Propriety of the Titles attributed to Christ for he is said to be the faithful Witness that the following Prophecy might be the more readily believed and in Opposition to the Pretences of Antichrist to New Traditions distinct from those delivered by him in his Gospel the intire Revelation of his Father 's Will. 2dly His Resurrection is mentioned because it was the chief Proof of his Divinity and the Ground of our Faith and chiefly because that from thence is taken the Epocha or the beginning of the Account of the Times and Seasons of this Prophecy The other Titles plainly relate to the Efficacy of his Blood alone to our Justification and Sanctification and to our Praises due to him alone in opposition to Merits and Satisfactions Prayers to Saints and Angels and the other Corruptions of the Opposite Antichristian Kingdom 6 And hath made us Kings to Reign on the Earth in his Kingdom Dan 7.27 Rev. 5 10.20 6. and Priests to offer Spiritual Sacrifices 1 Pet. 2.9 Rev. 20.6 unto God and his Father and not unto Saints and Angels to him Christ be Glory i. e. Praise and Acknowledgment of his Perfections and Kingly Dominion for ever and ever in his Everlasting Kingdom Dan. 2.44 Revel 11.15 Amen So be it and so it will be 7 11 Behold he cometh 12 i. e. he will as certainly come as if we saw him now a coming with Clouds i.e. with Power and great Glory Dan. 7.13 Matth. 24.30 and every Eye of all Men shall see him coming and they also which pierced him i. e. the Jews shall see him feel his Power and acknowledge him Isa 40.5 Zach. 12.10 John 19.37 and all Kindreds Tribes or People of the Earth i.e. of the wicked worldly and 13 Antichristian Part shall wail because of him their Judg whom they had provoked Even so 14 Amen i. e. this is a certain Truth to be expected and desired 11 This Verse relates to the coming of Christ in his Kingdom at the last Day when the Jews who crucified him and all other his Enemies shall appear and be judged by him And it is worth noting That according to the Precepts of Art observed by the most Judicious Writers we have here from Verse 5. given us in short at the very entrance of this Prophecy a brief Representation of the chief End and Design of it The Kingdom of Christ of which upon all fit Occasions we are presented with a short View because it is the thing which all the Events Typified in this Book were designed to produce and as it were the Catastrophe of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the World according to Plotinus's Phrase or of all the Transactions which have appeared on the Stage of it 12 A Form of Speech in use with the Prophets denoting the Infallible certainty of what they foretold Or cometh may here signifie he beginneth to come as Verse 1. See * Pag. 145. 150. Dr. Pocock on Joel 13 Earth is taken in this sense sometimes in this Prophecy as we shall see hereafter 14 This Word in Scripture is put to affirm that the thing will be as well as to wish for it and approve it 8 And do not doubt of the Truth and Extent of this Prophecy for I Christ who have revealed it am Alpha 15 and Omega the beginning and the ending who am before all things and shall abide after them for ever saith the Lord Christ which is or The That is and which was and which is to come the Almighty as well as Eternal Jehovah who can bring to pass the Words of this Prophecy from the beginning of it to the end of Time 15 These are the first and last Letters of the Greek Alphabet whereby the Beginning and Consummation of all Things Times and Seasons is ascribed to Christ as the incommunicable Attributes of God also are viz. his Name Jehovah and his Almightiness So that this Verse contains a plain Declaration of the Divinity of our Saviour 9 I John who also am your Brother in the same Faith and Companion in tribulation i. e. a Fellow-sufferer with you and in the Kingdom and patience or patient 15 expectation of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ delayed unto the time of the end Dan. 12 4-13 Rev. 10.4 7. was in 17 Banishment in the Isle that is called 18 Patmos for preaching the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ i.e. the Gospel 16 For so the words seem to signifie and may very well be Translated by a figure common in Scripture for this Kingdom was to have begun in its full Power immediately at Christ's Resurrection and was then expected by