ofthe REVELATION. CHAP. iT; 1he Expo{ttion of the Fiftb (hapter. THE Stage being built in the Fourth Chapter, the Chorm (which is tBe Church being fet) here begins the Prologue ; and that, fo elegant and fl:ately an one, as was never heretofore invented, or put before any– Poem. Firft ; Here is a Book,_ Sealed, prefented in his Hand who fits on the Throne; Which Book contains God's Decrees to be executed until the Day of Judgment. Secondly ; Here is a 'Proclamation made to all Creatures, to find out one who !hould be found worthy to open it. Thirdly ; There were none fuch found in Heaven, nor in Earth. Fourthly ; John weeps, thinking there would be an end of his Vifions 5 and that he mufr put up his Pen. · . Fifthly; In this ll:rait comes Chrifr, and takes upon him the opening and ful– filling of this Book, and all the Decrees therein contained. Sixthly; At this the Chorus fall down and wor!hip. 7 ~ Chap. 2. ~ Firft; What is this 'Book,_? Many make it to be the Scriptures: But it is plain, VerJ I . by what all along does follow, that it is a Book containing the Affairs of 'the World, and the Church, and God's Decrw about them both. For upon the opening every Seal, '}ohn fees a Vifion containing the Matter of the enfuing Ch•pters, namely, the 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th. And when the Seal• were all taken off, Chap. 10. 8. then John is bidden to eat the Book, that he might prophefy ag•in the other part of this Prophecy. So as it is this very Book,_ of the Revelation, and the Government of the World and his Church that is fet forth therein, which Chrifr, by taking the Book, undertakes to manage, perform, and execute, and give it to '}ohn. Which agrees with what is faid at the beginning· of this Book, Chap. 1. 1. The Revelation of 'JeftH Chrift, which God gave unto him, to Jhew unto his Servants things which mujl jhortly come to pafl, and he font and Jignijied it by his Angel unto his Servant John. .Afirong Angelthereupon proclaims who is worthy to Iooft the Seals ofthis Boo~,&c. Verf. 2. The ufe of the Seals, is not !imply to fhew, that it cannot be known, as Daniel's Sealed Book did fhew, that the Things in it could not be known till the End; Dan. 12. 4· But thou,. 0 Daniel, j/Jut up the Words, and foal the Boo/z, even to the time of the End : Many fha/1 run to and fro, and Knowledg jha/1 be en– creafid. This fignified not only fo, but it is for the fetting out the Glory ofChrifr, and how he was only able to tak! the Boo4, and Iooft the Seals, &c. r. God caufeth a general Proclamation to be made to all Creatitres ; as fame Kings have done for fame noble Service, promifing a great Reward, as Saul did, I Sam. 17. 26, 27. · 2. An Angel makes this Proclamation ; to fhew, that none arriong Meri could : and was a flrong Angel; that fo his Voice may reach all Creatures. The end of which was ; t. To ltir up frrong defires in 'John, and aii eire that reade, to fearch into the meaning of this Prophecy. ·What he did exhort to, Chap. r. 3· and by ptomife provoke unto ; here he does the fame again by this Proclamatioit. . . 2. To fer out the weaknefs of the Creature frill to the end, that fo the Ho' nour of Chrifr might the more appear, in that he only can do this. It is God's manner thus to endear Mercies to us, ai he did a Wife unto Adam : He firft btought
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