• The Saincts glorifying God for the iudgement pronounced vpon the harlot, 7 the mariage of the Lambe is prepared. 10 The Angel refuseth to be adored of S. Iohn. 1• There appeareth one (vvho is the word of God, and the King of kings and Lord of lords) sitting on a horse, vvith a great armie, and fighting against the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies 17 the birdes of the aire being in the meane time called to deuoure their flesh.
1After these things, I heard as it were the voice of much people in heaven, saying: Alleluia. Salvation and glory and power is to our God.Dopo di ciò udii come voce di molte turbe in cielo, che dicevano: alleluia: salute, e gloria, e virtù al nostro Dio:AFTER theses things I heard as it vvere the voice of many multitudes in heauen saying, Allelu-ia Praise, and glorie, and povver is to our God:Post hæc audivi quasi vocem turbarum multarum in cælo dicentium: Alleluja: salus, et gloria, et virtus Deo nostro est: 2For true and just are his judgments, who hath judged the great harlot which corrupted the earth with her fornication and hath revenged the blood of his servants, at her hands.Perché veri, e giusti sono i suoi giudizi, ed ha giudicato la gran meretrice, che ha corrotto la terra colla sua prostituzione, e ha fatto vendetta del sangue de' suoi servi (sparso) dalle mani di lei.because true & iust are his iudgementes which hath iudged of the great harlot, that hath corrupted the earth in her vvhoredom, and hath reuenged the bloud of his seruants, of her handes.quia vera et justa judicia sunt ejus, qui judicavit de meretrice magna, quæ corrupit terram in prostitutione sua, et vindicavit sanguinem servorum suorum de manibus ejus. 3And again they said: Alleluia. And her smoke ascendeth for ever and ever.E dissero per la seconda volta: alleluia. E il fumo di essa sali pei secoli de' secoli.And againe they said, Allelu-ia. And her smoke ascendeth for euer and euer.Et iterum dixerunt: Alleluja. Et fumus ejus ascendit in sæcula sæculorum. 4And the four and twenty ancients and the four living creatures fell down and adored God that sitteth upon the throne, saying: Amen. Alleluia.E si prostrarono i ventiquattro seniori, e i quattro animali, e adorarono Dio sedente sul trono, dicendo: amen, alleluia.And the foure and tvventie seniors fel downe, and the foure beastes, & adored God sitting vpon the throne, saying: • Amen, Allelu-ia.Et ceciderunt seniores viginti quatuor, et quatuor animalia, et adoraverunt Deum sedentem super thronum, dicentes: Amen: alleluja. 5And a voice came out from the throne, saying: Give praise to our God, all ye his servants: and you that fear him, little and great.E uscì dal trono una voce, che disse: date lode al nostro Dio voi tutti suoi servi: e voi, che lo temete, piccoli, e grandi.And a voice came out from the throne, saying: Say praise to our God al ye his seruantes: and you that feare him, litle and great.Ex vox de throno exivit, dicens: Laudem dicite Deo nostro omnes servi ejus: et qui timetis eum pusilli et magni.
6And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of great thunders, saying: Alleluia: for the Lord our God, the Almighty, hath reigned.E udii una voce come di gran moltitudine, e come voce di molte acque, e come voce di tuoni grandi, che dicevano: alleluia: è entrato nel regno il Signore Dio nostro onnipotente.And I heard as it vvere the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many vvaters, & as the voice of great thunders, saying Allelu-ia: because our Lord God the omnipotent hath reigned.Et audivi quasi vocem turbæ magnæ, et sicut vocem aquarum multarum, et sicut vocem tonitruorum magnorum, dicentium: Alleluja: quoniam regnavit Dominus Deus noster omnipotens. 7Let us be glad and rejoice and give glory to him. For the marriage of the Lamb is come: and his wife hath prepared herself.Rallegriamoci, ed esultiamo, e diamo a lui gloria: perché sono venute le nozze dell'Agnello, e la sua consorte si è messa all'ordine.Let vs be glad and reioyce, and giue glorie to him: because the mariage of the Lambe is come, and his vvife hath prepared her self.Gaudeamus, et exsultemus: et demus gloriam ei: quia venerunt nuptiæ Agni, et uxor ejus præparavit se. 8And it is granted to her that she should clothe herself with fine linen, glittering and white. For the fine linen are the justifications of saints.E le è stato dato di vestirsi di bisso candido, e lucente. Imperocché il bisso sono le giustificazioni de' santi.And it vvas giuen to her that she clothe her self vvith silke glittering and vvhite. For the silke are • the iustifications of Sainctes.Et datum est illi ut cooperiat se byssino splendenti et candido. Byssinum enim justificationes sunt sanctorum. 9And he said to me: Write: Blessed are they that are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith to me: These words of God are true.E dissemi: scrivi: beati coloro, che sono stati chiamati alla cena nuziale dell'Agnello: e dissemi: queste parole di Dio sono vere.And he said to me, Vvrite, Blessed be they that are called to the supper of the mariage of the Lambe. And he said to me, These vvordes of God, be true.Et dixit mihi: Scribe: Beati qui ad cœnam nuptiarum Agni vocati sunt; et dixit mihi: Hæc verba Dei vera sunt. 10And I fell down before his feet, to adore him. And he saith to me: See thou do it not. I am thy fellow servant and of thy brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Adore God. For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.E mi prostrai a' suoi piedi per adorarlo. Ma egli mi disse: guardati dal farlo: io sono servo come te, e come i tuoi fratelli, i quali rendono testimonianza a Gesù. Adora Dio. Imperocché testimonianza (renduta) a Gesù egli è la spirito di profezia.• And I fel before his feete, to adore him. And he saith to me, See thou doe not: I am thy fellovv-seruant, and of thy brethren that haue the testimonie of IESVS. Adore God. For the testimonie of IESVS, is the spirit of prophecie.Et cecidi ante pedes ejus, ut adorarem eum. Et dicit mihi: Vide ne feceris: conservus tuus sum, et fratrum tuorum habentium testimonium Jesu. Deum adora. Testimonium enim Jesu est spiritus prophetiæ.
11And I saw heaven opened: and behold a white horse. And he that sat upon him was called faithful and true: and with justice doth he judge and fight.E vidi aperto il cielo, ed ecco un caval bianco, e quegli, che vi stava sopra, si chiamava fedele, e verace, e giudica con giustizia, e combatte.And I savv heauen opened, and behold a vvhite horse: and he that sate vpon him, vvas called Faithful and True, and vvith iustice he iudgeth & fighteth.Et vidi cælum apertum, et ecce equus albus, et qui sedebat super eum, vocabatur Fidelis, et Verax, et cum justitia judicat et pugnat. 12And his eyes were as a flame of fire: and on his head were many diadems. And he had a name written, which no man knoweth but himself.Gli occhi di lui erano come fuoco fiammante, e aveva sulla testa molti diademi, e portava scritto un nome non ad altri noto, che a lui.And his eies as a flame of fire, and on his head many diademes. hauing a name written, vvhich no man knovveth but him self.Oculi autem ejus sicut flamma ignis, et in capite ejus diademata multa, habens nomen scriptum, quod nemo novit nisi ipse. 13And he was clothed with a garment sprinkled with blood. And his name is called: THE WORD OF GOD.Ed era vestito d'una veste tinta di sangue: e il suo nome si chiama, Verbo di Dio.And he vvas clothed vvith a garment sprinkled vvith bloud: & his name is called, THE VVORD OF GOD.Et vestitus erat veste aspersa sanguine: et vocatur nomen ejus: Verbum Dei. 14And the armies that are in heaven followed him on white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.E gli eserciti, che sono nel cielo, lo seguivano sopra cavalli bianchi, vestiti essendo di bisso bianco, e puro.And the hostes that are in heauen folovved him on vvhite horses clothed in vvhite and pure silke.Et exercitus qui sunt in cælo, sequebantur eum in equis albis, vestiti byssino albo et mundo. 15And out of his mouth proceedeth a sharp two-edged sword, that with it he may strike the nations. And he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness of the wrath of God the Almighty.E dalla bocca di lui usciva una spada a due tagli, colla quale egli ferisca le genti. Ed ei le governerà con verga di ferro: ed ei pigia lo strettoio del vino di furore d'ira di Dio onnipotente.And out of his mouth procedeth a sharpe svvord: that in it he may strike the Gentiles. And he shal rule them in a rod of yron: and he treadeth the vvine presse of the furie of the vvrath of God omnipotent.Et de ore ejus procedit gladius ex utraque parte acutus, ut in ipso percutiat gentes. Et ipse reget eas in virga ferrea: et ipse calcat torcular vini furoris iræ Dei omnipotentis.
16And he hath on his garment and on his thigh written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.Ed ha scritto sulla sua veste, e sopra il suo fianco: Re de' regi, e Signore di que' che imperano.And he hath in his garment and in his thigh vvritten, KING OF KINGES AND LORD OF LORDES.Et habet in vestimento et in femore suo scriptum: Rex regum et Dominus dominantium. 17And I saw an angel standing in the sun: and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that did fly through the midst of heaven: Come, gather yourselves together to the great supper of God:E vidi un Angelo, che stava nel sole, e gridò ad alta voce, dicendo a tutti gli uccelli, che volavano per mezzo il cielo: venite, e regimatevi per la gran cena di Dio:And I savv one Angel standing in the sunne, & he cried vvith a loud voice saying to al the birdes that did flie by the middes of heauen, Come and assemble together to the great supper of God:Et vidi unum angelum stantem in sole, et clamavit voce magna, dicens omnibus avibus, quæ volabant per medium cæli: Venite, et congregamini ad cœnam magnam Dei: 18That you may eat the flesh of kings and the flesh of tribunes and the flesh of mighty men and the flesh of horses and of them that sit on them: and the flesh of all freemen and bondmen and of little and of great.Per mangiare le carni dei re, e le carni dei tribuni, e le carni de' potenti, e le carni de' cavalli, e dei cavalieri, e le carni di tutti, liberi, e servi, e piccoli, e grandi.that you may eate the flesh of kings, and the flesh of tribunes, and the flesh of valiants, and the flesh of horses & of them that sit on them, & the flesh of al freemen and bondmen, and of litle and great.ut manducetis carnes regum, et carnes tribunorum, et carnes fortium, et carnes equorum, et sedentium in ipsis, et carnes omnium liberorum, et servorum, et pusillorum et magnorum. 19And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies, gathered together to make war with him that sat upon the horse and with his army.E vidi la bestia, e i re della terra, e i loro eserciti radunati per far battaglia con colui, che stava sul cavallo, e col suo esercito.And I savv the beast and the kings of the earth, & their armies gathered to make vvarre vvith him that sate vpon the horse and vvith his armie.Et vidi bestiam, et reges terræ, et exercitus eorum congregatos ad faciendum prælium cum illo, qui sedebat in equo, et cum exercitu ejus. 20And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet who wrought signs before him, wherewith he seduced them who received the character of the beast and who adored his image. These two were cast alive into the pool of fire burning with brimstone.E fu presa la bestia, e con essa il falso profeta, che fece prodigi dinanzi a lei, co' quali sedusse coloro, che ricevettero il carattere della bestia, e adorarono la sua immagine. Tutti due furono messi vivi in uno stagno di fuoco ardente pello zolfo.And the beast vvas apprehēded, and vvith him the false •prophet: vvhich vvrought signes before him, vvherevvith he seduced them that tooke the character of the beast, and that adored his image. These tvvo were cast aliue into the poole of fire burning also with brimstone.Et apprehensa est bestia, et cum ea pseudopropheta: qui fecit signa coram ipso, quibus seduxit eos, qui acceperunt caracterem bestiæ, et qui adoraverunt imaginem ejus. Vivi missi sunt hi duo in stagnum ignis ardentis sulphure:
21And the rest were slain by the sword of him that sitteth upon the horse, which proceedeth out of his mouth: and all the birds were filled with their flesh.E il restante furono uccisi dalla spada di lui, che sta sul cavallo, la quale esce dalla sua bocca: e tutti gli uccelli si sfamarono delle loro carniAnd the rest vvere slaine by the svvord of him that sitteth vpon the horse, vvhich procedeth out of his mouth: and al the birdes vvere filled vvith their flesh.et ceteri occisi sunt in gladio sedentis super equum, qui procedit de ore ipsius: et omnes aves saturatæ sunt carnibus eorum.
19:1
Calmet
Here we enter upon a new scene. Babylon the great is fallen. The saints are here represented rejoicing over the woman who was drunk with the blood of the saints. (Chap. 17:6.) (Calmet)
Witham
The voice of many multitudes....saying: Alleluia. In these visions, when the martyrs have triumphed and overcome persecutors, are sometimes represented their praises of God in heaven. Here in the Protestant translation, are retained Alleluia and Amen, which as St. Augustine takes notice, used not to be changed nor translated in any language. (Witham)
19:6
The voice of a great multitude. Menochius applies this voice to the multitude of Angels and saints, which from its strength may be compared to the voice of rushing waters, and because of the terror with which it strikes the wicked. Pastorini understands by this voice of many waters, the voices of many Angels that preside over the nations, denoted by waters, which had all before groaned under the tyranny of antichrist; and the voice of great thunders, that of the Angel who presides over fire, which, as employed in military engines, by its explosion resembles thunder. It must be observed that the latter author refers it to the last stage of the world.
19:7
Calmet
For the marriage, etc. In the New Testament, the word marriage points out the establishment of the Church, the vocation of different people to the faith, or the reign of the Messias. (Calmet)
19:8
Pastorini
Fine linen. The symbol of justifications, or the good works and merit of her holy members; the most pleasing attire in which she can present herself to the Lamb. Her robe is glittering and white, because she has been purified as silver in the furnace, and washed white in the waters of tribulation and persecution. (Pastorini)
The fine linen, or byssus, here mentioned, is, according to Calmet, a kind of silk produced by a shell-fish, called pinna; though the same learned commentator allows that the Greek authors use this word for fine linen.
