Commentary on the Epistles and Revelation of John, Commentary 22 · Chapter 19
CHAP. XIX. Verſe 1. I heard a great voice]
IN obedience to that exhortation, Chap. 18.20. Rejoyce over her, thou heaven, &c.
Saying Allelujah] i. e. Praiſe the Lord. Was not he a wiſe man that gave this derivation of the word Al a…ſſimus, le levatus est, lu lugebant Apoſtoli, jajam reſurrexit? Acutum ſanè decompoſitum. This word is in the old Teſtament firſt uſed, Pſal. 104.35. where conſuming of ſinners is mentioned: as in the new Teſtament here, where the deſtruction of Antichriſt is fore-told.
Ʋnto the Lord] Gr. Is the Lords, as Pſal. 3.8. He is the true proprietary.
Verſe 2. Which did corrupt the earth] I read of one, who journeying to Rome, as ſoon as he came within the City ſhut his eyes, and ſo kept them: as reſolving to ſee nothing in that City (which he knew to be very corrupt, and a corrupter of others) but only the Church of S. Peter. See the Note on Chap. 18.4.Su…inx. …. p. 753.
Verſe 3. And again they ſaid Allelujah] As unſatisfiable in performing ſo divine a duty. Some think that the Hebrew word is retained to import, that after Rome is ruinated, the Churches of the Gentiles ſhall by their unceſſant praiſes provoke the Jews to joyn with them, and concelebrate the mercy: like as the Spouſe, by praiſing her beloved, ſtirred up thoſe dull daughters of Ieruſalem. to ſeek him with her, Cant. 5.9, 10,&c. with Chap. 6.1.
And her ſmoke roſe up] Like that of Sodom: Yet wretched Romanists will not be warned; whoſe judgement therefore is here revealed after that of the firing of Rome.
Verſe 4. And the four and twenty Elders] The former Allelujah was more private… every good heart being lifted up with joy and thankfulnes, when firſt they hear the good news of Antichriſts overthrow. Now this is the joint Allelujah of the publick Congregation, praiſing and magnifying God. This may bea further means to move the Jews to come in.
Verſe 5. And a voice came out] This is the Lambs voice, his all-quickning voice, which ſhall rouſe and raiſe the dead and dedolent Iews; powerfully pulling the vail from their hard hearts, which yet were ſomewhat moved and mollified by the former Alleluja's: ſo that now all the ſervants of God, ſmall and great, Iew and Gentile ſhall praiſe him with one concent.
Verſe 6. And I heard as it were the voice] See how morigerous the Saints are, and ready hearted to obey God. No ſooner are they bidden to praiſe God, but they are at it, dicto citius. See the like Pſal. 27 8.
Saying Alleluja] This was the Hoſanna Rabba, as the Iews call it:D. … 1 de … word p. …2. the victoria Hallelujatica, as the old Brittans called their victory over the Saxons. The ſtory is this. Under the conduct of Germanus (here in Brittain) who came over from France to ſubdue the Pelagian hereſie (which then prevailed amongſt us) againſt a mighty Army of Saxons and Picts, the Brittains prevailed only by the three times pronouncing the word Hallelujah: which voice ecchoing and redoubling from the acclamation of his followers among the mountains, nigh to which the enemy had encamped, frighted them and wonne the conqueſt, upon which it was called victoria Hallelujatica.
Raigneth] i. …. He now maketh it appear that he raigneth, which Averroes and ſome other of the worlds wiſards doubted of, yea denied: becauſe they ſaw bad men proſper, good men ſuffer.
Verſe 7. Hath made her ſelf ready] Being firſt made ready by the grace of Chriſt. Certum est nos facere quod facimus: ſed ille facit ut faciamus. The bowles of the Candleſtick had no oil,Aug. but that which dropped from the Olive-branches, Zach. 4.
Verſe 8. And to her was granted] It is here clear (ſaith an Interpreter) that there ſhall be as great difference between the ſtate of Gods Church now, and that which is to come after Romes …uine,Bernard. as between the time of honourable perſons only betrothed, and the high, joyfull and glorious day of their publick marrying; and as between the time of a King coming on to his Kingdome, and his actuall and powerfull raigning, as King indeed.
That ſhe ſhould be arraied] This alſo is given her, as well as her rich raiment: which ſhe can no more put on by her ſelf, then ſhe can purchaſe it.
