to oppose them
continually, though in sackcloth, that whole time of 1260 clays, and even
at this their last treading down the outward court, to avenge themselves of
these Gentiles with fire, &c. But yet for all that, these Gentiles shall go on, and in the end of these their days prevail yet further, even over these my witnesses also ; and when they are about to finish their testimony, shall kill and destroy them.
So that the mention of their time, though it comes in a good way off
before, yet is in order to this their last killing ; to shew, as in Daniel, how
it should be accomplished.
SECTION II.
The measuring the temple, and casting out the outward court, chap. xi. 1, 2.
1. An explication of this double computation of 1260 days, or forty-two
months; and why they are together here mentioned.
These things thus premised, I come to interpret the contents of this chap
ter, from ver. 1 to ver. 15, which are reducible to three heads :
1. This double computation of the times above-mentioned.
2. The occurrences that were to fall out in those times of Antichrist, in
the age just before their fatal period, unto the accomplishment whereof
those occurrences do conduce; which age, as I take it, is that that we live now in.
3. What is withal said of the two witnesses, as woven in by the angel in
his discourse of them, by way of describing them, in order to the explana tion of what should at last befall them.
1. For these computations of the times, both of the beast s reign, and the
witnesses oppression here mentioned ; these things are to be explicated about them :
(1.) That they are both the same term of time that in the oath in Daniel the angel intended. This appears by chap. xii. ver. 6 compared with ver.
14, for what in ver. 6 is called 1260 days, is in the 14th verse of the afore
said chapter expressed by this, a time, times, and half a time.
(2.) He makes this double computation of that time, first by months, then
by days ; so without ambiguity to explain how much time was meant in Daniel by that indefinite number, time, times, and a half. Which, as it is
laid down in Daniel, is altogether ambiguous; for who could tell what is meant by a time and times 1 or who could tell but that a hundred or a thou sand years might be the time, and ten thousand the times here meant, they being only expressed in the plural number and indefinitely, as well as two of those times ? Therefore, clearly to free it of all ambiguity, he explains this first time here by forty-two months. Now, reckoning twelve months to a year, these forty-two months make three years and a half. So then, by
120 AN EXPOSITION OF THE KEVELATION. [?AET II.
time is meant a year ; by times, two years ; and by half a time, half a year more. And yet because there was some ambiguity in that also, in that some nations reckon but twenty-eight days in a month, whereas others reckon more, so the Jews reckon twenty-eight, but the Egyptians thirty days, therefore he reckons the same time by days also, even 1260 days; which
forty-two months do make up, reckoning thirty days to a month.
Now all these are not solary days, that is, natural days, consisting of day and night, but the prophetical days; as in Daniel a day is put for a year, and a week for seven years, and so thirty days for thirty years, and 1260 days for 1260 years. And that thus they are to be taken appears by this, that the witnesses, ver. 9, are said to lie in the view of all nations, as being haply banished out among them, for three days and a half; and their enemies are said to send gifts one to another in the meantime. Which if they were but three natural days and a half, all this in three natural days and a half could not be done.
(3.) By joining together these two computations here, and so shewing them to be the same, he thereby clears the mention of them, as they are
apart named, chap. xii. and chap, xiii., of which otherwise there might have been a doubt, whether the forty-two months, chap, xiii., had been 1260 days of years. But by thus linking them together in this llth chapter, it is made certain that those numbers are the same.
(4.) Though both Daniel there, and the angel here, do mention only the times of the Pope s reign, who is the last head of the Roman monarchy; and not the whole time from John s days, but only the latter part of it for the last 1260 years under the Pope; yet so as this was sufficient enough for the computation of the whole time that the visions of the Revelation do run
through, and served fully enough to shew the contemporariousness of things in both prophecies, and to shew when the fourth monarchy should end, and so when the fifth should be towards its beginning. Which was his principal aim; and therefore, as in the 17th chapter, ver. 8, he explains who this beast was, and what he should be at last, so in this chapter he shews what the time of this beast s reigning is, and when it should end.
