The Revelation Revealed, Chapter 1 · Verse 10
Verſ. 10. I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a Trumpet.
In the Greek copie it is no more but foreign, I was in the Spirit; which in Beza's tranſlation is rendred correptus in Spiritu, I was rapt in Spirit. It was indeed a rapture of ſpirit, an extaſie wherein John received this Viſion; and ſo it hath been with all the Prophets of old, they were acted by the Spirit in all their viſions and propheſies, they were lift up above themſelves, and out of themſelves, when they were to have cognizance of Divine things, and this was by the Eternal Spirit of God, working mightily in their ſpirits.
Obſerv. That the Spirit of God does as it were ſet a violence on thoſe perſons he employs about the high myſteries and diſcoveries of his choiceſt Truths. Paul, that great light of the Gentiles, he had his raptures into the third heaven; whether in the body, or out of the body, he could not tell. Exekiel when he was to receive thoſe high Viſions, he oft reports of the Spirit entring into him, and taking him up, cap. 3.12. and 2.2. John for his better accompliſhment to receive thoſe divine Viſions, he is here ſaid to be rapt in Spirit: And the reaſons of this is, Firſt, That he might be the better enabled to take a clear and full view of thoſe divine diſcoveries which were about to be ſhown unto him: When we would ſhow one things diſtinctly, we uſe to place him up on high for the better ſight. Secondly, That he might have ſatisfaction in his own ſpirit that thoſe his viſions were from God, ſeeing he had ſo extraordinary taſte of the Spirit in the firſt place, he might well conclude he was now, as it were, to become the mouth of the Spirit unto the churches. Laſtly, That his thoughts and heart might have been ſequeſtred from things below, and his contemplation raiſed higher on things divine, as a true Prophet of God ought to have.
Another Note from hence is, as a corrollary to the former, That when Chriſt ſets up any eminent Officer, or Light in his church, for the ſervice thereof, God firſt fills them with his Spirit. When John was but upon entring upon his prophetical office, God raviſhes him with his Spirit, and fills him therewith, to fit him for this office: When men in the Apoſtles days were to be choſen but for the loweſt ſervices in the Church, as for the over-ſight of the poor, and the like, yet they muſt be men full of the holy Ghoſt, and wiſdom, Acts 6.3. Much more then for the higheſt places, as Prophets, Paſtors, Teachers, and Elders, &c. It is ſaid, Paul and Barnabas were filled with the holy Ghoſt, and therefore to be ſeparated unto the work, Acts 11.24. and 13.2. The Offices of the churches of Chriſt, are for thoſe that have the Spirit of Chriſt in them, in ſome fulneſs of it: thoſe places are not for ſuch as are filled with the ſpirit of envie, covetouſneſs, pride, the world, contention, ignorance, and antichriſtian lording; ſuch have not the ſpirit of Chriſt in them; it may be well ſaid of ſuch, that they run for profit here, and the like, but the Lord ſent them not, Jer. 14.14. and 23.21. They flatter themſelves, and think they are called and ſent of God, becauſe God hath given them ſome common acquired gifts and parts, yet want all the eſpecial graces of the Spirit as meekneſs, ſelf-denial, contempt of this world, humility, bowels of compaſſion, ready to forgive, ſound knowledge in the truth, and holineſs and righteouſneſs in their lives and converſations: they that want thoſe graces in the truth of them, are neither fit for thoſe high functions in the church, nor can ſatiſfyingly perſwade themſelves, or others, that they are called unto it: Let this be as a memento to all ſuch that climbe over the walls into thoſe holy Functions, and are well ſatisfied with a call from men, when they were never called of God; I ſay, let all ſuch fear and tremble, leſt God ſpew them all our, together with their flocks that would have it ſo, in his wrath, for ever.
John was rapt in Spirit on the Lord's day: foreign, in the Greek: Whether this day be here called the Lord's day, for the great diſcoveries of thoſe viſions made unto John upon this day, or becauſe it was the Lord's day for the aſſembling of the Saints, to perform their ſervices unto God; it being the ſame day with that, which the Apoſtles call the firſt day of the week, and our chriſtian Sabbath, I ſhall not much contend, but rather am enclined unto the latter, for theſe two reaſons. Firſt, Becauſe the great work of Chriſt's reſurrection, on that day wherein he was manifeſted Lord, and Conquerour over hell, and Satan, purchaſed it that Title of the Lords day. Secondly, Becauſe the obſervation of the Sabbath, with all chriſtian publique ſervices, were transferred to that day, and ſo is called the Lord's day, foreign, or according to the Scottiſh dialect, the Kirks day, the Churches day, becauſe they held their aſſemblies, and performed their publique ſervices upon that day. Hence note.
