And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. Ver. 1. _I saw another angel_] Some excellent and worthy man (saith Mr Brightman), such a one as should come suddenly before he be looked for, as those things do that sl... [ Continue Reading ]
And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. Ver. 2. _And he cried mightily_] So to awaken Babylon, that slept no less securely than... [ Continue Reading ]
For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies. Ver. 3. _For all nations_] All Roman Catholics. _ The merchants of the eart... [ Continue Reading ]
And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. Ver. 4. _Another voice_] This was Christ's voice, whether mediate or immediate it appears not. SeeJeremiah 51:45 . _ My people_] A people Christ... [ Continue Reading ]
For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities. Ver. 5. _For her sins have reached_] Gr. ηκολουθησαν, have followed thick or been thwacked one upon another, thick and threefold, as they say: there hath been a concatenation, or a continued series of them, εκολληθησαν.... [ Continue Reading ]
Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double. Ver. 6. _Double unto her double_] This is spoken to the good kings that shall sack Rome, that they do the Lord's work thoroughly, not sparing Agag, as Saul di... [ Continue Reading ]
How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow. Ver. 7. _She hath glorified herself_] As mother of Churches, queen of nations. Steuchus (one of her parasites) saith,... [ Continue Reading ]
Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong _is_ the Lord God who judgeth her. Ver. 8. _Therefore shall her plagues_] Security ushereth in destruction, God shall shoot at such with an arrow suddenly, and fetch t... [ Continue Reading ]
And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning, Ver. 9. _Shall bewail her and lament_] κοψουσι, As with the "voice of doves, tabering upon their breasts," Nahum 2:7. The ch... [ Continue Reading ]
Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come. Ver. 10. _Standing afar off_] As fearing their own safety, they will not venture themselves for an old withered harlot, that is now (Lais-like) ready t... [ Continue Reading ]
And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more: Ver. 11. _And the merchants of the earth_] The pope's indulgencers, and other officers of his exchequer. What huge sums of money did Tecelius and his companions rake together out of Germany.... [ Continue Reading ]
The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble, Ver. 12. _The merchandise of gold_] All... [ Continue Reading ]
And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men. Ver. 13. _And cinnamon_] Galen writes that in his time cinnamon was very rare, and hard to be found, except in the... [ Continue Reading ]
And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all. Ver. 14. _And the fruits_] Those first ripe fruits, Micah 7:1, greedily desired and bought up at any rate by the richer and... [ Continue Reading ]
The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, Ver. 15. _Which were made rich by her_] By their fat benefices, commendams, _a_ golden prebendaries, _b_ some one yielding ten or twenty thousand by the year. The archb... [ Continue Reading ]
And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls! Ver. 16. _With gold and precious stones_] All these avail not in the day of wrath. Neither need we envy wicked men their plenty; it is their porti... [ Continue Reading ]
For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off, Ver. 17. _So great riches come to nought_] Gr. ηρημωθη, is desolated, or become a wilderness. Petrarch writeth, that in the treasury of Po... [ Continue Reading ]
And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What _city is_ like unto this great city! Ver. 18. _What city is like unto this_] _q.d._ Who would have ever thought we should ever have seen this dismal day of Rome's destruction? It was wont to be said, _Roma cladibus animosior, _ Rome is... [ Continue Reading ]
And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate. Ver. 19. _And they cast dust_] As men willing to be as far underground as n... [ Continue Reading ]
Rejoice over her, _thou_ heaven, and _ye_ holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her. Ver. 20. _Thou heaven_] _i.e._ The Church on earth. _ And ye holy apostles, &c._] _i.e._ Ye pastors and teachers, who as ye have been most shot at by her, so now you are especially called to triu... [ Continue Reading ]
And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast _it_ into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all. Ver. 21. _And a mighty angel_] For further assurance a sign is added, and an allusion made toJeremiah 51... [ Continue Reading ]
And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft _he be_, shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee; Ver. 22. _And the voice of harpers, &c._... [ Continue Reading ]
And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived. Ver. 23. _And the light of a candle_] The candle o... [ Continue Reading ]
And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth. Ver. 24. _And in her was found_] Rome hath ever been the slaughter house of the saints, as Jerusalem was before her, Matthew 23:34,39 . _ And of all that were slain_] For she hath a hand in all th... [ Continue Reading ]