the other Now the Lords Supper is called so for three Reasons for which also we conceive this day to be called the Lords day 1. The Lords Supper because of the Lords singular instituting that Bread and Wine for a speciall and religious end distinguishing differencing and setting it apart from a common use to a more speciall use And so this day is called the Lords day because of the Lords separating and setting apart this day for His speciall Service and Worship and in that distinguishing it from other dayes as He had done that Supper from common suppers 2. The Lords Supper for its speciall signification Jesus Christ and His benefits being especially set out in it His death and sufferings pointed at and the benefits we have thereby So this day is called the Lords day because it 's of speciall signification pointing out not so much Gods ceasing from the work of Creation as our Lords ceasing from the work of Redemption as the Lords Supper is for the remembrance of His death till He come again so is this day for remembring the work of Redemption and His Resurrection till He come again 3. The Lords Supper because of its speciall end to set out the honour of the Mediator and the Worship and Ordinances brought in by Him under the New Testament so to distinguish it from the Passeover So this day is called the Lords day for the same reason to set out the honour of the Mediator and that it may be enrolled among the Ordinances of the New Testament therefore when in the New Testament ought is called the Lords it points ordinarily at Christ the Mediator and at the second Person of the God-head as 1 Cor. 8.6 One God distinguished from One Lord. We take it then for granted that it is called the Lords day for these Reasons because its a speciall day set apart for the Lords use of speciall signification and for a speciall end And Secondly That it is a speciall day known to the Church may appear for else Iohn would not have given it such a denomination and that it points at some thing of Christ and so is separated from any Jewish day and common day It is a day known singularity to relate to Christ. To clear it consider it must either be the first day of the Week or some other But none other day it is Ergo c. If any other it can be supposed onely one of these two either not any particular day of the Week but any speciall day or time of Christs appearing or manifesting Himself Or else the Jewish Sabbath day Now neither of these can be meant by the Lords day 1. Not the former for such a day of Christs speciall appearing not being named here it would leave the Church in an uncertainty to know what day was meaned yet is this day mentioned to point it out from other dayes that is the scope why it is so designed Beside if it were any such day it would point at no one day for there are many times of Christs appearing It 's not so to be understood then though even so our Lords appearing may agree to the first day of the Week whereon most frequently He appeared after His Resurrection to His Disciples as Mat. 28. Ioh. 20.26 Acts 1.2 2. Neither the latter to wit the Jewish Sabbath day 1. Because it 's ever called the Sabbath and gets the own name that it formerly had and the giving of it this name will more obscure then clear the day 2. Because the Jewish Sabbaths were then annulled as Colus 2 1â— Let none judge you in meat or drink or in respect of an holy day or of the new Moon part of the Sabbath dayes Therefore then can they not be called the Lords day And Gal. 4.10 they are reproved for observing Dayes and Moneths and Times and Years where it is clear the Jewish new Moons Sabbaths and Festivities were then and before that time abolished in so far as peculiar to them though all distinction of dayes was not taken away more than all distinctions of the Elements in the Lords Supper from other Meat because distinction of meat was condemned there also But this followeth all Jewish distinction both of meat and dayes was taken away but what is still assigned by Christ that continues 3. The Lords day in the phrase of the New Testament looks to Christ as having its name some way from him which cannot be said of the Jewish Sabbath But this is called the Lords day as pointing at an Ordinance of the New Testament whereas the Jewish Sabbaths had a respect to the Old Testament Ordinances 3. It remaineth therefore it must be the first day of the Week because no other day can lay claim to it iâ— is that day which we call Sunday or the Christian Sabbath and was in the Primitive times called The Lords day 1. Because the Reasons why a day is called The Lords day do agree to it especially The Jewish Sabbath was called The Lords day Exod. 20 because on it He ceased from the works of Creation this day is called The Lords day because on it He ceased from the work of Redemption Mar. 16.1 2. Luk. 24.1 2. Ioh. 20.1 It 's that day whereon our Lord not only rose but severall times did meet with His Disciples and many mark severall priviledges and benefits conferred on this day as the pouring out of the holy Ghost Acts 2. And moe reasons might be given whereby this day is singularly beyond others to be called His. 2. Because this first day of the Week and no other was set apart for the Lords Worship and Service as distinguished from other dayes And Iohns end here is to fix on a particular day known to them and so esteemed of among them as such a day That it was set apart for the Lord and His Worship is clear not only from places we have named but from Act. 20.7 Vpon the first day of the Week when the Disciples came together to break bread Paul preached unto them ready to depart on the morrow and continued his speech untill midnight Which intimates not onely a meeting but a custom of meeting and that for Preaching Prayer and celebration of the Lords Supper So 1 Cor. 16.2 Vpon the first day of the Week let every one of you lay by him in store as God hath prospered him and in the 1. vers he tells concerning the Collection of the Saints he had given the same order to the Churches of Galatia If it be asked Why doth Paul point at the first day of the Week and bids give themselves to Charity that day here it is because that day was dedicated to Gods Service and Worship whereof Charity was a pendicle And as we hinted at this was not peculiar to one Church as Corinth but was common to all the Churches The like order was in all the Churches of Galatia and it doth not point at Paul's instituting a day but at his
supposing of it to be instituted and at his injoyning of a positive dutie of Charity meet for that day And it 's observable that though the Saints had meetings on other dayes yet is it never said they did meet the second third or fourth dayes c. but on the first which certainly is done to shew a pecullarnesse in that day and the meetings on it yea few or none deny this denomination to signifie the first day on this account it being so clear from Antiquity and no other day being here to compet with it and that can lay such claim to this denomination as this day doth and was by the most Ancient still so named For the second thing to be cleared What it is to be in the spirit on the Lords day To be in the spirit is First to be Spirituall to have the habits of Grace and a new Nature and thus it taketh-in the ordinary walk of Believers Gal. 5.16 25. Secondly More especially it is for these who are habitually in the Spirit to be actually and in a more eminent measure in the Spirit as Eph. 5.18 to be filled with the spirit to be in a holy rapture and ecstasie is warranted and allowed to Believers in a more speciall frame and at more speciall times to be in a spiritualnesse abstracted from eâ—â—nalnesse and lawfull things more than ordinary Thirdly It is to be in the Spirit in an extraordinary manner and measure or to be in an extraordinary rapture the Spirit revealing something extraordinarily and this is to be in the Spirit in a sense different from the former albeit consisting with them We cannot seclude any of these in this place for Iohn was regenerated and was habitually Spirituall and Gracious but we especially include the last two As if he said though I was absent from company and Christian fellowship and had not a Congregation to Preach in on the Lords day yet I was in the Spirit exercising the habits of Grace and I was in an eminent Spirituall and Holy Frame the Spirit elevating my spirit which is that spoken of Isa. 58.13 If thou cast the Sabbath a delight the Holy of the Lord c. and the Lord taketh him in this spirituall frame and strain and ravisheth him in the Spirit and from the second step He brings him up to the third to be in Spirit as an extraordinary Prophet as we take Peter to have been Act. 10. when he went up to Pray that is to the second step and fell in a Trance and saw Heaven opened which is the third We think the same hath been Iohn's case here The words give occasion to speak of severall Doctrines as 1. The good that is to be gotten on the Lords day when folks are in a spirituall frame 2. That when folks are separated from the publick Ordinances they would be making it up in private by giving themselves to spirituall exercises 3. And that God not only can but doth make up the good to be gotten by the publick by private and secret fellowship with Himself when Believers in Him are banished from or denuded of the publick Ordinances But nor to insist on these they give occasion to speak a little of these three things 1. The institution of he Lords day 2. The name that the Lords day gets 3. Of the sanctification of it or of a speciall part wherein the sanctification of it consists For the First To wit for the institution of this Day severall Arguments are here or we may argue severall wayes to prove it 1. If in the Apostles time this day was set apart for the Lords Worship and Service and in a speciall manner called His as being kept to Him on a morall ground Then we have warrand and it 's our duty to keep it for the same end and use for the practice of extraordinary men grounded on morall and perpetuall Reasons and that were not peculiar to them as extraordinary but are common to them and us as the Grounds and Reasons of the setting apart this day are it being for the remembrance of His Resurrection and the bringing in of a new World and therefore all did from the beginning keep that day are binding to us as is clear But the first day of the Week was appointed to be the Lord's day in the Apostles times and singled out and set apart for His Service on a morall ground for no ground peculiar to them can be given Therefore certainly it must be our dutie to keep it 2. If the first day of the Week was singled out from other dayes and counted the Lords day Then there behoved to be an institution for it or a supposed institution that is it must be the Lords day either because He instituted it when He spoke many things to His Apostles after His Resurrection concerning the right ordering of His House and Worship and by His practice observed and sanctified it for His speciall Service or because these that were infallibly guided and led by His Spirit instituted and gave warrand to keep it for without an institution and command it is not to be kept or named so more than another day But this first day was in practice singled out beside all other dayes and is accounted the Lords in a speciall manner as is said Therefore there must be some institution of it 3. Comparing this Text with 1 Cor. 11.20 If the first day of the Week be the Lords day as the Sacrament of the Supper is the Lords Supper then it must be by His appointment and institution Hiâ— But so the phrase in both places is to be understood Ergo by comparing these two places the peculiarnesse of the phrase is such that there being no other phrase like them in Scripture it seemeth the holy Ghost warrands us to gather the reasons of this denomination of the one from the other though the institution of this day be not so clearly expressed as the institution of the Lords Supper For it 's a received Rule for expounding Scripture to expound more dark places by places that are more full and clear And therefore conclude we that the Lord's day is to be called the Lords because of its institution though we know not where because for the same reason the Supper is called His there being no solid ground to conclude upon And they who give reasons to the contrary must make it appear that there are other reasons more pregnant or else the language of the holy Ghost must have weight with us 4. This first day is the Lords as the seventh day is called His or any other thing in the Old Testament but that is ever because of His setting apart that day or that thing for His own from others of that kind Therefore it must be so here There are some exceptions made by some worthy men which we shall speak a word to As 1. If it be so it will follow that all dayes are not alike contrary to Rom. 14.14 Gal. 4.10
Col. 2.16 where the Scripture seems to say plainly that all dayes are alike Therefore the Lords day cannot be so understood Answ. This doth indeed directly contradict the letter of the Text for either this Text pointeth at one day by another or else it doth nothing 2. The Apostles scope in the places that seem to be contrary to this is clear when he casts the Jewish Sabbath and holy dayes he casts them alike in respect of Jewish observation only or in so far as they were Jewish and Typical for Christ had taken them away in that respect even as He casteth meats also yet without prejudice of the Sacraments and this confirmeth our Argument For if Jewish Dayes and Sabbaths were taken away fourtie years and more as is clear by Paul before Iohn wrote this Revelation in as far as they were Jewish and yet Iohn speaks of a Lords day as differenced from other dayes it sayes it continued when they were abolished There is a great odds betwixt laying-aside of Jewish dayes and the Lords day and when Iohn speaks of the Lords day he speaks of it in the singular number in opposition to those many dayes the Jews had under the ceremonial Law And even that learned Doctor granteth this place to speak of the first day and the Churches practice to meet on it also and in several respects to be priviledged beyond other dayes A second exception is If this day be so counted of it will bring in the sanctifying of it in as eminent a measure as the Jews Sabbath was And is not that to judaize Answ. Distinguish betwixt things Ceremoniall or Typicall and things Morall and Perpetuall We bring back nothing that was Ceremoniall and Typicall as their Sabbaths of Weeks Sacrifices and many other things were but for Morall duties they become us as well as the Iews and bind Christians to the end of the World And this brings not back Judaisme neither leads us to Sacrifices and the like which pointed at Christ to come but contrarily this day and the duties of it hold out Christ already come which destroyeth all these Ceremonies and Sacrifices and declareth them to be gone A third exception It cannot be compared with the Lords Supper for 1. The Lords Supper is clearly instituted but this is not clear in the institution thereof 2. The Lords Supper is a Sacrament this is not and dayes may be changed as Sacraments cannot Answ. 1. To the last part It is a begging of the Question if it be the Lords day set apart for His Service all the world cannot change it except He who can change Sacraments also 2. To the first part That the institution of this day is not so clear as the institution of the Supper Answ. We do not paralel them in respect of clearnesse of institution but in respect of the ground or reason why they get this name which suppones an institution If the Sacrament of the Supper be called the Lords Supper because instituted by Him for a speciall use so must the Lords day get this name on this reason or some better or clearer reason from Scripture must be given For the second Seing it gets this name to be called the Lords day It may be questioned here concerning our manner of speaking of dayes calling the Lords day Sunday the next day after it Monday c. which hath the first rise from Superstition if not from Idolatry some of them being attributed to Planets as Sunday and Monday some of them to Idols as Thursday c. But to speak to the thing it self look to the Primitive times we will find Sunday called the Lords day and the dayes of the Week by the first second third c. But the names of dayes being like the names of places and moneths folks must speak of them as they are in use and Scripture warrands us so to do Acts 17.22 Paul is said to stand in the midst of Mars hill Acts 28.11 speaketh of a Ship whose signe was Castor and Pollux So March Ianuary Iuly and August are from the Idols Mars and Ianus or derived from men that appropriate more than ordinary to themselves And though it was ordinary to Christians in the primitive times to call this day the Lords day among themselves yet when they had dealing with the Iews they called it the Sabbath and when they had dealing with the heathen they called it the Sunday And so though it be best to speak of days as Scripture nameth them yet it is agreeable with Scripture to design or denominate them as they are in use among a people especially where no superstitions use is in naming of them For the third The Sanctification of this day It is pointed out in Iohn his saying he was in the Spirit on the Lords day to point out this that this day requireth a special Sanctification and setting apart to Worship God And there are four steps of it mentioned in the Scripture The 1. is negative abstinence not only from sin but from our civil and ordinary affairs which are lawful on other dayes but not on this day Isa. 58.13 The 2. is positive in devoting it to God and spending the whole day in duties of Worship in reading hearing praying singing breaking of bread or celebrating the Communion Acts 20.7 And that not only in private duties but in publick and in private when the publick is interrupted except in cases of necessity 3. It should be spent in the duties of charity though the sanctification of this day cannot consist with working yet it may stand well with giving of almes and seeing to the necessities of others 1 Cor. 16.1 2. A fourth step is in the Text to have a holy and sanctified frame a divine stamp a heavenly conversation more than ordinarly taken up with God and Christ and the things of another Life that day This is the main thing wherein the Sabbath is to be Sanctified and wherein it represents heaven to be abstracted from the world and to be living above in our Spirits eminently ravished in Spirit as abstracted from things we are to be taken up with on other days The frame of a Sabbath should be a kind of ravishment wherein not only we are not taken up with working our ordinary callings but we do go about Prayer and other Spiritual duties in a more heavenly way than on other dayes and that with a difference in our frame being more elevated and Spiritual we should be other men in more divine contemplation This is the main thing called for in sanctifying the Sabbath and therefore Heb. 4. heaven is set out by the Sabbath wherein there ought not only to be a ceasing from our own works but an entering into our rest Heb. 4.10 as it is Isa. 58.13 a delighting in God calling the Sabbath our delight the holy of the Lord and honourable the heart being taken up with it Remember from all that hath been said this day is the Lords day and it saith
that folks should spend it not as they like but for Him and about the duties of His service It is not the sanctifying of the Sabbath to spend an hour or two in publick and the rest of it in our own discourses pleasing and delightsome to our selves All dayes are Gods but He hath given you six and reserved the seventh to Himself Ye should be with Him in the spirit on the Lords day which is the main use of all that hath been said LECTURE V. Vers. 10. I was in the spirit on the Lords day and heard behind me a great voice as of a trumpet 11. Saying I am Alpha and Omega the first and the last and what thou seest write in a book and send it unto the seven Churches which are in Asia unto Ephesus and unto Smyrna and unto Pergamos and unto Thyatira and unto Sardis and Philadelphia and unto Laodicea JOHN hath in the verses before and in the beginning of this put by the particular circumstances relating to this vision we shall say no more of them We come to the vision it self in the rest of the chapter with some circumstances making way to Iohn's writing of what he saw We comprehend under the vision not only what is objected to the eye or what Iohn saw but all that he sees or hears whereby some new thing is represented to Iohn or that which he had heard or seen before is again more clearly revealed and made known to him as it used to be in the extraordinary Prophets having Gods mind several wayes manifested to them This part of the vision hath three steps First What Iohn heard from the midst of vers 10. to vers 12. Secondly What he did vers 12. And Thirdly Followeth that which he saw to vers 17. The rest of the chapter from vers 17. hath some following effects and circumstances to clear the vision and Iohn's writing of it That which Iohn heard is three wayes described 1. In the nature of the voice which he heard 2. From the place where or the manner or way how he heard it the voice spake behind him 3. The particular matter that was spoken First The nature of the voice which he heard is set out with two words 1. It 's called a great voice 2. It was a voice as of a trumpet or like a trumpet 1. A great voice that is a mighty sound a voice that made a great noise as afterwards vers 15. His voice was as the sound of many waters like the tumbling down of a great river over a high fall or precipire 2. It was a voice as of a trumpet that is 1. Not a confused or inarticulate sound but a stately voice having a kind of majesty with it 2. Like a trumpet giving a certain and distinct sound And 3. Like a trumpet to stir up Iohn to attention to give him an alarm to set him on his watch and guard to observe what he saw and heard And it imports these four things which might be so many grounds of Doctrine 1. The majesty of the Person who was speaking to Iohn that Iohn may come to take Him up it is to shew that it was no common Person but our Lord Jesus Christ that is stately in His coming and this is the first thing that follis should have when they come to hear the Word they should be affected with the majesty of Him who speaketh and consider it 's His voice who stakes the heaven and the earth thâ—â— makes the bindes to calve c. Psal. 29. 2. It is to point out to Iohn the great distance between him and the Person that speaketh to Him and so to humble him and to affect him with a humbling and kindly sense of his own infirmity And these two go together to wit an impression of the statelinesse and majesty of God who speaks and an humble sense of infirmity in the creature See it in Abraham Gen. 18. 17. Behold now I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord Who am but dust and ashes and vers 25. Shall not the judge of all the earth do right And they are also joyned Eccles. 5.1 2. Keep thy foot when thou goest into the house of God God is in heaven and thou upon earth let thy Words be few 3. It is to put Iohn to an holy attention to hear and to be watchful in hearing what He was to say to him the trumpet soundeth that he may be the better taken heed to when He speaks And this is also a good property of hearers when as it is Acts 10.33 We can say with Cornelius We are all here present before God to hear Whatsoever things are commanded thee of God to be in a humble watchful posture having the heart laid open to whatsoever God will say hanging on Him as the phrase is Luke 19.48 4. The sound of the trumpet is not only to waken to attention but to put to action it gives not only a distinct sound for direction but it puts to doing to point at the nature of our Lords voice and how it ought to be heard It 's not enough to hear but there would be a suitablenesse to the voice heard according as the trumpet sounds distinctly Folks would hear suitably and welcome what is said and conform their practice thereto taking with convictions challenges directions to duties promises c. as the Word giveth them Therefore the Preaching of the Word is compared to the sounding of a trumpet Isa. 58. Lift up thy voice like a trumpet that is powerfully and distinctly and as it suppons some thing on the Ministers side that he would have his voice trumpet-like so it suppons some thing on the side of the hearers that they would conform their practice suitably to it as Souldiers prepare themselves at the sound of a trumpet 1 Corinth 14.8 The second circumstance is the place where or the manner how he heard the voice it spoke behind him it came not as before Iohn but as it were unawares surprising him behind him 1. The more to affect Iohn with the sound and to make him inquire in it for the more surprising a thing be it affects the more and wakens up the more desire to enquire in it 2. That our Lord may even try Iohn how he will carry himself in following the enquiry of the voice and so to put Iohn to pains to find it out Therefore Isa. 30.21 it is said Thou shall hear a voice behind thee partly to signifie that our backs are on God when he speak we are running away from him partly to stir us up to turn our face about as it were and to enquire after what is spoken Vers. 11. The third thing is the matter spoken and it contains two things 1. A description of the Speaker His Title and Name I am Alpha and Omega the first and the last the last two words are an exposition of the former two 2. The Commission Iohn gets and the direction given him 1.
