A Plain Explanation of Revelation, Part 5
Apoc. Cap. 5. 1
And I ſaw in the right hand of him that ſate vponupon the Throne, a Booke written within, and on the backſide, ſealed with ſeauen Seales, &c.
IN the former Chapter is ſet forth the perſon of God the Father in his Maieſty, as principall, from whom all things come. Here in this Chapter is ſet downe God the Sonne, the ſecond Perſon, who is Mediator and meane betweene God and man, of the manifeſtation of theſe iudgements to follow. Which teacheth vsus, that through Chriſts interceſſion alone, all good knowledge commeth to Gods children. Firſt, in that Iohn ſaith, he ſaw a Booke in the right hand of him that ſate on the Throne, that is, of God the Father; by his right hand is meant his Strength, Power, and Force, whereby he ſo keepeth it, that no power whatſoeuer can winne it, or wreſt it out of his hand, nor can be partaker of it, vnleſſe hee himſelfe will giuegive it. This Booke is written within and without, ſignifying, that the multitude of the plagues which were to come on the world, were ſo many, that the Booke could not containe them: The ſubiect of theſe plagues, vponupon whom they ſhould be executed, is the world, according as the Pſalmiſt ſpeaketh, Lord poure out thy wrath vponupon the Gentiles.
In that it is ſealed, it noteth that it is ſeparate from all men and Angels, ſo that none could attaine to the knowledge of it, but God himſelfe According to that which the Apoſtle ſpeaketh; who hath beene his Councellor? Rom. 11. 34.that is, who hath beene partaker of Gods counſell? In the Goſpell of Saint Iohn, Chriſt anſwereth, The Sonne hath reuealed it, which came out of the boſome of his Father.
After, hee heareth the voice of a ſtrong Angell, which ſaith, Who can open the Booke? Who is worthy to do it? Which ſheweth, that the Angels themſelues ſtoope to looke into theſe iudgements, that is, hauehave an earneſt deſire to behold the things of the Church, and the miſteries of God concerning the ſame, as the Apoſtle Peter ſaith.
In that there was none found that could open the Booke, no not ſo much as looke vponupon it. It ſheweth that none can hauehave ſo much as the leaſt meaſure of knowledge thereof. Then Iohn wept, for that none was found worthy: It teacheth vsus, that when wee ſee our ignorance of thoſe things which concerne vsus, wee are to weepe and be grieued at the ſame, eſpecially in thoſe things which concerne our ſaluation.
After, it is ſaid, one of the Elders comforted him, bidding him not to weepe, for the Lyon of the Tribe of Iudah had performed this; ſo called, by reaſon of his courage, through which hee had ouercome all lets, which might hinder the reading of it, namely ſinne, and this he had taken away by his death, and ſo had obtained this fauour at Gods hand for vsus.
The root of Dauid: That is, the cauſe and creator of Dauid, and the begetter of his faith, in regard of his God-head, as in other places hee is called the ſeed of Dauid, in regard of his man-hood, which proceeded of the linage of Dauid.
After, he is repreſented in another forme, that is to ſay, of a Lamb that had been ſlain, as it ſeemeth bloudy, which appeared in the midſt of the Throne; And he is ſaid to hauehave ſeauen horns, & ſeauen eyes, which are the ſeauen ſpirits, that is, the holy Ghoſt, which is his ſpirit, proceeding from him: By his eyes, meaning his infinite knowledge, wherby he ſeeth into all things; By his ſeauen hornes is ſignified his infinite power. And he commeth to his Father, & taketh the Booke of his Father (to open it, and to vnlooſe the ſeales) who would giuegive it to none elſe.
Then followes the effect of this his taking the Booke, to wit, a Song of thankeſgiuing: Firſt of the chiefe and principall Angels, who ſay, that the Lambe onelyonly is worthy to receiue this honour, as to hauehave the Booke, and to open it. And as the foure Beaſts, being principall of the Angels, and the Archangels, begin, ſo alſo the Elders, which were the principall of the Church, doe ioyne with them in prayſing Chriſt; And after, as the chiefe of the Angels, and of the Saints, begin, ſo the reſt of the Angels follow, euen thouſand thouſands, viz. all the other Angels.
And in their Song, they praiſe the Lambe, attributing to him all Power and Riches, and Wiſedome, and Strength, which are cauſes; and then the effects thereof, Honour, and Glory, and Praiſe, that all theſe belong vntounto him. Then followeth the praiſe and thankeſgiuing of the reſt of the Church, and of all the Creatures, which praiſe, firſt, God the Father for vouchſafing to giuegive the Book vntounto his Son, & ſecondly, God the Sonne for obtaining it at his fathers hands: Laſtly, the chiefe Angels, the foure and twenty Elders, are brought in, ſaying Amen to the thankeſgiuing of the inferiour Angels, and of the reſt of the Creatures: As they began the Chapter, ſo they as it were make an end, and anſwere to the reſt in prayſes, ſhewing vsus that they neuer ceaſe continually to ſound forth the praiſes of God.