multiplied There is no question of this seing the most wise Heathens have been necessitated to acknowledge it 2. Assert Although there be but One God yet there are Three Persons the Father Son and Spirit There is not one of these Epistles to the seven Churches but this may be gathered from it 1. The Father is the Sender of them all as from ver 1. chap. 1. may be gathered 2. The Son is He who immediately gives Iohn Commission to write as the Titles he taketh to himself do clear 3. The holy Ghost is in the close of all mentioned as a joynt speaker Let him hear what the Spirit saith c. 2. More particularly They are distinctly mentioned in the Epistle to Thyatira chap. 2. ver 18. These things saith the Son of God that holds forth the Father and Son where a son is there is a father and God here is personally taken as an other from the Son And ver 29. we have the Spirit as distinct from both 3. They are put together chap. 3.1 These things saith He that hath the seven Spirits of God He that is the Son formerly mentioned God that is the Father distinctly considered as another Person the seven Spirits that is the holy Ghost in whose name Iohn saluted the Churches formerly and who is to be heard as the close of every Epistle sheweth 4. The like is ver 12. where the Son speaketh in the first Person I and Me. The Father is designed by the title GOD the Spirit again as distinct from both ver 13. 5. The same may be gathered from ver 14. with 22. where the faithful Witness God and the Spirit are mentioned as three that are distinct 6. And lastly chap. 5. we have Them most fully distinguished First there is the Father on the Throne with the Book in His hand ver 1. Secondly There is the Lamb the Son And thirdly The seven Spirits of God the holy Ghost ver 6. all of them considered as distinct Persons 3. Assert These Three Father Son and Spirit are really distinct one from another and so are Three Persons All that is said doth confirm this also for 1. They are really distinct though not simply in respect of their essence yet as they are personally considered the Father is not the Son and He that sits upon the Throne is not the Lamb. The Father did not become man nor the Spirit but the Son He died was buried c. which can be said of none but of a person and yet cannot be said of either of the other Two The holy Ghost is the Spirit of God as the Son is the Son of God and if that suppose a real distinct personality this must do also the Son sayes so doth the holy Ghost or Spirit say to the Churches the Father is God the first and last the Son hath the same Title chap. 2.8 even He who was dead is the first and the last the Spirit hath the same authority and is to be heard and hath a divine omnipresence to be in all the earth chap. 5.6 which can be said of none but of Him that is God Now if the Father be God and the Son God and the Spirit God also and if there be but one God and yet these Three be really distinct then They must be distinct Persons in respect of Their personal properties seing they are Persons and distinct 4. Assert Although They be Three distinct Persons as to Their personal properties yet are They all Three One God essentially considered and all have the same infinit indivisible Essence though we cannot conceive how This follows on the former for if there be Three Persons and each of them be God and yet there be but One God then each of these Persons must be the same One God co-equal and co-essential so the Father is alius another from the Son and each of Them from other but He is not aliud or another thing but the same Hence the Son is the Son of God and the Spirit the Spirit of God They are upon one Throne chap. 5. They concur by the same Authority and Soveraignity to write and He that sends this Epistle to the Churches is but One God chap. 1.1 who therefore will avenge adding thereto or diminishing therefrom chap. 22. yet that One God is the same Three Persons chap. 1. ver 4. Assert 5. These Three blessed Persons who are One most glorious Being have yet an inconceivable order in their subsisting and working which being to be admired rather than to be searched we shall but say 1. They have all the same One Essence and Being as is said 2. They all have it eternally equally and perfectly none is more or lesse God but each hath all the same Godhead at perfection and therefore must have it equally and eternally for the Godhead is the same and the Son is the first and the last as the Father is and the Father and Son were never without the Spirit who is the Spirit of God and each of Them is God It doth confirm all these that They have One Throne Name and Authority attributed to Them Yet 3. The Father subsists of Himself and doth beget the Son by an inconceivable and eternal generation the Son doth not beget but is begotten and hath His subsisting as the second Person from the Father So much the titles of Father and Son import here the Spirit proceeds both from the Father therefore He is the Spirit of the Father and from the Son therefore is He said also to have the seven Spirits of God and the Spirit doth neither beget nor is begotten but doth thus in an inexpressible manner proceed from Them both For the second If any should wrangle for the expressions that are used by Divines in this Mysterie we confesse that many of the Schoolmen have exceeded and have taken too much liberty in this wonderful Mysterie yet it is the thing that we especially should be established into and from Scripture that is clear that there is but One God and yet Three who being denominated in the concrete must imply three different real Relations or Subsistences or Persons and this Essence being infinit and communicable there is no warrant to bound it to the rules and properties of created beings who are but finit and in that respect also incommunicable And we conceive that the names here given and elswhere in Scripture will amount clearly to the equivalent of Essence and Persons which are most obviously made use of in this matter for what is that I am Alpha and Omega who was is and is to come but that same Exod. 3. I AM THAT I AM which denoteth His Being or Essence as that which is ever a Being and Idols being differenced from the true God by this that they are by Nature no gods Gal. 4.8 it implies on the contrary that by Nature He is God and so God in respect of His Essence and therefore that God may be essentially considered and in
that respect of His Essence Again these expressions that the one is called the Father and the other the Son and yet both One God do clearly hold forth that there are real relations in that Godhead subsisting in a distinct manner and so there must be Persons as Heb. 1. the Son is called the expresse Image of the Fathers Person which plainly sayes that the Father considered as distinguished from the Son is a Person and subsists and that the Son as distinguished from the Father and as so lively and expresly representing His Person must be a Person also having this from the Father and what is said of the Father and Son must also be true of the holy Ghost who is God equal with both yet different from Them both as They differ from each other though not in respect of that same incommunicable property yet he who proceedeth must differ from those from whom he proceeds as he who is begotten must differ from him that begat him For Their operations we may find here that in some things They concur joyntly yet some way differently Some things again are attributed to one which cannot be to another as their personal properties the Son is begotten and not the Father or the Spirit therefore He is allanerly the Son the Father begets and the Spirit proceeds These are called Their personal properties and Their works ad intra or amongst or in reference to Themselves of this kind is the incarnation of the Son which can neither be said of the Father nor of the holy Ghost Again in things ad extra or that relate to the Creatures simply whether in making or governing of the World They joyntly concur the Father createth all so doth the Son and holy Ghost the Son from the Father by the holy Ghost the holy Ghost from the Father and the Son as those expressions of God sending His Son the Son 's sending the Spirit from the Father c. do declare Ioh. 14.26 and 16.7 Gal. 4.6 To the third This Truth concerning the blessed and glorious Trinity being so often insisted on here and coming so near to the nature of God Himself it cannot but be exceedingly necessary for Christians to be through in the faith thereof yet it is questioned of late whether it be to be accompted a fundamental point of Faith or not I say this of late is questioned by Socinus and the favourers of a boundless untolerable Toleration for of old it was most sacredly received as such amongst the Ancients as the Creeds that are called Apostolick Nicene and that of Athanasius do manifest But this Engine the Devil drives first to make the most necessary Truths indifferent that then he may the more easily engage opposers to quarrel