Commentary on the Epistles and Revelation of John, Commentary 22 · Chapter 14
CHAP. XIIII. Verſe 1. A Lamb]
IN oppoſition to that counterfeit lamb, Chap. 13. 12. A lion he can ſhew himſelf at pleaſure.
Stood] Ready preſt for action, as at the ſtoning of Stephen. or he ſtood centinel for ſuch as he here reſerved to himſelf under the raign and rage of Antichriſt.
An hundred fourty and four thouſand] The ſame that were ſealed, Chap. 7. all the holy Martyrs, confeſſ…urs, believers.
Having his Fathers name] His father and their father,Exod. 28.38. his God and their God: this was written on their fore-heads, as Holines to the Lord was upon the high-Prieſts.
Verſe 2. As the voice of many waters] The Word of God (called here a voice from heaven hath (ſaith an Expoſitour) three degrees of operation in the hearts of men. 1. It works wondering (as the ſound of many waters) and acknowledging of a ſtrange force, and more then humane power, Mar. 1.22, 23. Luk. 4.32.M. Forbes. Joh. 7.46. 2. It works not only wonder but fear, as thunder doth: thus it wrought in Felix, and may do in any reprobate. 3. In works in the elect, peace and joy: it makes muſick in the ſoul, far ſweeter then that of harpers, 1 Pet. 1 8.
Verſe 3. A new ſong] See the Note on Chap. 5.9.
But the hundred, &c] To whom alone it was given to underſtand the myſteries of Gods kingdome. Others could not skill of it.
From the father] i. e. From the Antichriſtian rout and rabble. Theſe dunghill-cocks meddle not with that jewel, the joy of faith, but ſpeak evil of that they know not.
Verſe 4. Which were not defiled with women] Which have not moiled themſelves with fornication corporall or ſpirituall, as thoſe Iſraelites, Numb. 24. by Balaams counſell; and as Papiſts at this day, ſeduced by thoſe effeminate locuſts, Chap 9.8. As for their ſhavelings that plead this text to prove marriage a defilement, let them hear the Apoſtle, Heb. 12.4. and another almoſt as ancient: Siquis coinquinationem vocet commixtionem legitimam,Ignatiu… habet inhabitatorem draconem Apostatm. If any call lawfull marriage a defilement, that man hath a devil dwelling in him.
Theſe are they which follow the Lamb] As the ſea-mans needle doth the North-pole: or as the hop, in its growing, winding about the pole, follows the courſe of the Sun from Eaſt to Weſt, and can by no means be drawn to the contrary: chaſing rather to break then yeeld.
Theſe were redeemed] For royall uſe. See Verſ. 3.
Being the firſt fruits] Separated and ſanctified unto him from the reſt of the world.
Verſe 5. And in their mouth] Children they are that will not lie, Iſa. 63.8. neither is a deceitfull tongue found in their mouth, Zeph. 3.13. They will rather die then lie. The officers of Merindoll anſwered the Biſhop that moved them to abjure, that they marvelled much that he would go about to perſwade them to lie to God and the world: affirming that they puniſhed their children very ſharply, when they took them with a lie, even as if they had committed a robbery; for the devil is a lier,Act. and Mon. fol. 86…. &c.
For they are without fault] 1. By Imputation. 2. By Inchoation.
Verſe 6. And I ſaw another Angel] This is held to be John Wicliffe, who wrote more then two hundred volumes againſt the Pope; and was a means of much good to many. The Lady Anne, wife to King Richard the ſecond, ſiſter to Wenceſ…ans King of Bohemia, by living here was made acquainted with the Goſpel: whence alſo many Bohemians coming hither, convey'd Wicliffes books into Bohemia, whereby a good foundation was laid for the following Reformation.
In the midst of heaven] Not in faſtigio coeli, in the height of heaven, as ſome render it; but alow rather, and as it were in the mid-heaven, becauſe of the imperfection of his doctrine, when it was firſt divulged.
Having the everlasting Gospel] The ancient truth, no new Doctrine. A Gentleman being asked by a Papiſt, Where was your Religion before Luther? anſwered, In the Bible, where yours never was.