Now to demonstrate all these :
1. This explication of this time may serve as a sufficient measure of the
computation of the whole time spoken of in the Revelation. For if you know but either when this time of the Pope s reign begins or when it ends, you, who live in these latter days, may know how much time the prophecy of this whole book runs over. We know by story when John began to write this prophecy, even ninety-four years after Christ, or thereabouts. So that it is about 1550 years since John. Now 1260 years are to be allowed the
beast, the Pope, from his beginning to his end. And to know when and in what age he began, the Holy Ghost hath given us a hint and character,
chap. xvii. ; telling us that he riseth one hour with the ten kings, which was not long after the year of Christ 400. So that 300 years are all that
before that, even from John s time, do belong to the primitive times, before the Pope s reign. And then, after the end of this Pope s or beast s time, there is but the Turks ruin to come, (which is the second woe mentioned
here, ver. 14,) and then comes in the New Jerusalem. And if we who live in these last days could but know when he either begins his time or ends it, we might easily tell, at least with a conjectural knowledge, how long it will be from the incarnation of Christ unto his kingdom here on earth, which is the fifth monarchy.
2. I might also at large shew how this computation, coming in here in
CHAP. IV.] AN EXPOSITION OF THE REVELATION. 121
this chapter, shews the true synchronising and contemporaneousness of things both in the seal and book-prophecy, which was necessary somewhere to be
done, and is here ia this chapter most fitly done between both these prophe
cies. For the sixth trumpet of the seal-prophecy is, ver. 14, made to end
upon, or not long after, the ending of the Pope s reign, whose story belongs to the book-prophecy. For, says the angel there, after the rising of the wit
nesses, The second woe is past, and behold the third woe cometh quickly. Now that second woe is the sixth trumpet of the seal-prophecy, (so chap. viii.
1 3,) and the passing of it away is the sixth vial in the book-prophecy, the
effect of which is the ruin of the Turk, or at least a preparation thereunto
by the calling of the Jews. And then the seventh trumpet begins with the
seventh vial. And so, as it is probably thought, these 1260 years of the
beast and the rising of the witnesses do end with the fifth vial, after which
the sixth vial shall not stay long.
And it is probable that the angel s division of things into this double
series, of six seals and six trumpets, is suited to his division of all times :
which, from John s time to the kingdom of Christ, he branches either into
the time of the beast s reign, which he defines to be 1260 years; or the time
before his rising, which he defines not. For the beginning and ending of
the beast s time being once known, thereby the other times foregoing, or the
primitive times, might easily be computed. So as, when we know, through the help of this angel s speech in this chapter, that the book-prophecy and
the seal-prophecy do meet towards their ending and closure downwards,
then, how they run along upwards is not uneasy to conjecture. For the
seal-prophecy being branched into two so equal divisions of six seals, chap.
vi., and then six trumpets, chap, vii.-ix. ; the six seals containing the storj of the empire till the beast s rising, and so taking up all that tract of
the primitive times before the beast s 1260 years do begin ; it is therefore
likely that the six trumpets do contain the story of the empire during those
1260 years in which the Pope is to reign. And then, as they end not far
off from each other, as was even now shewed, so also the times of these six
trumpets, and the beast s reign of 1260 years, should begin not far off of each other. Thus the mention of this one term or period of time here serves, as you see, for the measure of the computation of the whole times of this
book, and both prophecies of it ; and so comes fitly in between both for such a purpose.
And, lastly, the reasons why the Holy Ghost singleth out only the times
of this last head, the Pope, thus to be the rule and measure whereby to sum and cast up the account of all the times of this book, are
(1.) For that the beast s reign was to have the longest time allotted it of
any monarchy after Christ, and the longest of all the heads of the Roman
monarchy foregoing him ; yea, it was to contain as much time as had passed from Eome s first building until his rising, and so would afford a computa tion of the greatest part of that time, and indeed three parts of the whole time from John until the kingdom of Christ.
(2.) The matters of this book being not so fully to be opened till about the time of the end, as it is in Dan. xii. 4; if the times of the beast, whose
reign was to continue till towards the end, should then come to be known, then the whole time from John downward would be known also by them that live in these latter days, for whose benefit and comfort, as most con
cerning them to know it, this computation was made and here given.