events and effects that follow thereon in all which Gods will and pleasure is accomplished as the word is Prev 16.4 The Lord made all things for Himself that is for His own Glory yea even the wicked that fight against God and so bring upon themselves an evil day were by the same Lord created for the glorifying of His Name In this reason there is 1. a clear assertion of the Lords Soveraignty over all His creatures who hath no other rule in the ordering and disposing of them but His own will and pleasure for seing that was the end for which he made them in such and such a manner there is no ground to enquire a further reason of Him in respect of His Decrees but that it was His will and good pleasure so to do 2. It appeareth from this that men will never rightly praise God till His Soveraignty over them be conceived aright and acknowledged and that His will and pleasure is enough to stop our reasoning when we cannot come to satisfie our selves in His proceeding The want of this maketh carnal reason to fret as if the Holy One were to be bounded and limited in His proceeding whereas if we did consider that He giveth account of none of His matters and that it becometh not man to reason with God Rom. 9.20 nor the potsheards of the earth to strive with their Maker this would put all to silence And upon this ground many bold Questions may be answered as Why did God make man mutable when He might have confirmed him in Innocencie as He did the Elect Angels why was he made so seing He foreknew his fall why were so many created and in such a posture as the Lord knew would bring upon themselves destruction why are not all saved by Christ why hath He made an absolute decree of Reprobation concerning many and such like There can no other answer be given but this even so it pleased Him to do and that which is in the Text for His pleasure all things were created And this Soveraignty of God which carnall reason doth so much murmur against is here a main ground of praise and that whereby He is exalted as being thereby glorious and infinitly above all His creatures 3. The asserting of this Soveraignty of God is a Doctrine well-becoming the Church whatever others think of it and it is ever comfortable and refreshfull to His People and a ground of song to them because there can be nothing more satisfying to them than His good pleasure And we suppose that the opposing or fretting at this Doctrine of Gods Soveraignty will be found to be no great evidence of the disposition of one who is a child of God nor to proceed from that native and kindly respect to God which ought to be in creatures especially in Believers The acknowledging and praising of which is here a great part of the Churches work The generall scope of the vision looketh to these two 1. To shew something of God 2. Something in the Servants of God First Something of God And hence Obs. 1. His absolute and soveraign Dominion in Heaven and Earth which we gather from the similitude it self He sitteth on a Throne and hath all these attendants waiting on Him and from the song brought in to point at this as the scope which sheweth the great end God had and hath before Him in creating and preserving all things It is to shew Himself glorious from this ground of His absolute Dominion over all creatures 2. Not only is He a stately King on the Throne but He exerciseth His Dominion He hath made all and He sustaineth all for His good pleasure and sitteth on the Throne ever executing His pleasure and the world never wanteth a Governour as long as this King sitteth on the Throne and as there is a Soveraign God there is also a Soveraign Providence in all the World but more especially in the Church 3. His being well furnished with means and instruments for doing His work is held forth therefore He is said to have such attendants fitted with wings and eyes And Chap. 5.11 He hath ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands of Angels to execute His commands round about and before His Throne these glorious Spirits wait on directions from Him and are ready to do His commandments in caring and providing for His Church and He hath also beside Angels His own Almighty Power and thunderings to execute His wrath on enemies as well as for the creating of things and for carrying on the Work of Grace He hath seven Spirits to spread the everlasting Gospel 4. The Lords great shot in all this is to get praise to Himself and to give matter of a song to His attendants These four generals are clearly held out in the Chapter however we expound the words And it is comfortable that His praise and our song are so joyned together that what is matter of the one is also matter of the other Secondly Something in the Servants of God is holden forth however we look on these Beasts and Elders 1. Their nature and qualifications are here holden out and how they are fitted with eyes before and behind and within each of them with six wings and with severall shapes some being like a Lion some like a Calf some having a face as a Man some like a flying Eagle in which their furniture for their work and their activity in it and their humble serious watchfull and speedy manner of going about it is set out which should be a patern to Believers how to walk in all commanded duties and pieces of service 2. There is here holden out the great dignity and happinesse of Gods Servants and attendants however we expound the words this is clear that to be His Servants is a great priviledge they sit on Thrones they wear Crowns they are clothed in white raiment they are all Kings and Priests to God Chap. 5.10 they are as the Angels they attend on Him and have places among them that stand by Zech. 3.7 It is the compleating of our happinesse to have liberty to look upon God sitting on His Throne The Queen of Sheba saith that Solomons servants were blest that got liberty to behold his face and hear his words but O how much more happy are they who day and night rest not but are alwayes taken up in beholding and praising God â— for a greater than Solomon is here 3. We are here taught what should be and is in some measure the great task and work of the Servants of God and of all that inroll themselves under that title and name that is day and night to be taken up with magnifying of God to be making His praise glorious Psal. 66.2 which is to make it illustrious and that by a native way of going about it Again here is holden forth the manner how we should go about it to wit with humility and reverence with chearfulnesse and zeal laying all we
the principles that are ordinarily maintained by the Orthodox in that point and seing by the length which this conditionall Redemption doth go such ends are not attained as hath been formerly hinted Therefore it will follow that even more than that is necessary and so that there can be no halting till it be their length Also it must stumble and strengthen them not a little to find orthodox Divines taking up and mannageing their Arguments and by their weapons beating down the Answers which hitherto have been made thereto and to see them also enervating the Arguments which have been brought against them by homologating of their Answers Sure Cameron the Author of this method went as far in severall points to alley the heat of Arminians and others against this Doctrine as any yet Episcopius in his dealing with him doth load his way with no lesse absurdities nor doth any whit inveigh lesse bitterly against him than against others whom he dealt with yea in some respect he doth insist more as alleaging his way to be more inconsistent with reason and with it self than the way of others because still Cameron did assert the absolutenesse of Election the efficacy of Grace in Conversion and the impossibility of frustrating the same when God doth apply it to effectuate Conversion or to convert themselves without it though he endeavoured to maintain these things upon grounds different from what are commonly made use of We conclude then That these who are redeemed are peculiarly oblieged to Christ more than any other and yet that no other hath any just ground to quarrel with Him this being certain that though the reasons of His proceeding may sometimes be unknown to us yet can they never be unjust And there is no question but these who dispute most against His way now shall in the day of Judgement have their mouths stopped when their Consciences shall convincingly bear witnesse of the justice of all the Lords proceeding in this work of Redemption and even in their own condemnation But who can search in these depths O the depths of the riches both of the Knowledge and Wisdom of God! O how unsearchable are His wayes and His judgements past finding out To Him be praise for ever Amen LECTURE I. CHAP. VI. Vers. 1. ANd I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals and I heard as it were the noise of thunder one of the four beasts saying Come and see THis Chapter beginneth that part of this Book which is properly and mainly prophetical We heard of the preparation to it in the former two Chapters serving not only to stir up Iohn but all that should hear or read to observe the things that should be revealed Followeth now the first prophesie to be spoken of which is manifested to the Church by our Lords opening the seals of the Book But it will be needfull to premit some generals before we enter on particulars 1. Touching our way of proceeding 2. Concerning the object and scope of the prophesies 3. Concerning the series and order of them 4. Some generals observable about them for the better understanding of them 1. For our way of proceeding we say 1. That this being an obscure place and interpretations being many and different we must have liberty sometimes to propone these that be most probable that out of them we may take what is safest seing among three expositions when a fourth cannot be given the overthrowing of two is an establishing of the third 2. There must be more use made of humane History and citing of mens names than ordinary seing the resolving of a prophesie is in an History and there is no Scripture-story posterior to this Use then must be made of others as in the expounding of Daniel is needfull 3. We intend not to be particular or peremptory in astricting or limiting applications to times cases or persons seing the same expression may be more comprehensive than only to take in one event or look to one party or person it may take in others also it may therefore sute as well with the scope to comprehend both when the things included do not overturn one another 4. Neither will it be meet where consistent and subordinate senses offer to adhere to one of them when it may be as safe to take-in both 2. For the object and scope of this prophesie we conceive it to be mainly to set out what concerneth the Church and occasionally to touch any other thing as may serve to that end for it is sent for the behove of our Lord Jesus His Servants to arm them against trials to keep them from being offended with them and to comfort them under them beside that God is not in this whole Book as in the former vision looked on as in His Government simply but in reference to His Church chiefly so it is His Churches sufferings battels victories and others as they are enemies to her or fighting with her that are spoken to 2. Because the Church was especially within the bounds of the Romane Empire that then did almost command the world and because they were most manifestly friends or enemies to her and the effairs of that Empire being of most concernment to the Church there is mention made sometimes more especially of it 3. Antichrist being the great and lasting enemie and most dangerous to Gods People and yet pretending to be no enemie the holy Ghost therefore insisteth most in that particular describing discovering and pointing him out in his rise his followers or Church his raign and ruine that Believers may be especially guarded against him and that Christs Church and People may be discerned from Antichrist's Church people or followers 4. It is not purposed particularly to hold forth every dispensation in the Church or all changes befalling it or happening to it but the special and main ones most needfull and usefull to be known and understood by the Church therefore whileas other prophesies are more generall this concerning Antichrist is specially particularly and at length insisted on as if the Lord intended especially by this prophesie to meet with him 3. For the series of the Story this is certain the state of the Militant Church is holden forth from that time to the end of the World but how it is there is difference There are three opinions specially in this 1. Some would carry on the Story in an even line by an uninterrupted series knitting every Chapter at the back of another as if the Chapters keeped the order of time till it come to the end But this will no wayes consist with the matter contained in these Chapters especially Chap. 12.13 14. which certainly is contemporary with and explâ—catory of the former visions and so are Chap. 17.18 2. Some make all these visions to begin and end together as if in each of them were a fuâ—l prophesie extending from the beginning of this Revelation to the end of the World But this will not hold in the principall
which went before him This is further explained in the following expression the holy city shall they tread under foot fourty and two moneths What he called the outer Court formerly here he calleth the holy City to wit the visible Christian Church whereof Ierusalem called the holy City for the Ordinances of God in it was a type They shall tread upon it that is shall possesse it brook the name of it pollute it marring the beautie of it and that with an high hand as the Temple was polluted during Antiochus his tyrannie 3. What is meaned by the time fourtie and two moneths is not so easie to determine we think in all this there is an allusion to Dan. 7.24 25 c. where Antiochus his trampling Ierusalem was limited to a time to wit one year times to wit two yeares and the dividing of a time to wit halfe of a year or some odd time more than three years which holdeth forth in generall that as Antiochus got great power over the Iews and their Temple so Antichrist shall get great power over the Church 2. That as the people of God His Ordinances and Service were brought very low by him who may well be Antichrists type so shall the Church be by Antichrist 3. That as that cruelty was limited and bounded for years yea for dayes so shall Antichrists be who in many things is described from Antiochus for that end as changing times having a mouth speaking blasphemous things c. And that there is an allusion to this time of Daniel in all these times Chap. 11.2 3. 12.6 and 13.5 it appeareth by Chap. 12.14 where what was spoken vers 6. of the womans flying by dayes he expresseth thereafter in Daniel's words time times and half a time c. all coming to one sum So that as Antiochus for so long till the time set of God expired trod on Ierusalem Temple and Ordinances so shall Antichrist during his appointed time with this difference the inner Court is reserved from Antichrist though he cometh very near it yet he wasteth not all even as in Iezebels persecution which probably was three years and an half there were seven thousand reserved The reasons moving us to expound times throughout this prophesie by a generall indefinit time rather than particularly to determine are not because they are not determined by God for that is meaned certainly But 1. because He hath reserved the discovery of times and opportunities especially in His own power Acts 1.6 neither think we it edifying so much to insist in these 2. Because there are so many difficulties in applying them particularly for it is not certain how many dayes ought to be assigned to every moneth if to all thirty after the Grecian account or to some thirty one after the Iulian account which goeth to make up the year to us yet that doubt is helped here by the alteration of moneths into dayes c. 3. Because Historians differ in their setting down of events and matters of fact some ascribing them to one year some to another whereby application particularly must be exceeding various as men choose what history to follow or whose reckoning to lay weight on 4. In taking times definitly it will be very hard to agree men with themselves as whether to take them all literally and properly or all prophetically and improperly For the thousand years in the 20. Chap. is by the most part taken literally Again 1260. dayes is expounded for so many years and why it should be understood properly in one place and prophetically in another is hard to give the reason especially considering that these places Numb 14. and Dan. 9. and Ezek. 4. whereon this opinion of dayes for years is built seem not sufficient to bear it for these places are particularly expounded by the Lord to signifie so many years and so to be understood and so cannot be a precedent except in such cases where by circumstances we may evince the same to be intended in that particular application yea by this opinion it will be hard for a man to reconcile his thoughts as compare this time of Antichrists reign with that of the devils restraint Chap. 20. it is hard to say the devil is restrained when Antichrist his speciall Minister and Mahomet prevaileth and he in them reigneth yet there cannot be so many years as to allow strictly to each of these so long a time by particular application except they fall in one time together for it would take 2260. years successively If it be alledged from the common rule that whole compleat and even numbers in reckonings of this and other prophesies as ten dayes or times two hundred thousand thousand horsemen Chap. 9. and the like are to be taken indefinitly but not so of broken numbers as 1260. dayes three dayes and an half c. Ans. 1. What reason can be given from the Scripture to prove the one is definit and not the other 1260. more than ten dayes 2. All odd times may be resolved in some whole odd years in whole moneths or in dayes or so many hours 3. Why rather are fourty two moneths here to be understood prophetically than five before Chap. 9 and why not five there as seven Ezek. 39 4. Even many odd numbers are indefinit in other things as seven thousand men were killed vers 13. a thousand six hundred furlongs Chap. 14. yea of broken times Chap. 8. half an hour and 144000. that were sealed are odd even these who make the rule take sometimes unbroken times definitly as that of the thousand years Chap. 20. And can there be a solid application of three dayes and an half in which the witnesses are dead to any definit time more than to shew a short time in comparison of their prophesying yet that all is determinatly known to God is not to be disputed yea why the number of dayes more than the number of horsemen armies spirits c. so frequently mentioned in particular numbers in this Book should be definitly taken will not easily appear Beside if all these numbers were definitly to be taken for so many years then supposing the beginning of them to be known which seemeth possible otherwayes the particular determination of the time would be for no end it would follow that men might know to a year month or day the continuing of Antichrists reign and the performing of other great effects mentioned in this prophesie which yet seemeth not usuall to the Lord in such prophesies who even in this respect hath reserved times in His own Power as was said If any thing were objected from the Lords determining seventy years for the captivity by Ieremiah and such like Ans. That is in a particular and was rather to dash the presumptuous expectation of a sudden delivery and therefore was particularly and plainly revealed for that end All which maketh us account it most safe to hold in the indefinit which is certain and to gather the definit time rather
