v. 1. Lamb. That is, when this Church was toiling under the burden of its conflicts, the Lord Jesus Christ preserved it by the example of His power, and the defence of His protection. For when the body had been shewn which was confounded by the power of the dragon, and marked by his brand, he shews the Church rejoicing in its wonted splendour and numbers, that thou shouldest not be afraid lest the body of the Lamb had succumbed to the fury of the beast. And observe, that the beast stands on the sand of the sea, the Lamb on Mount Zion.
thousand. This finite number ought to be understood as infinite, and, by the signification of the hidden mystery, as suited to the virgin band, which loves God from the whole heart, the whale soul, and the whole mind; and to the body also, which consists of four qualities, and is in its integrity consecrated to Him. For three times three are nine, and four times four sixteen, and sixteen times nine make one hundred and forty-four. So, then, when from among those who are established in the merit of carnal life, and appear on Mount Zion with the Lamb, there is perceived so perfect a multitude, no doubt can exist concerning the other members of the Church. foreheads. He shews what is the imitation of the mark on the forehead of the body of the beast, while he says that God and Christ were written on the foreheads of the Church.
2. waters. The loud voice of the saints. is the great devotion of love, which he states that he heard from heaven, in saying that they who uttered the voice “stood on Mount Zion” For he intended to shew that by Mount Zion he meant no other than the Church, which, in order to overcome the grievances of its afflictions, is exalted by the sublime delight of contemplation, and celebrates at once by praise and by imitation the conflicts of her King. For this is in truth to sing unto the Lamb Who stands.
harpers. When all the saints are God’s harpers, for “by crucifying the fleshy with its vices and lusts” they praise Him on the psaltery and harp; how much more are they who, by the privilege of evangelical chastity, make themselves altogether a perfect sacrifice to the Lord, and who, in a special manner, “deny themselves,” and “take up their cross,” and follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth?
3. song. The old song was, Blessed is He Who hath His dwelling in Zion, and His household in Jerusalem” But the new song is, “Rejoice thou barren, that barest not;” and again He says, “I will give to my eunuchs in my house, and within my walls, a name better than of sons and daughters.”
able. In a special manner to sing a song unto the “Lamb is to rejoice with Him for ever, even abave all the faithful, because of the incorruption of the flesh. And yet the rest of the elect are able to hear this. song, although they cannot utter it, because, through love, they still rejoice for their exaltation, if they do not rise up to their rewards.
4. virgins. The blessed Augustine has set forth this very beautifully in his exhortation to virgins, saying, “Go on, ye holy youths and maidens of God, ye men. and women, celibate and unmarried, go on perseveringly unto the end. Praise the Lord more sweetly, Whom ye think of more frequently. Hope in Him more auspiciously, Whom ye serve more constantly. Love Him more ardently, Whom ye please more attentively. With loins girded, and lights burning, - wait for the Lord, when He comes from the marriage. Ye will bring to the marriage of the Lamb a new song, which ye will sing upon your harps, such an one indeed as no one but ye will be able to utter. For so one saw you in the Apocalypse, who, above all others,. - was beloved of the Lamb, who was wont to lie upon His breast. He himself saw you, as twelve thousand holy harpers, of undefiled virginity of the body, of inviolate truth in the heart. Ye follow the Lamb, for - virginal also is the flesh of the Lamb. Ye follow Him in virginity of heart and flesh, whithersoever. He may go. For what is to follow, but to imitate? Because Christ suffered for us’, leaving you an example, that ye should follow His steps,
firstfruits. They are chosen by the. for the merits of their will, as holier and pi from the holy and immaculate flock of the Church. For the Apostle, having no commandment of the Lord concerning them, implores them that they ‘ present their bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God”
5. guile. Virgins are not united to the divine company by the merit of chastity alone, if they have not also a life free from all contagion of sin. Tichonius does not interpret this vision of virgins specially, but of the whole Church generally, which the Apostle “betrothes to one husband, to present it a pure virgin to Christ k;” and he concludes thus: “He said not, There was no lie in their mouth, but, there was not found;’ as the Apostle says, And this indeed ye were, but ye were washed) and, The iniquity of the unjust will not hurt him, in the day when he shall turn from his iniquity,’ and he can be a virgin, and deceit not be found in his mouth.” For by virgins he means the chaste and modest.”