6 6 6 6 ened, and the spiritual understanding of the holy 'law disappeared from among them, yea rather, was 'not given to them because of the poverty of their ' heart. But how did it depart? As a scrowl, he says, when it is rolled together. He has admirably ' indicated what is meant to be understood by the 'heaven departing, when he compares that departure to the rolling up of a book. For what is the meaning of this expression, that the heaven departed as a book when rolled together, if it be not 'equivalent to a declaration that all divine and heavenly Scripture was rolled up and shut from their eyes? And truly to them, from whom this heaven departed, this heavenly book is rolled up, yea and 'sealed: but to us, to whom it came on its departure 'from them, it is unsealed and open. For this is the very thing, which we now have in hand dis'cussing for the Lamb took the sealed book from the right hand of Him that sat on the throne, and opened its seven seals, by opening it to us, who believe in Him, and acknowledge that He is worthy to take this same book, and to open the seven seals 'thereof.' 6 6 6 6 gustati sunt, et disparuit ab illis, immo non data est illis propter inopiam cordis, spiritalis sacrae legis intelligentia. Quomodo recessit? Sicut liber involutus, inquit. Pulchrè satis innuit, quid per caelum recedens intelligi voluerit, qui recessum illum libro involuto similavit. Quid namque est dicere, quia caelum sicut liber involutus recessit, nisi ac si diceretur, quia involuta et clausa illis est omnis scriptura divina et caelestis? Et illis quidem, a quibus recessit hoc caelum, hic caelestis liber involutus immo et signatus est; nobis autem, ad quos venit recedendo ab illis, reseratus et apertus est. Nam hoc est quod nunc in manibus habemus tractantes; quia librum de dexterâ Sedentis in throno signatum accepit Agnus, et solvit septem signacula ejus, videlicet nobis aperiens qui fidem ejus habemus, confitentes quia dignus est eundem accipere librum, et solvere septem signacula ejus. CHAPTER V. ON THE ORIGIN OF THE MODERN INTERPRETATIONS OF THE SECTION I. ORIGIN OF THE MODERN INTERPRETATIONS OF THE SEALED BOOK. THE early part of the fourteenth century is a very important æra, not only as it regards the new exposition then given of the Apocalypse, but more generally with reference to the sound principles of Biblical interpretation, which were then introduced into the Church, and which gradually prepared the way for the Reformation. Nicolas de Lyrâ, or Lyranus, is the person to whom the world is indebted for this momentous change. And though his interpretation of the Apocalypse appears to the present writer altogether erroneous, the error arose from a misapplication of his principles, not from any defect in the principles themselves. At that time the fondness for spiritual interpretations of every part of the Bible was carried to such an excess, that its true and literal meaning was either totally neglected, or considered as a matter of secondary importance: and consequently the commentaries, then held in the highest estimation, were not, to speak correctly, explanations of the text, but allegorical or moral applications of it. Lyranus maintained that the duty of an interpreter of Scripture was first to investigate its plain and literal sense, and thence to derive its moral and spiritual instruction. Agreeably to this fundamental principle his commentaries, which extend through the whole Bible, consist first of short critical and explanatory notes on the text, and secondly of moral reflections arising out of it. This writer then, conceiving that the Apocalypse, considered in its true and proper sense, was a prophetical history of the fortunes of the Church of Christ from its commencement to its close, proposed a new interpretation of the sealed book in accordance with this general view of the whole prophecy; the old exposition being allowed to stand as a moral application of the symbol, but not as its proper and primary sense. The following extracts from his commentary on the fourth and fifth chapters will fully explain his opinion relative to this point. 