(3.) This beast, the Pope, being the last head of the fourth or Roman
monarchy, which but for him had failed, but was in him healed again and
122 AN EXPOSITION OF THE REVELATION. [PART II.
restored j to know when lie should end, and with him that monarchy, this would be inkling enough of the approach of Christ s kingdom, which is im
mediately to succeed it. To give the inkling of which, for the church s comfort in these latter days, was the thing herein principally aimed at. And
(4.) This beast being to be the most eminent oppressor of the church in the times after Christ; therefore the computation of his time, beginning and ending, and the oppression of the witnesses by him, would be most
acceptable to be known, and so be most inquired after by the church. And thus much for the computation of the times here mentioned.
2. The occurrences that fall out towards the expiring of these times here
computed : and, first, a general view and division of them. As Christ was thus careful, as you have seen, to give us this computation of times ; so further, for our comfort, he makes a relation of such occurrences
also as should fall out towards the ending and expiration of these times : which is the second head we are to explain.
And as the computation of Antichrist s times was twofold, so answerably the chief occurrences of things appertaining to the accomplishment of those times are two :
1. The re-giving up the outward court to the Gentiles, with the treading down whereof they are to end their whole reign and time of the treading down the holy city.
2. Their killing the witnesses, with which their 1260 days of prophesying in sackcloth do end also. The one is annexed as the signal of the period of
their reign, and the ending of their forty-two months ; the other as the signal of the accomplishment of these witnesses oppression for 1260 days, with this most eminent victory of the Gentiles over them.
And then again observe how each of these occurrences have two others here mentioned with them, as conjunct appendixes to them, or occasions of them :
1. The giving up the outward court to the Gentiles is accompanied with a measuring the temple by John, representing the godly of that age, who
leaves out the outward court, as being ordained by God to be given up to the Gentiles.
2. This last killing the witnesses is much occasioned, and, in a more espe cial manner, enemies are provoked unto it, by the hurt these witnesses did them by fire in the times just before, as we shall see anon ; in revenge of which they are encouraged to kill them.
Or, for the better conceiving all these, I cast them into this mould : John and the angel standing here in the very extremities of time, even the times of the fourth vial, (this age, as I take it,) wherein Antichrist s reign is drawing near to its end ; John hath represented to him, as an introduction unto all that follows, the face of the church in that age, and is himself bid den to represent the work of the godly of that age towards that church. And
1. The church in this age is represented to him as the temple standing in the holy city Jerusalem, as it was represented to Ezekiel, chap, xl., which he also measured with a reed, as John is bidden to do here, namely, the
temple inward, in which the priest only was to come, and in which stands the altar, with a company of true worshippers ; but round about it, as en
closing the temple without, lies a vast outward court, into which (asof old, the multitudes and crowd of the people of the Jews professing the true God,
CHAP. IV.] AN EXPOSITION OP THE REVELATION. 123
so here) all sorts of professors of true worship do come. This temple, the church of this age, is moreover represented as adorned within with golden
candlesticks, and two stately olive-trees, ver. 4, being two eminent witnesses and prophets that minister before God in his church. And the Gentiles, they
possess the city already, and have done a long time, and are still to possess
it, till their forty-two months be expired. But the temple, and the outward court about it, of late days erected in this city, they have been kept out of ; and so could not come at these witnesses, who are within the temple, nor have been able to overcome and kill them, as in former times ; against whom, notwithstanding, in that they have so tormented them with fire and other
plagues out of this temple, they are even mad again with vexation, and an
eager desire to be avenged on them. But now, before the expiring of their
forty-two months, God being angry, both with the carnal gospellers in the outward court, so profanely mixing themselves with his worshippers, and
laying themselves to his building and temple, and also with the carnal gos-
pelling of the two witnesses among them, and with the imperfection of his
temple building, not yet answering the pattern, and therefore intending to
erect a purer temple ; he
2. Bids John, representing the godly of that age, measure the temple anew, and so begins to make a new reformation therein, more answerable to the
pattern in the mount ; for he is not pleased with the old one that now hath
stood so long. And therefore, in this new reformation, he commands John
to leave out that outward court, as intending, after his purer churches shall thus first have, as it were, excommunicated them, to give up that outward
court to these Gentiles, who have already took possession of the city, and
kept it a long time, but shall now again enter upon this outward court, it
being within their lease and demise. And so with this overrunning the out ward court of the church, shall they accomplish their reign over the w
Thole
city, being then to be driven out of all for ever, which makes them so angry,
as you have it ver. 18.
