The Ruin of Rome, Commentary on Revelation · Chapter 5
CHAP. V.
AFter this Viſion containing the glory of the diuine maieſtie was ſhewed vntounto Iohn, that hee might knowe from what fountaine this Propheſie was deriued, now in this fift chapter is taught and ſhewed by what meanes, and by whoſe mediation, the knowledge of ſuch hidden myſteries were reuealed vntounto the church; namely, by the meanes and mediation of Ieſus Chriſt, in whom only the counſels and ſecrets of God the Father are opened, and made knowne vntounto men. For hee is the great Prophet & Doctor of the church, which is come downe from the boſome of his Father, and hath made knowne vntounto vsus whatſoeuer he hath receiued of his Father, Ioh 15.15. Math. 3. Math. 17.5.as hee himſelfe testifieth. And the church is commaunded by a voice from heauen to heare him, and him alone.
ver. 1.2.3.4. This fift Chapter containeth three things generally. Firſt a deſcription of the booke, which was in the right hand of God.
ver. 5.6.7. Secondly, a deſcription of Ieſus Chriſt, which receiueth it at the hande of his Father, and openeth it.
Thirdly, a deſcription of thoſe moſt glorious praiſes which are giuen to Chriſt by the Angels, verſ. 8.9.10.11.12.13.14. Saints, and all the creatures in heauen and earth.
I ſawe in the right hand of him that ſate vponupon the throne, verſ. 1 a booke written within, and on the backe ſide ſealed with ſeuen ſeales.
By this booke here mentioned, is meant this preſent booke of the Apocalyps, or Reuelatiō, as it ſhall plainely appeare in the next chapter, when wee come to the opening of the ſeuen ſeales thereof. For the things which fall out vponupon the opening of the ſeuerall ſeales, do plainely declare, that all is meant of the particular matters contained in this preſent booke.
This booke is ſaid to be in the right hand of him that ſitteth vponupon the throne, becauſe all the ſecrets reuealed in it, come from the counſell and decree of the moſt high God, and are ordered by his meere direction and prouidence.
It is called a written booke, to ſhewe that the things contained in it, are ſo firmely decreed in the counſell of God, that none of them ſhall faile, but come to paſſe, and bee fulfilled in their ſeaſon. They are ſuch as wee may write of, as wee vſe to ſay: and therefore for the certaintie of them, they are here ſaid to be written in a booke.
This booke is ſaid to bee written within and without, for the multitude and varietie of matters contained in it. For there were both many and great things which ſhould fall out in the world from the time that Iohn receiued this Propheſie, vntounto the end of the world.
This booke is ſealed with ſeuen ſeales, that is to ſay, perfectly ſealed, becauſe the things contained herein, are counſels and ſecrets, onelyonly knowne to God, til it pleaſed him to reueale them to his church by his ſonne. The elect Angels knew nothing of the things written in this booke, before the ſeales were opened.
verſ. 2 And I ſawe a ſtrong Angell, which proclaimed with a loude voice; Who is worthy to open the booke, and to looſe the ſeales thereof?
Here is proclamation made to all creatures, that if there were any manner of perſons in heauen or earth, among men or Angels, that would take vponupon them to open and expound this booke, that they ſhould come forth and ſhewe themſelues, and bee very willingly and gladly heard. But alas, the next verſe doth ſhewe, verſ. 3 that none in heauen or earth was able to open the booke and expound it, wherevpon Iohn wept very much, verſ. 4 becauſe no man was found worthy to open and interpret this booke.
The cauſe of Iohns weeping and lamenting, was for feare the Church ſhould bee depriued of ſuch profitable and excellent things as hee knew were contained in this booke. Such was his louelove to the Church: ſuch was his zeale and care for the people of God. An example worthy of all imitation, to mourne and weepe for the concealing of the booke of God, and to reioyce in the opening of it. But Papiſts and Atheiſts are of a contrary minde, for they reioyce in the concealing and keeping cloſe of the ſcriptures, and are much grieued with the opening and reuealing thereof; becauſe thereby their hypocriſie and villany is detected and diſcarded.
VponUpon this, one of the Elders ſaid vntounto Iohn: Weepe not, verſ. 5 Beholde, the Lion which is of the Tribe of Iudah, the roote of Dauid, hath obtained to open the booke, and to loſe the ſeales thereof.
Here we ſee how Iohn is comforted and cheared vp by one of the Elders, being now very penſiue and ſad, and is willed to plucke vp a good heart, and to bee of good cheare, for hee could tell him good newes; to wit, of one that could open and expound this booke, and all the ſecrets in it, and that is Ieſus Chriſt, the great reuealer of ſecrets, and onelyonly expounder of all riddles, and hidden myſteries, as before hath bene ſpoken.
Ieſus Chriſt is here ſaid to be of the Tribe of Iudah, becauſe he is lineally diſcended of that Tribe, according to the fleſh, and his humane nature.