that which is given to God and so that it should not follow from this that Christ is worshipped Therefore He is God equal with the Father Now the Scripture giveth Him that same Worship and not any other even when it is denied to all creatures yea when He is worshipped in the dayes of His flesh He is considered as the only begotten of the Father as Lord and Almighty having all creatures as servants under Him c. and yet He is stiled the Son of David He that was to come c even at that time to shew that both considerations have place in worshipping of the same Person who is God and also Mediator and not to bring in a new Worship for none can be more glorious than what is due to God but to lay a new ground of having accesse to give Him the Worship which is due and by a new relation to give a kindly qualification of the Object whereby the heart may be provoked lovingly and thankfully to give the same 6. When this Worship is given to Him it is given to the Person who is Mediator and that in one individual act for He as God is not worshipped one way and as man an other way nor is there a division of His Natures to be conceived but the Person who is Man is worshipped with this Divine Honour in the same act because He is God therefore there is no such precision called for in the intent of the Worshipper as if one Nature of Christs were to be worshipped and not the other for it 's the Person who is worshipped now consisting of two Natures 7. When the Mediator is thus worshipped there is no distinct Object of Divine Worship worshipped but as whatever Person be named it 's the same God so however the Mediator be named or considered it 's the same Person for though the second Person of the Godhead considered in Himself be not unum or the same thing with the Mediator sensu sci-formali as Divines say yet is He Vnus the same Person and the second Person of the Godhead being Vnum to wit the same God with the other two glorious Persons essentially considered although He be not Vnus with the Father and Spirit considered personally for the Godhead essentially taken is the same thing with the Father Son and Spirit as hath been said Then it will follow that even when the Mediator is worshipped there is but still the same one formal Object of Divine Worship to wit God they being still the same essential properties which alone give ground for a creature to Worship all the Persons of the glorious Trinitie considered in themselves or the Son considered as Mediator in the manner expressed Again it appears thus the Son who is Mediator is the same Object of Worship that the Son the second Person of the Godhead is for now He being One Person cannot be conceived as two distinct Objects of Worship but the Son as the second Person of the Godhead is the same Object of Worship with the Father and Spirit as hath been said Therefore the Son who is Mediator when worshipped with Divine Honour is the same formal Object of Divine Worship also And this also doth confirm that Divine Worship is given to Him as God for so only is He the same Object with the Father and Spirit 8. When the Son is worshipped there is no lesse respect to be had to His Mediation than when the Father is expressed so that who ever be named the Son still as Mediator is to be made use of and that in the same manner for as there is but One God So there is but One Mediator betwixt God and man 1 Tim. 2.3 without whom there is no access for a sinner to approach unto or worship acceptably this One God Thus God is the formal Object of Worship the Mediator considered as such is the ground upon which with confidence we may approach to that God therefore is He the Way and Truth and Life there is no going to God but by Him so that in our Worship God and the Mediator are not to be separated yet are they not to be confounded for we Worship God in and by the Mediator in which respect the Mediator is called the Door Altar Way c. because it is by the vertue and efficacy of His Mediation that the sinful distance betwixt God and us is removed and accesse made for sinners to Worship Him as was typified by the Temple and Tabernacle in which the Mercy-seat was placed and in looking to which the people were to worship God From all which it will follow in reference to the third First That our Prayers may be directed to Jesus the Mediator expresly as Act. 7.59 Secondly That He may be named by Titles agreeing only to Him as Mediator to wit Mediator Iesus Thou who died Advocate c. because these being given Him in concreto design the Person Thirdly That the heart may be in the instant stirred and affected with this that He is Mediator so as to specifie Him or to make Him the Object of our consideration as such in that act as hath been said Thus a soul may pray to Jesus who died who made satisfaction who interceeds c. and upon that consideration be affected with love strengthned in hope and confidence in its Prayer which yet is put up to Him because He is God Fourthly We may ask from Him what peculiarly belongs to the Office of Mediation as that He may guide His Church pour out the Spirit gift Ministers interceed c. because the Person to whom these belong is God And that extrinsick relation or denomination of being Mediator doth not marr us to pray to Him as his being God hinders not but that He still executes that office by performing of such acts but both give ground that confidently we may pray to Him for these things yet in that still His Godhead is the formal Object of our Prayer though the things we pray for belong to His Mediation for we could not seek these from Him were He not God and because He is God and Man we are imboldened to seek them and to expect them See Psal. 45.3 4. c. for the matter fought to wit riding prosperously c. belongeth to His Mediation as the scope clears yet the account upon which is that He was God most mighty For as they say it is not Mediatio but Deietas that is the ratio formalis of Divine Worship or His Mediation as it includes His Deiety by the wise Grace of God these two being now inseparably joyned together for certainly Christ the Mediator was to be made use of with respect to His future satisfaction before He actually became Man as it is since to be done with respect to His incarnation and suffering for He was Mediator and stood in that relation before He was Man yet it cannot be said that He was then as such considered as the formal Object of their
is sent he turns it over in a thanksgiving to Christ especially pitching on Him as looking to the benefits and priviledges they injoyed through Him as being in a speciall way purchased by Him and this thanksgiving or doxologie is all that he and all Saints can give Christ for all that He hath done for them unto him be glory and dominion Believers in looking on Christs purchase would be more in ascribing glory and dominion to Him not that they can add any new glory to Him or enlarge His Dominion but it is to acknowledge that to Him belongs glory and dominion as it 's afterwards Chap. 5. vers 12. Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and glory and blessing It 's Believers expression and hearty assent in approving Gods purpose and project in making Him Head over all the Church Vers. 7. He seems to come back where he left when he began his thanksgiving to speak of Jesus Christ under the last title of Prince of the Kings of the earth and that by way of pre-occupying an objection which carnall hearts might make and it is this Is He Prince of the Kings of the earth who was put to death and laid in the Grave Where Is He now if He be such a Prince He answereth Behold he cometh with clouds though many profane carnall hearts now do not acknowledge Him yet He shall one day be acknowledged He is now out of sight but it will not be long so He is making ready for His coming to Judgement and is coming Chap. 22.20 Surely I come quickly This coming in the present time implyeth two things 1. The seasonablnesse of His coming He misses no time He comes quickly 2. That even the short time He delayes He is making ready as it were for His coming He is leading Witnesses and fitting Processes and discovering the truth and falshood of every thing and every thing that may further His coming is going forward He is not idle in reference to His last coming to Judgement but is hasting all Secondly His coming to Judgement is set out in the majesty and statelinesse of it under an expression ordinary in the Prophets as much of this Book is He cometh with clouds So Psal. 97.2 Clouds and darknesse are round about him and Mat. 24.30 He shall come in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory So Psal. 18.10 11. To set out the statelinesse of the Judge that cometh thus backed with Coelestiall Majesty Thirdly His coming is set out by the palpablenesse and visiblenesse of it Every eye shall see him though most part of Atheists think not of his coming now yet when He shall come there shall not be a reasonable creature that ever had life on Earth whether Believer or unbeliever but they shall with their eyes see Him in that day Fourthly Among them that shall see Him these are added They also who peirced Him under which is comprehended His greatest Enemies and it takes in both those who had their hands hote in his bloud and killed him bodily and those who crucified and do crucifie Him spiritually as it 's said Chap. 11.8 He was crucified in spirituall Sodom they shall all in that day be called before His Barr and be forced to look on Him A fifth circumstance in His coming All kindreds of the earth shall wail because of Him in the Originall all the Tribes of the earth it is a word borrowed from the Iews their manner of reckoning who counted their Kingdoms by Tribes The meaning is all the Kingdoms of the earth and those that laugh at Him now and think little of His coming when it is spoken of shall wail because of Him that is because of their slighting of Him and now seeing Him to be their Judge whom they slighted and contemned and though there be now a kindly mourning like that in Zach. 12.10 They shall look â—pon Him whom they have pierced and they shall mourn yet this being to be at the day of Judgement and spoken of the enemies that think nothing of Him now we take it to be an anxious howling of enemies when they shall see Christ come in the clouds to the great Judgement and all His Angels and Saints about Him as Matth. 24.30 Theâ— shall all the Tribes of the earth mourn Sixtly There is a sixth circumstance added even so Amen which is Iohns setting to his seal to His coming and it s doubled as it is ordinary both in the Greek and Hebrew He wisheth He may come and believeth He will come that it may be as he hath said even as he closeth his Revelation Amen Even so come Lord Iesus And so it looketh to His stately way of coming and the effects it shall have in the world it being for His Glory to vindicate Himself from the rubs that His profane enemies put upon Him in the world he sayes Amen to that even so Amen Observe 1. Our Lord Jesus that was Crucified and thought little of shall be as high as ever He was low in the open view of all His enemies The time is coming and now is advancing fast forward when He shall take unto Him His Kingdom and be visibly seen by all the Kingdoms of the earth to be the Judge of quick and dead the Prince of the Kings of the earth This is one of the Articles of our Creed and we would make use of the Scripture to confirm it there is a time coming and it is not far off when He shall set His Throne in the Clouds and all eyes shall see Him Think ye this true that there is a time coming when we that are here and all others shall see Christ in His Humane Nature and also much of His Godhead as He shall be pleased to let out and we capable of Think on it and let it not go with a word but consider how ye will meet Him and stand before Him and when ye meet with difficulties or creature-comforts that would turn you aside Remember on this day and where will they all be when ye shall be arrested to stand before Him Eccles. 11.9 Obs. 2. Christs coming to Judgement is a special part of His statelinesse and a main part of the Universalnesse of His Kingly Office as Mediator when He shall come and sit as Judge and give sentence on godly and wicked and send away the one and welcome the other This will be one of His stateliest dayes when He shall vindicate Himself from profane men and bear Himself out to His people in His exceeding Glory Believers believe there is such a Day and let it quiet your hearts in the mean time of all these confusions Obs. 3. Our Lord Jesus His coming to Judgement will be a doleful coming to the most part of the world they also who peirced Him and all kinreds of the earth shall wail because of Him they shall cry to the hills Fall on us and to the mountains cover us
am suffering with you so I am confined for Preaching to you in Patmos pointing out this that as all Believers are brethren so all have one lot in suffering here away and none are exempted from the Crosse were it the Disciple whom Jesus loved and leaned on His bosom at the Supper the night He was betrayed yet he must be a companion in tribulation and come into heaven at the same door with the rest Folks would not think this strange that afflictions light on these whom Christ loves best the servant is not greater than the Lord. It should comfort sufferers and make them look on it as their prerogative to be sufferers for Christ. 3. There is a further aggravation or explication of the former and in the Kingdom and Patience of Iesus Christ. Lest it should be thought any thing derogatory to be a sufferer he says he is a companion in the Kingdom and Patience of Jesus Christ with them And these two words Kingdom and Patience are put together not only to shew He is a King and a Priest with other Believers but to shew this much that Christs Kingdom is often more in the exercise of patience than in dominion and that the Subjects of Christs Kingdom here are more put to exercise patience than to reign His meaning is I am a sharer with you in the Spiritual Kingdom of Christ that needeth no worldly grandour but hath need of patience And it saith that he counts it his prerogative to be singled out and put to patient suffering for giving testimonie to Christ as King of His Church Afflictions for Christ and sharing in His Kingdom may stand well together for the time and in reference to the upshot if we suffer with Him we shall reign with Him A second circumstance which is also a further description of himself is from the place and cause 1. From the place of his suffering I was in the Isle which is called Patmos This Patmos is an Isle in the Aegean-Sea near the coast of Asia the lesse not far from the seven Churches in Asia to whom he writeth a place which is called barren by them who write of it not much inhabited then not now because of the barrennesse of it therefore it was a greater evidence of the cruelty of Iohns persecuters that banished him thither 2. The cause is for the Word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ that is for his Preaching the Word of God and for his owning and maintaining Christs Gospel for his bearing testimonies that Jesus Christ was the King Priest and Prophet of His Church and the eternal substantial Word of the eternal Father for Christs cause who is the Word of God or for bearing testimony to Him The way how he came to this Island is not set down but Historie tells Euseb. lib. 3. cap. 14. ex Ireneo Clem. Alex. it was in the fourteenth year of Domitian the Emperour when he raised the second persecution against the Church of Christ about the 97. year of our Lord that he after he had tortured Iohn banished him to this Isle near about the same time of Iohn's age This then is the place that Iohn was banished to and yet in the same place he hath sweet fellowship with God is countenanced of Him and honoured to be the carrier of this Revelation to the Church 1. See here how far gracelesse and profane persecuters such as this beast Domitian was may prevail against the servants of Jesus Christ when he doth banish Iohn to Patmos beside other horrible persecutions which he raised against the Church Christ by this would have us know His Kingdom is not of this world 2. Solitarinesse for Christ is not the worst condition Christ can make up that another way and if there be a necessity of withdrawing men from their duty as of Ministers from their publick Ministry He can make it tend as much to their private benefit and to the publick good of His Church if not more neither doth Iohn lose any thing by his banishment and confinement for he finds more intimate and sweet communion and fellowship with Christ and gets more of His mind nor doth the Church lose any thing by it for she gets this Revelation of Gods mind If we believed this we would never go out of Gods way to make up His Work for if He please to lay us by He knows how to make up that both to our selves and Gods people The Christian Church is as much beholden to Paul's imprisonment in Epistles as to his liberty in Preaching 3. Honest suffering for Christ hath often with it the freshest and clearest manifestations of Christ. Folks that will continue faithful and bide by their duty through sufferings they shall not only not be losers but gainers 1 Pet. 4.14 If ye be reproached for the Name of Christ happie are ye for the Spirit of God and of Glory resteth upon you I would have none carnal nor vain in this but humbly confident and constant as they would thrive in their Spiritual condition and maintain their peace LECTURE IIII. Vers. 10. I was in the spirit on the Lords day and heard behind me a great voice as of a trumpet BEfore Iohn come particularly to the Vision he saw he insisteth in some particular circumstances that make way to the more full faith and credite of the Vision and Story that followeth and though they be only circumstances in themselves yet they are profitable and conducing to the main end he hath before him We heard of the first and second circumstance how and where Iohn was when he got this Vision Followeth in the 10 vers the third and fourth circumstances that is the day when he got this Vision and the frame he was in I was in the spirit on the Lords day The words in the Originall are I was in the spirit on that Lords day pointing out a day singularly and a day that in a particular and speciall manner is called His Day beside any other day that Dominik day or day which is the Lords That we may have accesse to the use we shall speak a little to these two 1. What particular day this is seing there is no mention made what day it is more than this that it is called The Lords day 2. What it is to be in the spirit on this day For clearing of the first of these two ye would consider that there is but one other phrase in Scripture like this and it 's spoken of the Lords Supper 1 Cor. 11. This is not to eat the Lords Supper They that know the Originall know also this phrase to be singular like this of the Lord's day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 1 Cor. 11.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is opposed unto and contradistinguished from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which was not see apart from other suppers and common use as this was And these two being by one particular phrase expressed we must expound the one by
Lord Jesus Christ His Kingly and Princely Office as that which followeth doth of His Prophetical Office hereby letting us know that our Lord Jesus His being in heaven and in glory hath not made Him lay by His Offices or the executing of them but He remains King and Priest for ever Psalm 110. even in heaven He bears His Offices to His Churches 2. That our Lord Jesus Christ not only bears these Offices but in an excellent and glorious manner there is no such King no such Priest no such Prophet as He so that whatsoever belongs to any of His Offices or any part of any of them He would have His people looking to Him as eminent therein He is a King ruling in Righteousnesse stately in Majesty and dominion a Priest that continueth for ever and hath an unchangeable Priesthood and is able to save all them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him seing He lives for ever to make intercession for them and such an high Priest becomes us who is holy and harmlesse undefiled separated from sinners and made higher then the heavens Heb. 7.24 25 26. He is a Prophet such as hath no equal none teacheth like Him Therefore it becometh us not only not to have low thoughts of Christ as bearing those Offices but to think of Him as being eminent and glorious in them and all that concerns them 3. It holds out that our Lord Jesus His statelinesse and glory doth not marr nor hinder Him in the application of His Offices and executing them for the good of His Church but for as stately as He is for Authority having on His long robe and being girded with a golden girdle yet His garment is so truced and girded as He is fitted for His imployment and to make use of His Offices for the benefit of souls See Iohn 13. v. 3. as ever He did when He was on earth Christs greatnesse and glory is so far from unfitting Him for the discharge of His Offices that He hath robes compacted and Himself so fitted as He may handsomly go about the discharge of them being still girded though the girdle be of gold The second part of the description vers 14 is His qualifications for His Offices set out under the particular parts of a body First His head and His hair were like wool this would not agree to Christs Manhead in all appearance He not having come to that age at which men use to become white haired It is an application of or an allusion to that of Dan. 7.9 if not taken out of it And the reason of the allusion is to set out 1. The Eternitie of Christs Godhead that though He was and is Man yet before the world was He was and is the Eternal God without beginning that whitenesse of the hair being spoken of God to set out His Eternity He is not from yesterday as poor creatures are but from everlasting though His Eternity maketh no change nor alteration on Him as age doth on men 2. It sets out our Lord Jesus His wisdom and experience and the reverence that is due to Him He is set out as one having gray hairs being eminently endued with wisdom and experience as old men use to be in comparison of others and as these of younger years usually are not Therefore Dan. 7.9 He is called the ancient of dayes which expounds His appearing with white hairs Isa. 11.2 The Spirit of the Lord rests upon Him the spirit of wisdom and understanding the spirit of counsel and might the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord. The second part of this qualification is in His eyes His eyes were as a flame of fire He is also thus set forth Dan. 10.6 These eyes point out the omniscience of Christ who as God sees every thing and they are said to be as a flame of fire partly because of their peircing nature that as all things are naked before Him and bare so He sees throughly in through and out through them all All things are lying open and as it were imbowelled before His eyes Heb. 4. And partly because of the dreadfulnesse and terriblenesse that will arise from His omniscience to the wicked of the world His and His Churches enemies nothing will be more terrible to them nor a glance of Christs eye whereby he can destroy worlds of them as when he looked down on Sodom and Gomorrah fire and brimston followed His eye and destroyed them The third part of His description is vers 15. His feet like unto fine brasse this is excellent brasse glittering brasse nearest unto gold as being some way mixed with it and these feet of brasse point out not only His power but especially His wayes counsels and dispensations toward His people in ordering of His Churches Gods paths and wayes being the manner of His guiding of the world So Christs feet do signifie His stepping up and down in His Church ordering all things well wisely and holily to His glorious ends and consequently His dispensations whereby He makes His presence manifest among His People 2. These feet are said to be like unto fine brasse as if they burned in a furnace to point out 1. That all His dispensations are pure and perfect 2. Excellent and firm solide and durable there is no prevailing by the gates of hell against them They are pure spotlesse and clean no iniquity is in them Deut. 32.4 He is the Rock His work is perfect for all His wayes are judgement a God of Truth and without iniquity just and right is He. We think this to be the meaning here His wayes in His Church His stepping up and down in it are pure and spotlesse firm and solid all on-lookers cannot mark a spot in them they cannot be mended or bettered nor hindered He so sickerly sets them down It serves to hold forth the statelinesse of our Lord Jesus Christ and to bring our hearts to a holy awe and reverence of Him O that folks knew what He were they would walk in more awe and reverence before and with Him who is such a stately Person I Love reverence and admire Jesus there is no such stately and lovely Person in the world submit to Him He will do no wrong Contend not with Him for on He will go so sickerly sets He down His steps like pillars of brasse The reasons of these expositions will appear more in the Inscriptions of the Epistles chap. 2. and 3. LECTURE VII Vers. 15. And his voice as the sound of many waters 16. And he had in his right hand seven stars and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword and his countenance was as the Sun shineth in his strength I Told you that this Vision doth not represent the Body of our Lord Jesus or His humane nature but it is to point out His divine qualifications wherewith He was furnished as God-Man in one Person for the good of His Church And these things spoken of as parts of