And thus they having gained the outward court, which fenced and kept safe the witnesses, as from persecution by the Papists, who yet had vexed and plagued them, by shooting of wild-fire out of the temple, though they had also shot back again that which had hurt the witnesses all that while : but now the beast can come to them to overcome them and kill them quite, for their outward court was won, and so utterly scatter the power of the holy
people ; but yet so as with this the days of their oppression shall cease, this
being the accomplishment of their years of scattering, and the last war wherein Antichrist shall any way prevail. He (the relics of him left) shall indeed make head again before the seventh vial, but it shall not come to a
victory as this doth.
3. The occurrences, ver. 1, 2, (the measuring the temple, altar, &c., and the
leaving out the outward court, and treading down the holy city,) more
particularly and fully explained. So then, here are two things to be explained :-
1. What this temple and outward court are, and what the measuring of the temple, &c., and the leaving out and treading down the outward court and city. And
2. Who these witnesses are, what their description, and what this their
last killing.
For the first ; I will make good and establish what I think to be the true
interpretation, and then consult those other false interpretations given of it.
124 AN EXPOSITION OF THE REVELATION, [PART II.
It is wonderful to me to see how exactly this vision, in the whole series
of it, represents the present face, the affairs, stirrings, and alterations now a-
working in the churches of Europe -, the type and antitype so fully answer
ing and suiting each the other.
1. For the first ; the holy city here, wherein these Gentiles have a lease of
forty-two months reign, are these kingdoms of Europe, which for these thousand years and upwards have been the metropolis and chief seat of
Christian profession, as Jerusalem of old was of the worship of the true God ; which, therefore, in the following part of this book-prophecy, is made, from the rise of the beast, the only stage of all, until that New Jerusalem and holy
city, which conies from heaven and succeeds this ; this being in the mean time the Old Jerusalem, as that the New. Yet
2. This city, for the punishment of the world, God permits the Gentiles to tread down for forty-two months, alluding to that expression which Christ used of the sacking of that Jerusalem in Judea, by the Romans, Luke xxi.
24. Now the beast, the Pope of Rome, with his idolatrous crew, they are these Gentiles ; and so called because they set up the image of that worship which was practised under heathenish Rome and Gentilism ; so chap. xiii.
15. And as the hundred and forty-four thousand, the company of true
worshippers, are called the Israel of God, so are these called the Gentiles ; their religion and worship being, as was said, the image of the first heathenish
religion, under the heathen empire, the first beast. And this city they were to have power and jurisdiction in till forty-two months were fulfilled, as in
chap. xiii. appears. But
3. Towards the end of their time, there begins a great part of this city to fall from them, though they still kept possession of the greatest part ; and
they lost much ground, and enclosure and separation being made from them, and within it a temple built, namely, churches separated from Antichrist, which you heard of in chap. xv. And further, as that in Jerusalem was
built on the north side of that city, Ps. xlviii. 2, so is this temple built in the northern parts of Europe, the city here meant, as was foretold in Isa.
xlix. 12, and Dan. xi. 44, for in these northern kingdoms hath been the reformation of religion.
4. Unto which temple there hath been an outward court laid of carnal and unregenerate professors, who have made the greatest show in this build
ing, and took up so much of the room, that although true churches and
temples, by reason of the true worshippers among them, have been set up, yet they have been defiled with the addition of an outward court, into which
all sorts came. So that indeed these reformed churches are outward courts more than inward temples. And by reason of this their mixture, great cor
ruptions and defects, both in the form of the temple, or church-fellowship, and impurities in the worship and about the altar, have been continued among them.
Now for the understanding of these allusions, we must know that there were belonging to the temple in Jerusalem
1. The holy of holies, which was at one end enclosed and separated from the rest of the temple, after the manner of our cathedral quires.