the very Truth of them it self but we conceive whatever it was of old before Christ yet now it is to be looked on not only as a Truth which is clear from the Word but also as a fundamental Truth which being shaken would overturn Christianity and the way of Salvation that the Lord hath revealed in His Gospel This is not to be extended to a rigid degree of knowledge in this wonderful Mysterie but to so much clearness in this Truth from the Word as may be a ground to Faith in the thing it self And that this is necessary as a fundamental we think ariseth clearly from these three grounds 1. That Truth without which the true God cannot be taken up believed in and worshipped is a fundamental Truth but this Truth of the Trinity of Persons and Unity of the Godhead is such that without it that God which is proposed in the Word and is the only true God and the object of all Worship can neither be taken up believed in nor worshipped rightly Ergo c. because the true God is One and yet Three Persons and as such hath proposed Himself to be known and worshipped 2. That Truth without which the work of Redemption would be overturned is fundamental But this is such for by taking away the Mysterie of the Trinity they take away the Godhead and Personality of the Mediatour and so do enervat His satisfaction And as on the former accompt the true God is otherwise conceived than He is in Himself so in this respect the Mediatour is made a quite other thing And can any thing be fundamental if this be not 3. The way that God hath laid down in His Worship requireth this seing in Baptism there is particular and expresse mentioning of these Three the Father Son and Spirit as the Superiour to whom they that are Christian Souldiers should be lifted and inrolled and so we may accompt of all after-worship seing God requires us to honour the Son as we honour the Father and seing these Three equally witness from Heaven 1 Ioh. 5. the Father Word and Spirit all which Three are One can their Testimony be received as of Three or can they be accompted as One God without this And yet there can neither be one in Faith engaged unto in Baptism or one whose Testimony we may receive but He who is God and can any think but it's necessary for a Christian and that fundamentally to know to whom they are devoted whom they are to worship whose Testimony it is that they receive whose operations they feel whom they are to make use of c And therefore it 's necessary to know the Trinity of Persons in that One Godhead It may be the exercise of some tender soul that they know not how to apprehend this Object rightly when they come to worship and that often they are disquieted while their minds are unstable Concerning this there is need here to distinguish betwixt what may satisfie us as to the Object in it self and what may be sufficient to us in directing of our Worship to that Object If we take up God as in Himself here is a depth that cannot be searched out to perfection He is broader than the Sea Who can know Him higher than the Heaven What can we do Iob 11.8 But yet we have footing in His Word how to come before this God with fear reverence holy admiration c. and such affections and qualifications as a true Worshipper that worships in spirit ought to have and in this the pure Worshippers who believe this Truth of One infinit God and Three Persons ought to be taken up rather that they may be suitable in their worshipping and have becoming effects on their own hearts than to be disquieting themselves by poring too curiously on the Object worshipped except in so far as may serve to transform the heart into a likeness to Him And it is not aiming to comprehend the mysteriousness and manner of these incomprehensible Mysteries that doth work this but the real through and near impression of the general which is revealed clearly in His Word We would therefore commend these three in Worship 1. That folks would satisfie themselves in the general with the solid faith
well and those that have not this benefit let them take and improve other opportunities that may bring them to the knowledge of Christ's mind and the more that blessedness is given but to six or seven sores in this Book and twice or thrice over to those that study it Rev. 22.7.14 2. Observe That it 's not enough to be given to reading and hearing of the Word neither would folks rest on it but joyn practise with both Luk. 11.28 Blessed are they that hear the Word of God and keep it It is not the reader or hearer but the doer that is the blessed man Yea though ye were able to open and unfold all the Mysteries that are in this Book if ye be not suitable and conform thereto in your practice ye are but like that man spoken of Iam. 1.23 24. who beholding his natural face in a glasse goeth his way and forgetteth what manner of man he was He that is a hearer and not a doer deceives his own soul al 's much hearing and reading doth you good as is improven in practice Quest. How is this Book called a Prophecy seing some things in it concern things present as in these Epistles written to the seven Churches in Asia Answ. Prophecies are of two sorts 1. Prophecy is that whereby things past or present are known by an instinct of the Spirit So Moses writeth of the Creation of the World and things that were before his time So Ahijah knew the wife of Ieroboam and Elisha discovered the King of Syria his Counsel and the covetousness of Gehazi And in this respect as well as in reference to things to come this Book may be called a Prophecy because those things that are present are revealed by the Spirit 2. Prophecy is of things to come and in this respect it 's called a Prophecy because the main drift of this Book of the Revelation is to shew things to come the first three Chapters being introductory to the rest Vers. 4. Followeth the second part of the Preface and it 's the particular Inscription and Direction of this Epistle to the seven Churches in Asia Iohn to the seven Churches in Asia and it beginneth as the Epistles ordinarily begin Grace bâ— unto you and peace Where we have 1. the thing wished Grace and Peaâ—e 2. The persons to whom the Seven Churches 3. The Persons from whom the Three Persons of the Trinity 4. And upon the back of this a thanksgiving Iohn is the person wishing that which is wished is Grace and Peace two words which comprehend all good Grace is the fountain of Gods free love and Peace the effect of that free love which being here put together is love vented in its precious effects The Persons from whom are Three or the Three Persons of the Trinity 1. From the Father which is which was and which is to come that is from God the Father described from His eternal being without all beginning or ending And this description of the Father relates to that of Exod. 3.14 I AM THAT I AM hath sent me unto you and it is a name that God often taketh to Himself The first and the last the beginning and the ending and the Title JEHOVAH taketh up these three JE the future time HO the time present VAH the time past In a word it 's the paraphrase of the word JEHOVAH and this title is attributed to the Father not secluding the Son and Holy Ghost but the Father being the fountain of the Godhead when He is joyned with the Son and Spirit those things that are essential to God are ordinarily attributed to Him 2. From the Seven Spirits These are not creatures or created spirits for first created spirits ' are not objects of worship from whom we may wish Grace and Peace Secondly neither are created spirits set in betwixt the Father and the Son as those seven Spirits are here Thirdly In the 5. chap. ver 6. those seven Spirits are called the Eyes and Horns of the Lamb Eyes being His Omniscience whereby He sees every where and Horns being His Power working by His Spirit and making stubborn fouls submit unto Him and these seven Spirits being His Eyes which are every where and His Power or Omnipotency which here also are invocated They can be no other but the Holy Ghost The Holy Ghost is called the Seven Spirits not only because it 's frequent in this Book of the Revolution to go on the number of Seven but also and mainly to shew the manifold and various operations of the Spirit as 1 Cor. 12.4 6. There are diversities of gifts but the same Spirit and diversities of operations but the same God which worketh all in all 2. Because it hath relation to the seven Churches He is to write to their need requiring much and He being an infinit and powerful Spirit He was able to let out abundance of grace and all consolation to every one without prejudice to another as if each of them had the Spirit wholly Therefore He is so described in this wish Secondly These seven Spirits are said to be before the Throne that is present with God yet made uâ—e of by God the Father and the Son working by the Spirit effectually communicating what may be for the comfort of His People and in these words the holy Spirit is holden out in a posture apt to execute what is needfull The third Person is in the 5. ver