Commentary on Revelation, Lecture 3
LECTURE III.
Vers. 13.
I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.
14.
Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
15.
For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.
16.
I Iesus have sent mine Angel, to testifie unto you these things in the Churches. I am the root and the off-spring of David, and the bright and morning star.
17.
And the Spirit and the Bride say, Come. And let him that heareth, say, Come. And let him that is athirst, come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
18.
For I testifie unto every man that heareth the words of the prophesie of this book, If any man shall adde unto these things, God shall adde unto him the plagues that are witten in this book:
19.
And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophesie, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
20.
He which testifieth these things, saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen, Even so, Come Lord Iesus.
21.
The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
BEfore the Spirit close this Book, much is spent of that part which is the Conclusion, on these two, 1. in confirming the truth of what is delivered in the prophesie. 2. In the commending of the excellency of it. After (ver. 10.) He hath given direction by the Angel not to seal these sayings, and having removed an objection that stood in the way, ver. 11. He confirmeth and commendeth these sayings, 1. By Christs approaching coming to reckon with folks how they made use of this Scripture and warning, ver. 12. 2. From the soveraignity of Him who asserted it, it was not an Angel, but the eternal God, ver. 13. 3. He commendeth it from the happinesse of these that rightly maketh use of these words, ver. 14. which verse is answerable to ver. 3. of Chap. 1. Then, 4. He commendeth this Scripture from the contrary misery that shall come on all, who shall by their own fault be excluded from this happinesse, ver. 15. These are done by several witnesses, sometimes by Iohn, sometimes by Jesus Christ, sometimes by the Spirit, sometimes by the Angel.
He goeth on to confirm the truth of what hath been delivered, and the first confirmation, is, ver. 13. (which as it relateth to all the prophesie, so doth it especially to the former of Christs coming quickly) I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last: I, that speak and have sent this Book to my Church, am God, and will perform what I have spoken. The words hold out Christs eternity, not only as being before and after all things, but as giving all things a being, and ordering all things to their ends, and to His own glory as the great end of all, He is the beginning of the Creation of God, Rev. 3.14.
This commendation is prosecuted, ver. 14. and 15. from the happinesse of them that so make right use of all the Word of God, and especially of the words contained in this Book. The happinesse and the persons to whom it belongeth, are first set down, ver. 14. Blessed are they that do his commandments. Blessednesse is the most desirable thing that is looked for: and thus, blessed are they that keep His Word and obey it. And though this general be true, yet considering ver. 3. of Chap. 1, and ver. 7. of this Chapter, and the scope here to be one with these (to commend this prophesie,) we take the commandments, spoken of here, especially to look to the sayings of this prophesie. And so it is, Blessed are they that keep the sayings of this Book, the Lord foreseeing that this Book was to meet with more opposition than other Books of holy Scripture: and there being a general reluctancy in all to make use of it, therefore though but six or seven times blessednesse be spoken of in it, yet it is thrice applied to them that keep the sayings of this prophesie, particularly these which relate to the keeping of clean garments, from the corruptions of Antichrist, and of the time, and to the putting of us in a posture of waiting for His coming.
This blessednesse is branched out several wayes more particularly, 1. that they may have right to the tree of life, that is, to the happinesse the Saints have in glory, and especially to Jesus Christ the objective and fountain-happinesse of the Saints, as ver. 2. of this Chapter, and Chap. 2. The meaning is, they shall have right to Jesus Christ, and glory in heaven with Him: Not that doing of the commandments is the meritorious cause of this, or that which giveth Believers right to it. But for clearing it, consider Christ two wayes holden out in the Word, 1. As He is the ground and purchaser of Salvation to Believers in Him, and so believing is that which giveth right to Him and all that is in Him, according to the offer which is the ground of our faith. 2. Consider Him as the object, in whom Believers happinesse consisteth, and in the enjoying of whom there is life, as Col. 3.4. Christ being thus looked on, as the object of their happinesse, keeping of the commandments is the way wherein we come to enjoy Him: and this agreeth well with that word, Heb. 12.14. Follow peace with all men, and holynesse, without which no man shall see the Lord. And hereby the necessity of holinesse, and obedience to His commandments, is holden forth, without which (Col. 1.12.) we are not meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light: for, though holinesse and obedience be not the way unto, or causa sinè qua non of, our justification, or to Christ considered as the meritorious cause of it, who is thus to be closed with by faith alone; yet are they to our glorification, and to the immediate enjoying of Him in heaven.
