REVELATION, in Greek, Apocalypsis. This Name is given in particular to a Book written by St. John, for which see Apocalypse before.
‘Tis also call’d a Revelation, when God makes manifest any thing to Man in an extraordinary and supernatural Manner; whether by Dream, Vision, Ecstacy, or otherwise. St. Paul speaking of his Visions and Revelations, speaks of ‘em in the third Person out of Modesty, and declares, that he could not tell whether he was in the Body, or out of the Body. Elsewhere he says, that he had not received his Gospel by the Ministry of Men, but by a particular Revelation from God; furthermore, that he did not go to Jerusalem after his Conversion by the meer Motion of his own 2 Cor. xii. 1, 7. 12.Gal. i. Gal. ii. 2.Mind, but in Consequence of a Revelation that he had for that purpose.
Lastly, The Word Revelation is us’d to express the Manifestation of Jesus Christ to the Jews and Gentiles,Luk. ii. 32. the Manifestation of the Glory with which God will glorify his Elect, and his faithful Servants at the Rom. viii. 19.last Judgment; and the Declaration of his just Judgments, in his Conduct both towards the Elect, and towards the Reprobate.
Rom. ii. 5.I need not speak of the common Acceptation of the Latin Words Revelatio and Revelare, which signify barely a discovering of what was before conceal’d; as to reveal a Secret, revelare aurem, to tell in the Ear, to tell in secret; revelare turpitudinem, or ignominiam, to discover in one’s near Relation what ought to be hid, not to approach her, not to marry her.