And from Iesus Christ Grace and Peace is wished from Him He is set out in His Three Offices of Prophet Priest and King First In His Prophetical Office The faithful Witness because He reveals the Will of God and that faithfully therefore Isa. 55.4 He is given as a Witness a Leader and Commander to the People Secondly In His Priestly Office The first begotten of the dead To shew 1. that He offered up Himself to the death 2. Because He was the first that rose from the dead in His own strength and made others to rise and He died not again for though Lazarus rose he died again and though Enoch and Elias did not die yet that was by vertue of His Power and Resurrection as also that any other did arise Thirdly In His Kingly Office The Prince of the Kings of the Earth which Title sets out Christ not only to be God equal with the Father but as Mediatour King of His Kirk He is called Prince of the Kings of the Earth not as if Kings and all great men or others were in the same manner subjects to Him in the relation that Believers are in which respect His Kingly Office extendeth no further nor His Priestly and Prophetical Office but though so He have not such a near relation to them nor they to Him Yet He is King over them to restrain them that they prejudge not His Kirk and to judge them for any wrongs or prejudice they do to them and to inflict temporal judgments on them here and eternal hereafter when He
shall be their Judge and the Books shall be opened at the great Day The wish is from the Three Persons and though the Holy Ghost be here named before the Son it is not to confound the order that is among the Persons of the Trinity in Their subsisting and operations but for this reason because Iohn is to insist on Jesus Christ the second Person he keeps Him last in naming to make the progress in his writing the more clear Observe There are three distinct Persons of the blessed Trinity the Father Son and Spirit who are the same one God in the Name of these Three is Baptism administrated and from Them Grace is wished and prayed for 2 Cor 13.14 For 1. That there are Three who are distinctly mentioned here cannot be denied that the first is the Father and the third Jesus Christ really distinct from the Father is clear for the Son and not the Father was incarnate and therefore the like must be said of the seven Spirits that they set forth the Holy Ghost personally seing it is He who in the like places useth to be joyned in with the Father and the Son as 2 Cor. 13.13 1 Ioh. 5.7 8. and therefore it 's said in the seven Epistles to be what the Spirit saith These Seven Spirits therefore is that one Spirit and He a person that speaketh to the Churches Secondly That each of these Three must be God appears 1. Because the last Two are both joyned as equall with the Father of whom there can be no question 2. Because the Son Jesus Christ afterward hath the same Title attributed to Him which is here given to the Father 3. Because the same one suit is prayed for from all of them and it being Grace and Peace which only God can give suppones divine essential Attributes to be in those from whom they are wished yea They are named here as joynt Senders of this Epistle and Authorizers of this Word therefore is it so often afterward said Let him that hath ears hear what the Spirit saith and there can no Authority but what is divine be sufficient here Hence also Thus saith the Lord and thus saith the Holy Ghost are frequently put for one another each one therefore of these Three must be God 3. It may appear from this also that all these Three are One God thus This Revelation and Salutation cometh from one God chap. 1. ver 1. and 22. 18 19. and yet this Revelation and Salutation cometh from the Father Son and Spirit therefore They are that One God Again If the Grace and Peace proceed from one Essence which is common to all then they are the same God essentially though distinct Persons but Grace and Peace looks to the same Godhead and Essence though it be wished for from all for the effect Grace and Peace is but one it doth therefore suppose an unity in the fountain from which it comes to wit these Three Persons of the glorious Godhead who are named distinctly not to shew a different effect from the Father which is not from the Son but to shew the concurrence of these blessed Three in an united way for bringing forth of these so that what cometh from the Father cometh also from the Son and Spirit These essential Attributes and that most simple and infinit Essence being common to all the Three Persons it rests therefore that they are Three distinct Persons and yet of the same infinit Godhead Neither will that which the Secinians and others oppose to this place have weight Say they Christ is spoken of here as dead Therefore cannot be God For it 's one thing to speak of Him who was dead another to say that it speaks of Him as such He that died was God but He died not as God and therefore this can only prove that Jesus Christ as to His Person is man but by it we can no more deny Him to be the second Person of the Godhead than afterward when He is called the first and the last by that we can deny Him to be man And that the Son and the Holy Ghost are equal with the Father appeareth also in this That they are both equally with Him the object of divine Worship here to wit of Invocation and Prayer which could not otherwise be Concerning the Holy Trinity and Object of Worship THere is much spoken of the Glory of God in this Book and no where is the distinction of the Persons of the glorious Godhead more frequently and clearly set forth Iohn was more full in this than any who wrote before him because that in his time Ebion and some others had arisen who did deny the Godhead of the Son and Holy Ghost and therefore with a particular respect to These he did write the more fully of this for which he got the stile of Divine singularly as was marked on the Title It will not therefore be impertinent now once for all to touch that a little further and although here curiosity would be restrained full satisfaction in the up-taking of that Mysterie being peculiarly reserved to that time when we shall see Him as He is as our Lord's word Ioh. 14.20 Then ye shall know that I am in the Father doth import and therefore we would not presume to satisfie our selves in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or particular manner how that is but humbly be contented to have our Faith solidly grounded in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or being thereof which may be done by considering these three to wit 1. the truth of the thing 2. the expressions used in holding of it forth and 3. the necessity of the believing thereof For the first we say That as there is but one God essentially so there are three distinct co-equal co-essential and con-substantial Persons of that blessed Godhead the Father Son and Spirit who yet in a most wonderful excellent and infinitly perfect though an inconceivable manner have an order of subsisting and working amongst Themselves It was a saying amongst the Ancients That to speak of God even that which was truth was dangerous Etiam de Deo dicere verum est periculosum and indeed here it ought to be remembered Yet may we consider the former general Proposition in these Assertions 1. Assert There is but one God essentially considered and in this the Scripture is clear and so in this Book chap. 1. and last although there be a plurality of Persons mentioned yet it is ever God spoken of as One in the singular number and thus He is still opposed as the One living God to the plurality of Idols And indeed there can be no plurality in this for if that One God have in Him all perfections There can be no perfection beside Him and so no God beside this One true God And if we supposed any perfection to be beside Him then were not He God because not infinit in perfection and if infinit then that which is infinit in that respect cannot be