the Apostles Acts 1.6 but was still patiently to be waited for until the time of the end to which it was deferred Altho the words may more properly relate to the Patience of Christ or to his own patient Expectation of his Kingdom until the times agreed on with his Father See Chap. 3.10 17 In the time of Domitian about the end of the year of our Lord 95 or the beginning of 96 as Chronologers generally agree 18 Situate in the Archi-pelago about 40 Miles from the Continent of Asia towards Ephesus in the Sea next to the Churches to which he wrote And as Ezekiel and Daniel had their Visions when they were in Captivity so also might it be by way of Correspondence Ordained by God that John should receive this Prophecy in a place of Exile Restraints and places of Recess and Retireme◠from the wicked World affording the fittest dispositions and opportunities for Divine Communications 10. I was in the Spirit 19 i. e. under the immediate Power of it on the 20 Lord's day and 21 heard that is perceived in my Spirit unexpectedly and as it were from behind me a great voice as of a Trumpet i. e. a very loud voice as the sound of the Trumpets on the solemn Festivals Psal 47.5 or in the time of War Zechar. 9.14 to raise my attention and to encourage me and to signifie that Judgments were to be denounced 19 That is I was not in the Body but in a Spiritual Extasie or Rapture under the immediate actings of the Spirit of God representing things to my Soul and not to my Senses 2 Cor. 12.2 20 The First Day of the Week or the Christian Sabbath instituted in Memory of Christ's Resurrection and called The Lord's Day a Phrase never used in the New Testament but with reference to this Day and the Lord's Supper because it was blessed and sanctified by Christ's Resurrection and the Descent of the Spirit intimated here by John's saying that he was then in the Spirit and instituted and set apart by his Authority as the Day in which his Worship was ordinarily and necessarily to be frequented by all Christians And the Day is here punctually expressed which is also exactly observed by Ezekiel and Daniel for the benefit of the Church which is to take notice of Times and Seasons to shew that these
which it came to be called the third part whereupon the Grecian Monarchy was cast to the ground it 's very Seat and Power becoming thereupon Roman Constantine (b) Cave's Introduct to the Lives of the Fathers vol. 2. pag. 13. Rycaut's Pref. to the Lives of the Popes commanding by a Law that it should be called New Rome and having Peopled it with the best Families he could draw from Old Rome and the Inhabitants of it being called Romans 13 Here is implied that the fourth Empire Subdued all the rest and bore Rule over all the Earth after it had Subdued the Grecian Monarchy which stood in competition with it according to what was foretold by Daniel chap. 2. 39 40. 7 7 19 32. 14 This refers to the Persecutions which fell upon the Christian Church by the Instigation of the Devil and his Instruments in the Roman Empire especially to their last and most cruel Effort in the ten Years Persecution under Dioclesian when the Woman was as it were teeming with a Glorious Church State in a Christian Empire which was brought forth under Constantine as a short Specimen and imperfect Representation of the Kingdom of Christ as hath been shewn on chap. 7 9.-17 5 And yet notwithstanding all his opposition Psal 2. she brought forth a 15 Manchild i. e. Christ reigned then as King and Lord of his Church and there was on Earth a lively and manly representation of him and his Kingdom for a short time Psal 2.7 8. Is 9 6.66 7 8. Acts 4 23.-30 who was to rule all Nations with a rod of Iron i. e. was to have an universal Kingdom Psalm 2 8-12 and her Child was caught 16 up unto God and to his Throne i. e. Christ and his Kingdom were advanced and his Church was in a State typical of his glorious Kingdom which yet not long continued Psal 110.1 15 Here the Kingdom of Christ is plainly set forth in Expressions chiefly taken from the second Psalm which contains a Description of it as all Interpreters agree And by the Man-child is meant 1. Christ himself who is said to be brought forth or born because he at this time obtained as King of his Church a Conquest over Paganism and a great increase to his Kingdom whereby he was begotten in the Phrase of the Psalmist