Exposition on the Catholic Epistles, Revelation · Chapter 5
CHAP. V.
A Repreſentation of the Lords ſitting in maieſty hauing been made in the former Chapter, here is ſhewed in what manner hee proceedeth to reueale the things to come. He holdeth a booke in his right hand written within a without, ſealed with ſeuen ſeales, which when none could open, the Lord Ieſus tooke and opened it, and vponupon the opening of each ſeale there is ſome repreſentation of that which ſhould afterwards be done. What booke this was I thinke there needeth no great queſtion to bee made, for the moſt reaſonable coniecture is, that it was a booke containing the things herein reuealed, which were ſo many, as that they could not bee ſet downe without writing on both ſides of each leafe, and not on one ſide onelyonly, according to the ancient manner of writing: for to what end were the ſealing, if it were written on the backe ſide, that it, on the couer of the booke: it is ſealed with ſeuen ſeales, which none could looſe, becauſe it exceeded the power of any creature to declare them, onelyonly the Lambe of God can doe it: neither vponupon the opening of one can any declare the reſt, but he muſt open each one in order that we may attaine to this vnderſtanding. Others anciently hauehave expounded this Booke of the holy Scriptures containing the old Teſtament, which is the writing within, becauſe more obſcure; and the new, which is the writing without, becauſe the myſteries of ſaluation are herein more plainly reuealed: but this is altogether without ground here, for what ſhould the Booke of the holy Scriptures doe now in the Lords hand, when hee was not about to explaine the myſteries thereof, but only to reueale things to come hitherto kept ſecret, ſo as the myſteries of holy Scriptures were not? I paſſe ouer therefore the firſt fiue verſes and come to the ſixt.
Queſt. 6. In the midſt of the Throne and of the beaſts and Elders ſtood a Lambe, &c. Verſ. 6.Why doth a Lambe appeare after ſpeech of a Lion that ſhould open the ſeales, and why ſtanding, and with ſeuen hornes and eyes?
Anſw. It is agreed by all that this is the Lord Ieſus; but why a Lambe appeared, after that one of the Elders had told Iohn of the Lion of the Tribe of Iudah, who had obtained power to open the Booke, I finde no reaſon rendred. It ſeemeth to me that he is called a Lion by one of the Elders,Gen. 49. Eſa. 11. becauſe by that name, and by the name of the root of Dauid hee was anciently propheſied of, and therefore moſt fit for one of elder times, being brought in ſpeaking to tell of a Lion and of the root of Dauid, according to the Propheſies that then went of him: but when he appeareth to Iohn, it is moſt fit that hee ſhould appeare as a Lambe, bearing a ſigne of being killed, becauſe he was ſo lately crucified, and by the name of a Lambe he was ſpoken of by the Prophet of the new Teſtament, Iohn the Baptiſt. There are many reaſons rendred why he was ſpoken of as a Lion and as a Lambe. He was called a Lion, firſt,Ioh. 1.29. for his ſtrength in ouercomming all his enemies; ſecondly, for his principality, whereby he is King of all, as the Lion is of the beaſts; thirdly, for his courage, whereby hee feareth nothing but maketh all afraid of him; fourthly, for his vnderſtanding euen in his child-hood, as the Lion alone of all beaſts that hauehave clawes, ſeeth as ſoone as he is whelped. And whereas it may ſeeme ſtrange, that a Lion is ſpoken of for the opening of a Booke, for which ſuch a creature is vnfit; one reſolueth it well, that ſinne and the Deuill hindring from the ſight of the myſteries of God,Brightman. a Lion of power to breake the force of theſe is fitly mentioned, becauſe this hindrance being taken away, the ſeales that kept them faſt in cloſed are as it were looſed. The root of Dauid he is called, according to Eſay 53.2. whereas he is ſaid to be a branch out of the root, Eſay 11.1. becauſe although he be but a branch, according to the fleſh for ſo much as he came of Dauid, yet hee is a root according to his Diuinity,Rupertus. Pannonius. whereupon Dauid and all the godly are borne by faith partaking of his grace, as of ſap comming from him, and conſequently of ſaluation by him. He is called a Lambe, becauſe he was offered vp in ſacrifice for our ſinnes, at what time, as a Lambe is dumbe and complaineth not, ſo he opened not his mouth.Orig. Hom. 24. in Num. He is in the midſt of the Throne, becauſe taken vp to the ſame glory with God in his humane nature, he ſtandeth to ſet forth his reſurrection. Hee hath ſeuen hornes to ſhew his kingly power, for hornes ſet forth ſtrength and Kings, & ſeuen being a number of perfection, that he hath the power of all Kingdomes. Seuen eyes ſet forth the fulneſſe of ſpirituall light comming from him, as all