thereof without descending to particular conceptions or notions concerning the Persons of the blessed Godhead this particularness is often that which both confuses the mind and disquiets the conscience and cannot but do so in those who would be at the looking upon God immediately here without making use of the expressions Titles Names c. whereby He hath manifested Himself to us and wherein we conceive it 's safest to rest and to bound all our curiositie within those for they must be the most solid notions of God which Himself hath caught Thus Exod. 33 and 34. The Lord did answer Moses his desire of seeing His Glory by shewing him His goodness in the proclaming of His Attributes to him that are manifested in His Word thereby teaching men to conceive of God according as He hath revealed Himself in His Word in the plain and comprehensive Attributes that describe His Nature wherein Gods goodnesse is sufficiently holden forth to sinners which ought to be a sufficient manifestation of God to them here without diving immediatly into His Essence which could no otherways be manifested to Moses than by that proclamation 2. We would beware of forming Idea's representations or shapes of that One God and Three Persons in the heart or in the head these cannot but be derogatorie to Him being a liknesse to Him of our own up-setting in our hearts and cannot but diminish that Authority which the true God should have in our hearts We would remember therefore that He is purely Spirituall whom no eye hath seen nor can see and therefore all such imaginations are to be abandoned and abhorred 3. We would beware of dividing the Object of Worship or separating the Three blessed Persons in our worshipping of them even in our imagination as if when One is named we were not praying unto and worshipping both the other and as if the Son were an other God than the Father or Spirit c. But still this would be remembered that what ever Person be named He is God and that same One God with the other Two and therefore the Object of Worship is ever the same One God Father Son and Spirit that are but One God We Worship the Father the Son and the Spirit but we do not Worship the Father or the Son or the Spirit as if He who is not named were lesse worshipped than He who is named and seing the Son and holy Ghost are the same God with the Father the former ground being laid it 's all one thing what ever Person be named though in Scripture sometimes respect is had to their order of subsisting and operating and so the Father is only named sometimes to be the ground upon and by which we have accesse to God and so the Son only is named Now by what is said it doth also appear that the holy Ghost may be expresly prayed unto as the Father and the Son although it be not so usuall in Scripture because of the reasons formerly hinted at for this will follow He that is God may be invocated c. and where petitions do especially respect the increase of Grace which is the Work of the Spirit we will find Him expresly mentioned with the Father and Son as here ver 4. and 5. Grace be unto you c. And 2 Cor. 13.14 The communion of the holy Ghost is subjoyned as a distinct petition to the Love of the Father and Grace of the Son and these first two petitions being directed to the Father and the Son this third must be to the holy Ghost in like manner and therefore to plead against the Godhead of the holy Ghost upon this ground that he is not expresly prayed unto in Scripture is both inconsequent and false and the Apostl's taking the holy Ghost to be his witnesse Rom. 9. cannot be done without invocating of Him and the generall commands of glorifying God must infer so much supposing the Spirit to be God There is no weight therefore to be laid on that argument If it be objected against the necessity of believing this Doctrine of the Trinity or against the sinfulnesse of tolerating what opposeth the same That the light of nature doth not discover it and that the Godhead of the holy Ghost hath sometimes not so much as been heard of by Disciples as in Act. 19. Therefore c. To the first we answer That now nature being corrupted it can be no good rule to try what is truth concerning God by it it can hardly be denied if nature be considered as in Adam at the beginning but to him there was clearness in this mysterie there being express mention of the blessed Trinity in his creation as the word Let Vs make man according to Our Image doth import which is not for nought mentioned then more than formerly especially considering that excellent knowledge that Adam was furnished with which was a part of the Image of that One God who is Father Son and Spirit But not to insist in this we say secondly That if by nature as it is now corrupted what is tolerable or intolerable in the matters of Religion were to be tried then were the whole Doctrine of the Gospel and Redemption through the Mediator to be accounted no fundamental thing and consequently no Error destroying it were to be restrained because nature hath not discovered that That therefore must be an unsafe rule to walk by And indeed if a master of a family and father who yet as such is to say so a servant of nature is not by that exempted from the obligation of bringing up his children and servants in the knowledge of God according to the Gospel but is notwithstanding to exercise his authority in the restraining of every thing contrary thereunto according to his station Can it be thought that a Magistrate who must count for his Authority over a people as a master must do for his over a family is lesse obliged thereunto For Christians are to be Christians in their stations as in their personal carriage and so to seek the prâ—moving of the Gospel and the restraining of what may maâ—â— it according to their station Thirdly we answer That even this may be drawn from the Morall Law of God wherein not only the true God is alone to be worshipped as in the first Command but also accordingly as he hath prescribed and revealed in His Word which is the sum of the second Command Now this being true that the Lord hath thus revealed Himself to be worshipped according to the Gospel it becomes no lesse necessary to Worship God in that manner than to Worship Him who is the true God and so iâ— by the first Command and according to the light of nature Magistrates should restrain and not suffer what is inconsistent with the worshipping of the One true and living God so is he by the second Command and that same light of nature obliged to restrain all manner of Doctrine and Worship that is inconsistent with what he
hath revealed according to the second To the â—ast part of the objection from that instance Act. 19. We say first That suppose there had been great ignorance then of the Godhead of the holy Ghost while that mysterie of the glorious Trinity was more obscurely revealed yet it will not follow that it is equally excusable and sufferable now when it is so plainly discovered yea can it be said that they had been excusable if after Paul's teaching of them the true nature of Baptism and of the holy Ghost they had continued not to believe the same as they were before he did it or that we can be so now having his lesson to them for our instruction Yet secondly It seemeth that the Person of the holy Ghost is not intended there but the gifts of the holy Ghost which often get that name in the New Testament for the holy Ghost which is to be understood in that place is such as was communicated to Believers and such as these afterward did receive as from ver 2. and 6. is clear Now there is great odds betwixt the necessity of distinctnesse in the knowledge of these gifts and of the holy Ghost Himself who is not nor cannot be communicated by the laying on of hands except in respect of His gifts this place therefore doth not meet the conclusion formerly laid down which was in reference to the Faith of the holy Ghost Himself and not to the knowledge of His gifts These generals being granted there do arise from this practice of Iohn's several Questions concerning the Object of Divine Worship which upon this occasion it may be were not unworthy to be more particularly considered so far as the nature of the place calleth for and doth become our scope As first we see in this Prayer Iohn doth distinctly name all the Three blessed Persons for their instruction and consolation to whom he sends this message Secondly When he names the Son he doth name Him by such Titles as agree to Him only as Mediator yea and in this song ver 6. doth respect that particularly which is only applicable to Him as Man and as Mediator to make them welcome it the more heartily and thereby also the more to commend Him to them and engage them to Him by remembring them what He is and what He hath done that doth thus salute them Thirdly He hath a peculiar thanksgiving unto the Son considered under such designations as expresse His wonderful love that appears in His sufferings which cannot be applyed to the Father or Spirit which is indeed Divine Worship being the same which is here given to the Father and Spirit All which giveth occasion to enquire in these four 1. Concerning the Object of Divine Worship in general 2. In what respect it is to be given to the Mediator 3. In what form Petitions may be directed to Him or if in any peculiar form 4. Why the Mediator Christ is so much and so warmly under these considerations of His incarnation and sufferings insisted upon in the New Testament and what may encourage and help in the improving of those grounds These things being deipths are rather to be admired and believed in in the general so far as we see clear in this precedent than curiously to be pried into yet that they go not altogether without answer we shall lay down some generals in reference to all these which will yeeld some practical and comfortable conclusions To the first we say 1. God is the alone Object of Divine Worship and there is no Object thereof but God because there is none who hath these infinit Attributes and Excellencies which are requisite in the Object of