19:10
Witham
And I fell before his feet, to adore him.[Ver. 10. Cecidi ante pedes ejus ut adorarum illum: epeson emprosthen ton podon autou proskunesai auto, proskunein, as Mr. Legh shews out of other authors: promiscuè de Dei et hominum cultu apud LXX.[the Septuagint] usurpatur, cui respondet apud Latinos, adorare, quod est quasi ad aliquem orare, says Erasmus, capite vel corpore inclinato. We have very many examples in the holy Scripture, where both proskunein and latreuein signify not only divine honour, but also the honour paid to men. When God gave the ten commandments, (Exodus xx.) he forbad his people to adore strange gods; non adorabis ea, neque coles; ou proskuneseis autois, oude me latreuseis autois. Yet the same words are used in a great many places, where it is evident that no divine adoration or worship was designed, as we read of Abraham, (Genesis xxvii. 7.) adoravit populum terrae, prosekunese to lao tes ges; Genesis xlii. 6. of Joseph's brethren, cum adorassent eum fratres sui, prosekunesan auto epi prosopon. See also 1 Kings xx. 41. where David is said to have adored Jonathan, cadens pronus in terram adoravit, epesen epi prosopon kai prosekunesen auto tris. See likewise 3 Kings 1:16. where Bethsabee[Bathsheba] is said to have adored old king David, adoravit regem, prosekunese to basilei. Though in these and many other places be the same expressions as when St. John is here said to have fallen at the angel's feet to adore him, or worship him, yet no one can think that in these places is meant the supreme worship due to God alone: did Bathsabee take her old, decayed, dying husband, David, to be God, or design to pay him divine honour? Nothing then is more frivolous than such arguments drawn from the like words, which have different significations.] They of the pretended reformation think they have here a clear proof that no veneration is due to Angels and saints, and that papists in so doing are idolaters. In answer to this: First, they make St. John the apostle guilty of that idolatry which they lay to our charge. For they must suppose and grant that St. John, as to the dispositions of his mind and will, was just ready, or rather falling down, did pay an idolatrous worship to the Angel; and what Christian can believe this of so great an apostle, that after he had been favoured with all those extraordinary visions, he should either be so very ignorant as not to know what was idolatry, or so impious as to become guilty of it, and give divine honour to any creature? And what makes St. John altogether inexcusable, (had it been idolatry) we find him doing the very same a second time, in the last chapter of the Apocalypse; (ver. 7 and 8) that is, falling down at the Angel's feet to adore. Secondly, as it would be extravagantly unreasonable to suspect this apostle, this evangelist, this prophet of the new law, to be guilty of what every Christian, every Jew knows to be idolatry; to wit, to give the divine honour due to God alone to any creature whatsoever; so in reason we cannot but conclude that he was not for giving divine honour to any Angel, knowing them all to be God's creatures. If therefore he was about to pay divine honour, we must either say that he took him who then appeared to him to be our Saviour Christ, God and man, as some expound it; or, which seems more probable, he was only for offering an inferior honour and veneration to the Angel, such as he knew was lawful: and therefore he was for doing it afterwards a second time; though the Angel would not receive it from St. John, to make us the more convinced of the great dignity of this apostle and prophet, who should be raised in heaven to a degree of glory, not inferior to that of the Angels: and thus the Angel tells him, that he is his fellow creature, who with him must adore Almighty God, that by these prophecies they both bear testimony concerning Jesus Christ and his Church, the Angel by revealing them, and St. John by publishing them, which seems to be the sense of the following words, for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy: or they may be expounded thus, for the testimony that we give concerning Christ and his Church, we both of us receive from the divine spirit of God, who reveals such truths to his prophets. Thirdly, the Protestants are for proving us idolaters from what St. John was about to do, or rather from what he did, expressed in these words, and I fell before his feet to adore him; or, as in the Protestant translation, and I fell at his feet to worship him. Now it is certain and evident that these words neither in the Latin nor in the Greek, express that divine worship and honour which is due, and which is given to God alone, whether we consult the Hebrew or the Septuagint of the Old Testament, the very same words are many times used to signify no more than an inferior honour given to creatures. This is a thing well known, and agreed upon by every Protestant as well as Catholic, who has read the Scriptures, or who knows any thing of Latin, Greek, or Hebrew. Fourthly, it seems very strange, very unaccountable, that our adversaries will not understand the difference betwixt divine honour due to God alone, and an inferior honour, respect, or veneration given to Angels or saints, to their relics or images, which inferior honour may, in some sense, be called a religious honour, inasmuch as it is paid to persons or things that may be called sacred or holy. Is not honour or veneration certainly different, as the objects or things we pay honour to, and the intention of him that pays this honour, are different, though perhaps the exterior marks of bowing, of kneeling, of prostrating, of kissing, may be the same? We honour the king, and we also honour his courtiers, his officers, and such as are invested with dignities and authority from him: but shall any one think that we pay the same honour to all these persons or things belonging to them? though the eastern people kneel or prostrate themselves before kings or persons in dignities, they neither give nor design to give them divine honour. Why will our adversaries pretend to make us idolaters against our wills, minds, and intentions, when we have always protested that we give divine honour and supreme worship to God alone? that we honour, worship, serve and adore him only as the author of all things? that we never design to pay any thing but an inferior honour to the highest Angels or saints, or to their relics and images. We know, believe, and profess that there is an infinite distance betwixt God the creator, and the highest and most perfect of all created beings; so that the honour we give them is infinitely inferior, as they themselves are, to the honour that with our hearts and minds we pay to God: and must it be said that we give divine honour to creatures, and so become idolaters, when we never design it, when we design quite the contrary? This made Mr. Thorndike, in his book of just weights and measures, tell his Protestant brethren, that the Church of Rome cannot be charged with idolatry for their reverencing images, nor on any other account; and so exhorts them not to pretend to lead the people by the nose, to make them believe suppositions which they cannot prove. See Apocalypse 2:and xix. (Witham)
Calmet
Fell before, etc. St. Athanasius and St. Augustine think St. John took the Angel to be Jesus Christ, and as such was desirous of paying him the supreme homage, or latreia. (Calmet)
Pastorini
St. John, in token of gratitude, offers to pay to the Angel such homage as is due to a being of his rank, which the Angel however refuses to accept, giving for reason, that his is a fellow-servant of the apostle, and of the apostle's brethren, who bear testimony to Jesus Christ. (Pastorini)
This speech evidently agrees with the character of John the Baptist, but not with that of a real Angel.
Pastorini
Testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. The testimony which you give to Christ, by suffering for his holy name and the profession of his doctrine, is of equal value with the spirit of prophecy which I possess (Pastorini; Calmet)
19:11
Witham
Behold a white horse. The titles and character given to him that sat on this white horse, shew that hereby was represented Jesus Christ, called also here the word of God, ver. 13; and ver. 16, and he hath on his garment and on his thigh written: King of kings and Lord of lords, etc. (Witham)
Pastorini
And he that sat, etc. The heavens open and St. John sees Jesus Christ, the Son of God, descending, seated on a white horse. He is known by the peculiar appellations of faithful and true. Faithful, in protecting his servants; and true, by always keeping strictly true whatever he promises. (Pastorini)
19:12
Flame, etc. Which shews his indignation.
Pastorini
Diadems; the mark of power. So Ptolemy, the king of Egypt, after he had entered Antiochia, took two crowns, to signify that he was king of two countries, Syria and Egypt. (Pastorini)
Calmet
Which (name) no man knoweth but himself. Some interpreters think St. John alludes to an ancient custom which still obtains among the Orientals, of having a secret name, which they discover to no one. (Calmet)
Pastorini understands this to be the name of the word of God, as mentioned in the subsequent verse; which is so comprehensive in its meaning, that human reason cannot fathom it, and no man knoweth but himself.
19:13
Sprinkled with blood, etc. Which betokens the carnage made among his enemies.
19:14
Pastorini
The armies, etc. The celestial armies of saints follow the Son of God, as their captain and commander; they are all like him, mounted on white horses, and clothed in fine linen, white and clean, a symbol of their merit and glory. (Pastorini)
19:15
Menochius
Sharp two-edged sword. The power which Christ exercises over the impious. (Menochius)
Calmet
Wine press, etc. This painting corresponds to the triumph of Jesus Christ. (Calmet)
Pastorini
Some of the attributes here mentioned are also ascribed to Christ, by the prophet Isaiah, (Isaias 63:2, 3.) "Why then is thy apparel red, and thy garments like theirs that tread in the wine press? I have trodden the wine-press alone, and of the Gentiles there is not a man with me: I have trampled on them in my indignation, and have trodden them down in my wrath, and their blood is sprinkled upon my garments, and I have stained all my apparel." (Pastorini)
19:17
Pastorini
An Angel....in the sun,...with a loud voice invites all the birds of the air to a most plentiful entertainment which is preparing for them, where they may fill themselves with human flesh of all kinds; from that of kings to that of bondmen; (ver. 18) and with the flesh of horses and that of them that sin on them: an expressive picture of the immense slaughter that is going to be made. It would seem that this bloody scene will terminate in the evening of the day, as the invitation is given to a supper. (Pastorini)
19:19
Pastorini
We have just now seen the heavenly captain on horseback, at the head of his holy troop, marching to battle; and now we see who are the enemies he comes to encounter. Here is the beast, or antichrist, with prodigious armies gathered from all parts of the earth, and headed by their kings and princes. (Pastorini)
19:20
Menochius
The beast, etc. Antichrist is taken alive. (Menochius)
19:10
I fell down before, etc.... St. Augustine (lib. 20, contra Faust, c. 21) is of opinion, that this angel appeared in so glorious a manner, that St. John took him to be God; and therefore would have given him divine honour had not the angel stopped him, by telling him he was but his fellow servant. St. Gregory (Hom. 8, in Evang.) rather thinks that the veneration offered by St. John, was not divine honour, or indeed any other than what might lawfully be given; but was nevertheless refused by the angel, in consideration of the dignity to which our human nature had been raised, by the incarnation of the Son of God, and the dignity of St. John, an apostle, prophet, and martyr.
19:1
Liturgia The Epistle for many martyrs.
ALLELVIA.
19:3
This often repeating of Allelu-ia. in times of reioycing, the Church doth folow in her Seruice.
19:4
4. Amen, Alleluia.] These tvvo Hebrue vvordes (as other els vvhere) both in the Greeke & Latin text are kept religiously, 〈Greek〉 & not translated, vnles it be once or tvvise in the Psalmes. Yea and the Protestants them selues keepe them in the text of their English Testaments in many places. Amen. Alleluia, not translated. and maruel it. is vvhy they vse them not in al places, but sometimes turne, Amen, into, verely, vvhere of see the Annotation Ioan. 8. v. 34. and in their Seruice booke they translate, Alleluia, into, Praise ye the Lord. as though Alleluia had not as good a grace in the acte of seruing God, (vvhere it is in deede properly vsed) as it hath in the text of the Scripture.
The Church Catholike doth often and specially vse this sacred vvord, to ioyne vvith the Church triumphant, Alleluia often vsed in the Church, specially in Easter time. consisting of Angels and Saincts, vvho here are said to laude and praise God vvith treat reioycing, by this vvord Alleluia, and by often repetition thereof: as the Catholike Church also vseth, namely in Easter time euen til Vvhit-sontide, for the ioy of Christs resurrection, vvhich (as S. Augustine declareth ep. ad Ianuarium) vvas the general vse of the Primitiue Church, Epist. ad Ian. c. 17. &c. 15. making a greater mysterie and matter of it, then our Protestants novv do. At other times of the yere also he saith it vvas sung in some Churches, but not in al, and S. Hierom numbereth it among the heresies of Vigilantius, That Alleluia could not be sung but at Easter. Aduers. Vigilant. c. 1.
The truth is, by the vse of the Scriptures it hath more in it then, Praise ye the Lord, signifying vvith laude, It signifieth more then (as the Protestants trāslate it) praise ye the lord. glorifying, and praising of God, a great reioycing vvithal, mirth, and exultation of hart in the singers thereof, and that is the cause vvhy the holy Church saith, Laus tibi Domine, Praise be to thee ô Lord, in Lent and times of penance and mourning, but not Alleluia. vvhich (as S. Augustine also declareth) is a terme of signification and mysterie, ioyned vvith that time, and then vsed specially in the Church of God, vvhen she representeth to vs in her Seruice, the ioyes and beatitude of the next life: vvhich is done specially at Easter, by the ioyful celebrating of Christs glorious Resurrection and Ascension, after the penal time of Lent vvhich representeth the miserie of this life. See S. Augustine Ser. 1. & 5. c. 9. & 6. c. 9 de Diuersis to. 10. and his ena•tation vpon the 148 Psalme. for in the titles and endes of diuerse holy Psalmes this Alleluia is ful of mysterie & sacred signification. •Palse translation. Vvhere vve must aske the Protestants, vvhy they haue left it out altogether, being in the Hebrue, saying neither Alleluia, nor, Praise the Lord, in the Bible 1577: & that nine times in the sixe last Psalmes.
Moreouer the said holy Doctor li. 2 de doct, Christ. c. 11) affirmeth that Amen & Alleluia be not translated into any other language, Amen and Alleluia should not be translated into vulgar tongues. propter sanctiorem authoritatem, for the more sacred authoritie of the vvordes so remaining. and ep. 178. he saith that it is not lavvful to translate them. Nam sciendum est &c. for it is to be knovven (saith he) that al nations do sing Amen and Alleluia in the Hebrue vvordes, vvhich neither the Latine man not the Barbarous may translate into his ovvne language. See S. Hierom also epist. 137. And namely for our Nation, S. Gregorie vvil beare vs vvitnes that our countrie receiued, the vvord Alleluia vvith their Christianitie, Al nations in the primitiue Church sang Amen and Alleluia. saying thus li. 27 Moral. c. 6. Lingua Britannia qua nihil aliud nouerat quim barbarum frendere, iamdudum in Diuinis laudibus Hebraeum capit resenare Alleluia. that is, The Britan tongue, vvhich knevv nothing els but to mutter barbarously, hath begone of late in Gods diuine laudes and praises to sound the Hebrue Alleluia. And for Iurie, S. Hierom ep. 17. c. 7 vvriteth, that the husbandmen at the plough sang Alleluia, vvhich vvas not then their vulgar speache. Yea he saith that in Monasteries the singing of Alleluia vvas in steede of a bel to call them together ad Collectam. in Epitaph. Paulae. c. 10.