Psalm 2.6 7 8. that is the holy Child Jesus was manifested and declared to be Lord and King 2. The Church and Christian Empire under Constantine may be called the Man-child as Cyrus is called the Lord's Christ or Messias Isa 45.1 because he was a Type of Christ and as Christians are said to be Christ's Body and to have Christ formed in them Gal. 4.19 And if the Roman Empire it self may in some sense as Grotius has well noted on Dan. 7.13 be not unfitly called an Image or Type of Christ much more may the Christian Empire under Constantine who was a greater Restorer of Christ's Kingdom than Cyrus was be styled a Mystical Christ and be an Emblem of his Glorious Kingdom on Earth 16 Christ after his Resurrection which is called his Birth in Scripture was taken up into heaven as we also shall be caught up thither 1 Thes 4.17 where the same word is used insomuch that this Phrase is taken from Christ's Ascent into heaven and alludes to it And its import may be 1. That Christ was then actually King of the Roman Heathen Empire which he had newly conquered signified by his being caught up to the Throne of God whereby some Ascents of his Throne in the Heavenly Places or Advancements of his Kingdom may be signified in which he was installed and inaugurated at his Ascension when he was caught up into Heaven 2. Hereby may be signified also the advancing of the Christian Religion to the Imperial Throne as Christ was advanced at his Ascension to the Throne of his Father at his Right Hand Psalm 110.1 But as Christ was of a sudden taken up in a Cloud out of the sight of the Apostles whilst they were looking on him Acts 1.9 so may also hereby be signified the short space of the continuance of the Roman Christian Empire Rev. 17.10 answerable to Christ's being seen of the Apostles only for Forty Days Acts 1.3 and the sudden depravation of Religion by a growing Antichristianism upon its advancement by Constantine whereby in a short time the true Primitive and Apostolical Christianity was obscured and could not be seen pure and unmixt which as (a) And on John 1.1 Grotius has noted on the place may be signified by being caught up to God those things being said in Scripture to be with God which are invisible and appear not unto Men. 6 And 17 or but yet it was not long before the Woman or Church thus delivered from Persecution and advanced in the Christian Empire * fled into the Wilderness 18 i. e. was in a secret and obscure state and condition in the midst of the encreasing Apostasy where she hath a place prepared by God i. e. she is secured by him that they 18 should feed her there or that she should be nourished and preserved there after a wonderful manner a thousand 19 two hundred and threescore days i. e. Years See chap. 11. 2 3. 17 When Christ was caught up to God and the Heavenly State he designed became thereupon invisible the Church soon retired into the Wilderness i. e. into an obscure and invisible State too as being bereft of that Presence and Power of Christ which was necessary to advance it into that perfect and heavenly State which his Kingdom requires Here the Flight which was after the War in Heaven is mentioned before it by a Prolepsis or Anticipation frequent in (a) Grot. in Gen. 1.27 Ecclus 48.1 Scripture and in this (b) See Pererius on the Revelations Grot. on Rev. 21.2 Prophecy the Holy Spirit being wont to hasten to the chief point it is about and to mention what intervenes of lesser consequence afterwards as is manifest from the History of the Creation where Paradise which was planted on the Third Day is not described until afterwards in the second Chapter and the full and particular Relation of the Creation of Mankind but briefly touched upon in the first Chapter is deferred unto the second which Figure is here observed to shew that the Man child Christ's Kingdom was not to succeed upon the Glorious Pre appearance of it Verse 5. and that the Church the Woman was to be in an obscure condition and that immediately after her Delivery and that she was presently to prepare for her Flight she being not to appear in Visible Glory until 1260 Years after it * So the Children of Israel went up in haste out of Aegypt Exod. 12.31 33 39. 18 This Type is taken from the Children of Israel's sojourning in the Wilderness after they had escaped out of the hands of Pharoah who is expresly called Psalm 74.13 14. Isa 51.9 the Dragon or Crocodile lying