him in reference to the Christian Religion which a heathen Magistrate did not yet is the Parent 's power and authority over his Son no lesse than when the Magistrate was heathen because the Magistrates command is not privative but cumulative to the Parents Authority even so is it here And there can be no greater reason to say that Church Power and Authority over Christians did cease in spirituall things after Constantine became a Christian than to say that the Power and Authority of a Christian Parent and a Christian Master did expire at that time And seing it is granted that Church power and Parentall power are both immediately from God without any mediate derivation by the Magistrate It is reason that they should be of equal duration and continuance also And in matter of fact it is clear that the Church continued to exercise the same power which formerly she did and also that the Magistrate concurred in his station for the strengthening thereof and there is not the least shadow for any delegation after that more than formerly But that now by the approbation of civil Authority the Church had accesse to do that for which before that time she was persecuted even as there was full liberty given to Preach the Gospel which formerly was inhibited yet none will say that that power of the key of Doctrine was derived from the Magistrate For what is alledged of the Emperours calling of Councels That will prove him to have put them to the exercise of their power but not that it was derived from him more than when before that time Provincial Councels were called by some eminent Bishops it will prove that their Call did authorize them But rather both these Calls do suppose Authority to be before in these that are called And therefore there is no question that if Constantine had called others than Church-officers to judge and censure in reference to these differences Ecclesiastically he could not have derived Authority to them so as to have made them equally Rulers and with the same Authority as if they had been Church-members and Officers which yet might have been done if their Authority had resided in him alone Beside he commanded the preaching of the Gospel also as is said Whence we may see that Christian Magistrates did not meddle with that Power and Authority which formerly resided in the Church neither ever was it heard of that a Magistrate did excommunicate authorize or ordain a Minister and such like wherein Church-power is exercised And though it be said that he doth these things mediately by putting the Church to it and by calling Church-officers to consult in Ecclesiastick things which he doth confirm by his Authority even as he doth govern other Societies as Physicians Lawyers c. by Authorizing some of their own number to mannage what concerneth such Callings and Functions in which respect say some the Function is different from the Magistrate Yet he is not the Lawyer nor the Physician more than he is the Minister but the Authority is on him alone To this we say 1. That the paralel is most unequal because although a Magistrate be not by his station a Physician or Lawyer yet supposing him to have skill he might lawfully do any act incumbent to these Stations which doth indeed show that the same Authority whereby they act doth reside in him but suppose he had the Theorie of Ecclesiastick things and skill in them yet he might not stepâ— to himself to act the acts of a Ministeriall Function nor as a Magistrate to sentence with Church sentences Administer Sacraments as he might do in the sentences of inferior Magistrates and Courts which doth shew that that Authority doth not reside in him 2. We grant that he may be said to govern mediately as he may be said to Teach and Preach mediately for he ought to provide for that But that will not infer that the Authority of Preaching is derived from him yet no way doth the weight of this controversie so much ly on matters of fact what Churches or Magistrates did since the Apostles dayes as by what right and warrand they did what they did This last assertion therefore although made out could prove nothing without the former nor will the instancing of exorbitancies in Church-governours infer any nullity of that Power more than the enumerating of miscarriages of men in civil place will enervate that ordinance of God yea we are sure much ill hath come by Magistrates intrusion in this Church Power and many have miscarried in it much lesse will heaps of slanders against most faithful men do it whom God eminently countenanced and who singularly by suffering were honoured to testifie for Him such as Mr. Welsh Mr. Melvil Mr. Davidson and others who we are perswaded in the great Day will be as bold in reference to their being approven in their stations as any of their opposers or traducers on this account This way of writing will not be found to proceed from zeal for the Lord which hath so little respect to such who eminently adhered to him and let these traducers of His Ordinances and Servants prepare for giving account for both to Him to which we leave them For the absurdities wherewith he doth load this truth they being for substance the same which often have been fully wiped away we shall only say these two 1. That either they are no absurdities Or 2. Not such as the grounds acknowledged by him will infer For 1. It is no absurdity simply that a man in diverse considerations should be subject to diverse co-ordinate powers as a son is to the Magistrate as a Member of the Commonwealth to his parent as a child and member of the family and in some things as formerly hinted at he is so obliged to be subject to the parent that no command of a Superiour can loose him from it and in other things so subordinated to the Magistrate that therein the parents authority hath no place And the same may be seen in wives who in some things are subject to their husbands commands and no Authority can warrant them to do otherwise 2. We say that this same absurdity might have been instanced in these Churches that the Lord writes to suâ—pose as he doth in the other case that the Magistrate had appointed some whom the Church had called to her Synods as for example to that mentioned Acts 15. to some other civil imployment as they were subjects would not the same absurdity of the interfereing of the two Authorities have followed he must either then say that such a case was not conceivable in these times or he must say the absurdity must be evited or it will be fastened upon the way approven by the holy Ghost as the Churches governing of her self distinctly is granted to be at least during such a case and when he loses and vindicates his own concession it will be easie to answer his objection 3. It cannot be denied but
angry In the beginning of the next Chap he reproveth them for suffering the incestuous person and commandeth him to be Excommunicated which beareth out this that Paul's coming over them to presse such a duty was a stroke or note for their defect in the same 2. It is a threatning in this respect because the taking of some extraordinary way and mean as in reference to these Nicolaitans hath strange-like and uncouth effects oftentimes following upon it thereby the Church is put through other and revolutions follow and often the Wheat is trode upon when the Tares are a weeding which cannot but be hurtful to the Church 3. It supponeth a laying-by of this Angel and making use of some other for this work of convincing reproving and confounding c. of those wicked men which should be to His disgrace when he should have no hand in so good a work and so the meaning of the threatning is to the Angel if thou spare these wicked men and do not thy duty in reference to them I my self will come in another way and lay thee by and follow my purpose in sentencing and censuring of them by some other mean And this is to give another his Crown which is so oft commended to the Angels in those Epistles to be kept Thus the threatning is not to remove a Ministrie or Church-estate from Pergamos as was in the case of Ephesus but it is the Lords threatning to lay aside such particular Ministers and notwithstanding thereof to carrie on His Work Now for the third To wit wherefore this threatning respecteth the Angel more peculiarly than that of Ephesus did Answ. The reason was formerly hinted to wit Ephesus sin and defect was in the practice of the power of Godlinesse common to Ministers and people therefore doth that threatning extend almost equally to both this sin again which is reproved here doth peculiarly resfect upon the Ministers and therefore the weight of the threatning doth peculiarly respect them From which we may learn 1. That fainting and unfaithfulnesse in the Work of the Ministrie may procure an interruption by one mean or other in the exercise thereof or a blasting of a man in Gifts and Parts who somtimes hath been usefull 2. It sheweth that somtimes God may keep His Word in a place and exercise it in reference to some persons between whom and Him there is a standing or stated fight they fighting against Him and not receiving the love of the Truth and He fighting against them by giving them up to hardnesse of heart and strong delusions and in His secret and holy Justice making His Word and Ordinances to promove the same 3. It followeth also that it is a most dreadfull thing when the Lord and His Word become our party and when He fighteth against a people with that Sword it is here a more terrible threatning to fight against those with the Sword of His mouth than if He had sent the Sword Famine or Pestilence upon them 4. It implieth that this is a plague and a way of punishing that the Lord in His Justice often sendeth and exerceth upon deluders and corrupt Teachers who have not received the love of the Truth and have perverted the Word of God to their own destruction to wit that it should be a weapon of Gods indignation for the inflicting of Spiritual plagues upon them The Conclusion followeth vers 17. and hath two parts common with the rest 1. All that are spiritually affected and have the sense of right hearing are exhorted to hear what God saith by His Spirit to the Churches as if particularly it were spoken to them This is so far from supposing that men naturally have ears to hear that it doth imply the contrary to wit that it is not every one that hath ears to hear but that he is a rare man that hath them for none can hear spiritually what the Lord saith to the Churches but such as have gotten them as Moses word is Deut. 29.4 The second part of the Conclusion containeth some encouragements to the wrestling Believer as all the rest of the Conclusions do The party to whom the promise is made is the same to wit him that overcometh or he that is a overcoming as it may be read which pointeth at the zealous single constant and faithful Wrestler though he hath not yet obtained the victory The encouragements given him are on the matter the same with the rest to wit the happinesse that may be expected in heaven but are set down in three or four different expressions for commending of the same The first is I will give him to eat of the hidden Manna Manna is called Psal. 105. Angels food and Ioh. 6. bread from heaven It is in a word the most excellent and refreshing food yea Christ Himself who is called the true Bread from heaven Joh. 6. of whom whosoever eateth shall not die It is hidden Manna possibly relating to that pot of Manna that was kept within the Ark of the Testimonie and so it pointeth at such food as is hid with Christ in God and to be enjoyed with God in the heavens which was typified by the most Holy However it importeth First The excellencie of this food and the satisfaction which the overcomer may expect it is inconceivable and inexpressible The eye hath not seen the ear hath not heard of it nor hath it entered in mans heart to conceive thereof Isa. 64. Secondly It importeth its sickernesse it is bid it cannot but be sure to the overcomer seing it is kept in the secret place of the most High Thirdly It importeth the rarity and singularity of this excellencie being a thing altogether unknown to the world as if it were hidden in which respects Coloss. 3.3 our life is said to be hid with Christ in God The second expression is I will give him a white stone white stones were used in those dayes for two ends as may be gathered from Heathen writers 1. In their wrestlings and games he that overcame and was victor got a white stone as a badge of honour put upon him 2. It was used in civil Courts when men were accused and challenged of crimes to be given as a sign of absolution thus a man that was found innocent and absolved got a white stone and he that was condemned got a black stone both answer well here where Christ promiseth to give to the overcomer a Crown in pledge of his victory and a full publick and open absolution in the great Day before men and Angels 3. This white stone hath a new name written upon it a Name is some honourable thing a new name is something eminently honourable It was the Lords way to change the name of some whom He eminently loved and for confirmation of His favour to them He gave them new Names so he did to Abraham Iacob c. This saith that the believing overcomer shall be made by Jesus Christ quite another thing where He shall
go no more out the accesse that Believers have to Gods company and Temple here hath interruptions and the Believer is again soon down from any mount where Christ may be transfigured before him but faith the Lord when I shall make him a pillar in the Temple of my God and settle him in Heaven there shall no more be any interruption of communion either by Gods hiding of Himself upon the one side or from the Believers whoreing from Him upon the other but he shall be by the powerfull grace of God established there and shall go no more out And this is added as a special consolation to the Believer that is wearie of his own gading and whoreing from God that there is a time coming when that shall be broken off and he shall go no more out The third step is and I will write upon him the name of my God pillars that were erected as monuments of honour were honourable according to the name or inscription that was written upon them Now there can be none more honourable than to have the Name of God written upon them and to be devoted to Him We concieve also it implieth a sharing and partaking of the glory of God in some measure as a poor creature is able to partake of the same The fourth thing is and the name of the city of my God which is New Ierusalem which cometh down out of heaven from my God We must understand 1. What is meaned by this New Ierusalem before it can be understood what it is to bear its Name By the New Ieruâ—alem and city of my God we understand one of two either 1. Heaven which in the seat of the Church Triumphant called here the New Ierusalem because it so far doth exceed the splendor and beautie of the Church or Jerusalem here upon earth and it is said to come down from Heaven because by the preaching of the Gospel the Kingdom of God is brought near even to the door Or 2. The congregation of the first-born that are already perfected in Heaven called the New Ierusalem because though they be of that same Church of Christ yet are they in respect of their glorious qualifications and perfections as it were a new Church And thus it is said to come down from Heaven not so much to signifie any locall mutation as to shew where it is for the time and that their originall as such is from God Both these turn to one and shew that by this promise is understood that the overcomer shall be admitted as a free Burgesse and Citizen to glory amongst the rest of the Congregation of the first-born And thus to have the name thereof written upon the overcomer is to have Him as it were declared a free Burgesse and Citizen of that glorious Incorporation That it is thus to be understood of Heaven and not of any state of the Church upon earth the reasons before mentioned do evince Beside it is a promise that is to be performed to every overcomer and that after his full Victory here and so consequently after his death and therefore can be understood of no other thing but Heaven The last thing is and I will write upon him my new name the Mediators new name is the exaltation which He hath received after His Resurrection and compleat Victory as is clear Philip. 2.9 The writting of this upon the overcomer is the making of Him a joynt sharer of that His Glory and so to sit upon one Throne with Himself and eat and drink at one Table with Him and to behold His Glory as Himself doth pray Ioh. 17.22 23 24. the due and proportionable difference being alwayes kept betwixt the head and members Now put these together and so the overcomer shall be glorious in himself For so 1. He shall be a pillar 2. He shall partake of the glory of God and have His Name upon him 3. He shall partake of the glory of Heaven and the Saints that are there already 4. He shall partake of the Mediators Glory and bear His new Name and what more can be imagined Thus the Lord shall be admired in all that believe 2. Thess. 1.10 in that day when every Believer shall be as a Trophee erected to the glory of the grace of God and for a memoriall of the love that our blessed Lord Jesus had unto and of the Victory He obtained for elect sinners by His redeeming of them It rests now that we observe somethings further from this Epistle beside what is already hinted wherein it is not our purpose to insist Observe 1. There is difference betwixt gifts requisite to the being of a Minister and successe by the exercise of these in the Ministery There is here a little strength that respecteth the first and an open door which respecteth the second and these two are distinguished one from another And thus we will find throughout Pauls Epistles that difference is made betwixt his liberty to Preach upon the one side and Gods opening an effectuall door to him upon the other 2. We see that Christ is the giver of both to wit of giftâ— to Ministers and of successe among the People 3. We see that he distributeth not to all alike but an open door is set before some more than before others and when not at all before others as by comparing this and other Epistles together is clear It may be asked here 1. What way a Minister may know if an effectuall door be opened to him amongst the People seing Paul sometimes afferteth the same 2. How Minister having such an opportunity ought to carry in the improving thereof To the first we say that this cannot be discerned alanerly from a mans gift for it may be shut where great gifts are as we will see hereafter Beside it is like Paul had not alway this door open to him at least it was more in one place than another Nor is it meerly to be gathered from a mans freedom from externall crosses in a place nor yet from the great following he may have for there may be many adversaries where this effectuall door is opened 1 Cor. 16.4 and there may be no such thing where there is great peace and applause Yet we conceive by these and such like characters this may be somewhat discernable 1. When a Minister getteth the door of utterance upon the one side opened to him and there is an opening of ears among the People to welcom the same upon the other which is not to be understood of carnal itching after or being tickled with a gift but of love to edification and simplicity and diligence amongst them which sheweth that such a man and his gift is commended to them and so that they are in the greater capacity to get good of him 2. Where this is it hath reall changes following and much solid work for by it people are not made light and notionall but are made humble serious tender fruitfull c. 3. Where such a