This vvord is a sacred, Christian, mystical, and Angelical song. and yet in the nevv seruice booke it is turned into, The Protestāts profane this vvord by translating it, and diminish the signification thereof. Praise ye the Lord, and Alleluia is quite gone, because they list neither to agree vvith the Church of God, not vvith the vse of holy Scriptures, no not vvith their ovvne translations, but no maruel, Psal. 136. that they can not sing the song of our Lord and of Angels in a strange countrie, that is, out of the Catholike Church, in the captiuitie of schisme & heresie, Lastly, vve might aske them vvhether it be al one to say Mat. 21, Hosanna, &, Saue vs vve beseeche thees vvhereas Hosanna is vvithal a•vvord of exceding congratulation and ioy vvhich they expressed tovvard out Sauiour, euen so Alleluia hath an other maner of sense and signification in it, then can expressed by, Praise ye the Lord.
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At this day shal the whole Church of the elect be finally & perfectly for euer ioyned vnto Christ in mariage inseparable.
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8. Iustifications of Saincts. Here the Heretikes in their translations. could not alter the vvord iustifications into ordinances, Iustificatiōs are good vvorkes, not as the effectes of saith iustifying, but because them selues also with faith iustifie a man. or constitutions, as they did falsely in the first of S. Luke, vvhereof see the Annotatiō there vers. 6. but they are forced to say in Latin, iustificationes, as Beza: and in English, righteousnes, (for iustifications they vvil not say in any case for feare of inconuenience.) yea and they can not deny but these iustifications be the good vvorkes of saincts. Beza. but vvhere they make this glose, that they be so called, because are the fruites of effect of faith and of the iustice vvhich vve haue by onely faith, it is most euidently false, & against the very text, and nature of. the word. for there is no cause vvhy any thing should be called a mans iustification. but for that it maketh him iust, so that, iustifications, be the vertues of faith, hope, charitie, and good deedes, iustifying or making a man iust, and not effectes of iustification, neither faith onely, but they al together be the very ornaments and invvard garments, beauty, and iustice of the soule, as here it is euident.
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Concordanza Mat. 22. Lu. 14,
That is the feast of eternal life prepared for his spouse the Church.
Concordanza Apoc. 22. 9.
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10. And I fel.] The Protestants abuse this place, and the example of the Angels forbidding Iohn to adore him being but his fellow seruant, S. Iohns adoring of the Angel, explicated against the protestāts abusing the same. and appointing him to adore God, against al honour, reuerence, and adoration of Angels, Saincts, or other sanctified creatures, teaching that no religious vvorship ought to be done vvto them. But in truth it maketh for no such purpose, but only vvarneth vs that Diuine honour and the adoration due to God alone, may not be giuen to any Angel or other creature. S. August. de vera relig. cap. vltimo. And vvhen the Aduersaries replie that so great an Apostle, as Iohn vvas. could not be ignorant of that point, not vvould haue giuen diuine honour vnto an Angel (for so he had been an Idolater) and therfore that he vvas not reprehended for that, The Protestāts are re•elled by their ovvne reason. but for doing any religious reuerence or other honour vvhatsoeuer to his fellovv-seruant 〈◊〉 ve ansvver that by the like reason, S. Iohn being so great an Apostle, if this later kinde of reuerence had been vnlavvful and to be reprehended, as the Protestants hold it is no lesse then the other, could not haue been ignorant thereof, not vvould haue done it.
Therfore they might much better haue learned of S. Augustine (q. 61 in Genes.) hovv this facte of S. Iohn vvas corrected by the Angel, S. Iohn erred only in the person, mistaking the Angel to be Christ him self, and so adoring him as God. and vvherein he errour vvas. In effect it is thus, That the Angel being so glorious and ful of maiestie, presenting Christs person, and in his name vsing diuers vvordes proper to God. Apoc. c. 1. as, I am the first and the last, and aliue and vvas dead, and such like, might vvel be taken of S. Iohn, by errour of his person, to be Christ him self, and that the Apostle presuming him to be so in deede, adored him vvith Diuine honour: vvhich the Angel correcting, told him he vvas not God, but one of his fellovves, and therfore that he should not so adore him, but God. Thus then vve see, Iohn vvas neither so ignorant, to thinke that any vndue honour might be giuen to any creature: not so il, to commit idolatrie by doing vndue vvorship to any Angel in heauen: and therfore vvas not culpable at al in his facte, but onely erred materially (as the Scholemen call it) that is, by mistaking one for an other, thinking that vvhich vvas an Angel, to haue been our Lord: Esa. 9 in Graco. because he knevve that our Lord him self is also called an Angel, Malac. 3. and hath often appeared in the visions of the faithful.
And the like is to be thought of the Angel appearing in the 22 of the Apocalypse, vvhether it vvere the same or an other. S. Iohn sinned not in this adoration. for that also did so appeare, that Iohn not tell vvhether it vvere Christ him self or no, til the Angel told him. Once this is certaine, that Iohn did not formally (as they say) commit idolatrie, not sinne at al herein, knovving al dueties of a Christian man, no lesse then an Angel of heauen, being also in as great honour vvith God, yea and in more then many Angels. An other explication of this place. Vvhich perhaps may be the cause (and consequently an other explication of this place) that the Angel knovving his great greaces and merites before God, vvould not accept any vvorship or submission at his handes, though Iohn againe of like humilitie did it, as also immediatly aftervvard chap. 22. vvhich belike he vvould not haue done, if he had been precisely aduised by the Angel but a moment before, of errour & vnduetifulnes in the facte. Hovvsoeuer that be, this is euident, that this the Angels refusing of adoration, taketh not avvay the due reuerence and respect vve ought to haue to Angels or other sanctified persons and creatures, and so these vvordes, See thou doe it not, The Protestāts by conference of Scriptures might finde ⸢r⸣eligious adoratiō of creatures. signifie rather an earnest refusal, then any signification of crime to be committed thereby.
And maruel it is that the Protestants making them selues so sure of the true sense of euery doubtful place by conference of other Scriptures, folow not here the conference and comparing of Scriptures that them selues so much of onely require. Vve vvil giue them occasion and a methode so to doe, thus. He that doubteth of this place, findeth out three things of question, vvhich must be tried by other Scriptures. The first, vvhether there ought to be or may be any religious reuerence or honour done to any creatures. taking the vvord religion or religious vvorship not for that special honour vvhich is properly and onely due to God, Aug. de vera relig. c. 55. as S. Augustine sometimes vseth it, Three points herein examined and proued by Scriptures. but for reuerence due to any thing that is holy by sanctification or application to the seruice of God. The second thing is, vvhether by vse of Scriptures, that honour be called adoration in latin, or by a vvord equiualent in other, languages, 〈Greek〉. Hebrue, Greeke, or English. Lastly, vvhether vve may by the Scriptures fall downe prostrate before the things, or at the feete of the persons that vve so adore. •or of ciuil duetie done to our Superiors by capping, 〈Greek〉. kneeling, or other courtesie, I thinke the Protestants vvil not stand vvith vs: though in deede, their arguments make as much against the one as the other.
But for religious vvorship of creatures (vvhich vve speake of) let them see in the Scriptures both old and nevv: first, Ps. 5. 137. vvhether the Temple, 1 Religious vvorship of creatures. the tabernacle, the Arke, the propitiatorie, the Cherubins, Dan. 6. the altar, the bread of proposition, the Sabboth, and al their holies, 3 Reg. 8. vvere not reuerenced by al signes of deuotion and religion: vvhether the Sacraments of Christ, Ios. 7. Ps. 98. 131. the Priests of our Lord, the Prophets of God, the Gospel, Scriptures, the name of IESVS, such like (vvhich be by vse, signification, or sanctification made holy) are not •ovv to be reuerenced: and they shal finde al these things to haue been reuerenced of al the faithful, 2 The same is called adoration. vvithout any dishonour of God, and much to his honour. Secondly, that this reuerence is named adoration in the Seriptures, these speaches do proue Ps. 93. Adore ye his footestoole, because it is holy. and Hebr. 11. He adored the toppe of his rod. Thirdly, that the Scriptures also vvarrant vs (as the nature of the vvord adoratiō giueth in al three tonges.) to bowe downe our bodies, 3 Falling prostrat before the persons or things adored. to fall flat on the ground at the presence of such thinges, and at the feete of holy persons, specially Angels, as Iohn doth here, these examples proue. Gen. 18. Abraham adored the Angels that appeared to him, Moyses also the Angel that shewed him self out of the bush, Exod. 3. vvho vvere creatures, though they represented Gods person, as this Angel here did, that speake to S. Iohn Balaam adored, the Angel that stoode before him vvith a svvord drawen. Iosue 5. Num. 22. Adoring of Angels. Iosuè adored falling flat downe before the feete of the Angel, calling him his Lord, knowing by the Angels owne testimonie, that it vvas but an Angel. Vvho refused it not, but required yet more reuerence, commaunding him to plucke of his shoes, because the ground vvas holy, no doubt so made by the presence onely of the Angel.
Yea not onely to Angels, Adoring of Prophets and holy persons. but euen to great Prophets this deuotion vvas done, as to Daniel by Nabuchodonosor, Dan. 2. vvho fell flat vpon his face before him, and did other great offices of religion, vvhich the Prophet refused not, because they vvere done to God rather then to him, as S. Hierom defendeth the same against Porphyrie, vvho charged Daniel vvith intolerable pride therein, and the said holy doctor alleageth the fact of Alexander the great, that did the like to or, Iaddus. Ioiadas the high priest of the Ievves. Hovvsoeuer that be (for of the sacrifice there mentioned there may be some doubt, vvhich the Church doth alvvaies immediatly to God, and to no creature) the fact of the prophets (4 Reg. 2) to Elizeus, is plaine: vvhere they perceiuing that the double grace and spirit of Elias vvas giuen to him, 4 Reg. 4. Iudith. 13. fel flat dovvne at his feete and adored. So did the Sunamite. to omit that Achior adored Iudith, falling at her feete, as a vvoman blessed of God, and infinite other places.
Al vvhich thinges, by comparing the Scriptures, our Aduersaries should haue found to be lavvfully done to men, and Angels, and soueraine holy creatures. Vvhereby they might conuince them selues, & perceiue, that that thing could not be forbidden S. Iohn to doe to the Angel, which they pretend: though the Angel for causes might refuse euen that vvhich S. Iohn did lawfully vnto him, as S. Peter did refuse the honour giuen him by Cornelius, according to S. Chrysostoms opinion. he. 23 in c 10 Act. yea euen in the third chapter of this booke (if our Aduersaries vvould looke no further) they might see where this Augel prophecieth & promiseth that the Ievves should fall dovvne before the feete of the Angel of Philadelphia and adore, See the Annot. there.
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Concordanza Es. 63, 1.
The second person in Trinitie, the Sonne of the Vvord of God, vvhich vvas made flesh. Io. 1.
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Concordanza Apoc. 2, 27.
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Concordanza Apo. 17, 14.
Euen according to his humanitie also.
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Tertulliano † 220 d.C. Scorpiace 2
… “Cursed be the man who maketh a graven or a molten image, an abomination, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and putteth it in a secret place.” But in Leviticus He says: “Go not ye after idols, nor make to yourselves molten gods: I am the Lord your God.”
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sant'Ippolito † 235 d.C. On Daniel 2.26
26. He added also these words: “And his arms and his feet like polished brass;” to denote the first calling of men, and the second calling like unto it, viz. of the Gentiles. “For the last shall be as the first; for I will set thy rulers as at the beginning, and thy leaders as before. And His voice was as the voice of a great multitude.”
san Tascio Cecilio Cipriano † 258 d.C. Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews 2.20
… Blessed are those servants whom their Lord, when He cometh, shall find watching.” Also in the Apocalypse: “The Lord God omnipotent reigneth: let us be glad and rejoice, and let us give to Him the honour of glory; for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife hath made herself ready.”
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Mathetes (A Diogneto) † fl. 130 d.C. Epistle to Diognetus 12
… Bearing this tree and displaying its fruit, thou shalt always gather in those things which are desired by God, which the Serpent cannot reach, and to which deception does not approach; nor is Eve then corrupted, but is trusted as a virgin; and salvation is manifested, and the Apostles are filled with understanding, and the Passover
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. On Christian Doctrine 1.16
15. For the Church is His body, as the apostle’s teaching shows us; and it is even called His spouse.
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sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. On Christian Doctrine 1.33
… or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?” and again: “Neither is he that planteth anything, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.” And the angel admonisheth the man who is about to worship him, that he should rather worship Him who is his Master, and under whom he himself is a fellow-servant.
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Reply to Faustus the Manichæan 20.21
… They rent their clothes, and restrained the people, crying out to them, and persuading them that they were not gods. We see it also in the angels, as we read in the Apocalypse that an angel would not allow himself to be worshipped, and said to his worshipper, "I am thy fellow-servant, and of thy brethen."
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Expositions on the Book of Psalms 86.11
… But what do ye say? We worship Angels, we have Angels as gods. Ye know not altogether what Angels are. Angels worship the one God, and favour not men who wish to worship Angels and not God. For we find Angels of high rank forbidding men to adore them, and commanding them to adore the true God.
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Expositions on the Book of Psalms 97.10
… He was teaching a disciple of Christ, and showing him many wonders in the Revelation of John: and when some wonderful vision had been shown him, he trembled, and fell down at the Angel’s feet; but that Angel, who sought not but the glory of God, said, “See thou do it not; for I am a fellow-servant of thee, and of thy brethren the prophets.”
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sant'Ireneo di Lione † 202 d.C. Against Heresies 4.20.11
… And out of His mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it He may smite the nations; and He shall rule ( pascet ) them with a rod of iron: and He treadeth the wine-press of the fierceness of the wrath of God Almighty. And He hath upon His vesture and upon His thigh a name written, King of Kings and Lord of Lords. ”
sant'Ippolito † 235 d.C. Against the Heresy of One Noetus 15
… and He that sat upon him (was) Faithful and True; and in righteousness He doth judge and make war. And His eyes (were) as flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns; and He had a name written that no man knew but He Himself. And He (was) clothed in a vesture dipped in blood: and His name is called the Word of God.”
