The Revelation Revealed, Chapter 1 · Verse 17-18
Verſe 17. And when I ſaw him, I fell at his feet as dead; then he laid his right hand upon me, ſaying unto me, fear not, I am the firſt and the laſt.
Verſe 18. And I am alive, but I was dead; and behold I am alive for evermore, Amen: And I have the Keys of hell and death.
When John had taken a view of this appearance of the Son of man, and of that great and dreadful Majeſty and Glory that he appeared in, it ſtruck him, as dead, at his feet.
Hence Note, That the ſight of Divine glory, is the moſt effectually and humbling ſight▪ When the Prophet Iſaiah had a ſight of this glory, he could cry out, I am a man undone, and of unclean lips; for mine eyes have ſeen the King, the Lord of hoſts. Iſa. 6.5. When a ſoul comes to ſee this glory, it brings him to a true ſight of his own worthleſneſs, and to an abhorrency in his own eyes: There is no greater, or more efficacious way to take off our hearts from the creature, then to behold the vaſt diſproportion between the glory of God, and our poor ſelves. All fleſh is as graſs, and all the goodlineſs thereof is as the flower of the field, Iſa▪ 40.5, 6. and why? Becauſe the glory of the Lord ſhall be revealed, and all fleſh ſhall ſee it together. And when Job had a ſight of this glory, he cryed out, Job 42.5. Now mine eyes ſee thee, I abhor my ſelf, and repent in duſt and aſhes.
Obſerv. 2, That Revelations of Divine glory, are dreadfully glorious. They ſtruck John as dead: There did but Angels appear in an inferiour glory unto Gideon, and Manoah, and made thoſe Worthies quake, Judg. 16. & 13. Apparitions of glory works ſtrongly upon the ſpirits, and quickly overwhelms them: And if the glory of the creatures is ſo reſplendent, how is the glory of God to be born, who dwells in the light, which no man can approach unto? 1 Tim. 6.16. Paul could not behold that glorious light that ſhined about him, Acts 9. but was ſtrucken to the ground, and blinded with it. In the Earth, Heavens, and World, we may behold the glory of God in part, and as in a glaſs; but his eſſential glory, as it is himſelf, wherein he makes his habitation, is, that light which no man can approach to, or comprehend, and live; and therefore when it is but left out to appear but in ſome likeneſs, or ſimilitude of man; Fire, or the like, it works ſuch terrible effects upon the beholders of it. Abraham fell to the ground when he had this glory appeared to him, Gen. 17.3. The three Diſciples, when they had but a taſte of this glory, at the Transfiguration in the Mount, they fell upon their faces to the earth.
Now the reaſons that the appearance of Divine glory is ſo dreadful, are, Firſt, Becauſe the Majeſty of God is partly in thoſe viſions, and the luſter that accompanies it, is too high and burdenſom for mortal eye. Secondly, That it may breed an awe and reverence in us, of, and unto the Divine Majeſty. When Iſrael ſaw the lightning, and heard the Thunder in the Mount, all the people in the Camp trembled. Exod. 19.16. Thirdly, It is to prepare a ſoul for entertainment of what God hath to ſpeak unto it: Our ſouls are quite out of temper by reaſon of luſts, cares, fears, and the world, to have converſe with God: This prepares them for this Divine communion.
Queſt. Here a queſtion may be made, whether the bleſſed heavenly Spirits, Angels, or bleſſed Souls, or glorified perſons after the reſurrection, ſhall or do ſee the eſſential glory of God: Though it were granted, mortal eye cannot ſee this glory, yet thoſe bleſſed glorified creatures may?
