An Exposition of Revelation, Chapter 1
CHAP. 1. Viſion. 1.
Verſ. 1. The Revelation of Ieſus Chriſt..
THE Word Revelation or Apocalypſe ſignifies the unfolding of a ſecret. Tis called a Revelation for two reaſons. Firſt, becauſe we need the knowledge of it. Secondly it ſhews the divine authority of it; for the title anſwereth the title of the ancient Prophets; as the viſion of Iſaiah, ſo the Revelation of John.
Of Jeſus Chriſt which God gave him] God may be ſaid to give it to Chriſt, as he was man; nay (as God) for the father is the fountaine of the Godhead. So Chriſts wiſedome is from the father by an eternal generation; it ſhews Chriſt to be God, becauſe it belongs to God only to reveal ſecrets. Iſa. 41.23. now tis Chriſt office to reveal to his People the Will of his father.
His ſervants] To wit. Chriſt. This proves Chriſts divine nature, becauſe all the faithfull are his ſervants.
Which muſt ſhortly come to paſſe] therefore this book doth not treat of things then paſt (as ſome would perſwade) but things to come.
Muſt come] ſhews the unchangeable decree of God. Alſo ſecondary cauſes, (as the malice and rage of Satan and his inſtruments againſt the Church, (though unchangeable cauſes) if not hindred by the over-ruling Power of God) bring forth neceſſarily an effect.
Shortly] That is, ſhall begin ſuddainly to take effect, though the things herein mentioned were not in a very ſhort time to be all performed: for many hundred years are paſt already, and yet many things are not come to paſſe; yet the time is ſhort in reſpect of the age of the world already paſt, or in reſpect of eternity,Alcazar. or God, with whom a thouſand years are but as one day.
And ſignified it by his Angel] God gave him the Revelation, not to keep for himſelf, but to ſhew it to his ſervants; now is expreſſed the faithfulneſſe of Chriſt in executing his charge committed to him of God.
And he ſent] This proves Chriſts Divinity in that he commands the Angels, and they obey him. This is Pauls argument of the Deity of the Son, Heb. 1.6.
His ſervant John] Chriſt takes notice of, nay doth regiſter the names of his ſervants. Poor Lazarus is mentioned, when the rich mans name is buried in Oblivion; only there was a certain rich man. Happy are his ſervants whom he hath graven (unto their comfort be it ſpoken) on the palmes of his hands, not on iron but fleſh, not on his back parts, but his hands, not the back of them, but the palmes of his hands.
Verſ. 2. Who bare record of the Word of God] That is, of Chriſt the Word; note three things.
1. That the Penman was one that writ of Chriſt.
2. That 'twas Iohn, who in the entrance of his Goſpel, ſays: In the beginning was the Word, to wit, Chriſt.
3. That Iohn wrote his Goſpel before he wrote the Revelation: who bare Record of the Word.
And of the Teſtimony of Ieſus Chriſt] the doctrine of Chriſt, the death and martyrdome of Chriſt; for Iohn ſtood by and ſaw him crucified.
And of all things that he ſaw] to wit, now in viſions; alſo he alludeth to a place in his Goſpel, where he ſays, he that ſaw it bare record, and his record is true.
Verſ. 3. Bleſſed is he that readeth] becauſe by reading comes faith and obſervance alſo, he commendeth the reading of this book to all men.
And which heare] thoſe then that cannot read may be bleſſed, let them procure others to read to them, this and other books of the Scripture (eſpecially explained)
And keep the things] reading and hearing without obſervance, will availe little: yet it may be both a means to remove what may hinder our happineſſe, and to direct us in the right way of attaining the ſame.
Of this Prophecie] This ſhews it is from God, for all Prophecie is of him, 2 Pet. 1.20. it may alſo the ſooner ſtirre up our hearts to feek the knowledge of this book: for men do covet to know the things to come. See my little book, called A glimpſe of Chriſts love. p. 14. concerning a Prophet and Prophecie in part.
For the time is at hand] The time of the beginning of the performance. The time both of the fury of the adverſary and the deliverance of the Church, this ſhould ſtirre up in us a diligent care to read this Prophecie: for the knowledge of good and evill at the doore ought not to be neglected.
Verſ. 4. Iohn to the ſeven Churches] gathered (in Aſia the leſſe) by the preaching of the Word, (chiefly by Paul) to whom Iohn dedicates and ſends his book, becauſe the firſt Viſion directly concerns them.
