Annotations Upon the New Testament, Revelation · Chapter 16
CHAP. XVI.
Vers. 1. ANd I heard a great voyce out of the temple] Great] That is, vehement & terrible, such a one as he heard, ch. 1. v. 10. & 6.1. & 11.12. Without doubt of the Lambe or of God sitting in the throne as the chiefe disposer of these punishments. Pareus.
There is a two fold voice mentioned in this booke. 1. From the throne, ch. 19. v. 5. that is,Brightman. from God immediately. 2. From the Temple, as here, that is obtained by the prayers of the Saints.
Bullinger and others thinke these vialls import onelyonly temporall and bodily plagues, Brightman and some others will have them onelyonly Spirituall, but they are mixed. Cowper.Go your wayes and poure out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth] The vials are vessels of large content, but of narrow mouths, they poure out slowly, but drench deeply, and distill effectually the wrath of God, they are vessels of full and just measure, as all these judgments are dispensed in weight and measure.
Of the wrath of God] That argueth, that upon what subject soever these vials fell, the wrath *Cotton. As Antichrist rose by seven trumpets in the 8. Chapter; so he shall fall by seven vialls, they shall be poured on the whore of Babylon, Papists and wee agree in this, but differ in the other, who shall be the whore, we say the Church of Rome, and some of them also. Destruction comes upon all those that joyne with Rome, the earth, the common people, The S…i ditionem Romanam, Rivers, those that carry abroad her trumperies, the Sun, the highest authority that holds on Rome.of God fell together with them upon the same, therefore that is a dangerous interpretation, v. 8. to expound the Sun to be the Scriptures.
VponUpon the earth] That is, the common sort of Catholiques.
Vers. 2. Them which worshipped his image] They which worshipped the Image of the Beast are such as are devoted to the Canons of Popish Churches, and receive them as articles of their faith, these are all afflicted with a noysome and grievous sore, by the powring out of this first viall. For those who did powre it out were such as did convince them of the damnable estate of a Catholicke, this was the common practice of the Martyrs of Jesus Christ in Q. M. Edw. the sixths, and H. the eights time, who discovered unto them, that all their Religion was but the worship of God after the devices of men, even will-worship, such as they were led unto by the man of sinne; upon this discovery there fell a noysome and grievous sore upon their Catholicke Priests, it is an allusion to Exod. 9.11.
Vers. 3. And the second Angell poured out his viall upon the sea, Upon the confluxe of all sorts at Trent. Brightman. Pareus. Those deadly decrees are written wi…h the blood of Heretickes. Cotton.and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soule died in the sea] This verse describes the powring out of the viall of the second Angell. He poures it on the sea, and it became as the bloud of a dead man. The allusion is to a like plague upon Egypt, Exod, 7.20.21. The Sea of the Antichristian world is here meant, a distinct world from that heavenly State wherin other reformed Churches stand. The confluence of all their ordinances as they doe administer the worship of God. The Sea is become blood] That is, this Religion of theirs is convinced and discovered to be such as holds forth a dead Christ, and dead ordinances to any spirituall life. And every thing living in that Sea dyed, that is, every soul that had no other life, but what was bred and fed in that Religon; & had no other Christian life but what he sucked and derived from that Religion, they all perished everlastingly.Chemnitius, Iunius, Chamier, Whitaker, Raynolds, Perkins and Ames. The Angell who powred out this viall was those worthy servants of Christ which have written either against the Trent-councell or Bellarmine, that have convinced their doctrine and worship to be all polluted, and to bee such, that if a man know, and practice, and beleeve no better, he cannot be saved.
4, 5, 6, 7. Verses. These Rivers and fountaines of water are generally conceived to be the Priests and Ministers of the Popish Church, who carry popish Religion up and downe the Nations, as Fountaines and Rivers doe the Sea up and down the earth. It became bloud as the Sea before, and carried but corrupt water which they received from the Sea. 2 Pet. 2.17. Bloud] Not onelyonly in regard▪ that their waters themselves are bloud, the doctrine and worship which they doe hold forth to the people are corrupt as their Sea is (like the plague in Aegypt, when their Waters and Rivers were turned to bloud) but chiefly in regard of the punishment which they inflict on them, for so doing, which is a bloudy death. To give a man blood to drinke is to kill him,See 5.6, verses. Cotton. Vide Pareum. as Tomyris of old said to King Cyrus. Thou hast been a blood-thirsty man, drinke thou bloud which thou hast thirsted. This Angell made the Priests to undergoe a bloody death, to drinke blood, and also made all that received and entertained them to drink blood too▪ and this was effectually accomplisht by Q. Elizabeth (saith Mr Cotton) when in the 27. yeare of her reigne, by the consent of the Parliament she made it a law, that if any Priest or Jesuite which had received orders from the Sea of Rome, or any authority from the Sea, should come into the Realme, and go about or practise to seduce any of the Queens loyall subjects from their allegiance to the obedience of the Sea of Rome; or practice to draw them to that Religion, he should be judged of high Treason, and suffer as in case of a Traytour.
