Exposition on the Catholic Epistles, Revelation · Chapter 4
CHAP. IIII.
IN this and the fifth Chapter, the Lord being about to reueale things to come vntounto Iohn to the end of the world, taketh him vp into Heauen in the Spirit, becauſe from hence only can the knowledge of theſe things bee attained; vponupon earth it is knowne what is paſt and preſent, but not what is to come, no not by Aſtrologians, or Sooth ſayers, or idols, wherein Deuils ſpake. For let them tell what ſhall come, and ſay they are gods, as ſpeaketh the Prophet Eſay. Here is firſt declared, in what great ſtate and maieſty the God of heauen reigneth, and the Lambe of God the Lord Ieſus Chriſt.
Queſt. 1. Who was it that ſate vponupon the throne,Verſ. 3. and why is he like vntounto a Iaſper and Sardin ſtone, and what meaneth the rainebow about the throne like to an Emrald?
Anſw. It is agreed by all, that hee which ſate vponupon the throne was God the King of all, but for the likeneſſe here mentioned there is great difference. Some conſidering the colour of the Iaſper to be greene, of the Sardin to be red,Ioachim. Forbs. Brightman. and of the Emrald to be a pleaſant bright green, will hauehave the holy Trinity here ſet forth; the Father, in whom all hauehave their being and growth, by the Iaſper; the Sonne, who was all red by that bloudy death which he ſuffered for our ſinnes, by the Sardin; the Spirit, who is the comforter, by the Emrald. This doth not ſo well agree, becauſe ſo the Spirit ſhould not be one with the Father and the Sonne, as the rainebow round about the throne and he that ſitteth in the throne are notall one.
Others will hauehave the two natures of Chriſt ſet forth here, the diuine by the Iaſper, and the humane by the Sardin, Ambroſ. Am…ber. Pareus.and the grace and mercy of God towards man in him by the rainebow, which was firſt appointed for a ſigne hereof: but againſt this, maketh that which followeth of the Lambe, Cha. 5. for if he were in the ſame viſion ſitting vponupon a throne in this ſimilitude, he could not bee at the ſame time in the ſimilitude of a Lambe alſo.
Others will hauehave the Father and Sonne ſet forth by theſe two precious ſtones,Bullinger. and the holy Ghoſt by the thunder and lightnings proceeding out of the throne: but for ſo much as theſe are things of terrour, and the Spirit the comforter, wee cannot vnderſtand it thus.
Others will hauehave the deluge of water ſet forth by the Iaſper, and the fire of the laſt iudgement by the Sardin, Tyconius. Beda. Primaſius. Rupertus.and the interim of peace and grace between theſe times by the Rainebow: but how the greene Iaſper ſhould ſet forth water I cannot ſee, nor why the Lord ſhould carry a ſimilitude whereby theſe things may be expreſſed, ſeeing in heauen he appeareth as he is in himſelfe moſt, and not ſo much as he is in his works and iudgements.
Laſtly, not to reckon vp all the expoſitions, but theſe which may ſeeme moſt probable;Pareus followeth this▪ though he defendeth that of the Son of God alſo. ſome vnderſtand by theſe precious ſtones, the excellency of God, both in reſpect of his glory and that ſingular vertue that is in him, which nothing can more fitly expreſſe than precious ſtones, for colour and appearance admirable, & no leſſe admirable in vertue and operation.Viegas. And more particularly they may well ſet forth his mercy, by which all things liue, and are in their vigour greene and flouriſhing; and his iuſtice, through which hee becommeth fiery red in his anger againſt ſinne.Confer. Ezech. 1.27.28. The life of all vegetable things is declared by greene, and life of ſenſitiue things by red, ariſing frō bloud; it may be that God is here ſhewed to be the Author of all life. Verſ. 4. Tyconius. Beda. Primaſius. Bullinger. The rainebow like an Emrald is the reflexion of theſe colours, further declaring the brightneſſe of his glory, and is a ſetled ſigne of peace to all the inhabitants of heauen, who ſhall neuer bee caſt out any more, as the ambitious Angels ſometime were: ſo that it is good being there, and great reaſon there is why our hearts ſhould bee alwayes thitherward, that we might behold this glory, and be out of that mutable condition wherein we now ſtand.
Queſt. 2. And round about the throne there were foure & twenty thrones, and foure and twenty Elders, &c. Who were theſe Elders ſitting vponupon thrones round about?