Grace he to you and Peace] by grace underſtand the free love of God in pardoning ſin, by peace chiefly that of conſcience, but alſo all temporal bleſſings included in that word peace; he is to reprove theſe to whom he wiſheth thus well; it teacheth that reproofe ſhould be the effect of love, not of malice.
From him which is, which was, and which is to come] that is from the father, alluding to that name in Exod. 3. I am, which is becauſe the father is from none; which was, becauſe he was before all time in eternity; which is to come, becauſe he ſhall come to judge the world by the Sonne; the Sonne alſo is one with his father; was, for in the beginning was the Word; is to come, to judge immediately the quick and the dead; yet I rather underſtand this of the father, becauſe by the ſeven ſpirits before the throne is meant the holy Spirit, as Chriſt is expreſſed in the next verſe.
From the ſeven Spirits before the throne] the holy Spirit is called ſeven becauſe he is perfect in working; for ſeven is uſed for a perfect number in this book. In my quoted book. pag. 43. I proved that by Angels excelling in ſtrength arch-angels are meant, Pſal. 103.20. the rather becauſe the ordinary Angels are meant in ver. 21. yee his hoſt. Alſo I affirmed that by ſeven ſpirits, ch. 3. v. 5. happily theſe angels may be meant; but in this verſe the Holy Ghoſt is meant by ſeven ſpirits, becauſe grace is prayed for from them. Alſo Pareus agrees with me, that in chap. 4. ver. 5. created angels may be underſtood, but not here.
Verſ. 5. And from Ieſus Chriſt] Peace cometh by Chriſt, Eph. 2.15. Chriſt here is treated of as the Mediatour, and therefore is put laſt; the order is ſometimes in the Scripture omitted, as 2 Cor. 13. ult.
Who is the faithfull witneſſe] Faithful, becauſe he confirmed the truth, not only by preaching and miracles, but by ſuffering.
Witneſſe] becauſe by way of Prerogative he is ſo (though there be three that bare record in heaven, 1 Iohn chap. 5.) becauſe he firſt (alſo) and only ſhed his blood for his own teſtimony, therefore on earth he is the witneſſe.
The firſt begotten of the dead] becauſe Chriſt firſt and only raiſed up himſelf by his own power to immortal life; others were raiſed by his power, and became ſubject to death again.
And the Prince of the Kings of the earth] that is as chapter 19. verſe 16. He is King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.
Who loved us and waſhed us from our ſins by his own blood; Verſ. 6. And hath made us Kings and Prieſts unto God and his father] He concludeth his dedication with a Thankſgiving. Firſt, becauſe Chriſt loved his People, and became man for*See my Glimps of Chriſts love. p. 36, 37. them. Secondly, becauſe he died for them; juſtifying them by his blood (nay ſanctifying them). Thirdly making us Prieſts and Kings. Prieſts, to conſecrate our ſelves as a living ſacrifice to God through him. Kings, not only in a dopting us to be heyrs of his Kingdome above: but through his power making us Conquerours of Sinne and Satan.
To him be glory] either underſtand the glory of his Godhead, or that glorious exaltation of his manhood, at the right hand of his father.
For ever and ever] ſhews Chriſts Eternity.
Amen] That is, be it ſo.
Verſ. 7. Behold he cometh with clouds] This may comfort the Saints, though the wicked tyrannize a while, he cometh to judgement. This alſo proves againſt the Papiſt, that the humanity of Chriſt is not everywhere, becauſe he cometh with clouds, and they are not every where.
Every eye ſhall ſee him] that is, every man: his Crucifiers, Scoffers; alſo the righteous; the former to their confuſion, the larter to their comfort; And they that pierced him, as in Zach. 12.10. to wit, the Souldiers. Iohn here, and in his Goſpel, applies that of Zechary to Chriſt, and teaches us two things.
1. That Chriſt is God.
2. That Iohn writ this Revelation.
Even ſo, Amen.] it ſhews that there is no doubt but Chriſt will come to end the afflictions of the Church, and to puniſh the wicked, with whoſe coming the Saints are well pleaſed.
Verſ. 8. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end] Alpha is the firſt letter of the Greek tongue, Omega the laſt; it ſhews Chriſt is firſt and chief; the verſe proves Chriſts deity. See Iſa. 41.4.
Verſ. 9. I John who am your brother] tis no vain-glory to name himſelf here, otherwiſe we might have thought 'twas Chriſt ſpoke, alſo Paul repeats his name twice in one Epiſtle. I Paul with my own hands; his name being prefixt before.
