A Christian Dictionary, Dictionary 2 · Part 48 – Part 50
G. R.
Great Babylon. sig:
Rome, as it is now gouerned by the Pope, being like vntounto Babylon (a great Citty in Chaldea) for tyrranny, pride, power, power, Idolatry, superstition, impiety. Reuel. 17, 5. That Great Babylon, Mother of Whoredome. This cannot be meant of Heathenish Rome, vnderunder the Emperors, who did not thrust their Idolatry vponupon other Nations and Kinges, but left them eueryevery one to their religion: neither had Heathenish impiety any such Mystery in it, as with shew of piety, it shuld deceiue numbers, seeing Heathenish superstition was palpable and execrable to all sorts of Christians; therefore this must signifie Popish Rome, which with her Great shew of Religion and godly deuotion, entised Kings and people vntounto her way.
Great City sig. pro
Some large Towne, enuironed with Wals, and inhabited by Cittizens, ioyned together by the band of some Lawes, &c.
2 The whole iurisdiction and regiment of Antichrist, sitting at Rome, and raigning with great tyranny ouer mens consciences, and raging cruelly against the bodies of the Saintes. Reuel. 11, 8. Their Corpes shall lie in the Streetes of the Great Cittie.
3 VVhatsoeuer Domination, Power, and Gouernment; either of Pope or Turke, or which any enemy of the Church dooth enioy and exercise against Christ and his Church. Reuel. 16, 19. And that great Citty was rent into three parts.
4 The Towne and Iurisdiction of Rome as it was gouerned by the Emperors, which had Empire and Rule euen in Iohns time; ouer not people onelyonly, but Kings also, Rome then, being the Queen of Nations, and Mistris of the world. Reuel. 17, 18 The woman is that Great Citty.
5 The Holy Catholicke Church, consisting of beleeuing Gentiles and Iewes, called and ioyned vntounto the Communion of Saints in the latter end of the world. Others vnderstand it, of the Coelestiall Church. Reuel. 21, 10. And shewed mee that Great Citty.
Great day. sig:
That time, wherein Christ shall shew his terrible vengeance and power, for the destruction of such as hurt his Church, and for the deliuerance of his people. Reuel. 6, 17. The Great day of his wrath is come.
2 The time, wherein the enemies of the Church shal assemble themselues together, by the appointment of the mighty God, to endanger the safety of the Church by bloudy and cruell warre. Reuel. 16, 13. To gather them to the battell of the Great day of God almighty.
winges of a great Eagle sig:
The swiftnesse which the Church vsed, in auoiding the malice and Tyrany of Satan, that old Serpent, furiously pursuing her, while shee was yet (as it were) in her swathing Clouts. Reuel. 12, 14. To the woman were giuen the wings of a Great Eagle.
Great Earth-quake. See Earth-quake.
Great haile sig:
Stones of a maruellous greatnesse, sufficient not onelyonly to kill, but euen to crush and bruise men in peeces. Reuel. 16, 21. A Great Haile.
Great and marueilous sig:
That which for the exceeding greatnesse and greeuousnesse of it, doth deserue to bee wondered at, and admired. Reuel. 15, 1. I saw another signe in heauen, great and maruellous.
great white throne. sig:
A seate Royall, full of exceeding Maiestie and greatnesse, such as Kinges and Iudges vse to sit in. Reuel. 20, 11. And I saw a Great white Throne.
Great voice sig:
A voyce or speech most plaine, cleare, and easie to be vnderstood. Reuel. 11, 12. After this, they heard a great voyce. This was a commanding voice, from God to man.
2 A voyce of exceeding ioy and gladnesse, arising and springing vp in the faithfull, for the reformation of the Church, according to the worde of God. Reuel. 11 15. There were Great voyces in heauen, saying, &c. This is a voice of Thanksgiuing & praise, from men to God.