Obſerv. That the Lord's day, or the day of the great and publique aſſemblings of the Saints, is the fitteſt time for God's higheſt diſcoveries of Grace and Truth.
John received here on this day, his high irradiations of ſpirit and Propheſies: This is God's great Market day, wherein there is a conſtant and mutual Exchange, or Bartering of heavenly and divine commodities: the Saints come with the returns of their improvements of mercies, in praiſes, prayers, and thankſgivings; God gives out in return, farther ſupplies of grace, and greater meaſure of knowledge in his ways and truths: Therefore ſure, moſt happy, moſt knowing, and moſt gracious are thoſe Saints that are moſt found in this way. O! this ſhould make all of us that are not in this way, to wail for it, as David in his abſence and exile from the church of God, that being the ſpecial habitation of God's glory, Pſal. 96.6. and to breath after it, even as the Hart brayeth after the fountain ſtreams: for this is the day of the Saints aſſemblings, wherein the Angel comes down, the Angel of the New Covenant, Chriſt in ſpirit, to ſtir upon the waters of Betheſda, upon the hearts and affections of all his people.
When John was in this rapture of ſpirit on the Lord's day, then he heard behind him a mighty voice, as it were of a Trumpet, loud and terrible: The Trumpet being a warlike Inſtrument, whoſe ſound is to prepare unto Battel, and to the terror of the adverſary. God's publique admonitions are ſo unto his church; it not only prepares his own unto repentance, but is alſo of terrible ſignification unto all his impenitent enemies.
But here comes in a queſtion fit to be diſcuſſed; John had here his raptures of ſpirit, extaſies, and heard a great voice as of a Trumpet: The Quere will be, How ſhall we know Divine raptures, extaſies, or viſions, from diabolical? For Satan is God's Ape, and hath his raptures, poſſeſſions, ſtrange apparitions, ſounds and voices alſo.
For anſwer, firſt know, that God's viſions are given either in the ſleep, as unto Jacob, when he ſaw a ladder reaching from earth to heaven, and Angels aſcending and deſcending, in Gen. 28. but ſuch are more properly called Divine Dreams. Or ſecondly, When the perſon is awake, as here, when Iohn was at Patmos on the Lord's day, doubtleſs either in God's ſervices, or holy contemplations, he received thoſe viſions and raptures of ſpirit, and thoſe extaſies, or raptures of ſpirit, do cauſe a great alteration upon the perſon that receives them; he is as it were, taken out of himſelf that is in this poſture and frame; and therefore it is called a rapture or extaſie, quaſi extra ſe raptus, being in that poſture not maſter of the faculties of his own ſoul, which are wholly in the power and motions of the Spirit that acts them; and this is common to both ſorts of raptures, whether from the good or evil ſpirit: Now to diſcern what ſpirit moves in ſuch raptures or viſions, obſerve firſt, Whether the perſon paſſive, or that is under ſuch raptures of ſpirit, were always, or for the moſt part of their lives, faithful witneſſes unto the word of God, and of Jeſus Chriſt; ſuch have not only the promiſe of the holy Spirit to teach them all things, 1 Iohn 2.27. but to be preſerved againſt the evil one, in their bodies, ſouls, and ſpirits.
Secondly, Obſerve the matter of their viſions in ſuch raptures, whether it be to denounce God's judgments againſt ſinful practiſes, or not; for ſurely Satan will never be divided againſt himſelf, if we will believe our Saviour, for ſo his kingdom could not ſtand; though I have read a ſtory in ſome old Popiſh Maſs-monger, that the divel once in the ſhape of a Prieſt, preached a very catholique ſermon, but being diſcovered by ſome Saint in preſence (it ſeems one of an excellent endowment in diſcerning ſpirits) asked him, how durſt Satan to appear in that preſence, with ſo ſound, holy, and catholique inſtructions in his mouth? The divel, or the diveliſh preacher anſwered him, that whilſt he preached good and ſound doctrine unto his auditors, and they were not followers of it, he had his end, even the aggravation of their condemnation for their neglect, inproficiency, and contempt of ſuch good doctrine: ſurely how this odd deſigne ſhould come into the divel's head, I know not, being a liar from the beginning, and the truth abideth not in him, nor will confeſs it no further then he is compelled to do it by an over-maſtering divine power, this were indeed to deſtroy his own Kingdom: and God never ſends the evil ſpirits to be the meſſengers to provoke to break off from ſins, to live to God, holineſs, and works of reformation, his very nature is contrary to ſuch works, and therefore is the great hinderer, not the promoter of them. This is another mark to diſcern of what ſpirits viſions are of.