Brother] there is a ſpiritual brotherhood among the members of Chriſt. Iohn is their brother in three things, named in the text.
1. In tribution,
2. In the ſpiritual Kingdome of Chriſt, (which we being Kings and Prieſts ought to maintain.
3. In ſufference.
Was in the Iſle that is called Patmos] Domitian the Emperour firſt caſt him into a Caldron of boyling oyle, but receiving no hurt, baniſhed him into this Iſle, where he received this Viſion. The Emperour being ſlain, he returned to Epheſus, and miniſtred to the ſeven Churches.
For the Word of God] Iohn ſheweth the true cauſe of his baniſhment, and 'tis worth obſervation, that the Romanes (as they conquered) worſhipped the gods of every nation, (Jeſus only excepted) it ſeems the devil was content that they ſhould worſhip any god but the true.
For the Word of God] to wit, Chriſt.
For the Teſtimony] To wit, the doctrine of Jeſus Chriſt.
Verſ. 10. Was in the ſpirit] Iohn was in ſpiritual meditations when he ſaw the Revelation, which he ſaw not with mortal eyes, but being raviſhed in ſpirit, his mind was carried beyond it ſelf.
On the Lords day] the firſt day of the week, on which Chriſt aroſe from the dead, which by the example and command of the Apoſtles, (1 Cor. 16.1.) Chriſtians keep and obſerve as holy. Tis not probable Chriſt would burden the mind of Iohn with all the Viſion or Revelation at once, eſpecially conſidering ch. 4. ver. 1, 2. and ch. 17.3. Iohn confeſſeth he was in the ſpirit at other time, but doubtles John (as all true Prophets) underſtood every particular of the Revelation.
I heard a great voice behind me] great, either in regard of the great myſtery of the viſion, or in regard 'twas the voice of the great God.
Behind me] Shews the freeneſſe of Gods love to Iohn in the voice, he not expecting any ſuch voice or Viſion.
As of a Trumpet] in reſpect of its ſhrilneſſe, and being heard afarre off, it notes the terrour and power of his Word.
Ver. 11. Saying, I am Alpha and Omega] in the voice three things are contained.
1. The Eternity of Chriſt.
2. Johns commiſſion to write, warranted by divine Authority.
3. To ſend the Viſion wtitten to the ſeven Churches.
What Chriſt carefully commands John to write, it becomes us carefully to read; for though particularly this Viſion concerne the ſeven Churches, yet all Scripture is written for our inſtruction.
Epheſus] Where Paul conſtituted a Church, to whom he after writ an Epiſtle, 'twas in Aſia the leſſer.
Smyrna] a ſea-coaſt-towne (now called Smeer) where Iohn or ſome other Apoſtle conſtituted a Church.—
And to Pergamus] Here Paul, (Acts 20.) raiſed up Entychus dead, and happily planted a Church.
Thyatira] of this city was Lydia a ſeller of purple, who was converted to the faith by Pauls preaching at Philippi, Act. 16.12, 14.
To thoſe of Sardis] the once famous city of Craeſus.
Philadelphia] a city of Myſia, of the leſſer Aſia.
And unto Laodicea] a city near Epheſus. Paul preached here, and commanded his Epiſtle written to the Coloſſians to be read here, Col. 4. ver. 16. The Paſtor hereof was an hypocrite, neither hot nor cold, with whom Chriſt was much diſpleaſed. Note, though Paul had preached the Goſpel at Rome long before this, yet that Church not remembred: perchance becauſe Chriſt foreſaw her uſurping authority. The Apoſtles are ever very ſilent of the Virgin Mary, the ſpirit foreſeeing the Church of Romes idolizing her. But what ſay I? Chriſt ſends not to the Church of Rome, truly (with ſome difference of time conſidered) great part of this book concerns the whoriſh or Antichriſtian Church of Rome? who boaſts her ſelf to be Chriſts.
Verſ. 12. I turned to ſee the voyce] That is, him that ſpake.
Seven golden Candleſticks] Meaning ſeven Churches, verſ. 20. called, Candleſticks, becauſe as they hold light in them (to wit) Candles, ſo the Churches had or ought to have the light of the Goſpel in them — golden, notes the choyceneſſe of the light of the Goſpel in reſpect of any other light.
Verſ. 13. In the midſt &c.] Chriſt is in his Church among his Ordinances, among his members; even where two or three are met together in his name.
Like the Son of Man] 'Twas Chriſt, as appears by verſ. 8. who is like us in the truth of our nature.