Expoſitors agree. If it ſhall ſeeme ſtrange that Chriſt ſhould appeare as a Lambe with ſeuen hornes to declare his kingly power, ſeeing the Lambe is a weake creature, and hath little ſtrength in the hornes; I anſwer, that it was neceſſary he being ſet forth as a Sacrifice for our ſinnes, whereby they were taken away, being otherwiſe an obſtacle to the perception of diuine myſteries, hornes in great number ſhould be aſcribed vntounto him to declare his might yet remaining when hee had ſuffered, leſt his enemies ſhould contemne him as a weakling. And although two hornes, which Lambs vſually hauehave, were vnfit to ſet forth this, yet ſeuen hornes doe fitly ſet forth an extraordinary Lambe, mighty, beyond the nature of that beaſt. And the ſeuen eyes anſwer to the ſeuen Seales, ſo that he hath eyes enow to ſee what is vnderunder eueryevery ſeale.
Note, that ſinne hindreth from vnderſtanding the myſteries of God, they muſt be firſt expiated, or elſe the Booke of God will ſtill remaine ſealed: it is in vaine to diue into the knowledge of theſe things for an vnregenerate perſon, that hath no part yet in the ſacrifice of this Lambe, whereby only his ſinnes may be done away.
Queſt. 2. The Elders are ſaid to hauehave Harpes, and golden Vials full of odours, which are the prayers of the Saints. What Saints prayers are meant here? the Saints in Heauen hauehave no need to offer prayers for themſelues, bee not theſe then our prayers, and if they be, is not here a ground to entreat them to further vsus in our prayers, ſeeing they muſt needs know what we pray, otherwiſe they cannot offer the odours of our prayers? And why doe they addreſſe themſelues thus to celebrate the praiſes of the Lambe vponupon the taking of this book to open it?
Anſ. The popiſh ſort will hauehave their preſenting of our prayers before God here vnderſtood, or at the leaſt the prayings of the Saints in Heauen for vsus, which if it be ſo, then they are Mediators of interceſſion and to be ſought vntounto by vsus. Our Writers on the other ſide will hauehave nothing elſe but the praiſes of the Lambe which follow in this Chapter vnderſtood, becauſe a thankſgiuing is a kinde of prayer. It is moſt cleare, that the prayers of Gods people vponupon earth are not meant, becauſe they are odours in the golden Vials of theſe glorified Elders, ſomething proceeding from them and the …eſt of the Saints in Heauen, euen as the incenſe offered by the Prieſts vnderunder the Law, was a ſweet fume kindled by them that offered it. But whether they were properly prayers petitioning for ſomething, or praiſes, it is a queſtion.Forbs. Brightman. Some will hauehave this a repreſentation of the Church vponupon earth, ſinging and offering vp the ſweet odours of prayer: but this cannot ſtand, becauſe things in earth are brought in praiſing the Lambe afterwards. Neither can I ſee how the following praiſes ſhould bee meant by the prayers of the Saints: for that was the ſong which they ſung to their Harpes, from which the odours in their Vials are a diſtinct thing. It muſt needs then be yeelded, that Prayers are here properly to be vnderſtood, and the prayers of theſe foure and twenty together, with all the reſt of the Saints in Heauen for the Church vponupon earth. And ſo it cannot be denied but that they intercede for vsus: only their interceſſion is for vsus all in generall, not knowing the particular caſe of any, ſeeing as the Prophet ſaith, Abraham knoweth vsus not, Eſa. 63.16.Iſrael is ignorant of vsus. And therefore to apply our ſelues to them in our praying, that we may be holpen by their mediation, as we are directed to doe vntounto Chriſt, is abſurd and ſuperſtitious, yea for ſo much as this honour belongeth to Chriſt only, it is from him derogatory, and ſo in a high degree impious. It is comfort enough to vsus in reſpect of the Saints in Heauen, that they beare ſtill an intire louelove towards vsus, and by ſoliciting the Lord for vsus, ſeeke to further our happineſſe, and that their prayers in this kinde are gratefull as odours, and ſo are all our owne godly prayers. Alſo comming out of golden Vials, that is, hearts purified and made precious by Faith. For their diſpoſing of themſelues to theſe praiſes after the taking of this ſealed Booke to open, the reaſon is plaine, it is no ſmall part of bleſſedneſſe to vnderſtand the myſteries of God herein contained, this bleſſedneſſe wee cannot attaine vntounto, but by the Lambe that hath died for vsus, wherefore when the Booke of theſe myſteries commeth to the opening, there is great reaſon that the vertues of this Lambe ſhould be thankfully commemorated. It is called a new ſong in reſpect of that in the former Chapter, there are the praiſes of the creation which was of old, here the praiſes of the redemption which was new.