Thirdly, Another diſtinguiſhing mark is, That in reſpect thoſe viſions and raptures of ſpirit carries with them a terribleneſs in the ſtrange apparitions therein, they leave a high and ſtrange impreſſion of ſpirit upon the parties under them; and thoſe that are from God, leaves always behind them, when they are paſſed away, a holy awe and reverence of the divine Majeſty and glory, and a contempt of themſelves and their own worthleſneſs. Iſaiah the Prophet when he ſaw the Lord, and had diſcoveries of his glory, he could call out Wo is me! for I am undone, I am a man of unclean lips, for my eyes have ſeen the King, the Lord of Hoſts, Iſa. 6.5. Iob alſo confeſſeth, cap. 42. 5, 6. Now mine eyes ſeeth thee, I abhor my ſelf, and repent in duſt and aſhes. The ſight of divine glory and majeſty doth always humble, in that it brings to ſight our own worthleſneſs, even in our beſt attainments in reſpect of it, which cauſeth a godly ſorrow. Now the contrary ſpirit brings contrary fruits and effects, as pride, vain-glory; &c. and therefore not difficult to be differenced in their operations.
Fourthly, Viſions, extaſies, or raptures of the Divine Spirit, though often they may much grieve and trouble their ſpirits that are under them, as in Dan. 7.15. and 8.27. and take away their ſenſes for the preſent, and their ſtrength and comlineſs, and make them as it were, faint, dead, dumb, and breathleſs, as in Daniel, cap. 10. 8. 15. 17. verſes, and as Iohn in verſe 17. at the viſion of Chriſt, he fell at his feet as dead, and in the examples of Zachariah, Paul, &c. yet after they are paſſed, they have no impairing in the parts either of their bodies or ſouls, but rather a greater glory put upon them, as Moſes, whoſe face did ſhine, coming from the preſence and viſions of God. Paul grew a moſt eminent light, and the higheſt of all the Apoſtles, after he was ſtrucken as dead with his converting viſion, Acts 9. Iohn here receives great and high revelations from Chriſt, after he was ſtricken as dead at his feet, by the glory of the viſion. God is no hard maſter, none were ever loſers to be his inſtruments in this ſort; for unto ſuch he commonly adds greater additions of parts, grace, and glory.
But on the other ſide, by the evil ſpirit's raptures or poſſeſſions, many have not only loſt the due temperature of their reaſon and underſtanding, and ſo become altogether beſotted, and wittols, but have alſo their bodies impaired by the hard ſervice of their maſter. Hence it is, that as it is reported, and commonly by experience ſeen, of witches, and ſuch wretched creatures that are truly bewitched by the ſpirit of deluſion, and have given up themſelves as ſervants to his will, have the faculties of their ſouls ſo impaired and hurt by his poſſeſſions, and daylie diſturbing of them, he being an Apollyon, or deſtroyer from the beginning, that being broken in their reaſons, they conceive in their raptures, that they are transformed into ſtrange ſhapes, of cats, dogs, hares, &c. and in an inſtant to be tranſported and carried into far places diſtant, and in and out to houſes, though the doors were ſhut; things in themſelves above the efficiency of any creature, and contradictory to nature, and all its works: and unleſs perſons of ſuch belief makes two Omnipotents, it can never ſtand. Indeed the true ground hereof, and of all their confeſſions in this kind, proceeds from hence, that the divel from whom they have their frequent extaſies and raptures, hath ſo befooled them in their underſtandings, that they do verily believe thoſe things to be really done and acted, which the divel does repreſent unto them in their extaſies and trances, and ſo when they are out of them, having loſt their reaſons, believes, and often confeſſes them to be of truth, though many of them be impoſſibilities in nature, without a miracle, and had never a being, further then in the fancies of their confuſed and diſturbed brains: This is the reward of the divel's inſtruments in this kind.
