A Paraphrase on the New Testament, Revelation · Chapter 1
CHAP. I.
1. THe revelation of Jeſus Chriſt, which God gave unto him, to ſhew unto his ſervants things which muſt ſhortly come to paſs; and he ſent and ſignified it by his angel unto his ſervant John:
1. Note 1. It is eminently called the Revelation, as being by Viſion and Prophetick notice an extraordinary Revelation of future things.
2. Beza well obſerveth hence the Order of God's Revelation to his Church. Firſt, God himſelf is the Fountain; he revealeth it to our Mediator, as Man, (who knoweth all things as God) that according to his Office he may be the Light and Teacher to his Church. Chriſt revealeth it to Angels; the Holy Ghoſt and Angels reveal it to Apoſtles and Prophets; they reveal and record it to the Church, where all muſt learn it, but ſpecially Teachers, to tell it to the People.
3. It is things to come that are here revealed; therefore I cannot receive thoſe two Learned mens Expoſition, who make it a Hiſtory in a Prophetick ſtyle, and ſay, that moſt, or very much of it, was done before it was written.
4. The word [ſhortly] made them expound almoſt the whole Book of things all fulfilled about Conſtantine's time, or preſently after Alaricus's ſacking of Rome. But [ſhortly] may ſignifie no more than, 1. That theſe things will ſhortly be begun, though not ſo quickly finiſhed; And 2. That a thouſand years is with the Lord but as one day. But I confeſs that ſo much, as can be proved already done, we muſt not feign to be yet to come.
5. It is moſt like that this John was the Apoſtle, but it's not certain.
2. Who bare record of the word of God, and of the teſtimony of Jeſus Chriſt, and of all things that he ſaw.
2▪ Who by this Writing truly telleth the Churches, what Chriſt by his Angel told him, as a faithful Witneſs of Chriſt, and of all that he ſaw and heard in this Viſion and Revelation; ſome things that then were, may be mentioned, to introduce the Prophecy of things to come.
3. Bleſſed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecie, and keep thoſe things which are written therein for the time is at hand.
3. Note; It is a deſirable thing, and an addition to that man's wiſdom and happineſs, who underſtandeth this, and all other Scripture Prophecies; but this concludeth not that no other are bleſſed, or that many attain that degree o… happineſs (For I think I never knew one ſu…h:) But the neceſſary parts of Chriſtianity, which are in this Prophecy mixt with darker paſſages, all muſt keep that will be bleſſed.
2. The Time of their beginning was at hand, and the End not far off.
4. John to the ſeven churches in Aſia, Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come, and from the ſeven ſpirits which are before his throne:
4. I John ſend you this holy Greeting and Benediction Grace and Peace (the greateſt bleſſings) be to you from the Eternal God, and thoſe Angels whom he hath made your ſpecial Guardians.
Note 1. That it is Angels (and not the Holy Ghoſt's ſeven Graces) that is here meant, is after manifeſted.
2. Why they are called Seven, ſome ſay is, becauſe ſeven goeth for a number of perfection, whence the Seven Planets, the ſeven days of the week, &c. But this is but mens conceit, and no part of God's Word. Nor can we prove hence, that God hath ſet ſeven Angels above all the reſt. But all that we can know of it is, that John, being commanded to write to ſeven Churches, numbereth the Guardian Angels accordingly from their Charges.
3. This is no Prayer to theſe Angels, but a notice that God's Mercies are communicated to thoſe Churches by their Miniſtry, and this meſſage ſent by them from Chriſt.
The naming of the ſeven Spirits before Chriſt, is no preferring them as above him: But Chriſt is after named, becauſse much more is to be ſaid there of him together.
5. Why ſeven Churches only are named, men variouſly conjecture; ſome ſay, becauſe they are ſpoken of prophetically, as in their names ſeven ſtates of the Univerſal Church, or its notable parts, to the end, are ſignified. But this (being impoſſible to be proved) is rather to pretend another Revelation, than to expound this. Others ſay, that it being only the Pro-Conſular Aſia that John wrote to, theſe ſeven being the Metropolitan City-Churches, did comprehend all the reſt, as parts under them. But 1. T…is alſo is but a Humane Imagination, without any proof. 2. If they mean that theſe were then made Eccleſiaſtical Metropolis's, it's a fiction without, and againſt, Hiſtorical evidence, which tells us of a far later date of Metropolitical Churches. 3. If they mean that they were Metropolis's only in a Civil ſenſe, and that the Apoſtles, in planting Churches there, purpoſed or ordained that afterwards Church-Power ſhould follow the Order of the Seats of Civil Power, I anſwer 1. That this is a crude unproved Aſſertion, and therefore of no authority or credit. 2. And it's known, that it was four hundred years after that this was decreed by a Council as a new thing. 3. And this was ſo far from being Apoſtolical, that it confounded the Church, ſetting in ſuperiority the worſt men that could but get into a Metropolis, and putting all Biſhops and Churches at preſent under the Power of the People and Pr…ſbyters o… one City, which was a Metropolis, and choſe their own Biſhop: Yea, Dr. Hammond thought that then no B…ſ…op had any Preſbyters under him, and ſo there w…re n…ne but his People to chuſe him; (for the Neigh…ur …iſhops did not, though they ordained him;) Yea it turneth Churches upſide down at the will of every Emperour, Heathen, Infidel or Chriſtian, who can enfranchiſe or disfranchiſe Cities at his pleaſure. 4. And there is no proof that theſe ſeven were all and only the Civil Metropolitical Cities of Aſia.
