C AP. t. 4 Pevelatîoazofthe Apocalypfe. 3'. guilty of its own corruption ,1 that not fo muchas any (mall fnewof Gods Majefty canbe endured at all ofit, `Dan. 8. 9, &c. ;which is a- nother argument fora the credit ofthe heavenly vdion. Fear not. A comfortative very neceff'ary for 7ahn, fceingother- "wife he would not have been in cafe toperceive the things he either favor heard, unlefhehe had been refrefhed before , and confirmed againft fear.And this is ufuall in all holyapparitions.Contrarncife the wicked Spirits increafe fear in then as much as they areable, defiring . to overwhelm them with fear and defparation. The Arguments ofcomfort are drawn from the univerfall polder ofC'hrsft over all creators ,in this verte , and by name from his vic`lory and polder over death, in that that followeth. Thofe words,firf7and Taft, have great force in them to comfort ; for why fhould not john take a good heart, Peeing he biddethhim not to fear, who at the begin- ning made all things, and can againe bring all things to nothing as he lift ? Unlefle perhaps fir ft and lath be referred to his glory andhumility, fetinghe is now fiìft among all things created, òr rather above all things in hononr and Iv,ajeftie, who while he was converfant once in the earth, feemed to be molt debafed ; as ifhe fhouldfay, Fearnot to behold my glory, which is increafed above all you are able to conceive, yet not for your de,{tru'cion, but for your falvation. And as once thou kneweft me tobe molt hum- ble ofall men, fo in this my infinite glory I keepe ftil! my old minde, neither do I either defpife or negle t you , that are but duff and earth. Words full ofcomfort ; but in this fence they fhould be turned contrariwayes, I am laft ai:dfrft, becaufe his humility wcnt before his glory ;neither fhould it be now placed in the latter Flare , which was fwallowed up ofhis Majefty that came afterwards; un- leffeperhaps they carry this meaning,/ amnow the firft,Who ere Whiles Was 1u ft, or eis thus, theorder oìthewords being kept; I that *as firft, fubfsftïng inthe beginning With God, eyuall Withthefather, atTaff having taken theforme ofafervant, have become the /aft in the eftim t- tion ofthe World; Both which meaningsmakefor the fecond inter- pretation, and make it the more probable. 18. AndWho live. In fpeciall manner he remerrbreth his vielcr, over death,that he might cftablifh johns minde againft the .greateft fear that is in life. Thelè words confirm,that this man who appeared to john, was Chrift. There is never any thing fpoken in Scripture by any creature in the perfon of God without all fìgnification of his Miniftery, leaft perhaps men íhould thinkhim tobe God, and
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=