Origene † 254 d.C. Origen's Commentary on the Gospel of John 1.42
… For no one knows the Father save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son reveals Him, and inasmuch as He is the Word He is the Messenger of Great Counsel, who has the government upon His shoulders; for He entered on His kingdom by enduring the cross. In the Apocalypse,
Origene † 254 d.C. Origen's Commentary on the Gospel of John 2.4
… This we say, by no means denying that truth and wisdom and reason are of God, but we wish to indicate the purpose of the omission in this passage of the words “of God,” and of the form of the statement, “In the beginning the Logos was with God.” The same John in the Apocalypse gives Him His name with the addition “of God,” where he says:
san Tascio Cecilio Cipriano † 258 d.C. Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews 2.4
… And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.” Also in the Apocalypse: “And I saw the heaven opened, and lo, a white horse; and he who sate upon him was called Faithful and True, judging rightly and justly; and He made war. And He was covered with a garment sprinkled with blood; and His name is called the Word of God.”
san Tascio Cecilio Cipriano † 258 d.C. Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews 2.31
… And out of His mouth went forth a sword with two edges, that with it He should smite the nations, which He shall shepherd with a rod of iron; and He shall tread the winepress of the wrath of God Almighty. Also He has on His garment and on His thigh the name written, King of kings, and Lord of lords.”
san Girolamo † 420 d.C. The Letters of St. Jerome 118.2
… Such is the list of the trials that have been laid upon you; such is the conflict waged by the old enemy against Julian a raw recruit to Christ’s standard. If you look only to yourself your troubles are indeed great but if you look to the strong Warrior,
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sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Expositions on the Book of Psalms 21.4
4. “For Thou hast presented Him with the blessings of sweetness” ( ver. 3 ). Because He had first quaffed the blessing of Thy sweetness, the gall of our sins did not hurt Him. “ Diapsalma . Thou hast set a crown of precious stone on His Head.”
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Antipapa Novaziano † 258 d.C. A Treatise of Novatian Concerning the Trinity 13
And thus also John, describing the nativity of Christ, says: “The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” For, moreover, “His name is called the Word of God,”
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sant'Ambrogio † 397 d.C. On the Holy Spirit 3.7
45. And since that instance comes before us, that the Lord Jesus shall slay with the Spirit of His mouth, the Spirit is understood to be as it were the Sword of the Word. Lastly, in the Gospel also the Lord Jesus Himself says: “I came not to send peace but a sword.” For He came that He might give the Spirit; and so there is in His mouth a two-edged sword,
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san Giovanni Damasceno † 749 d.C. An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith 4.15
… and if sons, also heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ : and the Lord in the holy Gospels says to His apostles, Ye are My friends . Henceforth I call you not servants, for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth . And further, if the Creator and Lord of all things is called also King of Kings and Lord of Lords
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sant'Ireneo di Lione † 202 d.C. Against Heresies 5.28.2
… wherefore also shall he deservedly “be cast into the lake of fire:”
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1. POST HAEC AUDIVI QUASI VOCEM TURBARUM MULTARUM. — Male Ambrosius et Beda legunt, «tubarum multarum»: graece enim est ὄχλου πολλοῦ. Significatur hac voce caelitum multitudo, communisque omnium gratulatio et exultatio. ALLELUIA. — Hebraice hallelu ia, id est laudate Deum (ia enim est abbreviatum Jehova) laeta et alta voce jubilando. Alleluia enim continet acclamationem cum exhortatione, aiunt Ribera, Viegas et Alcazar. SALUS. — Ita Romana et Graeca, non «laus,» uti legendum vult Ribera. Sensus est, q. d. Salus nostra, qua a persecutione Babylonis, id est Romae Paganae, ea excisa liberati sumus, indeque consequens «gloria,» tum Dei, tum nostra; ac «virtus,» graece δύναμις, id est robur et potentia, qua hanc victoriam et salutem nobis peperit: non nostrisque viribus, sed Deo nostro accepta ferenda et tribuenda est. Alcazar addit, καὶ ἡ τιμή, id est «et honor,» ut haec quatuor elogia respondeant quadruplici Alleluia, de quo mox. Sed illud nec habent Romana, nec Complut. Symbolice, salus et victoria attribuitur Patri, gloria redemptionis Filio, virtus sanctificandi et beatificandi Spiritui Sancto.
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2. QUAE CORRUPIT TERRAM IN PROSTITUTIONE SUA — in sua idololatria aliisque sceleribus. Vide dicta cap. XVII, vers. 2.
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3. ET ITERUM DIXERUNT: ALLELUIA. — Nota: Caelites ex ingenti devotionis et exultationis affectu quatuor ingeminant Alleluia, scilicet, primum, vers. 1; secundum, vers. 3; tertium, vers. 4; quartum, vers. 6. ET FUMUS EJUS (scilicet Babylonis incensae cap. XVIII) ASCENDIT IN SAECULA SAECULORUM. — Quasi dicat: Laudant Deum canendo Alleluia, et, id est quia, Babylonis, id est, impiorum et persecutorum Romanorum, damnatio et supplicia in aeternum durabunt. Hinc Isidorus, lib. VI Etymol., cap. xix, docet Ecclesiam in laetioribus festis usurpare et ingeminare Alleluia, idque accepisse ex hoc loco Apocalypseos, aeque ac ex psalmis, et ex Tobia xiii, 22, ubi dicitur: «Per vicos ejus (Jerusalem) Alleluia cantabitur.» Mystice Alcazar: Perfecta, inquit, Dei laus complectitur quatuor partes, quae quadruplici Alleluia respondent: prima est ipsa Dei et sanctae Trinitatis, ejusque victoriae et salutationis fides et cognitio; secunda est vitae integritas: magis enim pia vita quam vox laudat Deum. Est enim haec vitae et morum laus diuturna, imo aeterna. Hinc dicitur Psalm. cx, 10: «Initium sapientiae timor Domini: intellectus bonus omnibus facientibus eum, laudatio ejus manet in saeculum saeculi.» Ubi «laudatio ejus» vocatur ea laus, quam Dei timor illi attribuit, id est laus quam pietas illi defert. Tertia est laus publica totius Ecclesiae in sacrificio Missae, in concionibus, in divinis Officiis decantandis. Unde hoc Alleluia canitur a viginti quatuor senioribus, id est a Sacerdotibus. Quarta est eorum qui student perfectioni, ut ad majorem Dei gloriam semper intenti, religiose in suo quique statu Deo serviant, et zelo animarum ferveant, atque precibus, piis colloquiis et admirabili vita exemplo commune bonum, id est majorem Dei gloriam in animarum conversione et perfectione promoveant. Hac enim ratione Apostoli et primi Christiani converterunt barbaros, hominesque plane impios. Quod si idem jam facerent sacerdotes et fideles, in eoque conspirarent, facile et haereticos, et Paganos, et Turcas converterent. Hinc vox de caelo, id est, Spiritus Sancti instinctus et afflatus efficax, excitat homines ad hoc Alleluia, ideoque Christus in caelum ascendit, ut hunc Spiritum e caelo in nos dimitteret. Haec vox est instar aquarum multarum, et instar tonitrui, quia sonora, penetrans et efficax ad permovendum et commovendum animas. Porro hae quatuor Alleluia respondent, et fusius explicantur viginti Alleluia, quae viginti psalmis quasi tituli praefiguntur, nimirum psalmo civ, cv, cvi, cx, cxi, cxiii, cxiv, cxv, cxvi, cxvii, cxviii, cxxxiv, cxlv, cxlvi, cxlvii, cxlviii, cxlviii, cxlix, cl, quos Alcazar, notat. 2, hisce quatuor Alleluia commensurat et adaptat. Rursum Richardus notat hic quater repeti Alleluia, ut significetur Deus trinus aeque ac unus; nam tres et unum faciunt quatuor. Ita in Africa, in loco qui Regia vocabatur, cum in paschali solemnitate lector in pulpito Alleluia cantaret, jactu sagittae guttur transfixus ab Arianis, canendo mortuus est, martyrque in caelum evolavit, perenne ibi Alleluia modulaturus, uti refert Victor Uticensis, lib. I Wandal. Testatur S. Hieronymus in Vita S. Paulae, in ejus monasterio voce «Alleluia» altius decantata, moniales ad S. Synaxim convocari solitas. S. Augustinus in Psalm. cvi, scribit, antiqua traditione ab Ecclesia Catholica toto orbe diffusa Alleluia cantari solitum, scilicet tempore paschali. Quare quod ait S. Gregorius, lib. VII, epist. 36: «Ut Alleluia hic (Romae) diceretur, de Hierosolymorum Ecclesia ex B. Hieronymi traditione, tempore B. memoriae Damasi traditur tractum»: intellige cum Baronio, ut diceretur extra tempus paschale. Nam ipse S. Hieronymus adeo crebrum Alleluia usum et cantum fuisse docet, ut etiam in funere defunctorum caneretur. Sic enim ait in Epitaph. Fabiolae: «Sonabant psalmi, et aurata tecta templorum reboans in sublime quatiebat Alleluia.» Idem Christianos ita crebro Alleluia in ore habuisse docet, ut ipsi etiam infantes dum fari inciperent, primum Alleluia sonare et balbutire docerentur. Sic enim de Paula ad Laetam matrem scribens, epist. 7 et 27, tradit eam infantulam ore balbutiente occinere consuevisse Alleluia. Idem fecerunt aliae piae matres, quae primam vocem infantes sonare docebant Alleluia. Denique S. Hieronymus, epist. 17 ad Marcellam, docet Hierosolymis in omnium fidelium ore ita crebrum fuisse Alleluia, ut etiam agricolae laboris molestias eo cantico levarent: «Quocumque,» ait, «te verteris, arator stivam tenens Alleluia decantat.» Mirum est quod refert Constantius Episcopus, et ex eo Baronius, scilicet anno Domini 429, Britannos pressos ab hostibus, monitu S. Germani inclamantes Alleluia, insignem de eis obtinuisse victoriam. Cum enim una omnes voce conclamarent Alleluia: «Hostile,» ait, «agmen terrore prosternitur, et ruisse super se non solum rupes circumdatas, verum etiam ipsam coeli machinam contremiscunt,» etc. Vide quae de Alleluia notavi ad Ephes. v, 20.
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4. AMEN, ALLELUIA. — Seniores 24 dicunt «Amen,» quasi approbantes doxologiam, et Alleluia caelitum quod praecessit: unde post «Amen,» suum et ipsi proprium addunt Alleluia, quasi dicant: Omnino ita fiat, omnes laudent Deum, omnes dicant Alleluia.
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5. ET VOX DE THRONO (a Deo per aliquem Seraphinum aut Cherubim) EXIVIT, DICENS: LAUDEM DICITE DEO — id est, dicite Alleluia. Haec vox hortatur caelites, ut Alleluia quod coeperunt dicere, iterent et ingeminent, ob magnitudinem victoriae de Babylone eversa, ac salutis et exultationis inde consecutae. Aut certe vox haec de caelo exit, et tendit ad terrigenas, ut fideles hic in Ecclesia dicant Alleluia, sicut caelites dixerunt vers. 1, 3 et 4. Unde huc alludens S. Hieronymus: «In Ecclesia,» ait, «ad similitudinem caelestis tonitrui reboat Amen,» aeque ac Alleluia. Ita ipse in praefat. in epist. ad Galat., lib. II.
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6. QUONIAM REGNAVIT DOMINUS DEUS NOSTER. — Excisa Babylone hostili, jam regnum pacatum, laetum et firmum init Deus noster. Alludit ad Psal. xcii, xcvi et xcviii, qui singuli ita incipiunt: «Dominus regnavit.»
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7. GAUDEAMUS, ET EXULTEMUS, ET DEMUS GLORIAM EI: QUIA VENERUNT NUPTIAE AGNI. — Alludit ad parabolam nuptiarum Christi, Matth. xxii, 2. Ita S. Hieronymus et Jansenius ibidem. Et ad Psalm. xliv: «Eructavit cor meum verbum bonum, dico ego opera mea regi,» qui est epithalamium sponsi et sponsae, id est, Christi et Ecclesiae. Sicut enim Assuerus, repudiata Vasthi, ducens Esther in uxorem, jussit «convivium praeparari permagnificum cunctis principibus et servis suis, pro conjunctione et nuptiis Esther,» Esther II, 18: ita et Deus Pater nuptias, id est nuptiale epulum, idque perenne, praeparavit Christo et Ecclesiae, id est fidelibus in caelo. Ad litteram ergo hoc loco omnes caelites laetabundi jubilant et acclamant, quod jam venerit dies judicii, perfectaeque nuptiae Christi cum Ecclesia in caelesti beatitudine celebrandae. Unde subdit: ET UXOR EJUS PRAEPARAVIT SE — q. d. Ecclesia omni virtute, omnique Electorum, puta Apostolorum, Martyrum, Virginum, Confessorum varietate et numero adornavit se, ut veluti sponsa deducatur in thalamum sponsi Christi in caelis, fiatque ei uxor, eoque fruatur in perpetuum. Nota: In hac vita Ecclesia est sponsa Christi, cujus sponsalia celebrantur in baptismo per gratiam; in futura vero eadem erit uxor per gloriam, cujus nuptiae celebrabuntur in caelo per omnem aeternitatem. De sponsalibus Christi et Ecclesiae dicitur Cantic. cap. iii, vers. 11: «Egredimini et videte, filiae Sion, regem Salomonem in diademate, quo coronavit illum mater sua in die desponsationis illius.» De nuptiis hic dicitur: «Quia venerunt nuptiae Agni.» Ita S. Gregorius et alii quos citabo vers. 9. Quare mysticum est et accommodatitium quod censet Alcazar, scilicet uxorem esse Romanam Ecclesiam; nuptias ejus fuisse, cum Roma a S. Petro et aliis conversa est ad Christum, ideoque universam Ecclesiam dicere Alleluia.
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8. ET DATUM EST ILLI, UT COOPERIAT SE BYSSINO SPLENDENTI — graece λαμπρῷ, id est mundo: quae enim valde munda sunt et nitida, haec prae nitore fulgent et splendent. BYSSINUM ENIM JUSTIFICATIONES (id est, opera justa et sancta) SUNT SANCTORUM. — Byssus repraesentat purissimam et innocentissimam conversationem Sanctorum, quae in tribulatione et persecutione magis enitescit et resplendet: perinde ac byssus et linum (byssus enim veterum erat linum praestantissimum, uti docui Exodi xxv, initio capitis) injuria, id est maceratione, tunsione, carminatione semper melius, puta purius, candidius et splendidius evadit, ut ait Plinius, lib. XVIII, cap. 1. Quocirca Syrus vertit, «illud enim byssinum debita (id est merita quibus magna merces debetur) Sanctorum est»; Arabicus, «quia byssus est justitia Sanctorum.» Rursum symbolum felicitatis est byssus et tela candida. Hinc a Poetis aurea vel candida dicuntur Parcarum fila, ad significationem magnae felicitatis. Unde Martialis, lib. VI De filo Domitiani: «Ipsa tibi niveo trahet aurea pollice fila, / Et totam Phryxi Julia nebit ovem.» Ex adverso infelicitatis symbolum est tela nigra; unde nigra vitae et fati stamina nuncupant Poetae in re infausta: quia nigrum, ait Plutarchus, est mali daemonis. Ita Thebis araneae, quae circa Cereris valvas telas olim candidas texuerant, fines invadentibus Macedonibus nigras texuerunt, inquit Pausanias in Boeoticis.