beginning but a sad and sorrowfull close And because the Lord thinketh good to represent these things to Iohn in this manner there are severall things in the progresse of this prophesie which are brought in for this very end as the speaking and acting of severall persons and parties diverse interludes and songs c. which are not so much for bringing forth any distinct matter or prophesie as to make up that form wherein the Lord thinketh fit to reveal this prophesie for preventing therefore of excessive and too curious diving to find out mysteries in these things beyond the scope we would take notice of this advertisement which we may more particularly consider in these instances First To all these principall prophesies there are some things preparatory wherein the Lord setteth forth His Majesty and Glory thereby to rouze up Iohn and others to carrie the more humbly and reverently in the search of these prophesies such is this part of the vision Chap. 4 and 5. which is preparatory to the propheticall part following for in them the Lord as it were representeth the place where this great comedie is acted describeth the actors and showeth the nature of the things which are to be acted but these preparations are not properly prophetical as the visions themselves which hold forth the things that are acted are yet the allusion which may be gathered from such representations in their general strain and scope is not to be despised Secondly We will find plain words of Doctrine mixed-in with the darkest prophesies as blessed are they that die in the Lord blessed are they that keep their garments clean c. In which and such like words there is a plain doctrinal and comfortable meaning the Lord thereby sweetning the darker prophesies and giving His people somewhat to feed on in the search of these as was once formerly hinted yet from the scope of such sentences and their being inserted in such places and such like some light may be gathered for understanding of what is prophetical beside them Thirdly There are some interludes of songs and playings upon Harps mentioned in severall places which are not properly prophetical in themselves but as circumstances in a parable they are brought to make the intended mould of this Book compleat and to make a connexion between the parts and prophesies thereof these indeed are not to be abstracted from or extended beyond their particular scope respectively yet are they so wisely expressed by the Lord that even they may be subservient to the understanding of the matter contained in the principal prophesies to which they belong Of this same nature we take the representations of diverse parties as actors in this comedie to be as sometimes Angels sometimes Beasts sometimes Elders c. which no doubt is wisely done by the Lord and wanteth not signification yet we do think that deep mysteries are not to be drawn from such expressions except something in the current and strain of the prophesie evidence the same to aim at such things as at least a part of their scope Fourthly We will also find many expressions borrowed from the Old Testament and from the manner of the Prophets therein especially from Daniel Ezekiel and Zechariah yet often these expressions are to set forth a different thing from what was principally intended by them under the Old Testament as by considering the particulars in the progresse will be clear We come now to the preparation to the first prophesie in the fourth and fifth Chapters which also in some respect may be called preparatory to all the visions that follow It hath two parts the fourth Chapter holdeth out the Majesty of God the Creator and expresseth His praise considering Him as such the fifth Chapter holdeth out the Glory and Majesty of our Lord Jesus Christ the Mediator and Redeemer this is not to be understood as if the Son were not honoured in the fourth Chapter with the Father or the Father with the Son in the fifth for that cannot be seing they are One God and the honour that is given in both Chapters is divine But the works of Creation and Redemption being the grounds upon which all creatures especially the Redeemed are obliged to praise God and the great evidences of His manifold Glory Therefore both of them are explicitly spoken to and the Lord under both these considerations taken up thereby to expresse Him to be the more eminently and singularly glorious so when the ground of the praise is given in the 4. Chap. vers 11. it is Thou are worthy O Lord to receive glory and honour and power for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created Again in the fifth Chapter the work of Redemption is mentioned as we may gather from vers 9 and 12. yet so as both are put together in the same thanksgiving Chap. 5. vers 13. In this fourth Chapter beside some circumstances making way to the vision we have these three principall things 1. A stately description of the Majesty of God who is described in His own appearance as sitting upon a Throne like a Jasper and a Sardin stone c. vers 3. which doth set forth to speak so the posture wherein God appeareth to Iohn thus stately in Majesty They are excellent expressions and yet they come far short of the thing they represent but they are the furthest that men can win to to wit by things known to expresse or someway to conceive an unconceivable thing 2. We have a description of His train and attendants set out at large from the beginning of the 4. vers to vers 8. wherein God is described from all the roiall attendants that wait on Him and the excellent and stately way He is waited upon 3. From the midst of the 8. vers to the end of the Chapter we have a description of the Glory of God from the work and exercise that these attendants are about for vers 8. it is said They rest not day and night saying Holy holy holy Lord God Almighty Which was and is and is to come And the expressions of all the glory they gave Him are set out in several circumstances to the end The scope is to set forth to Iohn and all the Church the Majesty of God the giver of this revelation the Creator of all things He that guideth all this World and ruleth His Church and at the entry to put an impression of the Majesty of this God upon Iohn and upon all that should read and hear these things that follow for which end He began with such visions to Ezekiel Chap. 1. to Isaiah Chap. 6. and to Iohn Chap. 1. of â—his Book To come more particularly to the words There are in the first and second verses four circumstances that make way to the vision 1. After this that is after the first vision spoken of in the first three Chapters for though it is like as Chap. 1. vers 10. Iohn had all
this revelation revealed to him in one day from the Lord yet the Lord gave him some breathings between visions First things present and then things to come being revealed to him which is one cause why the prophesies and visions of this Book are distinguished from each other The second circumstance observable is the Lords giving accesse to Iohn to see what he saw Behold a door was opened in heaven what is meaned by Heaven here whether the Church Militant which is often in this Book and in Scripture called Heaven or whether the third Heaven spoken of 2 Cor. 12.2 we shall not insist on it What Iohn saw was concerning the Visible Church and for their behove and advantage but it is like the place where Iohn saw these things in vision was even that which we call Heaven literally God extraordinarily making way to him to look in where His Glory was manifested and it is called here an opening of a door in heaven and there shewing him things to come concerning His Church which were afterward to fall out yet this is now shown unto Iohn in vision as if it were for the present time acted in a kind of comedie before him And therefore may either be supposed to be revealed to him in Heaven or in a trance represented to him as if it were there And it agreeth best with the scope that it be thus understood to wit that Heaven should be in this manner opened to Iohn and things revealed to him there which he was to reveal to the Church The third circumstance is the voice which he heard and what it said and the first voice which I heard c. that is the former voice which I heard Chap. 1. vers 10 11. The voice of our Lord Jesus Christ which said there I am Alpha and Omega the first and the last that same voice speaketh again and reneweth Iohns Commission to come and see and write and the voice biddeth him come up hither and he will shew him c. to tell that a heavenly mind is a great furtherance to acquaintance with the Mysteries of God and earthly-mindednesse is a great hinderance and obstruction and then he proposeth what things he hath to shew him Things which must be hereafter So that in the expliâ—ation and application of this revelation we are not to look back to the four Monarchies but to Christs way with His Church in the dayes of the Gospel according to the first generall which we premitted The fourth circumstance is vers 2. And immediately I was in the Spirit whereby it is like there hath been some intervall betwixt the ecstasie he was in Chap. 1. vers 10. and this ecstasie of spirit he is now in and it is the second way how our Lord Jesus fittteth Iohn to receive these following Mysteries First He carrieth up his affections and maketh him Heavenly and then ravisheth him in the spirit whereby as Chap. 1.10 in an extraordinary way Iohn is as it were taken out of himself put in an ecstasie impressions of things to come made on his spirit and palpably and visibly made discernable to him in a Spirituall way as if he had seen them with his bodily eyes We come now to the vision it self And in it we have 1. Gods Throne to speak so set forth 2. Himself sitting on it 3. A description of His Glory as He sitteth upon it 1. Behold a throne was set in Heaven These are borrowed expressions for God needeth not a materiall Throne neither hath He any such in Heaven but as among Kings Thrones are used as seats for Judgement and for places where they appear in their Royalty so the same similitude is borrowed here to set out the Soveraignty of God in Heaven and in Earth and in His Church especially His Gospel-church which is called His Throne Ier. 3.17 for in it He hath an absolute Dominion and Government and is continually exercising and acting that Government as a King on His Throne It holdeth out 1. Not only Gods greatnesse and power But 2. His absolute Dominion and Soveraignty And 3. His actuall exercising of that Power and Soveraignity which is further holden out in the second expression one sate on the throne the Throne is not empty but hath one sitting on it acting and exercising that Power Such words are frequent in Scripture Psal. 11.4 The Lords throne is in heaven his eyes behold his eye-lids try the children of men It expresseth what is meant by His Throne to wit His absolutenesse and Soveraignity in Government and His Justice and severity being angry with the wicked every day God in His Glory and Excellency is holden out as sitting on His Throne vers 3. in other sort of robes than ever were seen on the greatest that ever were in the World He that sat on the throne was to look upon like a Iasper and Sardine stone and there was a rainbow round about the throne in sight like unto an Emerald these are expressions not of His form for He is purely spirituall and unconceiveable but borrowed to set forth His splendor and Glory and because that which men usually think most excellent is gold and precious stones these are made use of for this end There are two stones mentioned for resembling of His Glory the first is a Iasper an exceeding precious stone it was one of these precious stones that was put in Aarons breastplate Exod. 28.20 and it is among these stones wherewith the foundations of the walls of the New Ierusalem are said to be garnished Revel 22.19 And because one stone is not sufficient even but to resemble the Glory and splendor of the Majesty of God there is another added to wit the Sardine stone which is also precious as the former was These being unknown to us we shall not insist to describe them for the scope is clear to wit to point out this that God is admirably and inconceivably excellent even so excellent that all the most precious things in earth being put together are but poor shadows and infinitely disproportionable resemblances of that excellency which is in Him A second thing whereby this Glory is set forth is And there was a rainbow round about the throne in sight like unto an Emerald In Ezek. 1. where the same description is almost in the same termes there is a Firmament a Throne one sitting on it and a rainbow as the appearance of the bow that is in the clouds in the day of rain so was the appearance of the brightnesse round about the scope in both places is to shew the glorious Majesty of God who as He hath a Throne attributed to Him improperly to expresse His Soveraignity so hath He this as a cloath of State over His Throne thereby to shew how farr His Soveraignity and Majesty is beyond the greatest Monarchs on Earth for He only hath immortality and dwelleth in a light that no man can approach unto whom no eye hath seen nor can see 1 Tim. 6.16
nearnesse to the Throne of God Ministers that have but eyes behind them so look upon the wayes of others and have not eyes within them to consider themselves are but in a great part blind-guides as Christ speaketh of the Pharisees Matth. 15.14 This having of eyes within as well as eyes without is expressed by the Apostle 1 Tim. 4.16 in that precept take heed unto thy self and to the doctrine and Acts 20.28 take heed to your selves and to all the stock c. Ministers that look to others would take their retirings to look upon themselves left they become strangers to their own condition and what is spoken of Ministers here is a duty well-becoming every Christian. LECTURE III. Vers. 8. And they rest not day and night saying Holy holy holy Lord God Almighty which was and is and is to come 9. And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne who liveth for ever and ever 10. The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne and worship him that liveth for ever and ever and cast their crowns before the throne saying 11. Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and honour and power for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created IN this part of the Chapter we have the third part of this stately description wherein the Majesty of God is set out by the great work and task that these attendants of His to wit these four beasts and the four and twenty Elders have and that is the work of praise whereby both in their places concur to have Him exalted In the latter part of the 8. vers the four beasts begin and in the three verses following the four and twenty Elders go on In the Elders praise we may consider these two 1. The un-interruptednesse thereof and they rest not day and night saying c. this is to shew first the great matter of their praise that doth still continue they are furnished so with grounds thereof 2. It is to shew their diligence and seriousnesse in letting no opportunity of praise passe for praise being an affirmative duty we conceive that this practice is to be expounded according to the precepts of rejoycing alway and praying evermore 3. It may more especially set forth the diligence and seriousnesse that the Ministers of the Gospel are said to be furnished with according to the word Isa. 62.6 I have set watchmen upon thy walls O Ierusalem which shall never hold their peace day nor night c. The second thing in theâ—â— praise is the matter thereof which is the ascribing to the Lord three of His own glorious and essential Attributes The first is Holinesse which is thrice repeated Holy holy holy Lord God c. this seemeth to be taken from Isa. 6.3 where the Seraphims begin their song with the same expression This sheweth 1. how infinitly and inconceivably holy the Lord is when once mentioning of this Attribute is not sufficient 2. It sheweth that no Attribute of God will have more impression upon a tender Minister that is near Him than His holinesse this affecteth the very Angels and the more near any is admitted to Him the more will this affect them 3. It sheweth that Ministers ought to be Angel-like in their speaking of God and that it is a main part of their task to hold forth His excellencie to others The second Attribute is the Lords Omnipotencie Lord God Almighty c. By which the Lord is conceived as infinitly above all and able to do all things as Iob speaketh Chap. 42.2 and it is both a notable ground of praise in reference to God and a comfort in reference to His People who have Him who is able to do above what they can ask or think Ephes. 3.20 covenanted to be their Almighty God even under that same consideration Gen. 17.1 The third Attribute mentioned is His Eternity in these words which was and is and is to come whereof often hath been spoken and it is here mentioned to advance the Glory of God infinitly beyond all created Idols who have had their beginning and are going on unto a decay and will ere long come to be destroyed but the portion of Iacob is not so who in all the tossings of the world continueth the same and of His years there is no end After this followeth the praise of the four and twenty Elders The beasts go before because they represented the Ministers and Guides as we said In it three things may be observed First The timing of their praise vers 9. Secondly Their practice vers 10. Thirdly Their verball expressions or song vers 11. The time of the Elders praise is And when these beasts gave glory honour and thanke to Him that sat upon the Throne who liveth for ever and ever they fall down c. In which words we may see first what the work of the beasts is This is set forth in three expressions 1. To give glory to God this is their acknowledging of the Majesty that is in Him and doth respect His own glorious excellencie The second is Honour this respecteth the relation that is between Him as Creator and His creatures who having their being from Him and standing in that relation to Him ought by that rye to honour Him The third is Thanks which looketh to former benefits freely received from Him by which there is an engagement put on them to be thankfull which here they acknowledge to be due when they can do no more The first thing in these words is the rise or the timing of this praise of the Elders to wit it is when those beasts give glory and honour c. Which is to shew 1. The orderlinesse of the Lords worship is His Church every one keeping their own place 2. It iâ— to shew that though every one be not a Preacher and in that respect admitted to such dignity and nearnesse with God as others yet all in the Church have ground and matter of praise and emploiment in their stations sufficiently to express the same to the commendation of the Lords grace 3. It sheweth also the sweet harmony that ought to be between Minister and People by their joyning in the same work And 4. it expresseth the great influence that Ministers example faithfulnesse and diligence will have upon the quickning and up-stirring of People to their duty for when the beasts begin then the Elders follow And it is like the silence and dumbnesse of many Ministers may also be the cause why many Congregations are silent and dumb in this respect And this may be a reason why Ministers are expressed by this title of living wights or living things as was formerly observed because not only they ought to be lively and stirring themselves but because by their livelinesse they have great influence on others to quicken them also The second thing in the Elders praise vers 10. is their