I anſwer, That I am ſwayed for the negative. My reaſons are, Becauſe God's eſſential glory is himſelf, and God is inviſible, and that glory inacceſſible, and no farther, and in no other way to be ſeen and comprehended by any created being then himſelf thinks good to propound it in; and this hath hitherto from the beginning been God's method in the repreſentations of himſelf under ſhapes, figures, and ſimilitudes, fitted to the capacity of the creature: 'tis true, I confeſs Saints in heaven, and Angels, have a greater manifeſtation of the Glory of God, then Saints on earth, by reaſon of their glorified Organs, fitted to receive that high meaſure of glory, to compleat their veſſels with all true and perfect bleſſedneſs. but ſtill remember they are creatures, and will be ſtill ſo, though glorified and immortal ones; Now how a finite creature can ſee or comprehend an infinite Glory or Majeſty, I know not, otherwiſe then by condeſcenſions to their capacities, and finite natures, If a finite creature (as Angel, or glorified Saint) could ſee and comprehend an infinite, then what is ſeen or comprehended, it were not infinite: and if an infinite could be comprehended of the finite, the finite would it ſelf become infinite: Neither can infinite be ſeen in parts; for it is not poſſible therefore not to be ſeen at all. Therefore I am of opinion, that God, and his eſſential glory, is ſeen of Angels, and glorified Saints, not as in himſelf, infinitely glorious, but by way of condeſcenſion, in ſome reſemblance, likeneſs, figure, or repreſentation, above our reach to conſider; But I conceive the glory of God will be moſt eminently ſeen to glorified Saints, in the face of Jeſus Chriſt; God did always appear in the likeneſs of the Son of man, when he did appear to his Prophets before the Incarnation of Chriſt; the Saints ſaw God in the face of Jeſus Chriſt, when he was on earth; for he was the expreſs Image of his Father: And they that hope to ſee God and his glory at the reſurrection, ſhall ſee him moſt gloriouſly, and moſt eminently, in the face of the Son of man, Rev. 22.3, 4. The Throne of God and the Lamb ſhall be in it, and his ſervants ſhall ſerve him, and they ſhall ſee his face, and his name ſhall be in their foreheads.
Object. But ſome may ſay, Do not the Angels behold always the face of the Father in heaven? Matth. 18.10.
I anſwer, It is true, they are in the ſpecial preſence of God, and have a moſt high and eminent fruition and communion with God, but the manner unutterable, and inexpreſſible; for in this ſenſe you muſt underſtand it, and not literally; for God hath not a face in heaven: and conſider as before, they are creatures, and the Father is infinite and inviſible.
Object. 2. But did not Moſes and Jacob ſee God, and talked with him face to face, and mouth to mouth? Exod. 33.11. Gen. 32. Numb. 12▪ 8.
I anſwer, Thoſe Prophets and Patriarchs did ſee God, but how? Not eſſentially, but under divers reſemblances; for in his own nature he is inviſible: as that of 1 Tim. 6.16. Whom no man hath ſeen, or can ſee: and that of John 1.18. is downright, No man hath ſeen God at any time; either by corporeal viſion, or by intellectual natural viſion, for they are weak and imperfect, and cannot comprehend that which is moſt infinitely perfect in it ſelf: And for this reaſon alſo, the bleſſed celeſtial Spirits cannot comprehenſively ſee God, by reaſon of their imperfection, comparatively, to that moſt perfect Divine Being, who only is able to comprehend himſelf unto perfection.
Secondly I anſwer, Moſes nor Jacob never ſaw the Divine Eſſence, nor any other; Becauſe that is pure, unmixt, and always alike, but that of God they ſaw, was under ſome reſemblance; ſomtimes of a cloud, ſomtimes of the likeneſs of fire, ſomtimes of man, &c. that under the exhibition of thoſe viſible and ſenſible figures, they might perceive God, who was inviſibly repreſented to the underſtanding by theſe viſible glories.