6 LYRANUS. After the description of that vision ' of St John, which relates especially to the instruction ' of the seven Churches of Asia, though by inference it ' relates to the instruction of other Churches also, as ' has been already explained; there now follow other 'visions of the same Apostle, having direct reference 'to the general instruction of the whole Church. For, being in the Spirit, he saw represented under various symbols, the whole progress of the Church from the ' time of the Apostles to the end of the world, so far as 6 6 ' and changes: of which, however, some have already 'taken place, and others are yet future.... The remain'der of this book therefore is divided into two parts: for we have first set before us the manner in which the vision was given; and secondly, the course of its fulfilment, chap. vi.... First, then, there is set forth the majesty of God, who gives the revelation; and 'the dignity of the man Christ who receives it, in the next chapter.' Omitting his remarks on the majesty of God, as exhibited in chap. iv, we proceed to his exposition of chap. v. 6 6 6 6 Here is described in order the dignity of the man Christ, who receives the revelation: concerning which there is premised first, the profoundness of the Divine secret, and secondly, the difficulty of opening it; from whence is inferred, thirdly, the dignity of Christ. Concerning the first point it is 'said: I saw in the right hand of Him that sat on the throne.] He that sat on the throne is God, 'three and one. A book.] This book is the Divine knowledge, in which all things are written. Now 'it must be observed that the knowledge of God is ́twofold; or rather, one, but considered under two 6 'different aspects. For He has the knowledge of notabiles: quarum tamen aliquae jam praecesserunt, et aliquae sunt futurae......Residuum igitur hujus libri in duas partes dividitur; quia primo ponitur modus hujus visionis, secundo cursus impletionis. cap. vi. ..Igitur primo ponitur majestas Dei revelantis, secundo dignitas hominis Christi revelationem recipientis, capite sequenti. 1Hîc consequenter describitur dig nitas Christi hominis revelationem accipientis. Circa quam primò praemittitur profunditas divini secreti, secundò difficultas aperiendi; tertio infertur dignitas Christi. Circa primum dicitur: Et vidi in dexterâ Sedentis.] Iste sedens est Deus trinus et unus. Librum.] Liber iste est divina scientia, in quâ omnia sunt scripta. Sciendum tamen quod in Deo ponitur duplex scientia; vel 6 6 6 6 simple intelligences, which extends to all things that are possible, though they never have existed, ' nor will exist. He has also the knowledge of vision, 'which regards existing things, and that with reference to all time, past, present or future. And these things are in the operative power of God, inasmuch as He brings them into existence in the course of time. Of this nature, then, were those things, which were revealed to the man Christ, and by Him delivered to the Apostle John. Moreover, 'the operative power of God is metaphorically called 'His right hand, because by means of the right hand we work therefore that book, which is called the 'knowledge of God respecting those things which are ordained by Him to be accomplished, is fitly declared to be in the right hand of God. Sealed.] This sealing indicates the shutting up of the Divine knowledge concerning those things which are ordained by Him to exist, until they are revealed by Him as about to be, or brought by Him into actual being. With seven seals.] That is, as some expound it, ' with all kinds of obscurity: according to which exposition the definite number is here put for an inde'finite, that is, seven obscurities for a multitude of 6 6 6 6 6 6 potius una duplici modo dicta. Scilicet scientia simplicis notitiae, quae se extendit ad omnia possibilia, quae nunquam fuerunt nec erunt: et scientia visionis, quae respicit existentia pro quâcunque differentiâ temporis, scilicet praeteriti, vel praesentis, vel futuri: et ista sunt in virtute Dei operativâ, in quantum operatur ipsa in aliquo tempore. Talia vero sunt illa, quae revelata sunt homini Christo, et ab eo Joanni apostolo tradita. Virtus vero Dei operativa metaphoricè dicitur manus ejus dextera, quia per manum dexteram operamur : ideo liber, qui dicitur Dei notitia de dispositis ab eo fieri, convenienter dicitur esse in dexterâ manu Dei. Signatum.] Signatio ista designat clausionem divinae scientiae de dispositis ab eo fieri, quousque sint ab eo revelata fieri, vel in effectu producta. Sigillis septem.] Id est, omnimodis obscuritatibus, ut exponunt aliqui: et secundum hoc ponitur hic nume |