Divine Worship but God such as Omnisciencie Omnipotencie Infinitness supream Majesty Glory c. from which to speak so results Adorability an essential Attribute of the Majesty of God as Immutability and Eternity are He being adorable because Infinite Immense Omniscient c. And therefore it cannot be communicate to any other more than these incommunicable properties can be and yet none can be worshipped who is not so to speak adorable 2. There is but one kind of Divine Worship to wit that which is Supream and becoming this infinite Majesty of God and in a word that which is required in the first Table of the Law as that which is competent to this glorious excellent God and this follows on the former for if there be but one Object there can be but one manner of Worship Therefore in Scripture to Worship God is alway opposed to the worshipping of any other and to the admitting of any Worship which is not competent to God as Revel 19.9 10 and 22.9 3. Although there be Three Persons of the glorious Godhead and all are to be worshipped yet there are not three Objects of Worship but one nor three kinds of Worship Not three Objects because these Three Persons are the same One infinite God who is the Object of Worship For first Though the Three Persons be really distinct each from other yet none of them is really distinct from the essence of the Godhead Therefore the Father is that same Object of Worship with the Son because that same God And secondly Though the Father be infinite and the Son infinite c. yet there are not two infinitnesses but the same infinitness and immensness that which is the Fathers is the Sons also because these are essential properties and so common to all the Persons and therefore though their personal properties be distinct yet their essential Attributes being common they are not distinct Objects but the same one Object seing still in Worship respect must be had to their essential Attributes and so to the Godhead which is common to All and therefore consequently to Them as They are one Object it being the Deity which is One that is the formal Object of Worship And though sometimes these Three Persons be named together as here yet that is not to propose them as distinct Objects but to shew who this one Object God is to wit the Father Son and Spirit Three Persons of the same One indivisible Godhead Hence the unitie of the Godhead is inculcated for this end The Lord thy God O Israel is One Lord. From which it followeth 1. That the mind of the worshipper is not to be distracted in seeking to comprehend or order in his thoughts Three distinct Persons as distinct Objects of Worship but to conceive reverently of One infinite God who is Three Persons 2. That whatever Person be named he is not to think that the other is lesse worshipped but that in one act he Worships that One God and so the Father Son and Spirit 3. That by naming One Person after he hath named an other suppose he name the Father at first and afterward the Son he doth not vary the Object of Worship as if he were praying to an other than formerly but that still it is the same One God 4. Because our imagination
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
be considered without respect to His own Mediation there is no accesse to Him more than to the Father and if respect be had thereto there is no equal accesse to the Father there being the same Covenant and Promises And it is certain some will think they may pray to Christ when they dare not pray to the Father 3. It obscures the way of the use-making of Christs intercession which is a most sublime thing and being the same with praying in His Name and in Faith must be conceived to be done Spiritually by Faith whereas thus Christ is represented as a Mediator amongst men to whom first adresse is made and then by Him to the Principal Party and so it constitutes two addresses which brangles the unity of the Object of Worship 4. It some way lestens the Glory of the Mediator at least in appearance as if He even the Person were not Supream but had an other to plead with It is true it is so as He is Mediator but still it would be adverted that He is also God and so He may and can confer what His Mediation procures and expressions in Prayer would befit that and would not be as if He were not God as to His Person since His Incarnation 5. It seemeth if not to represent two Objects of Worship yet two kinds of Worship to wit one to the Mediator or to Christ as Mediator and an other as to God for who readily will think that He who is a distinct Party intreated to plead is to be equally honoured and that in the same act with Him with whom He pleads or at least a twofold manner of the same Worship viz. one in this manner and an other when this form is not used 6. It is hard thus to conceive rightly of Christs Person for when we pray to Him we must consider Him as God at least that must be implied then He is also to be interceeded with by His own Mediation as the Father is which I suppose few intend If they take the Father Personally and so that Christ is to interceed with the Father as a distinct Person or a distinct Party and so not with the Son and Spirit also That will insinuate that the Father is not the same God with the Son and infer a divided conception of the most simple essence of the Godhead which is the One Object of Worship Assert 5. Therefore When all is considered although we will not condemn it simply yet we think it more fit to abstain from such formal expressions or at least to be sparing therein especially in publick because 1. So it is difficult to preserve that unity in the one Object of Worship which should be for it is not easie to redd things in practice as distinctions may be given in doctrinal debates and conclusions and should souls hazard on what may confuse themselves I say especially in publick or with others because if it be difficult to keep our own imaginations stayed in such expressions it will be more difficult to redd other mens imaginations considering what ignorance and vanity usually doth accompany many 2. There is no such form in Scripture even in the New Testament when the Mediator is prayed unto and it is safest we should follow these that have gone before us He is indeed prayed unto considered as Mediator but still so as the thing prayed for is expected from Himself as well as to be obtained by Him To close then as we began here sobriety is called for and curiosity is to be shunned and in Worship the heart is rather to be occupied with Godly fear reverence and dread than the head to be filled with imaginations Having these following things fixed in our hearts by Faith which we conceive more simply necessary to Worship what ever the expression be to wit 1. An impression of the Holinesse Justice Omnisciencie and Glory of God c. and suitable affections with the present work to wit such as the worshipping of such a God doth call for 2. A conviction that we are praying to that One glorious God what ever our expressions be that it is He we are worshipping that it is our design to adore Him and that it is from Him that we expect what we pray for what ever the designation in the petition be and whatsoever Person be named 3. An impression of our own sinful dis-proportionablenesse to that work and of the utter incapacity that we stand in of having accesse to God or any ground of expecting any thing from Him in respect of our selves if it be not obtained by vertue of Christ Jesus His satisfaction and intercession 4. An exercising of Faith on Christ the Mediator for attaining of what is prayed for from God by vertue of the Mediation of the Mediator All which are necessary and where they are we conceive the soul is to silence all other questionings and to hold here and when doubtings arise to put these two Queries to a point within it self 1. To whom art thou praying Or was thou praying Or from whom expects thou what thou was seeking Was it not to and from God And 2. For whose cause and by vertue of what dost thou expect it from God What gives thee confidence to put that sute to Him is it not only through the Mediation of Christ Jesus alone And where these two are fixedly answered by the conscience when tentation would jumble because of indistinctnesse in Prayer there may be quietnesse notwithstanding because these two are the essentials of Worship to wit First That God be approached unto and adored Next That in and by the Mediator addresse only be made unto Him and this may be where there is no such explicite expression of either for where God is mentioned the Mediator is implyed as the ground upon which we approach unto Him and when the Mediator is expressed it is understood that God in and by Him is worshipped and that no other God but He who is the Father Son and Spirit And if in all these a conscience were posed that may be had no such explicite thoughts nor is it possible in worshipping actually to entertain them distinctly it would answer that so it intended and meaned from one question to another till it result to this to wit that he were praying to the One God through the vertue of the Mediator Christ Jesus which is the scope And thus much anxiety may be prevented As to the fourth Question formerly mentioned to wit What may be the reasons why Christ is so much infitted on in particular in the Saints approaching to God so as the heart is especially rejoyced at the mentioning of Him or what may help to improve that ground of accesse which we have by Him Answ. To the first part It is no marvel that this relation that Christ doth stand in be much insisted on in such a case and that thereby the heart be warmed and made to exult First Because by that consideration there is some