Verſe 7. Fear God] Let one fear drive out another (as one fire doth another) the fear of God, the fear of your fellow-creatures, who draw you to diolatry. For this it is, that the ſecond Commandment is the firſt with puniſhment.
Give glory to him] By confeſſing your ſins, and amending your waies. See Joſh 7.19. Jer. 13.16.
For the hour of his judgement is come] The judgement that he will exerciſe upon Idolaters, and their mawmets, as once in Egypt. See Joh. 12.31. Act. 17.30, 31. Act. 14.15.Bu…bol….
And the fountains of waters] Quantum miraculi ſit in admiranda illa fluminum perennitate, nemo, credo, philoſophorum ſatis explicare hactenus potuit, ſaith one.
Verſe 8. And there followed another Angel] Martin Luther with his book de captivitate Babylonia, which when Bugenhagius firſt read, he raſhly cenſured for the moſt peſtilent book that ever was written: But upon better deliberation, he retracted his former ſentence, and became a means to convert many others
Of the wine of the wrath] Of the intoxicating enraging wine, that ſets men a madding after her:
Nam Venus in vinis, ignis in igne furit.
There is a ſtory of Walter Mapes, ſometimes Arch-deacon of Oxford, who relating the Popes groſſe ſimony, concludes his Narration thus, Sit tamen Domina mater que noſtra Roma baculus in aqua fractus: & abſit credere quae vidimus. Rome had raviſhed this man out of his wits.
Verſe 9. And the third Angel] Underſtand by this third Angel, all the Reformers and Preachers of the Goſpel after Luther, to the end of the world.
If any man worſhip] See Mr Perkins his Treatiſe. A Papist cannot go beyond a reprobate.
And receive his mark] He ſaith not this of thoſe that have the name or the number of the Beaſt. For we doubt not but many were carried away by him, as thoſe 200 were by Abſolom in the ſimplicity of their hearts, 2 Sam. 15.11. knowing nothing of his treaſon.
Verſe 10. Of the wine of the wrath of God] Wine for wine. God delights to retaliate and proportion: as he that ſaid, Fumos vendidit, fumo pereat.
Without mixture] viz. Of mercy, with which God uſually moderateth the cup of believers afflictions. See Jam. 2.13. They only ſip of the top of Gods cup, Illud tantùm quod ſuavius eſt & limpidius: Reprobates drink the dregs.
In the preſence of the holy Angels] Who ſhall be not ſpectatours only, but executioners alſo, as once at Sodome.
In the preſence of the lamb] Notwithſtanding their Ag… Dei's, and other ſuperſtitious trumperies.
Verſe 11. And the ſmoke of their torment] Ʋtinam de gehenna ubi que diſſereretur, ſaith Chryſoſtome. Would to God men would every where think and talk more of hell, and of that eternity of extremity that they ſhall never elſe be able to avoid or to abide. Surely one good means to eſcape hell, is to take a turn or two in hell, by our daily meditations.
Verſe 12. Here is the patience] See Chap. 13.10. The beaſt, being thus declared and declaimed againſt, will rage above meaſure: hold out therefore faith and patience.
Verſe 13. Avoice from heaven] That voice of Chriſt, Joh. 5. 24. & 8.51.
Write, Bleſſed are the dead] Though by the Pope accurſed and pronounced damned heretikes.
Which die in the Lord] Eſpecially, if for the Lord: which is (ſaid father Latimer) the greateſt promotion in the world, ſuch as is not granted to any Angel in heaven.
From henceforth] As well as heretofore in thoſe primitive perſecutions.
Rest from their labours] The ſleep of theſe labourers, oh how ſweet is it! Quale ſopor feſſis in gramine—they get the goal, they enter the haven,
Italiam ſocij laeto clamore ſalutant.
And their works follow them] They die not with them, as Hortenſius his Orations did. Mors privare potest opibus, non operibus.
Verſe 14. A ſharp ſickle] An inſtrument to cut down corn, Deut. 16.9. and the bunches and branches of the grapes, Iſa. 18.5. It betokens ſharp and ſudden vengeance. What more beautifull to behold then the field afore harveſt, then the vineyard afore the vintage, &c? This is ſpoken for the conſolation of the perſecuted people of God.