Queſt. 3.Verſ. 9. And wee ſhall reigne on the earth. How ſhall the Saints reigne vponupon earth, or how is it that being Kings in Heauen, they ioy in thinking vponupon a future reigning here?
Anſw. Forbs. Brightman.Some vnderſtanding all of the Church militant, ſay, That reigning vponupon earth is nothing elſe but being in the Kingdom of grace whilſt we liue here. Others vnderſtanding it of the Saints in Heauen,Bullinger. Pareus. ſay, That the reigning vponupon earth ſhal be, when at the laſt day the Iudge deſcending, they ſhall come together with him in great glory, and ſhall appeare to be the Kings and Prieſts of God with Chriſt, iudging this wicked world.Arethas. Mat. 5. Others againe vnderſtand by earth, that new earth which is promiſed to the meeke, when it is ſaid, Bleſſed are the meeke, for they ſhall inherit the earth. And vntounto this as the moſt probable doe I ſubſcribe, for there ſhall be a new Heauen and a new earth, Chap. 21.1. and here ſhall the godly reigne in glory, not as the Chiliaſts and Turkes hold liuing in earthly pleaſures, for that is groſſe, neither is it to be thought that ſuch pleaſure is affected by ſuch as are heauenly and ſpirituall; but after the conſummation of all at the Day of Iudgement, the Saints ſhall reigne in another world, which in alluſion to this conſiſting of Heauen and Earth, is called a new Heauen and a new Earth. Or elſe conſider whether it may not be vnderſtood of the vpper hand which the Chriſtian Religion ſhould get of all falſe religions, when Emperours and Kings ſhould become Chriſtian: for being all of one myſticall body, when the Chriſtian Church getteth the principality, the Saints in Heauen may reioyce to foreſee it, and ſay, We ſhall reigne vponupon earth, that is, our company which belong vntounto the Lambe, and admire and praiſe him as we doe. And it was no ſmall comfort to know this then, when as all Empire and dominion was in the hands of heathen men and perſecutors, it muſt needs cheare vp the heart greatly to vnderſtand what power Religion ſhould hauehave ouer the Thrones and Scepters of this world, and the ancient ſeruants of God may well be ſaid to reigne vponupon earth alſo, becauſe their dictates and inſtructions are generally receiued and obeyed vponupon earth.
Queſt. 4.Verſ. 13. And I heard eueryevery creature in Heauen and in earth, vnderunder the earth and in the ſea, and all in them ſaying, bleſſing and honour, &c. What are the creatures vnderunder the earth, and how doth eueryevery thing ſpeake the praiſes of God, when as all cannot ſpeake?
Anſw. Ribera.The Papiſts will hauehave the ſoules in purgatory meant by thoſe vnderunder the earth, ſome the Deuills who are compelled to giuegive glory to Chriſt. But the beſt expoſition is of the creatures which dwell in ſubterranean places: for both they that are without and within the holes of the earth are called vponupon to praiſe God, Pſal. 148. and doe praiſe him and the Lord Ieſus Chriſt in their kinde, by whom a reſtauration of the world is attained when the faithfull ſhall be glorified, as is declared, Rom. 8.21. and for this cauſe they ſerue his prouidence, which is their praiſing of him. It is generally ſignified hereby what a conſent there is amongſt all things which are in expectation of benefit from Chriſt, in celebrating his praiſes that we may doe likewiſe.