A Commentary Upon the Book of the Revelation

THE Revelation of Iesus Christ, which God gave unto Him, to shew unto His Servants things which must shortly come to passe; and He sent and signified it by His Angel unto His Servant Iohn:

Who bare record of the Word of God; and of the Testimony of Iesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.

Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this Prophecie, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

Iohn to the seven Churches in Asia, Grace be unto you, and peace, from Him which is, and which was, and which is to come, and from the seven Spirits which are before His Throne.

IT may look well presumptuous-like to read, or undertake to open this Book: and indeed there is need of much humility and sober◊◊ss in going about such a work, and that the Spirit of Jesus Christ, who hath given this Book for a benefit to His Church, help us to a ◊ight uptaking of it; Yet, considering that the subject matter of it, is so profitable and comfortable to the Church, to the end of the world; considering also what was Christs and in giving it, as His last Will and Word, to His Church, to wit, to be a Revelation, and thereby to make manifest His mind to them: therefore Iohn is forbidden to seal it, that it might be open for the good of His Church; and considering withall the many motives and encouragements that are given to read and search into it, as ver. 3. Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this Prophecy: which saying, is also renewed again after the prophetick part is immediatly closed, chap. 22.7.14. which seem to be notable encouragements, not only to undertake, but also to lay it on as a duty, to read and seek to understand it. We resolve, through Gods grace, to essay it, that it be not altogether useless to the Servants of God to whom it is sent, as ver. 1. It is true, many things in it are obscure; and it is like, that the full clearing of them is not to be expected, till God in some singular way shall open them p. 2up, (neither is that undertaken) Yet, there are, 1. many clear, edifying, and comfortable passages of Gods mind in it; the holy Ghost mixing in those to be fed upon, and to sweeten those passages that are more obscure; and to encourage the Reader to search for the meaning of them. And, 2. though we be not clear to apply such passages to this or that particular time, or party, or person; Yet, seing the scope sets out, in general, the enemity of special enemies of the Church; and it being clear who they are: we think they may be exponed not only according to the Analogy of Faith and found Doctrine, but according to the scope of the place, though every thing hit not, yet nothing being contrary to it. 3. In those things that are most obscure, there may be found Doctrines concerning the disposition of enemies, and Gods giving victory over them, and preservation and outgate to His People. And lastly, those things that are most obscure, being particulars, wherein there is no such hazard for us to be ignorant, as in fundamental Truths; and yet being such as God hath allowed folks by wisdom to search out: therefore, here is wisdom, is prefixed to the hardest places in it, as chap. 13. ver. ult. Upon these considerations, we intend (through the Lords help) to hint at some things in the reading of this Book to you, for your up-stirring to search further into it. The whole strain and form of it, is by way of an Epistle, Jesus Christ, by Iohn, writing His last Will to His Church.

p. 2The Preface is in the words read, to ver. 9. The Body of it, from that to the 6. ver. chap. 22. The Conclusion, is in the end of the 22. chap. where it is closed with the ordinary close of other Epistles. We shall first speak to the Preface, and then to the Body, when we come to it. We need not stand upon the Authority, nor Title of it that holds out the Penman; it being of such a divine stamp and Majesty, doth carry Authority in the bosom of it, that if any Scripture hold forth the Soveraignity, Majesty, Justice, Mercy and Truth of God, to the comfort of His People, and the making the hearts of His Enemies to quake, this Scripture doth it. The Author, that is, the Penman, is Iohn the Divine, as he is holden out in the Title. Whether this Title be authentick or not, it's not much to be disputed. It is in some Greek Copies, The Revelation of the holy Apostle and Evangelist, Iohn, the Divine. And, we think it is clear to be Iohn, the Apostle, honoured here to bear Christs last Message to His Church. He got this name in the primitive times, as being most full of Divine Revelations, and prying into the Mysteries of the Gospel, and particularly of Christs Divinity. And in the Preface there seems to be some things that bear this out, 1. That he is called Iohn, without designing what Iohn, importing that he was the Iohn, that was well known and famous for an infallible and extraordinary measure of the Spirit. 2. He is said to be that Iohn, that was banished into the Isle of Patmos: which, from the ancient famous story, is clear to be Iohn, the Apostle, he being banished thither under the persecution of Domitian the Emperour. 3. It's further clear, from the 2. ver. in his description, Who bare record of the Word of God, and of the Testimony of Iesus Christ, which relates to his writing of the Gospel, as he stiles himself in the close of it, chap. 21.24. This is that Disciple, which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things, and we know that his Testimony is true. Neither doth it make any thing against this, that this Book (being prophetical) doth differ somewhat in stile from his other Writings: for, the stile is not so unlike his; there being many words and phrases in his Gospel, and in several Chapters of this Book so like one another; as, that Christ is called the Word, and the Lamb, in the one and in the other, these phrases being peculiar to Him.