in the broken and abrupt form of speech here made use of by the Angel 15 Here is declared that Angels and Men are Fellow-Creatures and shall be Fellow-Servants in the New Jerusalem-State the World to come which shall not be subject to Angels and in which there shall be an Equality betwixt them and Saints the Members of it and that they shall joyn together in the Worship of Christ Luke 20.36 Heb. 1 6.2 5. * That is Jesus the Word of God who is God and One with the Father and is accordingly worshipped in this Prophecy Chap. 5. and. 22.3 and in other places 16 16 Here the Angel delivers a most excellent Axiom wherein we are taught 1. That the principal thing to be attended to in Prophecy is Whether it be the Testimony of Christ or no That is whether it be delivered in Scripture which principal Character is here called The Spirit of Prophecy that is the Life and Soul of it which animates it and gives it its true Value and Esteem in the Sense that Spirit is often opposed to Letter and Flesh in Scripture 2 Cor. 3.6 2 That the Sense of Prophetical Scriptures given from a compare of Scripture with Scripture is when it evidently appears to be so of equal Credibility with the Prophecy it self because it is the Spirit of the Letter of it 3. That Interpreters of prophetical Scriptures when their Interpretations are confirmed are worthy of a Prophet's Reward because they have the Spirit of prophecy Matth. 10.41 11 And I saw Heaven 18 opened for a glorious appearance of Christ and behold a white Horse the Emblem of Christ's Royalty and Glory from his Resurrection to his second coming in his Kingdom chap. 6. 2. and he that sate upon him i. e. Christ was called faithful 18 and true to his Promises and his Friends and in Righteousness i. e. Truth and Peace he doth Judg 19 his People Psal 96.10 13. Is 11 1-9.32 16. and make 19 War with his Enemies Is 11.4 17 To shew that the Heavens shall open when the King of Glory appears Psalm 24 7-10 Matth. 24.30 And this Appearance which is the second Vision in this Chapter is that of Christ's coming in his Kingdom to Judgment and is the same with that Chap. 14.14 as will plainly appear to any who considers the Circumstances and Description of both 18 He is said to be Faithful and True because of his appearing in his Kingdom according to his promise which Atheists Antiscripturists and those of the Antichristian Party had called in question still asking with those Scoffers 2 Pet. 3. where is the promise of his coming 19 19 Hence it appears that the great Battle of Armageddon is by way of Judgment wherein the Enemies of Christ and of his Kingdom are represented as (a) Ezek. 32.27 and Chap. 38. Rev. 20. Warriors in Arms who when conquered were wont as Captives of War to be judged by and receive Sentence from the Conquerour as appears from Jerem. 52.9 12 His Eyes were as a flame of 20 Fire penetrating and judging of all things after a quick and terrible manner chap. 1.14 2 18. and on his head were many 21 Crowns to denote the amplitude of his Dominions his many Conquests and the several Exercises of his Regal Office especially now in his glorious Monarchy and Kingdom Psal 72 8-20 Rev. 14.14 and he had a Name 22 written that no man knew but he himself i. e. his Essence and Nature as God Incarnate and his Will Counsels Judgments and Rewards c uld not be fully known nor comprehended by any Creature and not at all after a saving manner but by them to whom he should reveal them Judg. 13.18 Job 11.7 8. Psalm 36.6 Matth. 11.27 Rom. 11.33 34. 1 Cor. 2 6.-16 1 John 3.2 20 Christ is to be revealed in flaming (a) Thes 1 8.2 8. fire when he comes to Judgment in his Kingdom and therefore his Eyes are represented as a flame of fire to signifie his Discerning Judgment and All-seeing Wisdom which he will then most peculiarly manifest 21 Christ had a Kingdom from his very Resurrection and has had all along many Conquests over his Enemies in the Administration of it and is therefore very fitly represented with many Crowns as David a Type of Christ put on his Head the Crowns of the several Kings conquered by him 2 Sam. 12.30 1 Chron. 20.2 See also 1 Maccab. 