Clothed with a garment down to his foot] 'Twas the cuſtome of the Eaſterne countryes to go ſo: it notes Chriſts righteouſneſſe, which was enough for himſelf and all his members. Men are (one the other part) corrupt from the head to the ſole of the feet. Eſay 1. verſ. 6.
A golden girdle] Alluding to the cuſtome of the Eaſterne countryes, who becauſe they wore long garments, uſed to girt them up, that they might not hinder them; it notes Chriſts care and diligence.
A golden girdle] Notes Chriſts Majeſty, and divine nature, it alludes to Eſay 11. verſ. 5. and righteouſneſſe ſhall be his girdle. About the paps (not the ordinary way) ſhewes Chriſts love to the Church, becauſe the heart (which is the ſeat of love) is between the breaſts.
Verſ. 14. His head and his haire white as wool and as ſnow] It notes five things.
1. White haire notes wiſedom (it uſually doth accompany them.)
2. It ſhews Chriſt is the ancient of dayes in Dan. 7. nay from eternity (as the Father.)
3. It ſhewes Chriſt ought to be reverenced, (gray haries are venerable.)
4. As wool, notes Chriſts innocency, (ſuch is the creature from whence wool.)
5. As ſnow, notes Chriſts pure nature. See Iſa. 1.18.
His eyes a flame of fire] Becauſe in his wrath he will conſume the wicked, (as the fire doth the chaffe) it notes likewiſe the ſearching peircing knowledge of Chriſt.
Verſ. 15. His feet like unto fine braſſe] It notes the divine power of Chriſt, his ſtrength, conſtancy, or his humanity tryed as in the furnace of ſufferings.
His voyce as of many waters] It notes the efficacy and terrour of his voyce. For waters run violently, none can hinder their courſe: Alſo they make a terrible noyſe, the wicked tremble at the voyce.
Verſ. 16. He had in his right hand ſeven ſtarres] Being the Angels or Miniſters of the ſeven Churches, verſ. 20. This commends the dignity of Teachers (who ought to ſhine in life and doctrine) they are in Chriſts hand.
1. Becauſe he giveth them to his Church.
2. Becauſe he preſerveth them, ruleth them with his Word and Spirit.
3. Becauſe (as he worketh by ſtarres on this lower world) he worketh ſalvation for his Church through them.
Out of his mouth went a ſharp two-edged ſword] It ſhewes either the power of his Word (which is of a peircing nature, Heb. 4.12.) or as in chap. 19. verſ. 15. it notes his readineſſe and power to take vengeance.
His countenance was as the Sunne] it notes either Chriſts divine nature, or his humane nature glorified.
Verſ. 17. And when I ſaw him, I fell down as dead] It notes the weakneſſe of man, before the Majeſty of God; how then ſhall the wicked ſtand before him?
He laid his right hand upon me] See Chriſts readineſſe to help, alſo learne by whom all the faithfull are upheld.
Feare not] For fear might unfit John to underſtand the Viſion; what need the Saints fear, ſince Chriſt (who is with them) bids not fear?
I am the firſt and the laſt] This teacheth John that he ſaw no fancy, but 'twas Chriſt who ſpake.
Verſ. 18. I am be that liveth, and was dead] The Jewes and Hereticks ſcoffe at us for truſting in a crucified God; in the mean time, wo to them that CHRIST dyed not for.
I have the keyes of hell, and the grave] by keyes power is underſtood, ſo that CHRIST is Lord of hell and grave.
I am alive for evermore] It notes Chriſts eternity and God-head. Let the Jewes ſcoffe, we are herein comforted.
Verſ. 19. Write the things which] That is, all the Revelation. Tis requiſite for us to read what Chriſt ſo carefully commands to be written.
Verſ. 20. The myſtery of the ſeven ſtarres] The ſeven ſtarres ſignifie the ſeven Angels of the ſeven Churches, (but they were not properly ſeven Angels) ſo the Rock is ſaid to be Chriſt. That is, ſignified Chriſt; ſo the ſeven lean kine (Gen. 41. v. 27.) are ſaid to be ſeven years, that is, ſignifie ſeven years. So Chriſt ſayes, the bread is his body, that is, ſignifies his body. Now the Miniſters are called Angels, becauſe they act by commiſſion, becauſe they are imployed about the Kingdom of Heaven, becauſe they ſhould be ſomewhat unſpotted (as they are) becauſe they aime at mans good. Concerning the candleſticks. See verſ. 12.