2. The body of the temple, whereinto came the priests only ; and in which stood the altar of incense, which was answerable to the body of our cathedral
churches, compassed by the inner court : wherein
3. There was a larger outward court encircling the whole temple, into which the people of all sorts, both men and women, did come. And this was answerable to the churchyards which go round about our churches.
CHAP. IV.] AN EXPOSITION OF THE KEVELATION. 125
Now this third and last court is that which is here said to be without ; that is, without the compass of the temple. And it is called the great court
going round about the other, namely, encompassing the inward court of the
priests, and the holy of holies ; thus, 1 Kings vii. 12, it is expressly called. And it is by Ezekiel called the outward court very often, in distinction from
the inward court or temple where the altar was ; which, in distinction from
this, is also called the court of priests. So 2 Chron. iv. 9, where it is said, Solomon made the court of the priests, and the great court, namely, that
into which the people came.
There was indeed a fourth court for strangers to come into, built by Herod. But that is not here alluded to, for the Scripture mentioneth it not. But
the outward court here is that which Ezekiel, as I said before, does so often
: for to his mea
call by that name, in distinction from the court of priests
suring there, is the allusion of this measuring here ; of which you may read,
chap. xl. 17, 27. And the inner court is put for the temple, and the temple for it, as being all one.
Bring this then to the New Testament. The Scriptures and prophets, by the notion of a temple, do still express the true church, as 1 Cor. iii. 17,
Eph. ii. 21, and many other places. And by priests, who only are to enter
into the inner temple, they express true worshippers. You have both these
expressions put together in 1 Pet. ii. 5, You, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, accept able to God by Jesus Christ. And whereas the people entered not into the
temple then, now all that are holy are bidden to draw near, having their
bodies, or whole man, washed with water, as the priests were wont to be; even water of regeneration and sanctification, as Heb. x. 22.
Now, in distinction from these true worshippers, the carnal professors of
religion, and crowd of unregenerate men, that join themselves to the church
by professing the same religion and faith, though yet continuing in the natu
ral uncircumcision of their hearts, are called the outward court here, they
having no right to approach this altar. And, by the law of distinction and
opposition, if the true worshippers now under the gospel be typified out by the priests, who were in a peculiar manner holy unto God, and whose holi
ness typified forth inward holiness under the gospel, then carnal professors now, who are Jews outwardly only, are left typified out by that common crowd of Jews who came then into the outward court. And these may most
truly be termed an outward court, in a comparison with this temple and true
worshippers, be the notion of temple taken in what sense it may. For
whether temple or church be taken for the mystical temple or church of the
elect and sincere worshippers, these are without, (as the Apostle s phrase is,
1 Cor. v.,) in comparison to them, and are carnal worshippers, worshipping God in the letter, not in the spirit, with outward bodily exercise, not in
spirit and truth, as 1 Tim. iv. 8 ; and they are such as to a stander-by, who
hath skill to judge, are, for the generality, apparently such ; even Jews out
wardly only, not within, as Kom. ii. 28, 29. Or if temple be taken for churches instituted, or congregations of true
public worshippers, (as Eph. ii. 22, it is taken ; as also Heb. x. 22, com
pared with ver. 25, where the assembling together to worship is called a
drawing near, &c.,) in that respect also these carnal men joined with them
are but as the outward court laid to the temple, who join in the same ser
vice, but do draw near with their lips only, and, as Isaiah speaks, chap. i, tread his courts with sacrifices abominable to God ; whilst the other, as a
holy priesthood, are only within the temple, and do draw near with assur-
126 AN EXPOSITION OF THE EEVELATION. [PAUT IL
ance of faith, having their hearts sprinkled, and their bodies washed with
water, as the allusion to the priests entering into the inner temple where
the altar stood is, in Heb. x. 22.
So that, in what sense soever the Papists, whom some would have to be
the outward court here meant, might be called the outward court, these also
may. As whether because they arrogate to themselves the name of the
church, and say, they are Jews, and are not, but do lie. In this respect may these also be called the outward court, who with im
pudence do arrogate to themselves the name of the church, and under that name do in some places cast out the true worshippers; and who, by reason
of their multitude and number, the best congregations of the first Reforma
tion consisting of many more apparently bad than good, and many of those churches having none but men unregenerate, are in view only or chiefly the church ; whilst the true visible worshippers are a company of hidden ones
: and therefore the outward court, in the type, was called the
in comparison
great court.
