ginning and the ending, which is, which was, and is to come, the Almighty. 9 I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. 10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, 11 Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea. The preface being ended in the foregoing verses, here begins the body or visionary part of this book; the first vision is here before us, concerning the seven Asian churches. In which vision we have observable, 1. The person that received it, he is described by his name, John, I John; by his spiritual relation, I John your brother; by his then present condition, your companion in tribulation, undergoing like sufferings with you; your companion in the kingdom of Christ, that is, in expecting of and hoping for, the same kingdom of heaven and glory which ye expect; and I am also your companion in patience, called the patience of Jesus Christ, because in his word he requires it, because by his Spirit he produces it, because in his own example he gave us a pattern of it: and perhaps principally because the present state of the kingdom of Christ in this world calls for it. Observe, 2. The place where St. John received this vision; in the isle of Patmos, not far from the Asian churches, into which the emperor Domitian banished him, having, as is said, cast him first into a caldron of burning oil, out of which he miraculously escaped. Ecclesiastical history says, St. John was very near an hundred years old, when he was by that bloody emperor banished into Patmos, for preaching the word of God, and for bearing testimony for this truth, that Jesus Christ was the Saviour of the world. Learn, That the greatest honour which an apostle, an aged apostle, a beloved apostle, can be admitted to the participation of, is to suffer banishment and death for bearing a faithful testimony of Jesus Christ. Observe, 3. The time when St. John had this glorious vision of Christ, communion with him, and communications from him: it was upon the Lord's day: I was in the Spirit, that is, in spiritual mediing rapture by the Spirit, under his more tation, in a spiritual ecstasy, in a transportimmediate illumination and powerful influences; on the Lord's day, namely, the first day of the week, so called, because Christ at his resurrection took possession of it for his own, and because the end of its institution was to commemorate Christ's resurrection, and because applied to his special worship and service, and as such religiously observed by the apostles, Acts xx. 7. and by the universal church, ever since the apostle's days. In that St. John, in a solitary island, kept the christian Sabbath, we learn, that the religious observation of the Lord's day is a duty incumbent upon all persons and in all places. Learn, 2. How Christ owned his own day, and encouraged St. John in his religious and strict observation of it, by the influence of his Holy Spirit upon him, and by communicating extraordinary revelations to him; I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice. Observe, 4. The vision and revelation itself, which began with his hearing a loud voice like a trumpet; that is, the voice of Christ, full of majesty and power, spake unto him, saying, What thou seest, that is, what thou shalt see and hear, write in a book, and send it to the seven churches. Here note, 1. That the book of the Revelation was written by Christ's own direction, therefore warranted to be of divine authority. Note, 2. That what Christ commanded St. John carefully to write, it becomes us heedfully to read; for though what St. John wrote and sent concerned the seven Asian churches at that time, and had a particular respect to their present state; yet all scripture is written for our learning, and we are to beg spiritual wisdom from God to make a right use and holy improvement of what is written, 12 And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. turned, I saw seven golden candleAnd being sticks; 13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. 14 His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow and his eyes were as a flame of fire; 15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. 16 And he had in his right hand seven stars; and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. As if St. John had said, "I turned to see the person whose voice I heard speaking with me, and I beheld seven golden candlesticks, representing the seven Asian churches, and in the midst of those candlesticks I saw one in the shape of a man, which reminded me of Christ the Son of man, clothed in garments much like unto Aaron's the high-priest, who was an illustrious type of Christ, our great and merciful High-priest, who made an atonement for us on earth, and maketh now intercession for us in the highest heavens." Note here, 1. The comparison made between the churches of Christ and the golden candlesticks; they are candlesticks, in regard of the light which they held forth; the candlestick does not give light of itself, but holds it forth to others: it is the church's duty to keep within herself the pure word of God, and to keep herself pure from being besmeared with errors in doctrine, or vice in conversation. Churches, the holiest and purest of all churches, are rather candlesticks than candles; Christ is the light, the word is the lamp, the church but