And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: Ver. 1. _And there appeared_] This and the two next following Chapter s are an exposition of the former vision. _ A great wonder_] As shadowing out and... [ Continue Reading ]
And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. Ver. 2. _And she being with child_] And so soon smelt out by the bears of the world. _Ursa praegnantem mulierem non solum uteri gravitate notam, sed eam etiam quae pridie conceperit, solam ex omni turba consectatur._ ... [ Continue Reading ]
And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. Ver. 3. _Another wonder in heaven_] That is, in the Church, which is called heaven; for, 1. Its original is from heaven, Joh 1:13 2. Its tendency to heaven... [ Continue Reading ]
And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born. Ver. 4. _And his tail drew_] A monstrous tail for length and strength. One interprets it as... [ Continue Reading ]
And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and _to_ his throne. Ver. 5. _And she brought forth a man child_] Constantine, the Christian Church's first and chief champion. _ Who was to rule all nations_] The whole Roman e... [ Continue Reading ]
And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred _and_ threescore days. Ver. 6. _And the woman fled_] viz. After the battle mentioned in the next verse was fought and finished. See Revelation 12:13,14 . _ Into th... [ Continue Reading ]
And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, Ver. 7. _And there was war_] viz. While the woman was bringing forth; and after that her son was advanced to the empire. _ Michael and his angels_] Constantine and his armies. _ Ag... [ Continue Reading ]
And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. Ver. 8. _And prevailed not_] They were so totally routed and ruined, that they could never rally or rage any more. _Iucundum Christiano homini spectaculum est, quasi coram cernere certantem Christum cum Antichristo, _ saith one, c... [ Continue Reading ]
And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. Ver. 9. _Was cast out_] Full sore against his will. If the enemies had but as much power as malice, the Church sh... [ Continue Reading ]
And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. Ver. 10. _And I heard a loud voice_] Great joy was throughout the C... [ Continue Reading ]
And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. Ver. 11. _By the blood of the Lamb_] By his merit and spirit, Christ's blood (as Pliny saith of Polium) is a preservative against serpents. _ And they loved not their... [ Continue Reading ]
Therefore rejoice, _ye_ heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. Ver. 12. _Rejoice, ye heavens_] Ye that have your conversation in heaven, and sha... [ Continue Reading ]
And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man _child_. Ver. 13. _He persecuted the woman_] As the matter of his calamity. The devil infinitely hates Christ, and sins that sin against the Holy Ghost every moment. His instruments, also, c... [ Continue Reading ]
And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent. Ver. 14. _Two wings of a great eagle_] That is, sufficient means of safety and protection from... [ Continue Reading ]
And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. Ver. 15. _Cast out of his, mouth water_] Those barbarous nations, Goths, Huns, Vandals, Lombards, others, stirred up by the devil to overrun the empire, and afflict the C... [ Continue Reading ]
And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth. Ver. 16. _And the earth helped the woman_] That is, the multitude of Christians meeting in the general councils, those four first especially, held at Nice against Arius... [ Continue Reading ]
And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. Ver. 17. _Was wroth with the woman_] Who yet had done him no wrong; but he and his are mad with malice (when their designs miscarry... [ Continue Reading ]