Thirdly and laſtly, To ſee God face to face in Scripture, imports only two things; Firſt, a familiar converſe, as that of Exod. 33.1. Deut. 5.4. the Lord ſpeaks to Moſes face to face, and mouth to mouth, as a friend ſpeaks with his friend. Secondly, it ſignifies a more clear ſight of God, with greater perſpicuity and clearneſs. Some ſaw God in Dreams and Viſions, which were in dark reſemblances; but Moſes had more clear and illuſtrious viſions of God: To this purpoſe is that of 1 Cor. 13.12. Then ſhall we ſee face to face, that is, in heaven we ſhall enjoy and ſee God more perfectly, and more fully, then here on earth; and then we ſhall ſee God in like manner, or in ſome ſuch way as the life of man is now ſeen by the bodily eyes, by the intervention of ſomthing elſe, and ſo do become ſenſible and perceivable to the underſtanding. Jeſus Chriſt will be the great and ſpecial mirrour, wherein glorified Saints will ſee the Deity, and the Father.
Object. 3. But do not all Divines hold, that in heaven we ſhall enjoy the beatifical viſion? And doth not that of 1 John 3.2. import ſo much; We ſhall ſee him as he is?
I anſwer firſt, The higheſt Saint in glory will not be able to ſee all of God in eternal life, though to ſee and know this little of God that we ſee here, is life eternal.
Secondly, I anſwer, It is true, in heaven we ſhall ſee God in that manner, and thorow thoſe mediums he is pleaſed to manifeſt himſelf in: And that we ſhall ſee him as he is, that is, as he is to be ſeen, in a new and unexpreſſible way of glory: We ſee now the Sun beams, and we ſenſibly perceive the light, efficacy, and vertue of the Sun, yet we cannot poſſibly behold the nature of it. In like manner, in heaven the bleſſed ſouls ſhall ſee the beams and rays of the glory of God, and ſhall live in the light and power thereof, but ſhall never comprehend the nature of it. O Lord, grant that we may ſo live here to thy glory, that in the world to come we may be partakers of thy ſelf and glory, who will then reſolve us of all our doubts, and will alſo unvail ſo much of thy ſelf unto us, as will make us moſt perfectly bleſſed.
When John was in this humbled ſtate and conſternation, as dead at the feet of the glorious apparition of Chriſt, in the likeneſs of the Son of man, then he laid his right hand upon me, ſaying unto me, Fear not, I am the firſt and the laſt. The hand of the Lord hath divers ſenſes in Scripture: Firſt, for judgment, or puniſhment: The hand of the Lord ſhall be upon thee, and thou ſhalt be blind, ſaith Paul to Elymas, Acts 13.11. Secondly, It is taken for propheſie: When God ſtirred up the ſons of men to propheſie, then it is ſaid, That the hand of the Lord was upon them: as Ezek. 1.3. And the hand of the Lord was upon me: that is, God ſtirred up mightily on my Spirit to Propheſie. Thirdly, It is taken for the Spirit of God, as the hand, and eſpecially the right hand, is the ſymbole of the ſtrength of man, ſo the Spirit is the ſtrength and power of the moſt High: In theſe two latter ſenſes, Chriſt lays his right hand on Iohn. Firſt, upon his conſternation, he gives him the ſpirit of Propheſie, elevates and excites John's ſpirit to ſee Divine myſteries: And ſecondly, gives him his Spirit of ſtrength, power, and conſolation, which might ſubdue all his carnal conceits and fears, and ſo remove all impediments whatſoever, that hindered him in that work which God would have him to undertake; and therefore comes in with conſolation, and bids John fear not, for I am the firſt and the laſt.
From this, Note.
That thoſe that are ſtrucken low, and humbled by God, are fitteſt to be riſen by God for the reception of his choiceſt divine truths and myſteries. John was ſtrucken as dead with his glory, and then heard a voice, Fear not, but write the things that thou ſhalt ſee, to the ſeven Churches. When the Prophets Ezekiel and Daniel were fallen down on their faces, then they were lifted by the Spirit, and received glorious viſions: We muſt let all our own go, our falſe confidences, and carnal props, as of our own parts, our graces, our eminency in gifts, and the like, if we will be fit auditors for Chriſt; we muſt fall down at the feet of his Throne, if we expect an anſwer from his Throne. Moſes a meek man, yea the meekeſt of all men, he received the choiceſt favours from God's hand; for he ſpake to him mouth to mouth, and face to face. Deut. 34.10.