The second branch of their happinesse, is, They shall enter in thorow the gates into the city, that is, into the new Ierusalem, and the glory that the Saints have to look for in heaven, Chap. 21. and beginning of Chap. 22. their holinesse endeth in happinesse and glory; there is no coming to heaven but by this door, no climbing over the walls; for, the Angels are porters. The meaning is, the studier of holinesse, shall have fair accesse into heaven, like a man that hath a passe and getteth liberty to enter in the city, when the sentinel keepeth others back, and they are not admitted, 2 Pet. 1.11. So an entrance shall be ministred unto you abundantly, into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord: whereby it is clear, that this city is heaven, and the way to it, is holinesse: and to hope to come to heaven and to live in profanenesse, is as if folks would think to climb over the walls, and not enter by the ports into it: We may well say, that though holinesse be not the cause of our entry, yet it is our passe, by which it is known who are to be admitted or have right to enter, and who not.
The third way how this happinesse is set out, is by holding out the misery of all that are profane, ver. 15. for without are dogs and sorcerers, &c. This is given as a reason why they are happy that shall have accesse into the city, because without are such and such vile persons; and as a reason why they are blessed that are holy, because profane ones are shut out: under which we comprehend all that are disobedient, and such as cast the Word and Commandments of God. And it letteth us see how God esteemeth of all that give not themselves up to the obedience of the Truth. Of these sorts of sinners we spoke, Chap. 21.8. Only dogs are added here, that is, 1. Such as are profane in conversation, and will not take reproofs, such as amend not, Matth. 7.6. Give not that which is holy to dogs. 2. These that are opposit to Truth, in doctrine, and vent and spread what is unsound, as Philip. 3.2. Beware of dogs, &c. speaking of these teachers that did mix the righteousnesse of the Law with the righteousnesse of Christ in justification. These also are without, that is, are in the second death, Chap. 21.8.
From Vers. 16. and forward, followeth the Lord Jesus His own close, to the same purpose, to confirm and commend the truth of the words of this Prophesie. In the 16. verse it is commended from the fountain it cometh from, I Iesus have sent mine Angel to testifie these things in the Churches. These are not Iohns inventions, nor the sayings of an Angel out of his own head, but they are from Me, I own them all, I Iesiu (taking His proper name to Himself) have sent mine Angel in more than an ordinary way, to reveal these things to My servant Iohn, and by him to the Churches, to the end of the world. And that this may have the more weight, He taketh to Himself such stiles as He took to Himself before, Chap. 2, and 3. I am the root and off-spring of David, the bright and morning star, to bring souls in love with Him; He setteth out Himself as the very Messiah come of David, as Chap. 5.5. The Lion of the tribe of Iudah, and the root of David, and the off-spring of David as man, because as man He came of David, and so is the promised Messiah, as Isa. 11.1. There shall come a rod out of the stem of Iesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots, &c. Or, take the words differently, I am the ro…t of David, that is, David God, and David is as a branch, and I gave him a being: And I am the off-spring of David, that is, as man I am a branch come of David. And thus he answereth the question the Pharisees could not understand, Matth. 22.43. If David call Him Lord, how is He then his son? He is Davids Lord as God, and Davids son as man, so is He his root and off-spring. 2. He calleth Himself the bright and morningstar: He is called a star by Balaam, Numb. 24.17. There shall a star come out of Iacob, and this relateth to that, but to shew that He is not a common star but a singular one: He is called the bright and morning star, or day-star that bringeth the light of the day with it, holding Himself out as the fountain of all light and consolation, as Ioh. 1.9. He is that true light that lighteneth every one that cometh into the world. This is He that sendeth this message to the Churches, and that now we read of, He that brought life and immortality to light, &c. These titles are foolishly applied (to say no more) to the Virgin Marie, as many others are by Bernardine de Busco, De denominationibus Mariae.
