Annotations Upon the New Testament, Revelation · Chapter 14 – Chapter 15
CHAP. XIV.
Vers. 1. HAving his Fathers name written in their heads] Ad constantiam confessionis, for the constancy of their confession.See 9.4.
Vers. 2. And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers, harping with their harpes] The voice of the Lord is compared to many waters for its irresistible force and admirable noise, making men wonder;Forbes. to thunder for its terrour and power shaking all things, to a gentle sound of harpes for the worke of peace and joy in the conscience.
Per hoc significatur celerrimus evangelii cursus. Gerh.Vers. 6. And I saw another Angell flye in the midst of heaven] That is, another besides one of those fingers. For he made mention of no Angell before this, except we shall say, those Musitians were a Quire of Angels. Mede.
The everlasting Gospell] Not in respect of the future, but of the time past, viz. that which was promised from the beginning of the world.Mede. Not that it was eternally preacht, Rom. 16.25. but 1. Because it proceedeth from the eternall Counsell of God. 2. It containeth the words of eternall life. 3. It remaineth for all eternity. Dr Taylor on Time. As the hills, paths, and desolations are said to be everlasting, or ancient, Esay 58.12. and 61.4. Jer. 6.16. and 18.16. Deut. 33.15. Gen. 49.26. Esay 54.47. So the Gospell that is from the beginning.
It is called Eternall (saith Brightman) as if the Holy Ghost would of purpose meet with the offence of those times, when the truth that was restored should commonly be condemned for novelty.
Vers. 8. And there followed another Angell, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen] After the Preaching of the everlasting Gospell, presently follow the fall of Babylon, that is, Rome. It is already accomplished in part: It is fallen, … purity of Doctrine. 2. In the estimation which once it had. 3. In authority, but th… Prophecie notes the certainty of her fall by an outward overthrow.Dr. Taylor.
This commination is taken out of Esay 21.9. and Jer. 51.8. in which words the Prophets threaten the ruine of Babylon of the Chaldees, which had grievously oppressed the people of God with a 70 yeares Captivity. This cannot be that Babylon. 1. Because that neither was, nor is, nor shall be the Seat of Antichrist, as this Babylon shall by the consent of all Interpreters, saith Pareus. Pareus. Toti quae praefidet orbi. Vide Down. Diat. de Ant. l. 1. c. 7.2. This Babylon is that great City which in the time of John ruled over the Kings of the earth, Rev. 17.18. but then that Monarchy was with the Romans, not the Babylonians. Ribera ingeniously confesseth, that this Babylon is Rome, and the topographie of this great City agrees to none more evidently than Rome, it is said to be seated on seven Mountaines, *17.9.which agrees to no City more than to Rome, set by Romulus heretofore on seven hills.
Besides, this Babylon is called the great City, and that emphatically with a double Article foreign, urbs illo magna, that great City. It is manifest that Rome was commonly called the City foreign, and the great City,Vrbem quam dicunt Romam. Rev. 17.18. Distinctionem quandam commenti sunt inter Paganem Romam & P… panam. Illam enim Babylonem esse facile concedunt, hanc autem negant. Down. de Ant. It must be Rome Christian as it appeares from a double departure, 1 Of Babylon from the Church, Rev. 17.1. Apostasie is peculiar to Christians. Babylon is called a Whore. 2. Of the Church from Babylon, Rev. 18.3. the Temple of God is the seat of Antichrist, saith Paul. and no City but that in Saint Johns time ruled over the Kings of the Earth; all the shift the Jesuits have is, that Babylon was Rome Ethnicall under the Emperours, not Rome Christian under the Popes. But this is a poore shift, for Antichrist was not then come while Rome was Ethnicall. 2. It was Papall Rome that made all Nations drunke with the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and with whom all the Kings of the Earth committed fornication, and the people of God are commanded to go out of Rome Papall.
Ver. 8. Because she had made all Nations drinke of the wine of the wrath of her fornication] With the wine of the poyson of her fornication, That is, besotted them with amorous potions being poysoned Wine. For foreign here hath not the force of anger or wrath, but as it is used by the Seventy. Poyson, That is,See Dan. 32.33. Job. 20.16. Deut. 32.24. Job. 6.4. foreign respondet Hebraeo Chemah, Quod significat quandoque venenum, Psa. 58.5. Sed potest ufitata significatio vocis foreign retineri. Dicitur vinum irae, quia Deus ex justa indignatiene tales seductiones & excaecationes permittit, ut concemptus Evangelii puniutur, 2 Thes. 2.10. Gerh. in loc. they would have it equivalent to the Hebrew word Chemah, which one while signifieth anger, another while poyson.