iniquities of us all and in His counsel and decree did appoint Him who knew no sin to become sin for others and thereby as a Cautioner to be liable to their debt Thirdly This also is intended that the Mediator in His accepting of the offer and in laying down of His life did purposly intend thus to satisfie for when Sacrifices and Burnt-offerings c. could not please God nor satisfie Him in this respect Then did the Son willingly undertake with delight to do Gods will as it is Psal. 40.6 7 c. And it is on this ground that Christ is called the Caâ—tioner Heb. 7.22 because He undertook the satisfying for our debt and upon this ground was there accesse in Justice to exact it of Him though He Himself knew no sin For which see Isâ— 53.7 and 10. â— Câ—rinth 5.21 In the fourth place this is included That by the Lord JEHOVAH the offended party this death and willing suffering of our blessed Lord Jesus was actually accepted as satisfactory and well-pleasing to Him in the room and stead of these who had offended so that thereby He in the order agreed upon doth lay by quarrels at the offending party as men do discharge the principal Creditor the debt when the Cautioner hath satisfied in his name Hence the Lord pronounceth often that in His beloved Son He is well pleased and that He hath found a ransom Iob 33. vers 24. and from this it is that His death is called a Propitiation as being acceptable to God when other Sacrifices could not be That in these respects Christs death is truely a satisfaction for sin may from this Text thus be made out First If by Christs death we be redeemed and if the effect flowing from His death be a Redemption Then is His death under which all His sufferings are comprehended a proper price and satisfaction for sin But the former is true Therefore c. There is a double strength in this Argument to make out the Connexion first in the word Redemption Which as we shew in the exposition beside other things doth imply 1. That sinners by sin are sold and mor-gaged and the Law and Curse have obtained a right over them 2. That at least in respect of that established Law and Curse that day thou eatest thou shalt die there was no dissolving of that right but by some interveening satisfaction otherwise the Lord who pronounced it might be thought not to be just and true in His threatnings 3. This is implyed that when men and creatures could give no price our Lord Jesus did actually undertake and accordingly did pay Therefore it is a Redemption because it is a freedom that was bought and He is a Redeemer because He did buy it and satisfie for it and this expression being borrowed from the manner of men will infer no lesse as is said The second part of the strength of the Argument is in this That this Redemption is attributed to His death and bloud Thou hast redeemed us by Thy bloud and these put together make it exceeding strong for the very price of the Redemption is thereby clearly held forth So if it be asked Why is Christ called a Redeemer Answ. Because He redeemed us If again it be said Wherewith did He redeem us or With what price It is answered with His bloud And indeed there can be no other reason why so frequently our Redemption is attributed to His death but because His death cometh-in in a peculiar respect thereunto so that when we as once Isaac was to his father were lying obnoxious to the stroke of Gods Justice He offered Himself in our room as there was a Ram provided in the place of Isaac that thereby we might escape as it is 2 Cor. 5.21 Gal. 3.13 14. He redeemed us from the curse being Himself made a curse for us which must be understood to be in our stead Secondly which is almost one with the last branch of the former It is clear by this that all the good that cometh to the redeemed is still reckoned as the effect and purchase of Christs suffering which must respect the merit and efficacy of His bloud as by way of satisfaction procuring the same And in this respect it may be said singularly of the Mediator the second Person of the God-head that He hath procured this Redemption otherwise than can be said of the first and third Person of the blessed Trinity Therefore also we are said to be loved by him and washen by his own bloud Chap. 1.5 But of this Argument was spoken in the former Thirdly This is brought as the Song of all the redeemed and as that which will agree to all of them when the Congregation of the first-born shall be brought together Now what other influence can the bloud of Christ have upon these who were redeemed by Him from the foundation of the world and before His death when the example thereof could have no effect or upon young ones upon whom His sufferings can have no morall influence by opening or confirming to them Doctrinally the way to Heaven and yet both these may well be capable of the efficacy thereof as it is considered as a satisfaction now considering that all the redeemed are equally and in the same respects oblieged to Christs death for their life and for that cause do joyntly concur in the same Song of praise we must either say that none such as have been formerly instanced are saved or we must say that they are all saved without any respect to His sufferings both which are false and absurd or lastly we must acquiesce in this That by Christs sufferings as by a satisfaction this was procured to them and therefore consequently that His death is to be considered as such seing no otherwise it can have influence on their Redemption And there being but one Redemption and one way by which it is procured to wit Christs death and one Song comprehending the acknowledgement of all the redeemed and seing to some it must be a satisfaction Therefore it must be esteemed to be so in reference to all others also who are or shall be partakers thereof Fourthly This fruit of His death to wit Redemption is peculiar to some of all Kindreds and Nations and is not common to all It must therefore be considered as flowing from His death as a satisfaction meritoriously procuring the same otherwise these effects which may follow upon His confirming His Doctrine by His death giving an example to others c are common indifferently to all that are bearers of the Gospel for in these respects He is so and doth so to all This therefore being peculiar to some as the next Doctrine will further clear must be understood as qualified by the Covenant of Redemption to be for the satisfying in the room of such and such and not of others which consideration doth plainly bring it to the notion of a satisfaction Fifthly There is a speciall emphasis and
under them Obs. 5. That the filling up of this roll or the ending the sufferings of Gods people here on earth and the coming of the great day of Judgement come together Or The finall Judgement of the World shall immediately follow the fulfilling of the sufferings of the Martyrs The reason given of the suspension here is that their fellow-servants who were to be killed must be fulfilled and the term that is set for the answering of their prayer to wit untill their fellow-servants c. doth confirm this For there is no delay put to Judgement then and there is no more to interveen the Martyrs perfecting and this vengeance on the persecuters These two are also joyned Mat. 24.29 The ending of the affliction of Gods people and the coming of Judgement Immediately saith the Lord after the tribulation of these dayes shall the sun be darkened c. There is therefore no temporall peace or millenary Kingdom altogether free of suffering to be expected before that time which is the day of redemption from these sufferings LECTURE VIII Vers. 12. And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal and to there was a great earthquake and the Sun became black as sackcloth of hair and the Moon became as bloud 13. And the Stars of heaven fell unto the earth even as a sig-tree casteth her untimely figs when she is shaken of a mighty wind 14. And the heaven departed as a screwl when it is rolled together and every mountain and island were moved out of their places 15. And the Kings of the earth and the great men and the rich men and the chief captains and the mighty men and every bondman and every freeman hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains 16. And said to the mountains and rocks Fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb 17. For the great day of his wrath is come and who shall be able to stand WE proceed now to the opening of the sixth seal which holdeth forth some most terrible and dreadfull dispensation and that both in respect of the type and the word of explication or effects mentioned for opening of the type The type is set down vers 12. in three expressions 1. There was a great earthquake 2. The Sun became black as sackcloth of hair 3. The Moon became as bloud The effects which serve for explication of the former follow and are of two sorts 1. Upon the reasonlesse creature in three instances 1. The Stars fall from heaven vers 13. 2. Upon the heavens they depart c. vers 14. initio The third is upon the earth the mountains which are most stable in the continent the Islands which are most remote in the sea both are moved out of their place Ibid. The second sort of effects are upon reasonable men of all sorts Kings great men rich men Captains mighty men bond men and free men Great terrour is upon all these which is two wayes evidenced 1. In what they did they hid themselves in the dens c. vers 15. 2. In what they said unto the mountains and rocks fall on us and hide us c. vers 16 Lastly the rise of all this terrour and these dreadfull effects is more plainly expressed to wit the wrath of the Lamb for the great day of His warth is come verse 17. In sum the words point out this terrible dispensation 1. That it is universall in respect of all creatures neither Sea nor Land Heaven nor Earth nor men of any quality or condition are free but all are sharers of the effects of it 2. It holdeth forth terrour on all these in a most high and eminent measure and degree as the effects do clear 3. It pointeth at the speciall cause which hath influence on all these effects to wit the wrath of the Lamb that is of the Mediator because the day of his wrath is come c. Which we conceive especially to be added for these reasons First To hold forth the speciall procuring cause of this judgement which is not so much sins done against God the Creator in the breaking of the Law as against the grace of the Mediator offered in the Gospel therefore is the wrath of the Lamb especially mentioned as if he were in an eminent way avenging Himself against these who had vilified and contemptously despised His Gospel and the professors of it Secondly To shew some convincing appearing of Christ in this terrible change so as it should be seen to be He by on-lookers and that this acknowledgement should be extorted by that manifest appearance even from these against whom He pleadeth this controversie Thirdly it sheweth the scope of all the former terrible effects that are mentioned in the type to be the Lords executing judgement on the great men and others of the world who put no price upon Him but persecuted His servants and that so convincingly as He might be seen in the pursuing of that His quarell against them Fourthly It sheweth Though Christs forebearance be long yet hath He a time of reckoning and cometh terribly when He cometh and so this seal wherein it is said the great day of the Lambs wrath is come c. is to be looked upon in part as the answer of the Saints prayer How long O Lord c. in the former seal there they long for His coming to Judgement here it is marked that that day of His wrath is come That some dreadfull event is foretold here is most manifest The difficulty is how to apply it in particular For understanding whereof we premit these Considerations or Assertions 1. It is usuall to the Prophets to expresse great judgements even such as are in temporall things by such expressions as the overturning of Heaven and Earth c. It is also usuall to Iohn to make use of the expressions which are used by them particularly we will find the same expressions in the Prophets that are here made use of in the threatning and foretelling of temporall judgements as that in the type of the earthquake the Suns darkening and the Moons being turned into bloud may be gathered from Ier. 4.23 24.28 Ioel 2.10 The earth shall quake before them the heaven shall tremble the Sun and the Moon shall be dark and the Stars shall withdraw their shining Hag. 2.21 22. I will shake the Heavens and the Earth saith the Lord which in plain terms followeth I will overthrow the throne of Kingdoms and will destroy the strength of the Kingdoms of the heathens In a word it is to foretell a remarkable ruine upon the enemies of His Church Adde Isai. 13.9 10. Behold the day of the Lord cometh with fierce anger and wrath c. For the Stars of heaven shall not give their light and the Sun shall be darkned and the Moon shall not cause her light to shine So also Ezek. 32.7 I will cover the Sun with a
the Doctrine of the Trinity and Person of Christ pure as Gregorius Roma did but miscarrying in the nature of His Offices and His executing of them it corrupteth mainly by adding unto and mixing somewhat with truth yet such addition as altereth the nature of them such are the Popish additions of merits pennances indulgences mediatours and intercessions of Saints and Angels c. whereby that which was is not removed but by this addition corrupted 3. It cometh from Stars in Heaven and riseth more from within than the former thus being applyed it relateth to no particular heresie but to the generall decay of the Church If it be necessary to be applied to one I incline to apply it to Pelagius and his heresie more than any other for these reasons It agreeth 1. in the time he began under Arcadius and Honorius about the year 415. or according to some 405. 2. He was of great parts and was once thought a good zealous man and was advanced to Ecclesiasticall orders 3. The nature of that heresie was not against Christs Person but His Offices teaching corruptly of Nature Sin Grace Faith Justification Election c. subtilly undermyning grace 4. It spread exceedingly through Italy Britain France Africk and the eastern Empire c. yet some were keeped free of it and great Lights set themselves against it as Augustine Hieronymus Prosper Optatus c. 5. It entered and continued in a great measure in the Church of Rome and the dregs of it sticketh to the Popish Writters in their free-will perfection of righteousnesse c. to this day for though the natures and person of our Lord be keeped free by them yet their Doctrine eâ—ervateth His Offices and maketh them bitter to all that would drink thereof which are the special springs of Grace in the Gospel they put in other satisfactions other mediators others with Authority to adde and diminish from what He hath commanded other Officers to teach and other matter to be taught than He hath instituted as traditions c. which being the rise of much Antichristian Doctrine still retained by them it agreeth best with the scope to be thus applyed Hence 1. See here the nature and usefulnesse of pure Doctrine and what men ought to think of it and how to use it to drink it in as fountain water and to wash and make clean aâ— it it is as profitable to souls and they cannot live without it and when they want it they want that which both purgeth and maketh them grow Observe 2. the ill of error it corrupteth the Truths of the Gospel and maketh the sweetest and best things bitter it removeth them not professedly but poisoneth them so that it is better to forebear than drink in such waters 3. See what the nature and native office and place of Ministers is and what advantage they are while they keep their station They are like Stars and great Stars exceedingly usefull and profitable in their place And upon the other hand what a sore judgement and plague is it when Ministers fall from receiving light from Christ and are infected they are most hurtfull 4. The moe parts and the better mens life be that are infected they are the bitterer and do the more wrong as the corruption of the best things is worst so is the corruption of eminent men 2 Cor. 2 ult 5. Errour venteth not still after one way now it corrupteth more subtilly than it did in the former â—rumpets there is no bloud nor fire here though it be as dangerous often contentioâ—s for dominion in Government have more fire and heâ—t thaâ— dispures about more fundamentâ—l truths 6. There may be much glancing false and counterfeit light both among Ministers and Professors where there is little solidity it is not all gold that glisters in them It is good light that cometh from a right principle within It is good when a mans works shine as his gifts shine This would teach us not to admire gifts many make a fair shew in the flesh and if their light and parts were well tried by the effects they might be called wormwood that imbittereth the waters torches that do glance but not Stars Obâ— 7. That men of great gifts fair professions and blamlesse lives may fall very foully while they are not solide and sincere they may fall as it were from heaven so may particular Churches there is no state nor degree of any state exempted when errour breaketh in Therefore the moe gifts and parts men have they have the more need to be humble and to fear and tremble considering many experiences both of former ages and of this which should make us take heed lest we fall and infect or be infected such were once Pelagius yea Sociâ—â—â— Swenkâ—eldius and Arminius thought to be 8. Errour when it infecteth Ministers or Professours bringeth death with it as well as profanity when this Star falleth from heaven and poisoneth the waters many die he that teacheth men to break the least command shall be least in the Kingdom of Heaven Matth. 5. O that men in this time thought on this that errour bringeth to hell as well as Adultery that it is like rebellion and witchcraft It is like the grossest evil and worse it inciteth teacheth and encourageth to break the Commands of God and there is much cruelty done to souls in tolerating of these 9. The Church sustaineth no greater prejudice often in corrupting of her Doctrine than by the falls and slips of eminent men these spots are hardly removed because they sink deeper 10. Every corruption and plague hath its degrees and steps 11. It is a signe of a decaying Church when eminent men fall and it is a great judgement to others LECTURE V. Vers. 12. And the fourth Angel sounded and the third part of the Sun was smitten and the third part of the Moon and the third part of the Stars so as the third part of them was darkened and the dâ—y shone not for a third part of it and the night likewise 13. And I beheld and heard an Angel flying through the midst of heaven saying with a loud voice Wo wo wo to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three Angels which are yet to sound THe fourth Angel with his trumpet bringeth the last of the four lesser woes it is greater than the former yet lesser than these that immediately ensue which clearly doth relate to that age immediately going before Antichrists discovery and so falleth betwâ—xt this time andthe sixth Century This is set down vers 12. And the 13. vers is a preface and introduction to the three great woes which the last three Angels bring There are but two things mentioned in this fourth trumpet 1. The judgement or type it is a smiting of the third part of the Sun Moon and Stars 2. The effect of this judgement is a following darknesse suitable to it and the day shone not for a third part