The second commendation is in a twofold Come, ver. 17. the Spirit and the Bride say, Come. And let him that heareth, say, Come. This is such a word, so excellent and true a word, and so comfortable a saying, that all that have the Spirit in them when they hear it, will say, Come, and wish a performance of it; and the Bride the Lambs wife, all the Glorified in heaven, and all the Regenerate on earth concur in it; And not only the Church universal for that time, but all that shall hear this word, and have the faith of it in their heart, shall say, Come. We conceive the scope is, 1. to commend this word from the desirablenesse of it to all Believers, especially that word, vers. 12. Behold, I come quickly. 2. To let the Church know that He is to send no more new Scripture or Messages of this sort, and that they have no more to expect but the coming of the Lord on the back of the fulfilling of this Prophesie. And so as Malachy, in his last Chapter, closes the Canon of the old Testament with a promise of Christs first coming, and putteth the People of God to the Law of Moses and the Prophets till then, so Christ here closeth the Canon of the New Testament with a promise of His second coming, to which He knitteth the longing desires of His Church.
The second Come, that commendeth the excellency of this Book, Let him that is athirst, come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. Is there yet any body that is not clear in their interest, let them come and take this word before Christ come; for, he will not get another word: as if He said, I have made many fair and free offers, and now I close My last offer with a good word, Who ever will take Christ, and life through Him freely, on the terms of free grace, let him come, and take Him without money and without price, Isa. 55.1. This is our Lords farewell, that He may presse the offer of the Gospel and leave that impression, as it were, upon record amongst the last words of the Scripture; and His scope is to commend this Book and the offers He hath made in it, as most free and on the tearms of grace, wherein Christ aimeth much to draw souls to accept it, And teacheth us that all that would expect comfort of His coming, and pray for it with a well-grounded confidence, they would first come to Him, and close with Him, and make use of His offer. This maketh a comfortable meeting with Him, and who cannot say the first come to Christ, that he may come, let themselves come to Him, and hear and answer His call to them, that so they may turn over their request to Him.
The third way how He commendeth this word, is by putting a testimony to the perfection of it, ver. 18. telling that nothing can be added to it, and nothing can be diminished from it as superfluous, and both these are set down by way of commination, and it is given as a reason why folks should expect no more Scripture after this. 1. Let any man beware of adding to these things. Adding may be considered formally as denoting the enjoyning of any thing for Scripture, or to be accounted as such, which is not contained in this Book, or declared by God immediatly to be such as this is. Or, 2. as adding upon the matter, by putting or imposing a meaning on that which is written, that God never intended, or which the words will not bear. Therefore deceivers and wresters of the Word, are called Impostours, as imposing: the curse that is threatned on them that add any of thir wayes, is, God shall add to him the plagues that are writen in this Book, that is, He shall bring upon him all the curses threatned to come on the openly profane and secret hypocrites, or Antichrists followers.
