The Revelation Revealed, Chapter 1 · Verse 4-5 – Verse 5-6
Verſe 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.
Verſe 5. And from Jeſus Christ, &c.
John having diſcovered the Author of this Revelation in the firſt two verſes, by whom it was given, and the Inſtruments by whom it was ſent and received, and having confirmed it by a ſure teſtimony, that it was he himſelf that did receive it, he goes on with a ſaluting preface to the ſeven famous Churches which were then in the leſſer Aſia, by way of an admonitory Epiſtle; wherein partly he commends and encourages them, partly he checks them; which will be manifeſted in the progreſs of the diſcourſe, before he enters upon the relation of the Prophetical viſions themſelves.
From whence obſerve, That Chriſt's Miniſters or Prophets, though they have a Burden, or Doctrine of Judgements and Wrath, to denounce againſt a people or church, yet they are in the firſt place to come with the doctrines of Grace and Peace in their mouths, with bowels of pity and compaſſion towards them. The work of judgements is as it were a work of abhorrency unto God; Why will ye die, O houſe of Iſrael! How often would I have gathered and healed you, but ye would not? It is God's method, a long time to exerciſe his patience and forbearance, before his wrath be executed: he will try all means in the firſt place by mercies, by providences, by deliverances, to win a people to himſelf: he will (as a good husbandman) many years encloſe, dig, dreſs, and prune his Vineyard, in expectancy of fruitfulneſs, before he will hew them down, and caſt them in the fire: He will abide long with his backſliding children; forty years long was he grieved by his gainſaying people Iſrael: yea, he will come down and ſee (as if formerly he did not take notice of their ſins, hoping of their amendment by ſuch forbearance) whether their tranſgreſſions be ſo or not, Ezek. 33.11. God takes a ſolemn Oath, As I live ſaith the Lord, I have no pleaſure in the death of the wicked; Turn, turn, &c. When God is as it were, by unrepentant ſinners, enforced to withdraw his preſence, and execute his judgements, O! how troubled is he at it? He doth it, as it were, ſtep by ſtep; Ezek, 10.4. When God withdrew his glory from the Temple, firſt it moved to the threſhold, then towards heaven, v. 19. then to the midſt of the city, and from thence to the mountain on the Eaſt ſide of the city, cap. 11. 23. and ſo at laſt went wholly from them. This ſets a reproof upon ſuch that come like Boanarges, ſons of thunder, with doctrines of judgments and wrath, before they have made experiment of the doctrines of peace and grace: That of our Saviour may be well applyed unto them, They know not of what Spirit they are of.
Obſerv. 2. That all Chriſt's faithful Miniſters, that deſire the good of ſouls by their doctrines, are to pray for the encreaſe of grace and peace in God, and in our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and upon all their hearers: It is John's wiſh here to the ſeven Churches, Paul always in every Epiſtle to thoſe to whom he directs them, Rom. 1.7. it manifeſts our charity and our duty, in praying for all, but eſpecially for the houſhold of faith.
Queſt. What is meant here by wiſhing Grace and Peace?
Anſw. Not only the gifts and graces of the Spirit, but Grace it ſelf, the fountain and original of all good, even the good will, and free favour of God, which he bears to his Elect, even whilſt ſinners, in and through Jeſus Chriſt: and Peace, which is not only happy ſucceſs from God in all things which concerns the felicity of our ſouls and bodies; but more eſpecially, reconciliation unto, and with God, from whence floweth all true peace and tranquility unto the mind and conſcience.
Queſt. How comes Iohn to wiſh Grace and Peace to the ſeven Churches, whilſt being churches of Chriſt, they had this Grace and Peace aforehand?
Anſw. He wiſheth unto them a fuller ſenſe, and more plenteous fruits of this Grace and Peace, and perſeverance in it; it ſeems by their backſlidings, they had loſt ſome of the comforts and fruits of their grace, and therefore need a ſupply from God.
Secondly. I anſwer, All Grace is not given at once to God's beſt children, but by degrees, and as they are capable of; and therefore rightly might Iohn wiſh theſe Churches an encreaſe, and ſo may all Chriſt's Miniſters unto all, that will ever want encreaſe of grace whiles here beneath; for none here in this world will ever ſee perfection in an abſolute and abſtract ſenſe, and therefore will ſtill have need of an additament of grace and peace
You have here the Author or Fountain (to wit the Trinity) from which all happineſs, all true grace and peace do proceed, even from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; that is, from that almighty glorious God, who only hath an abſolute and infinite Being, in, and of himſelf, who was from all eternity, and is the ſame for ever.