Fifthly and laſtly, If all theſe former diſtinguiſhing marks fail, for a hypocrite may go very far in complying with the ſigns of God's word, yet herein he cannot deceive; to wit, in the truth of his viſion or revelation, in the event thereof; this will be ſure to try him, whether his viſion be from God or not. Events diſcovers viſions, and diſtinguiſhes prophets, Jer. 28.9. The prophet which propheſieth of peace, when the word of the prophet ſhall come to paſs, then ſhall the prophet be known that the Lord hath truly ſent him; and this is according to that of Deut. 18.21, 22. The queſtion is, How we ſhall know whether a viſion be from God or not? Look to the event, if it comes to paſs, it is of God; if not, it is a lie.
Jeremiah propheſied againſt Jeruſalem, Hananiah, and other falſe prophets, the contrary; Jer. 28.2, 3, 4. Ahab feared not to go againſt Ramoth Gilead, whiles Zedekiah the falſe prophet told him, Go and proſper, 1 Kings 22. but when the words of Micaiah proved true to Ahab in his deſtruction, then the falſe prophets were confounded, and Zedekiah ran into an inner chamber to hide himſelf, 2 Kings 22.25.
Object. But hath not the divel often foretold the truth of events? Yes, but not with that clearneſs, as the divine Spirit does; he leaves no heſitation or doubting on which ſide the overthrow will be: The Beaſt, together with the falſe Prophet, and their adherents, muſt be taken and deſtroyed; the Saints muſt remain the conquerors: Satan in his predictions, is but as a good gueſſer, or conjecturer at beſt, to keep his credit good with his complices; he gives out his predictions in riddles, or aenigma's, as of old, in the Oracles at Delphos.
Aio te Aeacides Romanos vincere poſſe.
Or that of Croeſus: Croeſus Halyn penetrans magnam pervertet opum vim. Both which may be taken in a diverſe ſenſe, which the conſtructors took in advantage, as to themſelves, and ſo proved to both fatal, in not applying them the right way. Again, if Satan foretells any thing, it is only gathered from the obſervation of the affairs of the world, and his long experienced converſing in them, and this at beſt can be but conjectural, and therefore keeps himſelf to thoſe dark ways of delivery. Laſtly, To aſcribe to Satan truth in foretelling of events, it would rob God of his glory, and one of his great prerogatives, which he alone by his Spirit hath often manifeſted to his ſervants the Prophets, for the good and comfort of his church and people.
Object. But did not Satan tell Saul, in that apparition of Samuel, in 1 Sam. 28.19. That he ſhould be delivered, with all his hoſt, into the hands of the Philiſtines, and that he and his ſons on the morrow ſhould be all with Samuel, that is dead? And was not that prediction truly fulfilled?
I anſwer, firſt, Amongſt Expoſitors there is a great difference of opinions about the meaning of this place: They that hold it was Samuel himſelf, who was at reſt, have but ſmall ſtore of reaſon for it, for theſe reaſons.
Firſt, Becauſe God will not ſend one from the dead to exhort the living: They have Moſes, and the Prophets.
Secondly, It is improbable that God would ſend Samuel, who would not let him to anſwer Saul in his life time, becauſe God had forſaken him, would now ſend him from the dead to adviſe him, and then too, when he was adviſing with Wizards and Witches, which was utterly forbidden by God in his Law. But the current of moſt Expoſitors hold, That it was the divel in the appearance or likeneſs of Samuel. But herein ſubmitting to the judicious and more diſcerning judgements, I here lay down ſome conſiderations to the contrary: If this were Satan in the ſhape of Samuel, it is ſtrange he would leave ſuch an excellent leſſon to all poſterity, to the deſtruction and prejudice of his own kingdom, as this is: Saul had departed from God, and diſobeyed his voice, therefore God was departed from him, and given his kingdom unto another, even unto David, ver. 16, 17, 18, 19. and at laſt, for this his diſobedience, would deſtroy him and his family by the hands of their enemies: Now this is againſt that former ſaying of our Saviour's, A Kingdom divided, cannot ſtand; is Satan divided againſt himſelf: Collate unto this the reaſons a little before mentioned, and judge whether ever that ſpirit of lies, and enmity to mankind, would leave ſuch a good and fruitful leſſon for the children of men upon record, to his prejudice for ever. For this reaſon I am hardly induced to believe, that this was Satan in Samuel's apparition, but rather a cozening confederate of the Pythoniſt of Endor, ſet up by her in a ſecret corner, deſcribed by her, or ſet up in the ſhape and garments of the old