intended purpose he was led abruptly and with vehemency to insist against the Manichean Errour contrary to his purpose and that palpably both to his own observation and to the observation of others which made him therafter at dinner expresse his confidence that the Lord would evidence some design of His in that particular which accordingly came to passe for a Manichean beside Augustines knowledge being a Hearer within some few dayes openly disclaimed that Errour and acknowledged that disgression by the Lords blessing to have beenâ—he mean of his conversion And many such cases there are wherein the Lord may signifie His mind of a message to a Minister at the instant of speaking which ought not to be despised by him 5. There is much help in this debate when a Minister who hath ordinarily the same hearers and no extraordinary occasion interveening doth settle on an ordinary either in respect of purposes to be gathered from diverse Scriptures or of one portion of Scripture continuedly together in which case the generall at first is to be chosen according to the former grounds which also will warrand in the following thereof although no such explicit debate be about every part and this is neither unusefull to the Minister or People because in Scripture and Epistles the Doctrines that suit Persons and Churches are wisely and compendiously often compacted together and the following of the method of the holy Ghost and the dependence that one thing hath upon another doth both contribute much for the bringing forth of His mind in the Word when it is followed in the order proposed by Him without diversion and interruption and also maketh it more weighty to the hearers and more native and to be digested with the lesse prejudice when they see such doctrines and purposes so linked together by the holy Ghost and obvious without any immediate choice of the Minister himself whereas often people are ready with more prejudice to look on particular Texts made choice of by the Minister as having more of men in it than in the former way and certainly the holy Ghosts putting of purposes together sometimes in one method sometimes in another is not to be despised although Christian prudence would choose what matter and method doth more suit the case of such a people than another and accordingly to fix on the Scripture that is most agreeable to that It seemeth also that among the Iews order in reading and expounding of the Law was observed and we see it for the most part ordinarily followed by the Ancients in their Sermons yet in this way every Verse or every Doctrine is not to be equally insisted on or prosecuted in the Application but these are to be chosen which make most for the edifying of the present hearers seing now it is to these we preach and not to the Romans or Galatians c. and therefore are especially to insist on these truths duties sins c. which concern most the present case thus one may insist on some things that are lesse touched in these Epistles they being more necessary now and passe more shortly these questions that are most insisted on in these Epistles because now not so edifying and in so doing the intent of the holy Ghost may be nearest attained because it was upon that account of edification that Paul insisted much on some things because then their case required it when he did more shortly passe over other things in this also a Minister may have some respect to his own gift as its most fitted for explaining of difficulties instructing in positive truths and cases convincing wakening or comforting c. and so one may more ordinarily follow one strain which would not be so pertinent to another as it seemeth there hath been a difference in this respect between the sons of thunder and the son of consolation Further by occasion of this Angel's saying to Iohn thou must prophesie again c. It may be enquired if preaching over and over the same matter be allowable and usefull For answer we say 1. That the end of preaching being edification we conceive it is not unsuitable often to insist in the same things even though they be known and understood by the hearers because the end of preaching is not only to inform the judgement and alway to bring some new encrease to that but to further conversion by the espousing of hearts to Christ and holinesse by pressing the practising of known duties and eschewing of known sins and this being certain that many who know the Doctrine of Faith and Holinesse also are yet defective in their practice There is need therefore both in invitations exhortations expostulations reproofs c. often to come over the same thing especially where the Truths are materiall and concerning in their use and the duties are slighted or the sins followed in the place In that case it ought neither to be grievous to the Minister to insist on the same things as the Apostle speaketh Philip. 3. nor yet be stumbled at by the people although it will require deniednesse in both yea sometimes it may be more difficult for a Minister to get over his own inclination that aimeth to carrie some new thing and not again to carrie the same message which may both rellish now lesse to himself and to the hearers than formerly it did yet ought he not to think it grievous if it be safe for them This we see the Prophets of old did with their hearers using the Word as an hammer as it is called by Ieremiah 23.29 by doubling strokes to bear that in which at first took no impression This way also the Lord followeth in the Gospel How often presseth He the necessity of Repentance the difficulty of enterring to Heaven what concerneth the abounding and hazard of hypocrisie the necessity of His own suffering of self-denial and bearing the Crosse and other Truths in themselves needfull and to the present hearers usefull This is also used by the Apostles who in their Preaching and Writing insist again and again in the same things and although often hearers itch after some new thing yet are Ministers not to feed that humour Chrysostome hath a notable expostulation with his hearers to this purpose on the 2 Thess. Chap. 2. hom 3. saith he some hearers say why should we come to Church to hear the same things over and over to these he saith Are ye not ready to go to Theatres to hear the same things to the running of horses to see the same things c. doth not saith he the same Sun rise again and its light is not the worse do we not use the same food for our bodies and they are not the lesse wholesome Or if ye have often heard them ought ye not then to profit by them and the better to know them Others again saith he when enquired in any thing were ready to reply we heard it but once whereby he would bear out the necessity of repeating the
some more eminent than others in this City the meaning is that as by the sudden ruine and fall of Cities especially by earth-quakes many inhabitants usually are destroyed so by this begun ruine of the Romish antichristian Dominion many of her followers shall be destroyed and that of the most eminent and renowned among them which may be fulfilled partly in the overthrows and defeats of Popish Armies but especially the overturning of Abbayes Monasteries Cloisters and religious Orders whereby indeed a great part of that Dominion was eclipsed and many of Babylons Citizens were cast out and their habitations destroyed and brought to nought The fourth effect followeth And the remnant were affrighted and gave glory to the God of Heaven which is not to be understood of a reall work of Repentance upon all the remnant of that Kingdom for Chap. 16. even when the vials are powred forth we find they repent not but as at Christs crucifixion Matth. 27.54 Gods hand was so discernable that it made many onlookers smite on their breasts and acknowledge something of God to be there so this sudden begun overturning of Antichrists Kingdom and particularly the pulling down of Monasteries and Abbayes formerly so sacred shall be so remarkable that many of that Kingdom shall at least in profession renounce fellowship with it and others be made to acknowledge something more than humane in this businesse The scope is to shew the extraordinarinesse of Gods appearing and the impression which it should have upon many formerly friends to Antichrists Kingdom This 14. vers The second wo is past and behold the third wo cometh quickly is to be expounded as vers 12. Chap. 9. By it the march of the seventh trumpet is cleared to be at the begun change of Religion in the world and to shew that what formerly hath passed doth belong unto the former trumpets tending to that scope that Iohn and the people of God might be comforted against the sad things foretold by the fifth and sixth trumpets therefore that which formerly was under a type revealed to Iohn Chap. 10. is in this Chap. by word for his greater confirmation renewed and repeated Before we leave this part of the prophesie it will be needfull to inquire 1. If these 1260. dayes of the Gentiles treading under foot the outer court and the Prophets prophesieing in sackcloth be expired and if the killing of the witnesses be past 2. How or what way this prophesie is fulfilled that so we may take occasion to consider this time more particularly and compare the event in storie with this prophesie In clearing of the first we would not be understood as supposing all the triall of the Saints and Ministers to be past or that by analogie from these witnesses killing immediatly after the finishing of their testimonie it might not be gathered that the work of God often suffereth great obstruction even after its begun rise and that the saints and witnesses are most subject to great difficulties and straits when the Gospel in their hands is even come to the birth and bringing forth as in the examples of Moses Elias Zerubbabel and the Apostles may be seen we grant that by proportion such doctrines may be raised from this prophesie yet if we will more seriously consider the particular event and time prophetically aimed at by the Spirit in this place we will find that these dayes here intended are expired and that this killing of the witnesses is fulfilled and so that the seventh trumpet hath sounded and our time is to be reckoned as under it for making out whereof we offer these considerations 1. The sounding of the seventh trumpet and closing of the second wo do immediatly or without long intervall follow the absolute and uncontroverted dominion of Antichrist and his treading under foot the holy City fourty and two moneths So that the controverting of Antichrists power and diminishing of it must necessarily infer the expiring of these fourty and two moneths and the sounding of the seventh trumpet Now any acquaintance with the state of the Church during these 100. years past in comparison of what it was before will evidence Antichrists power to be in a great measure shaken and his kingdom to be eclipsed and that this cannot be called the time of his absolute and universal tyrannie and therefore must be subsequent to it 2. It is clear that this ruine of Antichrist is not instantly brought to a height but is perfected by seven vials Chap. 16. whereof the seventh trumpet is a sum Seing then the expiring of these 1260. dayes of his domineering cannot be restricted to the time of his totall fall because at the close of these dayes he maketh war against the witnesses and prevaileth and not the whole City but a tenth part thereof by their Resurrection falleth and the seventh trumpet followeth whereby his ruine is accomplished It will therefore follow that we must reckon the fulfilling of this prophesie of the expiring of these dayes and the raising of the witnesses from the begun decay and the ruine of Antichrists Kingdom by the vials and it being certain that the vials are already begun to be powred forth and also certain that these vials belong to the seventh trumpet which goeth alongst with or immediately followeth after the witnesses ascension It must also follow that this time falleth under the seventh trumpet and so is beyond these former events and supposeth them to be fulfilled 3. That time when Nations become the Lords and when the Temple is open and the Ark of the testimonie is seen therein doth belong to the seventh trumpet as the exposition thereof will clear it being supposed that before the blowing of the seventh trumpet and during these 1260. dayes that the Kingdoms of the earth were not the Lords that the Temple was shut and that the Ark of the testimonie or Word of God was not seen into it and it being now clear that these events are fulfilled in our dayes we must therefore look upon this time as belonging to that trumpet Before we confirm it further we would remove some-what objected against the fulfilling of this prophesie by some Learned and worthy men Mede and Roberts upon the place endeavouring to prove this prophesie of the witnesses killing to be yet to be fulfilled and so those 1260. dayes not to be expired The 1. Object is This prophesie cannot be fulfilled so long as Antichrist continueth in such power and reigneth with such freedom Therefore the fulfilling of it is yet to be looked-for Answ. This supponeth the fulfilling of this prophesie to depend upon Antichrists compleat destruction which being carried on by many degrees under the seventh trumpet as is said cannot be granted And therefore we say the fulfilling of this prophesie and Antichrists absolute dominion are not consistent this is granted but the fulfilling of it and his begun ruine though continuing to reign in part may stand together and must go together as it said Now it is
their contempt of and enmity at the light which He had made to shine Hence it is that the later Schoolmen especially the Jesuits are more corrupt than the former as may be marked in the writings of diverse Schoolmen upon Thomas who do mutilate and corrupt many things in him so as they may agree with the late determinations of the Pope and the Councel of Trent and may be most opposit to those they call Hereticks an instance whereof may be seen in Cajetan in 3. Thoma qu. 48. art 5. where explaining that assertion of Thomas that only Christ ought to be called our Redeemer which formerly we had Bellarmin contradicting he laieth down for the qualifying thereof that bull of Leo the tenth concerning Indulgences and the application of the Saints purchases to others which was sent to him when he was his Legate in Germanie and forceth such a sense upon Thomas as might agree with it Thus also as we may see was done in the Councel of Trent where ever in all debates among Divines the most corrupt side was inclined to and concluded 4. Remaining in Popery now hath more contempt with it of Gods calling and hath greater snares as is said and therefore hath lesse ground now either to expect preservation from sin or wrath because Gods call requireth separation now more fully and in a more distinct manner than formerly He did as Revel 18. Come out of her my people be not partakers of her sin lest ye partake of her plagues which doth hold forth a spâ—ciall hazard in reference both to sin and wrath after the Lords making this to be proclaimed more than formerly it was LECTURE IIII. Vers. 12. Here is the patience of the Saints here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Iesus 13. And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me Write Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth yea saith the Spirit that they may rest from their labours and their works do follow them 14. And I looked and behold a white cloud and upon the cloud one at like unto the Son of man having on his head a golden crown and in his hand a sharp sickle 15. And another Angel came out of the Temple crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud Thrust in thy sickle and reap for the time is come for thee to reap for the harvest of the earth is ripe 16. And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth and the earth was reaped 17. And another Angel came out of the Temple which is in heaven he also having a sharp sickle 18. And another Angel came out from the altar which had power over fire and cryed with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle saying Thrust in thy sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth for her grapes are fully ripe 19. And the Angel thrust in his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth and cast it into the great wine-presse of the wrath of God 20. And the wine-presse was troden without the city and bloud came out of the wine-presse even unto the horse bridles by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs HAving shewed the foretold threatened and begun ruine of Babylon in the former part of the Chapter before the Spirit describe the perfecting of that judgement He casteth-in two words needfull for the strengthening of Gods people the first is vers 12. and respecteth the former words wherein Babylons ruine was foretold yet for the time Antichrist rageth and the Saints suffer This verse comforteth and encourageth them against that tentation two wayes 1. By granting that indeed this would be an occasion to exercise and try the Faith of Gods people and make it known which an hard time doth best whether they will keep the commands of God in their practice making conscience of these and the faith of Iesus Christ that is it will discover true Faith from counterfeit and who are true Professours of that Faith that is true yet withall Gods people shall have no losse by it it will be but temporary and here is their trial that is Gods end to exercise Grace and duty are best tried and known in all ill time a suffering time evidenceth honesty more than prosperity and suffering is Gods peoples ordinary lot whether Antichrist be falling or rising The second word cast in for comforting Gods people is from the blessednesse of the dead it may be especially of these that suffered under Antichrist that die well in that difficult time The first consolation is from the outgate God shall give when these trials shall be over and Antichrist ruined The second from what might comfort them in hardest sufferings for the time it is casten in here before the sad things coming be set down for two reasons 1. To be a warning of the high degree that these troubles would come unto so that these that were living should count the dead happy that died well who were freed from these dayes See Solomon Eccles. 4.2 praising the dead more than the living The second thing in the scope is to encourage and comfort the Godly that took the right way of living so as to die in the Lord these troubles should not mar their blessednesse but though the earth should triumph over them when they were dead as Chap. 11. yet even then they were and should be blessed and therefore needed not fear or faint under these trials which were coming There are four particulars in these words 1. A preface implying a weightinesse in that which was to be delivered 2. A plain maxime Blessed c. 3. A qualification not restricting that blessednesse to such a time but shewing that it is specially agreeable and applicable to it from henceforth 4. The reasons of this application that they may rest The preface cometh in by way of diversion as if it were a singular thing thereby to make what is said the more remarkable 1. It is not Iobns inventing he heard a voice 2. It is no earthly voice but a sentence from heaven such as should be respected 3. What is said is to be recorded as usefull to Gods people Write saith he to Iobn which except it be some speciall Doctrine is not usually repeated The plain Doctrine or maxime that should be written in the hearts of all Christians is Blessed are they that die in the Lord. By which words three things are holden forth 1. An end common to all which is death 2. A difference in dying and that is to die in the Lord which is peculiar to some and opposit to dying in our sins Iob. 3.24 as Christ saith that is in effect under the curse and unreconciled to God through Christ So dying in Him is to be found in Him by Faith Philip. 3.9 3. A great odds and difference of the consequents of these diverse deaths the one are blessed that
answer what we say but must more satisfyingly answer what one of them opposeth to another which can never be done untill they agree with us in the conclusion We have been the longer in this because it is indeed the great scope of this Prophesie to make this whore discernable and it is their great work to disguise her so that she be not discerned And this Chapter is acknowledged by all to be the main seat of this Controversie and the chief key yea as some call it the Castle of this Prophesie Arx Apocalypseos the opening and taking-in whereof doth both confirm what is past and make way for what is coming LECTURE I. Chap. XVIII Vers. 1. ANd after things I saw another Angel come down from heaven having great power and the earth was lightened with his glory 2. And he cryed mightily with a strong voice saying Babylon the great is fallen is fallen and is become the habitation of devils and the hold of every foul spirit and a cage of every unclean and hatefull bird 3. For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies 4. And I heard another voice from heaven saying Come out of her my people that ye be not partakers of her sins and that ye receive not of her plagues 5. For her sins have reached unto heaven and God hath remembered her iniquities 6. Reward her even as she rewarded you and double unto her double according to her works in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double 7. How much she hath glorified her self and lived deliciously so much torment and sorrow give her for she saith in her heart I sit a queen and am no widow and shall see no sorrow 8. Therefore shall her plagues come in one day death and mourning and famine and she shall be utterly burnt with fire for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her BY the vials Chap. 16. a generall view was given of the destruction of Antichrists kingdom especially by the last three Chap. 17. vers 1. the Angel proposeth a more particular exposition of that judgement in an explicatory vision and for the greater clearnesse he 1. describeth that kingdom which is the object of these plagues under the title of a Whore and Babylon pointing her so out as it is evident to be Rome in the latter times 2. He describeth Antichrist the head under the appearance of a beast which supporteth that whore 3. He doth thereafter point out the principall seat of that dominion 4. He giveth a little generall hint at her destruction all these were Chap. 17. He proceedeth now to explain more fully that destruction 1. of the whore Babylon or Rome in this 18. Chap. 2. of the beast or head Chap. 19. This Chapter belongeth to the explicating of the fifth vial as appeareth 1. That vial is on the seat or throne of the beast this describeth Babylons destruction which in Chap. 17. we heard to be the beasts seat and throne They therefore describe the judgement of the same thing to wit Rome and if Rome were not Antichrists seat but to be destroyed by him Why then would Antichrist and his followers so lament and regrate her ruine 2. The destruction here described of Rome or Antichrists kingdom is not that of the last vial for that hath nothing here in time behind it and cometh after the battell of Armageddon where the beast that surviveth the destruction of his seat is taken as is clear vial 6. But this destruction is such as after it both many of Romes friends especially Kings who under the sixth vial will adhere to the beast lament that destruction and many of the Saints do rejoyce over it and its irrecoverable ruine yes such a destruction as preceedeth the Iews calling and the battell of Armageddon which is in the sixth vial as is clear from Chap. 19. which followeth Therefore the great destruction of Rome here insisted on must be the very same Chap. 16. under the fifth vial which being the most remarkable step of the overthrow of that kingdom which the other two vials do perfect thereafter is the more largely insisted on This destruction of Rome being stiled Babylon is set out in expressions borrowed from the Prophets concerning the destruction of old Babylon whereby its ruine is set down in the certainty greatnesse terriblnesse justice and irrecoverablenesse thereof And that by the voices of three severall Angels if the second be an Angel one after another The first speaketh unto vers 4. the second from vers 4. to vers 21. the third unto the end and for confirmation addeth a sign In the first the denouncer is described vers 1. 2. His manner of denouncing vers 2. 3. The denounciation is set down The denouncer is another Angel than spoke to Iohn Chap. 17. God hath many waiting on Him and maketh use of them at his pleasure 2. He is a mighty Angel all angels are mighty yet there are degrees some more excelling in strength than others there are Angels and Archangels but of how many orders we will not determine The Schoolmen in this as in all other unrevealed mysteries do confidently define that there are three hierarchies and nine orders every hierarchie comprehending three orders The first hath Seraphims Cherubims Thrones the second Dominations Mights or Virtuses Powers in the third they place Principalities Archangels Angels this they presume to have from Dionisius Pseud-areopagita who saith de Eccl. Hierar lib. 7. cap. 7. that he had this by tradition from his master Hierotheus 3. As He is great in power so He excelleth in glory the earth was lightened c. as all these ministring spirits do and it is like had some visible manifesting of His glory in this work The makeing use of such instruments sheweth 1. that God thinketh it a great work for mighty Angels are imployed in such as the Archangel in raising the dead 2. That it will effectually be done that instrument will effect it 3. That it is Gods work and not mens to perfect this judgement therefore ought He to be trusted with it and depended on in it 4. It is said of the Angel he came down from heaven it telleth heaven is the mansion of these glorious Spirits Zech. 3. 5,7 they stand by as attendants and it is a priviledge to be admitted amongst them though their motion be swift yet do they at Gods order go from one end of the earth to another changing their place yet keeping their glory and counting it no losse to do their Master service The coming down sheweth not only a readinesse in the Angel to do what is committed to him but the approaching of the ruine he denounceth and a greater clearnesse in the thing denounced when he cometh near to do it Ver. 2. It is said he cryed with a mighty
