486 xxii. Rev. And rejoice in the marriage of the Lamb:` SECT. Lord our God. For his judgments [are] true 2 For true and and righteous, and we have lately seen a most righteous are his glorious illustration of them; for he hath judged hath judged the judgments; for he xix. 2 the great harlot, who corrupted the whole earth great whore, which with the contagion of her fornication; and he did corrupt the earth has awfully avenged the blood of his faithful ser- and hath avenged with her fornication, vants and martyrs, which hath been [shed] so the blood of his ser3 profusely by her cruel hand. And a second vants at her hand. time, at the conclusion of the hymn, they said, 3 And again they "said, Alleluia. And Hallelujah: and, looking down upon her ruins, her smoke rose up they added, The smoke of her [torment] ascends for ever and ever. for ever and ever; and God is pursuing the impenitent sinners he has destroyed in her, with far more terrible vengeance in a future state, than any they could endure while they continu 4 ed in the body. (Isa. xxxiv. 10.) And the 4 And the four twenty four elders, and the four animals, so often and twenty elders, and the four beasts, mentioned before, who still appeared present, fell down and worfell down and worshipped God, who was repre- shipped God that sat sented sitting upon the throne, saying, Amen, on the throne, saying, Hallelujan, so let it be ; let universal Hallelu. Amen, Alleluia. jahs, and everlasting praises, rise to thee, O thou ever adorable Jehovah, who art most wor 6 And I heard as were the voice of a great multitude, and it 5 thy to receive them. And a voice came out 5 And a voice came from the throne, which said, in my hearing, out of the throne, Now praise our God in the most exalted strains saying, Praise our God, all ye his serof rapturous devotion, all ye his servants, and vants, and ye that ye that fear him, both small and great, in your fear him, both small various ranks and circumstances of life. Adore and great. his great and magnificent name, so highly exalted, and, in these scenes of wonder, so glori6 ously displayed. And I heard [a sound] which was as the voice of a great multitude, and loud as the voice of many waters, when the waves of as the voice of many the sea are in a violent agitation, and like the waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Hallelujah, voice of mighty for the Lord God Almighty, the omnipotent Je- Alleluia: for the hovah, who is the Author and Support of uni- Lord God omnipoversal nature, reigneth, and is about to exalt tent reigneth. his kingdom among men to more visible splen7 dour than it has ever yet worn. And we will 7 Let us be glad now, in an especial manner, rejoice and exult in and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the greatest transport of holy joy, and we will the marriage of the give glory to him, because the marriage of the Lamb is come, and Lamb is come, and his wife has prepared herself his wife hath made to meet him, being adorned with all those orna- herself ready. ments, which are most graceful in themselves, thunderings, saying, To which blessed are they who are invited. 487 Rev. and most agreeable to him. And he is going sECT: to espouse his church with circumstances of xxii. 8 And to her was the highest festivity and solemnity. And it granted, that she was given to her, that, in token of her virginx should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and innocence and sanctity, she should be clothed in white: for the fine fine linen, pure and resplendent; and the fine linen is the right- linen, that I speak of, is intended to signify the eousness of saints. 8 righteous acts of the saints, whereby they are adorned in the sight of God, and an evidence given of the sincerity of that faith which interests them in the merit of what their Lord has performed, to which they ultimately owe their 9 And he saith un- acceptance before him. 'And he said unto me, g to me, Write, Bless Write this down, as an important truth, in ed are they which are called unto the which all that read this book in future ages marriage supper of will be greatly concerned. Happy, [are] they the Lamb. And he who are invited to be guests at the splendid are the true sayings marriage supper of the Lamb, which is now prepared, and shall accept the invitation, so as to partake of its blessings. And he said unto me, These are the true words of God, and are to be regarded by thee, and all that read them, as an oracle which he hath inspired. (Compare 2 Cor. xi. 2.) said unto me, These of God. 10 And I fell at And while he was speaking to me in this 10 his feet to worship him. And he said manner, overawed by his majestic appearance, unto me, See thou do I fell before his feet, to pay homage to him. And it not: I am thy fel- he immediately interposed to prevent it, and low servant, and of said unto me, See [thou do it] not; for I am not thy brethren that have the testimony worthy of such regard from thee, being a felof Jesus. Worship low servant with thee, and with the rest of thy brethren, who resolutely and faithfully keep the testimony of Jesus. Pay thine homage, in such expressions of it, to God alone. I am now sent for the service of