and would be glad to get into the clefts of the rocks and to the tops of the ragged rocks for fear of the Lord and for the Glory of His Majesty Isa. 2.12 Men would think the greatest hill or mountain a light burden in that Day to get themselves bid from the peircing view of a slighted and provoked Mediator Oh but that will be bitter and sore to bide Think upon it There is a time coming when many of you that hears this same word if Grace prevent not shall see and find the truth of it It 's terrible but experience will make it true many of you now skars to hear tell of Christs coming to Judgement but when that day cometh it shall be bitter in another kind to you when this bitter yelling noise crying and howling shall be among the carnal world that slighted Him and ye shall find your selves among them and shall share with them and every cry and yell about you shall be a new wound Therefore humble your selves and seek for mercy and reconciliation in time for either must you get it now or never Obs. 4. A hearty consenting and saying Amen to Christs coming to Judgement to have fore-thoughts of it and to be longing for it and wishing that it may come is a good token of a Believer and friend of Christ to whom this day will be a comfort But if many of us had our own mind we would never wish to die nor that there should be a day of Judgement Vers. 8. Christ cometh in Himself to tell what He is and to confirm what Iohn hath said of Him I am Alpha and Omega which are two letters in the Greek Alphabet Alpha the first and Omega the last and the meaning is in the next words the beginning and the ending The beginning He who gives all things a being and beginning and have no beginning My self The ending He who puts an end to all things and in whom all things end and hath no ending my self for all things terminate in Him as their end Rom. 11.36 To Him are all things which is which was and which is to come the same description which was given to God the Father vers 4. setting out the immutability and unchangeablenesse of His being that He is from Eternity to Eternity the same and as we shew the title JEHOVAH taketh in these three words Then more plainly the Almighty every word here is a proper Attribute of God He is infinite in power soveraign in dominion and not bounded as creatures are And this is clear to be spoken of Christ not only from the scope Iohn being to set out Christ from whom He had this Revelation but from the 11. vers following where he gives Him the same titles over again or rather Christ speaking of Himself taketh and repeateth the same titles Obs. 1. Our Lord Jesus Christ is God equal with the Father and holy Ghost He who is the first and last the beginning and the ending which is which was and which is to come the Almighty must be God These titles can agree to no other there is no created being capable of any of these titles but He is such Therefore c. Obs. 2. the statelinesse and majesty of our Lord Jesus Christ What an excellent and stately Person is He there is not a property attributed to God but it is agreeable to Christ. The use of it is to bring hearts to high thoughts of Christ and it is not for nought but for this end that the Scripture insists so much in giving Him such stately stiles even to wear souls out of these Atheistical thoughts of Him and to prefer and esteem Him above all 3. Looking upon these words as spoken by Christ Himself after Iohn hath described Him He cometh in and takes it off Iohns hand and describes Himself Observe That our Lord Jesus own mouth can best tell what Himself is hearing reading speaking writing will not do it If the description come not out of Christs own mouth it will do little on bearers Vers. 9. Follows the body of this Book or Epistle We will not now enter on a particular division of it That which is vers 19. of this same Chapter shall serve for the time Write the things which thou hast sern and the things which are and the things which shall be hereafter The whole may be taken up in these two 1. Iohn his representing the case of things as they were for the present and 2. as they were to be hereafter The first of these to wit his representing the case of things as they then were is that which is set down in the first three Chapters wherein is set out the case that the seven Churches of Asia were in which he discovers to themselves and to the world and shews how many foul faults they had under a fair name and profession and this takes up Iohn's first vision That which is from the 9. vers to the end of this Chapter we take up in these three 1. There is the vision it self what Iohn saw and what he heard from vers 10. to vers 17. mixed throw other 2. In the 9. and 10 verses some circumstances are set down concerning Iohn and the manner of his receiving the vision to make way for the faith of the vision and the whole story that follows 3. From the 17. vers to the end some circumstances that make way for Iohn his writing and publishing what he saw and heard are recorded The first circumstance that makes way for the faith of the vision and story is the person by whom Christ wrote 1 Iohn of whom we have heard before in the entry And he sets out himself here further under several expressions or titles 1. Who also am your brother a son of the same house a joynt heir with you in the same Kingdom a comforting title to them and a humbling title to him Those he wrote to being brethren he reckons in himself a brother with them for the most eminent Believers Iohn Paul Abraham David c. come in to be brethren with the meanest Believers all being children of one Father of one House heirs of one Inheritance and Abraham his being a brother and Iohn his being a brother prejudgeth not the least of them to whom he writeth And as all have one Father so all are begotten by the same word have one Spirit here and Glory for ever hereafter 2. The next title he describes himself by is companion in tribulation that is a fellow sufferer with you a sharer of the sufferings of Christ as well as you I who am a great Apostle am not exempted from sufferings more than ye are who are in Smyrna Philadelphia c. I have mine own share of the Crosse as ye have yea he takes it to himself as a title of honour as a great prerogative and dignity as Paul Eph. 3.1 I Paul the prisoner of Iesus Christ for you Gentiles So it is Iohn who as I
as chrystall so pure and pleasant no river here is like it 5. It proceedeth from the throne of God and the Lamb that is its excellency God is the fountain thereof immediately It is not from the Temple as Ezek. 47. which cometh by Ordinances but from the Throne a streaming of consolation from God and Jesus Christ. The consolations and effects of the Spirit in this life are compared to waters and rivers of waters of life Ioh. 7.38 which maketh some apply this to the holy Spirit which proceedeth from the Father and the Son The generall is a truth and suiteth with the scope here that Believers in heaven shall be well refreshed and satisfied and that with such consolations as proceed from Father Son and Spirit although we insist not in the particular application Christ the Lamb is still joyned with God because the enjoying of the God-man is still looked on as a great part of our happinesse The second thing mentioned is the tree of life vers 2. which doth exceedingly adorn and enrich this city It alludeth in generall to Gen. 2. where the tree of life was in Paradise a Sacrament of immortality to Adam if he had stood but this is a tree of life not only as confirming their unchangeable state of happinesse who are in heaven but of its own efficacy able to bring forth life eternall and to continue it in these that eat of its fruit and so it differreth from all food even Manna that men eat of here This is an excellent tree It is further set out from its place it is in the miast of the street of the city a speciall ornament of the market place Heavenly happinesse is meaned by this tree that groweth in the midst of the Paradise of God Chap. 2.7 and Chap. 22.14 which maketh that we need not be anxious about particular application of the severall parts 2. It is commended that it groweth on either side of the river there is but one tree yet of that proportion and extent that its branches extend to both sides and the fruit is in every place to be found which