A Plain Explanation of Revelation, Part 4
Apoc. Cap. 4. 1.
After this I looked, and behold, a doore was open in heauen, and the firſt voyce which I heard, was as it were of a Trumpet talking with me, ſaying, Come vp hither, and I will ſhew thee things which muſt be done hereafter, &c.
HItherto wee hauehave heard of the firſt part of the Reuelation, concerning the things that were then done: Now it remaineth to ſpeake of the things to come, which is giuen vsus to vnderſtand in the beginning of this Chapter, in that it is ſaid, I will ſhew thee things which muſt be done hereafter. And firſt, here are ſet forth thoſe things, generally, which are afterwards to come vntounto the whole world, and this is from this Chapter, to the beginning of the tenth Chapter: Afterwards, the things that befall particularly to the Church of God, from the tenth Chapter to the end of the Booke: According as Daniel in his Prophecie did firſt manifeſt vntounto the Church the things which ſhould befall vntounto the Monarchs, and then vntounto the Church it ſelfe alſo. The which iudgements it pleaſeth the Lord to reueale vntounto his Church, becauſe they being in the world, though they be not of the world, as our Sauiour Chriſt ſpeaketh, are yet intereſſed in thoſe outward troubles which come vponupon the world. Firſt, then it is ſaid there was a dore open in heauen: Which teacheth vsus, that vnleſſe God open a doore vntounto vsus, all things are hid in his Counſell, and ſhut vp, ſo that none can ſee into them, and eſpecially thoſe things which concerne the ſaluation of Man.
Againe, it is ſaid, he heard another voice like a Trumpet, which was to waken him better; for, albeit hee was wakened before, yet he was not ſufficiently wakened and ſtirred vp to behold the things afterward to be deliuered. The like wee ſee in Daniel and Ezechiel; to ſhew that we had need of new calling on, and new attention, of new ſtirring vp and preparation whenſoeuer wee are to learne any new thing out of the word of God, euen as Iohn had a new preparation, becauſe of this new matter to be reuealed; for new things require new attention. After hee was bidden to come vp: Which teacheth vsus, that vnleſſe wee be lifted vp aboue our ſelues, by Gods power, to the beholding of heauenly things, and of thoſe things eſpecially which belong to our ſaluation, we can hauehave no power to vnderſtand them. And whereas hee is here bidden to come vp, and not before in the other place; it ſheweth vsus that the matters following, which were afterwards to come to paſſe, are more difficult, and hauehave the more need with greater diligence to be obſerued, and that we are with more care to labour for the vnderſtanding of them, then of thoſe things that were before.
And whereas he is ſaid to be rauiſhed in the ſpirit, it meaneth, that he was as it were caſt aſleepe, and in a trance, and his ſenſes being with-held from all manner of obiects which might hinder him, hauing for a time ſet aſide all worldly things and cogitations, to the end all the powers of his ſoule might be lifted vp, and be more intent, and that ſo hee might hearken more diligently to thoſe things that were ready to be told him.
Which teacheth vsus, when wee goe about holy and heauenly matters, wee muſt be as it were in a new world, and we muſt ſeparate our ſelues from all worldly things, and worldly cogitations, though otherwiſe at other times lawfull; and addict and addreſſe our ſelues wholly to thoſe holy things of our God.
Then he commeth to the viſion it ſelfe. Where firſt is ſet down the preparation and preface of that which is to come, contained in this, and in the next Chapter.
In the preface is deſcribed and ſet forth vntounto vsus the perſon of God the Father, and that diuerſly: firſt, by a Throne, and one ſitting thereon; comparing him in likeneſſe to a Iaſper and Sardy Stone, that is, very glorious to behold, and of moſt exceeding valour; not deſcribing him by any forme or portraicture, but by the glory which thoſe moſt precious Iewels that can be, doe repreſent. This glory is declared by the reflection, which was ſo great, that it made all that was round about the Throne to be like a Rainbow, that is, glorious and excellent: for as the brightneſſe of the Sunne cauſeth thoſe notable colours which wee ſee in the Rainbow, ſo the glory of God maketh all round about him glorious.
After he is deſcribed by his Aſſiſtants, to wit, foure and twentie Elders, that is, the Church of God; the chiefe whereof are in the Scripture, twelue Patriarches in the old Teſtament, and the twelue Apoſtles in the New, vnderunder which number all the reſt are comprehended.