that religion to which b who profess, nevertheless, to make scripture their standard. The righteous acts of the saints.] So Sinapala evidently signifies; and, therefore, tho gh I make no doubt but it is b With thy brethren.] The expression with regard to the obedience and righteous in the Greek obliges me to give the word ness of the Son of God, that all our right- this turn: onvdxños 08 x21 av adex on. eous acts are accepted before God, and But Mr. Fleming understands it, I am one have accordingly referred to this doctrine of thy brethren, which he thinks intimates, in the paraphrase; yet I cannot suppose that this was the departed spirit of an aposthat these words have that reference tle; perhaps of St. Peter or St. Paul, or his which some have imagined, to the impu- own brother James, though not in a form tation of his righteousness to us. And I to be known. And, on the same mistaken hope Christian divines will have the principle, he thinks the person speaking, courage to speak with the scripture, even chap. xxii. 9, might be the spirit of one of though it should be at the expense of the prophets, perhaps Isaiah, or Ezekiel, their reputation for orthodoxy with some, or Daniel. Flem. Christol. Vol. I. p. 81. 488 Rev: xix.10 11 The vision of him who is true and faithful; 11 And I saw SECT. you and your brethren are making such con- God: for the testixxii. siderable sacrifices; for the Spirit of prophecy mony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. is the testimony of fers, and serves, in a glorious manner, to confirm his Divine mission to all that know and duly observe the circumstances of it; and that which I now reveal to thee, makes a considerable article of the proof. And a glorious vision immediately followed this; for I saw heaven opened; and behold, and heaven opened, and behold, a white observe it with due attention, a white horse ap- horse; and he that peared, and he that sate upon it [was] called sate upon him was Faithful and True, being indeed no other than called Faithful and the person speaking of himself elsewhere, as eousness he True, and in rightthe Amen, the faithful and true Witness; and judge and make he judges, and makes war in righteousness, and war. not like the unjust conquerors of the earth, who are so ready to use their superior power 12 to oppress all that fall under it. This was 12 His eyes were the glorious Prince, whose eyes [are] piercing as a flame of fire, and as a flame of fire; and many diadems were upon many crowns; and he his head, having also a mysterious name writ- had a name written ten upon them, which no man knows but him- that no man knew self; to signify, that there are mysteries in his but he himself: nature, and in the administration of his kingdom, which it is impossible for men to find 13 out. doth on his head were And, to express the irresistible power 13 And he was with which he triumphs over his enemies, and clothed with a vestbrings destruction upon them according to his and his name is callure dipt in blood: pleasure, he [was] clothed in a garment dipt in ed, The word of blood; and his name is called, The word of God, God. the glorious and Divine Person, whom I have elsewhere spoken of, as in the beginning with God, and himself God, and the great Medium 14 of Divine revelation in all ages. And the ar- 14 And the armies mies which are in heaven followed him, in token which were in heaven followed him of being most willingly and entirely under his upon white horses, command, and they appeared [riding] on white clothed in fine linen, horses, and themselves clothed in fine linen, white and clean. white, and perfectly clean and pure, to denote their perfect innocence and righteousness. 15 And out of his 15 And he still retains this circumstance in the mouth goeth a sharp vision I at first saw of him, that there went sword, that with it out of his mouth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall he might smite the heathen; to signify the rule them with a rod power of his word; and he shall govern them of iron; and he treadwith a rod of iron; and he treadeth the wine eth the wine press of the fierceness and press of the indignation and wrath of Almighty wrath of Almighty God, which was signified by the blood staining God. Who is King of kings, and Lord of lords: 489 xix.16 his garments; to intimate, that he shall sub- SECT. due the proudest enemies with as much ease xxii. as men burst grapes by treading them under 16 And he hath their feet. (Compare Isa. Ixiii. 2, 3.) And Rev. on his vesture and he hath upon his garment, and his thigh, that is, written, KING OF upon the sword which hangs upon his thigh, a KINGS, AND magnificent and exalted name written, even OF KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF on his thigh a name LORD LORDS. 