391.“有七枝号赐给他们”表对教会状态、因而对那些陷入唯信之人生命的审查和披露。此处“号”与“声音”所表相同,因为天使用它们吹出声音,而“号声”表示各种庄严场合的召集;在这种情况下,表示审查并披露那些陷入唯信之人的品质,因而审查并披露当今那些属改革宗教会之人的品质。要知道,改革宗教会如今一分为三,这样的分裂源于路德、加尔文和墨兰顿三位领袖,并且这三个教会在各种事上都有分歧;但唯有这一条,即人称义是因着信,不在乎遵行律法,他们一致认同,这倒是非同一般。“号声”表示召集(参看397节)。
391. And to them were given seven trumpets. This symbolizes an examination and exposure of the state of the church and consequent life of people caught up in faith alone.
Trumpets here have the same symbolism as sounding, because the angels used them to produce the sound, and to sound with trumpets means, symbolically, to call together for ceremonial occasions, of which there were a variety. Here it means to examine and expose what people caught up in faith alone are like, thus what people of the Protestant Reformed churches are like today.
It should be known that the church in the Protestant Reformed world today is divided into three branches, originating from three leaders, namely Luther, Calvin, and Melanchthon; and although these three branches differ on various points, they all agree on this one, that a person is justified by faith apart from works of the law - a remarkable circumstance.
That sounding with trumpets means, symbolically, to call together will be seen in no. 397 below.
391. 'And seven trumpets were given to them' signifies the examination and disclosure of the state of the Church and consequently of the life of those who are in faith alone. By 'trumpets' here is signified much the same as by 'to sound,' because they sounded with them, and by 'to sound with trumpets' is signified a calling together for solemn occasions and these were various; here a calling together for examining and disclosing what those who are in faith alone are like, thus the quality of those who at this day belong to the Churches of the Reformed. It should be known that the Church in the Reformed world at this day has been divided into three on account of the three leaders, LUTHER, CALVIN and MELANCTHON, and that those three Churches differ in various matters; but in this article, that man is justified by faith without the works of the law, they all agree, which is quite remarkable. That by 'to sound with trumpets' is signified to call together will be seen below (397).
391. And there were given to them seven trumpets, signifies the exploration and disclosure of the state of the church, and thence of the life of those who are in faith alone. Here, by "trumpets" the same thing is signified as by "sounding," because they sounded with them, and by "sounding with trumpets" is signified to call together upon solemn occasions, which were various; in this case, to explore and discover the quality of those who are in faith alone, thus the quality of those who are at this day of the churches of the Reformed. It should be known, that the church in the Reformed world is at this day divided into three, from the three leaders, Luther, Calvin, and Melancthon, and that these three churches differ in various things; but in this article, that man is justified by faith without the works of the law, they all agree, which is remarkable. That by "sounding with trumpets" is signified to call together, will be seen below, (397).
391. "Et datae sunt illis septem tubae," significat explorationem et detectionem status Ecclesiae et inde vitae illorum qui in sola fide sunt. - Per tubas hic significatur simile quod per "clangere," quia illis clangebant; et per "clangere tubis" significatur convocare ad solennitates, quae erant variae, hic ad explorandum et detegendum quales sunt qui in sola fide, ita quales sunt qui ab Ecclesiis Reformatorum hodie.
Sciendum est, quod Ecclesia in orbe Reformato hodie divisa sit in tres, ex tribus Antesignanis, qui fuerunt Lutherus, Calvinus, et Melanchthon, et quod tres illae Ecclesiae in variis discrepent: sed in hoc articulo, quod homo justificetur fide absque operibus legis, omnes conveniant; quod mirabile est.
Quod per "clangere tubis," significetur convocare, videbitur infra (397).