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9. ET DIXIT MIHI: SCRIBE — ut omnes haec lecturi animentur ad spem, fortitudinem et constantiam in persecutione et lucta cum impiis. Quaeres: Quis haec «dixit?» Respondet Alcazar: Angelus magnae potestatis de quo cap. xviii, vers. 1, quem ipse esse censet S. Petrum. Unde sequitur Joannem ad B. Petri pedes deosculaturum procidisse, sicut cap. xxii, vers. 9, ad alterius angeli, qui erat unus e septem angelis habentibus phialas, puta ad S. Pauli, pedes supplex procidit, exultans prae gaudio ob felicissimum nuntium de Romae conversione, et prosperrimo Ecclesiae Romanae successu. Quocirca prohibetur ab iisdem hac ratione, quod ipsi dicant se esse conservos Joannis, quasi dicant: Tu aeque Propheta es in hac tua Apocalypsi, ac nos Prophetae sumus revelantes tibi Romae conversionem, ideoque nobis es par; ac proinde non decet te ad pedes nostros procumbere, cum in eodem nobiscum dignitatis gradu consistas. Ita ipse pie et ingeniose haec accommodat et applicat potius quam explicat. Verum dico angelum hunc esse verum, illum scilicet qui Apocalypsin jussu Christi revelavit S. Joanni, uti ipse dixi cap. i, vers. 1. Ille enim angelus magnae potestatis, de quo cap. xviii, vers. 1, jam pridem, nimirum ibidem vers. 4, finivit suam legationem et sermonem. BEATI QUI AD COENAM NUPTIARUM AGNI VOCATI SUNT. — Syrus: «Beati sunt illi, qui ad coenam convivii Agni vocati sunt»; Arabicus: «Beati, qui vocati sunt ad convivium Agni.» Alcazar haec accipit de nuptiis, id est, conversione Romanae Ecclesiae, ejusque unione cum Christo: Christus enim tunc eam vocavit ad suum sapientiae et sacrae Scripturae convivium. «Memini,» inquit Alcazar, «me audivisse a viro quodam eximiae sapientiae et sanctitatis, caelestis felicitatis imaginem, quae in terra reperitur, videri sibi non esse aliam, quam sacram Scripturam legere et intelligere.» Et merito: eodem enim sensu usurpavit Christus nomen Beati, cum dixit Petro Matth. cap. xvi, vers. 17: «Beatus es, Simon Bar-Jona, quia caro et sanguis non revelavit tibi, sed Pater meus qui in coelis est.» Et: «Beati, qui audiunt verbum Dei, et custodiunt illud.» Et: «Vestri autem beati oculi, quia vident; et aures vestrae, quia audiunt» Evangelium et verbum Dei. «Amen quippe dico vobis, quia multi Prophetae et justi cupierunt videre quae videtis, et non viderunt, et audire quae auditis, et non audierunt,» Matth. xiii, 16. Quod enim Apostoli viderunt et audierunt, hoc idem nos a Spiritu dictatum et scriptum legimus in sacra Scriptura. Ad hoc convivium facit, illudque condit et illustrat concionum admirabilium frequentia, librorum coelesti doctrina refertorum copia colloquia cum viris sapientissimis habita, egregia spiritualium hominum institutio, ac super omnia interior divini Spiritus illustratio per pias divinarum rerum commentationes, ac frequentem ad Deum orationem, adhaerendo semper Romanae Ecclesiae institutioni et SS. Conciliorum. Rursum ad hoc convivium spectat sacrificii Missae et sacrae communionis frequentia, quae Romae coepit mox ut ipsa fidem Christi professa est, Religiosae vitae facilis consuetudo, propter erecta hominum Deo sacrorum monasteria, templorum multitudo, imaginum adoratio, SS. reliquiarum veneratio, ac divinorum officiorum celebritas. Haec enim omnia ad coenam Agni, id est ad conjunctionem cum Christo, animos fidelium disponebant. Porro B. Petrus Romanos ad hanc coenam vocavit: unde alludit hic Joannes ad illa Petri verba epist. II, cap. i, vers. 2: «Gratia vobis et pax adimpleatur in cognitione Dei, et Christi Jesu Domini nostri.» Haec vera sunt et pia, sed mystica. Quocirca lector his apte et congrue, ut mysticis et moralibus, utatur. Ad litteram ergo loquitur S. Joannes de nuptiis, quas Ecclesia beata celebrat cum Christo in coelis: quicumque enim eo efficaciter vocati et perducti sunt, terque quaterque beati sunt. Beatitudo vocatur coena, primo, quia ad vesperam et finem vitae dabitur nobis hoc epulum caeleste. Dicitur et prandium, Matth. xxii, 4, cum Christus ait: «Dicite invitatis: Ecce prandium meum paravi,» ut significetur continuatio et perpetuitas gaudii et felicitatis caelestis: post prandium enim sequitur coena. Sic in caelo continuum et perenne erit convivium. Ita S. Gregorius, hom. 24 in Evangelia, Beda, Salmeron, Maldonatus, Barradius in Matth. xxii, 4, Viegas et Ribera hic. Dicebat Leonidas, dux strenuus Graecorum, cum trecentis fortissimis militibus irrupturus in castra innumera Xerxis: «Prandete hic, commilitones, in inferno coenaturi.» Verum Christus dicit: «Prandete hic, commilitones, in caelo coenaturi.» Ita S. Dorothea cum post dira tormenta, mortis sententiam a Praeside acciperet, jubilans dixit: «Benedico te, Domine Jesu, amator animae meae, quod me immeritam ad nuptias Agni immaculati vocare, et ad thalamum tuum caelestem invitare dignatus sis.» Secundo, quia alludit ad veterum ritum, qui nuptias peracto jam die et diei negotiis, celebrabant vespere et noctu, ut patet Matth. xxv, 1, in parabola decem virginum, quae cum lampadibus expectabant sponsum noctu venientem ad nuptias. Idem patet ex Plutarcho, Varrone, Tiraquello et aliis. Unde et taedas accensas sponsis in nuptiis praeferebant. Quocirca taeda capitur pro ipsis nuptiis, ut apud Ovidium epist. 4: «At nec nupta quidem, taedaque accepta jugali.» Et epist. 6: «Me tibi, teque mihi taeda pudica dedit.» Et Catullus De Coma Berenices: «Optato vos junxit lumine taeda.» Et Seneca in Oedipo: «Concinit taedas (id est epithalamium, sive carmen nuptiale) Geminus Cupido.» Hinc «jugalis taeda» apud Catonem, cap. x. Et «jungere taedas» est inire nuptias, apud Statium, lib. III Silv., IV. HAEC VERBA DEI VERA (id est certa, firma, indubitata) SUNT — ut de hisce Dei promissis, licet magnis et mirabilibus, nemini dubitare liceat.
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10. ET CECIDI ANTE PEDES EJUS, UT ADORAREM EUM — q. d. Ob laetissimum nuntium de excidio Babylonis et nuptiis Agni, deque vocibus caelitum ingeminantium Alleluia, procidi in terram, ut angelo tam laeta et divina nuntianti honorem hujusmodi, prosternendo me coram illo, deferrem. Adde forte S. Joannem suspicatum esse hic finiri alloquium angeli revelantis sibi Apocalypsin; finis enim ejus est excidium impiorum et nuptiae Agni. Ideo enim hactenus eum non adoravit, quia plura ab eo audire gestiebat, nec volebat ejus sermonem interrumpere. Jam vero putans se omnia audisse, quasi pro gratiarum actione de omnibus auditis, in terram procumbit, ut eum veneretur, eique gratias agat. Verum cum postmodum adhuc angelum plura revelantem videret, surrexit, ac tandem finitis omnibus in fine Apocalypseos, cap. xxii, vers. 9, rursum eumdem adorare conatur. VIDE NE FECERIS: CONSERVUS (Syrus, «sodalis») TUUS SUM, ET FRATRUM TUORUM HABENTIUM TESTIMONIUM JESU: DEUM ADORA. — Arabicus vertit, «non, quia ego sum amicus (socius) tibi: adora Deum; quia testimonium Jesu est spiritus veritatis.» Quaeres: Qua de causa angelus hic noluit adorari a S. Joanne? Primo, S. Athanasius, serm. 3 Contra Arianos; S. Thomas, II II, Quaest. LXXXIV, art. 4, et S. Augustinus, lib. XX Contra Faustum, cap. xxi, censent S. Joannem putasse hunc angelum ob insolitum splendorem esse Christum, itaque eum ut Deum adorare voluisse; quocirca eum repulisse angelum dicentem: «Conservus tuus sum; Deum adora»; vel, ut S. Cyprianus legit lib. De Patientia: «Dominum Jesum adora.» Verum hoc non est verisimile. Nam S. Joannes assuetus hic, postquam in primis visionibus angelicis, sciebat hunc non esse Christum, sed angelum, unde eumdem jam hic cognitum, rursum voluit adorare cap. xxii, vers. 9. Secundo, Alcazar censet angelum hunc esse S. Petrum, uti illum cap. xxii, vers. 9, esse S. Paulum; nec Petrum ergo, nec Paulum permisisse se adorari a S. Joanne, quia ipse eis erat officio et meritis par. Verum hoc accommodatitium est, non litterale. Tertio, S. Gregorius, homil. 8 in Evangelium, et ex eo Haymo, Rupertus, Richardus et Ausbertus opinantur angelum hunc proprie dictum non permisisse se adorari a Joanne, ob reverentiam incarnationis Christi. «Angeli enim,» ait S. Gregorius, «postquam naturam nostram supra se assumptam in Christo perspiciunt, prostratam eam sibi videre pertimescunt.» Et, ut ait S. Ambrosius, «pertimescit angelus adorari ab homine, qui supra se adorabat hominem Deum.» Verum, non hanc, sed aliam affert causam hic angelus. Quarto, noluit angelus adorari a S. Joanne ob virtutem et meritum virginitatis, quo S. Joannes excellebat omnes angelos, pariter et homines, idque tanto, quanto virginitati Beatae Mariae per contubernii, sedulitatis, ac perpetuae custodiae meritum prae caeteris appropinquavit, inquit Petrus Damianus, serm. 1 De Excellentia S. Joannis. Quinto, quia Joannes erat sacerdos ac pontifex, habens potestatem consecrandi corpus Christi in Eucharistia, et absolvendi reos a peccatis in Sacramento poenitentiae; ac proinde dignior erat angelis, qui utraque hac potestate carent, ait Viegas. Sexto et genuine, noluit hic angelus adorari a Joanne, quia Joannes erat Propheta. Hanc enim causam dat angelus, cap. xxii, vers. 9, dicens: «Conservus enim tuus sum, et fratrum tuorum Prophetarum,» q. d. Ego non sum te superior, cur ergo adores me? nam tu mihi es aequalis dignitate, quia es Christi Apostolus, es Propheta, Evangelista, Praedicator (haec enim omnia significat nomen Prophetae), continuusque martyr (qui assidue maximos labores et dolores sustines pro Christo), ideoque par, imo superior angelis es merito, erisque pariter praemio et gloria superior in caelis. Hoc est enim quod ait: «Conservus tuus sum, et fratrum tuorum habentium testimonium Jesu,» uti mox patebit. Addit Cardinalis Baronius, tom. I anno Christi 60, angelum noluisse adorari a Joanne, ut confutaret haeresin Cerinthi jam tum subnascentem, qui angelos nimis exaltabat, praeferens eos Christo, docensque per angelos creatum esse mundum, Deumque Hebraeorum unum ex illis esse angelum. Unde et Apostolus, Coloss. ii, 18, invehitur in hanc religionem, id est, superstitionem et idololatriam angelorum. Et Hebr. i, multis doctoribus probat angelos Christo inferiores esse; tum significatur, Christo licet in terris regnante, pugnam ac praelium adversus Ecclesiae inimicos nunquam defuturum, sed Christianis victoriam ratam certamque fore. HABENTIUM TESTIMONIUM JESU — id est, habentium spiritum prophetiae, inquit Ambrosius, Rupertus, Beda, Viegas. Sic enim se explicat Joannes, cap. xxii, et hic vers. sequenti, cum subdit: «Testimonium enim Jesu, est spiritus prophetiae,» qui scilicet in te tuique similibus est, o Joannes. Ille autem spiritus nunc dari non solet, nisi iis qui sunt Jesu Christi servi: non quales quales, sed illustres per illustrem fidem et vitam Christianam, ut sua prophetia illi apud omnes testimonium perhibeant, eaque testentur se esse servos et Prophetas Jesu Christi, ac Jesum Christum esse Filium Dei, ait Ribera. Hi ergo Prophetae simul erant Apostoli, Doctores, Praedicatores et Martyres. Habebant enim testimonium Jesu objective, in corde scilicet per fidem, in ore per praedicationem, in vita per imitationem patientiae, aliarumque virtutum et miraculorum Jesu. Quocirca per spiritum prophetiae, primo, cum Alcazar accipi potest spiritus et studium praedicandi Evangelium. Hoc enim est excellens prophetia, ideoque praedicatores sunt excellentes Prophetae. Secundo, accipi potest proprie dicta prophetia a Spiritu Sancto aspirata: ita Ambrosius, Rupertus, Beda, Viegas et Ribera. Hinc patet omnes Prophetas in Christum quasi in scopum collimare, ideoque illos solos esse veros Prophetas, et ut tales audiendos, qui ad Christum nos ducunt.