Vers. 5. And I heard the Angell of the waters] This Angell of the waters was he or she that poured out this viall on these waters.Q. Eliz. with the consent of her Parliament, saith Mr Cotton. He attributes not onelyonly righteousnesse to God in this, but immutabilitie and constancy, which art, and wast, and shalt be alway] Levit. 24.19.20, 21. Gen. 9.4, 5, 6.
The word translated Altar signifieth properly an Altar for beasts that are slaine, though sometimes it be put for the Altar of Incense. as 8.3. Which is also a signe of Christs death in like manner.Vers. 7. And I heard another out of the Altar say] That is, another Angell, a Minister and Messenger of Gods justice. This phrase out of the Altar, in this booke doth usually hold forth some under persecution, either going in or new come out of persecution, so it is expressed, Rev. 6.9. The Altar is Christ, and Christ suffering; and those under the Altar are they that suffered with Christ for the word of God, speaking of the primitive Christians in their first persecution. Here he saith not, they were under martyrdome, but they were come out from under the Altar, that holds forth (saith Mr Cotton) those Christians in the Low-Countries, who of a long time had been under persecution by Duke D' Alva, and other Spanish Princes. Duke D' Alva boasted of it, that he had put 36000. Hugonets and Protestants to death, for the testimony of Jesus, but they were rescued by the faithfulnesse of God, giving and blessing the courage of Queene Elizabeth, and now they are got from under the Altar.
Vers. 8. And the fourth Angell poured out his viall upon the Sun] That is, the house of Austria say some; the highest authority that holds on Rome, say others.
Vers. 9. And they repented not to give him glory] See v. 11. Babylon must needs be destroyed, because she shall never repent.
Vers. 10. And the fifth Angell poured out his viall upon the feare of the beast] The seat of the Beast is generally taken for the City of Rome,That is his kingdome, as the following words explain, and the familiar phraseologie of scripture doth evince. Dauids throne is put for his kingdome, and Satans for his ch. 2. & 13. Forbes. and it is confirmed from the like speech, Rev. 13.2. and therefore they gather from hence the ruine of Rome; rather the Popes singular sole authority, and monarchiall frame of Church-government, whereby he sitteth chiefe, and onelyonly Judge in ecclesiasticall causes, in his own jurisdiction.
And his kingdome was full of darknesse] A Kingdome is a government wherein one doth reigne.
It is an allusion (say some) to the stratagem by which Cyrus made himselfe Master of Babylon, having cut the river and turned Euphrates into many little Channels.Vers. 12. And the sixth Angell poured out his viall upon the great river Euphrates, and the water thereof was dryed up, that the way of the Kings of the east might be prepared] The Christian Kings shall so farre fall off from Rome, as that they shall drie up all her revenewes, when they shall see and abhorre the vanity of their Images and Temples, and monasteries, and the unprofitablenesse of their expences, when they shall see the wickednesse of their bloudy inquisitions, the unnaturallnesse of all those murders of Gods blessed servants, and their witcheries and sorceries; the horrible fornications and whoredomes of their Stewes, then is the fountaine of the Turkish maintenance cut off also, and a ready way made indeed for the Kings of the earth, that is the Jews, Exod. 19.6. Dan. 7.27.
Out of their mouthes, that is their commands 3. That is, Cardinalls Bishops and Jesuites. Jesuites are frogges, 1. Vncleane. 2. Make a noise in the darke. 3. They arise out of putrefaction and live of it. 4. Are animalia amphibia, one while in the earth, another while in the water; so they seeme lay-men and Priests. 5. As Pharoahs frogs, they go into the Kings bed-chamber. These frogges by the common consent of Catholicke expositors are the rabble of Popsh Fryers Priests and Jesuites. Mr Perkins. Animal impudens, obstreperum, loquax, coaxatione & garrulitate intolerabile. Vide Fenneri Theol. p. 229.Vers. 13. And I saw three uncleane spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the Dragon, and out of the mouth of the false Prophet] False Prophets which pretended to speake by the Spirit of God, 1 Iohn 4.1. They are spirits for nimblenesse and activity, for impetuousnesse and strength, for close and cleanly conveiance; And Spirits of Devils, v. 14. That is, of a devillish nature, The Greeke word shews their knowledge and learning, they are learned spirits, and yet Devills for their deceit and mischiefe. The Dragon is Satan acting Rome, the beast *There were foure beasts in Ezekiell which persecuted the Church of the Jews, here is mention made, but of the Beast, because this hath as much cruelty as all the other. B. Vsher.Rome Antichristian, the false Prophet the Pope.