Clean and white] Or, Pure and bright. Pure, ſaith one, becauſe imputed righteouſneſſe is pure indeed, and hath no ſpot in it;M▪ Cotton. but not bright, you can ſee no great matter in it: it maketh no great ſhew before men (as in herent righteouſneſſe doth, Mat. 5 16.) but before God. A man may be very much defiled and ſubject to many ſcandals, and yet be clothed with the garment of imputed righteouſneſſe.
The righteouſneſſe of Saints] Gr. Righteouſneſſes, that twofold righteouſnes imputed and imparted.
Verſe 9. Write] To wit this enſuing ſentence, for the uſe of poſterity, worthy to be written in letters of gold.
Bleſſed are they that are called] So they have hearts to come at Chriſts call, and not ſhew themſelves unworthy to taſte of his Supper by framing excuſe, as thoſe recuſant gueſts did, Luke 14.
Theſe are the true ſayings of God] q. d. This fore-going ſentence is a faithfull ſaying, and worthy of all acceptation, 1 Tim. 1.15.
Verſe 10. And I ſell at his feet] So taken he was with the joyfull tidings of his Countrey-men (the Jews) converſion, that he fell down as Abraham did upon the good news of Iſaac's birth, Geneſis 17.17. And it may be he took this Angel to be Chriſt, the Angel of the Covenant:Euph…r. But that was his errour. Triste mortalitatis privilegium eſt, licere a…iquando peccare.
See thou doe it not] An elliptick and conciſe kinde of ſpeech in the Greek, betokening haſte and diſpleaſure at that was done.foreign. Papiſts will needs deſpite the Angels with ſeeming courteſies and reſpects: And whereas the Councel of Laodicea, ſaith, It behoveth Chriſtians, foreign, not to pray to▪ Angels.Cap. 35. Surius and Caranza make the words to be, Non oportet Chriſtianos ad angulos congregationes facere: and the title they make, De ij… qui angulos colunt, in a clean contrary ſenſe to the Councels intention.
Verſe 11. And I ſaw heaven opened] i. e. He ſaw things done before his eyes, as it were: ſo do not we, but are left to conjectures. Here is ſhewed, ſaith one, the foil of the Beaſt, bearer up of the whore, and no queſtion but now highly chafed with her fall. This is the laſt and nobleſt act of Chriſts riding, for the Dragon and his Vicars utter deſtruction. Thus he. Here is ſhewed, ſaith another Interpreter, in what ſtate the Church ſhall be in, upon the ruine of Rome, even as a people ſtanding in arms under their General Chriſt Jeſus for a time, till the laſt battle be fought, and the enemies deſtroied.
Behold, a white horſe] Chriſt riding as an Emperour triumphing, and as a righteous Judge, Pſal. 9.8 & 96.10, 13.
Verſe 12. His eyes were as a flame of fire] A quick▪ ſighted Judge, an intelligent warriour. Counſell and ſtrength are for the war, 2 King. 18.20.
And on his head were many crowns] Let the Tripple-crowned Pope look to himſelf: Chriſt out-crowns him by farre.
And he had a name written] His holy and reverend name Jehovah, Je…. …3.importing his Godhead: for he is Jehovah our righteouſneſſe. And as thus, No man knows the Son but the Father, Mat. 11.26. for as God he is incomprehenſible, Judg. 13.18. What is his name, or what is his ſons name, if thou canſt tell? Prov. 30 4. Who ſhall declare his generation? Iſa. 53.8.
Verſe 13. Dipt in bloud] In the bloud of his enemies, as a victour returning from a huge ſlaughter. Caeſar is ſaid to have taken priſoner one million of men, and to have ſlain as many. Mahomet the firſt (Emperour of the Turks) to have been the death of 800000 men:Turk. …ſt. Scanderbeg to have ſlain 800 Turks with his own hand. But our Conquerour ſhall out-do all theſe; when he ſhall tread them in his anger, and trample them in his fury; and their bloud ſhall be ſprinkled upon his garments, and he will ſtain all his raiment. Iſa. 63.3.
The word of God] Joh.Idiotiſmus Ioannis Pare…. 1.1. & 5.7. Hereby it appears, that this was John the Evangeliſt that wrote this book.
Verſe 4. And the armies which were in heaven] The heavenly-minded Hero's, that ſight his battles, are all in his livery, horſed and habited as he, in whom they are more then Conquerours, becauſe they are ſure to conquer before they fight.
