A Christian Dictionary, Dictionary 2 · Part 112 – Part 114
V. I.
Uials golden. sig:
THE heartes of the faithfull, filled by the Spirit with feruent Prayers, which are pleasing to God thorough Christ (as sweete odours bee to our sense.) Reue. 5, 8. They had Golden Vials full of sweet Odours, which are the praiers of the Saints. These wordes, teach how pretious Vessels the hearts of true beleeuers are, and how sweete the Prayers bee which come from them, by allusion to the manner of the Temple at Hierusalem. Sée Zach. 14, 20. Psal. 141, 2.
2 The holy minds, not of all the faithfull, but of the true Seruants and Ministers of Christ, filled not with seruent pure Prayers onelyonly, but with the seuere iudgements of God, which they are ready to denounce by threatning with integrity, against and vponupon the Kingdome of Antichrist, and Popish worshippers; and because God is pure and holy, euen in his iudgementes threatned and executed on the wicked; Therefore, those Vials are saide to bee of Gold, and because God will be throughly auenged on his Enemies; therefore, the Vials are said to be full of wrath, which being the wrath of him who liueth for euer, amplifieth the grieuousnesse of it. Reuel. 15, 7. Seauen Golden Vials full of the wrath of God, which liueth for euermore. If the seauen Angels, spoken of in the former part of this verse, bee properly taken, not for Ministers of the word, but for Caelestiall Spirites, yet the matter is all one, that God is decreed to execute his vengeance, silently and fully, as one would poure Water out of Vials. Note, that the first euents of Gods iudgements in this Booke, were called Seales, because they were for confirmations of the future: Then, Trumpets succeeded, to shew, that the iudgements following were not onelyonly denounced with great noyse, but grieuouslie executed. Thirdly, Vials, which beeing capacious Vessels of Diuine iudgements, did serue as fit Instruments, to consummate the destruction of Antichristian enemies, on whō they▪ should suddenly, rashly, & insensibly fall, to their vtter confusion. Reuel. 16, 1. Also Reuel. 21, 9. A Viall, is a Vessell, greater then a Cuppe, and contayneth so much Liquor, as a Man can at a draught drinke in.
Uictory of the beast. sig:
A preuayling ouer Antichrist, euen by a full and absolute victory; for which cause, heere be reckoned vp with the Beast, his Image, marke, and number of his name. All which, these Conquerors shal abhorre and hauehave in vtter execration. Reuel. 15, 2. And them that had gotten victory of the Beast, and of his Image, marke, and name.
Uines of the Uineyards. sig:
The whole number of the Reprobate, whether Heathens, Iewes, Turkes, or heapes of Hipocrites and wicked within the Church; or Idolators and Heritikes, which renounce the Church and Name of Christ, though not in profession, yet in truth. Reuel. 14, 19. And cut downe the Vines of the Vineyards of the earth. Some, iudgeth this Prophesie, not to bee of the last iudgement, when all the wicked shall be cast into the large Wine-presse of the pit of Hell, to bee tormented (as Clusters of Grapes cut off, are cast into a Fat or presse, where they be pressed,) but to hauehave beene fulfilled, in the yeare of our Lord, one thousand fiue hundred thirty and nine, here in England; when Monasteries, Abbies, Fryeries, Nunneries, & other Houses (then falsly called Religious) were pulled downe, theyr Lands and Reuennewes, conuerted to other more honest and publique vses, by the aduise and seruice of Lord Cromwell, who (as a sharpe Sickle) serued the prouidence of God, not to lop and prime, but to cut downe the Vines, euen the shining fat glorie of the Popish pontificall Church, which had taken and spread it selfe farre and neere in this rich and fruitfull Iland, such a cropping of the Vines happened in Germany, much about the same time. Let the learned iudge which sense best agreeeth.
Uirgins. sig:
Such as are purged from the corruptions of the World, but cheefely from Idolatry, which is spirituall Whoredome. Reu. 14, 4. For they be Virgins.
V. N.
vnbeléeuers sig:
Such persons as will not embrace the doctrine of Christ, but openly refuse it. Reuel. 21, 8. Fearefull vnbeleeuers.
Uncleane thing. sig:
Such as beeing themselues vnpure and filthy, are apt by contagion to infect and pollute others whom they touch. Reuela. 21, 27. No Vncleane thing.
Uniust. sig:
One, which is iniurious, offering wrong and violence to the Saints, whom they shall exercise for a time with their wicked dealing, and afterward be recompensed at Christs comming. Reu. 22, 2. Let him that is vniust, be vniust still.
V. O.
Uoices. sig▪
Strange stings and prickes of conscience, vexing men with continuall expectation of some euill to come. Reu. 4, 5. Out of the Throne proceeded Lightnings, thundrings, and Voices. Some, by these words vnderstand no other thing, but the fearefull iudgements of God, threatned in most horrible manner to the wicked, alluding to the terrible manner of deliuering the Law, by Thundring, Lightning, and sounding of a Trumpet. Exod. 19.
2 The glorious Gospell of Iesus Christ, sounded forth by the operation of the holy Ghost, to reproue the World▪ and to terrify Tyrants and Worldlings, who thereuppon raise vppe all manner of tumults and vprores▪ persecutions and slanders, represented by Thundring, Lightning▪ and Earth quake. Reu. 8, 5. And there were Voices, and Thunderings, and Lightnings, and Earquakes.
3 A word or sentence, vttered miraculously from Heauen. Reuel. 10, 8. And the Voice which I heard from heauen, spake to me againe.
Uoyce of the Bridegroome. sig:
The mirth and gladnesse, such as vseth to be expressed and exercised at Marriages. Reuel. 18, 23. The Voice of the Bride-groome shall be heard no more. In these wordes he alludeth to Ieremy. Chapter 25, 10.
a Uoyce of Harpers & Musitians, &c. sig:
All manner of mirth and ioy, expressed by any manner of Instruments, whether touched by the finger, or made to sound by the force of the breath. Reu. 18, 22. And the voice of Harpers, Musitians, and Trumpeters shall be heard no more.
Great voice of a great multitude. sig:
A most great and cheerefull noise of innumerable Cittizens of the Church-Militant, cheering & reioycing themselues with the ruine and fall of Babylon. Reuel. 19, 1. I heard a great Voice, of a great multitude in Heauen.
Uoice of many waters, and of strong thunders. sig▪
An effectuall Voice, very terrible, piercing and striking▪ (like Thunder) and making great noise, (like many Waters together) strongly prouoking both the Iewes restored, and the vnbeleeuing Gentiles, to sound forth the praises of God, for his infinite mercies in Christ, and his great iudgements against the great Whore. Reuel. 19, 6. I heard a Voyce as the Voice of many Waters, and as the Voice of strong Thunders.
a Uoice out of y• throne. sig:
A most sweete Exhortation, vttered by some of those Angels which are said to bee amiddest the Throne, and about the Throne of God, stirring vp the Seruants of God to praise him. Reuel. 19, 5. Then a Voyce came out of the Throne; saying, prayse the Lord.
Uoyce out of the temple. sig:
The faithfull Prayers of the Saintes preuailing with God, for the executing of his iudgements vponupon his, and their accursed enemies in Antichristes Kingdome. Reuel. 16, 1. And I heard a great Voice out of the Temple. Others, vnderstand this of Gods owne voice, immediatly thundring out of Heauen, the Temple of his holinesse: which cannot agree, seeing the Temple, signifieth the Militant Church in Earth. As Chap. 11, 1.