He laid his right hand upon me, ſaying unto me, fear not. Hence ſecondly Note,
That the hand of Chriſt, or his Spirit, is not only a moſt powerful, but alſo a comforting and conſolating Spirit. This is the Comforter, that takes off all fears from Iohn: It is the Spirit of God that does convince, it is the Spirit of God that converts; it is the Spirit that doth inſpire godly men, it is the Spirit that ſanctifies, it is the Spirit that comforts, the Spirit is the great Agent, and hand of God, by which God doth all his works. Chriſt here in the likeneſs of the Son of man, was but as a terrible apparition unto Iohn, it ſerved only to ſtrike him dead, before he laid his right hand upon him, to comfort and ſupport him: ſo the ſight or knowledge of Chriſt in the Goſpel, without the co-operation of his holy Spirit, is but as a terrible ſight and knowledge, that makes for the greater condemnation: Chriſt unto ſome may be a rock of offence, and a ſtumbling ſtone, whiles unto others that have his Spirit, he is the rock of ſalvation, and the corner ſtone, which is ſure and precious. O lay thy right hand, O Lord, upon thy ſervant, give him thy Spirit, that he may know thy Will and minde in thy Word, and ſerve thee without fear.
Obſerv. 3. That Chriſt is full of bowels of grace and compaſſion, towards all ſuch as he ſmites and humbles. The ſight of Divine glory being the moſt effectual thing unto poor, frail, worthleſs creatures, God follows it with the greateſt comfort, and ſweeteſt conſolations. No ſooner does Chriſt appear unto Iohn in his glory, that makes him fall at his feet as dead, but preſently Chriſt lays his right hand upon him, and he hears his comforting word, ſaying, Fear not: Chriſt would not leave Iohn in that ſpiritleſs and liveleſs condition, that the glory of the Viſion had affected him with, but quickly raiſes him, and comforts him again, with the moſt effectual and ſweeteſt conſolations. Chriſt is our merciful high Prieſt, and that good compaſſionate Samaritane, who is ſo affected and touched with our wounds and infirmities, Luk. 10.33. Heb 4.15. and that more eſpecially, with ſuch hurts and wounds that proceeds from his own hand, that he is moſt ready at hand with the oyl and wine, the Grace of his Goſpel, and Blood of his Covenant, to pour into our wounded ſouls, for peace, healing, and conſolation. Job after he was ſtricken and humbled by the hand of God, and came to a true ſight of the hand that did it, His captivity is turned into joy, and comforts are multiplyed, Job 42.5, 6, &c. Daniel after he was afflicted, and humbled for his own ſins, and the ſins of his forefathers, cap. 4. Then the Lord ſent Gabriel to comfort him, and to tell him, that he was a man greatly beloved, ver. 22. God does not throw down, afflict, wound, or humble any of his ſervants, to leave them ſo; but forthwith, or within a ſhort time, reaches out his right hand, and lays it upon them, to raiſe them up, and to comfort them.