And from the ſeven Spirits which are before his Throne,] Here is ſome difficulty in Interpretation, What is meant by the ſeven Spirits? Some interpret that here is meant ſeven principal miniſtring Spirits, or Angels, that always ſtand before the Throne of God, to receive his commands: But this I cannot approve of; Firſt, becauſe grace and peace is here deſired from them, joyntly, as from God and Jeſus Chriſt, to be beſtowed upon the Churches; and this is not the Angels, or creatures work, but only the Creator's.
Secondly, For that in all the Epiſtles where there is mention made of this or the like ſalutation, you ſhall never find it in any created Spirits or Angels name, but only in this ſort; The love of the Father, the grace of Jeſus Chriſt, the conſolation or peace of the Spirit be with you.
Thirdly, for that in chap. 5. v. 6. theſe ſeven Spirits are there called the ſeven eyes of the Lamb that was ſlain, which the Spirit ſent forth into the whole earth. Which reaſons do clearly convince me, that we muſt here in this place, and there alſo, underſtand this ſpoken of the Spirit of God, which here goes under the denomination of ſeven Spirits, to ſignifie its ſeven-fold power, vertue, efficacy, and gifts, Rom. 12. For this myſtical number of ſeven, do always in this book, and all other propheſies, ſignifie compleatneſs and perfection; ſeven Churches, ſeven Candleſticks, ſeven Seals, ſeven Trumpets, ſeven Vials, ſeven Angels, all ſignifying a perfection in their kinds.
Hence take this Note:
Obſerv. That the Father, Son, and Spirit, the whole Trinity, are engaged for the ſupport and encreaſe of our grace and peace, and of all our joy, comfort, and happineſs, here, hereafter, and for ever. From the Father more peculiarly flows the grace of Election; from the Son, the grace of Redemption and Satisfaction; from the Spirit, the grace of Sanctification, Peace, and Conſolation: And from the Three in one, our God bleſſed for ever, Salvation, and Eternal Glory.
Verſ. 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: unto him that loved us, and waſhed us from our ſins in his own blood.
Verſ. 6. And hath made us Kings and Prieſts unto God, and his Father, to him be glory, &c.
Chriſt here is ſaid to be the faithful Witneſs in ſundry reſpects. Firſt, In that he hath faithfully declared the Will of the Father. Secondly, In that he hath been faithful in all his works, about our Redemption, committed to him by the Father. Thirdly, In that he hath here faithfully declared the mind of God towards his church in theſe propheſies. From whence obſerve as before on verſ. 1.
Obſerv. That this Propheſie having ſo faithful an Author and Relater as Chriſt, it muſt ſurely be true, and come to paſs. If the word ſpoken by Angels was ſtedfaſt, much more what was ſpoken by the Son, Heb. 2.1, 2. ſee more hereon, cap. 3. 14.
Chriſt is here called the firſt-gotten of the dead; firſt, becauſe he was the firſt that roſe by his own proper power from the dead. Secondly, becauſe all that have riſen, or ſhall ſo riſe, does it by a derivative vertue and power from him. Thirdly, he may be called the firſt-born, or firſt fruits of the dead, becauſe he is the true and ſubſtantial firſt-fruits that was offered up unto God, for the living and the dead; which was typified in the Levitical primicies, or firſt fruits, or firſt-born, that was offered unto God, 1 Cor. 15.20.
Obſerv. This proves the Reſurrection. If Chriſt be the firſt-born of the dead, then others of his members muſt neceſſarily be partakers of the reſurrection alſo, 2 Cor. 4.14.
Chriſt is here called the Prince of the Kings of the earth; firſt, as Head of his Church, or of Saints, who are called Kings of the Earth, Rev. 5.10. Secondly, as King of Kings; ſo by him kings reigne. This manifeſts his power and ability to bleſs us here with his grace, and at laſt to raiſe us, and to ſave us: and unto this mighty and powerful Saviour, who loved us, and waſhed us from our ſins in his blood, and made us Kings and Prieſts unto God, that is, Kings and Conquerors, not only over our own luſts, but over the world, and over the powers of darkneſs, and Prieſts to offer up ſpiritual ſacrifices unto the Father; To this gracious Saviour, who hath done all theſe great things for us, be given all glory and dominion for evermore, Amen. Hence Note,
Obſerv. That the whole work of our ſalvation is aſcribed unto Jeſus Chriſt, under theſe particulars. Firſt, He loves us, that is, accepts our perſons in himſelf from all eternity, and in time, juſtifies us from our ſins in his blood. Secondly, He ſanctifies us, by making us conquerors over our luſts, and to become actively zealous towards God in ſpiritual ſacrifices of prayer and praiſe. And laſtly, he makes us Kings and Prieſts after the Reſurrection, Rulers with Chriſt, and ſharers with him in his Kingdom of glory. See more, cap. 5. 1.