And that it may be known, that it is no lesse fault to diminish than to add, he telleth, ver. 19. If any shall take away from the words of this Prophesie, that is, either by taking away something that is canonick, and derogating from the authority of the Scripture, or by hyding or detracting from the meaning of it (for, both these wayes the Word is diminished, when the weight of Gods authority in the truth is diminished, or when folks receive not the Truth and walk not in the obedience of it.) The threatning that is added to this, God shall take away his part out of the Book of life, &c. that is, that man shall never come into glory; it shall be declared he was never written in the Book of life, and he shall be shut out of heaven; for, never a promise of happinesse, in all the Word, belongeth to that man. And so as Moses when he gave the Law, Deut. 4.2. and 12.32. commandeth neither to add nor diminish. And Prov. 30.6. Add thou not unto His words, lest He reprove thee. So also our Lord Jesus sealeth the New Testament, but with a more severe threatning: and that word (Deut. 4.2.) That ye may keep the Commandments of the Lord, sheweth that the keeping he meaneth of, consisteth not in the letter, but in the practice and conversation, by making the Word our rule in our walk. In which words, as all diminishing from Scripture, so all addition under whatsoever pretext, is condemned: by which the bulk of Popish traditions is justly rejected.
If it be objected that this threatning is only in reference to this book, but hindereth not but that something by tradition may be added to others, or to the Scripture in general. Answ. 1. Yet this book is looked on here as the close of all Scripture, and therefore there can be no other reason given for adding this certification, but to restrain men from looking for more, and that they may now accept the Canon closed. 2. This is simply against mans adding to Gods Word, and putteth marches betwixt Gods word and mans of whatsoever nature; for, the Scriptures are Gods Word, but traditions are mans: and either they are for their matter grounded on the Word and so are contained in it, or not grounded on it or contained in it. If they be of the first sort, they are no more Gods Word, but as other consequents drawn from it. If of the second sort, then they are manifest additions, and so in this opposed to the Word. 3. Adding must be so understood, as diminishing or taking away must be; But taking away is so to be understood as to make that no Scripture which God hath appointed to be so, whatever the matter of it be: and therefore to adde, must be to account any thing Scripture, or as Scripture, which God hath not so appointed to be. Hence as it were by this condemnable to suppresse any book that were canonick, because the matter of it were in an other Book; even so, on the contrary, must it be here reproved, to adde any book unto, or to equal it with Scripture in Authority, which is not contained in the Canon, 4. Do not the same reasons that condemn adding to this book in particular, condemn adding to the Word in general, or to any other book thereof? so that as we cannot adde some prophesies to this book out of traditions, and call them, or account them, a part of the revelation, or of equal authority with it; so neither may we from tradition joyn any thing to any other book, or to the Word in general; for, the reason is one, God will reserve this piece of Soveraignity to Himself to decide what shall be accounted His revelation, and will have no other medling with it, so also with His Word in general. 2. He will keep men from encroaching on what He hath reserved to Himself: and indeed it seemeth by this commination, that He esteemeth it highest arrogancy and lese-majesty to alter in any thing His word, which is the most sacred and soveraign thing which He hath left with His Church, and wherein His name and supremacy doth especially consist.
The close of all, is Christs speaking a word as His drawing to an end, ver. 20. He that testifieth these things, saith, Surely, I come quickly. It is He that speaketh, ver. 16.18. that testifieth these things, and that which He saith is a promise, or prophesie of Christs coming, and of the certainty and suddenty of His coming to Judgement. 2. And the last words of the verse are an hearty and warm welcome, that Iohn in the name of all Believers, or the Bride giveth to this truth, promise, or prophesie of the coming of the Lord, Amen: not only let it be so, but I wish, and long, and pray that it may be so, Even so, or, So be it, Come, Lord Iesus, as Thou hast promised.
