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Ver. 9. And men were scorched] Or parched, scalded, roasted, εκαυματισθησαν. This is by accident in regard of the Scriptures; for the Lord speaketh peace to his people; and his word is good to those that are good, Micah 2:7. But as Origen saith of devils, so may we say of Papists; there is no greater torment to them than the word of God. In hoc eorum omnis flamma est, in hoc uruntur incendio. Hence they burn up Bibles, tanquam doctrinam peregrinam, as strange doctrine. (Spec. Europ.) Hence they censure St Paul as savouring of heresy, and could find in their hearts to purge his Epistles. Eckius is not afraid to say, that Christ did never command his disciples to write, but to preach only. (Enchirid. loc. com. cap. Eccles.) Bellarmine saith, the Bible is no more than commonitorium, a kind of storehouse for advice. Hosius saith that the pope’s interpretation, though it seem never so repugnant to the Scripture, is nevertheless ipsissimum Dei verbura, the very word of God. The Council of Basil answered the Hussites (requiring Scripture proofs for such doctrines as were thrust upon them), that the Scriptures were not of the being of the Church, but of the well being only; that traditions were the touchstone of doctrine and foundation of faith. And blasphemed the name of God] The truth of God contained in the Scriptures. What a devil made thee to meddle with the Scripture said Stephen Gardiner to Marbeck. They tell us of several that have been possessed by that means; and assure us that our condemnation is so expressly set down in our own Bibles, and is so clear to all the world, that nothing more needs hereto than that we know to read, and to have our eyes in our heads at the opening thereof. (Alex. Cook.)
Ver. 10. Upon the seat of the beast] This city of Rome, which was never yet besieged (since it became the seat of Antichrist) but it was taken, and shall be again shortly to purpose. Rather, say some, by seat is meant his kingdom, the pope’s singular sole authority and monarchical frame of church government. And his kingdom was full of darkness] εσκοτωμενη. It appeared to be so (as motes appear in the sunshine) by the clear light of truth shining upon it. A Scottish mist is here already fallen upon a piece of his kingdom, and what further service God hath for their and our armies to do against the pope in Ireland, or elsewhere, we expect and pray God grant us good agreement among ourselves, and then much may be done abroad. And they gnawed their tongues] Being as mad with malice as Boniface VIII was of discontent, who being suddenly taken prisoner at his father’s house by Sara Columnns his mortal enemy, and brought to Rome, laid up in the castle of St Angelo, within thirty-five days after most miserably died in his madness, rending himself with his teeth, and devouring his own fingers. (Turk. Hist. i. 26.)
Ver. 11. And blasphemed the God of heaven] As they did in 1588, when the Spaniards gave out that Christ was turned Lutheran; and as Faux the gunpowder traitor did, when he told those that took him, that not God, but the devil, had brought to light and to nought that desperate design. (Lonicer. Theatr. Histor.) Thus they set their mouths against heaven, and their tongue walketh through the earth; as if Augustus Caesar were dealing with some god Neptune; or the three sons, trying their archery at their father’s heart, to see who can shoot nearest. What an execrable blasphemy is that of John Hunt, a Roman Catholic, in his humble appeal to King James in the 6th chapter of that Pamphlet: “The God of the Protestants is the most uncivil and evil mannered God of all those who have borne the names of gods upon the earth, yea, worse than Pan, god of the clowns, which can endure no ceremonies nor good manners at all.” See Dr Sheldon’s Mark of the Beast. And rspented not] This leopard (Revelation 13:2) can never change his spots, because they are not in the skin, but in the flesh and bones, in the sinews and most inward parts. Tigers rage and tear themselves at the sound of a drum, and at the smell of sweet spices; so do these savage Papists, when called to repent.
Ver. 12. Upon the great river Euphrates] i.e. Upon whatsoever yet hindereth the destruction of spiritual Babylon and the coming in of the Jews, as the Turkish empire. That the way of the kings] Christians, say some, who are kings in righteousness, and come from the East, or from Christ, “That dayspring from on high,” Luke 1:78. Others understand this text of the Jews, who are most of them in the East, dispersed through Turkey, Tartary (the ten tribes especially), and China. Junius saith, that which is called the “land of Sinim,” Isaiah 49:12, may probably be meant of China; which if it be the meaning, there may be many of the Jews, whose conversion we daily expect and pray for. See Isaiah 11:15,16 Zec 10:10,11. Tartars of Tothar, a remnant or residue.
