The book of the Revelation paraphrased; with annotations on each chapter. Whereby it is made plain to the meanest capacity:

CHAP. V.

The Text.

1 AND I saw in the Right ¹ Hand of him that sate on the Throne, [i. e. of God the Father,] a ² Book [or Roll, Ezek. 2.9, 10.] written within, and on the back-side [i. e. containing a long Series of Events;] ³ sealed with ⁴ Seven Seals [to denote the Obscurity of the Prophecy, and the Delay of its Accomplishment, Dan. 12.4.]

Annotations on CHAP. V.

¹ God held the Book in his Right Hand, to shew his Pow∣er, and his Readiness to deliver it.

² This Book seems to have consisted of seven several Rolls, rolled up into one, in the Form of a Cylinder(a), according to the Custom of the Antients; having seven Labels, sealed with seven Seals; which being opened in order, there ap∣peared in each of them, the Seulptures, or Hieroglyphicks here∣after mentioned; and the back side of the last Roll, which is the outermost in rolling, was written upon, to shew, that there was a long series of Events contained in this Book; it being not the Custom of the Ancients, to write on the back side of the Roll, but when the inside could not contain all their Wri∣ting. We may divide, for Order, and Memories sake, the whole Prophecy of this Book, into Two Tomes (as Mr. Mede calls them) the first of which, contained in the foregoing Chapters, may be called, The(b) Church Prophecy; wherein

Symbols of Churches then in being are used; the Second (which begins here) may be called, The Book-Prophecy, be∣cause its Events are represented by Hieroglyphicks in a Book: And both Prophecies are of the same Extent; this latter reach∣ing to the End of Time, and determining and distinguishing Church Successions and Affairs as well as the former; only with this difference, that they are represented in the latter by future Occurrences and Circumstances of the Civil State and Empire; that so the Times of their Accomplishment might be the better known, and taken notice of, by the illustrious E∣vents represented in them. For as it pleased God to describe and foretel by his Prophets the Fall of Babylon, and other E∣vents, under several Symbols and Representations, for the grea∣ter assurance of the Prediction (as in Pharaoh's Dream, Gen. 41.32.) and that the thing might be the more deeply imprint∣ed on Mens Minds, by the Variety of the Figures by which they are described; so hath the Divine Spirit, upon the same account, given divers Emblems of one and the same thing in this Prophecy.

³ I shall here, once for all, endeavour to give the true im∣port of Sealing, which seems to have these several Accepta∣tions in Scripture.

(1.) It denotes a secret, or an hidden Condition; as we seal up things which we would keep secret.

(2.) It denotes Security; Thus the Stone at the mouth of Daniel's Den, and our Saviour's Sepulchre, were sealed with Seals.

(3.) It signifies Hindrance and Restraint: Thus God, Job 37.7. is said to seal up the Hand of every man; i. e. to hinder their Work by Storms and wet weather; and to seal up the Stars, Job 9.7. i. e. to restrain their Influences, as Satan is said, Rev. 20.3. to be shut up, and to have a Seal set upon him, to restrain him.

(4.) Propriety is signified by sealing in Scripture; from the Custom of sealing Goods and Servants when they were bought; thereby to denote their propriety in them, and to distinguish them from other Mens Servants; Hammond on Eph. 4.30.

(5.) Lastly, From these, and other Metaphors, it often in Prophetical Scripture signifies the Obscurity of a Prophecy, and the concealing of it, in dark terms, from the Generality of the People, Isa. 8.16. and the stopping or hindring the Events foretold by it: so that sealing and writing, and sealing and opening, are opposed in prophetical Language to one another, and signifie as much as concealing and revealing, delaying the Accomplishment of a Prophecy, and bringing it into effect. See the Notes on Chap. 7.2, 3, 4.

⁴ With reference to the seven states of Christ's Church, which were hindred from coming into event, whilst the Book was sealed; and were to be by degrees accomplished, and dis∣covered upon the gradual opening of each of them.