the instrument to convey the light unto us. Again, the churches are golden candlesticks; gold is the most precious of metals, the church is the most excellent of all societies; for it beautifies all societies whatsoever that are members of the church of Christ. Note, 2. How Christ was seen by St. John walking in the midst of the golden candlesticks, present in and with his churches; that is, St. John had in his vision a very lively representation of Christ in his human nature; not that St. John now saw Christ in his manhood really, for that was then in heaven, but he had a resemblance of it in the vision. Note, 3. The description given of Christ, as walking in the midst of his gospel church. He is, 1. described by his attire, habited like Aaron the high-priest, with a garment down to his feet, and girt with a golden girdle; to signify, that as Aaron was of the old so Christ is the high priest of the new testament, presenting continually to his Father the memorials of his death, the merits of his sacrifice, and making intercession with the Father for our gracious acceptance with him. 2. He is next described by the parts and members of the body; His head and hair as white as snow and wool, signify his eternity and his purity, that he is the Ancient of days, even the Father of eternity, and perfectly innocent, pure, and holy His eyes like flaming fire, denoting his piercing knowledge; that as head of his church he espies out all her ways, words, and thoughts: His feet like burning brass, and his voice like many waters; which expressions represent the dread and terror of Christ towards the enemies of his church; and that vengeance he would execute upon his murderers, in particular, at the destruction of Jerusalem, and upon all the impenitent rejecters of his gospel grace, at the general judgment: then will they understand what they now will not believe, that it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. 3. He is next described by what he had in his right hand, namely, seven stars, representing the seven angels, bishops and ministers of the seven churches. These are called stars, their office and duty being to enlighten the church, both by the light of life and doctrine; and as stars are seated above, so should their conversation be in heaven, and their affections not set upon the things below. Stars give direction, light, and influence, to others; they were not made for themselves. Ministers must not chiefly seek their own, but others' good. Stars are swift in their motion, and their motion is constantly in their own orb and sphere. Vain is the pretence of care and concern for other churches, whilst we neglect our own. Finally, ministers are stars, as in respect to their situation, and in respect of their constant and regular motion; so in respect of their continuance and duration. Stars are fixed in heaven, so are ministers in the church; Christ holds them in his hand, otherwise the world would soon have them under their feet. 4. He is described by a sharp two-edged sword coming out of his mouth, denoting the piercing power of the word of God, to conquer sin, convert sinners, and to condemn and slay the unconverted. Lastly, It is added, that his countenance was as the sun that shineth in his strength; that is, very glorious in itself, and very comforting and refresh ing to those that are his members, his sincere disciples and followers. This part of the description of Christ sweetly follows the former: when his feet were as burning brass, to tread down and consume his enemies; his countenance was as the sun, to cheer and cherish, to comfort and refresh his friends. 17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: 18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. Observe here, 1. The effect which this glorious representation of Christ in this vision had upon St. John: he was astonished and amazed at it, and fell down at Christ's feet as one almost dead. Note from hence, That the holiest man on earth is not able to bear the presence of Christ here, nor able to stand before his gracious manifestation of himself, when he comes to reveal himself in mercy towards him. See Hab. iii. 15, 16. Lord, how unable then will the wicked be at the great day to stand before the manifestation of thy fury! If at this visionary representation of Christ, St. John trembled, and fell at his feet as dead, how unable will the impertinent world be to look him in the face at the great day, when he shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, rendering vengeance to them that know not God! Observe, 2. The seasonable care of Christ for St. John's relief in this great exigency: He laid his right hand upon me, saying, Fear not. Hereby Christ discovered both his readiness to help, and his ability to help; the right hand is the supporting hand, the strengthening hand; Christ did not send an angel to comfort St. John, but laid his own hand upon him, to assure him both of safety and succour. Observe, 3. As what Christ did, so what he likewise said, for St. John's comfort and support under the burden of his fears: Fear not, says Christ, for I am the first and the last; that is, I am an eternal Being, without either beginning or end. Again, I am he that liveth, and was dead. As if Christ had said, "Fear not death or dying, for I have overcome death by dying, and