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11. ET VIDI COELUM APERTUM, ET ECCE EQUUS ALBUS. — Nota: S. Joannes per visionem vidit hic quasi aperiri caelum; indeque egredi Christum quasi equitem cum suis turmis angelicis et beatis, ex eoque portis quasi patentibus descendere ad pugnam cum Antichristo ineundam, et ad opem suis fidelibus contra eum decertantibus ferendam, antequam nuptias eorum victrices et triumphatrices celebret, de quibus dixit vers. 7. Porro insidet equo albo, primo, quia hic color laetus est et festivus, ac symbolum felicitatis et triumphi; qua de causa Poetae fingunt Jovis currum trahi ab equis candidis, teste Suetonio in Vita Augusti, cap. ix. Quocirca Camillus in curru triumphali vectus equis albis, invidiam sustinuit, quasi qui Jovi se aequare vellet. Secundo, quia equi albi aliis erant celeriores, ideoque hic symbolum sunt celeris victoriae Christi. Ita Virgilius, lib. XII Aeneid., Turnum victoriam de Aenea sibi spondentem describit: «Poscit equos, gaudetque tuens ante ora frementes, / Qui candore nives anteirent, cursibus auras.» Et inferius: «Bigis it Turnus in albis, / Bina manu lato crispans hastilia ferro.» Et Plautus in Asinaria, celeres quadrigas denotans, eas albas nuncupat. Veteres enim credebant equos albos esse velociores, uti docet Turnebus, lib. XXIV, cap. xxxi. Vide dicta cap. vi, vers. 2. Tertio, quia candidus color competit Deo, rebusque divinis. Significat enim Dei Christique puritatem, beatitudinem, gloriam et immortalitatem. Unde Virgilius, ecloga 5: «Candidus insuetum miratur lumen Olympi.» Ubi Servius: «Candidus,» inquit, «id est Deus,» ut contra mortuos «nigros» dicimus. Et Cicero, lib. II De Legibus: «Color albus,» inquit, «praecipue decorus est Deo, cum in caeteris, tum maxime in textili.» Nempe, quia virtutes inter se aptae et connexae esse debent, ideo textilia gratiora sunt Deo; sive quia castitas, fides aliaeque virtutes, nisi cum charitate jungantur, quae in auro textili significatur, gratae Deo non accidunt: ideo candidae in sacris olim erant, et etiamnum sunt vestes; cujus causam tradit Plato quam diximus, et Plutarchus in libro De Iside et de Osiride. Ita Martinus de Roa, lib. VI Singular., cap. xv. Viegas per equum album accipit humanitatem Christi, per sessorem divinitatem, sive, ut S. Joannes ait, «Verbum Dei.» Ita et alii. Aureolus per hunc equum accipit Balduinum, qui Godefrido Bullonio successit, fuitque e Christianis secundus rex Hierosolymorum. Hic enim cum Teutonicis, Templariis, Hospitalariis Saracenos debellavit. Habet «scriptum in femore: Rex regum et Dominus dominantium,» quia amore Christi Regis regum, inter alias virtutes continentiam et castitatem servavit. Secundo, sicut rosa dicitur flos florum, ita rex Hierosolymae, utpote antiquissimae et nobilissimae, dicitur Rex regum. Hoc accommodatitium est, non litterale. Nota: Lactantius, lib. VII, cap. xvii et xviii, hunc Christi descensum, gladium, pugnam, etc., plane ad litteram ut sonant, eventura asserere videtur. Audi eum: «Cum haec,» ait, «facta erunt, justi et sectatores veritatis segregabunt se a malis, et fugient in solitudines. Huc impius rex inflammatus ira veniet cum exercitu magno, et admotis omnibus copiis circumdabit montem in quo justi morabuntur, ut eos comprehendat. Illi vero ubi se clausos undique atque obsessos viderint, exclamabunt ad Deum voce magna, et auxilium caeleste implorabunt.» Et cap. xix: «Commotus igitur Deus ancipiti periculo et miseranda comploratione justorum, mittet protinus liberatorem. Tunc aperietur caelum medium intempesta et tenebrosa nocte, ut in orbe toto lumen descendentis Dei tamquam fulgur appareat.» Et paulo post: «Qui, priusquam descendat, hoc signum dabit: cadet repente gladius de caelo, ut sciant justi ducem sanctae militiae descensurum. Et descendet ille comitantibus angelis in medio terrae, et antecedet eum flamma inextinguibilis. Virtus autem angelorum tradet in manus justorum multitudinem illam quae montem circumsederit, et concidetur ab hora tertia usque ad vesperum, et fluet sanguis more torrentis, deletisque omnibus copiis, impius solus effugiet, et peribit ab eo virtus sua. Hic est autem qui appellatur Antichristus: sed se ipse Christum mentietur, et contra verum dimicabit, et victus effugiet; et bellum saepe renovabit, et saepe vincetur, donec quarto praelio, confectis omnibus impiis, debellatus et captus, tandem scelerum suorum luet poenas.» Hucusque Lactantius. Verum verius videtur haec symbolice ostensa Joanni tantum significare imperium, dominium, ac mandatum Christi, quo ipse manens in caelo per Michaelem, quasi ducem suum, comitatum aliis angelis, ingenti luce quasi fulmine siderabit et afflabit Antichristum, itaque eum omni vi, robore et vita privabit, ac deturbabit in tartara. Id ita esse patet primo, quia certum est quod ea quae hic dicuntur de caelo aperto, de equis albis, de Christi diadematibus et veste aspersa sanguine, de titulo in femore inscripto: «Rex regum et Dominus dominantium,» non realiter evenient, sed tantum symbolice per visionem ostensa sunt Joanni, ad repraesentanda mysteria Christi quae explicui hoc capite Apocal. Ergo et cetera, cum sint his similia, symbolice accipienda sunt, non ut realiter eventura. Simili schemate Psaltes, Psalm. xvii, symbolice et poetice describit Deum nubibus vectum, armatum grandine, tonitru, fulmine, etc., descendere ad proterendum impios hostes suos. Secundo, quia Apostolus ait, II Thessal. ii, 8, quod Christus occidet Antichristum, non gladio, sed spiritu, id est imperio, oris sui; et illustratione, id est fulgore praevio et praenuntio, adventus sui. Hoc enim fulgore quasi fulmine e caelo emisso, sive per se, sive potius per Michaelem siderabit et consumet Antichristum. Tertio, quia Daniel, cap. xii, vers. 1, ait quod tunc consurget Michael in praelium pro Christo et Christianis. Sicut ergo rex per ducem bella gerit et conficit hostem, ita Christus per Michaelem conficiet Antichristum. Hic enim est Praeses Ecclesiae, ideoque dux Christi. Unde et Apoc. xii, ponitur dux belli Christiani, quo scilicet in fine mundi cum Lucifero et Antichristo confliget pro Christo et Christianis, ac Antichristum profligabit. Quarto, quia S. Petrus, Act. iii, 21, docet Christum post ascensum in caelum, ubi mansurum, nec visibiliter ex eo descensurum, nisi in die judicii, quo restituet omnia. Ergo non descendet ut occidat Antichristum. Hic enim occidetur multis diebus, et forte septimanis ac mensibus ante diem judicii, uti ostendam vers. 11 et 12. Quinto, subordinatio recta divinae providentiae id exigit. Solet enim Deus sua judicia exercere per angelos; hi enim sunt administratorii ejus Spiritus, Hebr. i, 14. Contrarium enim nec deceret Christum, nec Antichristum. Ut quid enim Christus, Deus et Dominus omnium, cum tot legionibus angelorum et Sanctorum caelo descenderet ad conficiendum Antichristum, qui miser et vilis erit homuncio, quem solo flatu, imo nutu potest occidere, quin et annihilare? utquid tot legiones Angelorum quasi militum ei astant, paratae ad omnem ejus nutum, ex quibus unus sufficit ad delenda plurima hominum millia? Sexto, quia Sibylla, lib. III, igne caelesti, puta fulgore afflandum Antichristum praedicit, cum ait: «Cum potestas ardens (puta ignis et fulmen validum) inundans in terram veniet, et Beliar incendet, et superbos homines; omnes quicumque ei fidem praestiterint.» Beliar enim (id est Belial; subinde enim littera l in r convertitur), hoc est, homo impiissimus, sine jugo, sine Deo et lege, est Antichristus. ET QUI SEDEBAT SUPER EUM, VOCABATUR FIDELIS ET VERAX. — Equiti huic, qui sequentis exercitus vers. 14, est dux, quatuor dantur nomina vel epitheta. Primum, «fidelis et verax»; secundum, vers. 12: «Nomen scriptum quod nemo novit nisi ipse»; tertium, vers. 13: «Verbum Dei,» scilicet de quo dixit Joannes, cap. i Evangelii: «In principio erat Verbum, et Verbum erat apud Deum, et Deus erat Verbum»: vide ibi dicta; quartum, vers. 16: «Rex regum, et Dominus dominantium.» Primum, est nomen virtutis; secundum, essentiae; tertium, personae; quartum, potestatis et dominii. Dicitur ergo hic «Fidelis et Verax,» quia fideliter, uti promisit, eos qui sibi fideles sunt et erunt, tuebitur ac praemiabit; infideles vero et impios puniet. Unde sequitur: «Cum justitia,» id est, justissime et aequissimo jure bellum init; «judicat,» id est vindicat, «et pugnat,» hostes impios scilicet occidendo. Symbolice, q. d. Vocatur Jehova. Jehova enim idem est quod «qui est, qui facit esse, qui servat promissa (uti dixi Exod. vi, 3),» hoc est, fidelis et verax.
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12. Oculi ejus sicut flamma ignis. — Oculi flammantes et fulgurantes significant Christi iram in impios, procurrentem ad eorum vindictam et punitionem, uti dixi cap. i, vers. 14. Magna vis inest oculis; basiliscus enim saevis oculis quem aspexerit, enecat. Ex adverso struthiones et testudines benigne spectando ova, ea fovent, ait Plinius, lib. IX, cap. x. Ratio est, quia oculi sunt, ut ait Damascenus in Vita Isidori, ἀγάλματα τῆς ψυχῆς, exactae imagines animae, per quas ipsa anima influit. Ita Christus flammantibus oculis suos hostes examinabit, serenis vero et blandis electos mire recreabit. ET IN CAPITE EJUS DIADEMATA MULTA. — Olim reges et Imperatores non coronis, sed diademate utebantur, uti Romanos Imperatores cum fasciis caput circumdantibus depictos videmus. Nam, ut ait Rhodiginus, lib. XXIV, cap. vi, diadema erat fascia candida, quae regum capitibus obligabatur. Quod insigne regum primus invenit Liber pater, teste Plinio. Hinc cum quidam coronam lauream fasciae praeligatam Caesaris statuae imposuisset, Tribuni plebis detrahi coronae fasciam, quasi regni insigne, et duci hominem in vincula jusserunt. Ita Alexandrum Magnum memorat Curtius sibi diadema detraxisse, ut eo obligaret vulnus quod in fronte Lysimachus acceperat. Tradit Ammianus Marcellinus invidiae datum ab aemulis Pompeio, quod fascia obligatum crus circumferret ulceris causa, velut novarum rerum affectationis praesagium id foret. Porro «diademata multa» erant multae hujusmodi fasciae, vel spirae circumdantes caput, quales videmus in turbantis Turcarum, in quibus peplum byssinum vel lineum multiplici gyro capiti obvolvitur, et quilibet ejusmodi gyrus, sive ambitus est quasi diadema, ait Alcazar. Christus ergo habet diademata multa, quia Rex est regum, omniumque regnorum terrae dominus; ille enim universa in se uno continet. HABENS NOMEN SCRIPTUM (in capite et diademate. Nam aliud nomen, «Rex regum,» scriptum erat in femore, vers. 16) QUOD NEMO NOVIT NISI IPSE. — Putant Ribera, Viegas et alii, hoc nomen esse id quod sequitur vers. 13, scilicet «Verbum Dei.» Hoc enim nemo novit, id est, perspicit, penetrat, planeque cognoscit et comprehendit, nisi ipse Christus. Verum Joannes, ut dixi vers. 11, videtur hic quatuor dare nomina Christo, ac secundum hoc a tertio, quod est «Verbum Dei,» distinguere; hoc enim secundum ait esse ignotum, tertium vero esse notum, scilicet «Verbum Dei.» Non enim ait rem nomine significatam, sed ipsum nomen esse ignotum: quare hoc nomen non est Verbum Dei, nec aliquod aliud ab ipso, aut a S. Scriptura revelatum, sed aliud nobis incognitum. Erat enim ita exaratum, ut ne quidem a Joanne, sed a solo Christo legi posset: idque ad hoc, ut significaret immensitatem et incomprehensibilitatem naturae et substantiae Christi, quam nullus humanus vel Angelicus intellectus comprehendere valet. Ita Aretas et Alcazar. Alludit ad nomen Jehova; illud enim erat ἄρρητον καὶ ἀσύγκριτον, id est ineffabile et incomparabile, uti dixi Exodi cap. vi, 3. Rursum nomen Jehova gestabatur a pontifice, scriptum in lamina aurea pendente ex ejus tiara; pari modo, Christus Pontifex nomen hoc scriptum habet in capite et diademate, quia hoc est nomen significans et repraesentans divinitatem ejus.