2 And I saw a strong ⁵ Angel [or a mighty one, Psalm 103.20] proclaiming with a loud ⁵ voice [after the manner of a Herald, Dan. 3.4.] who is worthy [for Authority, and Ability,] to open ⁶ the Book, and to loose the Seals thereof [i. e. to bring into event the things there delivered.]

^{5 5} To shew the Weight and Concern of the thing to be de∣livered, as worthy to be heard of all Creatures.

⁶ To open it by unsealing it, or when it is unsealed.

3 And no ⁷ man [or no creature, Isa. 41.28.] in Heaven [i. e. nei∣ther Saint nor Angel,] nor in Earth, nor under the Earth [i. e. in the State of departed Souls, from whence Christ was just come,] was able to open the Book [i. e. to bring to pass the Events of it;] neither [so much as] to look thereon [if it were opened; that is of himself to understand, foresee, and govern the course of the Prophecy, and conduct it into Event.]

⁷ Here by a Hebraism, (consisting in describing the whole by an enumeration of its parts) is signified, that no Creature whatsoever, was able to open the Book, or so much as to un∣derstand it of himself.

4 And I wept * much, because no man was found worthy to open, and to read the Book, neither to look thereon, [as fearing that I should not be shewn those things that were promised me, Chap. 4.1.]

* This weeping seems to be rather from a Despair, that things would not be carried on to the great Kingdom of Re∣demption; as the Two Apostles (Luke 24.21.) were sorrow∣ful, least Christ was not he which should have redeemed Isra∣el; and were astonished, as Mary also was (John 20.13, 15.) because the Lord could not be found, for which she wept. For Christ is represented at the sixth Verse, as just risen from the dead, and therefore in congruity to that appearance, what is here said, must relate to the time before he appeared, as risen; which is also a Circumstance that confirms the fixing of the Epocha of this Book at the Resurrection.

5 And one [or the ⁸ first, and chief] of the ⁹ Elders [or Repre∣sentatives of the Jewish Church, Chap. 4.4.] saith unto me, Weep not [for thy own sake, or the sake of the Church, which thou fearest will be deprived of what is contained in this Book; for] behold the Lyon ¹⁰ of the Tribe of Judah [i. e. Christ, Gen. 49.9. Heb. 7.13, 14. who is also] the root of David [Isa. 11.1, 10. Rom. 15.12.] hath prevailed [with the Father, by his Blood and Merits], to open the Book, and to loose the seven Seals thereof [Vers. 2, 4. [i. e. to declare what is in it, and to accomplish it.]

⁸ For so One seems to signifie in this Prophecy; as also it does, Dan. 10.13. Gen. 1.4. Matth. 28.1.

⁹ The Jewish Church having been entrusted with the Ora∣cles and Prophecies of the Old Testament, concerning the Kingdom of Christ; it is very proper, that their Ministry should be here made use of, to declare unto John, the im∣port

of what had been delivered therein, concerning the Me∣rits and Power of Christ, in revealing and erecting his Kingdom: and therefore Christ is here described by Titles taken from what relates to the Jews; as the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah; because he came from that Tribe which is resem∣bled to a Lyon in Scripture; and the Root of David, be∣cause he proceeded from his Stock, as from a Root.

¹⁰ No Creature whatsoever (as Man signifies, Verse 7. and Isa. 41.28.) was able to open this Book, or look into it, but only Christ, by Vertue of his Merits; whereby that extra∣vagant Knowledge, which is ascribed unto Angels and Saints in the Romish Church, and their Mediatorship, is plainly ex∣ploded, as appears also from the 11th, 12th, 13th, and 14th Verses.