Anſw. Some vnderſtand the twelue Patriarkes and Apoſtles, as Fox and Pareus relate; ſome the whole Church repreſented by them, ſeeing the Church vnderunder the old Teſtament ſprang from the Patriarkes, and the Church vnderunder the new from the Apoſtles, and the Church now is twice as great, as of old when it was in twelue Tribes, and therefore this number is well doubled:Fox. ſome vnderſtand nothing but a ſhew of the dependancy and ſubiection of all principalities vponupon and vntounto God, becauſe they caſt downe their crownes which they hauehave of gold: ſome the foure & twenty books of canonicall Scriptures in the old Teſtament.Graſſerus. Laſtly, ſome vnderſtand the moſt excellent of thoſe which hauehave beene ſet vp in the Church of God,Richard. de Sancto Victore. Rupertus. Pannonins. Ioacbimus. both vnderunder the old and new Teſtament, who ſit now as Senatours about the great Emperour in heauen; not that there are no more but iuſt thus many, but becauſe a counſell amongſt the Iewes did anciently conſiſt of foure and twenty: this certaine number is put for an vncertain, as the Prieſts appointed alſo to ſerue in the Temple by courſe in the dayes of Dauid, were foure and twenty. And this is moſt probable, becauſe to the twelue Apoſtles are promiſed twelue thrones, and ſo likewiſe without doubt all Apoſtolicall perſons ſhall be likewiſe moſt highly aduanced in the kingdome of glory, being placed as Counſellers of State neereſt about the King.
As for the other Expoſitions, firſt, it were a great wrong to others more worthy than many of them, to hold that they are not as neere vntounto God as the twelue Patriarks.
Secondly, it were improper here to vnderſtand the whole company of the Church triumphant, who are ſpoken of more particularly, Chap. 5. v. 13.
Thirdly, it doth not agree by Senatours appearing in heauen to ſet forth all Princes, whereof many ſhall neuer come there. And for that of the foure and twenty bookes, I cannot conceiue any ground for it at all.
Queſt. 3. And out of the throne went thunders, Verſ. 5.and lightnings, and voices. And ſeuen lamps of fire burning, &c. What is meant by theſe lightnings, thunders, and voices, and what are theſe lampes?
Anſw. I hauehave already ſhewed, that though theſe proceeded out of the throne, yet the holy Ghoſt cannot be meant hereby. Some obſeruing three and three things mentioned here together,Forbs. Brightman. lightnings, thunders, and voices; lamps, glaſſie ſea, and beaſts, thinke that hereby the ſeuerity and mercy of God are repreſented, of each of which there are three ſignes. Some by lightnings,Tyconius. Rupertus. Rechard. de Sancto Victore. vnderſtand miracles done by theſe Elders to conuert the world; by thunders, Sermons of Gods iudgements; by voices, other more milde and moderate teachings. But if we looke backe to Ezech. 1.13, 14. where the like viſion is ſet forth, this lightning will appeare to be the flaſhing out of the fire from amongſt the foure beaſts, which are deſcribed immediatly after, for they are ſaid to run and to returne like a flaſh of lightning: and the thunder the noiſe of their wings, and ſo are the voices: for verſ. 24. the mouing of their wings is ſaid to make a great noiſe, like many waters, & voyce of the Almighty, and the voyce of ſpeech, &c. So that the glory and greatneſſe of God is hereby more ſet forth, and how terrible he is, that all may doe reuerence before him: for thus his going forth is commonly deſcribed, Exod. 19. with thunder and lightning, Pſal. 50. A fire before him, and a great tempeſt round about him. I cannot ſee how theſe things can be referred to miracles and preachings, the intention of this place being not to ſhew Iohn what was done vponupon earth, for that he ſaw without being taken vp, but in what maieſty and terribleneſſe God is in heauen reigning ouer this world, that all might ſtand in awe of him.
As for the ſeuen lamps burning before the throne, they are explained in the text to bee the ſeuen ſpirits of God, of which ſee before, Chap. 1.5.
Queſt. 4.Verſ 6. And before the throne there was a ſea of glaſſe like vntounto Cryſtall. What is to be vnderſtood by this ſea?