Verſe 15. A ſharp ſword] The word, Eph. 6.17. the rod wherewith he ſmiteth the earth, Iſa. 11.4. The breath of his mouth, whereby Antichriſt ſhall be over-thrown, as by force of arms, ſo alſo of arguments.
The Nations] The Paganiſh-Papagans. See the book entituled Paganopapiſmus: wherein is proved that Papiſme is flat Paganiſme, and that the Papiſts do reſemble the very Pagans in above ſevenſcore ſevera…l things.
And he treadeth the wine-preſſe] At Armageddon, Chap. 16.16.
Verſe 16. And on his thigh] Where his ſword hangs, Pſal. Non minor eſt virtus quam querere parta ….45.3. to ſhew that he will keep what he hath gained (Vincere ſ…is Annibal, victoriâ utin…ſ…is, ſaid one) Or, on his thigh, quia filiabitur nomine ejus, Pſal. 72.17. the name of Chriſt ſhall endure for ever, it ſhall be begotten, as one generation is begotten of another, there ſhall be ſucceſſion of Chriſts name: He ſhall ſee his ſeed, he ſhall prolong his daies, and the pleaſure of the Lord ſhall prosper in his hands, Iſa. 5.10. Confer Gen. 46.26.
Lord of Lords] This title the Pope uſurps: but what ſaid Miconius in a letter to Calvin upon the view of the Churches enemies? Gaudeo quod Chriſtus Dominus eſt: alioqui totus desper aſſem, I am glad that Chriſt is Lord of Lords; for elſe I ſhould have been utterly out of hope.
Verſe 17. Standing in the Sun] Where he might beſt be heard, as an Herald. And he well types out ſuch, as by clear light of truth, ſhall make known the certain deſtruction of the enemies, before the battle he fought.
Ʋnto the ſupper of the great God] They that would not come to the ſupper of the Lamb, ſhall be made a ſupper to the fowls of heaven.
Verſe 18. That ye may eat] He alludes to Ezek. 39 4.17. Gog and Magog were a type of Antichriſt. Behold, I am againſt thee, ô Gog, the chief Prince of Meſhec and Tubal, ſaith the Lord, Ezek. 38.3. where, if Gog be the great Turk, and Meſhec Cappadocia, where he firſt ſetled himſelf, Why ſhould he be called Prince of Tubal alſo, that is, of Spain, France and Italy, as Hierome and Joſephus interpret it (neither do Bellarmine and Gretſer diſſent?) Is it not to ſhew, that after the fall of Babylon, the Antichriſtians ſhall call in the Turk and other Pagan Princes to invade and diſtreſſe the Church, that they may all periſh together, and feed the fowls with their dead carcaſ…?
Verſe 19. And I ſaw the Beaſt] The Churches enemies are even ambitious of deſtruction. Judgments need not go to finde them out; they run to meet their bane.
Verſe 20. And the Beast was taken] Taken ſuddenly,foreign propriè d…e…tur de ijs quos ſugiemes arripimus. Bez. or as he was flying, and ſo thinking to eſcape. Dio maketh mention of a notable thief that did much miſchief in Italy (afterwards the Popes ſeat) in the daies of Severus. This Emperour uſed all the means he could to catch him, but could not do it,Dio. in Severo. Quippe qui viſus non videbatur, non inveniebatur inventus, deprehe…ſus non capiebatur, ſaith the Hiſtorian. But this ſubtle Beaſt meeteth with his match and more: for he is caught and caſt into the lake, &c. Chriſt is a conquerour ſo ſoon as ever he comes into the field, Vexit, vidit, vicit. When the enemies are tumultuating, he comes upon them as out of an Engine, and hurls them headlong into hell.
And with him the falſe prophet] This is the ſame with the Beaſt: only the Pope is called the Beaſt in reſpect of his civil power, and the falſe prophet in reſpect of his ſpirituall. See the Note on Chap. 13 12.
Theſe both were caſt alive] Death ſhall not end their miſery, but they ſhall ſuffer moſt exquiſite torments. Potentes potenter torquebuntur.
Verſe 21. Slain with the ſword] Not ſo deeply damned, and yet ſo ſlain as to be made a prey to the infernall vultures; and then the fatteſt carcaſe ſhall be the fineſt prey, the greateſt ſinners the ſoreſt ſufferers.