Theſe are ſaid to hauehave white Robes and Crownes, and to ſit vponupon Thrones, in forme of Kings; for all theſe are things belonging properly vntounto Princes; ſignifying, that in Chriſt we are all Kings, being made partakers of his Kingdome.
Afterward, God is deſcribed by the effects which proceeded from the Throne, to wit, thunders and lightnings, and voices, and their immediate cauſe; in that they came from the ſeauen Lamps, which are the ſeauen ſpirits of God, namely, the holy Ghoſt, whereby God doth all things that he doth. This teacheth, that ſeeing the thunders, lightenings, &c. come from the Throne of God, that therefore nothing can come by chance or fortune, as men vainely ſuppoſe, but onelyonly by the direction and counſell of God, and from him who is the Ruler and Diſpoſer of all things in the world.
By lightnings, thunders, and voices, ſeemeth to be meant the iudgements and anger of God, to be executed on the wicked, which doe follow in the next Chapters, viz. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. for it is not vnmeet that in theſe the iudgements ſhould be ſet forth, ſeeing they are the fearefull workes of God.
And here God the Father is deſcribed to be a Iudge, and to fit like a Iudge, as being Iudge of all the world, as he is called, Gen. 18. 25. Then he is deſcribed by foure Beaſts in the middes of the Throne, and round about, to wit, the chiefe Angels of God, wayting for to execute Gods will at all times: And as Sargeants attend on their Iudge, ſo are they, being alwaies ready to receiue any commandement he enioyneth them. So alſo our Sauiour Chriſt in Iohn, is ſaid to waite ſtill on the will of his Father; namely, as he is Mediator. In that theſe are ſaid to be foure, it is not to be thought that there were no more in number, but hee vnderſtandeth by foure, a competent and ſufficient number, able to execute any thing which God will hauehave fulfilled in all the world, in the Eaſt, Weſt, South, and North.
Theſe Beaſts are alſo deſcribed to be full of eyes, ſignifying their prouidence and ſingular direction they goe withall.
Then they are ſeuerally deſcribed; the firſt of them is like a Lyon, declaring their courage; the ſecond, like an Oxe, ſignifying their ſtrength; the third, like a Man, noting their wiſedome; the fourth, like an Eagle, ſhewing their ſwiftneſſe and ſpeedineſſe in doing Gods will. Their ſixe wings expreſſeth their readineſſe to goe to all places: their wings full of eyes, ſhew that they goe not at all aduentures.
Theſe were about the Throne.
VnderUnder it was a Sea of Chriſtall, whereby ſeemeth to be meant the earthly creatures, and all things in this preſent world, compared to a Sea, becauſe of the vnconſtancie of them, likened to Chriſtall, becauſe God ſeeth clearely into them, and through them; for as one may ſee eaſily into Glaſſe, and Chriſtall, ſo theſe are euidently ſeene and diſcerned of God, as being continually in his ſight and preſence, hauing beene made by him, and being gouerned by him. After, the foure Beaſts are ſaid to fall downe and praiſe him day and night, for all his Power, Glory, and Maieſtie, and eſpecially as it ſeemeth, for thoſe thunders, that is, for thoſe iudgements to bee executed on the world, acknowledging that they were iuſt and right. And albeit they were ſealed vp as appeareth in the next Chapter, yet by theſe thunder-claps of Gods anger, they could vnderſtand that there were iudgements to come. The like is in Eſay, the ſixth Chapter, where the Angels alſo glorifie God for his iudgements. And albeit it may ſeeme to man to be a very hard and grieuous thing, that God ſhould harden the hearts of the people, to the end hee may more fully expreſſe his iudgements on them, yet neuertheleſſe the Angels ceaſe not to magnifie him for the ſame: and ſo they doe here in this place.
And not onelyonly they, but the Elders & the Church and Children of God, do alſo ioyn with the Angels to praiſe the Lord, as for all other his works in his Creatures, ſo alſo for his iudgements; & they doe pronounce that God is worthy to hauehave glory in his iudgements, as vntounto whom alone all fulneſſe of Honour, Glory, and Power doth belong; and therefore they themſelues fall downe, and caſt their Crownes before him, acknowledging thereby, that all their glory is due vntounto the Lord, and is his, as hauing receiued it by him alone, and that they themſelues are altogether vnworthy of any ſuch dignity.