6 And I beheld [with great concern and expectation,] and lo [on a sudden] in the midst of the Throne, [i. e. just before it, and next unto it,] and of the Four Beasts, and in the midst of the Elders [i. e. betwixt God the Father, and his Church;] stood ¹¹ [in a po∣sture of Defence, as Mediator and Advocate, and in a readiness to receive his Kingdom, Dan. 7.13; 14.] a Lamb [i. e. Christ, John 1.29.36.] as it had been [newly] stain [and just risen from the dead;] having seven Horns ¹² [i. e. perfect Regal Authority, e∣specially over the sevenfold State of the Church;] and seven Eyes [signifying perfection of Knowledge, and Providential Ad∣ministrations, Zech. 3.9] which are [or represent] the seven Spi∣rits of God [i. e. the perfect Operations of Gods Spirit, Zech. 4.6, 10. See on, Rev. 1.4.] sent forth into all the Earth [to super∣intend, dispose, and conduct all things, 2 Chron. 46.9. Isa. 11.2.]

¹¹ From Christ's being here represented, as just risen from the dead, with the Signs of his Sufferings, fresh and bleed∣ing; it may be gathered, that the Epocha of these Visions, is to be taken from Christ's Resurrection, and Ascension into Hea∣ven; as we have observed before on Chap. 1.10.

And he is represented as standing, to denote, that he was not as yet in possession of his Kingdom, which was due to him at his Resurrection (as the Psalmist plainly affirms, Psalm 2, 7, 8.) but that he stood ready to receive it; to which end he was brought unto the Father, as appears plainly from Dan. 7.13, 14.

¹² Horns being the Weapons of Beasts, they are put to sig∣nifie Strength and Power, in Scripture, as Psalm 75.5, 10. and in Daniel, and this Prophecy, they denote Kings, and their Regal Power; as the Scripture interprets it self, Dan. 8.20, 21. Rev. 17.12.

7 And he [i. e. Christ being now entring upon his Kingly Of∣fice] came [to the Father, being brought near before him, to re∣ceive his Kingdom, Dan. 7.13, 14] and took the Book * out of the Right Hand of him that sate upon the Throne [i. e. received his King∣dom from the Father, and power to reveal and execute what was contained in that Book concerning it.]

* This answers to Dan. 7.14. where, upon his being brought to the Father, a Kingdom is given him, of which this Book is a Symbol, as being the Book of the Kingdom of Christ: only we are to take notice, that the Book is sealed; the Kingdom being not to appear, but by steps and degrees, ac∣cording to the opening of the Seals, until the seventh Trumpet of the seventh Seal; during which time Christ was to sit in the patience and expectation of his Kingdom, at the Right Hand of God, until his Father made his Foes his Footstool; according to Psalm 110.1. and 1 Cor. 15.25, 27.

8 And when he had taken the Bo••k, the four Beasts, and four and twenty Elders [i. e. the Christian, and the Jewish Church, percei∣ving th t all Power was now given unto him, of the Father,] fell down before the Lamb, [to worship him] bearing every one of them Harps [to praise him;] and golden Vials [or Bowls to hold In∣cense in, 2 Chron. 4.22.] full of ¹³ Odours, which are [i. e. signi∣fie]

the Prayers [Psalm 141.2.] of Saints [i. e. of the living Crea∣tures, and Elders, and all Saints and Members of the pure Church in his Kingdom, Rev. 20.4.]

¹³ The Ascent of the Incense signifies the Ascent of Pray∣ers to Heaven; and the Odour of it their Acceptableness with God; for which see Dr. Hammond on the place, and on Luke 1.10. And here Christ appearing for his Saints, as in his Kingdom, makes them Priests to God, by giving them Incense. See Chap. 8.3, 4.20, 6.]

9 And they sung a new Song [of ¹⁴ singular Love and Grati∣tude, upon the occasion of Christ's Redemption, and King∣dom,] saying, Thou art worthy [and thou alone, Verse 23.] to take the Book, and to open the Seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast re∣deemed us to God [i. e. to be his Servants and Worshippers; by thy Blood, out of every Kindred, and Tongue, and People, and Nation [to be a Catholick Church and Kingdom.]

¹⁴ In this sense this Word is taken, Psalm 33.3. Isa. 42.9, 10. But it is rather called a New Song here, because it will have been for a long time out of use, during the Apostacy, which will have perverted the Doctrine of Redemption, and Kingdom of Christ therein celebrated: of which Kingdom there is here given an Appearance and Representation, signified by Musick and Harps, which are the Attendants of it in this Prophecy: Songs and Musick being not made use of in it, but upon some such Pre-appearance, until the Apostasie is at an end; as if du∣ring the Absence of the Bridegroom, Mourning were more suit∣able for the Church.

