doth not vifibly appear: as if a man should reafon, that there is no moon in the heavens, because fometimes there is none feen, in the change.

And I heard a voice from heaven as the "found of many waters, and as the found ' of a great thunder: and I heard the voice ' of harpers harping with their harps, Rev.

xiv.

2.

Here is fet forth how his company of true worshippers do magnify and praise God for his great mercies towards them.

First, John heareth a voice from heaven, that is, an heavenly voice, or the voice of the church praifing and glorifying God. For we have heard before, that heaven in this book is fometimes put for the church upon the earth, and the reasons thereof, Rev. viii. 1. Wherefoever therefore the church is affembled to hear the word, and to pray, and give thanks, there is a voice from heaven, or an heavenly voice. Now this voice is compared to three things,

First,

To the found of many waters." Secondly, To the found of a great 'thunder.'

Thirdly, To the voice of harpers harp'ing with their harps.'

It is liken to many waters, because it proceedeth from fundry forts of people, of fundry nations, countries and kingdoms,

as the word waters is taken afterwards in It is compar

6

thun

harpers

this prophecy, Rev. xvii. 1. ed to thunder, chap. xvii. 15, because the prayers and invocations of the true church are as loud in the ears of God as any der-crack. It is compared to harping with, their harps,' both because their spiritual worship and fervice is as fweet unto God as any mufic unto men; as alfo, becaufe all God's faithful people do tune together among themfelves, and in their worfhip, as the ftrings of a well-tuned infrument of mufic, or as many musicians playing together, which make a fweet harmony, and inoft melodious ditty.

And they fang as it were a new fong before the throne, and before the four beafts, and the elders, and no man could learn that fong, but the hundred forty and four thoufand which were brought from the earth,' Rev. xiv. 3.

Now it fheweth how this holy fociety of the faithful do continue their praifing and glorifying of God; they are not weary of well-doing, but hold on conftantly in the courfe of God's worship, having new fongs of thanksgiving in their mouths, and ferving God daily with renewed affections, as men inflamed with the zeal of God's glory: and all this they do perform before the throne, before the four beafts, and the

elders; that is, in the prefence of God and his angels, and his holy congregation. "And ho man could learn that fong but the hundred forty and four thoufand; that is, none of the reprobates and ungodly worldlings could inwardly feel and understand this fpiritual worship, but only the elect, to whom it is given to understand the fecrets of God, and the myfteries of his Son's kingdom.

Thefe are they which are not defiled with women, for they are virgins: these follow the Lamb whitherfoever he goeth: thefe are brought from men being the first 'fruits unto God, and to the Lamb. And, "in their mouths was found no guile; for མ they are without spot before the throne of God,' Rev. xiv. 4, 5.

This holy company are not defiled with women, that is, with grofs and divers fins, or rather with idolatrous pollutions: for they are virgins,' that is, chafte worshippers of God, which are not polluted with the defilements of antichrift. These follow the Lamb Chrift whitherfoever he goeth.' They hear his voice, they profefs his worship, and obey his doctrine; they abhor antichrift, they follow not the beaft, nor receive his mark. They are bought from men, and bought from the earth,' as it is faid before; that is, they are

redeemed and bought with a price from the corrupt lump of mankind, and curfed race of Adam, that they might be the first fruits unto God, and to the Lamb,' that is, wholly confecrated to his worship, and to serve him in righteousness and true holinefs all the days of their life. 'In their mouths was found no guile;' that is, they do declare their innocency and uprightnefs both in their words and works, as thofe which Chrift hath chosen out of this world, and bought with a price through his blood, in whom they are without fpot or fpeck before God.

Then I faw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having an everlasting gofpel to preach unto them that dwell on "the earth, and to every nation, and kind'red and tongue, and people. Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him: for the hour of his judgment is come, and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the fea, and the fountains ' of waters,' Rev. xiv. 6, 7.

Hitherto the Holy Ghoft hath taught us how the church was preferved under the tyranny of antichrift, the greatest waves of perfecutions, and that even then they did purely and faithfully worship the true God. Now he proceedeth to forefhew the ruin and downfall of antichrift, and plainly to

prophefy the utter decay of the kingdom of Babel. This, doctrine therefore we are to hearken unto with great attention and cheerfulness, becaufe it doth fo much concern our good, and the good of the whole church; alfo becaufe we live in the days wherein we fee it is in part fulfilled.

First, Therefore we are to understand what is meant by this angel here mentioned, to wit, not any celeftial angel, or invifible fpirit, as it is fundry times taken before: but by this angel, and the two angels following, are meant all the faithful minifters of the gofpel, which fhould be raised up in these last days, for the overthrow of Rome, and the delivering of the church from under the captivity of antichrift: which may plainly appear by this that is faid; this angel preacheth the everlasting gospel unto them that dwell on the earth, which cannot properly agree to the celeftial fpirits. We have heard out of the tenth chapter, that Jesus Christ did open the little book, which is the Bible, and did give authority to his faithful minifters to go preach and publifh the doctrine thereof to many nations, countries, and kingdoms: Rev. x. 11. unto that agreeth this which is here fpoken of, and is a further opening and declaring of that which is there fet down. For as there Jefus Chrift cometh

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