Page 593
CHAP. VII.
The Virgin-Company of the 144 thousand Sealed ones, described in Chap. 14. of the Apocalypse, briefly interpreted.
THis Vision of the Sealed Ones I begin and end with the Times of the Beast, tak∣ing them for the same with those whose Sealing began with the beginning of the* 1.1 Seventh or Trumpet-Seal; with which Seal I also begin the Times of the Beast, supposing that Sealing there was purposely interlaced to be compared with the Visi∣on here, that thereby we might know in what part of the Seals to fix the Beginning of the Beast: to which no Character of the whole Book will direct us, but only the Paralel of the Sealed Number beginning and contemporary with the seventh Seal (chap. 7.) and here again reiterated, as beginning and comporary also with the Beast.
For the Accommodation, I understand it to be A Description of the Faithful and Vndefiled Company of Christ under the polluted times of the Anti-christian Beast next before mentioned. And they are described, 1. By their Head, the true* 1.2 Lamb Christ Iesus, and not he that had* 1.3 Horns like a Lamb, but spake like the Dragon. 2. By their Place, which was even Mount Sion, that elevated and conspicuous part of the World, where men visibly professed the Name of Christ, and where his Apo∣stles had once founded him that Temple which now Antichrist usurped. Nor were these Faithful Ones tied to any one part of this Mountain above other, (as the false Prophet's Followers are to their Cathedra Petri) but they* 1.4 follow the Lamb whither so∣ever he goeth. 3. By their Worship in praying and praising God, wherein they were undefiled Virgins, not polluting themselves with the Mother (or Metropolis) of For∣nications, though their Religious Song seemed a new one, and was such as none could sing but themselves.
This is the General description of their state during the whole time. After which followeth that which passed between them and the Followers of the Beast in their later time; which is twofold: 1. Preaching and Admonition under three Angels; 2. The Acts of Execution, which are two: The one of an* 1.5 Harvest, wherein Christ their Master and Lord of the Harvest sends forth Labourers into his overgrown Field and reaps it: which I understand of the present Reformation, wherein our Lord hath gathered his Wheat out of that Field of Weeds, and bound it together in new-erected Churches. Next after this Harvest comes the* 1.6 Vintage, an Execution of Vengeance, as soon as the Grapes are once bloud-ripe. This Execution is yet to come, though it seems not farr off: For the Reapers bring little Wheat home of late; whereby it should seem that Harvest is in a manner done, and the time of Vintage a-coming. This is the sum of what I have as yet conceived of this Vision.
Moreover, supposing this Vintage to be yet to come, I am much inclined to think that* 1.7 this 1600 furlongs without the City should be a Designation of Peter's Patrimo∣ny or the Demeasns of the Church, which in the longest extent thereof from the Walls of Rome to the River Po is exactly 1600 furlongs, or 200 Italian miles: whereby it is probable that the Pope's own Territories, Stato della Chiesa, may prove the Cock-pit of this Execution, whether Christ as into a Wine-press will from all parts gather the bloudy Grapes when he means to tread them.
I. M.