and famous Prophet Samuel, who was but lately dead, and therefore his poſtures, garments, and alſo his propheſies of rending the Kingdom from Saul, and giving it unto David, was very well known unto all Iſrael; and therefore this witch of Endor could not be ignorant of it, being but a little way diſtant from the Court of Saul, where Samuel was often converſant in his life time, as appears from verſ. 7, and 8. campared with 25: And alſo it appears unto me, that Saul here in the whole tranſaction, did not ſee the counterfeit Samuel, by that his queſtion in verſ. 14. What form is he of And ſhe ſaid, an old man cometh up, and he is covered with a mantle: And Saul perceiving by this deſcription of hers that it was Samuel, he bows himſelf, and ſo proceeds to his buſineſs with this Samuel or counterfeit, which might lie hid behind ſome ſhrine, hanging, or grate, where the whole cozenage is tranſacted; and how eaſily Saul was to be caught and deceived in this kind, appears from his diſtraction, conſternation, and fear he was in, being ſerrounded of his enemies, forſaken of God, and ſeeking unto witches in this time of trouble: This wiſe woman, or witch of Endor, with her confederate, knew well enough that this was Saul, being higher by the head then all Iſrael, though diſguiſed, and by his attendants and ſervants with him, from the beginning of this whole art of cozenage, though ſhe counterfeited the contrary, verſe 12. This appears from her neighbourhood with the Court, he coming to her, and after all theſe cozening tranſactions, returning the ſame night again, verſe 25. whereas this counterfeit is here often called Samuel, and Saul took him indeed to be Samuel; yet this makes it no more to be true and real Samuel, then if it had been granted that it was the divel in Samuel's ſhape: ſo that under correction of better judgements, I am of opinion, this was not Satan in Samuel's likeneſs, that left this uſeful leſſon and prediction, for the reaſons aboveſaid, but rather proceeded from the cozening Pythoniſt of Endor, and her well-informed confederate, who well knew of the prediction of the Prophet Samuel, that God would take off the kingdom from Saul, and give it unto his ſervant David, becauſe Saul had diſobeyed God's voice in the buſineſs of Agag; and this ſhe could foreſee was the time, in that the Philiſtines, the enemies of Iſrael, were come up againſt him, and he knew not which way to turn, for God had forſaken him, and had denied to anſwer him either by Prophet, Urim, or Thummim. I have been ſomwhat the longer herein, to ſtave the divel off, that he may not have any hand in God's prerogative in foretelling the truth of events. If it were granted that this were the Divel in Samuel's likeneſs, yet I anſwer, the Divel might well gather the truth of this prediction concerning the deſtruction of Saul, and his ſons, from that of Samuel's propheſie againſt him, when in his life time at Gilgal, he came and told him, that God would rend his kingdom from him, for not obeying his word, and give it unto his ſervant David, 1 Sam. 13.14. And therefore the Divel here might well predict the ſame unto Saul, coming to him to know the event and ſucceſs of his undertaking againſt the Philiſtines: But in the time, and ſome other circumſtances of this prediction, whether it proceeded from Satan, or the cozening Pythoniſt, yet there is a palpable failure therein; to ſhow, that God's Spirit alone is the ſpirit of propheſie, and the ſure foretelling of all events in the full truths thereof: for this pretended Samuel, tells Saul, that to morrow he and his ſons ſhould be with him, that is, in the ſtate of death. But obſerve, if this were the Divel, how this father of lies keeps on his old trade of lying; for indeed, Saul and his ſons were not overthrown nor ſlain by the Philiſtines on the morrow, but ſome days after; as appeareth by conſidering the ſeveral tranſactions done by David, in the 29, and 30 chapters, againſt the Amalekites, after he was diſmiſſed from the Army of the Philiſtines, before they fell upon Saul and his Army to their utter overthrow, chap. 31. v. 3. &c. It is alſo ſomwhat againſt reaſon that Saul ſhould be all the precedent night at Endor, and on his way coming and going, and that under great dejection, trouble, and conſternation, by reaſon of his hard fate foretold him; and yet notwithſtanding, he ſhould the immediate morrow joyn Battel with the Philiſtines, is in my apprehenſion a very unlikely conceit. I ſhall only add, and conclude with that of the Pſalmiſt: O teach us O Lord, to number our days, that we may apply, our hearts unto wiſdom; that both God and the creature may have their dues.