3. Both theſe then being mens unproved Imaginations, yea and unlikely, it remaineth that theſe ſeven Churches were moſt eminent in Aſia, both for greatneſs and thoſe tryals, vertues and faults which Chriſt was pleaſed to note as the occaſion of this meſſage; And if he ſee cauſe to ſend a meſſage to ſeven, it belongs not to us to ask him, why he ſendeth to no more.
5. And from Jeſus Chriſt, who is the faithful witneſs, and the firſt begotten of the dead, and the prince of the Kings of the earth:
5. Note, 1. By [faithful witneſs] is meant, the faithful and certain Meſſenger and revealer of Gods will to man: 2. By [firſt begotten] is meant, both the Greateſt and moſt Excellent, and the firſt in order and cauſality, who Riſing from the dead, is the cauſe that we ſhall Riſe 3. He is Prince of the Kings of the Earth, not only as Greater than all Kings, but as over them all in power▪ by whom they reign, and who d…th diſpoſe of all, Eph. 2.23. Matth. 28.19. Joh. 17.2. Joh. 13 3. Joh. 5.22. Eph. 1.21. Col. 1.15, 16, 17. Phil. 2.9, 10, 11.
5. Unto him that loved us, and waſhed us from our ſins in his own blood, 6. And hath made us Kings and prieſts unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
5.6. To this Glorious Lord and Saviour, who ſhewed his wonderful Love to us, by his giving up himſelf a ſacrifice for our ſins, that the Merit of his Blood might cleanſe us from guilt and ſin, and juſtify us from it before God, and who hath choſen and ſanctified us and made us by his Grace, a peculiar holy People to God, dignified in our Relation to Chriſt as Kings in honour, and brought us near to God like conſ…crated Prieſts, to offer him our daily ſervice acceptable through Chriſt; To him I ſay, ſhall be Glory and Dominion for ever, in the acknowledgement whereof let all his Saints rejoice.
7. Behold, he cometh with clouds, and every eye ſhall ſee him, and they alſo which pierced him, and all kindreds of the earth ſhall wail becauſe of him: even ſo, Amen.
7. I have oft before enquired whether this Coming of Chriſt be 1. his Coming by the Roman Armies to deſtroy Jeruſalem, 2. Or his ſetting up Chriſtianity in the World, and deſtroying Heatheniſm, 3. Or his Coming at laſt in Glory. The matter is true as to all the three: But the text ſeemeth moſt ſtrained by the firſt expoſition, and leaſt by the laſt: Every way he is dreadful to his enemies. But every eye ſeeth him not the firſt way; nor did the deſtroyed Jews acknowledge it to be by him.
8. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, ſaith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.
8. I am everlaſting, before all Worlds and without end, and he who hath Power over all.
Note, Theſe words ſeem to be the words of Chriſt, and not of God the Father; And with the ſixth verſe, which aſcribeth to him everlaſting Glory and dominion, do ſeem plainly to ſpeak the Godhead of Chriſt.
9. I John, who alſo am your brother and companion in tribulation, and in the Kingdom and patience of Jeſus Chriſt, was in the iſle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the teſtimony of Jeſus Chriſt.
9. I John, who was your brother and companion, undergo the like ſufferings as you do, in the ſame belief and ſubjection to Chriſt in his Kingdom, and in Patient enduring for his ſake, was in the Iſle of Patmos, whi…her I was baniſhed for my Teſtimony, and preaching the faith of Chriſt.
10. I was in the ſpirit on the Lords day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,
10. I was there in a tranſporting rapture by the Spirit of God, on the firſt day of the week, called by the Church, The Lords day, (obſerved in commemoration of his Reſurrection:) And I heard a voice call to me as lowd as a trumpet.
Note 1. The vain cav…l of thoſe that deny the [Lords day] here to mean the Chriſtians day of holy worſhip, even the firſt of the week, I have fully▪ confuted in a book called the Divine appointment of the Lords Day. And it needs no confutation to thoſe that are acquainted with Church Hiſtory, who know that this day hath been kept holy as of Apoſtolical ordination and practice by the univerſal Church ever ſince the Apoſtles daies, the hereticks themſelves conſenting.
2. Chriſt owned his own day, and the ſuffering of his baniſhed Solitary Servant, by the Communication of theſe extraordinary Revelations, and by the extaſie of Spiritual influence.
11. Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the firſt and the laſt: and what thou ſeeſt, write in a book, and ſend it unto the ſeven churches which are in Aſia, unto Epheſus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.
11. N. 1. The firſt ſentence is out of divers Greek Copies; but is before ſpoken, & is the deſcription of Chriſts Eternity. 2. This was written by Chriſts Command.
12. And I turned to ſee the voice that ſpake with me. And being turned, I ſaw ſeven golden Candleſticks.
12. To ſee who that voice came from which I heard.
13. And in the midſt of the ſeven candleſticks, one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.
13. One in the ſhape of a man who was a repreſentation of Chriſt in ſplendid clothing like Aarons.
Note, Whether it was the Angel that thus repreſented Chriſt, or Chriſt himſelf who aſſumed this appearing ſhape immediately, is uncertain.
14. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as ſnow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire. 15. And his feet like unto fine braſs, as if they burned in a furnace: and his voice as the ſound of many waters.
14, 15 Chriſts apparition ſignifieth his Innocency & Glory by whiteneſs; his terrible majeſty, by his fiery eyes and feet, and his dreadful voice; to affect all with Reverence, and his foes with terror.
16. And he had in his right hand ſeven ſtars, and out of his mouth went a ſharp two-edged ſword, and his countenance was as the ſun ſhineth in his ſtrength.
16. And in his right hand were held ſeven Stars, which ſignifie the Paſtors of the ſeven Churches, commiſſioned and upheld by him: And a two-edged Sword, from his mouth, ſignified his Word ſent forth with power, to convert and ſave the Elect, and to convince and condemn the obſtinate rejecters: And his countenance was glorious as the Sun in its cleareſt appearance.
17. And when I ſaw him, I fell at his feet as dead: and he laid his right hand upon me, ſaying unto me, Fear not, I am the firſt and the laſt.
17. He laid on me his ſupporting hand of Love, when his terrible Glory had caſt me at his feet and bid me Not fear, (for his Glory is joyful to his Servants, though terrible to his Enemies:) He is my Almighty, Eternal God, and my Hope.
18. I am he that liveth, and was dead: and behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen, and have the keys of hell and of death.
18. I am Chriſt who was lately Incarnate on Earth, and crucified for your ſins, and now live your King and Interceſſor in glory, and ſhall die no more: And death and all ſeparated Souls are in my power, to be taken into Happineſs, or caſt out.
19. Write the things which thou haſt ſeen, and the things which are, and the things which ſhall be hereafter,
19. Write theſe Revelations for poſterity, which contain what thou ſeeſt, and the Expoſition of ſome things that already exiſt, and the Prophecy of many things to come.
20. The myſtery of the ſeven ſtars which thou ſaweſt in my right hand, and the ſeven golden candleſticks. The ſeven ſtars are the angels of the ſeven churches: and the ſeven candleſticks which thou ſaweſt, are the ſeven churches.
20. Note; It is a great Controverſie what is meant by Angels here; 1. Some ſay that the Prophetical phraſe being primarily of proper Angels, as the Guardians of the Churches, yet as in their names intending the meſſage to the Churches themſelves, ſo it is here ſpoken of, and to the Churches, but as denominated from their ſeveral Angels: And this ſeemeth to me the moſt likely ſenſe, viz. To the whole Churches, Paſtors and People under the name of their Guardian Angels, though blaming the Churches, and not the Angels; which ſhould not ſeem ſtrange to them who feign ſuch good men as Timothy to be the Angels, who were not guilty of the crimes here reproved. Thus Auguſtine d… Doctr. Chriſt. lib. 3. c. 30. citeth and ſeemeth to like Tyconius's Expoſition, who ſuppoſeth the whole Church meant under the Angels name.
2, Others ſuppoſe the Preſbytery of each Church collectively governing them are called the Angels.
3. Others think that only the Metropolitans are meant as Heads of Preſbyters, and other Biſhops.
4. Dr. Hammond thinks there were Sub-Preſbyters in Scripture times, and ſo that it is Metropolitans that are here meant; but ſuch as were but ſingle Paſtors of Congregations, like a Pariſh-Paſtor now that hath not ſo much as a Curate un…er him ſave Deacons, but was Metropolitan over many Dioceſſes of ſuch ſingle Biſhops.
I am far from believing. 1. That any ſuch Metropolitans were then ſettled; 2. Or that ſuch Churches had but one Paſtor; 3. Or that the ſingle Biſhop of a Metropolis was blamed for the faults of many Dioceſſes of Churches; 4. Or that the Biſhops of the excellent Primitive Churches, were ſo quickly degenerate, and guilty of the crimes here mentioned, ſpecially if Timothy was one. And this Expoſition too groſly ſlurs Epiſcopacy. But if they were but ſingle Paſtors of ſingle Churches, the difference is no great moment: What he ſpeaketh of the Apoſtles intending ſo great a change afterward as Dioceſans have made, requireth proof.