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13. ET VESTITUS ERAT VESTE ASPERSA SANGUINE. — Vestem hanc tam Christi, quam sanctorum Martyrum intellige. Christi enim humanitas a Judaeis fuit cruentata, et etiamnum vulnerum cicatricibus in corpore Christi remanentibus est rubicunda, q. d. Christus serum defert notas et memoriam sanguinis sui, et suorum, impie ab impiis effusi, cujus nunc ultionem deposcit, cujusque intuitu se ad ultionem excitat et accendit. Ita Viegas. Idipsum graphice et tragice describit noster Martinus de Roa, lib. I Singularium, cap. ii, dicens: «Ergo ut daemonem Christus exanimet, in cruce sese illi cruentum ostentat: cujus ille facinoris et injuriae cum auctor exstiterit, et foedatum sanguine corpus aspexerit, injuriae tam atrocis memor, neque audebit congredi, et manus dabit. Hinc tu mysterium capias, cur Zachariae cap. iii, cum Satan staret a dextris Jesu sacerdotis magni, ut adversaretur ei, Jesus esset indutus vestibus sordidis. Stat hostis acerrimus, mucronem intentat, addicit morti ac devovet sacerdotis caput: ille nudum latus, nudum caput ac corpus, aut, quod in bello pro eodem est, lacera et sordidata veste indutum opponit. Viderat jam ante congressum istum regius propheta David, viderat Christum Jesum, cujus ille typum gerebat, viderat sese ad praelia comparantem; sed hortatus est ut gladio sese succingeret, et suo se robore armaret: 'Accingere gladio tuo super femur tuum, Potentissime.' Viderat propheta Isaias, idemque praemonuit: 'Consurge, induere fortitudinem tuam brachium Domini.' Quid laceris cruentisque cum praelio vestibus? At Imperator Christus pro aereo thorace sanguineam chlamydem, pro ferreis manicis ocreisque ferreos clavos, pro galea spinas, pro militum praesidio solitudinem, pro tubarum clangore silentium, atque patientiam cum hoste congressurus opponit. Neque enim 'in fortitudine equi voluntatem habebit, nec in tibiis viri beneplacitum erit ei.' Verum nullus aeque potens gladius atque cruenta caro; nulla praestantior fortitudo adversus hostem, quam ipsa lacerati corporis infirmitas: quam ut cernit, debilitatur ac frangitur, quoniam ejus atrocitatis est auctor. Consonat locus Apocal. xix: 'Et vestitus erat veste aspersa sanguine, et vocabatur nomen ejus Verbum Dei.' Itaque cum ad pugnam progreditur, in cruenta sive purpurea veste, et equo rufo procedit.» S. Hieronymus in Isaiae cap. lxiii: «Equo,» ait, «rufo sedebat Dominus atque Salvator, humanum corpus assumens, cui dicitur: Quare rubra sunt vestimenta tua? et: Quis est iste qui ascendit de Edom, fulva vestimenta ejus de Bosra? etc. Equo autem sedebat albo, quando post resurrectionem immortale et incorruptum corpus assumpsit: et quicumque eum sequebantur, candidis utebantur equis, incorruptis videlicet immortalibusque corporibus.» Secundo et potius, vestis Christi aspersa erat sanguine hostili, quem fudit, et mox hic fusurus est; nam, ut sequitur: «Ipse calcat torcular vini furoris irae Dei.» Inducitur enim hic Christus quasi pugnans, conculcans et trucidans hostes, scilicet impios: unde eorum sanguine aspergitur et cruentatur, et ut cruentus symbolice per visionem Joanni spectandus objicitur, etiam ante pugnam, quia ad cruentam pugnam pergit, eaque se cruentabit. Nam alluditur ad Isaiae lxiii, 1, ubi de Christo hostes trucidante dicitur: «Quis est iste qui venit de Edom, tinctis vestibus de Bosra? Torcular calcavi solus, calcavi eos in furore meo. Aspersus est sanguis eorum super vestimenta mea.»
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14. ET EXERCITUS QUI SUNT IN COELO (angelorum et caelitum) sequebantur eum — non tam ut milites pro eo pugnaturi, quam ut comites et spectatores pugnae ejus et victoriae. Solus enim Christus hoc bellum confecit. Unde de eo dicitur vers. 21: «Occisi sunt in gladio sedentis super equum, qui procedit de ore ipsius.» Hinc pariter solus Christus dicitur habere vestem aspersam sanguine; ceteri vero equites ejus comites erant «vestiti byssino albo et mundo»: quae vestis est symbolum tum puritatis et innocentiae, tum felicitatis, gloriae et triumphi. Credibile tamen est vestem eorum, praesertim Martyrum, aspersam fuisse sanguine, ob causas jam dictas. Sic in veteri Testamento non tam Hebraei pugnantes, quam Deus pro eis decertans pariebat victorias. Hoc est enim quod dicitur Deut. i, 30: «Dominus Deus qui ductor est vester, pro vobis ipse pugnabit.» Similia sunt Josue xxiii, 3, Judith v, 16. Soli ergo Christo tribuitur haec victoria, quia ejus viribus, imperio et jussu Michael et angeli eam conficient. IN EQUIS ALBIS. — S. Hieronymus in Isaiae lxvi, et S. Gregorius, Ansbertus et Viegas, per equos albos, Sanctorum corpora incorrupta et immortalia intelligunt. Magis ad litteram Ribera: Caelitibus et angelis, inquit, dantur hic equi albi symbolice, ut per eos significetur victoria et triumphus. Sic Zacharias, cap. i, vers. 8, vidit angelos hominum custodes in equis albis sedentes. Moraliter audi S. Gregorium: «Equus,» ait, «est unicuique sanctae animae corpus suum, quod videlicet novit et ab illicitis continentiae freno restringere, et rursum charitatis impulsu exercitatione boni operis relaxare. Equitis ergo nomine anima sancti viri exprimitur, quae jumentum corporis bene subditum regit. Unde et Joannes in Apocalypsi Dominum contemplatus ait: Et exercitus qui sunt in caelo sequebantur eum in equis albis; multitudinem quippe Sanctorum quae in hoc martyrii bello sudaverat, recte exercitum vocat; qui idcirco in equis albis sedere describuntur, quia eorum corpora et luce justitiae, et castimoniae candore claruerunt.» Ita ipse, lib. XXXI Moral., cap. ix.
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15. Et de ore ejus procedit gladius ex utraque parte acutus (hic gladius est imperium, vis et potestas Christi, quam exeret in Antichristianos et impios. Unde sequitur) UT IN IPSO PERCUTIAT GENTES (morte praesenti et aeterna, in qua) ET IPSE REGET EAS IN VIRGA FERREA, ET IPSE CALCAT TORCULAR VINI FURORIS IRAE DEI OMNIPOTENTIS — id est, acerrime premet, calcabit et puniet eos cum hic, tum in futuro. Hic enim corporaliter percutiet et occidet eos: in futuro vero torquebit eos in gehenna, ita ut semper videantur mori et occidi, nunquam tamen moriantur, sed semper in poenis mortiferis vivant mortaliter immortales, et immortaliter mortales. Nota: S. Joannes more Hebraeo crebro et varie usurpat καί, id est «et» pro «nam,» «deinde,» «postea,» etc. Hebraei enim suum illud vau pro omnibus particulis usurpant.
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16. ET HABET IN VESTIMENTO ET IN FEMORE SUO SCRIPTUM: REX REGUM. — «In vestimento,» id est in thorace; «et in femore,» id est in femoralibus, aut tunicae parte inferiore. Secundo et potius, est hendiadys, «in vestimento et in femore,» id est, in vestimento femoreo, sive tegente femora, aut in femore vestito; quia enim vestimentum tegebat totum corpus, idcirco hic ejus partem certam designat dicens: «In femore.» Unde Syrus vertit, «et habet super vestimentum, et super femur suum nomina scripta: Rex regum et Dominus dominantium.» Quaeres, cur Christus «in femore» gestet hoc nomen. Respondeo, quia femur symbolice significat Christi humanitatem. Hanc enim ipse ex femore Jacob, Davidis et aliorum accepit, atque per eam electos omnes Deo spiritualiter genuit; femur enim, quia partes sibi vicinas genitales complectitur, hinc est causa et symbolum generationis. Femore ergo primo, significatur Verbi incarnatio. Ita S. Gregorius, homil. 15 in Ezech. Secundo, passio Christi; est enim hoc femur, vestisque Christi aspersa sanguine, ut dixi vers. 13: hujus enim sanguinis et passionis merito factus est Christus Rex regum, et Dominus dominantium. Itaque sicut in capite habet nomen divinitatis (hujus enim symbolum est caput), «quod nemo novit nisi ipse»: ita in femore humanitatis habet nomen omnibus notum, scilicet quod qua homo sit «Rex regum et Dominus dominantium.» Tertio, femore significatur Christi soboles, puta filii et nepotes, inquit Alcazar, juxta illud Genes. xlix, 10: «Dux de femore ejus.» Unde id in femore suo scriptum est: «Rex regum,» etc., indicat ipsius filios veros esse reges, ipsumque esse regem illorum. In femore enim propagatio generis intelligitur, uti docent S. Gregorius, Ansbertus et Beda, q. d. Christus suos filios facturus est reges, et ipsi etiam nationes judicabunt. Huc facit iambicum illud B. Thomae Mori: «Princeps pius nunquam carebit liberis / Totius est regni pater princeps.» Abundat ergo felicissimus tot liberis quot populis. Quarto, Maldonatus in Matth. cap. xxvii, 11: in femore, ait, significatur Christi regnum, Christumque qua Deus est suapte natura regnare: per femur enim significatur natura, q. d. Christus est rex non vi, non tyrannide, non electione, non adoptione, sed natura, et naturali propagine ac generatione. Secundo, Ambrosius per vestimentum Sanctos, per femur humanitatem Christi accipit: «Quia,» ait ipse, «primo, in operibus Sanctorum agnoscitur hunc esse verum Deum, qui tales servos possidet; secundo, quia in operibus quae ipse in carne positus gessit, cognitum est hunc esse verum Dei Filium.» Tertio, Pannonius: «Vestimentum,» inquit, «a foris est, femur a natura; et Christus humanitatem a foris ex tempore habet, divinitatem autem a natura, a qua ab aeterno est Deus: et neutrum horum sine dignitatis honore habet, quia ab utroque est rex,» q. d. Christus tam qua homo, quam qua Deus, est Rex regum. Verum primus sensus simplicissimus est et genuinus. REX REGUM ET DOMINUS DOMINANTIUM. — Hic erat titulus et elogium regum Persarum, teste Alexandro ab Alexandro, lib. I Genial., cap. xxviii. Ita Saporem Regem regum appellat Julius Capitolinus, cap. xxiv, ubi ejus ad Constantium Imperatorem litteras recenset; quarum haec erat inscriptio: «Rex regum Sapor, particeps siderum, et frater solis ac lunae, Constantio fratri meo, S. P. D.» Unde illud Agesilai in eum, qui de more regem Persarum magnum appellabat: «Ecquid ille,» inquit, «me est major, nisi sit et justior et modestior?» Ita Plutarchus in Lacon. Sic et Suetonius in Caligula, cap. vi, Parthorum regem, regum Regem appellat. Sic et Plutarchus in Lucullo, Tigranem regem Armeniorum, Regem regum nuncupat. Porro apud Parthos, primus rex magnus appellatus est Artabanus, duplicique diademate usus, teste Herodiano, lib. VI. Haec et plura Pineda in Job i, 1, num. 17.
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17. ET VIDI UNUM ANGELUM STANTEM IN SOLE, ET CLAMAVIT VOCE MAGNA, DICENS OMNIBUS AVIBUS, etc.: VENITE ET CONGREGAMINI AD COENAM MAGNAM DEI. — Angelus hic stat in sole, ut significet quod in oculis totius mundi fiet haec Antichristianorum per Christum ultio. Advocatio et invitatio volucrum significat ingentem fore stragem, adeo ut ad cadavera Antichristianorum depascenda et devoranda undique vultures aliaeque carnivorae aves advolent. Hisce enim Deus coenam hanc, id est, convivium et epulum hoc cadaverum praeparavit. Alludit ad Jeremiae xii, 9: «Venite; congregamini, omnes bestiae terrae, properate ad devorandum.» Rursum alludit, aut potius citat Ezechielem xxxix, 17, ubi de eadem exercitus Antichristi, puta Gog et Magog, clade loquens Deus, ait: «Dic omni volucri et universis avibus cunctisque bestiis agri: Convenite, properate, concurrite undique ad victimam meam, quam ego immolo vobis, victimam grandem super omnes montes Israel, ut comedatis carnem, et bibatis sanguinem.» Mystice, Angelus hic typus est praeconis Evangelici. At cur a sole tanquam e suggestu, novus ille praedicator exclamat? An quia sicut sol semper festinat, nunquam conquiescit: ita Evangelicus praedicator totum orbem celerrimus circuit et pervagatur? An quia, sicut sol omnibus beneficus oritur super justos et injustos: ita Evangelicus praedicator, omnium tam bonorum quam malorum commodis, praesertim spiritualibus, incumbit? An tandem, quia, sicut sol totum orbem suo splendore collustrat, suo calore fecundat: ita Evangelicus praedicator caecas hominum mentes suis verbis illuminat, praeposteras voluntates suis exemplis inflammat? Ita noster Mendoza in I Reg. iii, 21.
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19. ET VIDI BESTIAM ET REGES TERRAE — decem, de quibus vide dicta cap. xvii, in fine. Bestia haec est Antichristus, ut dixi cap. xiii, vers. 1. Hic enim cum suis omnibus, qui erunt innumeri, congregabitur in Armagedon ad pugnandum contra Christum et Christianos, sed profligabitur omnino a Christo. Inde sequitur:
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20. Et apprehensa est bestia (Antichristus), et CUM EA PSEUDOPROPHETA — scilicet insignis ille impostor, qui erit Antichristi praecursor, de quo cap. xiii, vers. 11. VIVI MISSI SUNT HI DUO IN STAGNUM IGNIS ARDENTIS SULPHURE. — Quidam legunt, «ardens»; Primasius, «ardentis igne et sulphure»; Graeca, «ardens in sulphure»; Arabicus, «plenum igne et sulphure.» Verum Romana legunt, «ardentis sulphure.» Nota: Antichristus, ut probet se esse Christum, quasi simia Christi, finget se mori, et post mortem ad vitam resurgere, ut patet Apocal. xiii, 12. Audi S. Gregorium, lib. XI, epist. 3: «Veniens in mundum Antichristus, diem sabbati, et diem Dominicum ab omni jubebit opere custodiri. Nam quia simulaturus est mori se ac resurgere, ideo diem Dominicum in veneratione haberi praecipiet; quia vero judaizare populum compellet (ut videatur esse Messias Judaeis promissus) ut ritus Mosaicae legis revocet, et Judaeorum sibi subdat perfidiam, diem sabbati observari coget. Post fictam hanc et hypocriticam resurrectionem, coram toto populo ascendet in montem Oliveti (uti significat Daniel ii, 45), voletque instar Christi in caelum ascendere, ex quo se primitus descendisse mentietur: attollent eum in aere daemones sumentes speciem angelorum, cunctis admirantibus et divinitati ejus acclamantibus,» inquit Pererius. Sed mox a Christo per Michaelem deturbabitur, ac mox Antichristum terra dehiscet, vivumque eum rapient daemones in tartara, sive vivus eo perveniat (perire enim de terra, et tradi igni gehennae, erit ei mors et interfectio, ait Andreas Caesariensis), sive potius in via prius moriatur et suffocetur. Utrumque enim probabile est, uti et de Core, Dathan et Abiron docui Numer. xvi, 33. Posterius tamen probabilius est et conformius S. Scripturae, quae alibi dicit omnes omnino homines morituros, ut II Thessal. ii, 8; Hebr. ix, 27. Occidetur autem Antichristus, «sicut doctores tradunt, in monte Oliveti, in papilione ac solio suo, illo in loco contra quem coelos Dominus ascendit,» ait Haymo in cap. xi Isaiae. Porro Michael fulgure, ut videtur, eum deturbabit. Sic enim de eo canit Sibylla, lib. III: «Cum potestas ardens inundans in terram veniet, et Beliar (id est Antichristum) incendet.» Nisi quis cum Ribera dicat iram Christi impios interficientis more poetico et prophetico vocari a Sibylla potestatem ardentem. ARDENTIS SULPHURE. — Ex hoc loco et cap. xx, vers. 9, et cap. xxi, vers. 8, liquet apud inferos verum esse sulphur, ut communiter docent Doctores. Est enim sulphur materia et fomentum aptissimum ignis, atque suo foetore et acredine poenam ignis adauget. Est, inquam, in gehenna sulphur, non aliud et aliud sibi succedens, sed idem semper numero permanens et constans, uti idem numero semperque sibi constans est ignis.