11.13 He has also many Crowns because of his Kingdom as the Eternal Word and as Mediator which he hath administred under the Father ever since his Resurrection represented by the first Seal and as he now enters upon the Administration of his Glorious Kingdom as he is also King of Kings and Lord of Lords he hath all the Crowns of the Kingdoms of the Earth belonging unto him and now as it were put upon his Head 22 His Name Emmanuel God made Flesh or God in our Nature seems to be here more particularly understood as being peculiar to him as distinct from the Father and the Spirit Judg. 13.18 Isa 9.6 Prov. 30.4 13 And he was cloathed with a vesture dipt in the Blood of his Enemies Psal 68.23 Is 63 1-6 and his Name is called or he is the Word 23 of God John 1.1 23 That is the Eternal Word of God by whom God spake when he made the World and spake also to our Fore-fathers under the Old Testament and unto us in the Gospel And he may also be called The Word because in him the whole Word of God Prophecies and Promises are Yea and Amen that is constant and not changeable punctually fullfilled unalterably confirmed and ratified 2 Cor. 1.19 20. See Grot. on Joh. 1.1 Bishop Pearson on the second Article of the Creed and Dr. Bull 's Defensio Fidei Nicaenae 14 And the Armies which were in Heaven i. e. Christ's mighty Angels and the Saints which shall accompany them when he comes to Judgment in his Kingdom Dan. 4 35. Zech. 14.5 Matth. 22.7 1 Thes 4.14 1 Cor. 15. Phil. 3.29 2 Thes 1.7 Jude 14.15 See the Notes on Rev. 14 14 15. and chap. 20. and on verse 11. of this Chapter followed him upon white 24 Horses as Companions and Partakers with Christ in his Glory and his Kingdom cloathed in fine 25 Linen white and clean i. e. they were Justified and Sanctified by the Righteousness and Holyness of Christ imputed unto them See on verse 8. 24 This Battle is a Judgment as appears from Verse 15. So that these Armies of Heaven must be the Angels and the Saints who shall come with Christ in Judgment to his Kingdom with glorified Bodies as the Scriptures quoted in the Paraphrase do plainly declare and they are represented as on White Horses to shew the Glory they shall appear in and their joynt Rule and Reign with Christ it being the custom for Kings Favorites Nobles and Rulers to be clad in White Garments and ride on White Beasts as hath been already observed on Rev.
of the Saints and Martyrs mentioned in the Fourth Verse who are the Children of the Resurrection Luke 20.36 aand the dead in Christ that shall rise first whose Resurrection hereupon is called The First Resurrection i. e. the Resurrection of those who shall rise first at the beginning of Christ's Kingdom and who are to have a Second Resurrection as it may be called in the sense that (a) Grot. in Apocal. 20.5 word may be taken Lament 3.63 Heb. 11.35 when they together with the living Saints shall be caught up to be ever with the Lord in his Eternal Kingdom to which their first Resurrection to Glory is a preparative there being Four several Resurrections as they may be called in Scripture 1. To a Life of Grace and of the Divine Spirit here 2. Of separate Spirits with Christ 3. The Resurrection to a state of Glory in Christ's Thousand Years Kingdom 4. The State they are caught up to when they are united to God in an endless Life to all Eternity For as the Change the Living Saints are to undergo may be called a * Tertall de Resurrect cap. 41. qui ab adventu Domini deprehendentur in carne merebuntur compendio mortis per demâ—tationem expunctae concurrere cum resurgentibus Death so may their being caught up be called a Resurrection But because the Wicked (a) Dan. 12.2 Matt. 25.31 John 5.29 Acts 24.15 2 Cor. 5.10 shall rise at the same time with the Just and they both shall appear together at Christ's Tribunal therefore is their State here accounted for together with that of the Just and the Resurrection not mentioned until that be declared although it is not properly a Resurrection which word when it is used simply and absolutely as it is here signifies usually the (b) Luke 14 14.20 35 36. 