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the Gospel, as an everlasting rule of faith and of conduct. It has been the endeavour of the antichristian powers to corrupt, or secrete, this Gospel", which is to lead all nations and languages to the knowledge and worship of the Almighty Creator. So the progress of the Reformation seems here to be prefigured, which, from its first dawnings, ever appealed to the everlasting Gospel as the sole rule of faith, and preached the restoration of Gospel worship in opposition to the reigning impurities and superstitions.

Ver. 7. Judgment.] See note, ch. xi. 18.

* Mahomet and his followers have corrupted,—the papal hierarchy have secreted it.

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Another angel follows, proclaiming the fall of "Babylon, that great city," which had intoxicated, seduced, and corrupted the nations with her impure religion. This city, and her fall, will be more particularly represented in chapters xvii. and xviii. It is sufficient in this place to observe, that this is one very formidable horn of the second antichristian beast, the false prophet; the fall of which is here prophetically anticipated, for the comfort and encouragement of the suffering Church, engaged in opposing her. And the progress of the Reformation seems still to be generally described: for, the purer Christians, the Albigenses and Valdenses, in the twelfth century, pronounced the church of Rome to be this very "Babylon; the mother of harlots, and abomina"tions of the earth *." From this discovery is to be dated the beginning of her fall.

* See Mede's Works, pp. 517. 722. &c. Thuan. Hist. lib. vi. cap. 16. Bp. Newton's Dissert. vol. iii. p. 258. 8vo.

PART V.

9 Καὶ τρίτος ἄγγελος ἠκολέθησεν αὐτοῖς, λέγων ἐν φωνῇ μετάλῃ· Εἴ τις τὸ θηρίον προσκυνεῖ καὶ τὴν εἰ κόνα αὐτό, καὶ λαμ βάνει χάραγμα ἐπὶ

SECTION IV.

The third Angel proclaims.

CHAP. XIV. VER. 9-12.

9 And a third angel fol- | 9 And the third angel lowed them, saying

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followed them, saying with a loud voice, If

any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in

το μελώπε αὐτῶ, ἢ ἐπὶ τὴν χεῖρα 10 αὑτο, Καὶ αὐτὸς

πίλαι ἐκ τὸ οἴνε Të dvue To Dee, τῷ κεκεξασμένο ἀ κράτε, ἐν τῷ πόληρίῳ τῆς ὀργῆς αὐτῆ καὶ βασανισθήσεται ἐν τουρὶ καὶ θείῳ ἐνώπιον

τῶν ἁγίων ἀγγέλων κ ENTION TO dgvis. 11 Καὶ ὁ καπνὸς τῇ βασανισμός αὐτῶν ἀναβαίνει εἰς αἰῶνας aiwvwv⋅ x x ïxeσιν ἀνάπαυσιν ἡμέ βας καὶ νυκτὸς οἱ προσκυνῶνίες τὸ θηβίον καὶ τὴν εἰκόνα αὐτό, καὶ εἴ τις λαμβάνει το χά- | ραἷμα τὸ ὀνόμα 12 τος αὐτῷ, Ωδε ὑπομονὴ τῶν ἁγίων ἐσίν· ὧδε οἱ τηρένιες τὰς ἐντολὰς Tŏ Θεῦ, καὶ τὴν τσίςιν Ἰησε.

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or upon his hand;
10" Even he shall drink

"of the wine of the
"wrath of God, of the
"imbittered powerful
"wine, in the cup of
"his anger, and shall
"be tormented with
"fire and brimstone
"before the holy an-

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10 his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture, into the cup of his indig nation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone, in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: 11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever; and they have no rest day nor night who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of 12 his name. Here is

the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

A third angel proclaims just and eternal vengeance upon those who "worship the beast;" who knowing their duty and their allegiance to God, sacrifice them to their worldly interests. They are threatened with "the wine of the wrath of God;" the wine, which is at first strong of itself, unmixed (axpalov), has no diluting liquor put to it, to reduce its strength, as was common in the eastern nations

of

κεκερασμένον,

of antiquity. But, secondly, it is nexɛgatμLevov, rendered still stronger by the mixture of powerful, intoxicating ingredients. Compare Isaiah li. 17-23; Psalm lxxv. 8. "The Hebrew idea of which Saint John ex

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presses in Greek, with the utmost precision, though "with a seeming contradiction in terms, EXEQUσμEVOV angalov, merum mixtum; pure wine made yet stronger by a mixture of powerful ingredients. In "the hand of Jehovah, (saith the Psalmist,) there is a cup, and the wine is turbid; it is full of mixed "liquor, and he poureth out of it, (or rather he poureth it out of one vessel into another, to mix it 'perfectly, according to the reading expressed by the "ancient versions,) all the ungodly shall wring them "out and drink them." The expression in the Sep

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tuagint, Psalm 1xxv. 8: wolgron-ons angate winges "negaopalos, which in the Chaldee is called a cup of "malediction, throws additional light on this passage. Compare also Psalm xi. 6; lx. 3: Jer. xxv. 15, 16, &c. Lam. iv. 21: Ezek. xxiii. 32, &c.: "Hab. ii. 16: Zech. xii. 2: also Hom. Il. xxii. 527;

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46

Odyss. iv. 220*." Such terms were used to express the anger of God, terrible by temporal punishments, but most terrible by those torments beyond the grave, "where their worm dieth not, and their fire is not

quenched;" which ideas are also forcibly expressed in the words now before us; "the smoke of their "torment ascendeth for ever and ever." Thus the terror of the greater evil is exhibited, to enable Christians to undergo the less with patient courage described in the twelfth verse.

* Bp. Lowth, on Isaiah li.

PART

PART V.

SECTION V.

The Blessedness of those who die in the Lord, pro

13 Καὶ ἤκεσα φωνῆς ἐκ τῶ ἐραν, λεχέσης. Γράψον Μακάριοι οἱ νεκροί οἱ ἐν Κυρίῳ ἀποθνήσκοντες ἀπάλι. Ναι, λέγει τὸ πνευ μα, ἵνα ἀναπαύ σωνίαι ἐκ τῶν κόπων αὑτῶν· τὰ δὲ ἔργα αὐτῶν ἀκολουθεῖ μετ αὐτῶν.

claimed.

CHAP. XIV. VER. 13.

13 And I heard a voice
from heaven, saying;
"Write; Blessed are
"the dead, who die
"in the Lord, hence-
"forth, even so, saith
"the Spirit, that they
66 may rest from their
"labours, but their
"works follow with
"them."

13 And I heard a voice from heaven, saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord, from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.

The voices of the angels had pronounced the punishments of those who, for worldly purposes receiving the antichristian mark, deny their Lord. A voice from heaven, from the throne itself, confirms their denunciations, adding thereto this consolation; that if the fiery trial proceed to its last stage, even to temporal death, this death shall be blessed; shall introduce the martyr to an eternal freedom from pain and trouble; his sufferings on earth shall be recompensed with everlasting rest and glory.

These four proclamations are plain in their meaning, and of easy solution to those who are versed in Scriptural language. They seem intended to be so, in order that all Christians may be encouraged in time of trial to preserve their allegiance to their Lord, the Lamb; whose banner is unfolded in this chapter.

PART

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