There is here then a promise made, which Iohn turneth up to God in a most fervent supplication not only for himself, but for the whole Church of Christ also, upon the hearing and consideration of this, that Christ is to come again and receive Believers to Himself, that where He is, there they may be also: such ejaculations of the soul will often interrupt the thoughts and discourses of these who are in the faith of being found of Him in peace at His appearance, the lively apprehension of what they do expect at that day, when they shall see Him as He is, produceth such a sweet complacency in it, and stirring of heart to be possessed of it, that there must needs follow such ardent desires after it as will almost prevent all deliberation: for, excellent objects have such an amiable aspect upon the soul, and attractive power over the heart, that it most willingly yeeldeth up it self, and as if it were all composed of desires, it breatheth forth nothing but earnest wishes after a neernesse and inseparable conjunction with that object. Now, what can be proposed to the immortall soul like this, to hear Christ say Behold, I come quickly? truly the apprehension is at a stand in unfolding that blessednesse which is included in this one sentence, it goeth beyond the reach of a created understanding to search it out unto perfection; for eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive what is here imported. And therefore no wonder to see it draw such a holy heart forcibly out after it, breathing out all the way such a desire, Even so, Come, Lord Iesus, Come quickly, as if his heart intended by this wish to anticipat that day: But because he knew the Bride was not yet made ready, and that there was a long tract of time to interveen betwixt the giving of this promise and that day wherein the marriage of the Lamb shall be solemnized, when He shall bring her unto the King, all glorious within, in cloathing of wrought gold and raiment of needle work, with the virgins her companions that follow her, that they may enter the Kings Palace, to be with Him there for ever; and because he knew, that before this there were many sad emergents and searching dispensations to be met with, such winds to blow as should overblow every one who was not ballasted with the grace of God, such false Doctrines to be spread as would carry about every one whose heart was not established by grace, such deceivers privily bringing in damnable heresies, that if it were possible the very Elect should be deceived, so many duties to be done, and so much affliction to be suffered as were impossible to be performed and born without the assist…nce of special grace, Therefore as the conclusion of the whole, verse last, he desireth that the grace of the Lord Iesus Christ may be with them all, as that which by its sensible presence or supporting influence, would carry them through whatsoever they might meet with; for, there is no difficulty so great which will not evanish and disappear before His grace; and a gracious man is able to do and suffer all things through Christ who strengtheneth him. This grace is indeed the one thing necessary, to make a man carry creditably for the Gospel and comfortably to himself in all cases that may be incident: he who is strengthened by the might of His grace in the inner-man, will be sted…ast and immoveable, alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord. And therefore it is no wonder, that one who was seen in the concerning events which should fall out till the second coming of Christ, did wrap up all his desires for the Saints with an Amen, in this one wish, The grace of our Lord Iesus be with you all. The very pulse of a holy soul beateth still this way, his temper may be known by the ordinary unconstrained and habituall desires of his heart: Let others wish to themselves and their friends what they please, that which a holy man wisheth to himselfe and these whom he loveth best, is this, that the grace of Jesus Christ may be with them; he would have his own desires, with the desires and endeavours of every man else, terminate upon this. If ye ask him, what he feareth most? It is this, lest he come short of the grace of God; Or, that his hopes are most upon? It is for that grace which is to be brought unto him at the revelation of Jesus Christ: this is the very character of a Christian in good case, that he is one who is waiting for the appearance of Jesus Christ, and that grace which is to be brought with Him; the expectation of this is the rest of his soul, he feedeth upon it constantly, when he is alone, the thoughts of it keep him company, and he maketh this his companion in whatsoever company he be: In a word, he i… content to be empty of all things beside, that out of His fulnesse he may receive grace for grace; this to him is the one thing necessary, and therefore he maketh it his choice. Happy, yea, thrice happy is every one who doth so: for he hath chosen that good part that shall never be taken from him.
The worthy and pious Author of this Treatise (whose communication was habitually good for the use of edifying, and such as did minister grace to the Hearers, being about to leave this world, to which he was dead when alive, while all that were about him did see him panting for God, for the living God, as the Hart doth after the water brooks) a little before he fell asleep, desired one of them who stood by, to write for a close to this Commentary, these following words, (worthy to be graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever) And now, O my soul, when all sayes Come, and concu…es in a sweet harmony, seing thou hast heard, and dost hear the Call of the Gospel, say with the Bride and with the Spirit, Even so, Come Lord Iesus, Come quickly.
FINIS.