14:1 And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb 1 stood on the mount Sion,
and with him 2 an hundred forty [and] four thousand,
having his Father's 3 name written in their foreheads.
(1) The history of the Church of Christ being finished for more
than a 1300 years at which time Boniface the eighth lived
as has been said: there remains the rest of the history of
the conflicting or militant church, from there to the time
of the last victory in three chapters. For first of all, as
the foundation of the whole history, is described the
standing of the Lamb with his army and retinue in five
verses, after his worthy acts which he has done and yet
does in most mighty manner, while he overthrows Antichrist
with the spirit of his mouth, in the rest of this chapter
and in the two following. To the description of the Lamb,
are propounded three things: his situation, place and
attendance: for the rest are expounded in the former
visions, especially in the fifth chapter.
(2) Prepared to do his office see (Ac 7:56), in the midst
of the church, which mount Zion pictured before.
(3) This retinue of the Lamb is described first by divine mark
(as before in) (Re 7:2) in this verse. Then by divine
occupation, in that every one in his retinue most earnestly
and sweetly (Re 14:2) glorify the Lamb with a special
song before God and his elect angels. Flesh and blood cannot
hear this song, nor understand, (Re 14:3). Lastly by
their deeds done before, and their sanctification in that
they were virgins, pure from spiritual and bodily fornication,
that is, from impiety and unrighteousness. They followed the
Lamb as a guide to all goodness, cleaved to him and are holy
to him, as by grace redeemed by him. In truth and simplicity
of Christ they have exercised all these things, sanctimony of
life, the guidance of the Lamb, a thankful remembrance of
redemption by him and finally (to conclude in a word) they
are blameless before the Lord, (Re 14:4-5).
14:64 And I saw 5 another angel fly in the midst of heaven,
having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that
dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and
tongue, and people,
(4) The other part (as I said in the first verse) (see Geneva
"Re 14:1") is of the acts of the Lamb, the manner of
which is delivered in two sorts, of his speech and of his
facts. His speeches are set forth to (Re 14:7-13), and
his facts to the sixteenth chapter. In the speech of the
Lamb, which is the word of the Gospel, are taught in this
place these things: The service of the godly consisting
inwardly of reverence towards God, and outwardly of the
glorifying of him: the visible sign of which is adoration
(Re 14:7). The overthrowing of wicked Babylon,
(Re 14:8) and the fall of every one of the ungodly
who worship the beast, (Re 14:9-11). Finally the
state of the holy servants of God both present,
(Re 14:12) and to come, most blessed, according to
the promise of God in (Re 14:13).
(5) This angel is a type or figure of the good and faithful
servants of God, whom God especially from the time of
Boniface the eighth has raised up to the proclaiming of the
gospel of Christ, both by preaching and by writing. So God
first, near the time of the same Boniface, used Peter
Cassiodorus an Italian: after, Arnold "de villa nova", a
Frenchman, then Occam, dante, Petrarch, after the "Johannes
de rupe casa", a Franciscan: after again, John Wycliff an
Englishman, and so continually one or another to the
restoring of the truth, and enlarging of his Church.
14:76 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 sea, and the fountains
of waters.
(6) That is, Babylon is destroyed by the sentence and judgment
of God: the execution of which John describes in chapter
18. This voice of the ministers of Christ has continued
since the time that Babylon (which is Rome) has by
deliberate counsel and malice questioned the light of the
gospel offered from God.
14:8 And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is
fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all
nations drink of the wine of the a wrath of her
fornication.
(a) Of her fornication, by which God was provoked to wrath.
14:9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud
voice, 7 If any man worship the beast and his image, and
receive [his] mark in his forehead, or in his hand,
(7) That is, will not worship God alone, but will transfer his
divine honour to this beast, whether he do it with his
heart, or counterfeiting in show. "For he (says Christ)
that denies me before men, him will I deny before my Father
and his angels" (Mt 10:32). This is the voice of the
holy ministry, which at this time is used of the holy and
faithful servants of God. For having now sufficiently found
out the public obstinacy of Babylon, they no longer work to
speak out against the same: but to save some particular
members by terror (as Jude speaks) and to pluck them out of
the flame: or else lead them away by vehement commiseration
of their state, they set before them eternal death into
which they rush unaware, unless they return to God in time,
but the godly who are of their own flock, they exhort to
patience, obedience and faith to others.
14:128 Here is the patience of the saints: here [are] they
that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
(8) The patience, sanctification and justification by faith:
the results of which are rest, happiness and eternal glory
in the heavenly fellowship of God and his angels.
14:13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write,
Blessed [are] the dead which die b in the Lord from
henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from
their labours; and their c works do follow them.
(b) That is, for the Lord.
(c) By works, is meant the reward which follows good works.
14:149 And I looked, and behold a 10 white cloud, and upon
the cloud [one] sat like unto the Son of man, 11 having
on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a 12 sharp
sickle.
(9) The second part of this chapter as I said (see Geneva
"Re 14:1"), of the actions of Christ in overthrowing
Antichrist and his church by the Spirit of his divine mouth.
Seeing that having been called back by word both publicly
and privately to his duty and admonished of his certain ruin,
he does not cease to maintain and protect his own adherents,
that they may serve him: and to afflict the godly with most
barbarous persecutions. Of those things which Christ does,
there are two forms: one common or general in the rest of
this chapter another specific against that savage and
rebellious beast and his worshippers in chapter fifteen and
sixteen. The common form is the calamity of wars, spread
abroad through the whole earth, and filling all things with
blood and without respect of any person. This is figured or
shadowed in two types, of the harvest and vintage. Have you
seen how since the time that the light of the gospel began
to shine out, and since prophecy or preaching by the grace
of God was raised up again, horrible wars have been kindled
in the world? how much human flesh has been thrown to the
earth by this divine reaping? how much blood (alas for woe)
has overflown for these 100 years almost? all history cries
out, and our age (if ever before) is now in horror by
reason of the rage of the sickle which Antichrist calls
for. In this place is the first type, that is of the
harvest.
(10) Declaring his fierceness by his colour, like that which is
in the white or milk circle of heaven
(11) As one that shall reign from God, and occupy the place of
Christ in this miserable execution.
(12) That is, a most fit and convenient instrument of
execution, destroying all by showing and thrusting
through: for who may stand against God?
14:1513 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with
a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy
sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap;
for the harvest of the earth is ripe.
(13) Christ gives a commandment in this verse, and the angel
executes it in (Re 14:16).
14:1714 And another angel came out of the temple which is in
heaven, he also having a sharp sickle.
(14) The other type (as I said in) (see Geneva "Re 14:14")
is the vintage: the manner of which is the same as that
which went before, except for this, that the grape
gathering is more exact in seeking out everything, then is
the harvest labour. This is therefore a more grievous
judgment, both because it succeeds the other, and because
it is executed with great diligence.
14:20 And the winepress was trodden without the city, 15 and
blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse
bridles, by the space of a thousand [and] six hundred
furlongs.
(15) That is, overflowed very deep, and very far and wide: the
speech is exaggeration to signify the greatness of the
slaughter. These are those pleasant fruits truly, of the
contempt of Christ, and desiring of Antichrist rather than
him, which the miserable, mad and blind world reaps at
this time.