1 Cor. 15. Resurrection of Life but a Death 6 Blessed in a most especial manner because he waiteth and cometh to the end of Times and the beginning of Christ's Kingdom Dan. 12.12 and holy for they also are of the Number of the Saints who are not perfect without them and shall at last be caught up with them 1 Thes 4.15 17. Heb. 11.40 1 Cor. 15.51 52. Isa 4.2 3. is 21 he i. e. they which are alive and remain unto the Coming of the Lord 1 Thes 4.15 17. Isa 4.2 3. that hath although but a part or share in the first Resurrection and not an entire possession of the whole Happiness and Glories of that blessed State of Life and Reign with Christ until they are caught up unto him 1 Thes 4.17 on such the 22 second Death in the Lake of â—ire and Brimstone Verse 14 15. Chap. 21.8 hath no power at all for they being the Living shall always live and having part in the first Resurrection to Life shall be found in the Book of Life Dan. 12.1 Ezek. 47.9 and the 15th Verse of this Chapter but they shall be Priests of God i. e. Holy and dedicated to his Service alone and of Christ enjoying the full benefit of his Redemption in White Priestly Robes of Righteousness washed in his Blood Chap. 1 16.5 10.19 8 9 and shall reign 23 with him a Thousand 24 Yeâ—rs i. e. shall enjoy a pure peaceable and glorious Church-State and be a Political Body upon Earth governing the whole World for a Thousand Years according to the Laws of Christ's Gospel by virtue of his Power and in relation unto and dependance on him Dan. 2. and 7th See Notes on Verse 4. 21 If the Sons and Children of the First Resurrection be the Saints and Martyrs who rise first and come with Christ in his Kingdom then the He or Body of Men as the Article so often signifies here mentioned must be the (a) 1 Thes 4.15 17 1 Cor. 15.51 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The We living or the Generation af Saints and Believers such as the Apostle was who shall be alive upon Earth at Christ's Coming and shall never have Died or fallen asleep in the Lord but shall have been kept (b) Isa 4.3 1 Pet. 3.7 alive and preserved as a Remnant therefore called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Judgment and Burning the Battle and Fire of the last Day because there are no other Saints mentioned in Scripture who can be said to be partakers of the Resurrection And they are properly said to have but a part in the first Resurrection because they shall only be changed at the first Resurrection when the Dead in Christ rise first but shall not have such spiritual and incorruptible Bodies and put on such Immortality as the Dead Saints raised to Life have at the very first moment of their Resurrection until they are caught up in the Clouds to meet the Lord in the Air so as to be ever with him 1 Thes 4.17 1 Cor. 15.52 Who are also here very remarkably placed in their due order according to Doctrinal Scripture viz. after the Resurrection of the dead Saints to life and the Resurrection of the dead Wicked to condemnation who rise together Whereas the living Saints are not caught up which may be called a Resurrection until afterwards 1 Thes 4.15 16 17. Which will appear more plain from a close and due consideration of what Doctrinal Scripture hath delivered concerning the Resurrection in which it is asserted 1. That Christ is the (a) 1 Cor. 15.20 23. First Fruits of them that sleep from whence it follows that the Saints raised may be very well meant by the Harvest Rev. 14.15 before which the First Fruits were wont to be offered under the Law 2. The Apostle asserts 1 Cor. 15.22 23. 1 Thes â—â— 16. that there shall be an Order observed in the Vivification or Resurrection of the Just to Immortality and Incorruptibility in which Sense the Apostle must be understood 1 Thes 4.16 where he says that the Dead in Christ shall rise first that is to Incorruptibility for otherwise if Resurrection be to be taken simply and absolutely the Just do not rise before the Vnjust nor are the living Saints changed after them but all of them rise together in the same moment 1 Cor 15.52 3. The Bodies (b) 1 Cor. 15.52 2 Cor. 5.4 1 Thes 3 13.4 14-17 2 Thes 1.7 Jude 14. of the Dead Saints are first raised and that incorruptible at the Descent of Christ from Heaven with a shout and being caught up into the Air are united to their Spirits and then they come or are brought along with Christ at his Revelation and Appearing in his Kingdom 4. The Living Saints are (c) 1 Cor 15.52 changed indeed at the same moment that the Dead Saints are raised but they are not caught up to an Incorruptible and Immortal State until afterwards as the Apostle expresly asserts 1 Thes 4.16 17. where he says that the dead in Christ shall rise first and that then or afterwards for so the word ought to be translated here as it is 1 Cor. 15.23