conquered the king of terrors in his own territories; but, behold, I am now alive for evermore, for the benefit of my church, and to protect and defend my faithful servants." Nay, farther, to show that his life was not a bare subsistence, but clothed with power, Christ adds, "I have also the keys of hell and of death; that is, a sovereign power over the whole invisible world, to let into heaven, and to lock into hell as I please." The keys are an emblem of authority and power; the steward who has the keys of the house, commands the house. There are four keys which Christ keeps in his own hands; the key of the womb, the key of the clouds, the key of the earth as of a granary of corn, and the key of the grave. When Christ says here, I have the keys of hell and of death, the meaning is, that he has a sovereign dominion over both worlds; over this in which we live, and over that into which we die, whether the one or the other part of it, heaven and hell both for the words must not be understood with a debasing limitation, only respecting hell, as if Christ had only the keys of the bottomless pit: but the original word Hades, signifies the invisible world, consisting of both heaven and hell; and he has a power over both, and also over death too, which is the common passage into both places. Learn hence, 1. If Christ has the power of death, and keeps the key of the grave, in his own hand, that men do not die at random, by accident and chance, but by determination and judgment; Christ by an authoritative act turns the key, and gives man his exit out of the world. Learn, 2. That Christ, who has the key of death, has also the key of Hades, the upper and lower Hades; heaven and hell; and such as go out of the world, go not out of being, but go into one of those states and places. Learn, 3. How admirable, and yet how amiable, Christ should be in all our eyes, who hath these keys in his own hand, with such merciful intentions towards us; and how willingly should we die, when the keys of death are in so great, so kind an hand as his O how happy is it when this power of our great Redeemer over death and the grave, and a placid resignation to his pleasure, do concur and meet together, not from stupidity, but trust in him that keeps the keys! Lord, when the key is turning, and thou art letting in souls into the invisible world, let thy servant depart in peace, and everlastingly see thy salvation! 19 Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter; 20 The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches; and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest, are the seven churches. This chapter concludes with a solemn charge given by our Saviour to St. John, to write and record the vision of the seven stars, and seven golden candlesticks, which he had newly seen; letting him into the mystery of both, by telling him, that the seven stars are seven angels; that is, signify seven angels; and the seven candlesticks are, that is, signify seven churches, and represent them. In like manner, when Christ says in the sacrament, This is my body, the meaning is, this bread signifies and represents my body. Here note, That the bishops and governors, the pastors and teachers, of the church are called angels, because they are sent by God on his message, because they had their commission from him; and to signify that unspotted purity which should be found with them, both in life and doctrine; and they are represented by stars, to denote their dignity and duty, their usefulness and beneficialness, the swiftness and constancy of their motion, but especially in regard to their nature. A star is of the same nature with the heavens, celestial; not earthly, not elementary: ministers should be heavenly, holy, blameless, inoffensive; they should teach by tongue and hand, and instruct by lip and life. God grant that in our hearts we may experimentally find the works of holiness, and in our lives express the power of holiness. Amen. CHAP. II. This book of the Revelation being full of propheti From cal visions, St. John in the former chapter had a was now in banishment, was nearer to these churches; and possibly because these churches were under his more immediate care and charge. For although the apostolical authority was universal over all the churches, yet the apostles did every one, by mutual consent, assume such a part of the world as their more especial charge; and accordingly Asia the Less, with her churches, did fall under St. John's care, who therefore at the command of Christ writes, and sends the follow.. ing epistles to them, contained in this and the next chapter: in which he thus bespeaks them: UNTO the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; Note here, 1. That the church of Ephesus, with the other six churches of Asia, were, at the time of St. John's writing, very flourishing churches, favoured as much with the special presence and influence of Christ Note, 2. That as ever any churches were. these churches are written to as a sort of types of all the Gentile churches unto the end of the world, and patterns also which the Gentile churches were to take warning by, Christ hereby declaring what all other churches, offending and declining in the same manner, might expect. Note, 3. That the first church St. John is commanded to write unto, is the church