is a singular thing here only mentioned to shew that though there be a river in the city yet by it none are divided from the fruit of that tree it furnisheth alike easily all who have all alike accesse to it 3. It bare twelve manner of fruits that is variety of all sorts of consolation though it be but one tree yet it is an Orchard for variety and satisfaction 4. It yeeldeth fruit every moneth it is so fertile for abundance it is ever harvest here alway there is fruit on this tree 5. Its leaves are medicinall as the fruits are pleasant They are for the healing of the nations there is neither need of gold nor water nor fruit in heaven more than medicine but all are mentioned to set forth that happinesse where there is neither mortality nor death the tree of life preventeth these nor sicknesse there is so good medicine in these leaves that who live under its shaddow are perfectly whole by the efficacy thereof So all the scope is rather to shew the effect that is there to wit perfect health and happinesse than to pitch on any particular mean of applying or bringing out these Though if Christ Jesus be meaned here by this tree as is like it is not impertinently applied to Him seing He now being in heaven hath this efficacy on the Nations before they come there He who healeth the Nations shall be enjoyed in heaven so it commendeth heaven to us the more because Christ our Physician is there There are three aggravations added vers 3. The first is there is no more curse that is there is no effect of sin nor wrath no cursed thing nor cursed person but all are fully happy and whatever followed sin is shut out there but the throne of God and the Lamb is there the curse was especially in separating from God now by Gods constant dwelling in that city amongst these blessed Saints all the curse is taken away for they are inconsistent together that is His glorious presence as on His throne in stately Majesty opposit to His manner of appearing on earth which is Gods footstool whereas heaven is His throne The third here is And his servants shall serve him His servants that it their servants i. e. to Him and the Lamb and Him are here put in the singular number to shew the unity of the Father and the Son though it relateth to both The priviledge here is that these His servants Saints glorified shall have a place amongst these that stand by Zechar. 3. It supponeth 1. an accesse to His company such as Angels have who are alwayes waiting on Him and behold His face Matth. 18. This is a priviledge that others who are not servants have not 2. It supopseth a relation to Him and that an honourable relation to be Gods servants is more than to be Kings servants yea Kings so David and Moses stile themselves Psal. 18. and 90.1 3. It supposeth an exactnesse and fitnesse in them to go about these duties of servants chearfully These who here devoted themselves to Him and engaged themselves to be His servants though they performed little yet there they shall serve Him and perform it as becometh It is the Saints prayer here Matth. 6. that they may do Gods will on earth as in heaven and what happinesse would they think it to be some length in that Now in heaven that is perfected and without declining or defect they go about it and certainly if it was a happinesse to be Solomons servant and a great honour much more to serve God and the Lamb. There is more happinesse in active doing of holy duties than we are awar of We have heard of five aggravations of this heavenly happinesse other two do follow ver 4. The first iâ— They shall see his face It is usuall by this to set out the happinesse of heaven as Matth. 5.8 Heb. 12.14 1 Cor. 13.1 Iob. 3.2 His face here is mentioned to shew that that enjoyment shall be most immediate and intimate and so it is opposit to what is attainable here seing at most Moses got but a sight of His back parts This is particularly marked to shew wherein their happinesse in heaven consisteth it is in the immediate enjoying of God who then shall be all in all The second is and his name shall be in their foreheads they shall look like Him so we understand it that they shall be transformed into the same image perfectly 1 Cor. 3. ult and 1 Iob. 3.2 they shall partake of His likenesse as He prayeth Iob. 17.26 and our vile bodies shall be made like His glorious body Philip. 3. ult proportionably as becometh members to their Head Then shall Believers bear His name in their foreheads and it shall be known to whom they belong by the excellent priviledges bestowed on them Their happinesse is further set out ver
of all Nations Kindreds and Tongues and we who are not of the stock of Abraham but are of strange Nations have reason to praise for this Gospel and to blesse the Mediator who hath purchased it unto us Again although this object in some respect hath been extended to all Nations Kindreds c. without distinction or discrimination Yet somewhat is added to qualifie and restrict the same that it may not be understood collectively of all of every Nation Language c. but distributively of some of these Nations Kindreds and Tongues for the redeemed their Song is expressed in these terms Thou hast redeemed us out of every tongue and kindred and people and nation And certainly there is a palpable difference between these two to wit to say Thou hast redeemed all Kindreds Tongues and Nations and to say Thou hast redeemed us out of every Tongue Kindred and Nation whereby the redeemed are contradistinguished from the rest of the Kindred Tongue and Nation out of which they are redeemed and yet it cannot be thought but that all who are redeemed do concur in this Song therefore the other contradistinguished from them cannot be said to be redeemed Beside this peculiarnesse of Redemption is a speciall ground of the redeemeds praise to wit when they were lying under the curse with others Christ hath redeemed them from among them Further all this Song doth agree to any person that hath been redeemed by Christs bloud They that are redeemed are also made Kings and Priests And seing all cannot praise for this mercy as experience sheweth therefore can it not be said that they are comprehended under the former And if we will remember what was just now said to wit that Redemption doth import a peculiar right to these that are redeemed beside others to wit a right by Election Then it will follow that no other can be said to be redeemed but the Elect that were given to Christ and seing all men are not Gods by this peculiar right for to be Gods in this respect and to be given to Christ and so to be actually redeemed are of equal extent Therefore can it not be said that all are redeemed The third reason or ground of their praise which is also the effect of the former will confirm this and it is contained vers 10. And hast made us unto our God Kings and Priests and we shall reign upon earth So that if it be asked what are the advantages which they reap by Christs Redemption which make them thus to praise They answer they are very great for not only are they freed from the former bondage they were under and set at liberty as in the former verse But they are honoured and blessed with many excellent priviledges exceedingly commended in four words 1. Thou hast made us Kings this respecteth that spiritual freedom that the Believers have from their former enemies and that spirituall dominion which they have over them and that eternall glory whereof they shall be partakers when they shall sit upon one Throne with the Lord Christ. This is a great priviledge that all the redeemed who were formerly slaves shall be made Kings 2. They are made Priests this was also a title and office of great dignity under the Law and by it is signified that by Christ Jesus all the redeemed are honoured to have accesse unto God with boldnesse and to offer up their own prayers and praises unto God by Him with hope of being accepted which priviledge is founded upon Christs Redemption and without this there had been accesse to no sinner to pray or praise acceptably and with any comfort before God But now say they we are Priests and may offer our own sacrifices yea now under the Gospel we are not tied to any typicall service nor to one place or Temple nor to seek a Priest to offer our sacrifices unto God for us But we our selves may approach therewith unto Him 3. It commendeth and sweeteneth this priviledge that they are made Priests to our God which implyeth that now by Christs purchaâ—e they may worship and serve God as in Covenant with them and as their own God which doth make all the services they can be put to very light and easie and strengthens them against all the difficulties they may meet with therein seing it is no idol nor strange God whom they worship but their own God who will pity them in their service as a Father pitieth his Son Lastly They say and we shall reign upon earth which is set down not only to shew the spiritualnesse of this Kingdom which being on earth and common to all the redeemed many of whom have a poor