Obſerv. 4. Another Note from this comforting word of Chriſt, ſaying, Fear not, is; That the Word of Chriſt being conjunct with the Hand of Chriſt, his Spirit is the moſt effectual comfort to a wounded ſpirit. The Word without the Spirit is inefficacious in its operations; John had lain ſtill as a ſenſleſs and dead perſon, notwithſtanding the word and voice of Chriſt, if he had not lain his hand upon him alſo: The word is of little power, if the efficacy of the Spirit be not in it; without this it is but a dead letter: That word of Chriſt which is powerful and efficacious, carries the Spirit with it; the ſame word goes forth unto all, and works from common gifts in ſome; ſo many are called: But that that makes it a diſtinguiſhing powerful word, is the concomitancy of the Spirit of grace; and ſo, few are choſen. When therefore we find in Scriptures ſuch expreſſions, as that the Word is the incorruptible ſeed, the power of God to ſalvation, the word of life, ſharper then a two-edged ſword, and the like: Theſe, and the like phraſes, we muſt underſtand, not as if the Word were ſuch in it ſelf without the Spirit, but conjunctively, when the Word is made the chariot of the Spirit, and the Spirit is made the life and power of the Word. The Word without the Spirit, is only a voice void of vertue and operation; and the Spirit without the medium of the Word, works not ordinarily, but both conjunct together, makes up that true diſpenſation of the Goſpel, which is called the miniſtration of the Spirit, 2 Cor. 3.8. and the Grace of God that brings ſalvation, Tit. 2.11. God is light it ſelf, and the Father of lights; yet the Sun is not uſeleſs, but by it he enlightens us: ſo the Spirit of God is the Comforter, and the Sanctifier, but does both comfort, ſanctifie, and perform all other his offices and works, in, by, and through the Word. O Lord, ſanctifie and comfort us by thy Word and Spirit; for thy Word is Truth, and the power of our God unto ſalvation.
Obſerv. 5. The laſt Note that I ſhall raiſe from theſe words, And he laid his right hand upon me, &c. ſhall be, That Chriſt doth fully furniſh in ſome good meaſure, with the gifts and graces of his Spirit, all ſuch as he calls and employs in the great offices of his church. Firſt, he lays his right hand upon John, intimating his deſignation, enſtalment, and confirmation in his Prophetical office: for, as Impoſition of hands was the ſolemn, and the ultimate compleat act in Ordination, unto all Offices in the Church, ſo Chriſt here follows his own method uſed in his churches; he lays his right hand upon him: but here lies the difference; men may lay their hands on, that is, beſtow offices on men, but cannot add power to execute thoſe offices; but Chriſt not only lays his hand on, makes John a Prophet, but fils him with his Spirit alſo. Whom Chriſt calls unto offices in his church, he lays his right hand upon them, he fills them with his Spirit. John before he received his confirmation in his Prophetical office, and the command to write his viſions, and what he ſaw, unto the churches; had in the firſt place, divine viſions of Chriſt in the likeneſs of the Son of man, and was ſtruck as dead with the glory thereof; whereupon Chriſt laid his hand of comfort upon him, and he heard that rouſing voice, ſaying, Fear not: The caſe and condition of ſuch perſons that are called to the Miniſterial offices in the church, ſhould in ſome meaſure run paralel with Iohn's. Firſt, They ought to have clear viſions of Chriſt, ſound knowledge in the myſteries of the Goſpel. Secondly, under the apprehenſion of divine glory and their own corruption, they ought to be humble, and lie low at the feet of Chriſt, to be patterns unto others in humility, ſelf-denial, and other graces. Thirdly, They ought to be ſenſible of Chriſts hand upon them; that is, his ſpirit, which will manifeſt it ſelf in their ſanctified deſires, willingneſs and readineſs unto the work of the Lord. Fourthly and laſtly, They ought to hear that rouſing word of comfort within; Fear not: that is, the comfortable experience of the Spirit in their own ſouls, Fear not, which will raiſe them to a holy confidence, to declare the mind of God in all things, and not to fear the faces of men; for the righteous are as bold as a Lion. This endowment with the Spirit, was that that was principally looked at in the chuſing of Officers, in the Acts of the Apoſtles, yea even Officers of the loweſt form. Conſult Acts 6.3. and 9.17.11.24. and 13.2. unleſs men have the Spirit of Chriſt in them in ſome fulneſs of it, they are neither fit for thoſe holy functions, nor can ſatisfyingly perſwade themſelves or others, that they are called of God unto them.