Verſe 15. Thrust in thy ſickle] This is not a command, but a requeſt of the faithfull, which is ſoon fulfilled. It is like that of the Church, Pſal. 102.13. Ariſe, O Lord, and have mercy upon Sion: for the time …o favour her, yea the ſet time is come.
Verſe 16. And he that ſate on the cloud] That is Chriſt, who ſoon condeſcendeth to the ſuits of his ſervants. Iste vir potuit quod voluit, ſaid one concerning Luther. The death of Arrius was, Precationis opus, non morbi, the fruit of praier, rather then the effect of his diſeaſe, ſaith another. He was brought to confuſion by the praiers of Alexander, the good Biſhop of Conſtantinople.
Verſe 17. And another Angel] The community of faithfull Chriſtians that combine againſt Antichriſt, to pull him out of his throne, and cut his comb.
Verſe 18. And another Angel] A type of true Paſtours,M Forbes. ſaith an Interpreter: by whoſe plain and powerfull preaching the other are informed and ſtirred up to conſecrate their hands to the Lord. Such an Angel was Zuinglius, who died in battle: ſuch was Beza in that battle that was fought in campis Druidenſibus: Such were the Angrognian Miniſters, and ſuch were ſundry of our late Army preachers, M. Marſhall, M. Aſh, my dear brother M. Tho. Jackſon now of Gloceſter, &c.
Which had power over fire] Not Chriſtum & evangelium flammeum praedicans, as a Popiſh varlet ſlandered Beza at the fore-mentioned fight, but as pacifying the fire of contention amongſt brethren, and ſetting them all together againſt the common enemy.
Thrust in thy ſharp ſickle] Fall on, quit you like men, be valiant for the Lord of Hoſts: Curſed is he that doth the Lords work negligently, Curſed is he that with-holdeth his ſword from bloud. Thus the faithfull Miniſters ſtrengthened the hands and hearts of the ſouldiers to battle, and made them ſtick cloſe to their colours and Commanders.
Are fully ripe] Ripe for vengeance, as the Amorites were, when they had filled the land from one end to another with their uncleanneſſe, Ezra 9.11. About the year of grace, 1414. Theodoricus Ʋrias an Auguſtinian in Germany, complained, That the Church of Rome was then become, Ex aurea argenteam, ex argentea ferream, ex ferrea terream, ſupereſſe ut in ſtercus abiret; Jac. Rev. p. 229of gold ſilver, of ſilver iron, of iron earth, which would ſhortly turn to muck.
Verſe 19. And the Angel thruſt in] Down go the Antichriſtians immediately, by the power and proweſſe of the Chriſtian armies, thus edged and eneagered by their Preachers. This we have ſeen fulfilled in our late wars to our great comfort, at Edge-hill and Nazeby-fight eſpecially.
Into the great wine-preſſe] Lacus iſte locus caedis. This wine-preſſe is called Armageddon, chap. 16.16.
Verſe 20. And the wine-preſſe was troden] viz. By Chriſt the King, with his heavenly horſe-men, Chap. 9 13, 14.
Without the City] i. e. Without the Church, haply in Judaea, whither the Pope being driven from Rome. ſhall … and ſit, till Chriſt ſhall unrooſt him with the brightneſſe of his coming, 2 Theſſ. 2.8.
Even unto the horſe-bridles] To confute the pride and cruelty of thoſe bloody Papiſts that threatned to ride their horſes up to the ſaddle-skirts in the bloud of the Lutherans: ſo Farneſius, Miner…us, Felix of Wartenburg, Sr Charles Ellerker, Charles the ninth of France. Flac Illyr. Act. and Mon.that cruell Queen, who when ſhe ſaw ſome of her Proteſtant Subjects lying dead, and ſtripped upon the earth, cried out, The goodlieſt Tapiſtry that ever ſhe beheld. Theſe and the like ſhall be one day glutted with bloud, which they have ſo barbarouſly thirſted after. Satiate ſanguine. quem ſitiiſti, &c. as ſhe ſaid of Cyrus.Iuſtin. l. 1.