He is compared to a Lyon, by alluſion vntounto Iacobs words in his laſt will and teſtament concerning Iudah, namely, that hee ſhould couch as a Lyon, Gen. 49.9.and as a Lioneſſe, & none ſhould ſtirre him. He is fitly compared to a lion, for his great & admitable power & ſtrēgth, for he raigneth and muſt raigne ouer al his enemies, and in the middeſt of all his enemies, yea, till he hath troade all his enemies vnderunder his feete.
He is called the roote of Dauid, both here, and alſo in the 22. chapter of this booke, verſe 16. becauſe he ſprung out of Dauid the ſonne of Iſhai, as a braunch out of his roote,Eſay. 11.1. as the Prophet did foretell, that A rod ſhould come forth of the ſtocke of Iſhai, and a graft ſhould growe out of his rootes. Rom. 1.3.And the Apoſtle ſaith, that Christ was made of the ſeede of Dauid, according to the fleſh.
verſ. 6 Then ſaith Iohn, I beheld, and loe, in the middeſt of the throne, and of the foure beaſtes, and of the Elders, ſtood a Lambe, as though he had bene killed, which had ſeuen hornes, and ſeuen eies, which are the ſeuen ſpirits of God ſent into all the world.
Here Iohn taketh a view and ſight of Ieſus Chriſt, from the verie middeſt of the throne, & of the foure beaſtes and the Elders. Chriſt doth not appeare about the throne, as do the Saints and Angels, which are but miniſters and miniſtring ſpirits: but in the verie middeſt of the throne, and the foure beaſtes, &c. becauſe hee is God euerlaſting, coequall and coeternall with the Father, in whom (as the Apoſtle ſaith) dwelleth all the fulneſſe of the Godhead, bodily or eſſentially. And here afterward the ſame worſhip and honour is aſcribed vntounto him both by the Saints and Angels, which before is aſcribed vntounto God the Father.
Chriſt is here compared to a Lambe, for his innocencie; for the ſcripture ſaith: He was as a ſheepe, dumbe before his ſhearer. Eſa. 53.7. Iohn. 1.29.Hee is the Lambe of God that taketh away the ſinnes of the world. He is the Lambe ſlain from the beginning of the world. Apoc. 13.8.Hee is compared to a Lyon, for his great & incomparable ſtrength in cōquering hell, death, and damnation, and all infernall power. And to a lambe, becauſe he hath diſpatched all this vponupon the Croſſe, by the ſacrifice of himſelfe once offered: for hee neuer did more liuely ſhewe forth his Lyon-like power, then when hee was as a lambe ſlaine and ſacrificed vponupon the Croſſe.
This Lambe Chriſt, is here ſaid to hauehave ſeuen hornes, which ſignifie his manifolde power, or fulneſſe of power, or perfect power, according as this metaphor or borrowed ſpeech of horne is vſually ſo taken in all the ſcriptures. This Lambe alſo is ſaid to hauehave ſeuen eies, which are interpreted to be the ſeuen ſpirits of God: that is, the manifolde graces and gifts of the Spirit, which hee giueth vntounto his Church. Now then to conclude this point, for as much as the number of ſeuen in this booke is a number of perfection, and alwaies noteth perfection, therefore by Chriſts ſeuen hornes, and ſeuen eies, wee may, and that ſoundly, vnderſtand his perfect power, and his perfect ſight and knowledge in all things. For his ſeuen eies are ſo taken in the third chapter of the Propheſie of Zacharie, where it is ſaid:Zach. 3.9. VponUpon one ſtone ſhall be ſeuen eies. Meaning, that Ieſus Chriſt, the corner ſtone of the Church, ſhould be full of eies, to looke out for the good of his Church, and to giuegive light to all others: for hee is the life and light of the world.
And he came and tooke the booke out of the right hand of him that ſate vponupon the throne. verſ. 7
Here Ieſus Chriſt taketh the booke out of his Fathers hand, purpoſing both to open it, and expound it: For he is the onelyonly expounder of the law, and the beſt interpreter of his Fathers will.
verſ. 8 Herevpon it is ſaid, that the foure beaſtes, and 24. Elders fell downe before the Lambe, to teſtifie their thankfulneſſe and inward ioy and reioycing that the Son of God would take vpō him this office, which none other would or could performe.
Moreouer, by their falling downe and worſhipping him, they doo plainely teſtifie, that hee is God ouer all, to be bleſſed for euer. For otherwiſe the Angels of heauen, both Cherubins and Seraphins, would not thus fall downe, and worſhippe him, aſcribing vntounto him, both deitie and diuine honour. Conſider then how great hee is, of whom it is ſaid: Let all the Angels of God worſhip him.Pſal. 97.7. Heb. 1.6.
Moreouer, theſe Angels and Saints are ſaid to hauehave eueryevery one harpes and golden viols, full of odours, which are the praiers of the Saints. verſ. 8
Theſe harpes doo ſignifie the ſweete concent and harmony both of men and Angels, in ſounding forth the praiſes of the Lambe. For herein the whole Church,Apoc. 14.2. both militant and triumphant doo accord and tune together, as many harpers harping with their harpes; as it is written alſo in an other place.