Vers. 14. Working miracles] 2 Thes. 2.9.
Which goe forth unto the Kings of the earth] That is, the earthly Religion.
The whole world] That is, both Popish and pagane Princes.
To gather them to the battell of that great day of God Almighty] That is not the last judgment (as some have thought) there will be no warning then,That is, to get a great battell against Christ and those Christian Princes that have been studious in the reformation of religion. but every day of great execution is called a great day of God Almighty. See 19. ch. 17.
Vers. 15. Behold I come as a Thiefe] Not in injustice or robbery, but sodainely, secretly and unexpectedly, yea and also violently and terribly as a Thiefe. See 3.3. Matth. 24.43. Luke 12.39. 1 Thes. 5.2.
Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments] That is, He enjoyes his own blessednesse, and increaseth and establisheth it. Some understand the keeping of his garments of the imputed righteousnesse of Christ, so it is to hold fast fiduciam remission is;Brightm. Others *Cotton.interpret it of inherent righteousnesse, Rev. 19.8. Others of the glory of our profession, garments being given to cover our nakednesse, Rev. 3.4. That walke unspotted.
Least he walke naked and they see his shame] He shall by this meanes prevent the discovery of his owne shame and nakednesse.
Ver. 16. And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue, Armageddon] That is, they went forth to perswade them, and did prevaile mightily with them.Vide Gerh. in loc. Because there at the universall slaughters of the beast the troopes or bands shall bee destroyed. For Arma signifieth destruction, Gedon or Geddon a troop, Army. Mede. Armageddon signifieth the hill of Megiddon, for Mageddon & Megiddon are but different writings holding forth the same thing. Not that this battell shal be fought there, but it is so called because of the neere resemblance of the battell fought in this field, unto those battels which were fought in Megiddon in old time. For it is usual in the Prophets of the New-Testament to allude unto things spoken of in the old. Here is an allusion to three notable battels fought in Megiddon, Iudg. 5.19. 2 Kings 23.29. 1 Sam. 31.28. It is spoken of in the Hebrew tongue, because this shall befall the Hebrew people. The summe is, that these Spirits went forth to gather those Popish and Heathen Princes together, into a place called in the Hebrew tongue *Cotton.Armageddon, where the battell shall have the like successe that it had of old, unto the destruction of Gods three enemies, the utter ruine of Antichrist, as of Saul, the setling of the kingdome of Christ upon David, unto the conversion of the Jews, who shall upon this occasion mourne bitterly over him, whom they have pierced. It is a mourning of compunction, whereby they (seeing in this battell that Christ is indeed the true Messias) shall mourne that they have been so long estranged from him.
Ve. 17. The aire] That is, the kingdome of Satan, Ephes. 2.2. See Brightman. Rather thus, the Lord will send forth such a bright and cleere knowledge of his Christ and Church, and Saints, and holy things, which will prevaile so farre as to dispell all the mists of darknesse in all the world.
It is done] The mysterie of iniquity is abolished, and the mysterie of God is fulfilled.
Vers. 18. And there were voices, and thunders and lightnings] The Lord will so terribly affright and amaze the Sons of men with the power of his holy word and will, as that it shall suddenly breake forth all the world over.
And there was a great earthquake] This imports agitations and changes, not terrour onelyonly, it will shake out popery, and when by it the Popish aire is smitten, the Lord also will shake all the world by it, and the time doth hasten.
Vers. 19. And the great City] That is, Rome. See 17.18. & 18.20.
Was divided into three parts] It will be divided into three factions, some will sticke fast unto Popery; and others of the people of God that before durst not openly professe Religion, will now renounce Popery; the third part may be a neutrall betweene both the other.
And the Cityes of the Nations fell] The Cityes of the nations were they who did subject themselves to the popish government.See 11.
To give unto thee the cup of the wine of the fiercenesse of his wrath] Cup is a part or portion, Psal. 11.6. and 16.5. By a metaphore taken from Masters of feasts,Brightman. who were wont to measure out to every one as much as he should drinke. Gods judgements are inflicted upon men in a just measure, and wine because they are pleasing to God, as mens sins to them.
Vers. 20. And every Island fled away, and the mountaines were not found] He speaketh of the Mountaines and Islands of the Antichristian state. The Mountaines are the places where they went a whoring after their Gods in old time, Ier. 3.6. Islands places consecrated by Popish devotions, as Church-yards and the like.
Vers. 21. And there fell upon men a great haile] It is an allusion to the haile storme in Aegypt, whereof the effect was, that they sinned and hardened their hearts ye more.See 28. Esay 17. This kind of haile-storme is such a plague of God upon men, as shall destroy all their lying refuges, and discover all the counterfeit Religions in the world.