Great Whore. sig:
The Citty of Rome being become Ecclesiasticall and Pontificiall, by the Gouernement of the Pope and his Cardinals. For she it is, that sits vponupon many Waters, ruling ouer many nations, kingdomes and tongues, and hath committed spirituall fornication with the Kings of the earth, inticing (by meruailous craft) both Princes and people to her Idolatry. Reuel. 17, 1. Come and see the damnation of the great Whore.
great wrath sig:
Plentifull indignation, anger, and fury, which the deuil hath conceiued against the church of Christ. Reuel. 12 12. The Deuill is come downe vntounto you full of great wrath.
Greene Grasse. sig:
The fruites of the earth, of all sorts by a Sinecdoche of the part for the whole. Reuel. 8, 7. And all Greene grasse was burnt vp. Some do vnderstand this, spiritually, of the great famine and scarsity of the worde, and of Christians in shew which hauehave taken no sound roote, but were (as Greene grasse) soone scorched and signed with the heate of persecution.
G. V.
no Guile. sig:
Sincerity, truth, vprightnesse in Doctrine and conuersation. Reuel. 14, 5. In whose mouth is found no Guile. Some vnderstand this, of the most pure integrity which beleeuers hauehave, not by perfection of their own Vertues, but by imputation of Christs perfect holinesse. Both these significations may well stand together. For the Saints them-selues hauehave an vnperfect vprightnes, by infusion of grace, and a perfect integrity from Christ, by imputation of his righteousnesse.
H. A.
Habergions of Iron. sig:
THe well-fenced estate of Popish Cleargy, Monkes, Friars, &c. who were as safe, as men armed with iron Habergions; and vaine was all endeuour against them, til the time of their kingdome was expyred, Revel. 9, 9. And they had Habergions, like to Habergions of Iron.
Habitation of Diuels. sig:
A place or house haunted by Diuels, or wherein Diuels were shut vp as in a prison. Reuel. 18, 2. And is become the Habitation of Diuels. Such a City now is Rome, where their Doctrine, is the Doctrine of Diuels, being flat contrary to the written word; their worship, the worship of Diuels, being but of Idols and rotten bones; and their workes, workes of the Diuell.
Halfe an houre. sig:
A very short space of time, wherein the Church should enioy an happy rest, after the open enemies thereof were bridled, and Constantine the great arose out of the East. Reuel. 8, 1. There was silence in heauen, about Halfe an houre.
Halleluia. sig:
Praise ye the Lord. It is an Haebrew voyce or worde, whereby the people of God, were woont mutually to exhort and stirre vp one another ioyfully to praise God, for his vengeance against his and their enemies (as here against the great whore) and for their mercifull deliuerance. Reuel. 19, 1. Saying Halleluia. The cause of receiuing these Haebrew words in Scripture (as Osanna, Abba, Amen, Alleluia, &c. It is, to be as signes and Tokens of that coniunction, which beleeuing Gentiles hauehave, with the holy Nation of the Iewes, to whom there is but one God, and one Religion.
Harpes. sig: pro
An Instrument vsed in the Temple vnderunder the Law, whereon they praised God, according to those times, when the Church was in her infancy.
2 Praise and Thanksgiuing, offered vp to God by the Church (represented by the 24. Elders) for the opening of the Booke and the Seales thereof. Reuel. 5, 8. Hauing eueryevery one of them Harpes.
3 The sweete consent of Godly Teachers in Churches, making a pleasant Harmonie. Reuel. 14, 2.
to Hate the Whore. sig:
To hauehave (the Church of Rome degenerated) in execration, euen with loathing; to abhorre her as a Whore, a Mother of Whoredome, which hath bewitched the Kings of the earth with her Golden Cup, the Butchery of Gods Saintes, like to Sodome and Aegypt, therefore worthy to be Hated. Reuel. 17, 16. They shall Hate the Whore.
Hatefull birds. sig: pro
Vncleane and euill fauoured Fowles, such as haunt and frequent forsaken and desolate places, being odious to all other Fowles, for their rauening; such be the Vulture, the Crow, the Rauen, the Owle, the Kite, &c.
2 Vncleane and filthy men (such as the now Romish Synagogue doth, and long hath abounded with) which liue by Rapine and Iniquity; and in that regard are hatefull to all ciuill honest men, but most hatefull to the Saints. Reuel. 18, 2. Uncleane and Hatefull Birds.