Hereby alſo they do plainely teſtifie that inward peace and ſpirituall ioy, which all the faithfull hauehave through Chriſte, which is more ſweete and delightſome to the ſoule, then any muſicke is vntounto the eares.
The viols full of odours, are expounded to bee the praiers of the Saints, which are therefore compared to odours, becauſe they ſmell ſweete in the noſthrils of God, and are more fragrant then any noſegay or perfume whatſoeuer: for hee taketh great pleaſure in the praiers of his people; eſpecially when they come out of golden viols, that is, ſanctified hearts and conſciences: for euerie ſanctified heart is a golden heart in the ſight of God; and euerie regenerate conſcience is a iewell of price, guilt with golde, and enameled with pearle. For this cauſe the holy man Dauid wiſheth earneſtly that his heart might bee ſo renewed and cleanſed inwardely, that his prayer might bee directed as incenſe in Gods ſight, Pſal. 14 1.2.and the liſting vp of his handes as a ſweete ſmelling ſacrifice.
Furthermore, verſ. 9 theſe Saints and Angels doo ſing a new ſong. That is, they do ſing to the praiſes of the Lambe with renued affections, & vnwearied deſires: Their inward ioy continueth alwaies freſh and greene, as the Bay-tree: They neuer wither or waxe wearie of the ſeruice of God: Their ſong is euermore new, and therefore euermore delightſome. For the more new any thing is, the more pleaſant and delectable: for men are not affected with olde, but altogether with new things.
Now then, Ieſus Chriſt hauing taken this booke into his hande to open and expounde, is applauded vntounto by the general conſent and voices of the whole church: For ſay they, Thou art worthy to take the booke, verſ. 9 and to open the ſeales thereof. Wherein they doo all with cōmon conſent, giuegive their voices vntounto Chriſt, acknowledging him to be the only fit perſō in heauē or earth, to take vpō him this functiō of opening a booke ſo cloſed, ſo claſped, ſo ſhut, ſo ſealed, and they do yeeld a reaſon of their proceedings, becauſe (ſay they) thou waſt killed, and haſt redeemed vsus vntounto God by thy blood, out of eueryevery kindred and tongue, and people, and nation. Meaning hereby, that he was put to death to pay the price of our redemptiō, in whom all the beleeuers, both of the Iewes and Gentiles, are ſaued. Their reaſon then is this: he that hath died, and riſen againe, and is now exalted farre aboue all principalities and powers, &c. is the moſt fit Inſtrument to open and interpret this booke. But thou ô Chriſt the Lambe of God, art ſuch a one, therefore thou of all others, art moſt meete to take this matter vponupon thee, and to enter into this buſineſſe. Further, they amplifie their reaſon thus: that hee hath made vsus of ſlaues and ſeruants, verſ. 10 Kings; and of prophane perſons, Priests vntounto the moſt high God. And laſt of all, that we ſhall raigne vponupon the earth. Not meaning heereby, that we ſhall raigne as earthly kings, or only enioy an earthly kingdome. For out of all doubt, the Saints ſhall raigne with Chriſt in the heauens for euermore. But heere is mention made of raigning in the earth, becauſe after this life, Gods children ſhall hauehave the fruition and inheritance both of heauen and earth:Pet. 3.12. that is to ſay, that new heauen and new earth wherein dwelleth righteouſneſſe: for the heauens and the earth being redintegrated, and purged from corruption, ſhall be the portion of the Saintes, and the habitation of the elect, for euermore.
After all this, verſ. 11 Iohn heareth the voice of innumerable Angels, beſide the foure beaſtes. That is, the Cherubins and Seraphins, or chief Angels; that is, Angels deputed to chiefe offices, round about the throne, which all with a loud voice do acknowledge the Lambe which was killed, to be worthy of all honor, glory, & praiſe, &c. verſ. 12 And not onelyonly theſe innumerable Angels, being twentie thouſād times ten thouſand, but alſo all other creatures both in heauē and earth: as the Sun, Moone, & Starres, the fiſhes in the Sea, and the beaſtes in the earth, do all in their kinde ſing the ſame ſong, verſ. 13 acknowledging all honour and glory, praiſe and power, to belong vntounto him that ſitteth vponupon the throne, and vntounto the Lambe, for euermore. For although the creature is as yet ſubiect to the bondage of corruption, and therefore groneth and trauelleth in paine, waiting when the ſonnes of God ſhalbe reuealed, yet it ſtādeth in aſſured expectation of reſtitution to libertie & incorruption; and therefore here all the creatures do praiſe the Lambe for that reſtauration which they doo ſo longly and wiſhly looke for. And the foure beaſts ſaid Amen. That is, they do ſubſcribe to thoſe praiſes which the creature yeeldeth to their Creator. And not onelyonly the Angels do ſubſcribe and conſent vntounto it, but the 24. Elders alſo, who fall downe, & worſhip him that liueth for euermore. So that the Lambe is praiſed and worſhipped of all hands, both of men and Angels, and all other creatures, as God euerlaſting, and bleſſed for euermore.