of Ephesus, and what is written is directed to the angel, the bishop, the president and chief minister in that church, to be communicated to all in the church, both ministers and people, as that which nearly concerned them all. Note, 4. That Christ in the beginning of every epistle doth notify himself by some one of those characters which he gave of himself in the former chapter, either as the faithful and true witness, or as the first and the last, or as having the seven stars in his hand. Thus here, These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand. Mark, He holdeth the stars in his hand, to show his tenderness; in his right hand, to show his power, supporting and directing them for the good of his people. It is added, that Christ walks in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks. Which expression denotes Christ's gracious presence with them, his strict observation of them, his tender care over them, his protecting and defending of them in doing their duty to him, his encouraging or reproving, his rewarding or punishing, as there should be cause: These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, and walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks. Learn hence, 1. That the ministers of Christ are stars, yet but stars, they shine but with a borrowed light, with a light derived from the sun they shine but for a time, the day hastens when these stars shall disappear for ever. Learn, 2. These stars are in the right hand of Christ, in his power, and at his disposal; he appoints them their orbs where they shall shine, and appoints them also their time for shining. Learn, 3. That the church is a candlestick, a golden candlestick. As a candlestick has no more light than what is put into it, and must be continually maintained by a new supply of oil, such is the state of the church; and as a candlestick is a moveable thing, remove the candlestick, and the light is removed with it so when God removes the light of the gospel from a people, he unchurches them. Farther, The church is called a golden candlestick, because as gold is the purest of metals, and excels all other metals in preciousness, so God expects his church should differ as much from the world, as gold doth from common clay. Learn, 4. That there is a special gracious presence of Christ with his church in all her administrations. He walks in the midst of the golden candlesticks; it denotes his presence with them, and this presence of his is an holy presence, and a joyous presence. 2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not; and hast found them liars: 3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast labour ed, and hast not fainted. 4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Observe here, 1. A general declaration which stands in the front of the several epistles, I know thy works, both thy inward and outward works, to observe and mark them, to punish or reward them, as the case requires. This proves the divinity of Christ, that he is truly and essentially God; he knows the hearts of men, which none but a God can know. Ver. 23. All the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and the hearts. Observe, 2. The commendation which is here given of this church for her labour in propagating the gospel, for her patience in bearing affliction and persecution for it, for the strictness of her discipline, that she did not bear with, nor tolerate and endure, such persons as were either erroneous in judgment or scandalous in practice; for her faithfulness in trying the authority of those who pretended to an immediate call from God to be apostles, but were found liars and false prophets; such were those two succeeding heretics, Ebion and Cerinthus, and their followers. Mark here, How our Lord Jesus Christ doth observe and approve, doth commend and praise, whatever is good in his church, and whatever is commendable and praise-worthy in the members of it; yet, at the same time, when he commends them for what is good, he reproves them for what is evil and amiss; and accordingly, Observe, 3. The reprehension given, ver. 4. Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. As if Christ had said, "I observe amongst you a great abatement of your former zeal and fervour; you have not that hearty love to me, and to one another, which you had at first, but verily you grow cooler when you should grow better." Learn hence, 1. That where there is truth of grace, there may yet be a sad decay and declining in grace. 2. That Christ takes notice of, and is displeased with, such decays and declining in grace, and severely checks and reproves his people for them: I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. 5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will place, except thou repent. remove thy candlestick out of his We had Christ's commendation and reprehension of the church of Ephesus before, we have his admonition and exhortation now. The words before us are partly monitory, and partly minatory; monitory in the former part of the verse, Remember from whence thou art fallen, and repent. Note here, That Christ did not surprisingly come upon this church at unawares; they were admonished before chastised, warned before laid waste; Christ doth premonish before he punishes. In the minatory part we have a great guilt and sin |