“And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God:”
This chapter hath in sum two parts, one transitory or of passage unto the things that follow unto verse 10, another historical of the victory of Christ gotten against both the beasts unto the end of the chapter, which I said was the second history of this argument, Rev. 17:1 . The transition hath two places, one of praising God for the overthrow done unto Babylon in 4 verses, and another likewise of praise, and Prophetical, for the coming of Christ unto his kingdom, and his most royal marriage with his Church, thence unto the tenth verse. The former praise has three branches, distinguished after the ancient manner of those that sing: … , that is, an invitation or provokement in 2 verses, … , a response or answer in the third verse, and … , a close or joining together in harmony: all which I thought good of purpose to distinguish in this place, lest any man should with Porphyrius, or other like dogs, object to Saint John of the heavenly Church, a childish and idle repetition of speech. Praise the Lord. The proposition of praise with exhortation in this verse, and the cause thereof, in the next verse.