Anſw. Some by the glaſſie ſea vnderſtand the word of God, which is mentioned next vntounto the holy Ghoſt, becauſe it is the outward meanes of ſanctification,Ioachim. Forbs. Brightman. Graſſer. as the ſpirit is the inward: for the word is often compared vntounto water; and is ſaid to be glaſſie, becauſe ſtill and vntroubled; and cleare as cryſtall, becauſe it ſheweth clearely thoſe things which pertaine to ſaluation, and now more eſpecially vnderunder the Goſpell: whereas before, the Sea in the Temple made by Salomon, was brazen, that is, thicke and not ſo tranſparent. Some vnderſtand this world,Bullinger. Pareus. Rupertus. Tyconius. Beda. Pannonius. Gloſſa ord. &c. which is as a glaſſie ſea for fragility, and is tranſparent as glaſſe in the eyes of the Lord. Some vnderſtand the Sacrament of Baptiſme, wherewith wee are waſhed, that wee may enter into heauen, as the Prieſts waſhed themſelues in the brazen ſea, that they might proceed to their office in the Temple: and it is ſaid to be glaſſie and cleare as cryſtall, becauſe they which are rightly baptized are enlightened in ſpirituall things, they being now made cleare and euident vntounto them:Heb. 6. Wherefore the Apoſtle ſpeaking of the baptized, calleth them ſuch as hauehave been once enlightned: & the Greek Fathers call Baptiſme foreign, as Clem. Alex. lib. 1. paedag. c. 6. Greg. Nazian. Chryſ. &c. For mine own part I am not ſatisfied in any of theſe expoſitions, for why ſhould the word of God or baptiſme be repreſented in heauen, where there is no further vſe of either: And for this fraile world, it is ſo full of tempeſts, ſtormes, and darke clouds, as that a cleare ſtill cryſtalline ſea can no way agree vntounto it. Moreouer, this ſame ſea being againe mentioned, Chap. 15. the Saints in heauen triumphing for their victory, are ſaid to ſtand vponupon it being mingled with fire. If therfore amongſt ſo many ſo learned, I might put in my poore coniecture, I thinke, that it is here alluded to the brazen ſea in the Temple of Solomon: 1 King 7.23. Exod. 30.18.for as that was one part of the furniture of Gods houſe, wherein water for the Prieſts to waſh withall was; ſo in the higheſt Temple of God, which is heauen, there is a ſea of pure water, as cleare as cryſtall glaſſe, to ſet forth how pure and cleane all things are which be there, no vncleane thing can approach before the throne of God, as is ſet forth more at large, Chap. 21. where alſo a riuer as cleare as cryſtall is ſaid to proceed from the throne of God, Chap. 22.1. And that glaſſe is not ſpoken of for the fragility, but for the cleareneſſe and tranſparency, is plaine, Chap. 21.18. where the city of God is ſaid to be of pure gold, tranſparent as glaſſe. Or elſe conſider whether by this ſea of glaſſe bee not meant that heauen which we call Coelum Cryſtallinum, which though it be betweene the throne of God and this world; yet it hideth not, but rather as a perſpectiue glaſſe maketh all things here more manifeſt: for this may well be called a ſea, ſeeing at the creation waters were placed there as well as below, ſo that as ours is the earthly ſea, ſo that is the Lords heauenly.
Queſt. 5. And in the midſt of the throne and round about, Verſ. 6.foure animals full of eyes before and behinde, &c. What are theſe animals, tranſlated beaſts, and how are they both in the midſt of the throne and round about it?
Anſw. They which by the ſea vnderſtand the word of God, expound theſe animals of the miniſters of the word in the foure parts of the world, who are full of eyes,Brightman. Chitreus. to ſhew their vigilancy; and hauehave ſix wings, to ſhew their readineſſe; and are like vntounto a lion, calfe, man and eagle, becauſe with the lion they are couragious, with the bullocke patient of labour, and with man intelligent, and with the eagle ſoaring aloft in heauenly meditations, and contemning this world. Now one is ſaid to be like a Lion, another like a calfe, &c. not becauſe ſome hauehave one of theſe vertues onelyonly, but hauing all theſe, as is neceſſary, they excell more in one kinde than in another, and ſo are figured out accordingly; or elſe more particularly, the holy Ghoſt would hereby expreſſe the diuers vertues of the holy miniſtery in diuers ages. In the firſt age they were bold as Lions, in preaching the Goſpell, in the ſecond age, they were ſlaughtered like oxen; in the third, as a wiſe man they diſcerned the beaſt and the number of his name; in the fourth they mount higher, and ſee more into heauenly myſteries and become more heauenly. Theſe meditations are very plauſible, but ſeeing the foure and twenty Elders doe rather ſet forth the principall miniſters of God in all ages, I cannot ſee how theſe beaſts being diſtinct things from