17 And I saw an sun, and he cried LORDS; to signify his universal empire And I saw a single angel, but one of great 17 angel standing in the majesty and strength, detaching himself, as it with a loud voice, were from the army in heaven, who followed saying to all the fowls the great leader of the Lord's host on their that fy in the midst white horses; and he was seen by me standing of heaven, Come in the sun; and, to intimate the approaching and gather yourselves together unto slaughter and desolation which was so soon to the supper of the come upon the enemies of the church, he cried great God; with loud voice, saying to the eagles, and vultures, and all the other birds of prey, which were flying in the midst of heaven, Come and assemble yourselves to the supper of the great God; for he is about to make a splendid en18 That ye may tertainment for you; That ye may eat the 18 eat the flesh of kings, flesh of mighty kings, and the flesh of famous tains, and the flesh commanders, who have led on their thousands of mighty men, and to battle; and the flesh of the mighty soldiers, the flesh of horses, who have fought so courageously under and of them that sit their banners; and the flesh of warlike horses, flesh of all men, both that were advancing with so much intrepidity free and bond, small and rage to the battle; and the flesh of those and great. and the flesh of cap on them, and the who sate thereon, and were so ready to trust to their strength or their speed; and the flesh of all the promiscuous multitude, freemen and slaves, both small and great, who shall fall down together in the dust, and pour out their souls in blool, leaving their mangled carcasses for your prey. (Compare Ezek. xxxix. 17, 18.) 19 And I saw the And, to fulfill this awful decree of the great 19 beast, and the kings God, whose influence over all human affairs is their armies gather. supreme, and who knows how to work his own ed together to make purposes, even by the greatest malice and rage war against him that of his enemies, I saw the beast appearing again, an interest; and the kings of the earth, who supported him, and gave their power unto him; and I saw all their armies gathered together, to make war with of the earth, and as at the head of the Antich 490 Against whom the beast and the kings of the earth make war. SECT. him who sitteth upon the white horse, and with sat on the horse, and xxii. all his army, even the host of heaven, which I against his army. mentioned as with him: insensible of his supexix.19 power, and madly borne on to their own 20 destruction, they marched their feeble forces Rev. rior had received the against him, and all his celestial legions. And 20 And the beast the issue was such as might be expected; for was taken, and with the beast was taken captive, and with him also him the false prophet that wrought mirathe false prophet, who had wrought so many fal- cles before him, lacious signs before him, by which he had deceiv- with which he de ed those who received the mark of the beast, and ceived them that those who worshipped his image; and they were mark of the beast, bound fast in chains of Divine vengeance, and and them that both of them were cast alived into the lake of fire worshipped his image. These both which burnt so fiercely, enraged with stores of were cast alive into brimstone, to make the flames more durable, a lake of fire burn21 and more tormenting. And the rest, who had ing with brimstone. so insolently and foolishly followed the banners nant were slain with of these accursed leaders, were slain with the the sword of him sword that came out of the mouth of the great that sat upon the Leader of the heavenly army, even him who horse, which sword sate on the white horse, described before, robed mouth: and all the proceeded out of his with light, and crowned with glory. And their fowls were filled carcasses were left unburied on the field of bat- with their flesh. tle; and all the birds of the air, according to the invitation which the angel had given them, were satiated with their flesh. verse IMPROVEMENT. 21 And the rem LET us learn by what we have here been reading, to adore the 1-3 Lord God Omnipotent, who reigneth over all, and who displays the truth and righteousness of his judgments, in his vengeance on the enemies of his church, even when he inflicts on them a torment, the smoke of which rises up for ever and ever. In the cer © Beast was taken.] What Brandt tells us, of the interpretation given by a divine of Heidelburg to this text, as promising Frederic, king of Bohemia, that he should take the emperor prisoner, and that all the other potentates of Europe should be subjected to his sovereign will, appears too ridiculous to be canvassed; but I mention it to engage men to be cautious how they apply any of these prophecies to events which may happen to themselves, or those for whom they are immediately concerned. Brandt's Hist. of the Reform. Vol. IV. p. 202. Compare chap. xvi. 13; and § xvi. note band i. Cast alive.] See the note on chap. xx. 14. Doctor Clarke observes, it is only said of other sinners, they were cast into the lake; and this he supposes intimates a distinction of punishment, severe in proportion to the faults of the punished; and he thinks it is illustrated by the words of Moses concerning Korah and his company, Numb xvi. 29, If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men, then the Lord hath not sent me : intimating, that there would be as much difference in their punishment, as between being executed in the common way, and swallowed up with an earthquake. Clarke's Posth. Serm. Vol. I. p. 400, 401. |