om some one who is authorized to speak with
authority, "out of the throne." All the servants of God are invited, and
all appear to respond, "a great multitude." This is the most animated of
all the examples of praise recorded in this book. It is compared to the
rushing of waters down a cataract, as the roaring of the sea, or the
rolling of thunder in the heavens. It is indeed the "voice of them that
shout for mastery,"--and "all the people shout with a great shout, for
the Lord hath given them the city,"--"Alleluia, _praise ye the Lord_,
for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth." "Thou wilt perform the truth to
Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers
from the days of old."--These joyful victors encourage each other to
prolong their acclamations:--"Let us be glad and rejoice," ... "for the
marriage of the Lamb is come:" and what can that be, but the recalling
of the Jews? This is the day of our New Testament Solomon's espousals,
and the day of the gladness of his heart. (Song iii. 11.)--Not only the
Jews, but the great majority of professing Christians during the 1260
years of Antichrist's usurpations, have refused to "submit themselves to
the righteousness of God." (Rom. x. 3.) The kings of the earth also have
fostered the pride and profligacy of the great whore, instead of the
bride of the Lamb. The lewd woman, and the woman in the wilderness
hitherto, are now to be distinguished. As their character and conduct
are different, so is their raiment. The gaudy and splendid attire of the
former, is in striking contrast with that of the latter; which is that
of a "woman professing godliness," (ch. xvii. 4; 1 Tim. ii. 10.)--"To
her was granted,"--Precious words; for the "Lamb's wife of herself was
utterly destitute," (ch. iii. 17.) The Jews, in the day of their
Messiah's power, (Psa. cx. 3,) convinced of the law as transgressors,
will be brought to adopt the language of their own prophet, (Is. lxi.
10;) "he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered
me with the robe of righteousness." The righteousness of Christ imputed
for justification, and the Spirit of Christ imparted for sanctification,
together with good works, the visible evidence of both, will constitute
the "fine linen, clean and white, which is the righteousness of saints."
This is, after all, a more _costly_, as well as more comely attire, than
that of the mother of harlots. (Ps. xlv. 13, 14.)--"And he saith."--That
is