Ver. 13. Three unclean spirits] Spiritual fathers, as the Papists call their Jesuits, who seek to subject all to the pope, and the pope to themselves, being ultimus diaboli crepitus, as one speaketh, the last attempt of a daring devil. These are the pope’s janizaries, bloodhounds, vultures, whose nest (as Aristotle saith) cannot be found, yet they will leave all game to follow an army, because they delight to feed on carrion. Like frogs] For their filthiness, impudency, loquacity, with their continual brekekekex coax coax. (Aristoph.) Come out of the mouth] That is, by the counsel and command, by virtue of that vow of mission, whereby the Jesuits are bound to the pope, to go whither he shall send them, about whatsoever attempt he shall enjoin them. Yea, if their governors command them a voyage to China or Peru, without dispute or delay they presently set forward. Hence haply they are called spirits. One of a former body of Turkish infantry, constituting the Sultan’s guard and the main part of the standing army. The body was first organized in the 14th century, and was composed mainly of tributary children of Christians; after a large number of them had been massacred in 1826, the organization was finally abolished. ŒD Used by Aristophanes to imitate the croaking of frogs. ŒD To make a pet of; to pet, fondle, caress; to treat endearingly or with blandishment. Obs. OED
Ver. 14. The spirits of devils] Or breathing devils. Working miracles] Lying wonders, 2 Thessalonians 2:9. Unto the kings of the earth] The pope’s nuncios, legates a latere, and other emissaries, stir up the spirits of princes to embroil the world with wars, for the upholding of his tottering greatness; but all in vain. The greatest impostors have ever been the greatest courtiers. The Arians in their age, and from them the Jesuits learned it. As Pharaoh’s frogs, they get into kings’ bedchambers. And of the whole world] Papists shall call in the help of foreign princes out of Asia, Africa, America, to suppress the heretics, as they call them. But with poor success; for they shall associate themselves only to be broken in pieces, Isaiah 8:9. Exorientur, sed exurentur, It will spring up but it will be destroyed. Revelation 19:18. The mountain of the Lord shall be lifted up above all mountians. These auxiliaries shall speed no better than those subsidiary Syrians, 2 Samuel 10:18,19.
Ver. 15. I come as a thief] Who gives no warning. [See Trapp on “Mt 24:44”] I come suddenly, secretly, yea, and also violently and terribly. See Revelation 3:3 Lu 12:34 1Th 5:2. Blessed is he that watcheth] The prophecy is here interrupted [as Genesis 49:18] to forewarn and forearm the saints; Luke 12:37,38,43, they are three times said to be blessed that watch. And keepeth his garments] Keepeth himself unspotted of the world, undefiled in the way. Lest he walk naked, &c.] See Revelation 3:18.
Ver. 16. And he gathered] God hath an overruling hand in that which the frogs of Rome do at the courts of kings, and ordereth the disorders of the world to his own glory. Called in the Hebrew Armageddon] That is, they shall receive such a famous foil, such as Sisera did at the waters of Megiddo, Judges 5:19.
Ver. 17. Into the air] The popish air, the kingdom of Satan, Ephesians 2:2. Saying, It is done] What is done? The mystery of iniquity is abolished, and the mystery of God is fulfilled. So Cicero when he had slain those of Catiline’s conspiracy, he came to the people, and said, vixerunt, they were alive, but now the world is well rid of them.
Ver. 18. And there were voices] A description of the last judgment, when heaven and earth shall conspire together for the punishment of the wicked. See Matthew 24:36-41,50,51 2Pe 3:10-12 2Th 1:8.
Ver. 19. And the great city] The whole Antichristian state. Divided into three parts] By the earthquake disjected and dissipated. Or, divided into three parts, that is, into three factions, 1. Stiff Papists; 2. Converts; 3. Neuters. And the cities of the nations] That came to aid Antichrist. And great Babylon] Augustine and other ancients do call Rome the Western Babylon; and do so compare them, as that Abraham was born in the flourish of the first Babylon, Christ of the second. The Jesuits here, though they grant Rome to be Babylon, yet they would have it to be Rome heathen under the emperors, and not Rome Christian under the popes. But it must be Rome Christian, as it appears by a double departure: 1. Of Babylon from the Church, Revelation 17:3. Babylon is called a whore. 2. Of the Church from Babylon, Revelation 18:3. The temple of God is the seat of Antichrist, saith Paul, 2 Thessalonians 2:3,4. The cup of wine] That wherein God delights, as a man would do to drink a cup of generous wine.
Ver. 20. Fled away] Either swallowed up by the water or consumed by the fire.
Ver. 21. A great hail] Bigger than that which brained the kings of Canaan, Joshua 10:11; perhaps this shall be fulfilled according to the letter. Howsoever, the elements shall melt like scalding lead upon Antichristians and other atheists; and they shall answer for all with flames about their ears.