them, and rather leaders in ſpirituall hymnes to the praiſe of God, ſhould be the reſt of the whole company of miniſters, who are all doubtleſſe, as the reſt of the faithfull in their place inueſted with white robes, and wearing crownes vponupon their heads, and not in any different forme.Iren. lib. 3. c. 11. Ieron. in proem. in Matth. Aug. Lyra Graſſer. Others vnderſtand the foure Euangeliſts, aſcribing to Matthew the face of a Lion, to Marke of a calfe, to Luke of a man, to Iohn of an eagle. Of this opinion though there bee graue Authors, yet vponupon the ſame conſideration it falleth to the ground alſo: to ſay nothing of the abſurdity that would follow, that Iohn the ſpectatour of this ſhould ſee himſelfe thus repreſented to himſelfe.Petrus Aureolus. Others vnderſtand the foure Patriarkes of the Chriſtian world, as of Ieruſalem, Antioch, Alexandria, and of Conſtantinople, and bring their reaſons of all, but not worth the naming or confuting.Ambroſ. lib. 3. de Virgin. Arethas. Others vnderſtand the foure Cardinall vertues; fortitude ſet forth in the Lion, iuſtice in the bullocke, becauſe he laboureth for what he eateth; temperance in the eagle, which eateth nought but what prey himſelfe hath taken, though neuer ſo hungry; and prudence in a man.Orig. Hom. 1. in Ezech. Rupertus. Ansbertus. Others vnderſtand the foure faculties of the minde, as anger, concupiſcence, reaſon, and conſcience. Others vnderſtand the foure degrees thorow which Chriſt paſſed, his incarnation ſet forth by a man, his paſſion by a bullocke, his reſurrection by a lion, and his aſcenſion by an eagle. Some vnderſtand it onelyonly as a repreſentation of the homage done vntounto God by all ſorts of creatures, men, beaſts, and birds. Laſtly ſome, not to weary my ſelfe with more relations,Marlorat. Fulke. vnderſtand the Seraphims, Eſa. 6.1. thoſe Angelicall ſpirits which the Lord vſeth in the gouernment of the world, vnderunder the figure of whom being full of eyes and wings, his prouidence extending eueryevery whither, and his omniſcience is declared. And to this I ſubſcribe, both becauſe the deſcription doth ſo well agree, and the forme of praiſing God; and that which is further ſet forth Ezech. 1. where they are called animals, as here, and hauehave ſuch appearances, but onelyonly that each one had theſe foure faces, whereas one here is ſaid to hauehave one, and another another; wherein there is no more difference, but that what was there repreſented ioyntly in each one, is here repreſented ſeuerally: viz. in what maieſty the Lord ſitteth, his Chariot being drawne there, his Throne ſupported here, not onelyonly by one kinde of creature, as is the manner of earthly Princes; but by diuers, and thoſe the chiefe made to agree together to doe ſeruice vntounto him: declaring hereby, how in and about his throne, and in his kingdome there is a ſweet harmony and conſent, to the praiſe of his name amongſt thoſe that be of moſt different natures, as is further expreſſed, Eſai. 11. And for their being in the midſt of the throne, and round about, it is eaſily alſo reſolued from this conferring of places: for in Ezech. 1.14. They are ſaid to runne and returne, and ſo they might well bee ſometime in the midſt and ſometime about it. The maine exception againſt this expoſition is, that Chap. 5.9. they are brought in together with the Elders praiſing God for their Redemption by the bloud of Chriſt, and therefore it ſeemeth cannot bee Angelicall ſpirits. But to this it may eaſily bee anſwered; that though the beaſts are ſaid to fall downe with the Elders, yet it doth not neceſſarily follow, that they ioyned with them in their new ſong; nay rather by ſome circumſtances it ſeemeth neceſſary to vnderſtand that muſicke and ſong to be made by the Elders only, both becauſe they could handle viols, which the beaſts could not, and the orderly performing of each ones part requireth, that as the foure beaſts had before aſcribed holineſſe to the Lord, to which the Elders ſaid Amen; So now the Elders hauehave ſung praiſe to the Lambe, they ſhould ioyne and ſay Amen: neither are the beaſts ſaid to hauehave crownes, as they muſt hauehave to whom the ſinging of this ſong can agree: for they praiſe the Lambe, becauſe by him they are made Kings and Prieſts vntounto God: this the beaſts cannot ſay, but onelyonly the Elders, who weare the crownes of gold in token that they are Kings. As for thoſe opinions of the vertues and affections of the minde, they being no ſubſiſtences of themſelues as theſe beaſts are, they doe eaſily fall to the ground. And for that about the myſteries of our Redemption, if any ſuch thing had beene intended, the likeneſſe of a man ſhould hauehave beene put firſt, then of a bullocke, &c.