s And the four beaſts hal each of them ſix wings about him », and zhey were full of eyes within y, and T they reſt not day and night, ſaying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty 2, || which was,and is,and IS tO COME 72.
x The Seraphims 1n Tſaiah's Viſion, chap. 6. 2. had ſo; there their uſe is declared, ——with twain they covered their Faces, with twain their feet, and with twain they did fly, If we underſtand all the Wi1ngs here for flight, they fignifie the Readineſs of God's Mini- ſters to move every way that God will 11d them: if we underſtand them as interpreted by Taiah, 6. 2. they ſignifie their various Gra- ces, their Fear, Dre2d, and Reverence of God ; their Humility, and Modeſty, their Agility or Readineſs to obey all the Commands of God. y This denotes that large meaſure of Knowledge, and Dili- gence, and Watchfulneſs, which ſhould be in a Miniſter of Chriſt. z This was the Song of the Seraphims, Iſa. 6. 3. and ſhews how much it ſhould be the care of Miniſters to make God known in all his Attributes, his Holineſs eſpecially, and his Power. a And his Eter- nity and Simplicity, as he is the ſame yeſterday, to day, and for ever, without variableneſs, or ſhadow of change.
9 And when thoſe beaſts b give glory, and honour, and thanks to him that fate on the throne, who liverh for ever and ever c.
b The living Creatures before expreſſed, ſignifying the Miniſters of the Geſpel. c When they praiſe God who is Eternal.
10 The four and twenty elders fall down before him that fare on the throne, and worſhip him that liveth for ever and ever d, and caſt their crowns be- fore the throne, ſaying e,
d The whole Church alſo paid an Homage of Reverence and Ado- ration to the ſame God. . e Acknowledging all the Good done to them, or wrought in them, to proceed from God, and the Glory of it to be duc unto God alone. The Miniſters of the Goſpel are, by their preaching unto People their Duty, an Occaſion, or Inſtruments of that Homage and Adoration, which he hath from all his People.
11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and honour, and power f : for thou haſt created all
things g, and for thy pleaſure they are and were ctea- ted þ. | :
f All the Praiſes, Homages, and Acknowledgments of. all the Creatures is thy due. g As thou art he who gaveſt the firſt Being to all Creatures. h And therefore gaveſt it them, that they might praiſe, honour, ſerve, and obey thee.
CHAP. V.
A Book, written within and ſealed with ſeven Seals in the right hand of him that ſate on the Throne, x. No Creature able to open the Book, or look on it, 2, 3» The Lion of the Tribe of Judah prevails to open it, 5. Inthe midft of the Throne, of the 24 Elders, and of the four living Creatures, ſtood a Lamb, 6. and took the Book, 7, The 24 El-- ders, and four living Creatures, fall down before the Lamb, and fing a new Song, praiſing him for being worthy, and confeſs he had redeem- ed them with hjs Blood, $==—lo, The angels alſo praiſe him, I Ione I 2,
The ſame Viſion yet proceedeth. Hitherto John had only ſeen a Throne, with a Perſon ſitting upon it in a very glorious Habit and Appearance, 24 grave Perſons,and 4 living Creatures in the ſhape of a Lion,a Cali,o Man,
Eyes. about the Throne ; and heard the 4 Irving Crea- tures conſtantly giving glory to God,and the 24 Elders harmonizing with them, and joyning likewiſe in the
high Praiſes of God. Now the Vifion proceedeth. _ A NDI faw in the right hand of him that fate on
back-fide b, ſealed with ſeven ſeals c. EO
4 The Diſputes what this Book was, are very idle ; for it was certainly the Book of which we read hereafter, that it was opened, and to which the ſeven Seals mentioned in the following Chapters were annexed, of the opening of all which we read ; and this could be no other than Codex fatidicus (as Mr. Mede calls it) the Book of the Counſels, Decrees, and Purpoſes of God relating to his Church, as to what more remarkable things ſhould happen to it to the end of the World; which Book was ia the Hand of the Father. 5 Very full of Matter, ſo as it was written on all ſides. c But hitherto concealed from the Werld, and to be revealed by parts, as to the bringing to paſs of thoſe things decreed in it, though all at once by God, here revealed in a degree, by Viſions unto John.
2 AndI faw a ſtrong angel d proclaiming with a loud voice e, Who is worthy to open the book; and to looſe the ſeals thereof f? |
4 There
Chap. V.
TGr.t hey have no reſt.
| Ch. 1. 4.
and an Eagle, each of them with fix Wings, and full of.
*X
the throne, * a book a written within,and on the + x; 2.10.
I,
Cnap. V.
* VCT. 13s
* T{2. 11.1. 10. ch.22,16.
YZech. 3.9.
& 4+ 10.
. > There were no weak Angeis, but poſſibly this Angel mi;ht, 1n appearance to 795m, look as if he were ſtronger than otiiers ; or rather 1o judged e from tne great, and loud Voice he uſed. f Not that he thought any was able, or worthy: We can only conclude from hence the Impotency of Man to ſearch, and find out, and ex- pound the deep Things of God, and conſequently the Unlawfulneſs of too narrow a prying into his ſecret Myſteries.
3 And no man * in heaven g, or in earth h, neither
under the earth 7, was able ro open the book, nei- ther to look thereon k. _ 8 Noneof the Angels in Heaven, h nor any Man upon the Earth, 7 nor any of them whoſe Bodies are under the Earth,and their Souls in Heaven, nor any Infernal Spirits. k None was found ſufficient to open the Book, and to lock on it. There was none who replied to the Angel's Queſtion, ver. 2.
4 And I wept much, becauſe no man was found worthy to open, and to read the book, neither to
look thereon /. En
I As it is the nature of Man todefire to know ſecret and hidden things, eſpecially ſuchas we apprehend of concernment to our ſelves, or thoſe whom we love, or are intereſted in; and to be troubled, it we know they may be known,and are at a loſs for a due mean where- by to come to the knowledge of them.
5 And one of theeldeis faith unto me, Weep not mM : * Behold, the lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David x, hath prevailed o to open the book,
and to looſe the ſeven ſeals thereof.