being here can be no other wayes understood than of His spirituall Dominion but mainly we conceive it is mentioned here as the ground of their Song that not only have they a hope of reigning and being freed from sin in Heaven but that in some measure they are made partakers of the vertue of Christs purchase in the subduing of their sin and the mortifying of their lusts whereby they are keeped from the dominion of sin because they are not now under the Law but under Grace according to the promise Rom. 6.14 And this is a kindly evidence of a redeemed person and a convincing ground of praise to a truly gracious soul to wit to have Sanctification thriving the body of death born down and even before they come to Heaven to be looking Heaven-like and to be brought someway to triumph over their spirituall enemies than which as there is nothing that will be more desired by them so there will be nothing more acceptable to them even thus to be priviledged and dignified to reign spiritually on the earth And we may see that as this is a great mercy to be Sanctified So it is a fruit of Christs death and floweth from His purchase even as Justification doth in which respect He is our Sanctification as well as our Righteousnesse 1 Cor. 1.31 The second company who joyn in this Song is the Angels who are described vers 11. and then their Song is expressed vers 12. They are described First by their title and number they are Angels that is glorious ministring spirits Heb. 1.14 called sometimes in Scripture the host of heaven and because of their excellency the Sons of God Iob 38.7 And they are many Angels The number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands this is a great number it seemeth to be taken out of Dan. 7.10 where thousand thousands are said to Minister unto Him and ten thousand times ten thousands to stand before Him yet the expression is but put for an indefinite to shew the innumerable company of glorious and mighty Angels which the Lord hath waiting on Him as servants and ministers to do His pleasure in any part of the world as it is Psal. 103.21 The scope is to shew how glorious He must be who is thus waited upon Secondly The
therefore called Ministers of Satan This key is said to be given him which doth not imply a warrantable call But 1. the great change which followed upon his fall and the exercise of his power in respect of what it was he getteth now another key in his hand 2. An usurpation of the person acting and promoting the designs of Hell in a way of Authority as if that key had been intrusted to him 3. It implieth a prime Ministeriall office to say so which he hath from the devil who doth account of and acknowledge him as primely subservient to his designs and a subordination of this key-bearer unto him who hath given him this trust Chap. 13.2 4. Lastly It implieth a wise and just though a secret overruling providence of God ordering this subordinate Authority of Antichrist for His wise ends as He doth the dominion of the devil whom He permitteth soveraignly as it were in respect of the other to bear a kind of rule Vers. 2. The exercise of this power is set down with three effects following thereupon vers 2 3. And he opened the bottomlesse pit that is as he was imployed by the devil and permitted by God to assume an Authority for the advantage of Hell so did he instantly exercise his power for that end and left nothing unassayed for bringing superstition and Idolatry out of the bottomlesse pit where it was formerly restrained now it is letten louse as appeareth by the effects The first whereof is There arose a smoke out of the pit as the smoke of a great furnace What is to be understood by this smoke the second effect following upon this to wit darkening of the Sun and the Air will make it appear for by Sun and Air are understood here the light and purity of the Doctrine of Christ which shined clearly and comfortably in the Primitive Church The third part of this light was smitten by the fourth trumpet Chap. 8.12 Now by this fifth trumpet this darknesse spreadeth and the whole Sun and also the Air is darkened which holdeth forth a greater degree of corruption in Doctrine than was under the former it began then but now is at a height This being then the meaning of darkening the Sun and Air this smoke which bringeth forth this effect must be these corrupt and superstitious Doctrines and increasing of humane traditions and ceremonies whereby the light of the Truth of God was obscured This is compared to a great smoke 1. Because error and superstition though it seemeth to be something sib to devotion as smoke is to fire yet is really not only without light and heat but also is onerous and hurtfull as smoke is 2. Because the darknesse which error and superstition inferreth upon the Truth of God doth not corrupt it in it self more than smoke can darken the Sun but doth by ceremonies and traditions darken it to us as great smoke doth the Sun to onlookers Again this smoke is said to be as of a great furnace from the bottomlesse pit to shew that the defection of Antichrist consisteth not in one particular error but as it were an inundation of errors ascending together 2. To shew that whatever the Authors pretended Yet the rise of these superstitions were from Hell as in the forecited place 1 Tim. 4.2 3. superstitious traditions and errors concerning Meats and Marriages Doctrines much esteemed of among Papists are particularly by the Apostle attributed unto devils Vers. 3 The third effect following upon these two v. 3. And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth a vermine as it were engendered by the former corruptions these as being of speciall concernment in the Antichristian Kingdom are largely and particularly described That these locusts were men yea that they were pretended Church-men promovers of error and superstition appeareth from this that they stand in subordination to Antichrist and in a Monarchick way are governed by Abaddon vers 11. and must therefore be servants suitable to such a master and members conform to such a head They are said to come out of the smoke because oftentimes corruption of Doctrine begetteth corrupt Teachers to promove the same as we see in Ieroboam 2 Chron. 11.14 15. and 2 Tim. 4.3 the rejecting of sound Doctrine and heaping up Teachers after mens own lusts are put together for a spirit of error loveth to innovate in respect of Officers as well as Doctrine and by it people are some way disposed to strange Teachers and also for promoving new tenents they are necessitated to make use of them However the scope and sum of the prophesie is thus that the beginning of Antichrists kingdom shall be by an eminent Church-officer who falling from the right exercise of Ministeriall Authority in subordination to Christ to be a promover of the devils designs and subservient to him be shall bring in such abundance of ceremonies superstitions and errors upon the Church which shall obscure the clear Doctrine and simplicity of the Gospel whereby numbers of false Teachers and orders shall be established which our Lord Jesus hath never warranted They are compared to locusts 1. Because of their number as Antichrist shall bring in many errors so shall he multiply Teachers who shall live and converse together in the world like swarms of locusts 2. To set forth their nature and that both in respect of their worthlesnesse and also of their hurtfulnesse unto the Church this being the nature of locusts to consume and destroy where they come so that a land pleasant like Eden before them is brought by them to a desolate wildernesse Ioel 2.3 c. compared with Chap. 1.4 These orders and teachers shall even do so with the Church yea the increasing of them is marked here as a part of Antichrists superstition as a fruit of former corrupting of Doctrine and as a mids to carry on that corruption to a height by which we may see that the altering or inventing of new Officers in the Church is of no little concernment By these locusts we conceive clearly to be holden forth the many invented orders and superstitious rabble of these called the Clergie of the Church of Rome who not being plants of our heavenly Fathers planting but purposedly brought in to promove and support the worldly grandour of that Hierarchie and did flow from superstitious principles brought in upon the Church and so are to be accounted as locusts having their rise from the bottomlesse pit which their description will more fully clear The first part of their description beside their rise already spoken of is the power that was given them which is these four wayes set forth 1. Generally vers 3. unto them was given power as the scorpions of the earth have power c. Scorpions are a dangerous and subtile sort of Serpents these look like locusts but sting like scorpions that is dangerously and subtilly their hurt being beyond their appearance by their cunning instilling poisonous Doctrine their having of power
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