of precept so is this to be understood also Reward her ver 6. inviting them to a just zeal in recompencing her It seemeth to be borrowed from Psal. 137.8 Ier. 51.35 and considering that the Lord here calleth for it and that according to every ones station and place from Kings in their place and Subjects in theirs there can be no question of the warrantablenesse of it It is that all as they shall be called who have seen Romes whoredom shall or should be ready in holy zeal by doing or praying to concur for executing Gods judgments on her This word reward implyeth a just meeting and recompence She did first the wrong and now in justice they do but repay Those to whom it is spoken are the persons exhorted formerly to come out of her to wit Gods People who formerly suffered by her as the expression of retaliation cleareth The justice and dreadfulnesse of this stroke is comprehended in three reasons annexed in three expressions 1. Render unto her double as she hath served you Which words not only hold out their recompencing of her to be just Lege talionis but also great So double is 1. very much Isa. 40.1 2. 2. Double that is not above her deserving for that will not be poured-out in eternity but it is much or more than ever she for all her malice was able to effectuate on you She would fain have utterly destroyed you so as to have left no memory of you but could not get it done but now wholly make ye her desolate for justice will count in her judgment not according to her practice in what she was able to effectuate but according to her sin and the mark she aimed at which being against God deserveth more than they were able to do Therefore it is not unjust with God to make these His instruments even before men to render double to her in temporall miseries being all within what was due to her The expression of filling the cup is to the same purpose A second thing aggreaging her judgment is That as she getteth double as the fruit of her malice So let her have saith the Lord judgment according to her pride and haughtinesse which being very great her judgment cannot but be so seing here it is both the cause and measure thereof And that her pride is great there is a word cited out of Isa. 47. and applyed to her for evincing it This is ver 7. The third expression is ver 8. hanging these plagues on her former sins Therefore c. Aggreging them 1. that they came thick and many together 2. Sudden in one day 3. Unexpected and irrecoverable utterly burnt another destruction than ever she saw before And because it is incredible-like as things have for a long time stood a word is added to confirm it for strong is the Lord God Who judgeth her It is not men nor yet Angels though both be instruments but it is the Lords controversie and the judgement is his Therefore believe it will come and be encouraged ye to do this work who shall be called to it for the Lord is engaged in it and cannot be over-powered This being the Lords quarrel and to be executed by Saints once wronged by her â—â— cleareth 1. That it is the same war with that Chap. 17.14 2. That Rome is in a present guilt when she is destroyed 3. That it is not executed by Antichrist but by such as had suffered formerly by her and afterward ver 20. are commanded to rejoyce over her LECTURE II. 9. And the kings of the earth who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her shall bewail her and lament for her when they shall see the smoke of her burning 10. Standing afar off for the fear of her torment saying Alas alas that great city Babylon that mighty city for in one houre is thy judgement come 11. And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her for no man buyeth her merchandise any more 12. The merchandise of gold and silver and precious stones and of pearls and fine linen and purple and silk and scarlet and all thyine wood and all manner vessels of ivory and all manner vessels of most precious wood and of brasse and iron and marble 13. And cinamon and odours and ointments and frankincense and wine and oyl and fine flowre and wheat and beasts and sheep and horses and chariots and slaves and souls of men 14. And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee and all things which were daintie and goodly are departed from thee and thou shalt finde them no more at all 15. The merchants of these things which were made rich by her shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment weeping and wailing 16. And saying Alas alas that great city that was clothed in fine linen and purple and scarlet and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls 17. For in one houre so great riches is come to nought And every ship-master and all the company in ships and sailers and as many as trade by sea stood afar off 18. And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning saying What city is like unto this great city 19. And they cast dust on their heads and cryed weeping and wailing saying Alas alas that great city wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costlinesse for in one houre is she made desolate 20. Rejoyce over her thou heaven and ye holy apostles and prophets for God hath avenged you on her 21. And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great milstone and cast it into the sea saying Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down and shall be found no more at all 22. And the voice of harpers and musicians and of pipers and trumpeters shall be heard no more at all in thee and no craftsman of whatsoever craft he be shall be found any more in thee and the sound of a milstone shall be heard no more at all in thee 23. And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee for thy merchants were the great men of the earth for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived 24. And in her was found the bloud of prophets and of saints and of all that were slain upon the earth FOlloweth now the second part of this Angels discourse whereby the sad desolation of Rome is foretold to wit the sad lamentation of all her friends it shall be so great and dreadfull as to affect and astonish them all This is the scope which is clear and we shall insist the lesse in the words The parties brought in lamenting are of three sorts most especially concerned who are sufficient as to the scope 1 Kings ver 9.10 then Merchants ver 11.3 Shipmen and Traders by Sea ver 17.
here how it was with the Saints 2. For removing this strange thought we would consider the Prophets manner of prophesying good to the people of God How do Isaiah Ieremiah Daniel Ezekiel Zechariah speak of the Iews estate after the captivity and how do all speak of the dayes of the Gospel in generall as the weak shall he as David their horns shall be iron and their hoofes brasse and they shall thresh the Nations they shall lie down and none shall make them afraid and many such like Yet if any would draw from them a temporall happinesse or an absolute freedom would not the event the best commentary confute him Take the prophesie of Daniel wherein often it is said the Saints shall take the Kingdom which is no temporall thing nor this intended here as appeareth in that it is a Kingdom not for a thousand years but for ever Now it being certain that such manner of speaking and expressions are usuall to the Prophets when they set out spirituall mercies or temporall deliverances that are but partiall and in their events have been inferiour to what the expressions literally Bear though they be in themselves great and glorious and this being clear all alongst this prophesie that Iohn followeth the expressions and manner of the Prophets in other things Is it not then safest to expound the events prophesied of by him in such expressions by the events prophesied of by them in the like so that the applying of their prophesies to the events wherein they were fulfilled may be a commentary to clear what sort of events are understood here 3. Consider Iohn's way in this same vision certainly some things yea many are not to be applied according to the letter but in a spirituall way to be understood as these expressions ver 6. of the first Resurrection must be necessarily meaned of rising from sin for it is a Resurrection opposed to the sinfull dead world which continue dead and did not rise 2. It is such a Resurrection as upon which freedom from the second death doth flow but that is not a bodily Resurrection but a spirituall for many at the last day rise bodily to contempt Dan. 12. which sheweth that that place speaketh of the last Resurrection And 3. it is such as the want whereof maketh men liable to the second death and it is not the want of the first bodily Resurrection according to the Millenaries themselves for then seing as they say none arise first but Martyrs none should be saved but Martyrs but the not being born again that secludeth from heaven and that expression concerning the priviledge which these that are raised here have They shall be Priests to God must either be spiritually understood or we must with Caerinthus bring back again the sacrifices and ceremonial and typical worship contrary to the whole strain and series of the Gospel And seing the former part of that 6. ver is necessarily figuratively and improperly to be understood why not the latter part also that they shall reign with Christ We conclude then that here there is no absolute temporall Kingdom promised but such as we have before hinted at We come now to speak of the second head wherein the question lyeth and that is concerning the parties who are partakers of this good condition which hath also sundry branches 1. It is questioned whether our Lord Jesus shall come personally to reign with the Saints on earth We answer negatively there is no ground to expect our Lords presence personally and visibly to converse on earth with His people though we will not say but there is in this time an eminent measure of His presence by His Spirit and Power in His Ordinances and manifestations in His dispensations more than ordinary that is not controverted But that personall presence we deny on these grounds 1. Because the Scripture is silent of it and knitteth ever Christs personal coming again and the last judgement together as holding that out to be His errand If it be said here They are said to reign with Christ Therefore He must be on earth Answ. It followeth not no more nor when it is said Gen. 5. Enoch walked with God three hundred years or that we suffer with Christ Rom. 8. or converse with Him Therefore He is on earth suffering with us or walking with us yes the very contrary followeth from this place that He is not on earth which may be cleared 1. thus So Christ reigneth with His Saints and they with Him as they do other things with Him that is suffer with Him and walk with Him c. But that implieth not a personall presence but a spirituall Therefore so doth this And indeed Saints reigning being in their sense and in a part truth opposit to Saints suffering must not then suffering with Christ be opposit to reigning with Him And so to reign with Christ will imply 1. a spirituall presence of Christ with them 2. a common interest and account of dominion as there is a common interest and account in their suffering Thus to reign with Him differenceth their good condition from the good of worldly mens conditions even as to suffer with Him differenceth the nature of their sufferings from wordly mens crosses 2. It is clear from this that it is not said simply they reign but reign with him the peculiarnesse of the dominion for these thousand years is not on His side but on theirs for He reigneth before and after only for these thousand years the Saints who did not so reign formerly are admitted to reign with Him therefore as His reign is ordinarily so is it now for there is no change on His side but ordinarily it is not personall but by His Spirit and Ordinances Therefore it is so now and no otherwise 2. Either this personall reign of Christ is after the day of judgement as the old Chiliasts thought or it is immediately before it or during it as these that would have Christ continuing as it were His judgement that long time as Tyllingast and others of late But the Text overturneth all these 1. It is not after the day of judgement for Gog and Magog are before the day of judgement yet Gog and Magog are after these thousand years Therefore it cannot be expected after it 2. It is not immediately before for 1. Gog and Magog interveens and the dominion of the Saints is interrupted before that 2. At the day of judgement Christ is not on earth but cometh in the clouds from heaven See 1 Thess. 4. ver 16 17. the Lord Himself shall descend Therefore He is not on earth then shall we that are alive be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so He is there and we shall be for ever with Him Where both these are clear 1. That at the day of judgement Christ is not on the earth Therefore are the Saints caught up to meet Him 2. It is clear that He
have need of Christs bloud to make them white 401 Fleeing to Christ for refuge the best way to escape trouble ibid. Christs Intercession vid. Intercession Christs sympathy with Believers see Sympathy Christs marriage with the Church considered in a threefold respect 691 692 Of Christs personall reign upon earth and the different opinions about it 710 711 Christs personall reign upon earth refuted with the absurdities that follow thereupon 714 715 These who reign with Christ on earth are living Saints and neither Martyrs nor Saints departed 716 718 The word Church three wayes taken in Scripture why the Revelation is sent to particular Churches why to the Churches of Asia and why they are termed seven 20 21 How Churches use to be un-churched 76 Why the Church of Ephesus is particularly threatned with this ibid. How un-churching is a punishment to the Minister 77 If there can be any particular Church without some sincere professours 218 The sad condition of the Church before Constantine's time and the flourishing state thereof which did immediately follow upon his Government 374 375 376 What time and state of the Church these winds and that sealing spoken of chap. 7. do relate to 381 The flourishing state of the Church is one of the greatest evidences of Gods glory in the world and one of the greatest grounds of praise 397 The Church of Rome plagued under the sixth trumpet and yet she repenteth not but continueth in her idolatry murthers c. 450 451 The Church of Rome justly charged with these 451 452 Whether the Church of Rome be guilty of idolatry 454 455 c. The Church of Rome proven to be an idolatrous Church from her practice and Doctrine 456 457 To what state of the Church is the measuring of the Temple of God and of the altar of them that worship therein to be referred 476 The Church more generally and more particularly considered 477 Upon this that there was a true Church under Antichrists tyranny it will neither follow that the Church of Rome was or is the true Church nor that we have our ordination from it 510 511 A Nationall Church doth well suit with the time of Antichrists fall and the Gospels flourishing the objections to the contrary are answered 511 512 513 514 What is sufficient for constituting a person a member of a true Church or how true Churches are to be constitute 516 517 518 The Churches first war with the Dragon a description of the parties with a narrative of the successe 521 522 523 The series of the Churches condition between her open sufferings under the Dragon and heathen persecuters and the manifest appearing of the Beast or Antichrist 529 530 The devil's design against the Church the means he useth to prosecute his designe the Churches safety and preservation 530 531 The occasion of this new war against the Church and how it differeth from the persecution raised against the man-child 530 The end of the Churches fleeing from the face of the Serpent and what is to be understood thereby with the time to which it is applicable 531 532 533 That there is a Catholick visible Church in the dayes of the Gospel and some considerations for making out the unity thereof 538 539 â—hat the Catholick Church is the first Church and fountain from which all particular Churches do â—low'â— and some objections to the contrary answered 540 541 Church of Rome vid. Rome What sort of separation is called-for from the Church of Rome 680 The songs which are in heaven for the enlargement of the Church the parts of the song the grounds thereof the party who exhorteth to sing and the persons who are exhorted 689 690 We are not to understand any state of the Church militant by the new heaven and the new earth which Iohn saw but the happinesse of the Church triumphant with some objections to the contrary answered 748 749 750 751 752 The comfortlesse grounds laid down in Popery for easeing a troubled conscience 446 Conditionall Redemption See Redemption The Lords tendernesse of the consolation of His people and whence their discouragement ariseth 469 The way of Gods Covenanting with a sinner laid down 234 Severall sorts of Covenants 237 The condition of a Covenant is taken either more largely or more strictly ibid. A difference betwixt these priviledges of a Covenant which flow from it as such and these which are only conditionally promised to the parties thus related ibid. Faith and works in what respect the condition of the Covenant and in what not 238 The Covenant of Grace like a Marriage Covenant or like free Adoption and not like that bâ—twixt Master and Servant ib. Covenanting preceedeth Justification 239 What we are to understand by the cry of the souls under the altar 364 D THat the first Day of the week is understood of the Lords Day and why it is so called proven 28 29 That this Day is of Dâ—vine institution provâ—n and objections to the contrary answered 30 31 That it is lawfull to call it Sunday and why ibid. How this Day is to be sanctified ibid. Why Christ is called the first begotten from the dead 5 Spirituall deadnesse twofold 177 That totall deadnesse may consist with a good name from others and a good conceit of a mans self ibid. Christs death was not only to confirm His Doctrine or give a copy of obedience or purchase to Himself a power to forgive sins but it was truely and properly a satisfaction 280 Who these dead were who lived not again till the thousand years were expired and how they are said to live again then 732 733 How hell the sea and grave give up their dead 747 What power the devil hath over men held forth in the extent of it from Scripture Severall conclusions also for clearing it 149 150 By what means the devil useth to prevail in tempting and how little weight is to be laid on his testimony 150 151 Whether the devil was not cast into hells fire fiâ—st when he fell 738 What it is to die in the Lord. 596 The difference betwixt a morall specifick dâ—fference and a physical cleared 141 Severall conclusions touching Discipline and the exercise of it laid down 99. Why Iohn was called the Divine 2 The nature and usefulnesse of pure Doctrine with the evil of error especially when it infecteth these who are Ministers in the Church or men of great gifts and blamelesse lives 430 The principles of the Popiâ—h Doctrine do most natively lead to anxiety and the reasons thereof 439 440 What is meant by Christs setting an open door before a Minister how he may know it and what way he should make use of it 191 192 196 197 The Dragon who pursueth the woman with a description of him his properties and effects which followed upon his being cast down from heaven to earth 522 527 528 What is meant by the Dragons making war with the seed of the woman and why is it not said that he made war