Vers. 10. The same shall drinke of the wine of the wrath of God, which is powred out without mixture] That notes summam poenae severitatem, a punishment next to hell, there is utter darknesse, Philosophers say here non dantur purae tenebrae.
Vers. 13. Blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord] Beza renders it who dye for the Lord, or for his sake; They die in the Lord which either suffer death for Christ,In the Lord.] That is, saith Mede for the Lord, as Ephes. 4.1. rather in the faith of Christ being incorporated into him, as Rom. 8.1. and 16 7. In Domino moriuntur, quicunque per fidem uniti & conjuncti Christo, in unum quasi corpus cum e… coalescunt. Rainold de lib. Apoc. praelect. 80. Moriuntur in Domino, id est, propter confessionem nominis ipsius, in vera fide in Christum, in vera Dei invocatione, Rom. 16.12. 1 Cor. 7.39. Gerh. or end their life in firme faith in him, that suffer Martyrdome, or dye any way in the state of grace. Ribera a great Jesuite, though he confesse, that the common current of Expositors runs with the latter sense, yet is more earnest for the former, that Martyrs be meant specially, that (In) is put for (Propter) as oft in the old Testament, and sometimes in the New; he strives the more for that sence, because the other puts out Purgatory fire, for if all Beleevers dye in Christ and are blessed, and that henceforth, then none are to be purged. Martyres potissimum intelligi concedimus solos verò intelligi negamus, saith Gerhard in loc.
From henceforth] That is, (say some) that constantly hold out in these times of persecution, presently (say others) from the very time of their death. So Dr Rainolds and Gerhard.
That they may rest from their labours] That is, 1. Of a toilesome particular calling, Jer. 16.29. 2. Under afflictions from God, and persecutions from men. 3. Under sin their spirituall warfare. 4. Under temptation. 5. Desertion.
Opera eorum, i.e. Merces operum, quae ex gratia datur. Gerh. Rainold. ubi supra.And their workes do follow them] Go with them, the words well weighed sound so, workes are put metonymically for the wages and reward of their works, as 2 Cor. 5.10.
That every one may receive the things in his body] That is, the rewards of those things he hath done, agreeably to that which he hath done, whether good or evill.
Their workes here are their eternall rewards, and that in foure things. 1. In a consummation of grace. 2. In a perfect communion with the Lord Christ. 3. In a perfect fruition of God. 4. In the glorious imployment that the soule shall have in heaven.
CHAP. XV.
IN this and the next Chapter is prophesied and declared the last ruine of the enemies of the Church, this Chapter is the preparation to it, and the next the execution of it.
Vers. 2. And I saw as it were a Sea of glasse mingled with fire] Some say this is a lively embleme of this *Pareus Ribera, à Lapide. Dum splendet stangitur. See Rev. 4.6.world, whose glory is but glasse, bright, yet brittle: and it is mingled with fire, which signifieth the consumption of the world; which as glasse is melted with fire. 2 Pet. 3.12.
Rather (saith Brightman) Gospell-ordinances, and the fire signifieth contention, Luke 22.45.
Having the harpes of God] That is, divine, most excellent and sweet, after the manner of the Hebrewes, who say all those things are of God, which are chiefe and most excellent in their kind, as Gen. 23.6. Psal. 36.7. Or because God sendeth the joy of his Spirit into their hearts,Brightman. wherewith they may be able to give God his due praises for this his notable kindnesse and goodnesse unto them.
Vers. 3. And they sing the song of Moses the Servant of God and the song of the Lambe, saying, Great and marvellous are thy workes, &c.] Which expressions are taken out of Exod. 15. and Psal. 111.2, 3. & 7. verses.
Vers. 6. Clothed in pure and white linnen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles] The Angels are described to be cloathed with pure and white linnen, and to have their breasts girded with golden girdles, that is, all of them were cloathed with the righteousnesse of Christ, (which is pure linnen) both justifying and sanctifying them, the one imputed,Cotton. the other inherent, and all of them were sincere professors of the truth of Christ,Zonae aureae denotant praeclara Spiritus sancti Charismata, quibus sunt instructi. Gerh. in loc. their breasts girded with the golden girdles of truth.