Yea, these unregenerate Protestants are much rather to be accounted the outward court, and so are mainly here intended ; which will appear, if you put but two things together :
first, Outward court here is oppositely put unto all these other particu lars enumerated that were to be measured; both unto temple, altar, and
worshippers therein ; and so oppositely doth import, not merely an outward
face and place of worship, but as withal including persons worshipping also, and so carnal worshippers, in full opposition to the other. For otherwise
this expression answers not the type, namely, the outward court in the Jewish
temple, in which were the multitude, as in the inner temple the priests. So
that the outward court imports and includes a company or sort of worship
pers, as well as it imports the outward visible face of the church ; and that
by a metonymy, the continens being put for the contentum, the thing con
taining for the thing contained : even as these phrases, heaven and earth, do
often import, and are put for, all things therein contained. And so outward
court here implies a sort of worshippers therein; and in that respect is
opposed to, and distinguished from the temple, and the true worshippers therein. And indeed, churches, and the face thereof, in the notion of the New Testament, consisting not of material buildings, as Cameron well shews,
it is the persons worshipping who have the name of churches : and so here,
persons worshipping, distinct from the temple and true worshippers, must needs be meant, as those that do constitute and make up this outward court. So that, take persons away, and the face of an outward court ceaseth to be. Thus Cornelius a Lapide upon the place
: In hac parte templi, says he,
et in adorantibus sacerdotibus syinbolice significantur fideles, qui Antichristi
tempore erunt optimi, religiosissimi, Deo conjunctissimi, et in cultu ejus soli-
dissimi. Per atrium exterius intelligit Christianos infirmiores, et vitce laxioris,
ideoque a Deo remotiores. Hos (ait) ejiceforas, id est, extra ecdesiam. Quasi
dixisset, Rejice eos inter injideles et apostatas; quia hi cedunt gentibus et
Anticliristo affectis, et ideo indigni sunt qui inter fideles numerentur. Now then, secondly, add to this, that this outward court, thus consisting of a multitude of false worshippers, is here made distinct from the Gentiles :
for this outward court, and the worshippers thereof, are given to the Gen
tiles ; and therefore are to be left out in the new measure taken. Now a company of worshippers, who are distinct, both from the true
worshippers of the temple, and from the Gentiles or Papists, must needs be
the multitude of carnal Protestants that fill our churches, and make an out-
CHAP. IV.] AN EXPOSITION OF THE REVELATION. 127
ward court, together with the temple. For if the Gentiles be this outward court themselves, then who are these Gentiles that are to tread it down 1
Neither, thirdly, can it be thought that the Gentiles, possessing the out ward face of the church, should so fill up this outward court here meant, as
to be made, as they are here, the other sole contradistinct and opposite party to the temple and true worshippers. Unless we would say, that all Protes tants are the inner temple, as well as the priests and true worshippers therein, and both to be here measured ; and so the Papists and they share these two alone between them. But we assuredly knowing that of Protestants not one of a hundred are true worshippers, according to outward judgment, by those rules the reed warrants us to judge of others by, may as assuredly also conclude that this multitude of carnal professors are not here intended by the angel, as at all included in the temple, and among the true worshippers ;
especially seeing he puts the reed into John s hand, to measure none but such as are visibly true worshippers. And therefore they must necessarily make up that third party, distinct both from the temple-worshippers and from the Gentiles ; and are they who are to be cast out by the one, and
seized on by the other, as the outward court is here said to be. And more
sure I am that, according to apostolical institution, such as they ought to be
left out by those that build true churches, and churches to be measured anew without them. And therefore, if this measuring the temple fall under the times of this sixth trumpet, I cannot but imagine this new reformation
begun, to be intended ; and that re-entry the Gentiles are now a-making upon the outward court of our churches, and their yielding to them, to be the giving thereof unto these Gentiles here.