10 And hast made us unto [the Service and Glory of] our God, Kings and Priests [i. e. a Priestly Kingdom, Chap. 1.6.] and we shall reign ¹⁵ in the Earth [in thy Kingdom, Rev. 20.4.]

¹⁵ From hence it is plain, that Christ's Kingdom is to be up∣on Earth, Rev. 20.4.

11 And I beheld [or, was still in Vision,] and I heard the Voice of many Angels round about the Throne, and [round about] the Beasts, and the Elders, [i. e. the whole Church consisting of Angels, and Men, Christians and Jews, Heb. 12.22, 23, 24.] and the number of them [i. e. of the Angels,] was ten tbousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands [i. e. innumerale, Heb. 12.22.]

12 Saying with a loud Voice [and suitable affection,] worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to receive [the Acknowledgment and Pos∣session of] power [and Authority over all things, especially his Church, Matth. 11.27.28, 18. John 17.2.] and of Riches [i. e. the inheritance of all things, Heb. 1.2.] and of Wisdom [to go∣vern his Church, as being the Eternal Wisdom of his Fa∣ther, Prov. 3.16.] and [of] strength [to conquer his Enemies;] and honour [from all Creatures] and glory [from his Father, John 17.1, 5.] and blessing [from Angels and Saints, and all creatures, Psalm 145.10, 11. Psalm 148.]

13 And every ¹⁶ Creature [Phil. 2.10.] which is in Heaven, and on the Earth, and under the Earth, and such as are in the Sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing and Honour and Glory, and Power, be unto him that sitteth upon the Throne, and unto the Lamb [i, e. to God the Father, and his Son Christ,] for ever and ever.

¹⁶ Even inanimatt Creatures are frequently in Scripture cal∣led upon to praise God, by a common Figure usual to all Authors and Nations; that because they would praise him, if they could; and are the Objects and Occasions of Praise to Angels and Men; and are under the command of God, and subservient to his Glory, and his Churches good; and because the very Order and Beauty of the Creatures, especially as they shall be in the Restitution of all things, is a Real, and Vir∣tual Praising of God. And all Creatures, Saints and Angels themselves, are here brought as making this Acknowledg∣ment; to signifie, that God and Christ are the alone Objests of Worship; and not any Creature whatsoever, Exod. 20.4, 5.

14 And the four Beasts [i. e. the Christian Church] said, Amen [to this new Song; i. e. consented, and approved of it] And [after the Christian Church, to shew that they received the clear and explicit Knowledge of Chrisi, from the Christian Church, and to testifie the Agreement there is betwixt the Old and New Testament] the Four and Twenty Elders [i. e. the Jewish Church] fell down and worshipped him ¹⁷ that liveth for ever [i. e. God the Fa∣ther.]

¹⁷ Here it is to be observed, that as the Christian Church be∣gan (Chap. 4.8, 9.) with Hymns, and Worship to God the Fa∣ther; so the Jewish Church here Ends, (after they had joyned with the Christian Church in Praises and Acts of Worship to Christ, who has the same Worship here given him with the Father) with an Act of Worship to the Father; to shew, that as all things are Of Him, so are they also To Him; and His Glory; and that the Kingdom is to be delivered up unto him, and that all things are to be subject unto him, who is All in All, (1 Cor. 15.24-28.) which is signified by their falling down, and worshipping him, in token of their Obedience, and of the Subjection of all things unto him; all Creatures also are as them∣selves, bowing, or being subject unto him, in the sense that they praise him, Psal. 2.10, 11.

Notes

• (a)

  Poli Synops. Hammond on Luke 4.17. and on the place. Mede, pag. 789, 790, 791. Mori Oper. Theol. pag. 21. ubi formam libri videas.
• (b)

  See on Chap. 4.1.