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21. ET CAETERI OCCISI SUNT IN GLADIO — q. d. Ceteri milites Antichristi, puta exercitus decem regum, ac Gog et Magog, «gladio,» id est, jussu et virtute Christi, occidentur, quam exsequetur non per gladium, sed per ignem de caelo missum, uti docet cap. xx, vers. 9. Gladius ergo hic erit ignis et grando, quae ex ore Christi procedent, quia imperio Christi de caelo descendent, et exercitum illum impiorum delebunt. Moraliter vide hic quam acris et metuenda sit vindicta Dei in impios et Antichristianos, praesertim haeresiarchas, quorum dux et caput erit Antichristus. Notus est interitus Simonis Magi, primi haeresiarchae, quem paucis ita describit Arnobius, lib. II Contra Gentes: «Viderant Romani cursum Simonis Magi et quadrigas igneas Petri ore difflatas, et nominato Christo evanuisse; viderant, inquam, fidentem diis falsis, et ab iisdem metuentibus proditum, pondere praecipitatum suo, et cervicibus jacuisse praefractis; post deinde perlatum Brundam, cruciatibus et pudore defessum, et altissimi culminis se rursum praecipitasse fastigio.» Julianus Apostata, caelesti telo ictus, manum implevit sanguine, illumque jactans in aerem, dixit: «Vicisti, Galilaee,» ait Theodoretus, lib. III Hist., cap. xx. Valens, Arianus Imperator, a Gothis in casa combustus est; quod in spiritu videns S. Isacius monachus, licet absens: «Nunc,» inquit, «Valens igne torretur, et nares profluentem ab eo ingratum odorem sentiunt.» Ita Nicephorus, lib. XI, cap. L. Addit S. Hieronymus in Daniel. xii, 11, eum occidendum die 1290 ab initio regni sui, idque significare Danielem, cum ait: «Et a tempore cum ablatum fuerit (ab Antichristo initio suae monarchiae) juge sacrificium, et posita fuerit abominatio in desolationem, dies mille ducenti nonaginta.» Subdit Daniel: «Beatus qui exspectat, et perveniet usque ad dies mille trecentos triginta quinque.» Ex quibus verbis S. Hieronymus et alii passim colligunt, post Antichristi mortem superfuturos dies 45 usque ad diem judicii, quos Deus dabit hominibus lapsis in persecutione Antichristi, ut poeniteant. Aliqui cum eo hos dies praecise accipiunt, ita ut postero die praevise, puta 46 a nece et persecutione Antichristi, futura sit omnium resurrectio, et judicium universale. Porro probabile est, diem resurrectionis generalis fore eumdem quo resurrexit Christus, puta diem Paschae. Unde Lactantius, lib. VII, cap. xix, docet nos resurrecturos in die Dominica, imo eadem hora qua Christus resurrexit: Christus enim fuit exemplar nostrae resurrectionis. Idem docet S. Anselmus in Elucidario, et Macarius homil. 5 et 12, dicens nostram resurrectionem fore tempore aprilis, quando omnia florent, et speciem exhibent caelestis gloriae. Idem sentit noster Joannes Salas in I II, Quaest. V, art. 5, tract. 2, disp. 14, sect. x. Suppositis hisce duobus principiis, scilicet primo, a nece Antichristi usque ad diem judicii et resurrectionis, praecise fore 45 dies; secundo, resurrectionem fore ipso die Paschatis: sequitur Antichristum occidendum finitis Bacchanalibus (quod notent et timeant bacchantes) primo die Quadragesimae; ac deinde Quadragesimam totam dandam lapsis ad poenitentiam, ut se praeparent ad ultimum Pascha, quo resurgent subituri judicium generale. Quadragesima enim usque ad Pascha continet dies 46; deme ex iis diem primum, utpote quo occidetur Antichristus, supererunt 45 dies, quos numerat Daniel usque ad diem judicii: ita ut finito die 45, et inchoante 46, qui erit Pascha, omnes resurgant et judicentur. Ita opinatur vir quidam eruditus Romae, qui mecum hac de re egit. Si dicas: «Ergo praecise poterit sciri dies judicii, quod negat Christus, Marci xiii, 32,» respondeo negando consequentiam. Nunc enim is non potest sciri, et deinceps non poterit sciri usque ad mortem Antichristi: ea vero peracta poterit probabiliter ex dictis cognosci, at non certo sciri: quia utrumque principium quo nititur haec sententia, incertum est, et probabile duntaxat, scilicet quod resurrectio fiet die Paschatis, et quod praecise erunt 45 dies a nece Antichristi usque ad diem judicii. Multi enim longe plures fore opinantur, ut dixi Daniel. xii, 11. In hisce ergo conjecturis nihil certo definiri potest, praesertim cum a variis variae aliae afferantur, quarum quae sit vera, eventus declarabit. Quaeres, quando occidendus sit Antichristus. Respondeo, postquam regnaverit tres annos cum dimidio, uti docet Daniel xii, 7, et S. Joannes Apoc. cap. xi, vers. 2 et 3, et cap. xii, vers. 14. Zeno, Imperator Eutychianus, vivus ab uxore sepultus est; de quo Cedrenus: «Satellites,» inquit, «qui ad sepulcrum in quo repositus fuit, custodiendum erant collocati, retulerunt se per duas noctes lamentabilem vocem e sepulcro audivisse: Miseremini, et aperite mihi. Cum illi dicerent alium jam regnare: Nihil,» inquit, «curo, in monasterium me abducite. Sed cum non aperiretur, ferunt aliquanto post monumentum fuisse reclusum, inventumque in eo Zenonem, qui prae fame suos ipse lacertos manderat, et caligas quas gestabat.» Anastasius Imperator, ait Zonaras, vidit virum terribilem dicentem: «Ecce ob perversitatem fidei tuae, annos quatuordecim vitae tuae deleo.» Nam, ut idem subdit, ac Cedrenus, cum oraculo didicisset sibi igne pereundum, cisternam quae Frigida dicitur, multis meatibus aperuit, ut oraculum eluderet; sed frustra, nam fulmine est ictus. Theodoricus, rex Arianus, visus est cuidam sancto viro inter Joannem Papam et Symmachum Patritium, quos occiderat, discinctus, discalceatus, et vinctis manibus projici in ollam Vulcaniam. Ita S. Gregorius, lib. IV Dialog., cap. xxx. Constantinus Copronymus, hostis Deiparae, miserabiliter in Chalandio moritur, clamans et dicens: «Vivens adhuc sum igni inexstinguibili traditus,» sanctamque Virginem Deiparam nominari et laudari expetiit, ait Theophanes. Arius in secessu medius crepuit instar Judae, visceraque effudit, quia Deo Patri viscera sua, id est, Filium consubstantialem, auferre voluerat. Ita S. Nazianzenus in Laudibus S. Athanasii. Nestorii lingua blasphema in Christum et Deiparam a vermibus exesa est, et totum corpus tabe computruit, uti Evagrius, lib. I, cap. vii, Cedrenus et alii tradunt. Lutherum sibi gulam fregisse ex ejus familiarissimis acceptum esse tradunt Bozius de Signis Ecclesiae, Genebrardus et alii, corvorumque turbam ejus funus comitatam; quin et daemones ab energumenis ex Geel (oppidum hoc vidi in Brabantia, et energumenos, qui eo ad S. Dympnam confluunt) in Saxoniam ad ejus funus convolasse, narrat Tilmannus Bredembachius, lib. VII Sacr. collect., cap. xxxix. Calvinum scribit Beza phthisi, colica, asthmate, calculo, podagra, haemorrhoidibus vexatum. Accessit morbus pedicularis, qui totum corpus pervasit; ac foetidissimum et purulentissimum ulcus circa verenda: a vermibus ergo corrosus expiravit instar Herodis, Hunerici, Maximiani et Antiochi Epiphanis, acerrimorum persecutorum Christi et Ecclesiae: ita Hieronymus Bolsecus Doctor medicus in Vita Calvini, cap. xxii.
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… Una allusione a tale liturgia solenne del Tempio si può vedere in Apoc. 19, 1-6.
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… (I Par. 16, 36; Neh. 5, 13; 8, 6). In tal senso ricorre nelle dossologie finali dei primi quattro libri dei Salmi (v.) (alla fine dei salmi 40 [41]; 71 [72]; 88 [89]; 53, l'a. è duplicato; in 105 [106], è unito all'Alleluia: cf. I Par. 16, 36 ebr., e Apoc. 19, 4). In questi casi i Settanta hanno γένοιτο, γένοιτο che la Volgata rende Fiat, fiat. …
… La S. Scrittura ne parla (Gen. 42,6; 43, 26, 28; Jos. 5, 15). Così i Magi venerarono Gesù Bambino (Mt. 2, 11); così lo stesso Gesù pregò nell'orto (Mt. 26, 39); così l'Apocalisse presenta gli anziani in adorazione (Apoc. 5,14; 19, 4). La p. in gran voga nell'antica corte persiana, non era ignorata a Roma (Svetonio, Aul. …
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… Nel Nuovo Testamento ricorrono analoghe b.: Mt. 11, 6; 13, 16; 16, 17; 24, 46; Lc. 11, 28; 12, 37 sg. 43; 14, 15; Io. 20, 29; Iac. 1, 12; I Ps. 3, 14; 4, 14; Apoc. 1, 3; 14, 13; 16, 15; 19, 9; 20, 6; 22, 7, 14. Tuttora i cristiani di Oriente chiamano le b. « macarismi ». Il Diatessaron arabo interpreta l'aggettivo iniziale « beati » in senso avverbiale: « viva! » (E. Preuschen, …
S. Giovanni spesso dichiara di dovere scrivere l'Apocalisse per ordine di Dio (Apoc. 1, 11. 19; 2, 1. 8. 12. 18; 3, 1. 7. 14; 19, 9) e chiama il suo libro «profezia», a cui nulla si deve aggiungere o togliere, per divina disposizione (ibid. 22, 9. 10. 18-19). In I Tim. 5, 18 sembra che Paolo citi Lc. 1, 9, 7 equiparandolo …
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… Gli Angeli (v.), specialmente l'Angelo del Signore, nel Vecchio Testamento vi sono oggetto di profonda venerazione religiosa, sebbene generica (p. es., Ex. 23, 20-22; Num. 22, 31-35; Iov. 5, 13-16; cf. Col. 1, 8; 4, 14; Apoc. 19, 10) perché essi sono esseri gloriosi, servi e messaggeri di Dio, la sua corte celeste, sempre in sua presenza (cf. Mt. 18, 10). E sebbene si metta fortemente in guardia contro il culto …
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BEATO di LIÉBANA - Cristo e cavalieri (Apoc. 19, 11-15). Pagina miniata del ms. di B. (1086) della biblioteca di Burgo de Osma.
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… La dottrina di entrambe sfocia in un'escatologia trascendente, s'impernia sulle idee basi di vita (eterna), luce, Agnello e Pastore, Verbo di Dio (solo Io. 1, 1-14 e I Io. 1, 1 e Apoc. 19, 13), giudizio divino, due regni opposti (Dio e Satana, cielo e mondo). …
… profano, sia in quelli cristiani di « parola di Dio », « comandamento divino », « detto biblico », « Rivelazione », « predicazione evangelica » e in s. Giovanni con il significato di « Verbo divino » 6 volte (Io, 1, 1 [tre volte]; 1, 14; I Io, 1, 1; Apoc. 19, 13; non è da considerarsi I Io, 5, 7: v. COMMA GIOVANNEO).
SERVO DI JAHWEH (EBR. 'ÉBHEDH JAHWEH)
… 21 con Is. 52, 15; Io. 12, 38 con Is. 52, 1; Mt. 8, 17 con Is. 53, 4; Act. 8, 32-35 con Is. 53, 7-8; Lc. 22, 37 con Is. 53, 12. Nei quali si rileva adempito in Cristo quanto è detto del S. di J. (cf. anche Lc. 2, 32 - Is. 42, 6; Mt. 11, 5 - Is. 42, 7; Apoc. 19, 13-15 - Is. 49, 2; Mt. 26, 67 - Is. 50, 6). Gesù applica a sé Is. 53, 12 (Mc. 15, 28; Lc. 22, 37). Nessuno può dubitare che la figura e la missione del S. di J. convengano in pieno solo …
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Cor. 8, 6; Phil. 2, 11). Egli è il re dei re, il signore dei signori (Apoc. 19, 16). Con il B. si diventa suoi (I Cor. 1, 12-13).
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… La narrazione della battaglia e della vittoria di Dio sulla coalizione dei re, presagita con il nome A. in Apoc. 16, 16, è rinviata a Apoc. 19, 17-21.
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… Ma in I Io. lo pseudoprofeta (4, 1-3) si identifica con l'A. (2, 22: uguali connotati); cf. Apoc. 16, 13; 19, 20; 20, 10. I Padri applicano direttamente all'A. Io. 5, 43 b; p. es. Origenè (Tractatus de libris ss. Scripturarum, ed. Batiffol, Parigi 1900, p. 116).
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · Vulgata Clementina · Douay-Rheims originale (Reims 1582), trascrizione EEBO-TCP (CC0) · La Sacra Bibbia, tradotta dalla Volgata da Antonio Martini (1769-1781) (LaParola (laparola.net), Martini OSIS text, Public domain (LaParola's electronic edition marks it 'Dominio pubblico')). Pubblico dominio.